Brewster firefighters were on the scene of a fire in the Town of Southeast Thursday April 17 that destroyed the home of an elderly veteran Video shows fire crews working to knock down the blaze on Seven Oaks Lane which had spread to the roof of the home by Thursday afternoon Miller said more information will be released as it becomes available (This is a developing story and will update.) The Seven Oaks Dam Enhanced Recharge Project Phase 1B is a key effort in expanding local water supplies by capturing and recharging more stormwater from the Santa Ana River This phase enhances groundwater replenishment and strengthens water reliability for our customers with the construction of new channels and 20 recharge basins Construction of Phase 1B began in May 2023 There are two new developments taking shape alongside I-75 in Seven Oaks from the existing Blue Heron Senior Living facility (see map below) recently poured the future dealership’s concrete foundation (photo According to the description in Tesla’s permit the new dealership will include a service center for electric automobiles The service area is slated to be about 41,000 sq which is downright huge for any dealership (with more than 50 service bays) There will be 20 charging station parking spaces behind the building (of which half appear to be super chargers) and close to another 530 parking spaces onsite for inventory and customers’ vehicles.  Tesla might still get an offsite lot for additional inventory depending upon how busy the dealership will be Based on the number of Teslas already cruising around our area the dealership could be one of the busiest in Wesley Chapel.  According to a local Tesla sales representative the dealership is slated to open by the end of this year these relatively new dealerships and the whole Tesla sales experience are very different from most other vehicle brands.  I still remember the very first time I rode in a new Tesla a Tesla sales person came to my office at the time It also was the first time I had ever seen an almost all-white interior.  pulling out of our parking lot and onto the local street He pulled slightly over to the side of the road went to the drive settings on the touch screen and went for a button labeled “ludicrous.”  “Why would anyone label a drive mode that way?” He hit the accelerator and we all found out really quickly how appropriate that name actually was!  The instant torque from the electric motor was nothing like I’d experienced before as both my stomach and my brain were being relentlessly pushed into the seat back until he let off at 80 miles per hour all of us finally able to take a deep breath after what seemed like an eternity but in reality was less than 4 seconds.  I had raced motorcycles when I was younger at the local drag strip “What a great way to sell cars!,” I thought The point of these early demos was to give potential customers more than just a glimpse of these EVs The idea was to allow you to experience the difference between Tesla and vehicles by any other automaker.  the demos were the only way to appreciate a Tesla first hand You could either book an appointment and drive to a small sales office (if you could even call it that) in some back lot of a corporate park or if it was being demoed to enough people the sales people would bring it to your group’s location you couldn’t buy the demo vehicle you tested a deposit was required to secure your place in line to even begin to ‘order’ more popular or upcoming models.  not much of that sales philosophy has changed and the Tesla brand takes great pride in its unique way of selling its vehicles.  which means you still can’t test drive the exact vehicle you want to buy The vehicles are still sold at a set price and a $250 ordering deposit is required to secure the specific vehicle you want to buy although the deposit may be less depending upon the model.  We were told that the vehicle you choose gets removed from the “available inventory” when the deposit is received or if the deposit is for an upcoming or brand new model it secures your place in the ordering queue.  While this may be counterintuitive to the traditional dealership models people are used to most customers have raved about the simplicity of the process in their Google reviews.  and speaking with two different Tesla sales associates one in the national online/call-in sales office and the other a local (Westshore) sales person we spoke with by text The in-person sales associates at the dealership are there to help answer questions (they were good at answering all of mine) review vehicle inventory that may be available locally help customers place their online order to get an inventory vehicle or a custom-ordered vehicle from the factory provide and schedule test drives in their demo vehicles and help customers take delivery of their vehicles when they arrive at the dealership (or if they’re already present in inventory) including providing any remaining paperwork that needs to be signed The sales associates clarified that if a vehicle is in local inventory that vehicle is assigned to one of the physical Tesla sales offices (or dealerships) and you would have to pick up the vehicle from that specific office when purchased explaining that inventory vehicles cannot be transferred or shipped to other dealerships or offices for pickup — which can occur within three days for inventory vehicles.  If purchasing a custom-ordered vehicle from the factory you can specify exactly which Tesla location you want your vehicle delivered to in the app.  One thing I’ve always heard is that Tesla can deliver to your door like Amazon The company does deliver to homes through a service called “Carrier Direct” but the Tesla website states “This fee-based option is available for customers who prefer to have their vehicle delivered and who live more than 220 miles from the nearest Tesla delivery location.” So basically this service isn’t available anywhere near Tampa Bay as the national sales rep confirmed.  That rep also said that Tesla does take trade-ins It’s all done over the app at the time of purchase and there’s never an in-person inspection required They’ll give you a “take it or leave it” price quote for the trade (again and the rep stated that their prices are very competitive with other similar services like Carmax or Carvana They even encouraged getting quotes from one or both of those services in advance to know whose would be the best.  This is not the first full-size Tesla dealership to be built in the Tampa Bay area Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge that had sat vacant for years so Tesla just built a new dealership building on the site in 2018 there are mixed reviews of the existing Tampa dealership; the positives were mostly those absolutely praising the super simple Tesla purchasing and delivery process along with staff’s ability to answer questions.  the negatives were mostly about how others have found that the service department was severely lacking in both the availability of needed parts and installing them communication with/and scheduling of customers the exorbitant cost of non-warrantied issues and the overall quality of the services performed.  We’ll see soon enough how this new Wesley Chapel location will stack up.  The Verve Wesley Chapel luxury apartment complex is quickly taking shape (right photo) adjacent to I-75 just south of the under-construction Tesla Dealership directly across the street from Blue Heron Senior Living and with the bare concrete elevator shafts looming like ancient monoliths next to I-75.  The apartments are being developed by The Collier Companies “a multifamily housing management and real estate development company based in Gainesville [with] 12,000 apartment homes & growing.”  Collier’s Tampa Bay-area portfolio is situated around USF and includes traditional apartment housing called Lakeview Oaks Apartments on N and two student-specific apartment complexes called Reflections Apartments on E immediately south of the Haley Veterans Administration Hospital.  The website for Verve Wesley Chapel doesn’t have much information From the moment you walk through the front door you’ll feel the comfort that makes our residents happy to call us home meticulously-groomed grounds and a dedicated staff contribute to a higher standard of living local museums and parks are all close at hand with sponsored activities to develop new hobbies while getting to know your neighbors.”  