Tree on Abele Quad and others on East and West campuses have exceeded The willow oak tree near Duke University Chapel on Abele Quad was removed on Tuesday December 17 and a Jefferson elm tree was planted in the same spot on Thursday a decades-old oak tree was removed near Craven Quad and replaced with a swamp chestnut oak tree planted nearby The remainder of project will be completed next week with the removal of three legacy trees on East Campus, which will be replaced in the coming months After nearly 90 years of providing shade to a corner of Abele Quad a sprawling willow oak tree near Duke University Chapel will be replaced with a younger tree over winter break The roughly 65-foot-tall tree is believed to have been planted in the 1930s as the initial construction on West Campus was nearing completion Landscape Services Superintendent of Tree Management for Duke’s Facilities Management Department said that willow oaks often live roughly 80 to 90 years under ideal woodland conditions Despite the stressors the tree has faced being in the heart of Duke’s busy campus “It’s lived more life than expected given the tree’s location,” said Roger Conner “It’s quite remarkable when you think about it.” Due to decay and having reached or approached the end of their lifespan five other trees on West Campus and three trees on East Campus will be removed and replaced with other trees Through visual inspections and techniques that use sensors and sound waves – called sonic tomography – to provide a digital look inside a tree’s trunk, experts can determine the health of a tree. Facilities Management regularly evaluates the condition and safety of more than 17,000 campus trees keeping an especially close eye on the older trees shading the walkways and quads on East and West campuses Duke has monitored and managed the removal and replacement of several aging trees that have stood for decades “Replacing older trees is something we have to do as part of tree care,” Conner said Concerns about the health of the willow oak on Abele Quad comes from large cavities appearing in the trunk thinning of the leaves at its crown and sonic tomography readings that show significant decay within its core The removal of the willow oak on Abele Quad is expected to take place by Jan which will already be around 10-15 years old will be planted in its place on the same corner of Abele Quad Duke’s efforts to conserve its trees and care for them in a sustainable way has earned the university the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Campus Higher Education distinction in each of the past 16 years Trees removed on campus are evaluated for milling potential during the removal process and wood that cannot be milled is chipped into mulch Notable uses of wood in recent years include paneling in the Duke Student Wellness Center Wood from the oaks being removed during Winter Break is currently being evaluated for milling and use as paneling and finish work in the Reuben-Cooke Building project “Removing a tree that is still living is a decision we consider thoroughly,” Conner said As Duke celebrates its centennial year, Conner’s goal is to help these oaks and other older campus trees see as much of Duke’s second century as possible Send story ideas, shout-outs and photographs through our story idea form or write working@duke.edu Follow Working@Duke on X (Twitter), Facebook and Instagram and subscribe Duke Today is produced jointly by University Communications and Marketing and the Office of Communication Services (OCS) Articles are produced by staff and faculty across the university and health system to comprise a one-stop-shop for news from around Duke Geoffrey Mock of University Communications is the editor of the 'News' edition Leanora Minai of OCS is the editor of the 'Working@Duke' edition The Chatham County Sheriff's Office is investigating allegations of "improper sexual contact" by a staff member at Willow Oak Montessori School in Pittsboro Head of School Susan Johnstone acknowledged questions about a teacher and said that teacher "will continue to be working remotely for now and that's all I can say at this time." "Please know that leadership is aware of the situation and is following professional guidance to ensure that we are in compliance with the law and that all appropriate protocols are being followed while we ensure the safety of students and staff Although we cannot disclose any confidential information know that the staff member has not been on campus." Some features on this page require the use of a different browser Hillsborough and Polk * Please note that this link goes to the OCULUS logon page - click on PUBLIC OCULUS LOGIN to view the application sections There are currently no Events/Public Notices that match the selected criteria (WOLO)– Two people have been arrested after a sale on Willow Oak Drive turned into a murder in the 300 block of Willow Oak Drive in reference to a shooting they found a victim with a gunshot wound in the upper body area The victim was pronounced dead at the scene Deputies at the scene were able to gather descriptions for two potential suspects said Richland County Sheriff’s Department Quavon Eichelberger and Zaire Warner were taken into custody at the scene An investigation revealed that the victim had made arrangements online to sell items to Quavon Eichelberger When the victim met Eichelberger to make the exchange Based on the information gathered during the investigation deputies determined that Zaire Warner had gone with the victim to make the sale and was not involved in the murder investigators said Warner was in possession of a gun and he is prohibited from possessing firearms Warner was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon Glenn Detention Center which he has since been released from possession of a weapon during a violent crime Glenn Detention Center where RCSD said he is still detained An inspection and Tree Risk Assessment was conducted by the Urban Forestry Division’s ISA Certified Arborists on the willow oak in the eastern section of Nash Square Based on the condition of the tree and its location in a high traffic area City of Raleigh Urban Forestry staff has made the difficult decision to remove the tree due to the potential safety risk to visitors and nearby infrastructure.  The removal will be conducted as soon as possible City staff will work to ensure the safe removal of the tree while minimizing the disruption to the park and surrounding area and the Urban Forestry team works hard to maintain a diverse and healthy urban forest following best industry practices and the International Society of Arboriculture recommendations. The safety of Raleigh's residents and visitors is a top priority City staff will plant an oak tree in this location next fall Staff Resource: Zach Manor, Urban Forester, Raleigh Parks919-996-4868 zach.manor@raleighnc.gov Zach Manor Urban Foresterzach.manor@raleighnc.gov919-996-4868  This feedback widget is not intended for customer service issues This feedback is reviewed monthly to help us improve our site. For immediate customer service please refer to our staff directory (WACH) — A man has been charged with murder in connection to a deadly shooting at a Midlands apartment complex Deputies have charged 20-year-old Quavon Eichelberger following a shooting at the Greenbrier Apartment Complex on Willow Oak Drive in Columbia on March 19 deputies responded to the 300 block of Willow Oak Drive RELATED | Victim identified in Midlands apartment shooting Herndon had made online arrangements to sell items to Eichelberger Eichelberger allegedly robbed and killed the victim Glenn Detention Center and remains detained RELATED | K9 units deployed in search for evidence after apartment shooting leaves one dead who investigators say was not involved in the murder has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon Glenn Detention Center but has since been released and deputies do not believe any other suspects are involved at this time Posted by | Mar 25, 2025 | , , A Chatham County magistrate recently issued a criminal summons for a suspended educator of the Willow Oak Montessori School over allegations of improper sexual contact A release shared by the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday said 44-year-old Kelli Anne Bee faces two counts of felony indecent liberties with a student by a teacher and two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery after an investigation by its office which the alert said involved two separate students at the public charter school in Pittsboro happened when Bee was employed at the school during the spring of 2024 A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office confirmed the magistrate issued the criminal summons for Bee on Friday Bee is suspended from teaching amid a school investigation but was listed on Willow Oak Montessori’s website as of Tuesday She joined the school in 2023 and holds the title of Adolescent Program Director after having worked at the Montessori Community School in Durham for the five years prior Willow Oak teaches kindergarten through 8th grade and offers pre-K services after starting operations in 2013 is scheduled to initially appear in Chatham County District Court on the indecent liberty charges on April 14 Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines are dedicated to providing broad outreach regarding job vacancies at the station We seek the help of local organizations in referring qualified applicants to our station Organizations that wish to receive our vacancy information should contact WCHL by calling (919) 933-4165 FCC PUBLIC INSPECTION FILES (This story has changed to include new information on a second arrest.) met up on Levins Road in the Willow Oak area west of Mulberry early Thursday morning Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a Thursday morning news conference near the scene Judd said the two men got into an argument and its appears Clark headed back to his vehicle to de-escalate Judd said both men were involved in the methamphetamine trade Coronado reached into his vehicle to grab a firearm "He pulls out of the car with his firearm and starts shooting at Joshua Clark blaming him for the reason that he shot his girlfriend," Judd said A gunfight ensued before both men left the area Coronado brought