Paddock Lake observed its 30th annual Arbor Day Saturday morning by the Village Hall Some Scouts from Troop 328 helped plant a Pink Spires Crabapple tree There were some brief words from Village Administrator Tim Popanda © 2025 West of the I | Powered by WordPress A WordPress theme by Ravi Varma Arbor Day is America’s National Tree Holiday, observed on the last Friday of April to celebrate the role of trees in our lives and to promote tree planting and care. Here in Lake Oswego, we celebrate the entire month of April as Lake Oswego Arbor Month. Click here to read the City’s proclamation the City of Lake Oswego has earned Tree City USA (TCUSA) recognition from the National Arbor Day Foundation for demonstrating a strong commitment to managing and caring for trees Cities earn TCUSA status by meeting four standards: maintaining a tree board (the Parks Recreation and Natural Resources Advisory Board) spending a minimum $2 per capita on urban forest management and proclaiming and celebrating Arbor Day annually the Arbor Day Foundation also presented Lake Oswego with its eighth TCUSA Growth Award which recognizes innovative projects and higher levels of tree care by participating Tree City USA communities The Growth Award was awarded to Lake Oswego for: adopting the 2024 Urban and Community Forestry Plan Update; planting more trees than were removed on City owned and managed properties including 92 trees removed and 12,154 trees planted; and by working to implement the City’s Natural Areas Habitat Management Plan by performing environmental restoration in multiple natural areas owned and managed by the City including control of noxious weeds removal of invasive tree species and excess woody debris along property lines to reduce wildfire hazards and replanting with fire-resistant plants for a resilient native understory Checkout the 2025 Urban & Community Forestry Newsletter and find fun ways to celebrate trees this Arbor Month Volunteers must sign the Stewardship Waiver form upon arrival to the work party site. Dress for weather and wear close-toed shoes. Bring gloves and water to drink. Restrooms may not be available. For additional information, visit www.LO-STEWARDSHIP.org or contact Kaleb Simpson, Natural Resource & Stewardship Coordinator at stewardship@lakeoswego.city.  Contact Us Arts Council of Lake Oswego Scattered thunderstorms are expected Monday afternoon and evening. Some may become severe with large hail and high winds. TRACK RADARVoters in Prince George's County head to polls with new county executive race in spotlightby John Gonzalez (7News) — Voters head to the polls Tuesday for Prince George’s County’s special election but most are closely watching the race for a new county executive Because this is a special primary election in Prince George’s County only nine voting centers will be open for residents to cast their ballots The Prince George's County Board of Elections will count special primary mail-in ballots received up until March 14 as long as they are postmarked on or before Tuesday's date The top issues for voters right now are how the local government will deal with all the impact of the new White House administration and trying to get control of an ever-growing budget deficit SEE ALSO | Crime drop in Prince George's County after auto theft frenzy 2 years ago Nearly a dozen candidates are on the ballot trying to finish off the remaining two years of Senator Alsobrooks’s term Maryland Governor Wes Moore is endorsing Aisha Braveboy and longtime local politician Rushern Baker once held the county executive job Whoever becomes the next Prince George’s County Executive will have a lot on their plate especially with all the changes in the federal government DOGE-related issues have to be at the top of the mind About 12% of the residents in the county are part of the federal workforce who dropped out of the county executive race recently which included many resources for some of these workers to lean on The auditorium at Greenbelt Middle School was packed with nearly a thousand people most of them federal workers who are in danger of losing their jobs or already have county leaders are also scrambling to find solutions and trying to plan This special election here in the county comes at a time when President Trump is threatening to remove federal grants that could have a significant impact on the county which already has a $171 million budget deficit Between the school system and the county government about $560 million in federal grants that they rely on could be gone Closing that potential gap will have to be the new county executive’s main priority SEE ALSO | Ballots not counted for 2 candidates in Prince George's County Special Primary The president has also threatened to nix the idea to move the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) headquarters to Greenbelt Council Chair Ivey says it’s not gonna be a pleasant time for the new county executive and she says everyone has to back them and work together local leaders are determined not to make any changes especially raising the county’s property taxes A man accused of fatally shooting a community activist following an argument outside of a restaurant in Prince George’s County was arrested on Tuesday and charged with second-degree murder in last weekend’s shooting that killed Cornelius McDonald region for his work to bring attention to mental health challenges faced by young people In a news release police said the shooting happened at around 12:45 a.m outside Jasper’s Restaurant on Lottsford Road in the Lake Arbor section of Prince George’s County The two men were customers at the restaurant and had reportedly been arguing before the shooting occurred Bailey and McDonald didn’t know each other before the confrontation Police have asked anyone with information to call a detective at 301-516-2512 Bailey is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday In an interview with WTOP on Sunday, Prince George’s County Council member Wala Blegay praised McDonald for his