situated on 16.8 acres and consisting of six 4-story buildings with 360 apartments total — including 144 1-bedroom The center of the complex will be situated around a large swimming pool with an unobstructed pond view towards the sunsets and 30 rentable 1-car garages will be similar to other newer high-end apartments in the Wesley Chapel area Verve is expected to open sometime later this year; we did not have information at our press time about what the rents might be.  You must be logged in to post a comment Like most Hoosiers of the baby boomer generation, Ellettsville Police Chief Jimmie Durnil was born and raised on basketball Growing up in Ellettsville in the 1950s, Durnil spent his Fridays packed in the bleachers of the gym where the high school team, the Ellettsville Eagles middle and high school shared a single building the gym on Association Street was Ellettsville’s hub for recreation and entertainment over 1,000 people crowded into the limestone building “It really rocked on Friday and Saturday nights,” Durnil said Durnil himself played for the Eagles in the early 1960s, among the last classes of Ellettsville high schoolers to ever do so. In 1963, the merger that formed Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation brought with it the need for a bigger high school the Eagles had started playing at a new school down the road the school corporation moved out of the building entirely leaving the gym that was once a fount of local community to sit vacant for over a decade Today, the old gym and school building are alive again with the students, staff and teachers of Seven Oaks Classical School a K-12 charter school that moved into the building upon opening in 2016 says the gym is the heart of the school: host to assemblies a place to wait for pickup and more on a daily basis Shipp wants to ensure it remains a “gym for generations.” Fluffy: Historic Indiana Airbnb delights guests with herd of highland cows With Seven Oak’s annual fundraiser Shipp hopes to achieve the structural improvements and facelifts needed to ensure the gym stays standing for decades to come his goal is to preserve the gym not only for future Seven Oaks students who remember spending their weekends in its bleachers “We have a lot of people who have memories of this gym and opening it back up to them just seems right,” Shipp said Seven Oaks hopes to raise more than $30,000 for its gym restoration with the primary goal of improving the building’s acoustics “We have these moments in the life of the school where sound is actually a barrier to participating,” Shipp said With cinder block walls and a wooden barrel vault ceiling which Shipp says can be difficult for grandparents or children with sensory issues during assemblies and concerts Shipp says raising between $20,000 and $30,000 would allow Seven Oaks to reposition its speakers and acoustic foam panels to improve the sound in the gym Shipp said additional money could go toward new bleachers and scoreboards a long-dormant space that was the school’s cafeteria weight room and music room at different points in the building’s life “But there’s a lot more we could do with it.” The fundraiser comes at a time when Seven Oaks hopes to reinvigorate participation from the local community Seven Oaks will host “Battle of the Badges” in its gym a springtime basketball game between Ellettsville’s fire and police departments that’s long drawn big crowds to the gym “I’ve still got the scores up at the station,” said Durnil who helped the police department win two of the three matchups they participated in Durnil hopes to defend the police department’s title this year Durnil said it’s reward enough to play again in the gym where he “I’m so happy they’ve taken this building and made something out of it,” Durnil said Learn more about Seven Oaks' “Gym for Generations” fundraiser at sevenoaksclassical.org/gymforgenerations Reach Brian Rosenzweig at brian@heraldt.com Sign in to the Wesley Chapel Community Website to view local news and events SearchLog in / Sign upReports of Numerous Gunshots Fired at Shooting Incident in Seven Oaks CommunityCommunity WebsitesJan 41 min readWesley Chapel FL – Multiple social media posts and posts on the Ring Neighbors app from residents and community groups are reporting a shooting incident that occurred this afternoon at the Windsor Club Apartments located at the front of the Seven Oaks community witnesses describe hearing numerous gunshots around 4 p.m. with several vehicles reportedly struck in the apartment complex parking lot Another resident reported an apartment was also hit with bullets from the incident Photos circulating on local Facebook groups and other social media platforms show a heavy law enforcement presence at the scene Police vehicles and officers were reportedly observed investigating the area shortly after the shots were fired no official statement has been released by law enforcement and it remains unclear if there were any injuries or arrests related to the incident Text Us: (813) 921-0999 (Text Only Number) Advertise With Us! Proudly serving the Wesley Chapel Community since 2009 © 2024 WESLEY CHAPEL COMMUNITY WEBSITE - SINCE 2009 The Wesley Chapel Community Website is part of the Community-Websites.com Network.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED  |  TERMS OF SERVICE & PRIVACY  |  CONTACT THE EDITOR Seven Oaks Coffee has opened its first location in Leander and will host a grand opening weekend on Feb Dacia is a features reporter for northern markets in the Austin metro She joined Community Impact in June 2024 shortly after graduating from The University of Texas with a degree in journalism Dacia previously interned for Austin PBS and Voces Oral History Center practicing yoga and trying new restaurants in the city This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Evacuation orders were in place for Seven Oaks and Angelus Oaks on Monday after three-week-old Line Fire burning in San Bernardino County displayed a significant flare-up on Sunday and broke through containment lines San Bernardino County sheriff's officials declared an evacuation order for the mountain community just after 4:20 p.m The order also applied to the Barton Flats area and nearby cabins and campgrounds After initially being under evacuation warning since Sunday officials declared a mandatory evacuation order for the Angelus Oaks community on Monday afternoon Sheriff's officials also issued an evacuation warning Sunday for the community of Boulder Bay area of Big Bear the community of Big Bear Lake was also placed under an evacuation warning Evacuation warning are meant to notify residents that mandatory evacuation orders could soon follow "Those who require additional time to evacuate and those with pets and livestock should leave now," the agency said in a written statement An evacuation center was established Sunday at Redlands East Valley High School according to the office of San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe "This shelter is fully equipped to provide immediate assistance to evacuated residents Pets are welcome at the shelter for evacuees with animals as long as they are kept in crates," the statement said A second shelter was put in place on Monday at the Apple Valley Conference Center Pets were also being accepted for temporary shelter at the Devore Animal Shelter The increased fire activity was seen late Sunday morning and into Sunday night emanating from area of the Santa Ana River drainage "The Line Fire is moving to the northwest in the Santa Ana River drainage," according to a USFS statement "It is on the north side of the river drainage and has made it to the Mile Creek drainage." Air tankers were promptly summoned to drop water on the flames Officials also urged area residents to be wary of poor air quality The fire's perimeter expanded by several thousand acres pushing the Line Fire's total acreage to 43,459 as of Monday afternoon While containment had grown to 83% Sunday morning the new fire growth reduced the containment perimeter to 78% as of Monday evening Nearly 1,200 fire personnel were assigned to the effort As the flames continued posing a renewed concern neighboring agencies began sending resources to help Angeles National Forest fire officials deployed a strike team of five engines to help rein in the flames The San Bernardino County Fire Department announced it was rejoining unified command with other fire agencies "due to the threat to the community of Seven Oaks." Firefighters took positions to defend structures Officials shut down Highway 330 between Highland Ave and Live Oak "Over 4 miles of guardrails were damaged in addition