— Most of the people who filed into the cafeteria of Pierce Middle School for a Tuesday evening meeting brought with them a worry about future hurricanes and they want Hillsborough County to do more to calm those fears if I had done my job like they’re doing their job Mullins thinks his property on Thatcher Ave in Egypt Lake-Leto flooded during last year’s storms because nearby canals and ditches were overgrown with shrugs or clogged with trash Hillsborough County is studying what went wrong during Hurricanes Helene and Milton and what drainage problems should be fixed Commissioner Harry Cohen and other county leaders heard directly from people like Mullins who live in and around the Egypt Lake-Leto/Town ‘N’ Country area Seven future meetings will examine what went wrong in other neighborhoods across Hillsborough County it may have been preventative maintenance,” Cohen said “The only way that you can make intelligent spending decisions is to prioritize based on what the needs are.” WATCH: Town 'N' Country homeowners urge county to make drainage fixes before future storms Cohen said Hillsborough County can likely use federal funds and its Community Investment Tax to start tackling the problems “We’ve had some people from the county telling us that improvement might be coming We can’t wait that long,” said Russell Habel He and Partho Roy want faster fixes because they said their community is vulnerable until change happens “We need to clean out these drainage canals put more money in the budget for our district,” Roy said the study will be complete and presented to county commissioners in June Here is a list of the remaining seven meetings where you can give your input: Residents can also provide input virtually from April 15 to May 19 at HCFL.gov/HCengage Report a typo I joined the WTXL team as the Northwest Tallahassee neighborhood reporter in September 2023 The Town and Country neighborhood wins the City of Tallahassee's Large Neighborhood of the Year Award It's an honor that neighbors here have been working towards with several initiatives focusing on safety One Northwest Tallahassee neighborhood is getting the recognition it's been working hard for The Town 'n Country community recently won the City of Tallahassee's Large Neighborhood of the Year award That goes to an area with more than 200 homes it really makes you feel safe," said Thomas Saunders added that the feeling of safety is just one reason this neighborhood stands out Davenport and Saunders have lived here for three years we're probably going to text each other like did you see this," said Davenport That's so everyone feels reassured and to ensure they keep their finger on the pulse of the community Fliger said they connect neighbors in many ways morning and afternoon walking groups around the area Fliger cited these initiatives as reasons why she believes they won the award we see problems if we can address them together as one voice According to the Tallahassee Police Department these close-knit relationships can help crack down on crime They're able to share when something seems unusual or odd and they communicate that to us," said Officer David Alford with the Tallahassee Police Department TPD received 125 calls for service in the Town and Country neighborhood Alford said areas with active neighborhood watches often track higher levels of crime "We're able to make and solve crimes because they're reporting when things are unusual but then eventually that does lead to a reduction in crime," said Alford Neighbors said the recognition from the City shows them they're on the right path to keep growing successfully as a community Fliger said the award celebrates the importance of connection and friendship here "We're not meant to live alone and on an island and when we check on each other everybody is happier If you'd like to start a neighborhood watch in your area the Tallahassee Police Department requires you to meet twice a year to be called a crime watch Officer Alford said you can reach out to the police department to help facilitate this process Report a typo We cover stories making an impact in Northwest Tallahassee. This is your home to stay on top of what is changing in Northwest Tallahassee and why it matters to you and your family. We want to hear from you! Click here and tell us what we should be covering in your neighborhood KALKASKA COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) -- Excitement is building in the village of Kalkaska as it connects to the North Country Trail which will run through the southeast of town on U.S The project will be wheelchair accessible and have a bridge and boardwalk that crosses the Boardman River and connects into the North County Trail The Kalkaska Downtown Development Authority said the non-motorized trail is a big deal to the village “Once the trailhead is there and people know it’s there it actually brings more visitors and more hikers to our town," said Gayenell Gentelia the associate director of the Kalkaska DDA "Which means we’ll have more people spending money and also staying and going to our local businesses and restaurants," Gentelia said The previous trail went around Kalkaska and along the river The entire cost of the project is $550,000 Gentelia said they have been planning this project for several years and hopes to have the trail ready by early September it’s likely because you’re considering ECU as a possible home for the next four years of your life There are many reasons beyond ARRRGH breathtaking campus as to why you should choose ECU and Greenville as your landing spot for the next four years Greenville is considered the capital city of Eastern North Carolina It offers an incredible mix of small-town charm and big-city amenities there’s a wide variety of food to suit your taste buds Greenville is also home to Freeboot Friday city-wide pep rally that takes place every Friday night before an ECU Home football game It’s the perfect chance to get pumped up for the game with your fellow Pirates Greenville is a city that’s both driven by and connected to ECU Our town thrives on its collaboration between the university This creates a dynamic environment that supports both students and residents Whether you’re looking for a place to unwind For our future healthcare and nursing majors ECU Health is just down the road from campus It offers amazing internship and volunteer opportunities to get your foot in the door early If you’re planning on studying engineering you’ll have the chance to partner with Hyster-Yale whose world headquarters is located right here in Greenville This is a leading company in the manufacturing of forklifts and material handling equipment It’s a fantastic opportunity for students to network Let’s talk about the big news that’s making waves right now: East Carolina University has officially achieved R1 research status and only 5% of schools in the entire country hold that honor It reflects our commitment to groundbreaking research and innovative academic programs ECU’s research efforts are stronger than ever This opens up more opportunities for students and the surrounding community to collaborate and create You’ll be part of an institution that’s shaping the future of industries like healthcare With so much to offer from exceptional academic programs to a vibrant local culture, and the energy of a growing research hub, Greenville truly is the best college town in North Carolina. So, what are you waiting for? Come be a Pirate! Apply Today! and upcoming events right to your inbox with our daily newsletter Judi Desiderio’s Town & Country has entered into entered into a joint venture with William Raveis agency (Photo courtesy of Town & Country Real Estate) a boutique agency born and bred on the North and South Forks entered into a much-heralded joint venture with William Raveis agency it not only added a star to its crown and expanded its footprint but also the services it can provide to home buyers and sellers.  Judi Desiderio founded T&C in 2005 and will continue in a CEO role she will continue to head the T&C operations which includes more than 150 T&C agents in eight offices headed by William and his sons Chris and Ryan will continue overseeing that existing portfolio while managing the merger of technologies and services Raveis will bring a rich portfolio of buyer/seller services such as insurance mortgages and title services that Desiderio says will also help streamline transactions and processes.  “The tools they provide are superior to all others but the personal touch is the golden ring,” Desiderio says.  “T&C and William Raveis are cut from the same cloth,” Desiderio says. “Bill Raveis is the driving force to his namesake brokerage He is completely hands on and cares about everyone in his company That is how we have always run our company.” Raveis comes to the fold with 50 years experience adding to Desiderio’s 40 years.  Raveis says the venture “connects the dots for me,” saying current and potential homeowners on the North and South Forks are already in the other markets his agency serves—Palm Beach “They enjoy a very upscale beach community with the ability to travel and have a lovely lifestyle then they’re in Palm Beach or home in Westchester or New York City He says he got to know Desiderio—like himself an entrepreneur—over the past two years and says she has a “wonderful reputation and built a great company.” “I can see the North Fork from my house in Connecticut and been involved with the community one way or another for 40-plus years.” Desiderio says Raveis was in the “…‘sweet spot’: a family-run business large enough to service our clients and associates yet intimate enough to function as a boutique.” Northforker asked the new team what clients—whether they’re buying or selling—might expect in the new year under the rebranded firm Northforker: How will this venture help elevate or promote the quality of life of lesser-known towns on the North Fork Judi Desiderio: I have been investing in the North Fork for over 30 years and there’s no doubt in my mind the North Fork is on everyone’s radar now The bucolic environment and the beautiful slower pace of life is something everyone is yearning for whether it’s just for a weekend or a season or year-round. The farming the vineyards are all connected to the areas where William Ravies has offices William Raveis: I didn’t come to the North Fork to be No We’ll eventually have market share there.  NF: What do you see as the unique contribution of each team to the venture JD: I believe my greatest contribution is my tenure in the industry and what I have grown with both Town & Country and Cook Pony Farm This I bring to the table. My partner has deep roots in the building business as well as the real estate industry and combined we’ve been able to do great things and shall continue WR: I have great admiration for [Judi] and the team she built She’s an entrepreneur who has done it on her own and done a great job We bring a lot of resources and assets to her and can help with her agents’ goals.  Living on the North Fork can be a tantalizing proposition The nuts and bolts 4 bedrooms 2.5 bathrooms 2,264 square feet .37 acres House..  The nuts and bolts 2 bedrooms 2 bathrooms 1,350 square feet .21 acres House.. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Site made in collaboration with CMYK The COASTER commuter train provides breathtaking coastal scenery as it runs north and south through San Diego County serving eight stations between Oceanside and downtown San Diego COASTER service provides thirty (30) daily trips Monday through Friday with an additional two (2) on Fridays and twenty (20) daily Saturday and Sunday trips year-round COASTER fares must be purchased for the number of zones you will be traveling in 1 It takes about an hour to travel the entire COASTER route The COASTER 5-Pack and COASTER 10-Pack is a new fare product that provides flexibility and convenience The new discounted fare pilot program provides customers with 5 or 10 individual days of unlimited travel on COASTER and transfers on SPRINTER within a limited time from the initial purchase Buy a COASTER 5 or 10 pack to save between 40-50% off! For more information, click here Use these COASTER-specific links to find out more information on routes Find out more about riding Amtrak with your COASTER Regional Day or Monthly Pass The North County Transit District (NCTD) is operating new service to provide first-last mile connections for COASTER passengers who disembark at the Sorrento Valley COASTER Station SPRINTER in Oceanside BREEZE buses throughout North County Greyhound in Oceanside Metrolink in Oceanside FlixBus in Old Town Amtrak Pacific Surfliner in Oceanside MTS buses in Old Town and Santa Fe Depot San Diego Trolley in Old Town and Santa Fe Depot Construction on the Town and Country Apartments in Binghamton has begun launching a project to renovate 256 affordable housing units The $94 million project will renovate all of the units in the complex and add full electrification to its 22 buildings New York State Homes and Community Renewal’s Multi-family Preservation Program contributed $70.9 million to the project supplemented by a $3.2 million subsidy loan from its Clean Energy Initiative program State officials said its State Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program is expected to generate $16 million in equity An additional $3 million from the City of Binghamton's American Rescue Plan Act funding was allocated for the project “By renovating Town and Country Apartments modern homes across the Southern Tier and demonstrating how we are utilizing every tool in our toolbox to address our housing crisis,” New York Gov “We are grateful to our partners in Binghamton one of New York’s first Pro-Housing Certified municipalities for their continued commitment to growing and improving the supply of housing throughout the city.”  