Editor’s Note: Author Richard Parker died early last month, days after publication of his book The Crossing. “My dad was a person that loved learning about the world around him, and we saw that in his writing,” his daughter Olivia told the Albuquerque Journal one of my favorite places to visit in El Paso was the crossing where the Spanish conquistador Don Juan Onate and several hundred Spanish and Indigenous settlers crossed the Rio Grande/Río Bravo—El Paso del Norte—in 1598 on their expedition from Mexico to northern New Mexico The first Europeans entered present-day Texas here It’s where the expansion of the Spanish empire to California The El Camino Real trail to Santa Fe and Taos runs through here Part of the site’s appeal is how it has been ignored and willfully hidden The four-acre site is a little sliver of forgotten territory squeezed between the 15-foot border fence and the channeled river to the west and Paisano Drive It’s hard to get to and maybe too close to the border for the Border Patrol’s liking I’d take a meal at La Hacienda Mexican restaurant in the old house built in the 1850s by Simeon Hart so I could get a close up view of the crossing I watched three teenage males emerge from the brush by the border fence and make haste toward Paisano Drive Just beyond the restaurant’s parking lot is a paved semi-circular plaza consisting of four markers along with a fountain that no longer flows a mere stone’s throw from the fence and the miserable channel that passes for the Rio Grande The markers commemorate the place as the major east-west link for telegraph lines and railroads in the United States and James Magoffin and Simeon Hart portrayed as civic leaders and agents of the Confederacy during the Civil War who helped thwart Union soldiers from taking El Paso access to the crossing has been blocked by a chain-link fence.  Behind La Hacienda is the pocket-sized Doniphan Park with a small playscape and half court a two-story adobe that was long forgotten since the military installation relocated east of Mount Franklin long ago I was always puzzled why the site was willfully forgotten as if it was a history city and state leaders didn’t want you to know about.  The Crossing: El Paso, the Southwest, and America’s Forgotten Origin Story is the title of Richard Parker’s new rich cultural and political history of El Paso El Paso has never really belonged to the Lone Star State The landscape is sprawling desert pocked with dry mountain ranges the antithesis of Texas alongside and east of Interstate 35 geographically closer to Los Angeles than to Orange Parker writes about the tribes and traders who lived and traveled through the region before the Europeans arrived and he makes the case that agriculture was practiced in the Lower Valley of El Paso before just about anywhere else on the continent the different folks who passed through El Paso generally got along—excepting the fierce Apache people—until the arrival of Anglos El Paso prospered as a trading center and commercial hub where many cultures mixed and mingled at the end of the Mexican War in 1848 when the Rio Grande was declared the international boundary and Mexico ceded all claims to Texas and the Southwest.  The new immigrants arriving in El Paso came mostly from the east leading to a half-century of bloodshed (Cormac McCarthy’s sweet spot) and El Paso’s reputation as the Gunfighter Capital of the World This mythic Marty Robbins-and-Felina-at-Rosa’s-Cantina version of El Paso has substance: Plaques on downtown streets identify where John Wesley Hardin was killed and where four men were shot dead in five seconds.  Parker profiles a very different Pancho Villa from the one portrayed in legend and he cites Villa’s numerous ties to the city.  Mexican Americans suffered discrimination from “Juan Crow” segregation laws in Texas often forced to attend separate schools and routinely refused service in restaurants and public facilities even lynched because of the color of their skin Efforts to delouse Mexican immigrants who commuted to and worked in El Paso with poison gas in the 1930s were successfully stopped although the method caught the eye of German Nazi scientists who employed a similar method in their concentration camps Parker also writes of tolerance and progress the drug war—elements that define life in the borderlands—and of the Guggenheim-owned ASARCO copper smelter smokestack the tallest in the world when it was built and its history as a spewing font of noxious lead The negative Anglo/U.S./Texas influence culminates in the murder of 23 shoppers at an El Paso Wal-Mart by a 21-year-old racist from the Dallas area in 2019 Parker makes clear the killings were the end product of the hate-spewing Parker’s manuscript could have used a more thorough edit He sometimes tries to connect the dots between dates and events to make a point but doesn’t always hit the mark particularly when breaking down the dynamics between Indigenous tribes in the region and delving into details of the Mexican Revolution.  A photograph caption reads: “A view of contemporary El Paso’s East Side rising to seven thousand feet above sea level taken from the top of the Doubletree Hotel downtown with the Juárez mountains in the background citing elements that give El Paso its character teasing out the small stuff that makes it unique and unlike the rest of Texas to the point that Parker suggests El Paso secede from Texas and join New Mexico because they’re more aligned culturally His Arkansas-born Anglo father managed a maquiladora across the river in Juárez Parker has been a reporter for the Albuquerque Journal an opinion writer for The Atlantic and the New York Times and an instructor at the University of Texas and Texas State University His previous book Lone Star Nation: How Texas Will Transform America suggested Texas portends where the United States is headed I started wondering how Parker was going to frame his storytelling for Texas media at book events whether he’d pull punches or be as blunt as he is in print Parker was found dead in his residence.  Two years ago, a non-profit called Abara House announced plans to restore Hart’s Mill/La Hacienda restaurant and repurpose the site as a multi-use borderlands center but to realize the project funds have to be raised.  the crossing is closed to people like you and me The best I can recommend is to Google 1720 Paisano drive real slow and peer through the chain-links and the brush and you might catch a glimpse of the four historic markers and forlorn fountain in the grassy clearing.  The Crossing becomes a coda for his relationship to the borderlands a place he portrays as a model of different cultures working together ’s latest book is The Ballad of Robert Ealey and His Five Careless Lovers: An Oral History (Horne & Wellesley Publishers) about his favorite blues band from his hometown of Fort Worth All of the Texas Observer’s articles are available for free syndication for news sources under the following conditions: You can chip in for as little as $3 a month Get our latest in-depth reporting straight to your inbox © 2021 The Texas Observer. 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Site made in collaboration with CMYK — A wave of Pokemon Go players descended on the Colonie Town Hall meeting Thursday night seeking clarity on the game's status at The Crossings park after weeks of uncertainty The public comment period was dominated by players expressing the significance of the game to their lives and the community I don't think I would be coming to Colonie as often as I do and spend money in the area," one player said "I wouldn’t have these friends if it wasn’t for The Crossings and Pokemon Go bringing us all together to play," another added The Crossings has become a popular destination for Pokemon Go enthusiasts with Pokestops and virtual gyms attracting players from across the surrounding area However, the town's parks coordinator has described The Crossings as a passive park, meaning no organized activities are allowed Players argue that their gatherings are similar to other informal group activities Colonie Town Supervisor Peter Crummey addressed the concerns "No one on this board is trying to destroy Pokemon Go." The town supervisor even shared his personal connection to the game "I actually have Gen 1 cards," Crummey said as he showed off his Pokemon cards said Crummey expressed interest in possibly joining players at The Crossings to experience the game firsthand "He expressed to me that he would possibly be interested in perhaps joining us at the Crossings to play some Pokemon Go with us maybe try to catch a Wigglytuff for himself like he mentioned," said Czechowski Crummey assured attendees that Pokemon Go is welcome at The Crossings but emphasized the need to maintain the park's passive nature Henrico County is giving The Crossings Golf Club a much-needed facelift The Crossings Golf Club in northern Henrico County (Photo courtesy Henrico Economic Development Authority) When Neal Sims was a junior at Hermitage High School in 1973 The start of his 41-year career with the course came as the 268-acre property in northern Henrico was going through a transition. Originally called Ethelwood Golf Course upon opening in 1960, its name changed to The Crossings Golf Club in 1979 Located at the intersection of interstates 95 and 295 the course is ensconced behind thickets of evergreen trees and “has always been tucked away,” Sims says top-of-the-line golf course.” To his disappointment The Crossings entered a steep decline as the course