to structural damage to the roadbed Caltrans is focused on repairing this damage There is no ETA for reopening State Route 330 at this time." Officials also shut down Highway 38 between Big Bear and Angelus Oaks in support of the firefighting effort, according to City of Big Bear Lake officials The Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District (MDAQMD) has advised of potentially poor air quality in the High Desert due to wildfire smoke impacts from the Line Fire Based on fire growth and firefighting efforts all communities in district's jurisdiction may be impacted by smoke from recent and increasing activity at this incident Increasing levels of smoke can affect everyone but it’s particularly unhealthy for those with heart and respiratory illnesses It had destroyed one home and damaged four other structures More: Line Fire smoke returns to High Desert from within containment lines near Big Bear A 34-year-old Norco man awaits trial on 11 arson-related charges for allegedly igniting the massive wildfire Prosecutors allege he ignited small fires with two incendiary devices which were put out by firefighters and good Samaritans before ultimately igniting a third blaze which grew into the Line Fire The suspect was scheduled to appear in San Bernardino County Superior Court for a preliminary hearing on Monday (This story will be updated as additional information becomes available.) Lohr Vineyards & Wines surpasses sustainability milestone with 36 J totaling more than 20 million bottles that feature the Certified California Sustainable seal  now featuring the Certified California Sustainable seal The Certified California Sustainable seal signifies that a wine is crafted with at least 85% of the grapes from certified sustainable vineyards produced in a certified sustainable winery and made entirely with grapes grown in California Administered by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) this rigorous certification sets the standard for sustainability in the wine industry.  “The Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing logo on J Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon demonstrates that sustainable winegrowing practices can be applied at scale while meeting stringent environmental and economic standards,” said Allison Jordan executive director of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance the non-profit organization that administers the certification.  The 2022 J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon is now appearing nationally and internationally at retailers, restaurants, and online Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon is also available in a reusable stainless-steel keg these reusable kegs reduce packaging waste and lower the carbon footprint compared to single-use bottles Lohr integrates the ‘Three Es of Sustainability’—Environmental Stewardship and Economic Feasibility—into every aspect of its operations Key environmental initiatives include water conservation and habitat protection. By taking a holistic approach to water efficiency and vineyard management practices Lohr Vineyards & Wines has reduced its water usage in the vineyards by up to 15% since 2010 the water needed to make one gallon of wine has been reduced from 3.5 to 1.3 gallons Renewable energy powers the majority of the company’s energy needs: a 756 KW solar photovoltaic tracking array in Paso Robles currently supplies up to 84% of the winery’s electrical needs there a 920.7 KW flat mount system provides almost 100% of electrical energy used Sustainability is embraced by a passionate second generation of the Lohr family dedicated to preserving this vital aspect of the company’s legacy across its 4,000 estate acres and three Certified California Sustainable wineries.  Lohr Vineyards & Wines was among the first 17 vineyards and wineries in the state to earn the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing distinction from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance reinforcing its position as a committed leader in sustainable viticulture J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines was one of 26 national and international companies to receive the Sustainability Leadership Award from the Business Intelligence Group “Sustainable winemaking has been at the heart of J Lohr Vineyards & Wines since our father Jerry Lohr planted our first estate vineyard in Monterey County over 50 vintages ago We are incredibly proud of this milestone for our classic J Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon—an iconic wine that captures the essence of Paso Robles and our unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship and quality,” says Co-owner we recognize that sustainable practices are essential not only for producing exceptional wines but also for ensuring a vibrant future for the wine industry About the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) CSWA is a non-profit organization established by Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers CSWA promotes the benefits of sustainable practices implements the Sustainable Winegrowing Program and administers Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing – a third-party certification program for California vineyards wineries and wines that adheres to international sustainability standards Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" © 2007 - 2025 | Wine Industry Network LLC. All Rights Reserved. Photo courtesy of the Bristol Historical & Preservation Society The Bristol Historical & Preservation Society will host its annual House Tour this Saturday You’ll have the opportunity to walk around landmark structures in Bristol whose age and style date back 300 years “House Tour 2024 participants can expect to visit twelve private homes that show off Bristol’s impressive historic architecture,” says Janie Dauterive “We are grateful to all our House Tour 2024 homeowners for opening their homes so that the public can learn more about Bristol’s impressive architectural history.”    While beloved favorites will be in the exhibition this tour will feature new houses such as the DeWolf-Guiteras House this house was remodeled by its owners Ramon and Elizabeth Guiteras using a Stick Style this house serves as a living example of how historic homes can adapt to meet the changing needs of their owners and time periods.    Ticket holders will also be pleased to tour the National Historic Landmark Joseph Reynolds House also known as the “Lafayette House.” Aside from being the second oldest structure in Bristol and the oldest known three-story wooden house in New England this structure is where Marquis de Lafayette based his Revolutionary War headquarters in 1772 The growth-minded online bulk retailer is expected to receive $334 million in net proceeds and a public stock listing through a merger with a "blank check" public company the e-commerce bulk retailer sometimes referred to as “the Costco for millennials” will become a publicly traded company through an acquisition by Seven Oaks Capital Management a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Under the terms of the proposed transaction Boxed and Seven Oaks will merge with a pro forma combined equity value of about $900 million The transaction is expected to deliver Boxed $334 million of net cash proceeds through $259 million in cash trust through Seven Oaks and $120 million from institutional and strategic investors committed to investing upon the closing of the deal There are no secondary shares being sold by existing Boxed shareholders in the transaction Seven Oaks is a publicly traded “blank check” company created to acquire private companies and take them public has long been considered a candidate for such a transaction The combined company will be called Boxed Inc Boxed will continue to be led by Chieh Huang chairman and CEO of Seven Oaks Acquisition Corp. will serve as Boxed’s chairman when the business combination is complete “We are excited to take this important step forward to position Boxed for our next phase of growth,” Huang said in a statement “This transaction will allow Boxed to capitalize on the tailwinds that e-commerce businesses are experiencing This capital will also allow us to fund B2B growth third-party marketplace expansion and drive our unique SaaS business We look forward to partnering with the seasoned team at Seven Oaks as we leverage their operational and public company expertise.” Created in Huang’s New Jersey garage in 2013 Boxed pioneered online shopping for bulk consumables without the