More: New housing developments coming to Broome County: When, where and what to know “This project represents the single most important housing investment in recent memory," City of Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham said in a statement "transforming one of our area’s most neglected and troubled apartment complexes into safe quality affordable housing for hundreds of families." Kraham said the renovation will "revitalize" Binghamton's North Side and improve quality of life in the area The interior renovations will include new flooring cooling and hot water systems will be swapped out for a fully electric system and every unit will be equipped with ENERGY STAR appliances Exterior renovations will feature roof replacement updating landscaping and environmental remediation Affordable housing at Binghamton's Town & Country apartmentsAll of the units at Town and Country Apartments will be for those whose household incomes are 60% or less than the area median income — estimated to be around $50,000 98 will receive rental assistance through U.S Housing and Urban Development's Section 8 Housing Assistance Program is expected to obtain a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement with the Broome County Industrial Development Agency/The Agency City of Binghamton Deputy Mayor Megan Heiman said renovations for the first 47 units The entire renovation is expected to wrap up around early 2028 Tenants in buildings which are currently being renovated were relocated to other vacant units in the apartment complex while their apartments are under renovation Moving expenses were covered by the project's developer and residents will be able to return to their units when renovations are complete (This story has been updated to add new information.) the silver-rush-era town of Leadville holds secrets as deep as its tunnels and old mine workings The highway climbs through aspen forest glinting gold in the Sun escarpments and precipices onto a high mountain plain so lonesome it seems to hum with silence Snowdrifts huddle at the road's verges and on it goes persistently past lonely farms beneath besieging summits There are many superlative road trips to take in North America driving through Lake County in Colorado's Rocky Mountains know you are on an old road to somewhere extraordinary Among the places on this storied route is Leadville with a reputation often chalked up to its elevation it's the highest incorporated city in North America But while the town is always in danger of being dwarfed by the surrounding landscape the setting also reveals much mythology about Colorado's most lionised subjects: the gold rush and the Wild West are so unfamiliar with our story," said Katie Hild manager of Leadville's Tourism and Visitor Center housed today in the original red sandstone American National Bank building "This is a town that's been shaped by bust and boom – so much has happened here." The first mineral deposits were found in the area's California Gulch in 1860 around 10,000 prospectors had flooded the high plain and between 1878 and 1884 the town had freighted 54 million ounces of silver "Mining is our root and some of the largest pockets of precious ores on the continent have been found here," added Hild but by 1893 silver prices had plummeted and the glory days were over nearly as quickly as they'd begun." The Open Road is a celebration of the world's most remarkable highways and byways and a reminder that some of the greatest travel adventures happen via wheels Exploring Leadville nowadays is a kind of treasure hunt – and much of this deep history can be absorbed in the Mining District outside town in the foothills below Mount Sherman. The Route of the Silver Kings once the backdrop for one of the richest mining camps in the US reveals 14 original structures and 20 sites from the era that visitors can explore on a signposted gravel road the US Bureau of Mines estimates there are 1,329 shafts 1,628 prospect holes and more than 200 miles of workings the 21-mile circuit represents more than just a charmingly loose collection of mineshafts the buckled headframes and mining camp hoists have come to embody an idealisation of the American dream It is telling that the names of the camps are Silver Spoon But those with a silver gleam in their eyes are advised against any Indiana Jones type antics: all treasure hunting and metal detecting is strictly forbidden constructed by silver baron Horace Tabor in 1879 Locals might tell you Oscar Wilde once performed there while such was the fiscal boom that an additional door was built to get circus elephants into the opera house illusionist Harry Houdini is also said to have disappeared through the stage's trap door It's easy to understand how he must have felt Entering Leadville today feels like slipping through a portal into another time Walk into the Silver Dollar Saloon and you're not just stepping into a bar – it's an immersion into a living relic of this time – Adam DucharmePerhaps the most engrossing example of the street's preserved architecture is a timber-clad landmark across the road: the Silver Dollar Saloon where tipplers can still order a whiskey under the diamond dust mirrors at the original wooden bar from 1879 "You couldn't label Leadville as the capital of the Old Wild West especially when weighed against other legendary towns like Dodge City or Tombstone but it certainly played a pivotal role during the transformative gold and silver rush eras," said Adam Ducharme Lake County's tourism and economic development director "Walk into the Silver Dollar Saloon and you're not just stepping into a bar – it's an immersion into a living relic of this time." But wherever you go in Colorado in winter these days the subject everyone is obsessed with is not silver dollars but snowfall — and 11 miles farther along US Route 24 the next chapter in Leadville's untold history is slowly revealed Ski Cooper isn't Colorado's most celebrated mountain resort but where it beats others in the state is it retains the authenticity of a mountain as it used to be the state's highest mountain at 4,399m (14,433ft) the landscape has the emptiness that purists seek away from the surrounding busier towns but a place to come skiing," said head of operations Patrick Torsell "We only have three lifts – nothing compared to the mega-resorts – but Leadville locals have a strong relationship with us and our history It's a peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches in the parking lot kind of place." • The US' awe-inspiring 'Highway to the Sky' • An epic road trip over and under the Atlantic Ocean  Likewise, this is a mountain that covers its tracks well. For this is where Colorado's ski culture began The story starts with the first mountain unit in US military history the 10th Mountain Division of World War Two its soldiers received extensive training in winter warfare on Cooper Hill constructing what was then the world's longest draglift three of its regiments marshalled a series of surprise attacks during a surprise offensive in Italy's Apennine Mountains It's a melancholy tale: around 1,000 soldiers were killed and 4,000 injured their actions were instrumental in Germany's later surrender What many don't know is following their return to the Rockies, the 10th's veterans shaped the American ski industry More than 66 ski resorts were managed or founded by former military personnel Vail and Arapahoe Basin – and this taps into a broader strain of patriotism among locals today are now open to visitors to book year-round But that's not all. Six miles from Leadville in the Pando Valley, the 10th Mountain Division trained at Camp Hale Sitting between sheer-sided rocky spurs and snow-daubed mountains with the Eagle River winding nearby it was once a sprawling encampment of 14,000 soldiers but a 10-stop self-guided tour of relics snakes past ammunition bunkers To be so rapidly transplanted from pistes to pistols fires the imagination The best story at Camp Hale concerns the CIA which took over the base in the 1950s to train secretive special ops teams 170 Tibetans were drafted in for secret operations against the Communist government in China The unexpected coda is locals were told it was a test site for bombs it is a less-assuming and simpler world away from the currents of history In few places in Colorado are the ghosts of the past so alive as on US Route 24 It then comes as a bit of a shock to head out on the road out of town to leave the Old West and silver-rush-era mines behind in the rearview to return to the 21st-Century of haulage trucks roadside fast food stops and gas stations framed by the Rockies If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. 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Dining There’s a new wine bar in Town & Country and the emphasis is on the “country.” Located at 13350 Clayton Road, in the new Blacksmith Grove development at the corner of Clayton and Mason, Wild Crush Wine Bar(n) looks as natural as the Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City All that’s missing are the swinging doors Louis Dining In and Dining Out newsletters to stay up-to-date on the local restaurant and culinary scene Blacksmith Grove is clad head-to-boot in barnwood a radical (and oh-so-welcome) departure from the modern-day strip center the perfect setting for “a country-feeling wine bar that’s not in the country,” says Jay Delsing had been looking for an event venue that she and her daughter Delsing has always wanted to own a restaurant or bar “When we saw this beautiful, rustic building going up and then discovered that it opened onto 7 acres including a lake and a park with a waterfall ‘This just might be the place,’” Karen says Blacksmith Grove features 13-foot-high wood ceilings windows that span the front and back of the bays Karen outfitted the space with church pews reclaimed from a church in North County and a scatter of playful window frames (upcycled from Delsing’s house) along a wall festooned with breezy linen curtains the partners built the hanging light fixtures “One started with a beam from an antique mall and progressed from there,” Lexie says “Our electricians just shook their heads.”   guests can fill out a tag in conjunction with the theme “You may see some of these appear on social media using #whatsyourwildcrush,” Lexie says with rustic stools on one side and a 24-tap self-service wine-dispensing system on the other (reducing the need for restaurant labor as COVID-19 protocols and hiring shortages linger) In another nod to the next-gen wine bar, Wild Crush offers a limited food menu, including a variety of charcuterie-style shareables from St. Louis Cheese Boards The picnic boxes and snack packs are available to enjoy indoors on the sprawling back patio (destined to be one of the most talked about in town) or on a leisurely stroll exploring the walking paths leading to gardens a limited selection of spirits will be available including the Back in the Saddle Bloody Mary (with Tito’s Zing Zang and pickled fresh vegetables) and house fave Young Troubadour Ranch Water (with Codigo Blanco tequila A handful of domestic beers and a few craft brews are currently offered and the plan is to have two frozen drinks on hand at any given time (including frosés the wine and temperature-controlled dispensing system are the main draws A preloaded card allows customers to pour themselves a 2- Wines run the gamut from popular chardonnays (such as Sonoma Cutrer) and light French rosés to higher-end reds (such as Belle Glos Pinot Noir) although some selections run north of $100 (such as Duckhorn Cab Wild Crush is a hybrid of self- and full-service and sample some glass wine or use a QR code (secured to every table inside and out) to order bottled wine Delsing says the ordering procedure was designed to be fun “Customers can either self-order for instant gratification or use the QR code and we’ll get it out to them almost as fast.” And one more nod: Wild Crush is completely cashless regular hours will commence (Wednesday–Friday nights as well as Saturdays and Sundays during the day) Private events can be booked on Tuesday nights and early in the day on Saturdays and Sundays (See complete hours below.) “Even if private events are not booked at those times we plan to remain closed,” Lexie notes the restaurant will be open to the public from 4–9 p.m It will also be available for private events from 4–9 p.m Start your mornings with a fresh take on the day’s top local news from Sarah Fenske and Ryan