changed hands several times and shed key employees plummeting from $10 million in 2008 to $1.75 million in 2016 growing frustrated with constant turnover and a dwindling budget chose to retire early as assistant superintendent who had been at The Crossings for 37 years Sims kept in contact with some of the team There was grass and weeds all in the bunkers “The course was in really bad condition,” confirms Anthony Romanello executive director of the Henrico Economic Development Authority history and location made the site attractive to Henrico County when it went up for sale again it was purchased by the Henrico EDA for approximately $3 million a sports and events marketing firm based in Midlothian is leasing the site from Henrico and is spending $11 million to redevelop the course who also co-owns Independence Golf Course in Powhatan County hopes his team can restore the once-renowned club which is the only 18-hole public golf course in Henrico “The Crossings was a great golf course back in the day and I think we can bring it back to its glory,” Breed says hopes to revitalize The Crossings Golf Club The first conversations that Henrico officials had about purchasing The Crossings came following the 2023 cancellation of the Dominion Energy Charity Classic at the Country Club of Virginia a PGA Tour Champions event hosted there since 2016 is open to professional golfers ages 50 and over Last year’s event at CCV featured top players such as Fred Couples one of the most famous golfers of all time making him eligible to compete in PGA Tour Champions events “Our plan is to host the PGA Tour Champions playoff event in October 2026 which happens to be Tiger Woods’ first playoff event,” Breed says we’re trying our hardest to get this done in time.” Besides the economic activity generated by the tournament Sims says the impact extends beyond one weekend in the fall “It will take The Crossings a few years to get its reputation back,” he says Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority Executive Director Dennis Bickmeier says that his team will have its eye on all types of events once the course is up and running again “We’ll work with Richmond Region Tourism and other partners here in the area to bring events to The Crossings,” Bickmeier says a collegiate championship or other amateur championships.”  Per the terms of the agreement with the Henrico EDA and Pros Inc. Henrico County Public Schools golf teams will have full access to the facility a member of the Virginia Golf Hall of Fame To make the course suitable for high-level players it will be lengthened from its former total distance of approximately 6,600 yards to approximately 7,500 yards Breed tapped legendary golf course architect Lester George — who has designed and redesigned several notable courses in Richmond Golf industry leader Phil Owenby will serve as general manager and local amateur golfer Vinny Giles is also assisting in the redevelopment “One thing I’ve heard those guys say is that the layout of the golf course One aspect of The Crossings that won’t change in 2026 it will be a 100% public course,” Breed says is happy that his old stomping ground is once again in good hands You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience A medical office affiliated with Bon Secours Mercy Health is among the latest tenants to commit to locate in The Crossings at Bartlett Station development at Carrollton and Brewers Neck boulevards Isle of Wight County land transfer records show a March sale from developer Jerry Bowman’s holding company to Bon Secours Hampton Roads for $3.2 million A spokesperson for the nonprofit Catholic health system confirmed the sale but declined to provide further details Bon Secours already operates the Eagle Harbor Medical Associates and Physical Therapy in the Shoppes at Eagle Harbor shopping center on Carrollton Boulevard roughly a mile north of the proposed medical office The hospital operator has been expanding its footprint across Hampton Roads purchasing the former 219-bed Southampton Memorial Hospital in Franklin now known as Bon Secours Southampton Medical Center in 2019 and building its expanded 54-bed Harbour View Medical Center is on track to open this year in North Suffolk A medical office was part of the plan Bowman presented to county supervisors in 2022 when he received approval to scrap circa-2002 plans for a shopping center and instead subdivide The Crossings’ commercial phase into multiple County Planner Trenton Blowe said the plans on file show an 18,400-square-foot medical building which is approved for up to 240 condominium units and 52 detached homes Its commercial phase is anchored by Publix a Florida-based grocer that opened a 48,387-square-foot store in January Other tenants include a GO Car Wash set to open this month a Royal Farms gas station and convenience store and a new branch of Langley Federal Credit Union county supervisors also approved a 75,000-square-foot The Norfolk State Spartans versus the North Carolina Central Eagles is one of four games on the Monday… The Miami Heat (28-31) host the Washington Wizards (11-48) in a matchup of Southeast Division teams at Kaseya… MEAC rivals face one another when the Norfolk State Spartans (20-9 10-2 MEAC) travel to face the North… The Norfolk State Spartans (25-4) will try to continue a six-game road winning streak at the North Carolina… Top-25 teams will hit the court in two games on Monday’s college basketball slate The Spring Hill Police Department reported Wednesday evening that shots were fired inside Target at The Crossings of Spring Hill SHPD posted on social media at approximately 7:30 p.m that police responded to "an incident that occurred inside the store which led to gunshots being fired." Officers have set up a perimeter around the store and are in the process of searching the store SHPD advises citizens to please avoid the area 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 After months of speculation Sarasota is officially losing a department store giant Macy’s reported it would close roughly 65 stores by the end of the fiscal year though it remained tight-lipped about specific locations until Thursday’s announcement The closures are part of the company’s plan to invest in its remaining 350 stores and “return the company to sustainable profitable sales growth” after years of struggling but as part of our Bold New Chapter strategy we are closing underproductive Macy’s stores to allow us to focus our resources and prioritize investments in our go–forward stores where customers are already responding positively to better product offerings and elevated service,” Tony Spring Macy’s has not released dates for the closure though it said clearance sales for closing locations will begin this month and run 8 to 12 weeks on its Store Closures FAQ page These are the Florida Macy’s stores confirmed to close this year: is the third to close in Sarasota in a decade The Macy’s at Desoto Square Mall closed in 2014 and the Macy’s at Sarasota Square Mall closed in 2017 Benderson Development purchased The Crossings Benderson owns an adjacent lot with an Aldi and a former Dillard’s store The Sarasota County Commission approved a zoning change that will allow Benderson to build a mixed-use development on the property this past fall The development proposes 848 residential units — 85 of them designated as attainable housing — and commercial space though the company has yet to submit an official site plan What's next for other tenants at The Crossings?Doris Volk has been a fixture at the mall for 22 years with her The Orchid Lady kiosk for 12 years before moving into a storefront about a decade ago she's not going anywhere while the mall still has space for her Benderson Development received approval last year to redevelop the mall into a mixed-use project Volk said her lease runs through the end of the year with the building's owner not indicating the redevelopment project is imminent More: Sarasota County expects another $210 million in federal hurricane recovery funds Volk views the large parking lot on the property combined with the mall's security as providing a safe and convenient place for Sarasota shoppers with Volk's business supplying people with plants from as far south as Boca Grande and as far north as Parrish "I feel so blessed and want to thank all my customers for their support," she said Contact Herald-Tribune Growth and Development Reporter Heather Bushman at hbushman@gannett.com NEWS10 ABC The 2025 'Concerts at the Crossings' lineup announced The 2025 'Concerts at the Crossings' lineup announced Off the Beaten Path: Far Shot Axe Throwing Hochul signs proclamation for 50th anniversary of Willowbrook documentary People in the Capital Region are used to seeing movies filmed around here but what happened in one local city was a horror movie scene that came to life One brave citizen helped save the day before police arrested a man in a clown mask who was carrying an electric chainsaw Local restaurant owner speaks in Washington about tariff impact Knee replacement won't stop local woman from running 5k Multiple cars had their windows smashed in at an apartment complex in Watervliet last October Police just recently charged the suspect tied to this case with a felony A team is investigating Monday to see if there was any further damage to the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse foundation after a tugboat and barge crashed into the monument last week – Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to multiple calls about gunshots