activism, which included establishing “Stay Solid,” a nonprofit organization in Southeast D.C that advocates for young adults’ mental health “It makes it worse when you know it’s somebody in a community working against the very thing that they died from.” McDonald’s family said he had toured local high schools to talk about the importance of mental health “As we grapple with this devastating loss Neal’s legacy will continue to inspire us to pursue his vision — a world where every person can thrive and supported in their journey toward mental wellness,” his family wrote in a statement A post shared by Youth Mental Health Awareness (@staysolidmh) WTOP’s Alan Etter contributed to this report Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area Jessica Kronzer graduated from James Madison University in May 2021 after studying media and politics advocacy and compelling human-interest stories Photo Credit: (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Sports Information) ARVADA — Chatfield senior Jesse Hand had a nice 24 hours of golf early this week Hand — defending Class 5A Jeffco League individual medalist — had a pair of 2-under-par rounds at Bear Creek Golf Club and Lake Arbor Golf Course in the span of 24 hours Hand had three straight birdies to finish is round of 2-under-par 70 at Bear Creek The Chatfield senior and 3-time state qualifier edged Valor Christian senior Ian O’Fallon by a stroke “It was a tough round the whole day,” Hand said of the Green Mountain Invite “The pins were really tough and the greens were really tough I was in the fairway and on the green the whole day Hand had three straight bogeys coming out of a lightning delay 8 and 9 to close out with a 34 on the front-nine to take the victory “I told my coach that I needed to finish birdie A fourth-place finish at the 5A state tournament last year motivated Hand even more to continue his meteoric rise Hand tied for 42nd at state his freshman year Was tied for 29th as a sophomore before breaking into the top-5 last season “Just devotion to the game,” Hand said of his improvement each year during his high school career It is constant work and constant practice.” Hand road the momentum from Monday to another 2-under-par round in the first of six Jeffco League tournaments on Tuesday The senior had a round of 68 to finish tied for fifth with O’Fallon and Columbine junior Drew Dawson It should be a tight battle all season for the 5A Jeffco League individual and team titles Valor is the defending 5A Jeffco League team champion “I think would be awesome to win again,” Hand said of attempting to defend his 5A Jeffco medalist title We are looking at a team (league) title too I think we have a good shot at winning league Valor and Columbine are going to be really good too.” Chatfield took a 9-stroke team victory with a combined total of 272 at Lake Arbor Rival Columbine finished second with a 281 and Valor placed third with a 291 Chatfield juniors Wyatt Montoya and Carter Bowen both had 3-under-par round of 67 Senior Peter Howard (70) and Anthony Giorno (73) had top-10 finishes Valor junior Campbell McFadden was the top 5A Jeffco placer at Lake Arbor with a 4-under-par round of 66 Columbine senior Alex Lest tied for second with Montoya and Bowen In celebration of Lake Oswego Arbor Month and 36 years of Tree City USA recognition the City is hosting a Trees are for the Birds themed art contest for K-5th students residing in Lake Oswego Participants are asked to find a fun fact about how birds use trees and create an original work of art featuring trees and birds if your fun fact is "Bald eagles spend almost 90% of their daylight hours perched in trees" your art would include a bald eagle perched in a tree The online contest entry form includes a space to enter your fun fact Entries will be displayed electronically at City Hall and the Public Library. The contest begins on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 and entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Winners will be notified on or around Friday, May 9, 2025, and prizes will be awarded at the Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Visit https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/formslf/ArborMonthArt for additional information TRACK RADAR17-year-old found dead after shooting in Bowie PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. (7News) — A 17-year-old was found dead in the roadway after a shooting in the Lake Arbor, Maryland area Monday evening, according to Prince George’s County police. Officers responded to Lake Overlook Place around 6:35 p.m for a reported shootingin the unincorporated section of Bowie in the roadway suffering from gunshot wounds Police said they are working to find a motive and identify a suspect(s) Anyone with information can call the Homicide Unit detective at 301-516-2512 Villages-News.com In celebration of National Arbor Day on April 25 the Town of Lady Lake will hold its annual Tree Raffle reinforcing its commitment to conservation and community beautification the Town Commission doubled the award to $10,000 allowing 50 residents to win $200 in gift certificates to Fairfield Farms Nurseries in Oxford where they may choose from a variety of trees and plants Winners must arrange for pickup and planting • The drawing will take place on April 21 at 5:30 p.m in the Town Hall Commission Chambers (409 Fennell Blvd. Winners will be notified and do not need to be present • Entry forms can be found online at www.ladylakefl.gov and at Town Hall Lady Lake has been recognized as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation highlighting its dedication to urban forestry supports initiatives like the annual tree raffle to ensure a greener future for Lady Lake “Being named a Tree City USA for 20 years solidifies our ongoing commitment to protecting our environment,” said Parks and Recreation Director Mike Burske “This raffle is a wonderful way to engage residents in beautification efforts.” DENVER — Toxic blue-green algae has forced the closure