Dino to a different street Judd said Coronado asked bystanders to help Dino by taking her to the hospital or calling 911 admitting he had a warrant out for his arrest Coronado has an arrest warrant for failure to appear in court on charges of trafficking methamphetamine in Hillsborough County Polk deputies caught up with Coronado about 15 to 20 miles away on U.S performing a PIT maneuver on Coronado's car to run him off the road Clark was taken into custody later that day the Sheriff's Office said in a Thursday afternoon update The sheriff said the details may change as more information comes to light A 225-year-old family-run farm in Spotsylvania will open a winery A tragic fentanyl overdose led to murder charges for two parents in Prince William County and public intoxication incidents in Stafford and PWC – Severe thunderstorms that swept through Stafford County on Monday with the hardest-hit areas now including Austin Ridge and Aquia Harbour – Republicans from across Prince William County gathered at Fox Chase Manor for their annual black-tie Lincoln Reagan Dinner drawing a record crowd and laying out their strategy ahead of the 2025 election cycle – A bank tenant inside a newly completed data center in Manassas has triggered a sweeping local tax exemption upending financial expectations and leaving city officials blindsided and Networking — Calling middle and high school students for FREE Educational Summer Programming LLT STEMpower Camp at Marymount University Read More Submit your own Community Post here Inspired by local physicians who were among the nation’s first to adopt the concierge medicine model Northern Virginia is now a hub for its surging popularity These leading physicians are redefining the patient experience with same-day appointments MD’s change to concierge medicine enabled focused attention for each individual and the launch of his innovative diet program for those with type 2 diabetes “The goal is to promote enough weight loss to reach an acceptable A1C of 6% with no medication,” he explains “Achieving that can take several months of very close follow up MD considers his patients quite literally as family “I believe there’s nothing more honorable than helping patients when they’re sick and I care for them exactly as I would my loved ones.” Whether for a specialist referral “My patients know I’m always just a phone call away.” Read More Hosted by the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) since 2012 this highly-anticipated gathering is the nation’s leading gathering focused on empowering individuals with science-based education support and practical tools for managing weight and improving health This unique Convention truly has something Participate in the 33rd Annual Van Metre 5K Run—a race that goes further than 3.1 miles where every stride you take supports Children’s National Hospital The Van Metre 5K Run donates 100% of proceeds to Children’s National Hospital and has well-loved willow oak in Ashton Heights came down today (Monday) to make way for a new single-family home Jackson Street came despite the efforts of many nearby residents poems and letters of protest on the oak’s trunk in recent days A representative for the lot’s developer, Ten Penny Homes told ARLnow that any effort to redevelop the current home built in 1923 would be impossible without cutting down the tree advocates say the tree’s removal is a significant loss for the neighborhood and emblematic of larger “Everyone’s really hot about it gorgeous tree,” 40-year Ashton Heights resident Elizabeth Reed told ARLnow “The branches … [were] the size of trees Former residents planted the tree decades ago to commemorate their marriage Neighbors estimate the tree to be about a century old — around the same age as the accompanying Jackson Street house the structure stands in disrepair and has been abandoned for about a decade Ten Penny Homes representative Robert Cole said the decision to cut down the tree “was not arrived at quickly or without consideration.” “After consulting with multiple arborists and a land use engineer it was established that the root system of the willow oak was far reaching and shallow (they can branch out up to 2-3 times the size of the canopy) and any land disturbance activity would most certainly kill the tree,” he wrote Reed acknowledged there may be valid reasons to remove the tree particularly if builders intend to dig a basement she believes the county should be doing more to protect trees like this one “We love to talk about our canopy and our notable trees and there’s nothing preventing you from cutting them down,” she said and they clear-cut an entire property.” The process requires residents to submit a descriptive report on a tree of interest and its significance for further approval Some County Board members have signaled an interest in strengthening the county’s lot coverage requirements but it’s unclear when any changes might come into being Housing and Development will participate in the County’s proposed budget deliberations and is anticipating further discussion at that time on this year’s planning work program and whether it may include a study on lot coverage and related matters,” a county representative told ARLnow president of the Ashton Heights Civic Association told ARLnow he is aware of the tree’s removal and subsequent protest He said Ashton Heights has seen a significant reduction of trees in recent years and that the county’s current regulations are not conducive to tree protection “We’re just seeing these things willy-nilly knocked down doesn’t have a standardized approach on [preservation].” Part of Sklar’s role as president entails educating builders and homebuyers about the assets of older trees that are threatened by removal either for building new homes or even renovating homes knock out the big trees,” Sklar said if it’s right next to the building and you’re working on it But the perimeter trees at the front of the house on the road or on the boundaries — there’s no reason for it.” The AHCA has been in favor of county tree canopy preservation for decades contributes to wildlife and aids with storm water retention The county released a report in November appearing to document a slight growth in the county’s tree canopy over the past decade this increase was credited to the growth of existing trees The report was the subject of doubt and criticism from local nature advocacy groups. A 2023 independent study funded by some of these groups showed a decline in Arlington’s tree canopy Willow Oak winning her debut June 17 at Presque Isle Downs who was ridden by Adam Beschizza on Presque Isle's all-weather track She raced 4 1/2 furlongs in :52.72 and "drove clear late" for the win War of Will's progeny have not just been knocking on the door of a first win War of Will runners had made 11 starts and placed in seven of them including two placings in black-type stakes.  He retired with a 5-1-3 record from 18 starts and earned $1,881,803 Sign up for BloodHorse Daily Ratio Architecture rendering of the Civic Campus East Tower Lobby with Narduli Studio Light Installation Please visit the engagement portal to view the public engagement process The public art project planned for Raleigh's new City Hall is a generative light installation that will learn and evolve with its environment The artwork will exist in two realms: the physical environment The LED light installation will be suspended from the ceiling in the two-story lobby and up the Grand Stair.  The fluid form will be a warm welcoming gesture at the entry and public terrace that’s visible from Hargett and McDowell Streets The interactive component of the work is a grid of programmable LED lights connected to a stream of Open Data Portals, illuminating the ongoing activity of the city.  Real-time and archival data from data.raleighnc.gov will determine how the lighting moves in the artwork Braille signage within the building and a link/code on project-related sites are the threshold to the virtual environment that allows the viewer to explore the artwork and data-generated space.   sculptural elements clustered to represent a willow oak canopy floats within the light structure the artist will create a digital landscape of the Willow Oak The Willow Oak was selected for the landmark Willow Oak that graced Nash Square from the late 1800s until 2019 Susan Narduli is an artist and architect who works at the intersection of art, media, technology and architecture. She leads an interdisciplinary art studio, Narduli Studio with a focus on design research and is director of experiential and interactive projects for Cheeky Films.  identified Public Art as part of a key goal to leverage the building program on the Upchurch block to replace the existing RMB with a modern architecturally compelling building or buildings that will function as a center for democratic interaction and anchor a government-centered complex that also features a vibrant mix of land uses Raleigh Arts advertised a Call for Artists for the new City Hall Public Art in January 2020 The Public Art & Design Board appointed the Artist Selection Panel of nine community members to review 153 applications Four semi-finalists were chosen for interviews in March 2020 the panel selected Susan Narduli of Narduli Studio because of the strength of her portfolio her art and architecture studio’s innovative use of technology and materials and the unique set of qualifications the Narduli team has from working on similar projects and experience coordinating art in a complex construction project.   The transparent public art process requires us to promote a Request for Qualifications on the city websites and state websites but we also post the opportunity on public artist registry sites 2020.  153 applications were received for this project only two people from Raleigh and twelve artists from other cities in the State of North Carolina applied  The City of Raleigh's public art policy also requires an artist selection panel appointed by the Public Art & Design Board for every public art project The panels consist of local artists and design professionals For such a large and complex construction project calling for integrated public art the community artists selection panel scored applicants on five criteria: technical expertise Four semi-finalists were selected for the interview The City Hall artist selection panel reviewed the applications for a full day in the first round and selected four finalists for an interview The focus of this panel was to determine if the applicant's work would be appropriate for a project of this scale and complexity how the applicant would use the budget to provide the maximum impact possible and their ability to engage the public viewers who will use the space daily From this extensive review process the panel chose Susan Narduli.  