at The Crossings at Santa Fe (3205 NW 83rd Street) at about 9:25 p.m Deputies responding to the apartment complex located a crime scene and other deputies on their way to the scene located a suspicious vehicle One victim in the vehicle had a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and was transported to the hospital by Alachua County Fire Rescue The location would be so good for Santa Fe students but the criminal activity is and always has been out of control I know of someone that lived there and broke her lease because of the crime and drug activity There is a mix of students and “affordable housing” tenants They need to up the rent by 300 and watch the crime go down then only drug dealers with money to burn will be able to live there That place has been a cesspool since it opened <#= ThriveComments.util.render_label('login_submit_comment') #> <#= ThriveComments.util.render_label('commenting_as',ThriveComments.current_user.display_name || ( ThriveComments.social_user && ThriveComments.social_user.name ) ) #> <#= ThriveComments.util.render_label('guest_comment') #> A wall goes up for a building being constructed at The Crossings at El Dorado Aug Construction for the entire lot will finish in spring of 2025 Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian Earthwork and construction keep crews busy at The Crossings on Missouri Flat Road in Placerville on Missouri Flat Road in Placerville construction of retail space is under way owned by general contracting company Grado Construction will include future retail tenants like Boots Barn All are ready to go when the 125,000-square-foot center opens retail development right on Missouri Flat is finally occurring,” said Grado Construction owner Leonard Grado and a recently constructed 7/11 is expected to have its grand opening Sept More businesses are expected to begin operating by springs of 2025 the stores will help keep commerce in the county giving a local option to those who might be inclined to shop and dine in other areas of the greater Sacramento area you lose the jobs because younger people will go to Folsom and work down there,” Grado said I see the developments that I'm doing up here as a quality-of-life issue If you can retail here and not have to drive 40 minutes to go shopping in Folsom and then 40 minutes back you've just gained two hours in your day and saved $20 in fuel The shopping center is expected to generate a couple hundred jobs while generating approximately $45 million to $50 million in annual sales Another benefit the developer touts is the amount of property tax that will be paid to the county; roughly $350,000 The location of Placerville in relation to the county is prime for the retail expansion and has generated interest for potential tenants due to its intersection of Highways 49 and 50 the entire west slope is going to shop in Placerville; west of Strawberry and possibly Pollock Pines and Camino are all going to shop in Placerville,” he said “Much nicer to shop local than to have to go all the way to Folsom if you're from Camino we want to make retailing available locally instead of having people drive down the hill,” Grado added Future plans on Grado's development agenda include an RV campground and hotel adjacent to the The Crossings property Grado’s eyes are set on the success of The Crossings “We’ve appreciated the work at the agencies in the county to help bring this to fruition El Dorado Irrigation District and El Dorado Fire Protection District because none of this happens in a vacuum and we don’t take those commitments lightly from the standpoint of what it takes to get it all over the finish line,” Grado said Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don't miss out on updates Receive occasional local offers from our website and its advertisers summary of the weather details and news of any severe weather We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen 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 Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Eric Johnson has been chasing after geese for more than twenty years One of his first clients was the Town of Colonie Residents of a $60 million senior living center in the heart of one of the state's busiest retail hubs gathered Tuesday to introduce new leadership at the Montgomery complex The Crossings at EastChase, which has been open since November 2020 offers three types of living options — independent living assisted living and memory care — as well as a number of services and amenities to its 164 residents The senior living complex recently introduced new leadership when Will Devening started as the new executive director on July 1 regional director of operations for Greenbrier Senior Living which oversees the management of The Crossings said Tuesday's ceremony both functioned as a way to introduce Devening officially and to make the introduction of new leadership easier on the residents Devening said that the engagement he sees from the staff and the residents makes The Crossings unique "Everyone works beyond their job titles here," Devening said Devening said that he has "never seen a community where the residents participate as much as they do here," which he credited to the activities department More: Oregon-based Dutch Bros coffee shop is building a Prattville location like 93-year-old Elsie Wilson say they enjoy The Crossings because "it's Montgomery and it's home." Wilson moved from a care facility in Birmingham to The Crossings at EastChase two years ago Devening said he looks forward to introducing new activities for residents and enhancing the lives of the residents under his leadership Sarah Clifton covers business for the Montgomery Advertiser You can reach her at sclifton@montgome.gannett.com or follow her on X @sarahgclifton Colonie town officials are trying to clear the air after a group of Pokemon Go gamers suggested the mobile game could be banned from Crossings Park The town parks coordinator told CBS 6 this afternoon that a large organized group of gamers asked about the use of the park Pokemon Go is a simple game created back in 2016 where players can walk around in the real world and catch Pokemon just through their phones there are more than a dozen what are known as poke stops and gyms where players can battle real players And players believe the town of Colonie wants to put a stop to it "I first released the petition on Saturday and in just less than three days It's already Garner over 460 signatures." said Spencer Moon a Pokémon Go player The petition is to allow Pokemon Go players to continue in the crossings park Players say it's not bothering anyone and helping the area "And this place is so close to Wolf Road anyone on Wolf Road He's all the businesses that are there they've benefited especially the pizza places like Golden Green as a lot of us go there after events that happened here that involve Pokémon Go." said Nick Esposito a Pokémon Go player Colonie town parks coordinator Tom Breslin sent a statement to CBS 6 addressing a conversation with a regional coordinator of a gaming group he says was trying to organize Pokemon Go meetups at Crossings Park "I let him know that Crossings Park is a passive park and such organized gaming pursuits are beyond passive I offered the use of two of our other fabulous parks that could be available this year including the Town’s Mohawk River Park and the Town’s Schuyler Flatts Park." He says: "The individual thanked me for my information and I have never heard from him again." Spencer Moon's Response goes as follows: I never referred to myself as the "regional coordinator" I just ran a Discord server for the Colonie area Neither the Mohawk River Park nor Schuyler Flatts is suitable for Pokémon GO The Mohawk River Park charges people to get in during the summer and the gate is often closed during the winter Many of the players CBS 6 talked to are hoping a compromise can be reached so they can continue to play in the park Jared Reed has been playing the game since Obama was still president back in 2016 and loves the community he is now a part of "It is crazy that it has been that long but I've made friends I met my partner on the go I've made so many friends just from playing Pokémon Go people got coworkers and people that I met here and then I see regularly on those communities so they called the community for a reason." said Jared Reed a Pokémon Go player We'll let you know if players can continue to try to catch them all in Colonie Henrico County wants to be ready with a new golf course prepared to host a Champions Tour event should the world's most famous golfer join As the only remaining professional golf tournament still played annually in Virginia puts a unique spotlight on the game in the Commonwealth the tour has come to Henrico in front of sold-out crowds and a national TV audience The folks from Henrico County would like to keep it that way The Country Club of Virginia's James River course is the only home the Dominion Energy Charity Classic has ever known but the sponsor and the club have decided that 10 years will be long enough for this partnership and the event will need a new home in 2026 That gave Henrico Sports and Entertainment Authority executive director Dennis Bickmeier an idea "We had to tell a story and the story was this Tour Champions event has been in our county coming up on year nine And the economic impact of that event is really strong," he said Bickmeier said the event generated more than $30 million every year for Henrico and around $12 million for