of two more lakes in the Denver metro area In a post on X the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) said recent testing found the toxic algae in Rocky Mountain Lake Signs have been posted around the lake urging people and pets to remain out of the water The City of Arvada on Thursday also announced the closure of one of its lakes Lake Arbor is closed to the public indefinitely due to blue-green algae "approaching toxic levels." The bacteria in blue-green algae — cyanobacteria or cyanoHABs — naturally occur in Colorado waters. However, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) they "become a problem when they multiply rapidly," resulting in blooms CDPHE urges you to take the following precautions if you see blooms: If you’re looking for a relaxing outdoor activity that’s easy to learn and provides a solid workout at the same time standup paddle boarding is a sport well worth your consideration Denverites have loads of lake and river options to consider in and around town with plenty of locations that rent paddle boards as well This list highlights the top standup paddle boarding (SUP) spots near Denver and any known local companies that rent equipment for your next outing There are more than two dozen locations in the Denver Metro Area that currently allow SUP Some spots only permit non-motorized boating so you’ll have your choice of what other watercraft you wish to share the water with Here are the lakes and rivers near Denver that permit standup paddle boarding A day in the sun spent standup paddle boarding at LoDo’s Confluence Park is one of the quintessential Denver activities you can experience The park is named after the joining of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River and anytime it’s warm out the area is swarmed with bikers If you’re hoping for an uncrowded paddle-boarding experience, this spot is probably not for you. Located nearby, Confluence Kayaks has summer SUP rentals Located at I-70 and Sheridan Boulevard, Berkeley Lake is a natural refuge immersed in a city that’s growing bigger and more complex by the day. Berkeley Lake is one of five bodies of water in Denver that welcome hand-launched boating Chatfield is a sizable reservoir that allows motorized and non-motorized boating it shouldn’t be hard to find a spot for yourself While the Chatfield Marina rents pontoon boats on-site, you’ll have to go through Colorado Watersports for SUP rentals They are located at the park’s Swim Beach and Roxborough Cove Sloan’s Lake sits on Sheridan Boulevard north of Colfax, and it’s a nice option for boaters who want to grab a bite to eat or a drink after a day on the lake in the neighboring Edgewater neighborhood (Providence At 5280 comes highly recommended by this writer) Note that motorized boating and sailing are not permitted on this lake This reservoir sits east of Denver where the suburban sprawl meets Colorado’s eastern plains region. The Aurora Reservoir is about as far as you get from the capital city while still staying somewhat close to the area as far as paddle-boarding options go And it’s not a bad option if you live on the east side of town and are looking for a big body of water to explore Both kayaks and SUP can be rented daily from 10 am to 4 pm You must be 18 years old to rent them and those 13 or over can use them alone Under 12 may use them if accompanied on the water by a parent or guardian Situated on the south section of Denver’s City Park near the Denver Museum of Nature & Science paddle boarding on Ferril Lake with the City Park Pavillion is not a bad way to spend a summer afternoon The Boathouse rents paddle boards for use during the summer Rocky Mountain Lake sits at the corner of I-70 and Federal and it’s one of five Denver lakes that permit hand-launched boating This lake is located a four-minute drive away from Berkeley Lake another Denver-based body of water that welcomes paddle boarders so if you’re looking to explore two lakes in one day This picturesque reservoir sits at the western edge of Denver’s suburbs in Lakewood and it offers a stellar mix of serenity and scenery for paddle boarding This Lakewood park is a great spot to throw camping and fishing into the mix if you want to make paddle boarding just one part of a larger weekend trip without leaving the Denver area Its Big Soda Lake only permits non-motorized watercraft, whereas you’ll find motorboats on Bear Creek Lake. No private boats are allowed on Little Soda Lake though. The marina on Big Soda Lake rents SUP The Clear Creek Whitewater Park is about a half-hour drive west of Denver and delivers a unique and thrilling paddle-boarding experience you won’t want to miss In contrast to the tame lakes and reservoirs that comprise the majority of this list this is a place where you can stand up paddle board on a scenic creek that flows straight from the mountains outside Golden It’s almost always packed with people, but it’s worth checking out regardless, especially if you’re looking for a challenge. River tubing here is quite popular this reservoir is temporarily closed to boating of any kind Cherry Creek Reservoir is a large body of water located southeast of Denver in the city of Aurora. Consider this spot if you want to make stand-up paddle boarding a part of your larger hiking, fishing, or camping trip. The local Pelican Bay Marina rents out SUP too There’s also camping and tipis at the park if you want to spend the night Lake Arbor sits east of 80th Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard in Arvada and it serves as a decent option for those wanting a less crowded stand-up paddle-boarding experience without leaving town you’ll be treated to a nice view of the Front Range while you’re exploring the lake This lake located just south of I-70 west of Denver is so small that it’s easy to miss, but it does allow standup paddle boarding. It’s part of the scenic Wheat Ridge Greenbelt (a section of the Clear Creek Trail) West Lake sits a short walk away from Prospect Lake in Wheat Ridge and it delivers an