Krull Our award-winning content brings readers revealing profiles Start your mornings with a fresh take on the day’s top local news Communities across the state are preparing for the remnants of Hurricane Debby to blow through the region The National Weather Service says Northern New Hampshire is at risk of flash flooding through Saturday morning Some areas could see up to 3 inches of rain says the town has done more preparation for Debby than for past storms after sustaining major flooding from July thunderstorms officials put repairs from July on pause to get ready cleaning up culverts and reinforcing roadways we experienced something that we've never really experienced in this area and we need to learn from it,” Beattie said The state has activated its emergency operations center to support towns that may need resources or assistance in case of flooding with the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management recommends residents keep an eye on public safety alerts If a flood watch does turn into a flood warning in their area they should get to higher ground immediately Officials also urge drivers to heed road closures and to stay away from flooded waters “It only takes about a foot of water to carry away a small vehicle within floodwaters,” Palange said For those looking to get outside this weekend officials also recommend keeping campsites on higher ground or considering postponing plans until the rain is over can cause soil and debris to destroy campsites and bury campers says it’s a good idea for residents to have a bag with extra water and supplies ready in case a big storm comes Chris Sununu asked the federal government for a formal disaster declaration for flooding following storm Beryl in July it would be the third federal disaster declaration for New Hampshire this year A new report from the non-profit Rebuild by Design shows that New Hampshire has received 18 disaster declarations between 2011 and 2023 putting it on par with Louisiana and New York Recent disaster declarations in New Hampshire have largely been related to flooding as climate change drives more intense rainfall in the Northeast We rely on readers like you to support the local and international coverage on 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Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience Apr 08 Patti Shirley on the steps of the old Louisville town hall Photo: Ana Williams-BergenThe old town hall in Louisville is a big white building with peeling paint It has 17-foot-ceilings that give each sound a little echo Going inside feels a little bit like stepping back in time Patti Shirley and her husband Bill are restoring the hall Much of it is still intact: hardwood floors and three different kinds of stamped tin tiles on the walls and ceiling Shirley says even though it's 124 years old most of the building is "just as solid as day one." The town of Louisville hasn’t used the building since 1974 It was likely going to be demolished when the Shirleys bought it in 2021 But Shirley says she "couldn't see this building taken down Ana Williams-BergenNorth Country at Work: Restoring Louisville's historic town hall Louisville is a town of about 3,000 people just west of Massena She says it’s the best place on Earth it’s been losing population and young residents for decades Shirley sees restoring the town hall as her part in trying to keep Louisville vibrant Shirley's also Louisville's Town Historian She says the town hall was used as a schoolhouse and makeshift emergency shelter: "'if they had horrible weather forecasted "It was absolutely everything that you could ever need it for back then Anybody and everybody that was in the town came here.” Some of the Shirley's period furniture collection Photo: Ana Williams-Bergen.Local doctor John O’Brian built the town hall and later sold it to the town for a dollar When the Spanish flu ravaged Louisville in 1918 Shirley says "the upstairs was the hospital Every once and a while you’ll feel the eyes on you.” you can tell that this was a happening place and the floors are worn in from sports and dancing Shirley’s husband grew up in Louisville and remembers playing basketball there as a Boy Scout the town hall has graffiti carved into the bathroom door The Shirleys want to preserve the hall’s old-timey feel in both the architecture and the decorations They’re collecting lots of period furniture at auctions and estate sales One of their best finds is a Mahogany piano built in 1850 that originally belonged to a convent in Plattsburgh The mahogany piano on the stage Photo: Ana Williams-Bergen.Other than that And Shirley says while most pianos have "a big piece of metal that the strings bang on," the soundboard in this one is made from mahogany Shirley says they’re buying furniture and fixing things up one paycheck at a time Their goal is to create an event space for people in the town to use and to bring life back to the historic building She says one of the first things they'll do once it's fixed up is have a dance "a lot of older people in town still remember coming here The Shirleys want the town hall to be part of Louisville for a long time to come Their daughter lives on the same road as the town hall and Shirley says "this will be hers when we’re gone the Shirleys are still repainting tiles and getting things up and running the town hall will be the center of their community again Nothing says summer like sipping a glass of wine on the back porch while enjoying some light snacks and music. Easy livin’ gets no better When Jay Delsing and Karen Paslawski conceived of opening a wine bar more than a year ago, similar visions drifted in and out of their heads. When Blacksmith Grove an out-of-the-box new development in Town & Country “When we saw this beautiful, rustic building going up and then discovered that it opened onto a lake and a park in back ‘This just might be the place,’” says Paslawski “Those guys are respected operators,” Delsing says referring to chef-owners Marc Del Pietro and Brian Doherty and their wives “Karen and I knew our two businesses would feed off each other.” Blacksmith Grove features 13-foot high wood ceilings windows that span the front and back of the space The use of barnwood conveniently played into Wild Crush’s tagline: “Wild Crush Wine Bar(n).” The building-long patio across the back of the building leads to a lakeside park Delsing says the space lends itself to farmers’ markets fireworks displays—even a Christmas tree lot Wild Crush will offer a rotating selection of 24 wines (12 reds 12 whites) in full and half-glass pours—as well as tastes—utilizing a self-service dispensing system activated by pre-loaded swipe cards Staffers will be on hand to answer questions as well as to serve a selection of 12–18 premium liquors The food offerings are charcuterie-style sharables Self-pour wine and charcuterie will be discounted during happy hour such as rough-hewn wood and rustic art who has nine years of hospitality experience in the United States and Canada who’s long imagined owning a restaurant or a bar and a huge backyard,” he says. “And by summertime people will definitely be ready to get out and socialize again It’s hard not to get excited about all that.” — Some Town 'n' Country residents are concerned over a development proposal in their neighborhood we think it’s a bad idea,” said Susan Pritchard President of the Twelve Oaks Civic Association The property sits at the corner of Soccer Avenue and Armand Drive right next to Morgan Woods Elementary School The site is also the former Barry Road Landfill It’s vacant now, but on Tuesday, there’s a rezoning hearing about changing the zoning to allow for the development of 52 lots for homes on the property People in the surrounding Twelve Oaks neighborhood have concerns about the proposal the roads back all the way up to Hanley Boulevard we have huge traffic jams coming in and out of the school And now we’re going to add another 50-plus homes to that,” said Pritchard She believes the current infrastructure can’t keep up with the added volume and now we’re going to add another 100-plus cars to it While there are traffic-related concerns with this potential project Pritchard said that’s not what’s top of mind for neighbors “Our main concern is because this used to be a landfill,” she said According to county documents the Barry Road Landfill was operational from 1964 to 1970 and received residential “This was a landfill that had a lot of industrial waste and things like that dumped on it,” said Pritchard She’s worried about how disturbing an old landfill site would affect the health of people living nearby “It terrifies me that they’re gonna do more damage to the environment,” said Pritchard ABC Action News reached out to Hillsborough County with questions about this potential development This is what a spokesperson said about the environmental concerns: In the meantime, neighbors have started a petition with more than 500 supporters They plan to bring it to county leaders at Tuesday’s zoning hearing “This development is not wanted by anyone that I’ve spoken to in the Tampa Bay area,” said Pritchard ABC Action News reached out to the developer for comment The zoning hearing is at 6 p.m Latest Hillsborough County News from ABC Action News — A Hillsborough County house suffered heavy damage after lightning sparked a fire Thursday evening Hillsborough County Fire Rescue said the initial call came in around 6:25 p.m of flames and smoke coming from a home on Twelve Oaks Boulevard in Town N' Country they found heavy smoke and flames on half the roof Multiple units arrived and confirmed no one was in the house as the fire continued to burn firefighters left the house and continued to fight the flames The fire was eventually brought under control after 25 minutes No injuries to civilians or first responders were reported from the fire About an hour south of downtown Erie lies a hidden gem in plain sight North Country Brewing Co. was founded in 1993 in Slippery Rock by husband-and-wife duo Bob and Jodi McCafferty The building they occupy at 141 S. Main St. in Slippery Rock, was originally a funeral parlor and has loads of history Bob McCafferty and crew debated on the best use of the building thinking either a bed and breakfast or coffee shop might be good but eventually they decided it was best suited for a brewery They hand dug out the cellar so tanks could be stored underground.  Slippery Rock is a great college town and North Country Brewing Co. is a part of that town’s DNA Jason Lavery: Twisted Elk Brewery overcomes pandemic delays, finds rhythm in Lake City Longtime brewer Jon Barnes has been with the company since 2013 Barnes' dad owned the Harmony Inn in historic Harmony The McCaffertys worked there as bartenders and eventually went on to buy the Harmony Inn also works for NCBC as a cellar person/brewer Barnes' favorite beer to drink these days is Back Pack Stash a 5% alcohol by volume New England IPA with Citra and Centennial hops NCBC sells beer throughout western Pennsylvania as far as Williamsport Jason Lavery: Film, series highlight Pennsylvania breweries' history, innovations North Country Brewing is hosting its annual beer fest Saturday and has 38 breweries from all over our region.  