local charities Keeping all of that at home has required thinking outside the tee box Enter the only public full-length 18-hole course remaining in Henrico — The Crossings built back in the late 1950s near what is now the intersection of Interstate 95 and Interstate 295 But the county has partnered with legendary course architects Lester George and Vinny Giles plus the team that has overseen the resurgence of Independence Golf Club to come up with a plan to turn The Crossings into a possible future home for the event "We're working on the golf course and solving that piece of the puzzle for them They're working on the sponsorship piece that would be able to keep the tournament here," Bickmeier said Phil Owenby has worked at courses around Virginia since college and has been tabbed to oversee the redevelopment of The Crossings "The layout of the golf course is fun to play It has a lot of challenges but at the same time it's very agreeable to most players," Owenby said Henrico paid $3 million for the property and will spend around $11 million bringing it up to PGA standards "So it's going to be all new grass for the tees and certainly for the greens," Owenby said The course needs to be lengthened by as much as 800 yards total to accommodate professional and college tournaments The group has gotten creative with how to do that "It's basically redoing the golf course."But it's also part of what Henrico is calling its sports tourism corridor The course sits right between the new Sports and Events Center and the proposed Green City arena and could enhance a much bigger economic impact for the County And there's an even bigger draw to bringing the Champions Tour here in 2026 with one particular player becoming eligible that year We could have Tiger Woods playing here," Bickmeier said Do you know about a good news story happening in your community? Email the CBS 6 Newsroom and let us know. Already have an account? Sign in Already have an account? Sign In -- A 30-year-old man is charged with killing his 30-year-old girlfriend Thursday night at an Escambia County apartment complex Charles Jerome Carson-Dowdy was located in Spanish Fort and booked into Baldwin County Jail just before 1 a.m He will be extradited to Escambia County to face a 2nd-degree murder charge The victim is Star Tucker. The domestic violence incident happened around 8 p.m at The Crossings at Nine Mile Road Apartment Homes on Baldridge Drive Deputies responded for shots fired and arrived to the find Tucker in the parking lot with gunshot wounds Sheriff Chip Simmons says Carson-Dowdy fired around 15 shots at Tucker He then allegedly ran her over with her Jeep Cherokee and backed up back over her before fleeing the scene obviously it's unwarranted to use any violence," Sheriff Simmons said deputies "had an indication" that Carson-Dowdy was heading to the Mobile area law enforcement located the Jeep Cherokee -- which Carson-Dowdy was in -- with a flat tire on the interstate just over the Alabama state line "We don't have information on why but quite honestly it doesn't matter why," Sheriff Simmons said You shouldn't be able to do this." Court documents show Carson-Dowdy was also arrested in Mobile in 2023 as a fugitive wanted for assault in Texas The department store giant reported last week that it planned to close 65 locations by the end of their fiscal year increasing the total number of stores it will shutter early in 2025 and leaving the future of the Macy's located at The Crossings at Siesta Key in doubt The Macy's at Desoto Square Mall closed in 2014 and the Macy's at Sarasota Square Mall closed in 2017 The Macy's in the Mall at University Town Center is still open There is some circumstantial evidence that the Macy's at The Crossings at Siesta Key will be closing but it has not been confirmed by store management and a statement from Macy's said that no final decisions have been made on the locations to be closed Macy's employees at The Crossings have not been scheduled past Jan according to an employee at the store on Monday a Macy's Platinum cardholder and patron of the location at The Crossings said employees have told her that the store will be closing truly crushed," she wrote to the Herald-Tribune "That has been my 'go to' Macy's store since opening an account there in 1980." She said she refuses to go to the busy UTC location and has thought about attempting to mount a public campaign to keep the store open "As I circulated through the store over several days all the customers who overheard my conversations expressed real disappointment," she said "There is quite a loyal following of long-time customers there mostly seasoned ladies who have cultivated the habit of going to Macy's first for cosmetics She said she sent a letter to the company CEO last week and received a call back from Macy's executive office "indicating that it is a foregone conclusion that it is closing." Benderson Development owns the 440,000-square-foot enclosed mall which the Manatee County-headquartered company purchased in 2022 for $25.1 million The company also owns the former Dillard's box at an adjacent property where the Aldi is located Benderson owns about 34 acres in that location The city commission approved up to 848 residential units, with 85 of those units defined as attainable housing. The property would also allow for commercial development in a mixed-use project. While the change allowed Benderson Development to build residential housing on the property, conceptual plans have not yet been submitted to city planners. A company statement said Macy's was committed to creating a more modern Macy's to revitalize the brand and enhance customer experience. Part of the company's "Bold New Chapter" requires the company to close 150 stores while focusing on the remaining 350. "We expect to close roughly 65 locations this year, after the holidays, in line with our typical cadence," the statement said. "A final decision on specific locations has yet to be made." What businesses are still open in The Crossings at Siesta Key?Several tenants remain open at the location including LA Fitness, Connors Steak and Seafood, Chico's, LensCrafters, Tree Fort Productions, Oh La La Mode, The Players Theater and CineBistro, among several other merchants. 2024 1:38 a.m.County drivers collide with deer and elk in dozens of documented incidents Mule deer uses wildlife crossing Even though they’re spread across more than 3,000 square miles Wallowa County drivers and animals can’t stop running into each other Across a 22-mile stretch of Oregon Route 82 there have been 900 recorded incidents of cars colliding with deer or elk from 2009 to 2023 according to the Oregon Department of Transportation the conservation director for the Greater Hells Canyon Council is part of a group trying to ensure both animals and drivers get from Point A to Point B more safely even the most casual drive can be filled with tension “You can’t really drive between Enterprise and Lostine to go get dinner without having a white-knuckle drive looking for deer waiting to hop out on the side of the road,” she said Dawson is part of a local working group looking to solve the problem by installing wildlife crossings on Route 82 Wildlife crossings are passes that use fencing to funnel wildlife under or over highways to reduce the number of animals that walk directly through traffic The picturesque but rugged Wallowa Valley in extreme northeast Oregon is one of the most isolated places in the United States an Enterprise resident and a board member of the Oregon Hunters Association He described the effects of wildlife collisions as a “triple whammy”: they kill animals the higher the risk of personal injury to drivers as well Their work is still in its early stages as the group conducts a feasibility study They don’t know yet how much the project will cost what its scope will be or the exact locations of the crossings Most of the land beside the highway is privately owned meaning they’ll need buy-in from local landowners All of this work is targeting the busiest corridor in Wallowa County Highway 82 connects the county’s four incorporated communities — Enterprise Wallowa and Lostine — and is the primary way drivers enter and leave the county one of the top tourist destinations in Eastern Oregon Oregon Wildlife Foundation executive director Tim Greseth said his organization has been involved in funding wildlife crossings for several years including a Highway 97 crossing in Klamath County While Oregon is known for its wide open spaces Greseth said the state is also heavily paved That’s a problem for animals looking for food “You could drop a pin anywhere in the state you’re probably not very far from a road,” Greseth said wildlife that need to move to live are constantly facing some sort of barrier in the guise of a road.” The state removes more than 6,000 deer carcasses from the road per year and that doesn’t include deer struck on local or private roads Greseth said that figure also doesn’t include all the smaller animals that could be killed by vehicles He said wildlife crossings are a benefit for small mammals birds and snakes that could also come into contact with cars Oregon Wildlife Foundation has committed $50,000 to the Wallowa County working group to help with its early planning and outreach and is open to further funding should the project advance Akenson and Dawson are working to build public support for the crossing project the Wallowa County Board of Commissioners were receptive to the pitch Greseth said wildlife crossings have