This project is aimed to replenish tree canopy and improve water quality and drainage at Zilker Metro Park Pecan Grove Work includes tree planting and of 24 native tree species and irrigation to establish healthy Additional drainage maintenance work will create berms and depressions along existing drainage channels to capture rainwater to support tree plantings and reduce downstream erosion and flows into Barton Creek The Pecan Grove at Zilker Metropolitan Park was impacted by severe drought and freezes from 2018 to 2021 which resulted in the loss of several mature trees in the project area This loss of canopy contributed to the erosion of soil and compaction of the lawn areas near the east entry of Zilker Park.  and drainage improvements are proposed to slow and capture water to reduce erosion and re-establish a forested canopy in the Pecan Grove area An assortment of twelve native tree species have been selected to provide shade and understory canopy and provide a variety of biological functions for surrounding wildlife Tree location and sizes have been selected to provide shade to park visitors which compliments the existing circulation pattern of users approaching the Zilker Park and the watercraft rental area at Barton Creek Access to the trail network and boat rentals will not be interrupted during construction schedules are projected as accurately as possible but all dates are subject to change due to the permitting PARD will provide signs on-site advance of the work starting for public notification Project contacts and direction to the project webpage will be provided on signage and the webpage will be updated periodically through construction The project is funded by the Urban Forest Replenishment Fund For questions or more information, please contact Lindsey Machamer by email Your access to this service has been limited If you think you have been blocked in error contact the owner of this site for assistance If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send" You will then receive an email that helps you regain access Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 5 million WordPress sites The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site You can also read the documentation to learn about Wordfence's blocking tools or visit wordfence.com to learn more about Wordfence Click here to learn more: Documentation 6 May 2025 5:34:31 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); Home » News » Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony offers festive wonderland Mary’s University as it transforms campus into a Christmas wonderland The crowd will be led in song by carolers before the Nativity scene and celebrate the lighting of the Christmas tree Mary’s University’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and Alumni Christmas Social guests are invited to Pecan Grove for the alumni social The Alumni Association will collect unwrapped Mary’s University Miracle on 36th Street toy drive 6 May 2025 5:34:50 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); The mission of Neuse News is to provide hyper-local news to communities in or near the Neuse River Basin via a web-based platform and subsequent print publications We will do so with no online subscription fees and no subscription to the Associated Press We will provide valuable information to consumers that will help them lead more productive lives as citizens Subscribe to our FREE Neuse Newsletter! Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to 3859 Pecan Grove Circle for a death investigation Deputies arrived and located Xavier Branch A homicide investigation is being conducted; anyone with any information about this death is asked to please call 252-559-6118 Information will be released to the public as soon as possible Neuse News is a locally-owned small business startup in downtown Kinston The kind of news our grandparents read in a format fit for today's times We provide this by having supportive advertisers and we encourage you to click on their ads Every bit of financial support is important to help us sustain free Please consider supporting Neuse News with as little as $5 one-time or via a monthly option. Every little bit helps us, help you. Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLENOIR COUNTY (WITN) - Authorities say they are investigating a man’s death on Monday as a homicide Lenoir County deputies say investigators were called to a mobile home at 3859 Pecan Grove Circle Monday evening Authorities say they found 32-year-old Xavier Branch dead at the home Officials say his death is being investigated as a homicide Anyone with information is asked to call 252-559-6118 RENEW MEMBERSHIP Oklahoma Farm Bureau Preserving and protecting our rural way of life since 1942 the Miller Pecan Country Market greets travelers entering the town of Afton  As shoppers browse their way through the market enjoying the pecans and products the Miller family has carefully curated they are unaware of the flurry of activity happening just down the hallway where the Miller family and their employees are busy sorting cracking and processing pecans that will not only be featured on the shelves of their own market but will also be shipped across the country