Tickets are $70 and may be available at the door (if not sold out). Visit northcountrybrewing.com for more details Jason Lavery is president and founding brewer of Erie's Lavery Brewing Co — A series of road safety and intersection improvement projects are set to help create better traffic flow and conditions throughout the Town 'N Country community ADA compliance and new and refurbished sidewalks INTERACTIVE MAP | Town 'N Country Road Projects Three Elementary and Middle School Pedestrian Safety and Mobility Enhancement projects are set to improve access and circulation to Bellamy Elementary but likely will include enhancements like added turn lanes reconfigured drop-off/pick-up lanes and new crosswalks and sidewalk improvements All three projects will be complete by mid-2022 and total about $1.5 million Two significant resurfacing projects coming up in Town 'N Country there will be 0.75 miles of resurfacing at Racetrack Road from Marsh Point Drive northward The two projects are expected to be complete by late 2021 and will cost less than $2 million Town N’ Country Hardware owner David Henry pauses when asked what retirement at 79 means to him I’ve been here since I was 19 years old and it’s been my life,” he said from the store on Ford Road in Garden City After serving the Metro Detroit area for 60 years The store is holding its first liquidation sale clearing out inventory to make room for the building’s new owners with further business details to be announced later “The selling’s wall to wall,” Henry said of the large store between Middlebelt and Inkster roads who’s vice president with David as president “We want to thank the many people who patronized the store.” One customer is Graham Martin of Plymouth Township plumbing and electrical,” Martin said of his family’s 46-year affiliation with the Upper Peninsula Bible Camp near Marquette They always bent over backward to help the customer find what they’re looking for “We’ve done a lot of donating over the years.” Garden City and Dearborn Heights have been good for business keeping their homes up with big families,” he said of the community Henry recalled Garden City’s population being larger and that one staffer had a large family with one bathroom in a Garden City home “I think the biggest thrill for me has been the young people who have gone on and been successful,” he said of former staffers who keep in touch Judy and David Henry will mark their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct 1 and have lived in Plymouth Township since 1969 “Raised four children and all four children worked here at the store,” he said “I think that God has directed us every step of the way.” He added with a smile “The next time I start a business and go for 60 years I’ll have a little more experience.” Henry’s a member of the Garden City Rotary Club Rotary emphasizes business ethics and Henry has basic advice for new business people “Talk to somebody that is experienced in business before they start out,” he said “Make sure you mentor somebody in business.” opened their first hardware store on 12th Street in Detroit Herbert Henry opened a new hardware store in 1923 in Hazel Park leaving a wife and seven young children behind His 18-year-old son Robert stepped in and ran Henry’s Hardware from 1942-55 the current owner and youngest of the seven children in their family David saw new construction being built on Ford Road in Garden City at the store’s current location the store expanded from 3,000 square feet to 15,000 square feet Toys and all kinds of Huffy bikes hung from the ceiling and many parents hid their children’s gifts at the store until Christmas Eve Many customers remember purchasing their sporting goods and licenses for fishing and hunting at the store minibikes and go-carts were added to the specialties the store’s expansion into barbecues and fireplaces marked Town N’ Country as a destination Brothers Robert and David Henry partnered for 30 years before Bob retired Daughter Nancy currently runs the barbecue and fireplace department as a store manager with the barbecue and fireplace display a popular part of the Canton Home Expo every March David’s three young grandsons often run through the store’s aisles as well Julie Brown is a reporter for Hometown Life Contact her at jcbrown@hometownlife.com or on Twitter: @248Julie Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — A toddler died early Thursday morning after being struck by a car in Town 'n' Country the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office confirms.  Investigators say the child was struck by a car in the northbound lanes of Sheldon Road.  Stephanie and Henry Noble on Wednesday moved their four children into the Valencia at Westchase Apartments They are sharing their story to caution other families with autistic children and prevent them from experiencing a similar tragedy “We did not have a chance to do any baby proofing or locking to help prevent this,” Stephanie Noble said A Mother’s Worst Nightmare: Stephanie Noble is speaking out about the tragic death of her son 3 year Cody who was struck by a car after he left home overnight. The Noble’s are sharing their story to help others with autistic kids avoid a tragedy @BN9 pic.twitter.com/oEATAdyKw3 got out of their new home and was struck and killed by a vehicle “It happened about an hour after we were asleep,” Stephanie said WATCH ANGIE ANGERS THURSDAY MORNING REPORT .. USE THE VIDEO PLAYER AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE TO WATCH FADIA PATTERSON'S INTERVIEW WITH THE CHILD'S MOTHER the driver didn’t see the toddler but realized they had hit something and turned around That’s when they made the discovery and contacted authorities Investigators say the driver was driving the speed limit Authorities found the parents a quarter mile away from the accident scene.  The parents were inside of the apartment unit and frantically looking for their child.  “At 3:30 in the morning there's no place that a child should be and no place that a parent expects a child to be other than in their bed,” said Amanda Grant with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office “At that point they got the heartbreaking news that their child had passed away at the hospital At this point for the parents and the driver there are no charges.” A GoFund Me page has been set up for the family GoFundMe.com, or any other third-party online fundraiser, is not managed by Spectrum News 13. For more information on how GoFundMe works and its rules, visit http://www.gofundme.com/safety BREAKING// A toddler was struck by a car and killed at 3:30 this morning on Sheldon Rd by Mayflower Rd. It’s not clear what the toddler was doing outside at that hour and we’re waiting for an update from ⁦@HCSOSheriff⁩. Sheldon Rd is shut down northbound ⁦@BN9⁩ pic.twitter.com/DaIxUe3WSy — You can't visit Town 'N Country without a delicious stop at Cacciatore Bros This foodie paradise is celebrating 125 years in Tampa Bay The Cacciatore Family originally traveled from Sicily and opened the very first store inside the family home in Ybor City Phillip Cacciatore has been running the exotic meat and cheese heaven "I'd keep on doing it forever if I could." is most famous for its wide array of homemade Italian sausages and varied prosciutto You can also get blissfully lost in the wine and cheese section and get winded walking the meat counter at the butcher shop Lunchtime draws a long line for overstuffed sandwiches "People who come in here for the first time," says Phillip Nathanael Cruz, 36, surrendered peacefully and was charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The incident began Monday evening after detectives investigating residential burglaries in the Westchase area arrived at the Town and County Apartments off Webb Road. The detectives had set up surveillance to locate a suspect and evidence. About 6:20 p.m., detectives saw a woman leave a unit and approached her while she was still in the doorway of the apartment. As they were speaking to the woman, a man later identified as Cruz emerged from the back of the apartment armed with a gun and shot in the direction of the detectives, Chief Deputy Donna Lusczynski said at a news conference. The detectives returned fire, then retreated. “They actually had to go to the apartment next door to seek cover and protect themselves and the family that was inside,” Lusczynski said. Deputies set up a perimeter and the Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT team and crisis negotiators arrived. After several hours, the negotiators were able to make contact with Cruz and got him to surrender. The deputies who returned fire after Cruz shot at them are Joseph Lopez, who started at the Sheriff’s Office in 2005, and Detective Bradley Garbutt, who is in his 10th year at the agency. Cruz likely will face additional charges related to burglaries, Lusczynski said. Records show Cruz was released from Florida state prison in 2016 after serving a year for burglary, trafficking in stolen property, fraudulent use of personal identification and giving false information to a pawn broker. Tony MarreroMorning Editor and Justice Reporter Every year my family and I take a fall vacation to one of our beautiful North Carolina mountain towns Here are 25 North Carolina mountain towns welcoming visitors We discovered a beautiful tiny home rental up near West Jefferson last year We had to back out of that for obvious reasons While the owner assured me there was a way in we just didn't feel comfortable going there for enjoyment when so many people were suffering but our cancellation probably added a hardship on the home owner 25 North Carolina towns are welcoming "thoughtful' visitors Some of these mountains towns rely singularly on tourism Some towns are suggesting to not only come ( pay attention to route access) consider volunteering or bringing supplies to the people in need while you are there Pack your patience and bring your willingness to help Here's what the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce says:“Tread lightly and stay away from the areas that are still deeply involved in recovery and restoration activities particularly on the northern and western ends of Watauga County.” In another quote published via wsoctv.com “be empathetic toward those you encounter since many of the residents are still dealing with major disruption and to “please be respectful and pack plenty of grace and patience.” Download the app to LISTEN LIVE wherever you are and connect with us like never before In 2014, 19-year-old Scott Wright Jr. was shot during a Fourth of July party at the Town & Country Apartments complex on Roberts Street in Binghamton He died from his injuries three days later Neither Wright nor his killer, Andre Lee, lived at the apartments but the crime's setting prompted a lengthy safety review by the City of Binghamton At the time, citing numerous police responses to the 8.5-acre complex and code violations, Binghamton Mayor Richard David called the complex "a magnet for criminal activity." On Friday, he announced a $38 million plan to purchase and renovate Town & Country Apartments with real estate development company JE Properties a project David said would "transform perhaps the most troubled apartment complex in Binghamton into a safe stable and affordable place for residents to raise their families and the North Side to take pride in." Safety concerns at Town & CountryAndre Lee was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison for Scott Wright's death which has 253 units in 22 buildings, started a community discussion about safety concerns there More: MURDER PENALTY: Lee gets 25 years to life for 'senseless' killing Between 2008 and 2014, Binghamton officials said city police had responded to 1,545 calls at Town & Country Apartments. At the time the complex also was facing 20 code violations broken exit lights and a lack of smoke detectors in some buildings The city increased its police presence at the complex by making it a larger focus of the Community Response Team, which targets "trouble spots" in the city, and a priority of other officers nearby when possible. Renovations and improvements also were made to address the violations Then in 2017, 31-year-old Santos Echevarria was fatally stabbed by 25-year-old Juan A. Lopez-Laboy after the pair were prompted by others to fight each other. The stabbing occurred outside Town & Country Apartments More: DEADLY STABBING: Town & Country suspect pleads to manslaughter More: Lopez-Laboy gets 16 years in prison for deadly stabbing Now the city plans to completely renovate the complex under new management "to invest in quality affordable housing and bring positive change to this property and neighborhood," David said Details of the renovation project include: They'll also apply for a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement with The Agency and City of Binghamton "The work the mayor and city have done revitalizing downtown about a half-mile from Town & Country along with the continued commitment to remove blight on the North Side gave us the confidence to invest in this project," said Joseph Eddy "We’re looking forward to providing vastly improved Officials said no residents currently living at Town & Country Apartments many who are rent burdened and receive rent subsidies, will be permanently displaced due to the renovation Follow Katie Sullivan Borrelli on Twitter @ByKatieBorrelli. Support our journalism and become a digital subscriber today. Click here for our special offers. Curtis James was arrested without incident Friday and now faces a charge of manslaughter with a weapon, deputies said. Deputies were called to the road’s intersection around 8:30 p.m. June 10 and discovered a man lying in the westbound lanes of Waters next to his vehicle, the Sheriff’s Office said. He had been shot at least once and died at the scene. The two men did not know each other before the shooting, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The identity of the man who was shot was not released. Josh FialloFormer Times Reporter often called the “timber tax,” was established in 1949 and has been locally collected to offset property taxes ever since The tax is constitutionally permitted by an amendment to Part II which was ratified in 1942 by over two-thirds of New Hampshire’s voters The yield tax on timber has been an essential tool for promoting conservation and stabilizing municipal revenues in heavily timbered towns In the originally passed legislation from 1949 the Legislature declared the policy’s intent was to “provide a continuous sustained yield of wood and timber for New Hampshire wood-using industries and to stabilize employment in those industries to maintain forest lands at their maximum productiveness.” A bill before the NH House would tax carbon sequestration the same as timber The legislative intent also stated the legislation would “encourage conservation of the forest resources of (New Hampshire) by releasing growing wood and timber from the yearly burden of local property taxes and substituting a yield tax.” The timber tax is very effective in achieving these goals