the potential to bring a lot of different groups together “I hope that the folks who live between Enterprise and Wallowa see the same value in this that we do which is that there’s no reason for all those animals to be dying on the highway if we can do something about it,” he said the foundation is looking at the Eastern Oregon portion of Interstate 84 for future wildlife crossing projects Tags: Animals, Animal Welfare, Elk, Deer, Wallowa County Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone Listen to the OPB News live stream (opens new window)Streaming Now Idaho Transportation Department Three railroad crossings on State Highway 38 near Malad will close for repairs for up to three weeks starting Sept Detours will be posted and message boards will be in place to alert the public to the coming road closure Preliminary work at the crossings will consist of delivery of materials and prebuilding new rail track panels outside the roadway and will not cause full closures Crews will replace the concrete pads and rails to make the crossings smoother New drains will also be installed to address ponding issues Traffic impacts from this project and others are always available at 511.idaho.gov. NEWINGTON — Police were investigating a hoax bomb threat called into the McDonald’s at The Crossings shopping center Thursday afternoon Authorities quickly determined it was a false alarm after searching the premises Newington Police Department Chief Mike Bilodeau said roughly 20 people were evacuated from the Gosling Road fast food restaurant after the phony call was received in the busy shopping area A caller from a blocked phone number stated there was a bomb in the McDonald’s bathroom and threatened to detonate it if they did not receive $10,000 The call was picked up by a McDonald's employee and the caller appeared to have a male voice Newington officers and the department’s police dog along with New Hampshire State Police and members of the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office They deemed the restaurant and parking lot safe but obviously we take any threat seriously and we’ve got to use proper precautions,” Bilodeau said Police have not identified the caller and no arrests were immediately made Newington police detectives were interviewing the fast food chain’s employees and reviewing surveillance footage More: Seacoast NH and Maine restaurants that opened or closed in 2024 in addition to surrounding streets in the area of shopping plaza were temporarily shut down by police during the brief investigation but quickly reopened Gosling Road remained open to drivers during the police response Newington police were called to the McDonald’s around 2:10 p.m and cleared the scene at approximately 2:55 p.m. New Hampshire State Police spokesperson Tyler Dumont referred a reporter to Newington police for comment on the incident Newington police have responded to 15 reports of theft from several of the mall area shops in recent days Reports of theft in Newington typically rise slightly during the holiday season Remember the Newington Mall? It came years before Fox Run Mall and The Crossings “We’re coming into the final weeks (of the year) and I’m sure they’re going to be increasing,” Bilodeau said “We’re taking extra steps to assist the businesses.” Police and personnel from the county sheriff’s office are conducting extra patrols in the area this month A 126,700-square-foot retail property located in Westland Nestled within a bustling residential and retail corridor along Southern I-275 in one of Michigan's rapidly growing cities Brevard is getting another new Publix Super Market The newest location will be in the Viera area, on the northeast corner of Murrell Road and Berglund Lane. Construction is set to begin next month Adjacent to the grocery store will be a Publix Liquors Two other retail spaces are available in the plaza Brevard’s 27th Publix will have a few other grocery stores in close proximity which is off Viera Boulevard and Star Rush Drive also about half a mile from the new Publix There are three Publix locations within a few miles to the west She can be reached at MSpitzer@Floridatoday.com The Crossings sits strategically between the GreenCity project site and the revamped Virginia Center Commons When news broke late last year that the Dominion Energy Charity Classic would be losing its title sponsor and host venue Country Club of Virginia after 2025 Giff Breed and Dennis Bickmeier put their heads together golf booster and owner of Independence Golf Club in Powhatan helped bring the PGA Tour Champions tournament to the region in the first place eight years ago and didn’t want to see it leave the region as executive director of the Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority was determined not to let the event – and its estimated $34 million annual economic impact – leave Henrico County ‘We can’t lose this tournament.’ That just started this whole domino effect,” Breed said they think they’ve found the solution to at least one part of the tournament’s double whammy of a problem Henrico’s Economic Development Authority on Thursday purchased The Crossings Golf Club for $3 million as part of a public-private partnership ultimately aimed at transforming the public course into the new long-term home of the popular annual golf tournament the EDA has struck a deal to lease the 268-acre Crossings property to Breed’s company Pros Inc. The Crossings is now closed for business while Breed’s firm begins an $11 million overhaul and reinvention of the daily fee course to bring it up to the caliber of being able to host a pro tournament, with the Tour Champions event as its main target is that there’s no guarantee the Tour Champions event will agree to play there or even remain in the region There’s no if-you-build-it-they-will-come certainty Henrico and Breed don’t formally have an agreement in place with the tournament – just a hope that their efforts continue that domino effect and result in a local company jumping in to replace Dominion as title sponsor and spur Tour Champions to have the confidence to sign on at the reinvented Crossings course There’s no commitment (from the PGA),” said Henrico EDA Director Anthony Romanello “Having the PGA Tour Champions and other professional tournaments is absolutely the aspiration.” executive director of the Dominion Energy Charity Classic said that while his group has no formal agreement with Henrico or Breed he’s heartened by the effort and hopes it will help with his efforts to secure a new sponsor “The fact that there are other community leaders expressing the desire to find a home for (the tournament) and keep it here I think sends a real message,” Schoenfeld said Undeterred by the lack of a formal agreement Breed said renovations on the course are expected to begin later this year with the goal of having the course ready to host the tournament in October 2026 A rendering of the planned layout for the revamped course Breed and Bickmeier hit upon the idea of The Crossings mostly out of necessity Breed said backup venues to replace CCV were limited His Independence course is a high-end public course but the infrastructure and logistics of hosting a nationally televised and widely attended tournament were likely more than the club or Powhatan County could manage And with Henrico making it clear it wanted the event to stay within the county limits No serious contenders had stepped up among the private courses in Henrico and Breed said they even pondered finding land on which to build a new course from scratch The only other option was a public golf course and there’s only one such 18-hole course in Henrico: The Crossings Located in northern Henrico just off Route 1 The Crossings opened in 1960 as Ethelwood Golf Course It was originally built as a 9-hole extension of Hermitage Country Club In the 1970s it became a public course under the name Half Sink Golf Course before a portion of the grounds had to be moved to make way for Interstate 295 The Crossings as it is known today opened in 1979 The Crossings also happens to sit within the path of progress of major developments including athletics and tourism-centric projects at nearby Virginia Center Commons the Henrico Sports & Events Center and the proposed GreenCity and its potential 17,000-seat sports arena “This whole area has just been reenergized,” Bickmeier said “We in our own terminology keep calling it a sports tourism corridor and the Crossings just sits right in the heart of it.” you can’t help but notice what’s going on with GreenCity and what the county is doing over there how can we get to be a part of that team?” Bickmeier and Breed took the idea to EDA Director Romanello they made their first approach to Matthew Hall a Charles City businessman who had purchased The Crossings in 2016 Breed said The Crossings and its general layout give him the foundation to build a pro-caliber course “Back in the day The Crossings was the premier public golf course,” he said “The journey that you’re on from the first tee to the 18th hole is really a good one the bones of the course are great and that’s really what attracted us to it.” One goal is to lengthen the course from its current 6,600 yards to 7,400 yards to accommodate the pros Also on the list is replacing of much of the turf on the fairways and greens removing some trees and making the course’s lakes bigger and its streams wider “We sort of know what the tour would expect out of a facility,” Breed said of the planned upgrades Breed said he’s enlisted golf course