the Public Art & Design Board appointed a Community Advisory Group to steer Phase One of the design process for the Civic Campus public art community feedback input was received from this group Participants in meetings and surveys asked for the artwork to be integrated into the building and visible both from the interior space and exterior space of the building with viewability during the day and the night Public input will be solicited for types of data that will be programmed for the public artwork While the data can be changed indefinitely the artist will work to build out 10-50 data sets to create regular activity for the proposed light installation The Percent for Art program's goal is to create and integrate diverse artworks into Raleigh's landscape to establish a vibrant visual environment that provides public places with civic distinction and foster meaningful connections between people and place Investing in artwork is an investment in our communities. It celebrates community identity while improving quality of life. Through public art, communities gain cultural, social, and economic value. Learn more fosters and promotes the arts in Raleigh by administering the programs of the Raleigh Arts Commission and the Public Art and Design Board and supporting the Pullen and Sertoma Arts Centers Kelly McChesneyPublic Art Directorkelly.mcchesney@raleighnc.gov -- Firefighters battled a two-alarm fire at an apartment complex on Richmond's Southside early Sunday morning Crews were called to the 6000 block of Willow Oaks Drive at the Willow Oaks apartments just after 2:35 a..m. There has been no word yet from Richmond Fire about how many units were impacted or what caused the fire This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share. There’s a new tree species greening Greenwich Avenue as introduced by Tree Warden Dr “Its common name is the willow oak,” he says standing by one planted near the CVS Pharmacy “But it is a true oak,” and “The leaf looks more like a willow leaf than an oak leaf.” And in an urban setting with limited airspace to grow “It’s a tree that holds its canopy rather tight so it doesn’t get too broad of a tree.” Kramer counts some five planted between the Post Road and Lewis Street “The other interesting component of willow oak,” he adds “is it’s a very salt tolerant and urban tolerant tree it tolerates dogs and people compacting the soil they’re easier to clean up in the fall and at this latitude they don’t produce a huge number of acorns as much as they produce down south.” And this was where Kramer worked before he arrived as Tree Warden five years ago “And they also hold their leaves rather late in the season which is nice – they can hold their leaves until late November that are now interspersed with existing trees “The Willow Oak’s average lifespan he tells “We were able to plant more trees above what exists now.” He points to the important partners in this Replanting Project “They actually created six new tree wells this year south of Fawcett Place.” And add the important partnership with the Greenwich Tree Conservancy (GTC) “Peter’s a big advocate of planting trees if they are removed,” notes Kramer Peter Malkin spells out that advocacy in the backstory and challenges leading to the tree plantings on Greenwich Avenue “It goes back to when Larry Cooper was the Tree Warden…probably 30 or 40 years ago Lake Avenue and Round Hill Road were planted by William Rockefeller when he owned all that property They were over a hundred years old.” Seems those trees were planted having been “pulled out of the ground,” rather than from nurseries because if they had bumps on the lower elements of the trunk The Malkins – Peter and Isabel had worked with Tree Warden Cooper on those replantings “When we saw what had to be done,” says Malkin “we decided to organize the Greenwich Tree Conservancy [founded in 2007].” The first challenge on the Avenue was “The streetlights were not working.” Thus came the need “to replace the lights with LED lights,” followed by “replacing the street stanchions with the classical stanchions that we now have…Then that led to the real effort with the trees on Greenwich Avenue as a full-scale thing starting with the arrival of Greg Kramer.” The first challenge came from the Department of Public Works (DPW) needing to pass on whether a tree would “obscure any turning or other oncoming cars.” Another was needing to know “where were all these submerged pipes and wires,” tells Malkin And then there was…when a tree was removed the tree well was blacktopped over… We had to get approval from the DPW to remove the blacktop There followed Avenue walks with GTC head JoAnn Messina walking with Kramer deciding “on locations where trees could be planted and then began the process for a couple of years of working with DPW to get approval for doing so.” And in that planting process “Whatever is not covered by the town budget “We’ve also been advocating for the care of existing trees on the Avenue,” adds GTC Executive Director Kate Dzikiewicz “including arranging for additional soil and mulch to be added to newly expanded tree wells so that the trees already there could continue to grow and thrive.” But unwanted tree removals became major stumbling blocks Malkin tells of “that big tree at the northeast corner of Elm and Greenwich Avenue… in front of the new Chase Bank originally an Italian restaurant … the DPW wanted to take it down to make room for a handicap access ramp.” Malkin’s suggestion to move the ramp five feet away became -after legal confrontations – the tree saving answer And most recently there’s the threat of a possibly 50-year-old honey locust tree to be removed at 125 Greenwich Avenue Crump & Lowe was concerned that the tree’s root had “raised the sidewalk an inch or two causing rainwater to run down the sidewalk into their entrance.” Add to that First Selectman Fred Camillo’s concern that the raised sidewalk “was a terrible tripping hazard That led to the request that the tree be removed,” says Malkin “and the tree was posted and that led to a public hearing.” the DPW has done their part to “improve the sidewalk” and at the public hearing Malkin and Kramer presented their defense “Greg Kramer issued a ruling that he would not allow the tree to be taken down to give a period of six months to see if there were alternatives that would avoid the need for that.” A contractor “came up with a program that you could have a smooth ramp an inch or two over the root and not have to destroy it.” Kramer has consulted an arborist “about whether something could be done with the roots of the tree.” He is also to meet up with the DPW “to show them both the proposed construction improvement to the sidewalk that would eliminate any need to do anything with the root and also tell them what he had found out from the arborist.” Malkin is confident he says “that during the six-month period Email:editor@greenwichsentinel.com Mulberry High ESE paraeducator are finalists for Polk County school awardsLakeland LedgerDanielle Emmons of Willow Oak School and Joaida Kist of Mulberry High School are the finalists from District 3 for the Polk County Teacher and School-Related Employee of the Year Emmons is an agriculture teacher at Willow Oak School She piloted the school district’s first agriculture program for elementary students giving them hands-on knowledge about sustainable ag practices and scientific concepts Emmons also has spent time running an after-school STEM club helping with campus beautification projects and organizing a Farm Day event in collaboration with Mulberry High’s FFA program "Emmons is always looking for ways to increase and share her knowledge She was a participant in our district’s Leading From the Classroom initiative and serves as a mentor for teacher interns," the district said in a news release has an extensive background serving ESE and ESOL students She organizes field trips for ESE students that provide a variety of real-world experiences and teach practical life skills Kist also helped the ESE students start an on-campus café for MHS faculty which allows the students to develop business and customer service skills Kist spends countless hours fundraising and building community support for programs that benefit her students "Kist is a champion for students of all abilities." the district said "She believes that everyone should be given equal opportunity to learn and grow MHS teachers and staff say they are humbled to work alongside her." PCPS is recognizing finalists from all seven districts District 3 was the fifth district announced The district previously announced the finalists from Districts 1 District 3 includes schools in South Lakeland and southern Polk Show Breaking News BarCloseLocal NewsBrandon Hogan MULBERRY – A woman is dead after being shot early Thursday during a dispute between rival gang members in Polk County and centered on what Judd called a “cranker colony,” prefacing his characterization of the three people involved — Mary Dino 35 — as playing some part in the meth trade Dino was said to be a passenger in a vehicle driven to the scene by Coronado With he and Clark arriving in separate cars an argument between Clark and Coronado led the latter to reach into his vehicle and retrieve a firearm allegedly shooting Dino in the process of doing so Judd said during a news conference Thursday morning ‘Yes.’ He pulls out of the car with his firearm and starts shooting at Joshua Clark blaming him for the reason that he shot his girlfriend Coronado eventually brought Dino to the area of Pine Grove and Ryals roads where he allegedly placed her in the tailgate of a truck while urging those nearby to take her to the hospital He’s got a failure to appear warrant for trafficking in methamphetamine out of Hillsborough County Polk deputies located Coronado’s vehicle some 20 miles away on Highway 17 where a pursuit ended in a PIT maneuver and Coronado’s arrest Clark was still at large at the time of the news conference according to an update from the sheriff’s office Video and photos from one of the scenes. https://t.co/WxgZMX62lf pic.twitter.com/a010TOgQlc Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021 TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us / Follow on Social Media Careers at WKMG Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications EEO Report Disability Assistance Copyright © 2025 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group Video and photos from one of the scenes. https://t.co/WxgZMX62lf pic.twitter.com/a010TOgQlc Video Central|Live Stream Need Help? My Profile Logout Lonesome River Band at the 2024 Willow Oak Bluegrass Festival (6/13/24) – photo by Sandy Hatley “It’s been a good day,” said Mike Wilson promoter of the annual Father’s Day weekend bluegrass festival at Willow Oak Park near Burlington we’re sold out of all electrical hook-ups and campers have been coming in pretty steady.” Theres still plenty of room for camping in the rough in his beautiful rural 60 acre campground Located in Roxboro in north central North Carolina, Willow Oak Bluegrass Festival is the product of Wilson and host band Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road They have worked diligently to provide top notch talent in a beautiful “It’s a great start to a great family style bluegrass festival The line-up is made up of fantastic traditional well known bands and it’s the most beautiful venue in bluegrass Thursday’s line-up featured the Lonesome River Band and Larry Efaw & the Bluegrass Mountaineers Efaw was a proud PopPop to have his 19-year-old grandson Rebel Records’ Big Country Bluegrass featured the high lead singing of Eddie Gill and the smooth fiddling of Tim Laughlin Adkins performed his own version of Alabama’s Dixieland Delight singing “on a North Carolina Thursday night.” Lonesome River Band closed out the first day with an extended set with the powerhouse band celebrating their 42nd year in the music industry Today’s show features Authentic Unlimited fiddle and banjo with Little Roy & Lizzy on Thursday and vocals with the Gospel Plowboys on Saturday MCs for the festival are HWY 40 Bluegrass’ Doug Whitley and Lorraine’s dad Sound is provided by Voigt Enterprises of Richmond Concessions and permanent restrooms are available on site “We’ve had a good start and hoping for more folks to come in,” Wilson concluded Willow Oak Park is located 3.5 miles south of Roxboro off NC Hwy 49 at 895 Blalock Dairy Road, one hour north of the Raleigh/Triangle area. For more information, visit their web site or contact Mike by email. emailAbout the AuthorSandy HatleySandy Chrisco Hatley is a free lance writer for several NC newspapers and Bluegrass Unlimited magazine she picked banjo with an all girl band called the Happy Hollow String Band Latest Event ListingsSearch Events powered by AhSo © Bluegrass Today 2025powered by AhSo Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardWillow Grove man charged with insider trading after making $617,000 on CVS Health deal using information from his domestic partner feds sayAuthorities accused Carlos Sacanell of trading on insider information to make illegal profits off of CVS Health's 2023 acquisition of Oak Street Health On Feb. 2, 2023, the chief executive of Chicago-based Oak Street Health Inc. e-mailed senior executives that the company would be acquired by CVS Health Corp Sacanell sold his option contracts and netted hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits Federal prosecutors and securities regulators in Philadelphia made those allegations in court filings unsealed Thursday as they announced criminal and civil insider trading charges against Sacanell a senior scientist for a manufacturer of health-care products of abusing his partner’s trust and using material nonpublic information to pocket a total of $617,000 in illegal profits when confronted by FBI agents about his trades Sacanell falsely said he didn’t obtain information from his domestic partner Prosecutors cited text messages in the indictment that they say show he communicated with his partner about nonpublic information he was charged with making a false statement to a federal agency Sacanell faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison Sacanell couldn’t immediately be reached for comment said he was “disappointed that the government indicted Mr Sacanell as there was an enormous amount of public information regarding the transaction.” and we look forward to resolving the matter in court,” Goldstein said in an email Authorities did not identify Sacanell’s partner by name — she’s referred to in court documents as a “senior executive” at Oak Street — and did not accuse her of wrongdoing “The senior executive shared this material nonpublic information with Sacanell because the senior executive believed — based on prior conversations with Sacanell and the senior executive’s history of sharing confidences with Sacanell — that he would keep the information confidential and would not breach the senior executive’s trust by using it to trade securities,” according to the complaint filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission The alleged insider trading scheme started in January 2023 when Sacanell’s partner learned that CVS was planning to acquire her employer that month Sacanell started buying Oak Street securities two days after his partner told him in confidence about the potential deal Sacanell had rarely traded options and had not traded any Oak Street securities,” the SEC complaint says he owned more Oak Street call options than any other retail investor But the charging documents also pointed to a potential defense: News organizations reported on a possible CVS acquisition of Oak Street during the time period in question indicating another possible way in which Sacanell could have obtained information relevant to his trades 39-year-old Mulberry man killed while trying to cross SR 60 on foot late at nightLedger staffA 39-year-old Mulberry man was hit and killed attempting to cross State Road 60 on foot late Saturday night in the Willow Oak area The Polk County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that the accident happened about 10 p.m in the eastbound lanes of SR 60 at Turner Road of Winter Haven was driving a Ford Taurus east on SR 60 when Maximino Amiltempa of Mulberry entered her path attempting to cross the large Brantley was unable to avoid striking Amiltempa He was taken to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center Brantley and her passenger were not injured Brantley was evaluated and showed no signs of impairment and neither excessive speed nor distracted driving appear to be factors It was dark at the time of the accident and there is no crosswalk The eastbound lanes of SR 60 were closed for approximately three hours during the investigation It's at least the fourth fatal accident on this 3.7-mile stretch of SR 60 just west of Mulberry in little more than a year In May 2023, a man driving an SUV without a license and with six passengers pulled in front of an oncoming pickup while attempting to turn onto Pine Grove Road Four of his passengers were ejected and two died A Bartow High School senior in the pickup was seriously injured In September, an unidentified man was struck by two vehicles near Nichols Road and died later at the hospital In January, a 39-year-old Mulberry woman was killed when she pulled in front of an oncoming pickup while attempting to turn east onto SR 60 from Coronet Road Match Expires at Midnight GIVE NOW Will Hoge talks about the willow oak and the benefits that trees provide us More music artists talk about trees . . .  if we could plant 3 trees to shade every unshaded U.S we could save more than $2 billion in national energy costs 23 at the long-running Capital Remodel and Garden Show at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly of course—answers to your toughest garden questions Long-time listeners know that I am ga-ga over the Philadelphia Flower Show — the oldest and largest (and best!) indoor flower show in the world the show will take us on a Riviera Holiday from Feb If you’re ready to commit now, you can save serious money on the show’s website All Pennsylvania Horticultural Society memberships are discounted online and include flower show tickets plus bonuses The most amazing deal is a “Friends and Family” membership for the discounted price of $135 You become a member of PHS for a year and receive four adult tickets and two children’s tickets which would cost you over $200 at the door reciprocal membership at 300 botanic gardens access to the Member’s Lounge at the show (a place to sit down!) GROW (produced by two of my former colleagues from ORGANIC GARDENING magazine) urging you to check out all your Philly Flower Show options writes: “Roots from my large willow oak tree are starting to break up my asphalt driveway What should I do or not do to correct this problem?” the willow oak proves its oaken identity by producing many acorns every year The “willow” part comes from its unique leaves It’s found naturally near river bottoms and other sources of water But it grows so tall so quickly that it’s often taken down as it has become endangered in Pennsylvania and New Jersey Reed asked: “Roots from my large willow oak tree are starting to break up my asphalt driveway but they grow really large really fast and their roots are known to break up driveways and sidewalks Can the driveway possibly be re-configured to accommodate the roots who would use a device called an “air spade” to uncover the underground roots and then sever the ones encroaching on the driveway seal the cuts with white latex paint and install a rhizome barrier to try and divert new roots Wait until the tree has time to heal and then have the driveway repaired Let’s discuss aboveground tree roots in general If you’re planting a new tree near a structure choose one with roots that are well behaved Your local state (or D.C.) extension service will have a list If you have an existing tree flexing its underground muscles as aboveground roots are the sign of a healthy tree contact an arborist and have them use an “air spade” to uncover the