especially gorgeous and serene setting for paddle boarding You can use the Wheat Ridge Greenbelt Youngfield Entrance to access this lake and its trails Check out the Quincy Reservoir if you’re in Aurora looking to ditch the crowds It’s a decent-sized body of water at 160 acres and it’s located between Cherry Creek Reservoir and the Aurora Reservoir Boating is allowed from once the ice melts typically mid-to-late March through October No motorized vehicles are permitted on the water The locations featured on this list are spots in and around Denver, but your choices multiply the farther out you venture In addition to its many places where standup paddle boarding is allowed and welcomed Denver also has multiple shops where you can rent paddle boards and other gear Patrick McGuire is a freelance writer and musician living in the Mountain West Copyright © 2025 · Free Colorado Travel Guide | Vacations, Travel and Tourism · All Rights Reserved Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Paddock Lake celebrated Arbor Day Saturday with a ceremony and planting of a tree Participating were Scouts from Pack and Troop 328 A flowering snow crabapple tree was planted at the rear of Village Hall This is Paddock Lake’s 25th annual Arbor Day celebration Scout Andrew Cerda and village administrator Tim Popanda spoke at the ceremony All but one tenant has moved out of the run-down Lake Arbor Apartments in west Charlotte after the owners ordered everyone out to make way for renovations But a legal battle with the landlords continues and tenants last week won a round — just as it appeared the complex was about to be sold to new investors Two tenants filed a proposed class-action suit last June against Lake Arbor's New York-based owners They're trying to get back thousands of dollars in rent and fees they say the owners collected illegally while their apartments were failing health and safety inspections.  The tenants complained about problems including mold bugs and broken heating and air conditioning units And the owners still face fines for dozens of housing code violations.  a Mecklenburg County judge allowed the tenants to attach a legal claim worth up to $1.3 million on the Lake Arbor property and bank accounts That's to cover any future payments if the tenants win their case said Charlotte lawyer Julian Wright of Robinson Bradshaw "We learned that the out-of-state landlords who own the apartment complex were going to sell the apartment complex," Wright said "And we wanted to make sure that there would be a pile of money at the end of the litigation to be able to pay any judgment." Wright said the request is allowed under state law to prevent out-of-state defendants from moving their money and assets out of state.  The order means anyone who buys the complex would be liable for up to $1.3 million if the tenants win the suit "The out-of-state defendants can't simply take their money that they get from the sale of the property and park that somewhere that potentially our clients wouldn't have access to it," he said.  The tenants' lawsuit originally was filed in Mecklenburg County then moved to federal court at the owners' request But the tenants recently succeeded in getting it moved back to state court.   Lake Arbor was built in 1974 and is now owned by two limited liability companies — Lake Arbor 80M TIC and Lake Arbor Dean TIC — both affiliated with Read Property Group of Brooklyn The investors bought the property in November 2014 and have struggled to keep it in good repair.  They have been negotiating since last June to sell the 288-unit complex to another New York-based real estate company according to an investment prospectus circulating among investors.  That document says URS would pay $16.25 million to buy the property and spend another $9 million to rehab the complex That's far more than the $2 million the current owners were planning to spend on renovations The buyers eventually would reopen Lake Arbor with higher monthly rents than the previous range of $625 to $975.  And there's more to the story about the sale.  Charlotte City Council member Julie Eiselt said this week that a Charlotte group with plans to keep Lake Arbor rents affordable also was hoping to buy it With Charlotte facing a big shortage of affordable housing "It's sort of the classic example of what the problem is -- that we have limited ability to leverage to be able to get control of a naturally-occurring affordable housing unit if the owner decides to sell to somebody at a higher price," she said though the proposed sale has not been completed.  said in an email they are working with the lone remaining tenant who has had trouble finding housing.  Rosenwood would not comment on either a possible sale or the legal case He said renovations are scheduled to begin in March.  social service agencies have been trying to find housing for those displaced by the shutdown of Lake Arbor 88 of 128 families they've interviewed were in new housing according to the United Way's Kathryn Firmin-Sellers.  Some tenants couldn't be contacted after their initial interviews And Firmin-Sellers said just one person wound up in a homeless shelter despite fears the number could be higher.  "I think it's equally important to highlight that others are still living with friends and family," she said "So I don't want to claim it's been 100% successful but I think we've had a really good outcome." A judge has given final approval to a financial settlement between former owners and managers of a west Charlotte apartment complex and tenants who sued over poor conditions The 106 former tenants of Lake Arbor will get shares of the $547,500 settlement in the order signed this week The former owners shut down the aging complex off Tuckaseegee Road last year after years of disputes with tenants and building inspectors over unsafe conditions The tenants had sued former New York-based owners Lake Arbor Dean TIC and Lake Arbor 80M TIC and their management company two years ago They sought refunds of rent they said they were illegally charged during a time when conditions in their apartments were dangerous and building inspectors had ordered repairs The tenants and former owners settled the case in November and a judge approved the deal this week Tenants will get 1.8 times whatever they paid Some tenants will get more if they were sent collection notices by the landlord said in a statement: “These landlords kept taking the rent and taking the rent all the while refusing to fix serious safety problems in tenants’ units." Russell was one of the plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit and helped organize tenants at the complex along with the Tenant Organizing Resource Center of Charlotte The former owners sold Lake Arbor last year for $14 million to New York-based URS Capital Partners. The company renamed the complex Nova Ridge and is in the midst of a planned $8.8 million renovation The first units are expected to be finished in September The lawyers will split about $78,000 of the settlement but "greatly exceeds the amount requested" by the lawyers A substitute teacher at Lake Arbor Elementary School in Prince George’s County has been removed indefinitely following allegations that he verbally and physically abused students Assistant Principal Camille McLaughlin sent a letter to parents stating the unidentified substitute had been removed indefinitely and was under investigation for reports of verbal and physical altercations with students in a classroom She added that “providing a safe and orderly environment for our students remains our highest priority” and asked parents to encourage their children to report any troubling incidents with adults Tierra Parker said her son was one of the students abused on Feb She said he came home from school that day and told her the teacher had lifted him in the air and choked him by his shirt collar He said that was just one of two incidents The student also claimed that the substitute “pulled his left leg and dragged him out of his chair leading to him hitting his head on the side of the chair and falling on his back,” Parker told WTOP Parker immediately reported the incidents to both the school and county police “I just want the kids to be aware that this is not right,” Parker said “Make sure you’re just telling an adult of the situation don’t just go home and just think that that’s OK.” She said she wants the school system to do more thorough background checks while hiring She’d also like to see additions that make classrooms safer “I feel like every classroom should have cameras,” Parker said “Just in case things like this happen We can see what’s going on in the class she say’ we can actually see what’s going on in the class.” Grace Newton is an Associate Producer at WTOP She also works as an associate producer for NPR Newscast Grace was born and raised in North Carolina but has lived in D.C Grace graduated from American University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and minor in art history in 2022 People in southwestern Manitoba were on edge Wednesday afternoon as Environment Canada reported several tornadoes touching down in a 300-kilometer radius with golf ball sized hail The storm entered into Manitoba from Saskatchewan and the first tornado warning came in at around 3:30 p.m While most people would take cover during a tornado professional Manitoba storm chaser Jordan Carruthers and his team do the exact opposite We managed to get three brief tornadoes up in that area and then we tracked the storm south south-east all the way to Swan Lake First Nation,” said Carruthers from his home in Portage la Prairie The worst of the storm damage reported so far happened in the Swan Lake First Nation with most of the wooden and tin roof ripped off and scattered across the field “We could see right away that there was a bunch of tin that was pulled off from the roof of the arbor and a bunch of whole roofing panels with the two by ten boards and everything had snapped off and was blown into the field around where there There was quite a bit of damage in that small area but thankfully nobody was injured nobody was there when it happened,” said Carruthers “There was three grain bins that we have for our buffalo we know where two are but we don’t know where the third one is The one grain bin almost landed on one of our community members when he was trying to get away from the storm itself,” said Swan Lake First Nation councilor Sean McKinney A roof on a home in the First Nation was also damaged with shingles and parts of a eavesdrop broken “My daughter lives in Swan Lake First Nation and this tornado was this close to her house Scary stuff,” said Don Wilson in a Facebook post “Even though the tornado ripped up our arbor I’m just glad it didn’t hit any of our community members houses and no one got hurt.” McKinney says plans are already underway to quickly rebuild as their annual powwow is just two weeks away and will run from June 28 to 30 “We’re waiting for our insurance adjusters they’re going to be out here tomorrow morning we’re just going to rebuild ourselves,” said McKinney adding that if repairs don’t happen fast enough they may just move the powwow beside the arbor and have a temporary powwow grounds for the time being it’s not very often that we see that many tornadoes off one storm in Canada,” added Carruthers Signup to our newsletter and receive this week's top stories every Saturday morning 2019) – Local legal advocacy groups are urging residents at Lake Arbor Apartments to seek legal advice before signing any document from the apartment community residents received a notice from Lake Arbor Apartments stating that they must move out by December 31 while some were told they had leases that had expired or were no longer valid Those residents were told they have only 30 days to move out The notice also informed residents of an “Incentive Package” available for those who choose to leave voluntarily Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy and the North Carolina Justice Center are concerned