architect Lester George whose work has helped shape dozens of courses including locally at Country Club of Virginia the Kanawha Club and Salisbury Country Club Also helping in the design effort is well-known local golfer Vinny Giles Aspen Construction will handle the renovations who was the original general manager of Kinloch While the big bet is on luring the Tour Champions tournament all involved are also looking at how to use the property in other ways Plans are to use the new course for Henrico public high school teams and potentially for local university play Bickmeier’s office will help with programming which will look to complement what’s being done with youth golf at Belmont Golf Course a county-owned course that was renovated a few years ago in a similar public-private partnership involving First Tee of Greater Richmond “Given the success they’re having at Belmont “I just put them all under the umbrella of community pride The PGA Tour Champions event has an element of community pride to it What Belmont is doing shows community pride The smile on my face is reflective of where I can see all of this coming together and blending well for our community.” Breed said other pro golf events are also an opportunity. “We are building this to host a professional golf tournament we’re going to go after an LPGA event,” he said The Crossings has changed ownership three times since 2014 Breed said the project’s $11 million budget will be funded from a variety of sources “We’re going to reach out to our corporate partners throughout the county the region and the state and hopefully they’ll share the vision of what we’re trying to do.” Romanello said no additional funds from the county will be put into the project beyond the $3 million to purchase the property “Our job is really to set the table and let the private sector do the rest,” Romanello said “This was never about (the county) operating a golf course Giff is and that’s why the partnership is so important.” Bickmeier said there are potential grant funds in play that his office will assist with The revived course will not bear The Crossings name Breed aims to set a precedent and sell naming rights to the course not just for the potential Tour Champions event but for the course year-round using the course as the lure for the next iteration of the DECC is the group’s endgame Ramonello and Bickmeier are all confident in their strategy that giving the tournament a new home will help it land the coveted title sponsor and that the venue and the sponsor can be in place in time to host the event as needed in October 2026 if you have 50% of the two biggest things knocked off the list let’s go focus on the other one,’” Bickmeier said we are committed with sweat equity to this thing and hopefully that helps him secure a title sponsor,” Romanello said “We have the utmost confidence that we’re going to have a sponsor keep this event in the region and host it at the new golf course,” he said while reiterating that the tournament has no official deal with Breed and the county said he too shares their enthusiasm and hope “The fact that they would think of us and the potential of integrating our tournament into the fold of a reimagined golf course is amazing It’s just a tell of the region and the people that live here.” He said the tournament has had discussions with potential sponsors to replace Dominion beginning in 2026 The group has said the title sponsor fee requires an annual “mid-seven-figure” commitment “Our hope is this news might bring attention to the fact that we’re looking for a local company that’s willing to step up to help keep the tournament here,” Schoenfeld said He said even the contractor he’s hired for the project knows what they’re aiming for “They’re telling us we’re going to be ready in October 2026 to host a PGA Tour Champions event,” he said This story is for our paid subscribers only Please become one of the thousands of BizSense Pro readers today Renew now by choosing a subscription below YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR A 1 YEAR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL AT THE RATE IN EFFECT AT THAT TIME UNLESS YOU CANCEL YOUR MEMBERSHIP BY LOGGING IN OR BY CONTACTING SUPPORT@BUSINESSDEN.COM ALL CHARGES FOR MONTHLY OR ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS ARE NONREFUNDABLE EACH MEMBERSHIP WILL ONLY FUNCTION ON UP TO 3 MACHINES ACCOUNTS ABUSING THAT LIMIT WILL BE DISCONTINUED FOR ASSISTANCE WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP PLEASE EMAIL SUPPORT@BUSINESSDEN.COM Michael Schwartz is the editor of Richmond BizSense, and covers banking, lawsuits, finance, M&A and golf. He can be reached at michael@richmondbizsense.com or 804-855-1037 Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" CapTech might be the perfect company to replace Dominion My thoughts of possible title sponsor go to Richmond-based but nationally known companies like Capital One or CarMax Don’t know if Capital One would do that Most of their money is spent on national coverage and Northern Virginia sponsorships CarMax maybe but they just sponsored the Ivy soccer team CoStar and/or Owens & Minor come to mind for me as well PFG….and I could see CoStar but not O&M They just sold their former Hanover HQ to VDOT in favor of I believe it was an Innsbrook lease space We’ve all seen how they sunk the $100M for a deal and the blowback that got Giff has invested heavily and built Independence into a fine golf course with three Virginia VSGA events played annually His business savvy and acumen are coupled with his love of golf – he is full of ideas and has a proven track record I would expect this to be a First Class renovation and high probability of keeping PGA caliber golf in RVA Will love to see what Giff comes up with in revamping the course Hoping that a new title sponsor will step up quickly so we can keep this event in Richmond I love Giff’s creativity and love for the game I love what he did at Independence and I look forward to what he does here This is fabulous news and the perfect spot for it We had a great time at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic and hope it stays in RVA where it belongs This has echoes of the Crestar Classic and the region’s attempt to keep it going after Crestar and Hermitage pulled out for similar reasons from a Seniors/Champions event that had run 8 years One of the lines after Crestar pulled out was “The decision in Richmond does not reflect a decision by Crestar to get out of major sports sponsorship” and the members (and neighbors) tired of the lose of their course and the costs or CCV or even talk to make Birkdale (as it was new) was promoted but ultimately failed this is another intentional and insightful step by Henrico to raise the sports profile of the Richmond area Proximity to the new sports and recreation facility with its parking and hotel amenities makes it an even smarter move NASCAR has been trending down and golf is headed up The only question in my mind is which series it will be © 2025 Richmond BizSense - All Rights Reserved Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now × $25 Million Federal Grant Awarded for Red Wolf Crossings Highway Underpasses Will Help Save North Carolina’s Endangered Red Wolves RALEIGH, N.C.— The Federal Highway Administration today announced a $25 million grant for North Carolina to build wildlife crossings that will help save critically endangered Red Wolves and vehicle collisions have become their leading cause of mortality The grant will fund 13 wildlife underpasses beneath U.S a highway that runs through the heart of the last red wolf refuges Construction will also be supported by $4 million in private donations raised by the Center for Biological Diversity “These crossings will save human lives and protect the world’s most endangered wolves,” said Will Harlan Southeast director at the Center for Biological Diversity “I am immensely grateful to the agencies leading this project and to the thousands of donors and supporters who have given red wolves a fighting chance.” The North Carolina Department of Transportation submitted the grant application in partnership with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and the U.S The Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina also supported the red wolf wildlife crossings project “These wildlife crossings will help Red Wolves and also reconnect people,” said Donnie Rahnàwakęw McDowell public relations officer for the Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina “They can bridge the gulf between human and wolf and they can restore our connections to the natural world and each other.” Four red wolves have been killed by vehicles in the past 15 months — including Airplane Ears a breeding male who had sired 11 pups before being struck along Highway 64 last fall His son Muppet was killed six months later along the same deadly stretch of highway and breeding partners share in feeding and taking care of their young died in a vehicle collision along Highway 64 just two weeks after siring five pups wildlife crossings will also protect dozens of other species frequently killed along Highway 64 The project area is home to highest density of black bears in the country The crossings will also protect human lives Wildlife collisions kill more than 200 people in the United States every year and cause $10 billion in damages Wildlife crossings have been shown to reduce vehicle collisions by 97% an anonymous donor issued a $2 million match challenge The Center for Biological