roots and then sever the ones that are encroaching seal the cuts with white latex paint and install the rhizome barrier to try and divert new roots add just enough soil or compost to cover the roots and make mowing easier but any mulch or soil touching the trunk will cause an early demise hoe the mulch away and find another landscaper The new catalog from Breck’s — in business since 1818 — has a great offer of 50 to 75% off virtually all perennials without coupons or codes How about an oriental poppy named ‘Heartbeat’ that’s weather-resistant with an extended bloom time A six-plant mixture of colorful Siberian “peacock butterfly” Iris Or “Strawberry and Cream” — a uniquely colored coneflower that pollinators are said to love I personally love the look of “Pink Hawaiian Coral” peony Or old-fashioned bleeding hearts — one of the oldest plants still in cultivation and a perennial garden favorite Or consider king-sized hellebores — perhaps the most deer-resistant flowering plant of all Request a catalog or see it all on Breck’s website Mike McGrath was Editor-in-Chief of ORGANIC GARDENING magazine from 1990 through 1997 He has been the host of the nationally syndicated Public Radio show “You Bet Your Garden” since 1998 and Garden Editor for WTOP since 1999 Send him your garden or pest control questions at MikeMcG@PTD.net This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions Search autocomplete is currently not responding In honor of the willow oak tree that graced the lawn of the historic Ware – Lyndon House for over a century this exhibit features works created with and inspired by the tree Each of the participating artists received reclaimed wood from the tree to incorporate into a work of art Artists included in the Willow Oak Tree Exhibit are Peter Bull 1pm - 3:30 pm - Willow Oak Tree Symposium with Peter Bull Join us for an afternoon of in-person and virtual presentations from the Willow Oak Tree Exhibit The Symposium will be hosted by Guest Curator Peter Bull is a nationally known timber framer how does one start with a tree on the ground prepare the timber and end up with a useful structure an architect and Professor of Art at UGA will talk about Narrative in Sculpture why is narrative important in 3 dimensional art  How does an artist infuse an object with narrative  How does an art consumer decode the narrative  Larry Millard’s career as a sculptor and his “retirement” have put him into the thick of creating Larry will talk about the Creation and Consumption of public art.   FACEBOOK EVENT 2pm - Join Guest Curator Abraham Tesser for an introduction to the Willow Oak Tree Exhibit in the Community Room at the Lyndon House Arts Center.  6pm - Gallery Talks with Duane Paxson 4pm - Small Box Series: “Again and Again” Small Box Series is a quarterly performance featuring artists from different genres in an intimate environment and poets use the small stage to bring the audience closer to their work and their experience  Though Underground Dance Society originally produced the series Lisa Yaconelli is now producer and curator Lisa has invited artists to respond to the themes of the Willow Oak Tree Exhibit: resiliency  This event is being performed outside on the Lyndon House North Lawn.  6pm 3Thurs - This is a virtual event. Gallery talk with Cal Logue A publication will accompany this exhibition. Download the publication HERE  Pictured above: Left A huge willow oak tree was sentinel and a beacon to all who visited the Lyndon House Arts Center since its’ establishment in 1976 The tree reached the end of its life after an estimated 150 years and had to be removed from the property in 2016 Now 14 outstanding artists have repurposed and included the wood in art objects Their work expresses some of their own thoughts and feelings about the iconic tree the Lyndon House Arts Center and the Athens community Pictured:  Heritage Willow Oak wood prepared at Oneta Woodworks Meeting Agendas & Minutes Boards, Authorities, & Commissions Code of Ordinances Online Documents Chapel Hill’s Parks and Recreation Department sent word that it was hosting a gathering for people to pay their respects to a nearly 100-year-old willow oak on Franklin Street before it was removed. As this was the closest thing to a party I’d been invited to in months, I put it in my calendar. I called Kevin Robinson, superintendent of park maintenance, to RSVP, because the town has adopted the county’s COVID-19 safety guidelines of no more than 25 people for an outdoor event. He said he would bring masks for guests who showed up without one. We needn’t have worried about exceeding capacity. Perhaps because a heat advisory had been in effect for days or because the gathering did not include refreshments, the turnout was quite modest. All four of us arrived wearing masks. We joined Robinson, arborist Adam Smith, park maintenance supervisor Tanner Thompson and Sajid Hassan of Public Works under the massive branches of the willow oak in front of 516 East Franklin. Trees matter in Chapel Hill. It’s the second most common reason people say they move to town (schools being No. 1). And we have some massive, ancient ones. When any are cut down, people object, question and mourn. So, Parks and Rec has taken to holding sessions to show what arborists see in recognizing a distressed or diseased tree. In the late 1930s, the federal government gave grants to incentivize cities to plant trees. Durham received a grant and planted some 2,000 trees. Chapel Hill got no federal money but planted trees anyway, creating an arboreal baby boom along Franklin Street. Now they are all aging out at the same time. A willow oak growing in the wild might live 200 years or more. But an urban environment cuts its life by more than half. Concrete interferes with the natural fertilizer that comes from leaves falling to the ground over the root bed and decaying into nutrients. Compacted soil hurts its oxygen intake, and streetlights interfere with its sleep. By age 80, it becomes more susceptible to disease and has a harder time recovering from injuries. Smith has 30 or so certificates and licenses that make him good at his job, and he passes along what he’s learned to the two other staff members who work directly with him. They go out “looking for trouble,” he said, alert to signs of disease and distress before a tree drops a huge limb that could damage property or kill someone. They may apply mitigation strategies to reduce heavy limbs and foliage. A sonogram will tell them whether there’s any rot in the core. When a large limb breaks off, arboreal EMTs are on call around the clock to gas up their chain saws and start the removal. When a tree has to come down, Smith and his staff plant a new one around Arbor Day, when the weather is cool and the new tree has an easier time adjusting. They plant a variety of trees, depending on the location: oaks and maples, where there is room for the roots to spread out, and shorter understory trees near power lines.  Smith knows that roots are stronger than sidewalks. The developer of Southern Village chose sycamores that thrive in suburban New Jersey where he grew up. But in the high-density cluster development of Southern Village, the trees broke through the sidewalk and struggled to survive. Slowly and steadily, they are being replaced with hardier varieties. Once the tree comes down on July 28, its trunk, six feet in diameter, and large limbs will be squirreled away in a secret spot to dry and await some construction use by the town. Perhaps the new police station will get an oak-paneled conference room. Business, Fraser Community News, Michelle Government Arts & Culture, Community News and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Please donate to the community's ONLY local nonprofit news source! Support local journalism by becoming a sustainer.Click the PayPal Donate button below, for a tax-deductible, one-time gift or — even better — make a monthly donation. 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You can use this Venmo link for TheLocal-Reporter If you wish to receive an acknowledgement of your donation This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page I’m sitting on the lawn of the Johnston YMCA beneath a willow oak that’s more than 70 years old planted when this YMCA served local textile workers is so big that three adults couldn’t join hands around its trunk Underneath are enough picnic tables and Adirondack chairs to fit more than 100 people in its shade The YMCA announced plans in May to sell this property—one of the neighborhood’s last green spaces often called NoDa’s front porch—and no one knows what’ll happen to this tree It’s easy to appraise the worth of expensive things but harder for priceless ones The nightmare for tree advocates is that a developer will see this willow oak as an impediment to condos or another mixed-use mid-rise nearly 1,600 people had signed a petition that pleads with the future developer—whoever it’ll be—to find space for this tree in their plans The NoDa oak tree is a symbol of a larger problem: How can Charlotte save its dwindling tree canopy during a time of rapid growth How do we teach the value of a tree when we’re more attuned to the price of a condo a joint effort of the City of Charlotte and TreesCharlotte showed a loss of a quarter-million trees—the equivalent of losing three football fields’ worth of trees every day The new assessment will likely show these trends continuing Public and private groups are on a mission to save our trees New city regulations force developers and residents to consider the importance of a tree before cutting it down Tree planting efforts give thousands of trees away while they educate recipients about the value of their gift The future of our canopy may rely on these groups’ ability to do the impossible: put a price tag on a tree Someone might tell you how the shade of trees can lower home air-conditioning costs by 35% or reduce surface temperatures by 45 degrees Someone else might tell you how one oak tree consumes 40,000 gallons of stormwater runoff in a year Other people might mention the mental health benefits of trees or how trees cut crime: Study results associate a 10% increase in tree canopy with a 12% decrease in crime An Arbor Day Foundation calculator estimates the financial value of a tree A willow oak with a 