stable timber industry that helped restore forested lands The current policy strikes an excellent balance between industry and conservation There is a new government-promoted industry that is threatening New Hampshire’s timber industry and heavily timbered towns that depend on timber tax revenues Carbon credits are being sold in the California cap-and-trade program and others and these tax schemes and programs are tying down New Hampshire’s timber in multi-decade carbon sequestration agreements or leases Companies will pay landowners a set amount for the rights to sequester the timber’s carbon based upon the species of trees This sequestered carbon is then purchased by other businesses or entities seeking to have carbon neutral or net-zero emissions for marketing or ethical reasons or to meet the requirements of other states or foreign nations cap-and-trade programs or carbon taxes The market for sequestered carbon is growing and will continue to impact the timber industry in New Hampshire The timber tax revenues municipalities will receive will also be negatively impacted and the tax burden shift will increase local property taxes Carbon sequestration is a type of yield from timber that the yield tax on timber does not account for because when the state law was originally written in 1949 the concept of profiting from forests absorbing and sequestering atmospheric carbon did not exist landowners are yielding carbon credits per metric ton from their standing timber and selling them on the free market This new type of timber yield is impacting the revenues municipalities receive from the yield tax on timber particularly in communities and regions where logging historically has been a major economic driver Less timber is being cut on a regular basis and is being put into multi-decade lease agreements to sequester the timber’s metric tonnage of carbon There is also a negative trickle-down effect on local economies that the New Hampshire House of Representatives will vote on this upcoming Thursday that addresses the negative impacts carbon sequestration has on New Hampshire’s timber industry and heavily timber municipalities HB 123 would modify the existing yield tax on cut timber in RSA 79  to include taxing the yield of the metric tonnage of carbon sequestered from standing timber It is important to New Hampshire’s municipalities that revenues from the timber tax be preserved and all yields from timber — whether from cutting or sequestration — be accounted for equally when the tax is assessed HB 123 is not a new tax or a “carbon tax,” despite what some out-of-state interests are pushing in the halls of the State House the yield tax of 10% on timber has existed since 1949 The law was created as an alternative to taxing standing timber under a general property tax All HB 123 ensures is that timber yields are treated the same Treating carbon that is sequestered like any other wood product yielded from timber is consistent with the intent of the original law and ensures no yield on timber is unfairly excluded from the 76-year-old tax HB 123 also protects municipalities’ timber tax revenues Encourage your state representatives and senators to level the playing field for New Hampshire’s timber industry and save timber tax revenues that decrease local property taxes Tell them to please support HB 123 and protect Granite State towns and industries from out-of-state carbon schemes that will tie up New Hampshire’s timber A Merrimack advocate has been awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize a yearly award that goes to a person from each continental region who works to protect nature and the environment As NH looks to reshape its solid waste future A former top official with New Hampshire’s environmental services agency has been appointed to run the Environmental Protection Agency’s New England office Towns across New Hampshire are facing uncertainty around planned solar energy projects as a $1.6 million dollar grant program experiences ongoing delays New Hampshire’s regional energy sector providers and advocates say there are a lot of unknowns surrounding the Trump administration's imposition of a 10% tariff on all Canadian energy products House Bill 123 addresses the negative impacts carbon sequestration has on New Hampshire’s timber industry and heavily timber municipalities HB 123 would modify the existing yield tax on cut timber in RSA 79  to include taxing the yield of the metric tonnage of carbon sequestered from standing timber A lack of widespread charging infrastructure makes EV motorists nervous about how far they can get in the state before they need a charge members of Laconia’s electrical aggregation committee unanimously approved the final draft of the plan and if adopted by the city council after a Feb the plan would be sent to the Public Utilities Commission for their review If you wanted to visit the town of Griffin today you'd have to head toward the town of Wells located on the Sacandaga River in southern Hamilton.. 2018 — If you wanted to visit the town of Griffin today located on the Sacandaga River in southern Hamilton County Travel down Route 8 (also called Griffin Road) and you'll find empty foundations Claire MendesThe ghost town of Griffin  But if you visited Griffin in the late 1800s and a tavern – as Hamilton County Historian Eliza Darling jokes Tannery workers at the Rice Emery Company in Griffin Courtesy of the Hamilton County Historian's Office The settlement was driven by wood and water: its location on the eastern branch of the Sacondaga River was perfect for the Rice Emery Company tannery as well as for powering the Morgan Lumber Company’s sawmills and moving the wood they processed Darling says water is essential for tanneries:  They're usually located on a river and often will divert the stream right through them."  A flood dam used in lumbering operations by the Morgan Lumber Company When the gates were opened and water released the logs in the river were flusehd downstream for miles Griffin also boasted one of the largest sugar bushes in the Adirondacks Frank Girard wrote down a history of Griffin and the photos we found come from him and his sister The Girard sugar bush in Griffin One of the four teams of horses used to haul the sap to the sugar house The family owned a hotel called Girard House – Darling says local people refer to it as the Hacienda It started out as a boarding house for the Morgan Lumber Company That's actually fairly common in histories of the Adirondacks When the Girard family bought the building As industry started to decline and the town turned to tourism it was still popular with hunters for a long time afterwards Originally a boarding house for workers at the Morgan Lumber Company To the left of the hotel is an old store that has since burned down The tannery died out from a combination of new technology and a string of bad financial decisions at the Rice Emery Company The town was built around the tannery and the lumber company it turned to tourism for a short time after that but it didn't last for very long in Griffin." Darling says the reason tourism didn't work in Griffin is all because of the water – while tanneries thrive on rivers tourist economies rely instead on a central lake Pigs at the Girard farm in Griffin Handwritten caption on original photo: "Come pig and the buildings they left behind fell into disrepair some of Griffin's remains were probably recycled into Wells the people of Wells would go up there and take stones form the rotting Griffin foundations to either build up new buildings in Wells or shore up their own foundations." Even though Griffin died about 80 years ago You can see the pipes running through the tannery foundation and the Girard House where Ouida and Frank were born Find scores of work stories and thousands of work photos at http://ncpr.org/work President Trump and his trade team have threatened to tear up the North American Free Trade Agreement Jun 15 2018 — President Trump and his trade team have threatened to tear up the North American Free Trade Agreement and they want major concessions from Canada tariffs already in place and Canada promising to retaliate July 1 The North Country's border towns are caught between the two sides Much of the region's economy is integrated with that of Canada and some business leaders worry that the trade battle is damaging a decades-old economic partnership Near the Canada-U.S There are 150 Canadian companies in the Plattsburgh area employing about 15 percent of the workforce making things out of parts that crisscross the border several times before the final product is finished That process is already getting trickier and more expensive said Garry Douglas with the North Country Chamber of Commerce some businesses might have to pay both Canadian and U.S or extra taxes on materials and goods crossing the border “A lot of companies are starting to be caught already in these nightmare scenarios for which there’s no solution,” Douglas said Quebec-based Nova Bus employs North Country residents at its factory in Plattsburgh especially for local manufacturers who import Canadian steel and aluminum – which are now subject to U.S Douglas said it’s hard for certain local factories to figure out pricing “That used to be guaranteed prices for 90 days So you’re just starting to see these little impacts in the way suppliers and people are doing business with each other They’re hedging,” Douglas said Garry Douglas of the North Country Chamber of Commerce in 2016 A half hour’s drive north to the Town of Champlain customs broker Amy Magnus was standing on the windy border “Hundreds of trucks cross this border every day,” she said Deringer handles cross-border paperwork and formalities for companies importing and exporting goods Magnus said her clients are dealing with a lot of uncertainty – the new tariffs really took them by surprise “And these contracts are negotiated sometimes a year in advance adding that “it’s been a wild ride” ever since those careful arrangements were disrupted Her house is a mile from the border in Vermont Most of her coworkers have family in both countries Customs broker Amy Magnus of A.N a logistics firm that helps businesses ship to and from the U.S “I just like having good friends and I want to be able to keep our friends,” she said “So I certainly don’t want to see this escalate as we continue to play a very dangerous game Former Congressman Bill Owens has spent decades promoting cross-border trade He said Canadian businesses will adapt to this new climate and that there could even be a positive effect for the area Owens expects Canadian businesses to move here to avoid sending materials internationally “The fact remains that the Canadians’ biggest marketplace is in the U.S People will find ways around these rules to continue to be able to sell in the United States and make money,” Owens said This trade tiff is also affecting retail shoppers and the people who cross the border to hang out on Lake Champlain or use services like the Plattsburgh International Airport That’s where we met Jacques Juteau of northern Quebec He was idling in his car outside of the terminal Canadian and American flags at the Plattsburgh airport Juteau said he likes this airport better than Montreal’s even though it’s a longer trip to get here it’s quiet and I like it,” he said “It’s friendly place here.” clothing and liquor when he’s in town the Trump administration is making him feel weird about visiting because we like to come in the state but – I don’t know his daughter stepped off her flight from Florida She’s lived in Tampa for 20 years as a dual citizen she was on her way back to Canada for good “I promised that when he was elected I was going to move back,” she said “I’m going to check for a house right now in Canada.” Jacques Juteau met his daughter Julie plans to move home to Quebec after living in Florida for 20 years “we’ll just stay home” and buy Canadian products instead – exactly the kind of response that many in the business community are afraid of They say the North Country’s economic partnership with Canada is strong enough to withstand President Trump’s tough rhetoric But this region has been playing by NAFTA’s rules for a quarter of a century and no one knows for sure how this relationship would work without it New Jersey's 564 towns all levy property taxes and invariably receive backlash over the cost — not surprising as the state boasts the highest concentration of the highest property tax bills in the nation Its property tax rate on owner-occupied property as a percentage of home value leads the 50 states according to a 2023 analysis by the Tax Foundation The rate is credited by experts to a number of factors including the state's emphasis on local control there is a mixed bag of property tax rates based on its 564 towns Different local needs can change tax rates The property tax issue sees resistance at both ends Complaints from residents who say they can no longer afford to live in New Jersey Phil Murphy proposing a 50% cut in property taxes for those 65 and older in his "Stay NJ" initiative state legislators recently advanced a bill that would permit school boards to exceed the 2% cap on