that residents could be giving up their legal rights as tenants without fully understanding all their options The organizations urge Lake Arbor residents to speak to an attorney before they decide whether to sign anything Lake Arbor residents who have been told to move out asked to sign a release or offered an Incentive Package from the rental company should call (919) 856-2169 to receive free legal advice and discuss their options with an attorney from these organizations or attend the Lake Arbor Community Town Hall on August 10 julia@ncjustice.org; Hannah Sharpe: 704-749-7486 One of Charlotte's biggest housing stories this year has been the effort to find homes for hundreds of displaced residents at Lake Arbor apartments in west Charlotte About half the tenants have left or been evicted since the owners announced plans to shut down and renovate the complex by the end of the year she and her mother and 2-year-old son moved into a rented house off LaSalle Street in west Charlotte on Nov "Here's my mother's room," she said as she gave a reporter a tour "And as a matter of fact we didn't even have to worry about furniture They actually had a church came in and furnished the whole place for us." Johnson's troubles at Lake Arbor began two summers ago when she and her mother began battling their landlord over needed repairs They joined other residents in complaining about health and safety violations at the run-down apartments off Tuckaseegee Road.  The apartment used to get up to like 90 to 100 degrees in there," Johnson said "We were complaining about it to the office Johnson said sheriff's deputies padlocked the doors The management company said they owed $2,000 — money they didn't have.   me and my family was pretty much homeless," she said "We was going from place to — motel to motel It was times we didn't have the funds to pay for the motel Me and my son were standing outside in a heat with all our clothes and all that stuff."  Community Link helped Johnson and her family stay in a hotel temporarily then referred her to Supportive Housing Communities Lake Arbor's New York-based owners notified residents of all 177 occupied units in July that they had to leave by year's end — and some sooner Local housing advocates say it's the biggest mass displacement of low-income renters they can recall in Charlotte.  The Charlotte lawyer for Lake Arbor's owners did not respond to requests for comment last week About a dozen local nonprofit agencies have stepped in to help Crisis Assistance Ministry and Community Link They raised $268,000 to help tenants with rent security deposits and other moving expenses They've assessed families' needs and helped them find new housing "We have about 75 units still out there with people living in them."  they've spent about $175,000 of the $268,000 raised With affordable housing in Charlotte dwindling because of redevelopment and rising rents "I would say this is the face of the affordable housing crisis," Clark said And it is exceptionally difficult to find housing for these families "And I think for all the good work that has been accomplished to address the affordable housing crisis — and there certainly has been a lot especially in this last year or so — we cannot build it as fast as we're losing it."  Charlotte's affordable housing shortage means some displaced families may not be able to stay in the city "We have heard of cases where folks are moving out of the county," Clark said "We have people who we have found apartments for I think it is likely we are going to end up with households that we have to make referrals to shelters "I think it's going to be very difficult in this time frame to find suitable housing permanent housing arrangements for everybody who's still living there." But sending residents to surrounding counties for cheaper housing creates a whole other set of stresses because Charlotte lacks a good regional public transportation system "Those jobs are here in Mecklenburg County or if they're living in Kannapolis or Concord or down in Union County the issue for them then is how do I get back and forth to work how do I get my kids to the schools?"    Maintaining a car for a daily commute is expensive and there's another issue: What happens if your child has a crisis at a school 30 miles away?    a feeling of stability has replaced the uncertainty of all the moving around this summer and fall is a restaurant manager and the family's bread-winner She's paying about 30% of their $1,000 monthly rent they'll need to figure out how to pay the whole thing.  Johnson said it's a lot nicer than what the family had at Lake Arbor.  four months ago that me and my mom and my child will be off the streets and in a nice home and paid for Johnson planned to host Thanksgiving dinner for the rest of her family she's also hoping for a similar outcome for her grandmother They still live at Lake Arbor but haven't found housing yet.  The situation at Lake Arbor has been a tough one for these families investors are buying up old apartment complexes like Lake Arbor and renovating or redeveloping them with much higher rents.  "I can't recall anything in recent years quite on this scale "We had an apartment complex on Monroe Road some number of years ago that there was a displacement That landlord worked very closely with a lot of our agency partners to rehouse people I'm not aware of anything that's been quite like this I will say I don't think this is going to be the last time it happens." and one that other Charlotte-area experts share At WFAE's recent public conversation on affordable housing residents of Brookhill Village off South Tryon Street talked about the threat they're facing There's a redevelopment proposal in the works for the complex which could take another 200 units off the market.  Another displacement in the works is Melrose Place an apartment block at Woodlawn and Park roads It sold last spring and is expected to be torn down.  