45-inch diameter provides $298 in benefit annually The figure accounts for stormwater absorption Multiply that by the oak’s 100-year lifespan then consider those 250,000 trees we recently lost Charlotte’s tree canopy stands at 45% Most cities fare worse: Tampa’s tree canopy is 36% The two cities often mentioned as shining examples of tree canopy are Charlotte and Atlanta The big surprise in the 2018 assessment wasn’t just the number of trees lost but where those trees came down: 65% of tree loss happened lot by lot in residential areas The neighborhoods that saw the most drastic decreases were Myers Park These areas have an unsustainable combination: They’re beloved for their tree cover and popular for infill development the latter may come at the expense of the former “We’re declining (in tree canopy) We’re still booming in development in all markets and permitting is at a record level,” says Timothy Porter chief urban forester for the City of Charlotte “The needle is going the wrong way.” The YMCA of Greater Charlotte announced in May that it would sell the Johnston YMCA property in NoDa The fate of the willow oak on its front lawn—a tree planted more than 70 years ago—depends on the plans of the eventual buyer can tell you exactly where she was when she decided to move here: under the willow oaks of Myers Park She’d just completed her master’s degree at Winthrop University and planned to return home to Kentucky she took a drive through Charlotte and wound through Queens Road West and I have to live near Queens Road West,’” she says “I was able to find a cheap little apartment in Dilworth across from Ed’s Tavern like you’re being hugged by these trees It’s the whole reason I wound up here—the trees.” My first trip to Charlotte involved a real estate agent who introduced me to the city with a drive down Queens Road West “Is all of Charlotte like this?” I asked him as I craned my neck upward Many Charlotte origin stories begin under those towering oaks real estate agent and CEO of On The Move Charlotte Back when agents drove clients around on house showings Bryant would wind along Queens Road West if possible Bryant has had clients move to Charlotte for its trees alone It’s funny that the road with such elegant homes is known instead for the trees that tower over them But Myers Park wasn’t always a tree mecca When it was developed into the suburb of Myers Park in 1911 neighborhood developers had 54 small willow oak trees dug up from other parts of the county and replanted on Queens Road West and Queens Road during the winter of 1915-16 the story of Myers Park is one of inspiration and caution The inspiration is obvious: Through planting Monoculture means that those trees are susceptible to the same diseases and pests (remember the havoc of cankerworms?) And those majestic willow oaks also share a century-long lifespan set to end (gulp) about now “Myers Park is a story about the need to be smart and intentional,” says City Arborist Laurie Reid one of 28 full-time arborists the city government employs “It’s what we’re trying to do as a city to be thoughtful about what we’re putting in the ground: the right tree “We can’t just plant trees and walk away,” Porter says The willow oaks along Queens Road and Queens Road West date from the winter of 1915-16 (above when developers planted them to boost home values.They’re still there (below) but nearing the end of their natural lives The city’s tree canopy strategy involves planting new trees and discouraging the unnecessary removal of existing ones The biggest tool to accomplish this is the Unified Development Ordinance Most people know the UDO as the ordinance that brings multi-family housing to some single-family neighborhoods Fewer people know that the UDO also introduced stronger tree-protection measures than the city’s ever had developers and residents must consider trees in their plans whether they’re building condos or an addition On one side are tree advocates who understand that our city is healthier On the other are developers and urbanists who understand that higher-density neighborhoods are key to smart growth and affordable housing who worked with both sides to negotiate UDO tree regulations … It’s helping Charlotte grow helping us achieve some of the other goals we have around housing density and quality of life,” Porter says “Balancing that with preservation and planting is a difficult thing The UDO created a compromise that left both sides slightly displeased—a sign of successful negotiation The major change is the regulation of heritage trees native species with trunk diameters of 30 inches or more Residents and developers now need a permit to cut down a healthy heritage tree Developers must pay a mitigation fee of $1,500 to remove each heritage tree; property owners pay $500 (Unhealthy trees do not require a permit or fee to remove.) Both developers and property owners who remove a heritage tree must plant a new tree on the property in a kind of arboreal penance Most developers wouldn’t blink at a $1,500 fee to remove a single tree that stands in the way of profitable plans—which isn’t great news for that immense oak tree in NoDa A developer of a 120-acre site recently had a mitigation fee of $60,000 The city’s new development ordinance requires residents and developers to obtain permits to cut down healthy “heritage trees,” native species with trunk diameters of 30 inches or more But the UDO offers a carrot as well as a stick Planting additional trees earns credits that offset these fees Planting six trees can balance a developer’s cost of removing one Developers also must meet tree canopy requirements and large heritage trees count double toward them which brings great news for the Johnston Y oak The idea is that heritage trees need financial incentives and penalties if we’re going to save them The proceeds from tree-removal fees go to the Canopy Care Fund Tree equity is a hot topic in the industry due to correlations between high-income areas and lush tree canopy neighborhoods with higher poverty rates have about 41% less tree canopy than wealthier ones “Trees Grow on Money.” The correlation between the towering oaks of Myers Park and the affluence below them is not coincidental.) While the most dramatic tree decreases have been in the wedge of south Charlotte the crescent had less canopy to begin with The Canopy Care Fund will provide care for existing trees and planting new ones in other neighborhoods to try to make sure everyone It takes about 20 years for a new tree to create significant cover, so keeping established trees is the best strategy to preserve the canopy. But if development stopped tomorrow, trees would still fall due to age, disease, and storms. The second part of the city’s strategy, then, is to plant new ones. Enter TreesCharlotte a private organization funded in part by the city offers residents free trees to plant at home it’s planted and distributed nearly 5,600 These aren’t the tiny saplings of most tree giveaways; these are two-to-three-year-old trees with established roots and people can choose from at least 40 native or naturalized species Any Charlotte resident can take two trees per tree adoption event they get a lesson from a certified arborist about how and where to plant them residents can even consult with an arborist for free about the best place in their yard for their new trees It means the right tree gets planted in the right place and contributes to a diverse canopy The word choice of TreesCharlotte is telling It doesn’t refer to these events as tree giveaways but as tree adoption events Each tree comes with a biodegradable tag that gives their new owners the chance to name their new tree Kids love it; they name trees after superheroes “When you think about how hard trees work for us—they give and they give and they give—we want to make sure people understand that these are living things that require care and watering,” says Jane Singleton Myers This isn’t just about giving away trees but investing in individual and community wellness Myers mentions a study that shows how exposure to green spaces can reduce the effects of ADHD so planting trees outside a school can help the children inside learn better and less heat can reduce effects of diabetes and asthma conditions more prevalent in lower-income communities Strategic tree plantings can be a form of public health “There’s research that people drive 6 to 8 miles per hour slower down a tree-lined street,” Myers says “There’s a peacefulness around trees We get mental health benefits when we feel more settled and we feel happier and healthier in a treed community.” Planting trees isn’t the only way residents can support the tree canopy The City of Charlotte unveiled Tree by Tree last year a website that lets residents enter the trees in their own yards or neighborhood to help the city maintain its survey “We’d love to see people get together with their neighbors for a little tree-mapping event enjoy some time together,” says Natasha Warren program manager for the city’s arborist office gives people a connection with their trees.” I’m sitting on a bench in Veterans Park in Plaza Midwood It’s a huge willow oak by the tennis courts still judge a tree by its suitability for Robin Hood-style treehouses—adore it It’s at the halfway mark of our favorite walking route “I love this tree.” The gleam in his eye tells me that he’s building another hypothetical treehouse has been Charlotte’s city arborist since 2021 I asked everyone I interviewed about their favorite local tree it’s a bigleaf magnolia in Myers Park off Hermitage Road it’s a ginkgo by the welcome center at Queens University it’s a dawn redwood in her front yard named Ruby Their smiles as they tell me about their favorite trees make it seem like they describe a friend The tree at their grandparents’ house they climbed as a kid; the tree they camped under; the tree with the tire swing the value of a tree is felt before it’s understood Studies and calculators attempt to prove what we’ve known all along: that trees are important The future of our canopy relies on our willingness to prioritize what’s priceless even if we have to pretend it has a price tag Jen Tota McGivney is a writer in Charlotte Assistant Chief of Communications LITTLE ROCK — Deer hunters looking for new stakeouts are often keyed on rubs and