requirement of a “big-box” store membership although it offers a paid tier known as BoxedUp It is considered an innovator in logistics technology and customer service among e-commerce peers Boxed is also monetizing its technology through a software-as-a-service offering: In January it signed a multiyear deal SaaS partnership agreement with Aeon Group one of Asia’s largest retail conglomerates Boxed leverages a proprietary e-commerce platform providing B2C and B2B customers with what officials called a user-friendly basket-building shopping experience Its average consumer order value is around $96 for eight items; business customers typically buy 15 items at a $198 average ring Boxed maintains what officials called a “exceptional” net promoter score of 69 and a 92% customer satisfaction rate The company is projecting revenue growth of more than 40% in 2022 saying it was well-positioned to gain from consumers and businesses as the country recovers from the pandemic and e-commerce continues to grow as a channel The companies in a presentation projected sales would grow to $1 billion annually by 2026 and margins from 14% in 2020 to 30% over that time behind SKU expansion a greater penetration of paid BoxedUp subscribers and expansion of sales teams leading its B2B growth “Boxed is a phenomenal business that meets all of the criteria as a Seven Oaks investment,” Matthews said “Our partnership with Boxed is consistent with our goal to deliver attractive and sustainable returns to our investors through a focus on growth companies that aspire to make a positive social impact “Boxed is a leading e-commerce platform with significant competitive advantages and multiple opportunities to accelerate growth and drive value creation,” he continued “We are confident that by supporting Chieh and the talented management team with our proven operating playbook Boxed will continue to achieve success in a rapidly growing market.” The private placement consists of a combination of common stock and convertible notes from institutional and strategic investors Avanda Investment Management and Onex Credit and will close concurrently with the merger The 7% senior unsecured convertible notes have a five-year maturity and a conversion price of $12 representing a 20% premium to the purchase price of the common shares Boxed’s current equity holders will own approximately 62% of the pro forma company immediately after closing The boards of directors of Seven Oaks and Boxed have approved the transaction The transaction will require the approval of the stockholders of both Seven Oaks and Boxed and is subject to other customary closing conditions including the receipt of certain regulatory approvals The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2021 Citi and PJ Solomon are acting as financial advisoes to Boxed Nomura and JonesTrading Institutional Services are acting as capital markets and financial advisers to SVOK; and BTIG is acting as capital markets adviser to Boxed Nomura and JonesTrading Institutional Services LLC acted as placement agents for Seven Oaks Latham & Watkins is acting as legal counsel to Boxed Winston & Strawn is acting as legal counsel to SVOK Proskauer Rose is acting as legal counsel to the placement agents “Boxed is another example of the American dream at work,” said Scott Moses pharmacy and restaurants investment banking practice at PJ Solomon “From Chieh Huang’s garage to the proprietary software futuristic automated fulfillment centers and robotics-driven platform this extraordinary team has built Boxed is transforming the way consumers and businesses shop for bulk consumables with a clear ESG focus at the foundation of its fast-growing It is so exciting to see two great leaders—Chieh Huang and Gary Matthews—join forces to create value for their teams and their shareholders.” Jon Springer is executive editor of Winsight Grocery Business with responsibility for leading its digital news team Jon has more than 20 years of experience covering consumer business and retail in New York including more than 14 years at the Retail/Financial desk at Supermarket News His previous experience includes covering consumer markets for KPMG’s Insiders; the U.S beverage industry for Beverage Spectrum; and he was a Senior Editor covering commercial real estate and retail for the International Council of Shopping Centers Jon began his career as a sports reporter and features editor for the Cecil Whig Jon is also the author of two books on baseball He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English-Journalism from the University of Delaware Registered in England & Wales with number 01835199 The new acres charred also pushed California across a grim milestone: 1 million acres burned in 2024 The Line fire, which has been burning in San Bernardino County for almost a month, began spreading faster over the weekend due to unusually warm temperatures that sucked moisture from vegetation and the air Containment of the fire slipped from 83% to 78% as of late Monday “Firefighters had expected some movement” of the fire, but its behavior “exceeded expectations,” said Cal Fire in a Monday update The Red Cross opened a new evacuation shelter at Apple Valley Conference Center on Monday to support those affected by the Line fire according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department The evacuation shelter at Redlands East Valley High School On Tuesday morning, Cal Fire reported that the fire grew to 44,046 acres but crews regained some containment, increasing it to 80%. The acreage burned combined with the ongoing Bridge and Airport fires has pushed the total acres burned in California this year to 1,000,181, according to Cal Fire This surpasses by far the total acres burned during the same time period last year — 293,362 — but is roughly on par with the five-year average for the period a total of 1,433 structures have been destroyed The Line fire has damaged or destroyed five structures and resulted in four firefighter injuries. The suspected arson fire started on Sept. 5, and an arrest has been made. On Sunday, residents in Seven Oaks and the Barton Flats area were ordered to evacuate because of the immediate threat of the fire. On Monday this order was expanded to include Angelus Oaks and the community of Big Bear Lake, including Moonridge, Sugarloaf and south Erwin Lake. Clara Harter is a breaking news reporter at the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she covered politics and education for the L.A. Daily News. While at the Daily News, she published a series on fentanyl addiction that won a first-place investigative journalism award from the L.A. Press Club. Harter majored in political science and Middle Eastern studies at Columbia University. She loves surfing and, when not reporting, can most likely be found in the ocean. World & Nation California Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Wildfire Today Crews continue to fight the arson-started Line Fire which has burned 26,516 acres of the San Bernardino National Forest and sits at 5% contained as of Tuesday morning Crews report the fire’s greatest intensity is on its north and east sides heading away from the highly populated area of San Bernardino Strong winds and overall very dry conditions will likely increase fire spread into Tuesday night with cooler weather into the end of the week moderating fire activity Evacuation orders were in place for numerous areas around the fire on Tuesday Numerous other areas were put under evacuation warnings. Click here for the most up-to-date evacuations. has deployed the following resources to the fire Typos, let us know HERE, and specify which article. Please read the commenting rules before you post a comment Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email 10/01/2024 by CA – UPDATE: 8:00PM: The line fine fire has burned 44,309 acres and is currently 76% contained All evacuation warnings and orders remain in effect which includes a mandatory evacuation ORDER for the communities of Angelus Oaks An evacuation warning is also still in place for portions of the Big Bear Valley including sections BBC04 through BBC08 extending from the Big Bear Dam east to Erwin Lake While the fire is no imminent threat to the Big Bear area residents are encouraged to always be prepared all schools with the Bear Valley Unified School District have been cancelled again for tomorrow conditions improved today on the Line Fire We had a decent flare-up this morning north of Angelus Oaks that firefighters with the assistance of aircraft were able to