Crisis Assistance Ministry and Community Link have come together with the city to respond to Lake Arbor Experts think some kind of standing response is needed as developers take away more and more existing affordable housing Clark said she thinks the coalition that's helping Lake Arbor tenants is probably a template for future responses She likened it to responding to a flood or another natural disaster.  Apryl Lewis is a tenant organizer at Action NC She thinks the city needs a permanent response for all the displacements that are coming.   "A plan needs to be in place like these residents need to have somewhere at least temporary to be able to go or provided enough time to be able to relocate on their own," Lewis said "But they're not actually equipped for this because this is something the city does not plan for." The United Way could continue to coordinate these responses when they crop up But there are a lot of questions: Where will the money come from and where will we find housing people can afford?  CORRECTION: This story has been update to correct that Jasmine Johnson got help from both Community Link and Supportive Housing Communities during her search for housing.  BALTIMORE (WBFF) — The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General is investigating the death of a man while he was in police custody in Prince George’s County on Friday night officers with the Prince George’s County Police Department responded to a 911 call for a “suspicious person” knocking on doors of residences in the 10700 block of Lake Arbor Way in the Lake Arbor neighborhood of Largo ALSO READ:Man falls from moving car during carjacking, say police an officer located an adult man in the roadway The man walked onto a nearby lawn and laid down The officer immediately called for an ambulance so that officers could transport him to a hospital for evaluation Officers immediately provided emergency aid Medics who were already dispatched and on scene took over resuscitation efforts The man was pronounced dead on scene a short time later The Maryland Attorney General's office said the IID will generally release the name of the decedent and subject officers within two business days of the incident although that period may be extended if there is a specific reason to believe that an officer’s safety is at risk Officers on scene were equipped with body-worn cameras The IID will generally release the footage within 20 business days of an incident say the office of the Maryland Attorney General Dallas police continue searching today for the person or persons who shot Richard Pinkney near a Lake Highlands greenbelt Wednesday Officers were called to the scene about 2:30 p.m and found Pinkney lying on the sidewalk at the entrance to the trail at Arbor Park Drive between Meadowknoll and Vista Oaks Dallas Fire Rescue transported him to a nearby hospital DPD’s Air One helicopter spent more than an hour searching the creek nearby after the shooting, but the killer remains on the loose. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective John Valdez at 214-671-3623 or john.valdez@dallaspolice.gov the woman was going to her car at a residence on Lake Arbor Drive at around 9 p.m when a man identified as Martin Millanmendez approached the woman Millanmendez proceeded to take her keys and stole her vehicle (CBS12) — A woman was carjacked while holding her baby Tuesday night the Palm Springs Police Department (PSPD) said when a man identified as Martin Millanmendez approached her Ruiz says the woman did not know who the man was he was arrested by police with assistance from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) Affordable housing is a top priority for Charlotte officials and they want voters to approve a $50 million bond referendum to help build more of it City officials are also monitoring the condition of existing affordable housing like the Lake Arbor Apartments in west Charlotte where inspectors found numerous code violations sewage back-ups and summertime air conditioning failures Mayor Vi Lyles said the Lake Arbor complex is an important piece of the city’s affordable housing stock.  The 296-unit apartment complex sits just off of Tuckaseegee Road next to large Those homes are a big contrast to Lake Arbor’s worn-looking apartments that line streets filled with big potholes trash in places and many unit windows covered with cardboard Janice Williams has lived at Lake Arbor for six years in two different buildings “The pipe under my sink was busted and I had to keep getting a wet vac to vacuum And up here I never had air for two-and-a-half years.” Williams said she pays $650 a month for the two-bedroom apartment she shares with her adult daughter She said her complaints to management went unanswered until city officials learned about the condition of the complex and sent in code inspectors and did my bathroom floor and they painted but I've been here three years and they're just now doing this stuff when the City of Charlotte got on it,” Williams said “They haven’t done anything about the mold Others who complained about mold in their units also said bleach or other products were not used to get rid of the mold Andre Thompson has lived at Lake Arbor for two years but his worst problem has been sewage backups but it happened again and it was much worse,” Thompson said It was creeping close to my furniture in the bedroom so I got all my stuff out.” Thompson said the air conditioning does not work in the unit he’s in now A security guard at the leasing office said management had no comment and I was asked to leave We were referred to the apartment complex’s attorneys They did not respond to several phone messages and emails the city’s code enforcement manager Ben Christ made a presentation before the City Council on his department’s findings after inspecting all of Lake Arbor’s units in September “Some other common violations that we found were broken door jambs rotting window sill and exterior lighting that’s broken,” Christ said Christ said tenants in nine apartments had to be relocated elsewhere because the conditions were so bad He