for families to enjoy. Brothers Jared and Justin Miller have built the sprawling pecan processing plant and storefront that complements their own pecan grove in a short 10-year span The Millers created a state-of-the-art facility that transforms pecans from fresh-off-the-farm nuts to pecan halves and pieces that are used in confectionery items baked goods and even enjoyed by the handful. “We pretty much do everything from farm to table from starting on the farm,” Jared said. Starting in their sprawling 800-acre orchard that is home to rows and rows of pecan trees to their on-farm cleaning facility to their cracking facility in Afton the Millers handle every step of the process from planting and grafting new trees to selling packaged pecans in their storefront. The Miller family’s story – just like the pecans they sell – started in a northeastern Oklahoma pecan orchard. Jared Miller recalled helping his father harvest pecans when Jared himself was growing up in northeastern Oklahoma Equipped with a pecan harvester pulled by a four-wheeler Jared’s dad began harvesting pecans for a little extra money as Jared and his brother picked up sticks and dragged gunny sacks around area orchards. “We started off really “My dad started off just basically harvesting pecans for Christmas money and extra bill money just picking a few thousand pounds in the beginning It’s just kind of grown from there.” As the family grew their pecan harvesting business they leased more and more acres of pecan orchards and eventually purchased their own orchard which they worked to grow and expand. Today the Millers’ pecan orchards include immaculate rows of mature trees in addition to newly planted and maturing trees that they are nurturing into full production. “Currently our native pecan production is around 723 acres and we probably have about another 100 acres of improved varieties that we were harvesting,” Jared said of the orchard and we also have another couple hundred acres of little baby trees anywhere from one year old to six or seven years old that are coming online in the near future. “In our area it takes close to 10 to 12 years to get trees to be big enough to put a mechanical shaker on and shake them So it’s a 401(k) investment.” As the Millers looked toward expanding their farm in the 2010s they considered purchasing more land and pecan groves but with land availability tight and land prices high Jared and Justin decided to expand their pecan business vertically by starting a pecan processing plant. “You know you’re basically unemployed that day,” Jared said “It’s good thing and a bad thing when you’re off work we started the processing plant thinking we could work on rainy days it just fills in a lot of gaps.” The Millers opened their new pecan processing facility in 2014 planning to work their way through the pecans they produced in their own orchard they had cracked just under half a million pounds of pecans. “We just planned on doing our own crop and I think our first year we ended up cracking double what we produced that year,” Jared said “It’s just grown ever since then.” Today the Millers not only crack pecans they grow in their own orchard but they also purchase pecans to process from neighboring orchards in addition to pecan growers from around the state the region and the country with pecans coming as far away as Georgia. While their own orchard currently supplies between 7% and 10% of the pecans the family processes each year the search for quality pecans to keep the cracking plant running most of the year keeps Jared busy as he buys and sells pecans that are trucked to the family’s plant in Afton. “I’ve bought and sold more pecans from a tractor cab than I ever have from an office,” Jared said. What began in 2014 with the Millers processing around 400,000 pounds of pecans has grown tremendously Today,  Jared estimates the facility handles nearly 8 million pounds of pecans per year. The Millers proudly maintain SQF level three certification – the highest level of safety standard offered by the Global Food Safety Initiative. Starting each September the first shipments of new-crop pecans begin arriving from Georgia pecans from Oklahoma and surrounding states arrive as harvest progresses across the pecan belt supplying the pecans the family needs to keep the plant humming until summertime when the plant is broken down for a deep-cleaning. When pecans are delivered to the Millers’ plant Jared said the nuts are inspected and unloaded they are run through the cracking line where they are sized sorted and thoroughly inspected before being packaged and put back into one of four freezers which offer around 17,000 square feet of storage that helps keep the nuts fresh. “What a lot of people don’t realize is that pecans are a produce “They do go downhill sitting outside on your counter or shelf so people can always just store them in the freezer.” Justin oversees the plant operations where state-of-the-art equipment sizes pecans by 1/16-inch increments and eye sorter machines use cameras and infrared sensors to rapidly inspect pecans by color and quickly eject shell fragments and retain high-quality pecans. The Miller family keeps different varieties of pecans separate Some of the pieces