knock down Crews continue working on contingency lines and going more direct on the fire to snuff out hot spots The northern flank closer to the Big Bear Valley is also looking much better at this time as firefighters continue on lines and dousing hot spots assisted by night vision water-dropping helicopters Fixed-wing aircraft will also assist as needed Thus far they have held the fire north of Highway 38 with no structures lost in Seven Oaks or Angelus Oaks Highway 38 and 330 also remained closed until further notice It appears we have reached yet another turning point on this fire in hopes they can increase containment and work on full control There will be occasional flare-ups and drift smoke in the days and weeks ahead but in all some great progress was made today UPDATE: 9:20am – The fire is now at 43,492 and 76% contained with 1701 fire personnel working the fire The most active area was the Santa Ana River drainage with fire moving up the drainage to Sand Creek on the north and also near the community of Pinezanita The fire burned to the community of Pinezanita but all residential structures were saved with quick action by firefighters Six night-flying helicopters were dropping water in the Angelus Oaks area The fire is active in the Angelus Oaks area and burned up to Highway 38 just north of Angelus Oaks There was spotting across Highway 38 but all spots were extinguished Suppression operations are planned in the Angelus Oaks community today Angelus Oaks was placed under an evacuation order yesterday for the safety of the community Crews continue to go direct with fire in the Bear and Siberia creek drainage when safe to do so in this very steep area The western and southern perimeters of the fire remain in patrol and monitor status The closure orders for the Forest remain in place Highway 18 is currently open in both directions Evacuation Warnings are in place for communities on the south shore including Big Bear Lake Sugarloaf and south Erwin Lake as well as the dam to Wildrose Lane in Big Bear Lake Evacuation Orders are in place for Angelus Oaks The Big Bear City Airport is hosting as many as twelve or more helicopters for the Line fire as they aggressively move against the fire in the Bear Creek and Santa Ana Water Shed areas Because of the intense helicopter traffic the airport is closed with the exception of medical flight operations UPDATE 7:30am: The Line fire is currently mapped at 44,046 acres and containment is 78% The fire is actively burning in the Santa Ana River drainage area Yesterday the fire made a run up to a section of Highway 38 towards Seven Oaks and Angelus Oaks Heavy helicopter activity is expected today to and from the fire and Big Bear Lake.   Due to the ongoing Line Fire concerns and current evacuation warnings all Bear Valley Unified School District schools will be closed today Superintendent Manny Marquez and staff are closely monitoring the situation in collaboration with local authorities and will provide updates as needed Please stay tuned for any additional notifications regarding school closures or changes to the schedule Sign up to our daily newsletter for all the latest Kent stories and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox Thank you for subscribing!We have more newsletters The Conservative leader of Kent County Council was one of four Tories to lose their seats to Reform UK in the 2025 Local Elections Roger Gough has led Kent County Council since 2021 but is now not even a councillor As well as his Sevenoaks North and Darent Valley seat the Tories also lost Sevenoaks Rural North East Sevenoaks Rural South and Swanley to Reform UK the Conservatives did hold on to their Sevenoaks West seat while the Lib Dems held their Sevenoaks Town seat Overall on Kent County Council Reform UK now has overall control and holds 57 out of the 81 seats the Lib Dems are the second largest party with 12 councillors The final two seats are taken by Labour councillors down from the five the party held before the election Full results for Sevenoaks district are listed below: Sevenoaks North and Darent Valley - REFORM GAIN FROM CON Sevenoaks Rural North East -REFORM GAIN FROM CON Sevenoaks Rural South -REFORM GAIN FROM CON Richard Streatfeild (Lib Dem) - 2510 ELECTED For a full list of results from across Kent click here: Kent Local Election results full list For detailed results from the other 11 Kent County Council areas Ashford Canterbury Dartford Dover Folkestone and Hythe Gravesham Maidstone Swale Thanet Tonbridge and Malling Tunbridge Wells Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right Sign In Subscribe Now Shooting Star Amusements is bringing back thrills spills and fair food to the parking lot of Sevenoaks Shopping Centre from Thursday (April 3) to Sunday (April 6) Set-up began last week and the fair also ran from March 27 to 30 Unlimited wristbands are available on pre-sale at a cost of $30 for the next two days but after Thursday they increase to the regular price of $40 Attendees are advised that closing hours vary based on weather and guest attendance Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines 356-unit complex that recently marked its grand opening Crown at Seven Oaks features an oversized chess set The Crown at Seven Oaks pool has audio speakers under water Crown at Seven Oaks features many amenities Kitchens at Crown at Seven Oaks feature 7-foot quartz kitchen islands Crown at Seven Oaks is the newest development by Ed Leinbach Crown at Seven Oaks features a large workout area for residents Email notifications are only sent once a day Ed Leinbach was in the San Francisco Bay area about a year and a half ago when a friend of his noticed something at a local hotel “I found the company that does that and they said it’s just like installing underwater pool lights,’” he said The Leinbach Company, a Tulsa-based construction and development firm, has now incorporated that feature at Crown at Seven Oaks Tulsa’s newest apartment complex is a $50 million The opening is one of the first since the debut of the Tulsa Housing Strategy in April which is serving as a guide for an ambitious effort to address Tulsa’s housing shortage The report was developed with input from developers neighborhood stakeholders and social service providers and will be implemented through public-private partnerships It details ways the city can continue to spur and support development toward the goal of adding nearly 13,000 housing units Officials said some of the recommended actions are already underway including analyzing office buildings to determine which are best-suited for conversion to housing; identifying funding for additional city staff to support and expedite housing development; and development of preapproved housing plans to expedite the process and reduce costs associated with building housing the apartments range in size from 725 to 1,222 square feet Monthly lease rates start from $1,200 for a one-bedroom $1,500 for a 2-bedroom and $1,800 for a “villa” with a garage Residents will have access to vegetable gardens a giant chess set — complete with 3-foot-tall chess pieces — a gated entry Flock cameras and an oversized pool with an 8-by-12-foot TV screen which began with a lot of dirt work about a year ago which its website said will not be permitted to live on the property Leinbach said it was important for the property to be pet friendly and any dog of any size that makes noise .. people feel better about that from a safety and security standpoint.” about 14 adjacent acres from Crown at Seven Oaks will eventually be developed into a dog park “People will have a place to take their dogs right next to the property and I think that is going to be something really special,” he said The Leinbach Company has been building multiresidential projects in Tulsa since 1995. It boasts more than 6,000 apartment units in the state over the last 35 years, including 5400 South, just west of LaFortune Park, and Crown Chase just north of the Creek Turnpike and East of Riverside Parkway in south Tulsa Crown at Seven Oaks residents he is hoping to attract older people who “are just tired of the upkeep of a home,” and middle-aged married couples “We sort of pride ourselves on pretty big experiences for our residents There are a lot of people who are looking for that,” he said But in order to hear the speakers under water The Tulsa World newsroom is committed to covering this community with curiosity, tenacity and depth. Our passion for telling the story of Tulsa remains unwavering. Because your story is our story. Thank