said most of the apartments failed inspections and 262 units are still being monitored Christ said the city’s involvement has led to a couple of decks being rebuilt some mechanical and HVAC systems being repaired and safety locks were placed on sliding doors He said the housing code does not cover mold but adds that there are ways they can make landlords clean it up “Mold manifests itself in other unsanitary conditions — in water-related violations as well as ventilation-related violations,” Christ said “We do look at all of the components of HVAC and under the mechanical code we address mold Our ordinance allows us to address those issues.” City officials say Lake Arbor is a key piece of Charlotte’s affording housing strategy The supply is about 24,000 units short of demand Mayor Pro Tem Julie Eiselt said they want the owners to bring the complex into compliance so it won’t have to be shut down rents are starting in the $600s and there’s not a lot of that out there,” Eiselt said “It’s very difficult in this day and age to build apartments that rent at that kind of level without some kind of subsidy That’s why you’d hate to lose that kind of stock.” Residents at Lake Arbor say they are not just concerned about the poor condition of their units stabbings and murders occurring at the complex my sister [and I] were sitting on the balcony and my sister ran in the house and she said people are shooting outside,” the tenant said “A guy came around the corner with a gun that was huge and I said This is all I can afford right now but as quick as I can She’s lived at Lake Arbor for five years and pays $900 in rent She did not want to give her name because she said she knows of others being served with eviction notices after talking to the media or demanding repairs “Evicting a tenant in response to a tenant making a complaint about repairs to the landlord or to the City of Charlotte is a retaliatory eviction and that is completely illegal under North Carolina laws,” said Isaac Sturgill the supervising attorney for the housing unit at Legal Aid in Charlotte Sturgill is representing several tenants in cases against Lake Arbor His office also did a presentation for residents on their rights — letting them know that things such as rat infestations unsafe wiring and appliances such as air conditioners that do not work are violations of the city’s housing code “If the landlord is aware that one of those imminently dangerous conditions exist on the property and refusing to fix it it is unlawful for landlord to collect any rent while that condition is still present on the property,” Sturgill said Sturgill represented Tonya Burris in her case against Lake Arbor lived there for a year with her husband and children in an apartment that had mold and was without air conditioning She said her children with asthma ended up in the emergency room because of the mold Burris complained to city officials about that and the lack of exterior lighting she faced an eviction for money they did not owe "I went to them because I had to be at work at five in the morning and it is dark outside,” Burris said I felt it was a retaliatory eviction because we called the city on them They didn’t know that we had copies of all of our money orders and a copy of the email where they accepted the money.” Burris won her eviction case and the family now lives in a home they bought in Gastonia City officials say they have a team of inspectors at Lake Arbor daily to ensure that repairs are being made according to city codes code enforcement officials are taking the complex’s owners to court to get the fixes they want in 11 Lake Arbor units This is part of WTOP’s continuing coverage of people making a difference from our community authored by Stephanie Gaines-Bryant. Read more of that coverage group is using the fun activity to help breast cancer survivors stay healthy Jeannette Jones is a breast cancer survivor, line dance instructor and one of the coordinators of Line Dance N’ Pink. The event, organized by the breast cancer advocacy organization 2for2 Boobs Jones said she was diagnosed with breast cancer after having two breast scares She first discovered a lump on her breast in 1994 “I knew it was there but didn’t do anything about it.” She said it took years for her to get the lump checked and it turned out to be a benign (noncancerous) tumor I would not be here to tell it,” Jones said she said she became more knowledgeable about breast care and began doing regular self-exams with the encouragement of Tallulah Anderson She found another lump in 2008 which was also benign before finding a third lump in the other breast a short time later A year after getting her breast cancer diagnosis She said she immediately fell in love with it and soon became an instructor “to keep your mind active with the different steps.” Jones also said the fellowship is therapeutic for breast cancer survivors because they’re “coming in contact with all types of people developing friendships and associations.” Jones said she knows firsthand how line dancing can help other survivors stay physically and mentally fit — when people begin dancing endorphins are released and they’re getting a cardio workout Jones said there’s still hope to become a line dancer — she often tells new line dancers “Mess up Catch up” and has had success helping people with absolutely no coordination become good line dancers said they’re asking people to wear silver and pink this year to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the event telling WTOP it’s a “celebration of life” aimed at turning awareness into action “thru moving your body thru hearing the stories and thru letting you know what you need to do to be proactive when it comes to breast care.” The 10th annual Line Dance N’ Pink will be held on Sunday at the Lake Arbor Community Center in Mitchellville Stephanie Gaines-Bryant is an Anchor and Reporter for WTOP holding positions ranging from newscaster to morning show co-host This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.