annual tax levy increases to avoid layoffs created by declining allocations from the governor's education aid program they are the primary source for funding schools The best way to keep property taxes low is to keep services to a minimum various experts have argued over the years Therein lies the success of Walpack in Sussex County The 2020 census recorded a total population of seven More: These are the 15 best places to retire in New Jersey, an investment website says Roughly three-quarters of the few homes in Walpack are seasonal seasonal residences require minimal services and tend to bring lower rates to towns along the Jersey Shore and in the Northern Highlands The town's average tax bill for 2023 was a mere $456 state Department of Community Affairs records show Walpack's tax rate is 0.666 cents for every $100 of assessed value Equalized for comparison within Sussex County Equalization adjusts property assessments to align them with their true market values uniformly across counties It aims to correct discrepancies that arise from assessment methodologies market conditions or assessor interpretations and can lead to unequal tax burdens among property owners within the same county Every other municipality in Sussex County had an equalized tax rate in 2023 of above 2% Hamburg's tax rate of 3.261 topped the county primarily due to an outsized school tax rate Those with equalized rates hovering around 2.1% included Branchville Those are all towns with relatively average property values for Sussex County More: Six-figure salary needed to buy a home in 22 states. Here's how much you'll need in NJ While Walpack's average property value is among the state's lowest high average property values are helping to keep tax rates relatively low elsewhere in North Jersey According to a September 2022 study on municipal taxes by the New Jersey State Policy Lab towns with more valuable properties are more likely than not to see lower tax rates than their neighbors since the cost per property to provide local services is often similar for nearby communities the glut of multimillion-dollar mansions has helped make the total property tax rate the lowest in Bergen County The disparity is such that a property owner could save more than $10,000 a year on taxes by selecting a comparably priced home there instead of one or two towns over due to the very nature of its relatively low tax rate Alpine has few modestly valued homes within its boundaries and the homes that are there often have the benefit of the low rate baked into their market price High tax rates can lower home prices because they are seen as a drawback low tax rates can be used to command a higher home price and market valuation due to the disparity in real tax payments Alpine's average property owner pays about $21,700 a year in property taxes as of 2023 where the average tax bill is approaching $23,500 and the average property value at $804,500 in 2023 was about $1.95 million less than Alpine's Alpine was one of three towns in Bergen County with an equalized tax rate of less than 1% in 2023 benefits from minimal services and residents where the average home was valued at $1.63 million — the second-highest in Bergen County — and accounted for about $12,600 in taxes in 2023 While it has had one of the highest child dependency ratios in the state in recent years the town has also had a relatively large ratio of residents in retirement age An older population benefiting from a low school tax can also be found in Cape May Point in Cape May County and Mantoloking in Ocean County Both of those towns have among the lowest effective tax rates in their respective counties Not quite an Alpine relative to its county neighbors Harding still boasts the lowest tax rate and the highest average home value in its county The municipality is the only one in Morris County with an equalized property tax rate of less than 1% and an average home value in the seven digits Madison and the Hanovers all boast relatively low equalized tax rates relative to other Morris County towns Those towns also have midtable average home valuations for Morris County the variation among equalized tax rates was more closely grouped in 2023 than in other North Jersey counties None was higher than the rate of 2.921 in its smallest town where economy of scale is a hindrance to efficient service delivery and the highest average property valuation Ten of the county's 15 other towns had average tax bills in excess of its $10,431 average last year as Totowa had among the lowest municipal tax rates in Passaic County as it also had the highest average home value and lowest effective tax rate in the county in 2023 it was not far ahead of Fairfield's rate of 1.611 which state records show is boosted by a combination of relatively low school and municipal taxes Jefferson County was paper country from the late 1800s up through the end of the 1900s 2017 — Jefferson County was paper country from the late 1800s up through the end of the 1900s and many a small community was built around a particular mill or factory that processed wood Part II of Deferiet's "company town" story, on what growing up in the island town during the 1950s and 60s, can be found here.  Workers and their families in front of Camp Tylkoff All photos courtesy of the Town of Champion archives Deferiet was the quintessential "company town." So if you remember the song that Tennessee Ernie Ford sang “Owed my soul to the company store,” that was the kind of village that that was they would pay off their bill hopefully and have a little bit of money left over for the next week The company that built the village (which included 52 homes and a hotel) at the turn of the 20th century was the St The mill workers who inhabited Deferiet were predominantly immigrants Within Deferiet were what they called "blocks," as in the "Italian block," where all the Italian workers and their families lived together Women and children also took jobs in the mill.  Other towns and villages in the North Country region were like Deferiet, owned and operated by a single company. For example, Benson Mines near Cranberry Lake was actually demolished and moved in the 1940s when there turned out to be more ore underneath the existing town. Those companies created jobs and built infrastructure but they also had complete power over their workers and both pay and working conditions in the late 1800s and early 1900s were poor in paper mills in Northern New York.  Inside the mill and safety standards were nonexistent in the late 1800s and early 1900s This issue came to a crux in Deferiet in 1915 when workers from paper mills across the region began striking with the intent to unionize supported by international groups like the International Brotherhood of Paper Makers and the International Brotherhood of Pulp Regis Paper Company workers (300 of which were immigrants) went on strike in May of 1915 directly supported by the International Brotherhood of Pulp and Paper Makers It was an organized strike with scheduled talks "Rally Days," and with involvement from the entire community; nearly every photo of the strikers pictures men J.T Carey speaks to striking workers during rally Regis Paper Company had no interest in allowing its workers to organize themselves.  the company had brought in strikebreakers to protect company property and evicted the strikers and their families from their homes Lynn Thorton says this was the dark side of the company town; everything was fine until the company wasn't on your side.  "The mill shut them out and kicked them out of the houses because the mill owned all of the houses So there are pictures of people just sitting with all their belongings and they all had big gardens and things like that too that were again on company land." Evicted families surrounded by belongings in the Italian block or in tents at "Tent City" in Camp Tylkoff so named after the organizer of the immigrant workers Lynn Thornton says the evictions were the final straw for many.  you know if you forget the idea of unionizing "Tent City" set up for strikers who couldn't find other accommodation There was an initial "settling" in the fall and workers were able to return to their homes for a short period of time and were kicked out of the village a second time Violence and continued hostilities led to Governor Charles Whitman ordering troops from the National Guard and Naval Reserves to Deferiet in September of 1915  Workers continued to strike and organize for another grueling two years until they suceeded in unionizing in 1917 partially because of a change in management that recognized the mill's need for skilled workers Machinery used in the mill in the early 1900s what it was like to live in the company-owned town in the mid-20th century The photos and background for this story were brought to our attention by Lynn Thornton, the historian for the town of Champion. The photos and story were published in Lynn Thornton and Janet Zando's Images of America book Champion, Great Bend, and Deferiet.  This story comes to you from North Country at Work, a project collecting stories of working life from around the Adirondack North Country. For more stories and information on upcoming scanning sessions, check out ncpr.org/work Plymouth State University and members of the Lancaster business community have launched a multi-faceted initiative aimed at evaluating challenges and opportunities in attracting young people and small The 16-week effort will involve more than 60 PSU students from various academic disciplines in what the university describes as a collaborative The initiative got its start during a meeting last fall with Lancaster businessmen Peter Powell of Peter W Powell Real Estate and Greg Cloutier of Lancaster Main Street Buildings and PSU faculty The result was a project designed to explore ways to launch and stimulate entrepreneurial ventures in town develop strategies to attract and retain young professionals and multi-use planning for the landmark Lancaster National Bank building including the North Country Investment Corp. the Northern Forest Center and Passumpsic Bank which is involved in the development of the landmark Lancaster National Bank building “The Lancaster Initiative is a great expression of collaborative applied learning in action,” said Roy Stever “The aging workforce is a statewide issue but is particularly acute in the North Country PSU students will explore ways in which Lancaster can attract young professionals to live and work there What better way to engage students in the North Country than by addressing this issue?” The four-course initiative includes students from 10 different academic disciplines Led by PSU faculty members Stever and Pamela Anneser as well as Eric Spieth of the Enterprise Center at Plymouth the students will travel to Lancaster regularly throughout the semester for field-based research and activities Citizens Count Executive Director Anna Brown discusses civics education and legislation currently moving through the state house Legal settlement clears way for Portsmouth affordable housing plus a new neighborhood takes shape in Peterborough A committee tasked with reviewing concepts for housing development on Old North Main Street heard from Lakes Region Community Developers discussed the conceptual plan for the development of a 10-acre parcel A 12-unit raised commercial building was pitched in 2024 to replace the shack businesses but that idea was scrapped following public criticism The site will be cleared and equipped with utility service needed for the new units by the end of 2025 with construction scheduled to start in 2026 A developer plans to construct six buildings with a total of 36 housing units could soon see new life as an assisted-living and elderly housing facility The White House wants to eliminate federal support for public media Congress will vote soon on a proposal to slash millions from NHPR and NHPBS’ budgets Get a year’s worth of NH Business Review for the price of lunch the new feature will allow minivan owners to open a door by waving their foot under it -- a feature employed by several other automakers to open trunks and liftgates as had also been confirmed earlier in Chrysler's product-planning slideshow The current Chrysler Town & Country is shown. Subscribe to our newsletters to get the latest in car news and have editor curated stories sent directly to your inbox 2023 at 10:57 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Hillsborough County Libraries are making it easier for families with limited or no internet access to get online at home FL —Hillsborough County Libraries are making it easier for families with limited or no internet access to get online at home with the Library Laptops for Families program Tampa-Hillsborough Public Libraries is adding two new distribution sites in Wimauma and Town 'N Country as the county lends out a limited number of Chromebook laptop computers with data plans to families The public library system was awarded a grant through the Emergency Connectivity Fund program to offer the Chromebooks The goal is to provide families with access to school support and job skills information The computers include an unlimited