you to our subscribers who support local journalism. Join them with limited-time offers at tulsaworld.com/story business@tulsaworld.com Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly The Bartlesville landmark was set to be sold Tuesday as part of a bankruptcy auction but we also have big opportunities," said Brian Kurtz president and CEO of the Downtown Tulsa Partnership "I think the biggest thing for us is expansion of our online grocery pickup," said the manager of the Walmart Neighborhood Market at 4720 E "We have a chance to achieve that same level (of growth) that happened over the course of the last two decades — over the next three to five y… Commercial building permits are provided by the city of Tulsa on a weekly basis after entities provide information on upcoming building plans 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 Abbotsford's Sevenoaks Shopping Centre is celebrating Lunar New Year in a grand way The mall has announced that a traditional lion dance performance will occur at centre court starting at noon on Sunday who recently performed at Rogers Arena during a Vancouver Canucks game are performing the dance and all Abbotsford residents are invited to the free event Organizers stated that spectators may also receive a lucky red envelope (while supplies last) A post shared by vancityliondance (@vancityliondance) It's believed to be the first time in more than five years that the lion dance will be performed at Sevenoaks This is also the lone traditional lion dance this year that is open to the public in Abbotsford 2025 is the year of the snake and a display highlighting the new year will be on display from at the mall Jan The snake is the sixth of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar some of the positive characteristics of the people born in the year of the snake are wise Marshall has acquired Aston Martin Sevenoaks from Lithia Motors for an undisclosed sum Twenty-five sales and aftersales colleagues have transferred to Marshall CEO of Marshall said: “We are delighted to begin a new and significant partnership with Aston Martin “This iconic British brand has been a target for the Group for some time and the acquisition of Aston Martin Sevenoaks realises the group’s entry into the ultra-luxury sports car market with its rich heritage and a name synonymous with automotive excellence and racing success is a great fit for us and the dealership is well placed to serve customers from across Kent and the south east of England – a territory we know very well where we are already a major employer.” “I would like to thank the team at Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd and very much look forward to working with them over the coming years to develop a mutually successful partnership “I would also like to welcome all of our new colleagues to Marshall and look forward to seeing them grow and develop the business further.” The Aston Martin Sevenoaks showroom is located on London Road Sevenoaks and the aftersales operations are at nearby North Downs Business Park regional president of Aston Martin in the UK & South Africa said: “We are delighted to welcome Marshall Motor Group to our UK network “Their significant investment plan represents the positive trajectory of the Aston Martin brand along with a strong confidence in the all-new portfolio of models we have brought to market with the recently launched Vanquish joining DB12 dynamic and desirable line-up in our segment.” Tagged with: Marshall acquires Grange JLR Swindon Marshall Motor to close two Volkswagen and four Peugeot dealerships Ex-Marshall director Paul Stapylton joins Glyn Hopkin as operations director Marshall Nissan Cambridge opens for business Marshall signs five-year contract with Pinewood Jamie Crowther joins Peter Vardy as COO You must be logged in to post a comment a UK based car finance provider authorised and regulated by .. Wishing all our customers and connections a super successful handover day #NewRegDay Use the affordable Keytracker intelligent locker system to securely automate the drop-off and collection lockers .. renowned for their top-quality paint and fabric protection systems We are pleased to share the launch of our new partnership with live-streaming service How will you adapt to higher National Insurance and general employment costs View Results An enormous LEGO pumpkin will be constructed displayed and then smashed in spectacular fashion at Abbotsford's Sevenoaks Shopping Centre as part of the mall's Halloween festivities LEGO certified professional Robin Sather will complete his build on Oct with the jack-o-lantern on display at the mall's centre court until Oct the pumpkin will be destroyed in what is being called the Great Pumpkin Smash Sather is an Abbotsford resident and runs Brickville DesignWorks, which uses LEGO to create displays, exhibits and custom creations for public and private events. The company began in 2004 and Sather was Canada's first LEGO certified professional There are only 23 people on the planet with that certification A post shared by Sevenoaks Shopping Centre (@shopsevenoaks) He also will lead a make-and-take pumpkin build for 50 Lil’Oaks Kids Club members on Oct Members get the chance to make a little pumpkin with his help Sevenoaks hosts the Halloween Boo Bash on Oct Families are encouraged to arrive at centre court in costume and enter the mall's Halloween costume contest with five candy stations located throughout the mall Candy will be available while supplies last and retailers will not be handing out candy this year Families are invited to drop by centre court that day to learn from the beekeepers that look after the mall's rooftop beehive Attendees will get the chance to see and interact with the tools of the trade learn how the mall use bees as a sustainability initiative and more Kids will also have the chance to design their own honey jar label that the mall will then use for their 2025 harvest For more information on the events, visit shopsevenoaks.com/events. A post shared by Sevenoaks Shopping Centre (@shopsevenoaks) Get the latest property market news straight to your inbox Councillors in Kent want the name of a hotel converted into six flats to be reinstated saying otherwise 300 years of the town's history would be erased The Royal Oak Hotel in the High Street in Sevenoaks is a "prominent and historic feature of the town" explained the reasons behind rejecting the name including for post delivery and emergency services' response It said the Royal Oak Hotel was an important "landmark and reminder of the town's heritage" Councillors were "surprised and deeply disappointed" on learning the flats would be called Flats 1-6 thus "erasing over 300 years of the town’s history" the hotel was a "grand and important building" in the heart of the town and was once known as The Black Bull Built in the 18th century as a coaching inn, Queen Victoria once stayed there during her visit to Knole one person who worked there said it was "always busy with the bar and restaurant always popular" Strangely, the hotel's website is still live, and it says it had 41 rooms, and was just 250m from the Church of Saint Nicholas. As we reported in February, 2022 The Grade II-listed building was sold in 2015 for £2.65million The council has fired off a letter to Sevenoaks District Council to urge reconsideration of the new name and for Royal Oak to be "reinstated" the council said: "Councillors remain unsatisfied with the justification provided by the District Council as to why the name has been lost – the summary of which is that the adjacent location of properties which are similarly named “Royal Oak Mews” and “Royal Oak House 5 High Street” could cause confusion and delays to deliveries and emergency services "Given the origins of the moniker having derived from the Royal Oak Hotel however with the adjacent properties having been named in deference to its historic significance the Town Councillors remain determined to contest the loss and pursue its reinstatement." The town council listed the reasons given by Sevenoaks District Council for why "Royal Oak" was not suitable KentLive has contacted developer Mopdev Ltd for comment A spokesman for Sevenoaks District Council said: “With new housing developments the owners are invited to put forward their preferred names The owner’s initial name included ‘Royal Oak’ for the former hotel and new building to the rear the neighbouring property is already called ‘Royal Oak House’ “While we acknowledge the historical significance of the site current national