scrapes These telltale signs of whitetail activity are roadmaps for hunters during the rut But the best advice for pursuing all species including deer ducks and other game also focus on the food and so should hunters following these animals Food plots and feeders offer supplemental food for game and bring them within reach of many hunters but there are plenty of groceries already in the woods Green plants are great for spring and summer even a feeder full of corn can’t keep a deer’s interest for long Here are six tree species every hunter should be able to identify and some tips on how to find them in the forest White oak acorns are extremely low in tanins so they are much less bitter than those of most red oaks American Indians and early settlers ground washed and pounded the acorns into flour for cooking The large acorns (some over an inch long) mature in one year so a late freeze or drought can take a toll on the crop White oaks are easily identified by looking at the leaves and bark Each leaf has five to nine finger-like lobes that end in a rounded tip The top of the leaf is a dull dark blue-green Willow oaks are distinguished by their narrow willow-like leaves tipped with a single small bristle The bark is thin and smooth with very few ridges The acorn is only ¼- to ¾-inch long and rests in a shallow cup so they are often found in floodplains of rivers A fun way to identify these acorns is to look for the ones that are “all nut.” Their acorns are much larger than that of willow oaks typically reaching an inch long and up to ¾-inch in diameter About a third of the acorn is enclosed in a deep cup These large acorns are consumed quickly when they fall by deer and squirrels They’re also an excellent food source for ducks but their size prevents them from being taken as readily as willow oak acorns The two lobes nearest the tip of the leaf typically are the largest.  Sawtooth oaks will draw heavy deer activity when they first begin to drop their acorns but as soon as other acorns begin to fall and the sawtooths aren’t the only game in town Game camera studies comparing deer preferences have shown deer walk directly over a pile of sawtooth acorns to nab a handful of fresh white oak acorns in areas where many sawtooths were planted by land managers piles of their acorns can be found undisturbed well into February when deer are then choosing red oak varieties over them But for early season and in relatively young hardwood stands that lack many mature oaks sawtooths can be a top tree to search for.  The easiest way to distinguish hickories in fall is by their leaf color Shagbark and other varieties of hickory are some of the first trees to change color and often display a brilliant gold color that stands out among the green leaves of other forest species Shagbark hickory is characterized by its scaly loose bark that seems to be peeling off in sheets The nuts are often found along the twigs in singles or pairs and are enclosed in a thick The green hull will dry and turn a dark brown when the nut is ripe but many squirrels can’t wait and green cuttings will be found on the ground surrounding an active tree They tend to be at the fringes of fields and in openings of the forest canopy with a blocky pattern that resembles alligator skin The oblong leaves are dark green and shiny on the top The soft fruit is slightly smaller than a golf ball and has an orange-brown color when ripe smooth brown seeds and it’s not uncommon to see these seeds in the scat of possums raccoons and other wildlife that gorge on the fruit when it’s ripe The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division has an excellent resource for hunters looking to learn more about how to identify common trees in Arkansas. Their guide “Trees of Arkansas” is available at www.agriculture.arkansas.gov and includes color images and key characteristics of native Arkansas species It costs only $5 and is a must-have for any woodsman to learn more.  Sign up now to receive the AGFC Wildlife Weekly Newsletter in your mailbox every Wednesday afternoon (Waterfowl Reports are published weekly during waterfowl season and periodically outside the season) Fill in the following fields and hit submit Your access to this service has been limited If you think you have been blocked in error contact the owner of this site for assistance If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send" You will then receive an email that helps you regain access Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 5 million WordPress sites The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site You can also read the documentation to learn about Wordfence's blocking tools or visit wordfence.com to learn more about Wordfence Click here to learn more: Documentation 6 May 2025 0:36:26 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); Ducks and chickens received a warm welcome in Mulberry at Willow Oak elementary school last school year affectionately named Cheese and Quackers by the school’s second-grade to fifth-grade students are like characters from the pages of children’s books about farms kindergartners and first-graders at the school will have the chance to learn how to harvest food for animals and humans as well as collect eggs from chickens as part of an expansion of the agriculture classes for elementary level kids While middle and high school students have had the opportunity to learn farming across the school district for decades the nascent Willow Oak program was the first of its kind for Polk County elementary students Mulberry middle and high schools both have an agricultural program which is affiliated with the Future Farmers of America at the high school It is hoped that the Willow Oak students will feed the more established secondary school programs who is a professor of agricultural studies at Warner University said he's excited about the expansion of the pilot program which introduces elementary level students in Polk County to the “lifeblood” of the county and the second leading industry in Florida’s economy “Elementary education has the potential to increase agricultural literacy and prepare students for entry into middle school agriculture programs,” Sharpless said and the school’s principal and teachers for the vision to create a program headed toward statewide acceptance the school board learned from Jessica Anderson the district’s curriculum specialist for workforce education that because of the success of the Willow Oak pilot program last school year the district has requested the Florida Department of Education add an elementary agriculture course for the coming school year as part of a statewide effort with other districts and stakeholders to spread agriculture education to lower grade levels Elementary agriculture standards and curriculum were developed by Manatee Public Schools and Florida Agriculture in the Classroom which helps develop professional training for teachers Polk County was the only public school district to pilot a course for elementary students “Polk County is kind of leading the way in this and this has been noticed at the state level and they are really excited by that,” she told the School Board at its April 11 work session Florida agriculture generates 2 million jobs and supports $253.86 billion in sales revenue per a 2021 report by the University of Florida Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences She said Polk employs 103,000 people in agriculture If students are exposed to at least one agriculture class before high school graduation she said they would be better consumers in addition to having an introduction to farming elementary agriculture aligns with state efforts to inform residents about better food choices for their diet and wellbeing Specials teacher Danielle Emmons had proposed the program to Principal Michelle Townley at Willow Oak as well as Anderson and other administrators with the district and the pilot program was approved for the 2021-2022 school year “Agriculture is an important economic driver in our community and we wanted students to have experiences to bridge the traditional academics with connections to agriculture,” Townley said The class in agriculture is attended during student’s specials rotation This allowed approximately 600 students to experience a 50-minute agriculture class every six school days all students at Willow Oak from kindergarten to fifth grade will have the agriculture class on their specials rotation An elementary specials class is similar to elective courses for secondary school students a state standard for elementary agriculture will be established The University of Florida is currently leading a collaborative for developing standards “We are involved with the project,” she said Emmons utilizes science and mathematics benchmarks heavily as well as informational benchmarks from English Language Arts to help develop her curriculum in alignment with the 6-12 (grades) state approved agriculture benchmarks.”  The district’s Career and Technical Education office has provided support by sharing curriculum resources with Willow Oak then raising our own chickens and ducks,” Townley said Emmons gears her lessons around the practical application of agriculture in a hands-on Further presentations at the elementary school have been made by the University of Florida's IFAS Central Florida Ag News and Home Depot (Grant for Plants) Emmons was able to participate in the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference it’s not easy keeping a kindergartner’s eye on the ball and Willow Oak staff know there will be challenges to keep the kids engaged “Successfully adding kindergarten and first-grade students to the course will require thoughtful planning and preparation to make the content age-appropriate and relevant for our youngest learners,” Townley said And there is plenty of new stuff coming to keep the kiddos engaged “We are also in the process of adding a greenhouse which will increase our students’ abilities to deepen their understanding of horticulture and allow us to grow a greater variety of plants,”  Townley said Finding new sources of water Polk Water Cooperative secures $305 million federal loan for deep well projects The greenhouse and an outdoor classroom are expected to keep the young ones focused “We are also working on creating an outdoor learning classroom for students to engage in agriculture class both inside and outside,” Townley said “Our goal is to also have this area house a Florida native certified butterfly garden.” While it is too soon to tell if a career in agriculture is in the future for the students at Willow Oak our elementary students are highly engaged and motivated and we hope they choose to stick with agriculture classes in their middle and high school days.” Even parents have rolled up their sleeves to help kick start the program a student’s dad and fellow teachers installed a fence to keep the chickens and ducks contained Emmons and a fifth-grade student and his family put together the chicken coop The children in Danielle Emmons’ fourth-grade class walk to their seats at the tables they begin to line up for the delicious mouths-on lesson of the day: homemade vegetable soup where we’ve been learning how to classify vegetables Who can remember the five parts of a plant that are edible?” she asks the “restaurant’s” pupil patrons It’s not a typical question a patron would be asked when dining at a typical restaurant but the children eating soup in Willow Oak School’s “Blue Jay Café” aren’t there just to eat — they’re there to learn.  