go to candy and major pieces are used a lot to sprinkle on either cakes or pecan logs or on candy The halves are either going to pie manufacturers or they’re getting covered in chocolate or being used in some form of candy.” Jared said the Millers are the northernmost pecan processor in the pecan belt While the majority of shelling plants are spread from New Mexico to Georgia the Millers’ more northern location makes them an ideal source of pecans for one of their customers in Canada Jared said the family has even shipped pecans through a broker to Dubai. While the Millers sell pecan halves and wholes by the truckload for use in confectionery their retail store serves as a welcome stop along Route 66 for travelers from around the state nation and even the world to rest and browse a wide array of pecan-based products from the Miller’s own orchard and beyond. What is now a sprawling store and gift shop almost did not make the cut as the Millers built their first processing facility. “We almost didn’t build it,” Jared said of the market we do want to do that too,’ but we also wondered how much traffic we would get considering where we’re located since we’re about a mile off the interstate But it went really well.” After spending nine years in a 30-foot by 30-foot space the family’s latest remodel last year tripled the size of the store including expanded restroom facilities for buses. Inside the store decorated displays of pecan products span the spectrum from bags of fresh pecans to pecan oils and pies and from a wide array of pecan candies to gift items including shirts and souvenirs. As a true example of “build it and they will come,” the Millers and their employees now get to meet travelers from around the globe who stop by the family’s store as they make their way down Route 66. “It amazes me how many people come to this country just to drive Route 66,” Jared said “They come from all different countries.” The Millers also offer gift boxes of pecans and pecan products for organizations to sell as fundraisers in addition to selling gift packs during the holidays Jared said the packs make a great gift for someone looking for a unique and welcomed gift. No matter if it is a tourist from halfway around the world or a local neighbor popping in to buy some pecans for fall baking season the Millers and their employees strive to produce the highest quality pecans they can as they tend to the store work in the plant and care for the trees in their orchards. “And that’s how we strive to be known: shelling the best of the best quality stuff,” Jared said. One visible sign of success is the growing facility the Millers originally built in 2014 Since beginning their pecan processing operation Jared said the family has added on to the plant nine times in the past decade with the next addition already onthe horizon. As the next generation of Millers gets involved in the family operation Jared said it will be up to them to decide what the future holds for the family business. For the time being Jared and Justin Miller are committed to producing quality pecans for friends neighbors and customers around the nation. “We just always want to do the best job that we can and really share with people what we get to see as farmers,” Jared said Copyright © 2025 Oklahoma Farm Bureau Lenoir County — A homicide investigation is underway in Lenoir County Detectives and investigators arrived at a house on Pecan Grove Circle in La Grange at about 5 p.m The Lenoir County Sheriff's Office has confirmed this is a homicide investigation but has not released any further details at this moment PRINCE GEORGE — Thousands of fans attend Richard Bland College of William & Mary's [RBC] Pecan Festival each year There is no admission fee for the Pecan Festival which is held in the pecan grove at RBC The fall festival draws a variety of beverage food and product vendors from the Tri-Cities area and beyond Visitors can sip and mingle while they shop from booth to booth attendees may harvest pecans from the pecan grove RBC has nearly 1,000 pecan trees on its grounds Fun, family-friendly event Prince George: Virginia Czech and Slovak Folklife Festival, authentic food, music, dance Richard Bland College: Thousands attend Pecan FestivalAt the day of family fun there will be an assortment of food trucks live music and activities for children in a designated area The highly anticipated Virginia festival entertains all ages Free, ample parking is available at Richard Bland College located at 11301 Johnson Road in Prince George. The Pecan Festival supports student scholarships through the Richard Bland College Foundation. Visit rbc.edu for more information Your support is vital to local journalism. Please subscribe This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available Doña Ana County Fire and Rescue continue to battle a blaze at Stahmann Farms which ignited Monday evening The fire started in the pecan storage facility and DAFR crews have contained the fire to the original burning building The intense heat has prevented demolition contractors from safely opening the walls to allow the burning material to be spread out according to a public safety announcement from the County "Our crews are working tirelessly