naming standards advise against giving properties in such close proximity the same name This could cause problems for the emergency services the Royal Mail and other delivery companies." “The owner came back with the alternative name of ‘Hanover House’ as Queen Victoria (the last monarch of the House of Hanover) once stayed at the hotel The owner can ask to change the name of the development.” Click this link to receive your daily dose of KentLive content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice Get more news from KentLive straight to your inbox for free HERE. Seven Oaks ski, snowboard and snow tubing area near Boone started with a family's passion for skiing Central Iowa's only ski resort is still running strong three generations later “I’ve been here all 27 years that my family has owned Seven Oaks I was general manager and then became owner,” he said Seven Oaks is just a brief 30-minute drive west of Ames tucked neatly in the Des Moines River Valley offering plenty of picturesque hills and challenging landscape Seven Oaks was owned by Joel’s father Rick Bryan and Rick’s brothers and sisters Rick bought out his siblings’ portions of the business and I bought him out in April,” Joel Bryan said Seven Oaks was in full operation for much of December thanks to their state-of-the-art snow-making machines “One of the highlights of Seven Oaks is that we continue to invest in our snowmaking system,” Bryan said is one that has really proved itself that it was worth those dollars going toward snowmaking.” Iowa has received several inches of snow in the past week when the ski and snow tubing runs opened and remained open throughout the month “There’s a lot of ski areas in the Midwest that can’t say the same,” Bryan said Seven Oaks was converting about 1,600 gallons of water to snow each minute “We have 21 snow machines that are the lifeblood of the business.” Iowa’s not-White Christmas was rainy “doom and gloom,” Bryan said but Seven Oaks was happy with the number of skiers it saw “Because a lot of ski areas in the Midwest struggled around that time we found ourselves with a huge uptick in the number of people coming from out-of-state,” he said “That’s always a good feeling when you have people from Nebraska More: Heavy snow and covered roadways: Here's Friday's weather conditions in Ames Seven Oaks has 11 ski runs and several snow tubing lanes They also have a pair of triple-chairlifts Seven Oaks’ ski runs can accommodate up to 1,200 people at a time The runs are open daily for skiing and snowboarding Seven Oaks offers free beginner ski and snowboard lessons as well “We bring in instructors for both ski and snowboarding every day to do nothing but give people free lessons,” Bryan said It gets you started and you can take it as often as you want.” The snow tubing runs are immensely popular with each lane filled throughout the day and night Bryan recommends buying tickets online a week in advance to secure a reservation on the hill He estimates that 600 guess use the tubing area each day “We take you from never-ever to expert in one run,” he said of the snow tubing “It’s pretty straightforward and easy to do It’s a fast trip down the hill — we’re pretty steep for our snow tubing Tubing is available Friday nights and all day Saturday and Sunday More: Annexation near Nevada's Verbio plant approved; hearings for Ankeny plans scheduled Seven Oaks also boasts a large patio with a fire pit and several outside heaters providing a “very relaxing area,” Bryan said The patio is located between the lodge and the conference center Seven Oaks’ cafe offers a fairly extensive menu of food It also sells giant muffins in a variety of flavors along with hot freshly made State Fair Mini Donut’s that come in four sugared flavors: cinnamon sugar Freshly made pizza is available in the bar area The Bryan family history has been involved in the ski business for several decades even further back than when Seven Oaks was founded in the 1990s “My grandparents started a ski area in 1969 in Montezuma called Fun Valley Ski Area,” Joel Bryan said The Bryan family purchased Seven Oaks in 1997 The Des Moines River Valley recreation area just west of Boone had been closed for about a decade before the Bryans bought it Fun Valley in Montezuma closed about 15 years ago “My grandparents’ names are Edwin and Kay Bryan That’s where the passion came from — from them starting a little ski area on their local farm,” Joel Bryan said More: Iowa State University closes campus ahead of another winter storm A passion for skiing and snowboarding often provides people with a lifelong sporting experience That’s the part of it I love so much,” he said “We participate in many different sports as kids but this is a sport you can do your entire life And you can participate in the sport with your kids and grandkids.” The generational aspect of the business is something Bryan has enjoyed through the longevity of his career “We’ve been here long enough to see mom and dad bringing their kids those kids are having families and bringing their own kids here It’s just awesome to see that,” Bryan said “Now I see three generations of families that come out Seven Oaks is just south of Highway 30, located at 1086 222nd Drive, in Boone. The website is sevenoaksrec.com Ronna Faaborg covers business and the arts for the Ames Tribune Voters across Sevenoaks borough will head to the polls on Thursday (May 1) to elect six councillors to represent them on Kent County Council Residents in Sevenoaks as well as surrounding towns and villages such as Swanley have the chance to use their vote to influence policies on issues such as roads Sevenoaks borough has 30 candidates standing across six wards with each ward electing one councillor to county hall the six Sevenoaks seats are held by five Conservatives and one Lib Dem councillor 425 candidates are standing for your votes in 72 wards across the 12 boroughs and districts that make up the Kent County Council region Medway Council does not have elections scheduled in 2025 Kent County Council currently has a Conservative majority with the Lib Dems as the next largest party on six Labour and the Green Party hold five seats each three members for Reform and one each for the Heritage Party and the Swale Independents Elections in Kent are going ahead this year despite the ongoing devolution process that is set to see the county’s current councils abolished to be replaced with a smaller number of unitary authorities A full list of candidates for all of the Sevenoaks borough seats in the 2025 Kent County Council elections are listed below: For a full list of candidates standing in ever area of Kent in the 2025 Local Elections click here. For a detailed list of Ashford candidates click here For a detailed list of Canterbury candidates click here For a detailed list of Dartford candidates click here For a detailed list of Dover candidates click here For a detailed list of Folkestone and Hythe candidates click here For a detailed list of Gravesham candidates click here For a detailed list of Maidstone candidates click here For a detailed list of Swale candidates click here For a detailed list of Thanet candidates click here For a detailed list of Tonbridge and Malling candidates click here For a detailed list of Tunbridge Wells candidates click here Learn how to describe the purpose of the image (opens in a new tab) Leave empty if the image is purely decorative Abbotsford's Sevenoaks Shopping Centre turns 50 this year and has kicked off a year of celebration with a new logo to mark the ocassion The mall worked with Langley's Jelly Marketing for the design which is a nod to the logos of the past blended with today's look "Through all the changes over the decades we are so proud that Sevenoaks has remained a constant place dedicated to serving our community," Sevenoaks officials stated in a press release Pulling from our well known "valley" logo used in the 90's our anniversary logo depicts a horizon of possibilities as we look to the future while honouring our rich past." Shoppers Drug Mart was one of the original tenants and remains in business at the mall 50 years later "We love that every person has a memory at Sevenoaks whether it’s the water clock working your first job at one of our retailers or remembering shopping here as a child and now bringing your own family to Sevenoaks," the release stated "We would like to use this anniversary as a time to celebrate our history and proudly celebrate that Sevenoaks' future is as strong as its past." The mall has several events planned