data plan available until Dec The computers will be available at two library locations in early June but residents should make an appointment first Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Copyright © 2022 ALM Media Properties, LLC. The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct announced Tuesday that the justice resigned while under formal disciplinary charges. Altona Town Court in Clinton County Google Image A town justice in New York state's North Country has resigned after he was found to have posted an image of a noose on social media with a caption that read in capital letters: "If we want to make America great again we will have to make evil people fear punishment again." The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct announced Tuesday that the justice resigned while under formal disciplinary charges a former justice of the Altona Town Court in Clinton County shared the image on Facebook last February while he still held his judicial office according to a court administrative report Canning removed it six months later when he was contacted by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct The Recorder The Legal Intelligencer New York Law Journal The American Lawyer National Law Journal Brugh Lower of Gibbons has entered an appearance for industrial equipment supplier Devco Corporation in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit accusing the defendant of selling knock-off Graco products 18 in New Jersey District Court by Rivkin Radler on behalf of Graco Inc Read More Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer have entered their appearances for Hanaco Venture Capital and its executives 24 in New York Southern District Court by Zell accuses the defendants of negligently and fraudulently managing the plaintiff's $1 million investment Read More Attorneys from A&O Shearman has stepped in as defense counsel for Toronto-Dominion Bank and other defendants in a pending securities class action 11 in New York Southern District Court by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld accuses the defendants of concealing the bank's 'pervasive' deficiencies in regards to its compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the quality of its anti-money laundering controls Read More a Pennsylvania company providing shared communications infrastructure Wolf of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani to fend off a pending breach-of-contract lawsuit 25 in Michigan Eastern District Court by Hooper Hathaway PC on behalf of The Town Residences LLC accuses Crown Castle of failing to transfer approximately $30,000 in utility payments from T-Mobile in breach of a roof-top lease and assignment agreement Read More Schwartz of McCarter & English have stepped in as defense counsel to Electrolux Home Products Inc 26 in New York Eastern District Court by Poulos Lopiccolo PC and Nagel Rice LLP on behalf of David Stern alleges that the defendant's refrigerators’ drawers and shelving repeatedly break and fall apart within months after purchase Read More Already have an account? Sign In The Town of Webb in Herkimer County covers a large part of the northwestern Adirondacks but is sparsely settled and relatively young; the town.. 2017 — The Town of Webb in Herkimer County covers a large part of the northwestern Adirondacks but is sparsely settled and relatively young; the town was established in 1898 The area has been dominated by two big industries Lumberjacks at work in the woods in the Adirondacks director of the Goodsell Museum in Old Forge people who lived in the area faced a hardscrabble existence These were loggers and their families who chose to stay and settle in the area once timber giants moved on from the Adirondacks and the land wasn’t great for farming But there was an established railway system – and soon people from New York and Philadelphia replaced trees on the trains Amy FeiereiselHow Old Forge created a winter tourist season in the 1930s Today visitors come nearly year round – for the great sunny outdoors during the summer visitors (and their wallets) were only coming to Old Forge during a very short summer period during which residents scrambled to make as much money as possible they worked in the hotels as cooks and chambermaids and guides But then the guests left and ten months stretched ahead "And all winter they just hunkered down and they did whatever they could to feed their family.” the area has been: “A great place to live and a terrible place to make a living.” Bald Mountain House waitresses posed outside the hotel Poster for the 1932 Lake Placid Olympics the Adirondacks were just as snowy and the mountains just as majestic yet they weren’t known as a vacation destination Lewis explained that changed because of the 1932 Olympics held in Lake Placid and people would go to the theatre and before the movie they would have news reels Sonja Henie was the big ice skater back then and people would see her skating and they were enthusiastic about winter sports.” People in the Town of Webb were inspired by the rising interest in skiing and other winter activities as well as the publicity afforded to the Adirondacks by the Olympics a group of businessman formed the Old Forge Winter Sports Association in 1935 a not-for-profit group made up entirely by volunteers The goal was to find a way to sell what Old Forge already had: winter The group got to work transforming the area into a vacation destination and they made a lot happen very quickly in that first year – including the clearing of fourteen different downhill skiing trails around the Town of Webb an open slope in the center of Old Forge.  Maple Ridge was one of the earliest skiing areas in New York State.  But Lewis explained they weren’t leaving everything to chance.  “They decided it would be a great idea to have what they called a 'snow train.' And they advertised and they wanted people to come up here and spend the weekend and ski So you would go to Utica and get on the special train that was labeled the ‘snow train’ with your skis...and they would bring you to Old Forge.” That first year the association arranged with New York Central Railroad for the special “snow train” to run eight weekends They hoped residents from downstate would take direct trains to Utica and switch to the Snow Train It wasn’t a new idea – as early as 1931 Boston and Maine railroads were advertising day trips out to locations with high snowfall and skiing slopes in the hopes of getting more passengers on trains during the winter and boosting ridership during the economic depression So Old Forge made itself attractive as a ski destination put advertisements in city newspapers -including the New York Times- They got a huge shock when the first scheduled train rolled into Thendara (about 2 miles from Maple Ridge) on Sunday The Association had been hoping for at least a couple dozen people to arrive on the train which required leaving at three or four o'clock in the morning.  Lewis says the first issue was just transporting the skiers from the train station to the Maple Ridge ski slope Hundreds of visitors were laden with bags and all their skiing equipment.  “They [the Old Forge Winter Sports Association] ended up taking the town plows and putting wagons behind them with like a stake rack on them So people just stood up on there with their skis and their suitcase.” Only two hotels were open for the winter at that time “....they had people sleeping in the hallway they were calling people in town saying ‘can you please come and get so-and-so and his girlfriend and give them a room for the weekend,' because they were totally unprepared for the masses of people who showed up.”   Harry "Ash" Kellogg lived in the Moose Head for nine years from the time he was 8 years old until he left home to join the service at 17 His father managed the hotel starting in 1939 and Ash remembers the snow trains arriving: because Old Forge was one of the first places in the state that had skiing." He says the hotel restaurant and bar were always busy since they were popular hangouts for visitors and often helped stock the bar (which was a 40 foot long behemoth) they just partied...they were young people mostly The Moose Head had the perfect location - just across the street from Maple Ridge the president of the Old Forge WInter Sports Association actually lived in the hotel for some years.  The thousand-foot long toboggan run Kate Lewis says it was the beginning of the winter tourist season.  “A lot of the little old ladies in the back street here that had big houses when their kids were all gone they opened what they called tourist homes In advance the town would call them and say ‘the snow train is coming The Old Forge Winter Sports Association continued building and making improvements during and after that first season 1000-foot long toboggan chute close to Maple Ridge For the 1937 skiing season a rope tow was constructed at Maple Ridge to make it easier for skiers to reach the top of the slopes The rope tow at Maple Ridge which was originally 700-feet long and constructed in December of 1936 In 1938 a reporter named Fritz Updike took the 'snow train' between Utica and Old Forge and described hundreds of passengers pouring off the train and snowshoes" and met by various forms of transportation including motor powered bobsleds and sleds pulled by dog teams.  Lewis says the snow train made a huge difference in the sleepy town’s economy “It made it possible to make a living during the winter.” Snow trains (and later buses) continued up until World War II But they resumed in 1946 and ran until 1954 as the use of personal automobiles increased in the United States with a steeper slope and modern technology In the 1960s snowmobiling became popular in Old Forge; the town still calls itself the Snowmobile Capital of the East The snow trains and railroad system are gone but they helped establish Old Forge as a winter destination Thanks to Kate Lewis of the Goodsell Museum Additonal information on Maple Ridge was found in Jeremy K Davis' book Lost Ski Areas of the Southern Adirondacks.  Most stories and photos we collect through North Country at Work come from places that still exist Nov 15 2016 — Most stories and photos we collect through North Country at Work come from places that still exist and the story of Benson Mines is an illustration of how work can found Benson Mines Magnetic Ore Concentrator in 1901 The area around Star Lake in the Northern Adirondacks is rich in ore and has had several mining operations with towns attached since the 1890s Benson Mines was one of the largest and busiest "There's very little left of the original village [today] The open pit mine at Benson Mines was once the largest open pit mine in the world."  Amy FeiereiselMark Friden on demolishing the village of Benson Mines Benson Mines railroad workmen Benson Mines Sam Spain's Ellsworth Hotel Where the ore was crushed When Jones and Laughlin took over Benson Mines in 1942 they had a team of geologists assess the ore vein but the vein continued directly underneath the bustling village of Benson Mines J&L decided the answer was simple - move it.  The company bought a piece of land on the edge of Star Lake The ore mined from the extended vein was used as war metal during World War II with trains running directly from Cranberry Lake to manufacturing plants as far away as Cleveland.  Checking the ore slurry at Benson Mines Men working on truck in garage at Benson Mines from left: Shorty Bomyea (in front of tire) We love experiencing the world via the eyes and ears of North Country residents who travel abroad. We have a series called Moving the World, which features this (the latest episode aired today) I got an e-mail from Dianne Drayse Alonso of Ogdensburg recently. Her husband, Jaime, is from the Mexican village featured in this recent New York Times article they were at the event described in the article So I asked Dianne to blog a little for us…here’s her entry My husband Jaime and I just spent nine amazing days of Christmas vacation in Mexico visiting my husband’s mother in the small town of Chinantla The ride to Chinantla is about four hours by bus from Mexico City so we bookended the trip with two overnights in the fantastic city of Puebla Ate the very best spicy green enchiladas there that I’ve ever had and we bought another cool piece of Talevera pottery but clean and friendly and right in the center of the historic district just days and nights of fireworks–literally with lots of those big boomers to send the dogs howling and the roosters crowing and watched Posada processions on the main street where people gathered to reenact Mary and Joseph’s search for an inn Neighbors are always bringing food to one another Chinantla is not unlike towns here in the North Country–way out in the middle of nowhere but shrinking in population…a place largely defined by its climate The difference in rural Mexico (apart from the 180 on the climate) is how content people seem to be with far It’s like the clutter of modern amenities is gone and in its place are warm sunshine every day and fresh papayas in the backyard The In Box blog is a general news and discussion site for the News Department of North Country Public Radio. In Box contact information it's an actual location very close to us in the Charlotte area Here's where you can find the friendliest town in North Carolina It's not only the friendliest in North Carolina but has been called the friendliest in the South for 125 years Tryon, North Carolina has been named by multiple sources as the friendliest town in North Carolina. We consulted with Only In Your State about the matter Not only is it friendly but it is steeped in rich history Cherokee native tribes are thought to have used that area between Charlotte and Asheville as bountiful hunting for thousands of years before the arrival of the Spanish They got there in 1540 looking for gold but moved on Tryon got it's first post office back in 1839 and was given its name after North Carolina governor William Tryon Being named a friendly town is one thing but given the title friendliest in the South is quite something "Feeling like family" is all part of the experience no matter where you go in Tryon Local natural beauty like Pearson Falls abounds The beautiful scenery is part of what attracts people to Tryon One of the reasons why I love Tryon, North Carolina is the Tryon International Equestrian Center.  