to ensure the safety of everyone on-site and to prevent the fire from starting up again," Fire Chief Shannon Cherry said "We will remain on scene and continue applying water to the fire until the area is secure." DAFR will remain on scene until any fire danger is removed and life safety concerns for contractors are addressed according to the office of Doña Ana County Nearby residents are advised to avoid the area and stay inside as much as possible Lauren Shults is the public safety reporter at the Las Cruces Sun-News Two environmental groups and a pecan-farming company filed an appeal with state regulators asking them to revoke the air pollution permit issued Jan 2 for the proposed Copper World mine south of Tucson The Center for Biological Diversity, Save the Scenic Santa Ritas and Farmers Investment Co. filed a notice of appeal and request for hearing on Thursday They argue that the state’s permit fails to require advanced controls and engineering to contain mine wastes which they say exposes neighbors near the site in the Santa Rita Mountains to the threat of dust bearing arsenic They also argue that the permit does not protect against dust from trucking operations across a dirt road crossing the University of Arizona’s Santa Rita Experimental Range. “Not only does the (Arizona Department of Environmental Quality) permit fail to adequately control air pollution from the mine site but it also ignores a huge amount of air pollution that will result from heavy trucks traveling across an unimproved dirt road that was never intended be used for industrial traffic,” Nan Stockholm Walden “The air pollution caused by unrelenting truck traffic will threaten the world-class environmental studies at the Santa Rita Experimental Range and create a public nuisance that must be abated.” Mining in Arizona: In the 'Copper State,' growing demand for ore raises fears in the fragile Sky Islands Copper World's developers envision at least four open pits across more than 4,000 acres in the northern Santa Rita Mountains The chairman of the Tohono O’odham Tribe’s nearby San Xavier District released a statement supporting the appeal “By issuing this woefully flawed air permit the ADEQ has betrayed its mission to protect Arizonans’ public health and the environment,” Nunez said “The Santa Rita Mountains are an irreplaceable landscape of profound cultural and spiritual significance to the Tohono O’odham that mining will destroy which appellants say the department must set within 60 days Department officials said they have received the appeal but will not comment on pending litigation the company developing the Copper World project told The Arizona Republic that it intends to intervene in the case and is confident that the permit will withstand the challenge “Hudbay remains committed to advancing the Copper World project in a responsible and transparent manner,” the company said in an email “The project will deliver significant benefits to southern Arizona and a reliable supply of domestically mined copper which is critical to supporting America’s infrastructure and energy security.” Brandon Loomis covers environmental and climate issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Reach him at brandon.loomis@arizonarepublic.com Environmental coverage on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience MONTEVALLO – The community will get a chance to get to meet its first responders and enjoy a night of fellowship and festivities during Montevallo National Night Out The city of Montevallo will host its annual National Night Out celebration on Oct at Orr Park’s Pecan Grove which is located at 940 Island Street Montevallo Chief of Police Jeremy Littleton extended an invitation to the public to join this year’s family-friendly festivities which are free to attend “We aim to strengthen police-community ties provide information on local resources and foster neighborly camaraderie,” said Jennifer Toliver assistant to the chief and community policing liaison “The National Night Out event was designed to unite communities This year’s installment of National Night out features more than 40 community resource organizations participating with Lhoist and AARP of Alabama sponsoring giveaways The following items are included in the giveaway: we’ll have lots of fantastic giveaways,” read an official Facebook post by the MPD “Remember to stop by our tent and register to win one of these amazing prizes.” Lucky’s Foodland in Montevallo will provide attendees a complimentary hot dog meal during the event The drawing for the National Night Out free giveaway will take place on Wednesday The Montevallo Police Department will announce the winners on its Facebook page Just one AAC game is on Monday’s college basketball schedule That contest is the Wichita State Shockers squaring… The Memphis Grizzlies (38-22) face the Atlanta Hawks (27-33) as 8.5-point favorites on Monday take on the Brooklyn Nets (21-39).… The Wichita State Shockers versus the North Texas Mean Green is a game to catch on the Monday… The Monday college basketball slate has plenty of exciting matchups in store Our computer model has suggested picks… What would make you consider a digital subscription to Shelby County Reporter View Results