to celebrate the golden anniversary with more details expected to be released in the near future They are also asking Abbotsford resident to share their memories and photos about time at the mall Some of those chosen will be featured during the year For more information, visit shopsevenoaks.com/pages/50-years-of-sevenoaks. A post shared by Sevenoaks Shopping Centre (@shopsevenoaks) and receive top headlines from the Abbotsford news team in your inbox Monday to Saturday “The mission of a library is one of connection,” said Pasco County Library System director Sean McGarvey at the groundbreaking event for the Wesley Chapel Library at Seven Oaks — to about 50 people in the audience — on Apr “We connect people to what is important…in four fundamental ways McGarvey served as the Master of Ceremonies for the groundbreaking event to showcase the architectural renderings for the new library which will begin construction within the next month or so on a vacant lot adjacent to Seven Oaks Elementary is being built by Bandes Construction and will have a number of unique features that will make it a “hub of the world,” according to McGarvey who also introduced the groundbreaking event’s other speakers The first was Pasco County Board of Commissioners (BOC) chair Ron Oakley whose District 1 includes part of Wesley Chapel Oakley said that when he first became a county commissioner eight years ago They’re not needed…everybody’s got a computer ‘I personally think everybody doesn’t have a computer and all of our citizens love libraries It’s just amazing what is provided by our library system The use of this library here in this community is going to be amazing.” Before then introducing Commissioner Seth Weightman whose District 2 includes all of Seven Oaks “I can not wait to see what the stories of the connections that this building will build for everybody else who will use it…from the kids at the school next door to the citizens of Pasco County to the members of this community I can not wait to see what this building will create for the community.” Weightman then thanked retired Pasco Commissioner Mike Moore (Weightman’s Dist “for allowing me to be here today and celebrating the work that you did over the course of your time to (make this library happen) What a fantastic community ‘add’ here to Seven Oaks because of your community and your drive and your watchful eye we’re proud to bring this to all the folks here in Wesley Chapel “This (library) was a long time in the making Part of the Seven Oaks development agreement back then (in 2004) was this site very supportive of this project when I was on the Board and what I’m most grateful for is that once I left sometimes projects don’t move forward and they stall but they (the new BOC) saw the benefit of having this library.” “This library is going to be a meeting place a place where adults and kids alike will learn a place where you’ll have gatherings…there will be social events Moore also thanked the team from Bandes Construction “that is actually going to build this facility since materials are easier to get now….but thank you so much for all the support we really are excited as a community that this is going to service not just Seven Oaks but all of Wesley Chapel and Pasco County.” Moore also thanked his former aide Andy Taylor McGarvey then called up all of the speakers the representatives on hand from not only Bandes Construction as well as other Pasco Library System employees for the ceremonial tossing of the dirt McGarvey told the Neighborhood News that actual construction of the Wesley Chapel Library at Seven Oaks would begin later this month and that the expected completion date for it was the end of 2025 the business compliance & contracts manager for the Pasco Library System said that among the new library’s unique features will be a separate construction project of a trail that will be artistically designed to look like you’re walking through the pages of a book “an outdoor ‘reading porch’ overlooking the walkway We also will have a flexible space that will be able to host ‘maker activities.’ Where many of our other libraries have very specific makerspaces — woodshop cooking programs and so on — this library actually will have a special parking space for our mobile makerspace specially outfitted to bring activities from each of those out into the community All of those other library makerspaces have mobile activities that we can bring out into the community here.” For more information, visit PascoLibraries.org You must be logged in to post a comment Subscribe: RSS | More joined Discover Lafayette to discuss his growing real estate empire While Chris worked with an established law firm for 2 1/2 years after graduating from law school he knew he was never going to work for someone else very long In 2018 he opened up his own law practice with his wife’s cousin and then Justin Leger became the third business partner at $70 thousand with 10% down through a bank closing as his family residence in Grand Coteau while in his third year of law school It was a perfect starter home for his wife When they needed a larger home for their growing family Chris decided to rent out the Grand Coteau property which reappraised at $105K after the improvements they had done “The light bulb went off about leveraging the $35K equity in the home But it happened quicker than that.” Chris’s whole portfolio is based upon leveraging “You can’t put down 10 – 20% equity in each house you buy.” Chris’s portfolio grew to 25 properties quickly “I’m a big believer in community banks Being able to walk in and talk to your local baker and explain a deal is invaluable But they tend to have a tendency to pause you if you grow too fast When I got to 25 houses I remember being paused The first 25 loans were with two local banks So I went head in with my practice with Maison Title.” Chris defines himself as a “pedal to the medal guy,” doing 90% of the work “I need help with the last 10%.” He relies on his manager of Seven Oaks Grand Coteau to run the property management duties full-time “You always need the extra employee before you can afford them Learning to navigate the cash flow conundrum where you have enough work but you also have to take a leap of faith to hire them You always need the help before you can afford them.” We discussed the current housing market and the affordability issue “There is a lack of housing in the $150-250K range in our housing market Anything above $300K we don’t see a lot of in our practice regional housing shortage in real estate.” Flood insurance costs are a real issue for rentals The goal is to net $200 to $250 per month per unit which may add $75 per month to your costs for rental units The vast majority of Chris’s tenants are females with small families Some tenants have been with him for seven to eight years Some he ‘inherited’ when he purchased properties and they have been in the same rental for 25 years they will treat you and your property well.” Rental assistance programs helped Chris get through the difficulties of COVID He researched options and helped his tenants “I’ve evicted hundreds of people over my career you have to push me hard.” Chris advises tenants who hit difficulties in coming up with the rent money to communicate with their landlord Chris purchased the historic site of the old Pabst Beer Distributorship at 111 Monroe built in the 1940’s in the La Place neighborhood by downtown Lafayette, which was already renovated to qualify as a health department commercial kitchen. He invested to get Straw Cove Baking Company owned by partners Dené Carroll and her wife off the ground in their venture to provide high-quality breads to the Acadiana market Chris noted that soon Straw Cove will be offering baking classes to the public Last year as Discover Lafayette conducted its yearly business recap with the Acadiana Advocate’s Business Editor we both agreed that Chris Granger deserved to be recognized as 2023 Business Catalyst of the Year Tellling his story is inspirational and we hope a catalyst for other business people to jump in to creating their own destiny Chris Granger’s closing remarks to entrepreneurs looking for guidance: “Come up with a plan you believe in You won’t get anywhere until you jump I joke that a lot of what I do is jump out of the airplane and learn to fly on the way down and hope I can fly before I hit the ground I think that is what holds back 90% of people for your sharing your entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen Discover Lafayette wishes all the best to you