Diversity and Wildlands Network built a coalition and led an eight-month campaign to raise the $2 million match More than 13,000 individual supporters also donated to the red wolf wildlife crossings campaign The red wolf wildlife crossings project was one of 16 grants awarded by the Federal Highway Administration The last wild red wolves live in the northeast corner of rural North Carolina near the Outer Banks Highway 64 is one of only two routes to the Outer Banks beaches and the number of tourists traveling Highway 64 has increased to more than 11,800 vehicles per day during the summer months “These structures are expected to greatly reduce the road mortality threat to red wolves and other species while also keeping motorists safe on the busy beach highway that heads to the famous Outer Banks,” said Ron Sutherland Learn more about the 16 remaining red wolves at SaveRedWolves.org Tens of thousands of red wolves once roamed across most of eastern North America Red wolves were saved by Endangered Species Act listing which led to a captive breeding program and the reintroduction of red wolves into the wild in 1987 The Fish and Wildlife Service’s Red Wolf Recovery Program successfully grew the wild population to more than 120 wolves Then the program was halted in 2015 and the population crashed to as few as seven wolves Red wolves need wildlife crossings and additional reintroduction sites to ensure their genetic health and long-term survival The Center for Biological Diversity is a national nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places More Press Releases “In the face of environmental changes that are increasingly transforming and fragmenting the landscape when we have the opportunity to make our roadways safer for motorists and wildlife alike.” The Federal Highway Administration announced today that the North Carolina Department of Transportation will receive $25 million to build new wildlife crossing structures on U.S 64 to help save the endangered Red Wolf from extinction Only 17-19 Red Wolves are left in the wild making the animals one of the most critically endangered species in the world 64 from vehicle strikes in the past five years in June 2024 a breeding male Red Wolf was killed on the highway a loss which then led to the deaths of his five young pups The new federal grant from the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program will allow NCDOT to build a series of 11 wildlife underpasses of various sizes along part of U.S 64 where the road passes through Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge.  “We know the benefits wildlife corridors can provide to species traversing our state’s roadways and perhaps none are in more need of safe passage than Red Wolves,” said Ben Prater Southeast program director for Defenders of Wildlife “These structures are expected to greatly reduce the road mortality threat to Red Wolves and other species while also keeping motorists safe on the busy beach highway that heads to the famous Outer Banks,” said Dr The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $350 million for a five-year Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program with grants awarded competitively to states This year Federal Highways is awarding $125 million in a series of 16 grants to design and build new wildlife crossings around the country NCDOT applied in September for funds to build crossings and associated fencing to guide animals to the crossings on a key stretch of US 64 that for years has been a hotspot for Red Wolves bears and other species being struck by vehicles.  “Marissa Cox and her team at NCDOT prepared an excellent proposal with help from Joe Madison at US Fish and Wildlife Service and Travis Wilson at NC Wildlife Resources Commission We’re also really thankful that NCDOT Secretary Joey Hopkins gave this effort his strong and enlightened support,” said Nikki Robinson The state agency was required to provide 20% of the cost for the overall project which meant contributing over $6 million in non-federal matching funds the conservation nonprofit Wildlands Network secured an initial $2 million challenge grant from an anonymous philanthropist and also received a total of $305,000 from The Volgenau Foundation The Center for Biological Diversity has raised an additional $1.65 million in private funding from their members and foundations towards completing the $2 million challenge grant.  Southeast Director at the Center for Biological Diversity “I am immensely grateful to the agencies leading this project — and to the thousands of donors and supporters who have given red wolves a fighting chance.” 64 are expected to benefit dozens of other species in addition to Red Wolves An ongoing daily roadkill survey led by Wildlands Network and funded by AWI and Defenders of Wildlife has documented over 2,400 dead vertebrate animals on U.S 64 in Dare and Tyrrell Counties (along with a short stretch of U.S 264) since the project was launched on August 1 The region where the crossings will be built is known for extremely large 600+lb black bears pose a significant safety risk to passing motorists North Carolina drivers experienced between 20-22,000 reported collisions with large wildlife each year from 2021-2023 crashes that resulted in a total of 20 human fatalities State Farm estimates that there are over 1.8 million animal-vehicle crash insurance claims each year “Vehicle strikes are now the leading cause of death for wild Red Wolves,” said Johanna Hamburger director and senior attorney of AWI’s terrestrial wildlife program “Wildlife underpasses are essential for recovering the species as well as for saving thousands of other animals on US 64 each year from eastern screech owls to rainbow snakes to leopard frogs.” Defenders of Wildlife has remained dedicated to protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities With a nationwide network of nearly 2.1 million members and activists Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife for generations to come Wildlands Network is a nonprofit conservation group dedicated to reconnecting and rewilding natural areas across North America The group has a focus on improving habitat connectivity to allow wildlife to cross roadways and was one of the strongest proponents for creating the federal Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program Wildlands Network has also played a key role in researching the ecology of Red Wolves in the wild The Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture and Instagram for updates and other important animal protection news nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.  CONTACT US Terms of Use Privacy Policy Accessibility Statement Timberlake x Nike shoe collab early access The Crossings course at Magnolia Grove on the RTJ Golf Trail has hosted LPGA and Korn Ferry Tour events “The sun never sets on a Robert Trent Jones Sr course,” the architect himself was fond of saying No doubt about it. The guy got around, designing upwards of 500 courses around the globe in a career that spanned seven decades accepted an assignment that would keep him in one time zone for years The job offer came by way of David G. Bronner, CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama who was out to diversify the pension fund he ran while boosting the economic fortunes of his state To call the plan ambitious was an understatement The blueprint called for a constellation of courses a multi-layout lallapalooza amounting to some 100 miles of golf It was the largest golf-construction project of all time begging to have an architect with gravitas behind it By then, Jones Sr. was in his 80s but still spry in spirit, with energy to match his famously robust ego. The scale of the endeavor was right up his alley. It has his name on it, literally. Emerging from semi-retirement, the architect got busy. In 1992, he cut the ribbon on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.  Magnolia Grove is home to 54 holes of golf: two 18-hole courses and a par-3 course that routinely ranks among the finest short-courses in the country has enjoyed more TV time; its brawny parkland design has hosted events on both LPGA Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour undulating greens and outsize cloverleaf bunkers makes for a unique complement as the only par-71 course on the Trail Magnolia Grove benefits from balmy weather and proximity to beaches A slate of recent renovations have added to its shine new water features and crushed-oyster shell waste areas have sharpened the strategic challenge and amplified the visual appeal has had several holes modified to make them more player-friendly without compromising Jones’ original design The result is golf that accommodates all comers: scenic entertaining and suited to everyone from Tour pros to recreational players Josh Sens has been a GOLF Magazine contributor since 2004 and now contributes across all of GOLF’s platforms His work has been anthologized in The Best American Sportswriting of Are We Having Any Fun Yet: the Cooking and Partying Handbook All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team A Daily News Service of the North Carolina Coastal Federation More Articles More Articles More Articles More Articles More Articles 12/27/2024 by COLUMBIA — The only wild red wolves in the world have been thrown a lifeline for Christmas The North Carolina Department of Transportation has been awarded $25 million to construct wildlife crossings that can provide safe passage for the critically endangered species Federal Highway