Technically it is in the town of Mill Spring right at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I have been there many times for equestrian events. But there is also abundant shopping and really great restaurants. For more information on Tryon International just go here It's a tough world to be single in (speaking from experience). But how does North Carolina rank for singles compared to other places in the US? Not that great in all honestly. Our friends at WalletHub conducted a study of the Best & Worst Cities For Singles The best city in North Carolina for singles (Good now I don't feel so bad about myself!) An interesting statistic that WalletHub shared with us is that nearly 47% of all U.S. adults are unmarried. It sure doesn't feel that way! But only 42% of those single adults are interested in a relationship or casual dating right now. Now it's making a little more sense. To conduct this study WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S cities across 35 key indicators of dating-friendliness So what type of data tells us how a city fares for singles WalletHub used data including "the share of the population that is single",  "the number of online dating opportunities" and "the average price for a two-person meal" South Carolina actually came out better than North Carolina on this list, with the only two SC cities included topping every North Carolina one. And the North Carolina city that's the best for singles? I never would have guessed. Keep reading to see the top 10 as well as where each Carolina city ranked. You can read the full WalletHub study here This is Part II of our North Country at Work story on Deferiet 2017 — This is Part II of our North Country at Work story on Deferiet Part I told the story of how after striking for two years those workers won the right to unionize in 1917 You can read Part I: North Country on Strike, here.  Pictured is a young worker at a "super calendar" machine in the St Regis Paper Company Champion Mill in Deferiet Photo courtesy of the Jefferson County Historical Society and the relationship between company and residents improved dramatically in the following decades The connotation that went along with being a "company town" changed dramatically - from meaning you worked in dangerous conditions and "owed your soul to the company store" to meaning you had a well-paid job Janet ZandoOn living life by whistles and why she can make pasta AND pierogis This is how Janet Zando, the current mayor and former historian of Deferiet remembers the town in the years of her childhood She was born in 1946 and experienced Deferiet while it was still owned by the St She says it was like living in a separate world which was heightened by the location of Deferiet - it's an island in the middle of the Black River We didn't have to go very far to get anything else." Deferiet from a distance with both company housing and the smokestack from the mill in view Photo courtesy of the Town of Champion Historical Archives That included electricians or painters.  And every fourth house was the same color on the outside and every so often you got your house painted the Zando's time to have their inside done They had their own painters and wallpaperers hired by the mill." Janet says she lived her life not by clocks but by whistles signaling the beginnings and endings of shifts.  it was twelve o'clock noon and you knew to go home to eat lunch and at four the other whistle blew and you knew to go home." The St Regis Paper Company as the nation's third largest seller of paper products Janet believes another benefit of living in a place where most residents worked for the same company (not to mention lived in the same isolated land mass) was the way it forced people who were different from one another to interact whether those differences were cultural or class based.  "Your next door neighbor might be a papermaker and you might be sitting in the next pew over from the chemical engineer who would be talking to the guy who was on number six machine And I think that's why the community did as well as it did." Not that everything was perfect; there were considerable differences within the worker population The vast majority of workers were immigrants from various parts of Europe but the largest contingencies were southern Italians and Polish which also stretched to include Czech and Hungarians and Slavic peoples: Her grandparents and uncle were the only two Italian families on the Polish block: "Their customs were actually more like the Polish people," she explained.  the little girl in the dark sweater is six year-old Angelina Cassoni and a fishpond were all part of the festivities Photo and caption courtesy of the Town of Champion Historical Archives (Angeline Cassoni Cronk Collection) and Lynn Thornton and Janet Zando's book each of these two story-sections had 12 residences The common area in front was a gathering place Both first and second generation residents observed many of the holidays and traditions from their home country but also ended up swapping and sharing things with their neighbors especially since nearly everyone was Catholic "Easter was a much bigger religious holiday [here] than even Christmas was I still make an Easter bread that my grandmother always made.. but some of the Polish people have taken my recipe because their families have died off I can make pasta that my grandmother taught me but I can also make pierogis that the Polish people taught me." during the crowning of the Virgin Mary ceremony in May of 1947 Margaret Pastor Lovejoy was chosen "queen" (far left) Photo courtesy of the Town of Champion Archives During the forties and fifties paper mills had a strong market; at one time Regis Paper Company was fifth in the world in paper production and the Champion mill in Deferiet was a powerhouse and an industry standard wages were high for the skilled work.  "The men here were paid extremely well [for their work] One of my uncles could actually pick up a magazine and tell you which page was produced here in our mill most the workers that had to find other jobs their salaries were cut in half or they only got a third of what they made here." Demand for paper continually decreased into the 1970s and 80s which had initially advocated for and made the excellent conditions and pay at the mill possible also made the bottom line harder to reach when global demand went down Janet says both a changing market and the union contributed to the mill's decline but says she feels lucky to have grown up in the environment and town she did.  "I have great memories of the mill; it was a wonderful The company sold the housing to workers in the mid-1950s and the village eventually incorporated and established its own governing body Regis Paper Company sold the Deferiet Mill in 1984 and the mill closed for good in 2004.  significant progress is evident on the North Quays Public Infrastructure Project The works include a public transport hub including the relocation of Waterford train station to the North Quays and a sustainable transport bridge which will link the relocated train station to new walking and cycling infrastructure The public infrastructure works are funded with a public investment of €207m including €100.6m of Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) funding and following cabinet approval a further €70m from the Department of Transport through the National Transport Authority (NTA) The river foundation works for the sustainable transport bridge are largely complete This includes the permanent concrete river piers and abutments and four large temporary steel support frames have also been installed in the river between the permanent piers The manufacture of the steel bridge deck is ongoing in Belgium and when the six bridge deck sections arrive on site next year they will be temporarily supported and balanced on these support frames until they are correctly aligned and connected to each other and fixed to the permanent piers and abutments underneath The temporary steel support frames will then be removed Permanent pier protection systems are currently being constructed in the river upstream and downstream of the bridge All river vessels will navigate through the central opening bridge span and the pier protection system protects the bridge from accidental collisions The steel deck superstructure has been fabricated and painted in Ghent Belgium and the final fit out of the automated mechanical and electrical components for the opening spans of the bridge is ongoing the individual deck sections will be transported by sea barge to Waterford The transport of the deck sections by sea is itself a significant engineering and logistical challenge The separate deck sections weigh up to 300 tonnes and will be lifted by self-propelled platform trucks onto sea barges which will then be towed by canal from Ghent out to the North Sea en route to Waterford floating sheerleg crane will also travel by sea from Belgium to complete the lifting and installation in Waterford English Channel and Celtic Sea is prone to strong winter storms and the journey will be made in 2025 under more favourable weather conditions The arrival of the large deck sections and floating crane up the River Suir and the on-site installation works next Spring will be a significant milestone for the project and the City and will be visible from various vantage points on the South Quays Fountain Street and Abbey Road will be completed in phases over the coming six months The roadworks along Dock Road and Fountain Street continue to progress under traffic management for the construction and installation of new footpaths The signalised junctions at Rockshire Road and Abbey Road will continue to operate under temporary traffic management for the coming months while these works are completed The new realigned Abbey Road is now open under traffic management and new access arrangements for the schools and other services on Abbey Road are in place These include a new dedicated school set-down area for the Good Counsel National School is continuing and temporary traffic management measure will remain in operation safe and accessible pedestrian and cycling facilities is a key deliverable for the Ferrybank works The works will connect with the South East greenway which runs from New Ross to Ferrybank and is currently under construction by Kilkenny and Wexford County Councils The current phase of project works will extend the greenway to the front of the new train station thereby contributing to the delivery of the multi-modal transport hub for rail Two new greenway overbridges are nearing completion and cycle access lanes are being constructed to directly connect the new greenway with Abbey Road The completion of these connecting works will facilitate the opening of this section of the South East greenway in Q2 next year Transport Hub & Railway Flood Defences The roof of the train station is currently being completed and works to the internal layout are also ongoing including the first fix of mechanical and electrical works The train station building incorporates a pedestrian footbridge and concourse area over the railway tracks which is integrated with the main ticketing office Works to the public plaza and set-down areas outside the train station will commence in Q1 of 2025 The construction of a separate footbridge over the rail tracks at Dock Road to the west of the railway platforms that aligned with the Sustainable Transport Bridge has also commenced A new flood defence and drainage system for the rail corridor will commence construction early in 2025 as part of the North Quays project This system will protect the existing and new rail infrastructure from the increasing impacts of flooding and climate change delivering future proofed and climate resilient commuter and freight rail services for Waterford City and Waterford Port Home / Waterford City and County Council North Quays Update December 2024