Administration announced Dec Only 17 to 19 of the red wolves are believed to remain within the designated 1.7 million-acre recovery area made up of public and private lands in six northeastern North Carolina counties Despite renewed success in recent years under U.S the wolves’ survival has been threatened by numerous vehicle collisions on a main route to the Outer Banks “Red wolves are one of the most endangered animals on the planet, and for the last four years, vehicle strikes have been their number one source of mortality,” Ron Sutherland, chief scientist at the nonprofit Wildlands Network “Building the first set of wildlife road crossing structures on US 64 through Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge is a vital step towards pulling the red wolves back away from the edge of extinction in the wild.” Habitat loss and overhunting in the 20th century had decimated the population of red wolves which had once roamed much of the Southeastern U.S which is a separate species than its cousins the gray wolf and Mexican wolf was declared extinct in the wild under the Endangered Species Act Seven years later, four pairs of captive-bred red wolf pups, offspring of a few wild red wolves captured earlier in Louisiana, were released at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge The North Carolina coast is spectacular! When you purchase a North Carolina Coastal Federation license plate, you help keep our coast healthy and beautiful, and support the nonprofit journalism you’re reading now. Learn more Through a series of innovative management techniques the population of red wolves in the recovery area rebounded to as many as 120 or so the program lost much of its political and public support the wild population crashed to as few as seven known red wolves as well as 20 or more un-collared red wolves Numerous lawsuits by nonprofit conservation groups resulted in restoration of the program by 2022 and successful reintroduction of pups into the wild vehicles deaths have undone much of the population’s recovery momentum The grant from the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program will provide funds to build 11 wildlife underpasses of various sizes along sections of the highway through the refuge 20 press release from the Defenders of Wildlife and perhaps none are in more need of safe passage than Red Wolves,” Ben Prater As part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law the five-year program included $350 million for grants awarded competitively to states Federal Highways awarded $125 million for 16 grants to design and build new wildlife crossings around the country NCDOT applied in September for funds to build crossings and associated fencing to guide animals to the crossings on a key stretch of U.S 64 that for years has been a hotspot for Red Wolves bears and other species being struck by vehicles Construction of the wildlife passages will also be supported by $4 million in private donations raised by the Center for Biological Diversity NCDOT applied in September for funds to build crossings and associated fencing that would guide animals to the crossings The agency is contributing more than $6 million in matching funds for the project and the Animal Welfare Institute also provided a total of $305,000 with help from Joe Madison at US Fish and Wildlife Service and Travis Wilson at NC Wildlife Resources Commission,” said Nikki Robinson North Carolina project manager at Wildlands Network “We’re also really thankful that NCDOT Secretary Joey Hopkins gave this effort his strong and enlightened support.” not only will the project save numerous other animals from vehicular demise it will also spare many humans the injuries and damages inflicted by striking the creatures “The wildlife road crossings that will be built with funding from Federal Highways will benefit not just red wolves but all kinds of other wildlife too US 64 cuts right through the top end of the immense and biologically diverse Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and the combination of busy beach highway and high density of wildlife leads to carnage on the asphalt every year.” As many as 22,000 collisions with large wildlife were reported annually between 2021-2023 in North Carolina 2,754 injuries and more than $200 million in damages six red wolves have been struck and killed by vehicles on U.S A notably tragic loss happened in June 2024 when the death of a breeding male red wolf on the highway led to the deaths of his five young pups in the wild A daily roadkill survey conducted by Wildlands starting Aug counted to date more than 2,400 dead animals on U.S more than 700 each of turtles and snakes and 600 frogs done for NCDOT by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University crossed the road from March 2009 to March 2011 in the 147,432-acre Alligator River refuge the study found 15 GPS-collared black bears crossed the highway 99 times over three years “Providing wildlife with safe passage under US 64 will save thousands and thousands of animal lives each year,” Sutherland said Winner of seven North Carolina Press Association awards in 2024. © 2025 North Carolina Coastal Federation. All rights reserved.↑ Israel’s move to prevent all aid from entering the Gaza Strip after Hamas reportedly refused to accept a plan to continue with phase one of the fragile ceasefire has had an immediate impact including a 100-fold increase in the price of flour and vegetables That’s according to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA which said on Monday that the Kerem Shalom Erez and Zikim crossing closures means that vital humanitarian assistance Phase one of the ceasefire mediated by Egypt with Hamas calling on Israel to move on to the next agreed phase – but Israel is calling instead for a continuation of phase one through the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan in line with a proposal from the top US envoy to the region January’s ceasefire deal has seen the release of 33 Israeli hostages who’ve been held captive since the 7 October terror attacks with around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners exchanged “The ceasefire has provided the opportunity to distribute food as well as shelter assistance and medical aid allowing nearly everyone in Gaza to receive food parcels,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric “Our humanitarian partners tell us that following the closure of the crossings into Gaza yesterday flour and vegetable prices increased more than 100 per cent Partners are currently assessing the stocks that are currently available,” he added “The aid restrictions announced yesterday will severely compromise lifesaving operations for civilians,” said Edouard Beigbeder UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East “It is imperative that the ceasefire – a critical lifeline for children – remains in place and that aid is allowed to flow freely so we can continue to scale up the humanitarian response.” The agency said that between 19 January and last Friday almost 1,000 UNICEF trucks had crossed into the enclave carrying clean water Since the start of the ceasefire on 19 January UNICEF and partners have provided warm clothing to 150,000 children in Gaza and increased daily water distribution for nearly half a million people living in more remote areas Nearly 250,000 children and thousands of pregnant and breast-feeding mothers have received nutritional supplements since the ceasefire took effect aid partners have distributed vegetable seed kits for gardening to try and encourage more diverse diets Around 1,500 water distribution points are now operating across Gaza – double the number operational at the start of the ceasefire partners tell us that pipes and spare parts for maintenance are urgently needed,” said Mr more than 100 public schools have reopened allowing around 100,000 students back into the classroom UN partners will use tents to ensure children can continue learning with some wood pallets recycled into school furniture OCHA teams visited a displacement site in Khan Younis on Monday where around 1,200 people are staying These communities have not been allowed to return to their homes OCHA is working to mobilise assistance to meet their needs OCHA reports that ongoing operation by Israeli forces continues to drive humanitarian needs in northern areas Humanitarian partners continue to face movement restrictions Donate to Living on Earth!Living on Earth is an independent media program and relies entirely on contributions from listeners and institutions supporting public service. Please donate now to preserve an independent environmental voice Sailors For The Sea: Be the change you want to sea Major funding for Living on Earth is provided by the National Science Foundation Creating positive outcomes for future generations Committed to healthy food Innovating to make the world a better, more sustainable place to live. Listen to the race to 9 billion Socially and environmentally sustainable investing. Pax World Explore, enjoy and protect the planet. The Sierra Club Applying a sustainable approach to fixed income investing furthering the values that contribute to a healthy planet The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment: Committed to protecting and improving the health of the global environment Contribute to Living on Earth and receive, as our gift to you, an archival print of one of Mark Seth Lender's extraordinary wildlife photographs Follow the link to see Mark's current collection of photographs