Willow Oak School is the first pre-kindergarten to fifth-grade public elementary school in the Polk County School District to participate in the district’s new Elementary Agricultural Science Program (EASP) built on what was once a strawberry field.  as she watches her students serve themselves soup she works with children in second to fifth grades and is in her 13th year teaching in Polk County That follows a year of instruction at Kingsford Elementary in Mulberry and 10 years at Kathleen Elementary in Lakeland She was the school district’s regional science coach in 2015.  Emmons says although the 2022-23 school year is young her students are already learning and accomplishing a lot in their agricultural book and hands-on studies Around her classroom are posters and flyers highlighting various agricultural and farming facts Emmons says her second-graders are learning the basics of agriculture through lessons like “Agriculture Pays,” which explores careers in agriculture; “A Day Without Agriculture,” which delves into consumer wants and needs; and “Right This Very Minute,” which explains how food gets from farms and fields to the dinner table.  Emmons says the focus is more on learning about farm animals Her classes participated in an Adopt-a-Cow program and students were able to follow the growth virtually and Zoom via live video in real time with the farmer raising the calf Lessons for fourth-grade students are geared more toward plants and plant cultivation She says her classes discuss structures and functions of plants; how to classify vegetables through roots and fruit; and how to dissect and learn about seeds  Her fifth-graders study aspects of hydroponics such as what plants need to survive and whether they can grow with or without soil “We were lucky enough to get the program here for the county,” says Emmons “It’s very applicable to kids here because — for many of them — it’s their families’ livelihoods so it’s applicable inside and outside of school.”  There are several ways Willow Oak makes the EASP applicable to real life all third- through fifth-grade classes have filled outdoor garden beds with soil and plants that they are responsible for maintaining throughout the school year the plan is to fix a big salad once everything is harvested Tomatoes and lettuce will be harvested from the hydroponic gardens The EASP made it to Willow Oak after meetings last summer with Emmons including Elementary Regional School Superintendent Benjamin Henry; Deputy Superintendent Wayne Green; Senior Director of K-12 Mathematics Joe McNaughton; Senior Director of Technology and Multiple Pathways Education Steven Cochran and Agriculture Curriculum Specialist Jessica Anderson.  Emmons and Townley say the EASP has been a fun successful way to help bring crops into the classroom a fifth-generation Floridian who grew up in Mulberry on a small farm with cattle says Willow Oak was perfect for the EASP pilot site.  “I think because of the (agriculture) industry in the area and the availability of space for the gardens and small animals Those attributes did indeed factor into Willow Oak’s EASP participation which should soon begin to include other schools in the county She adds that she hopes the Florida Department of Education will continue to expand agricultural offerings statewide in the future.  “We are thrilled to bring this opportunity to our elementary students We hope by offering agricultural education at an earlier age we can produce informed consumers who are more aware of how agriculture affects their everyday lives,” Anderson says Inside Emmons’ classroom and outside her windows students are eating and taking time to learn about the origins of what’s going into their stomachs says she’s been especially interested in learning the different ways in which plants can grow and how they survive different environments it’s also really cool learning how they would do it back in the old days and how they do it now “It’s important you should know also how to grow your own food instead of always having to rely on others.” Emmons says the lessons will continue to expand She says future EASP plans include building a chicken coop and having a small greenhouse constructed.  “The kids love to come to the program classes and if they’re happy and learning 33881(863) 248-7537info@centralfloridamediagroup.com Privacy Policy Copyright © 2025 Central Florida Ag News the subdivision would consist of 10 lots off a cul-de-sac road (Images courtesy Richmond Hill Design + Build) As it gets going on an infill development in Westhampton a local homebuilder is laying the groundwork for a similar-sized subdivision near Willow Oaks Country Club led by father-and-daughter team Lloyd and Vanessa Poe is planning a 10-home subdivision on a 3-acre property at 6422 Forest Hill Ave. just west of the entrance to the Southside golf course Plans call for the lots to replace an existing home on the site with a cul-de-sac road off Forest Hill Avenue providing access to the lots A 20-foot landscape buffer would provide a setback for the homes and drainage improvements and other infrastructure also are planned the subdivision would consist of two-story homes ranging in size from 2,600 to 3,400 square feet with four or more bedrooms and at least two and a half bathrooms Prices would range from $650,000 to $850,000 Vanessa Poe said they plan to target the homes to Willow Oaks members though she said the floorplans would also appeal to young professionals and families “Maybe an older community that doesn’t really want a huge yard with sidewalks and landscaping and closer together than some of the houses that are already in the area,” she said The homes would increase in size the farther they are from Forest Hill Avenue with a mix of first- and second-floor primary bedrooms Each house would also have a two-car garage and driveway The company purchased the property in April for $575,000. Poe said they were alerted to the site by Mike Hanky, a local real estate agent with Shaheen, Ruth, Martin & Fonville Real Estate who they’ve worked with before and had a connection with the sellers The city assessed the property at $414,000 would be razed to make way for the new homes Poe said they intend to work around an existing mature tree behind the house She said they’re also working with the Virginia Department of Transportation on drainage improvements to address standing water and flooding issues in the neighborhood “That’s a big problem for the area,” Poe said “All the neighbors have standing water and floods whenever high rains happen VDOT had planned and approved to put in drainage at the back of our property that will help solve this issue for all the surrounding neighbors.” Poe said that process was slowed during the pandemic but they’re still working to secure approvals and connect to surrounding drainage “We are very hesitant on going forward until that gets put in because we don’t want to make the neighbors’ situation even worse than it already is,” she said Poe said they have about another three months of permitting to get through before they can start site work She said they’re aiming to break ground on the first homes in early 2024 and stagger construction on the rest over a two-year period Renderings of previous Richmond Hill homes hint at the styles planned for the subdivision though Poe said their styles would be similar to other Richmond Hill homes She said it’s too early to estimate a cost for the development “We’ve left it open with the (plan) so when we get in there we can tailor every house to be slightly different,” she said “We’re excited to bring a different target market and architectural style to the area.” The company filed a preliminary plat for the subdivision with the city in late August Henrico-based consulting firm SilverCore is assisting with the project The subdivision adds to other multi-home projects that Richmond Hill has undertaken since launching in 2018. One of its first projects was a five-home infill and single-home rehab in the 2900 block of Ellwood Avenue near Carytown Farther west, near Libbie and Patterson avenues, the company is getting ready to start building its first homes for Westview at Libbie an infill project that will replace six existing houses with 11 new homes along Westview Avenue Revised plans for that project were approved in September and Poe said applications for building permits for the first homes have been submitted This story is for our paid subscribers only Please become one of the thousands of BizSense Pro readers today Renew now by choosing a subscription below YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR A 1 YEAR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL AT THE RATE IN EFFECT AT THAT TIME UNLESS YOU CANCEL YOUR MEMBERSHIP BY LOGGING IN OR BY CONTACTING SUPPORT@BUSINESSDEN.COM ALL CHARGES FOR MONTHLY OR ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS ARE NONREFUNDABLE EACH MEMBERSHIP WILL ONLY FUNCTION ON UP TO 3 MACHINES ACCOUNTS ABUSING THAT LIMIT WILL BE DISCONTINUED FOR ASSISTANCE WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP PLEASE EMAIL SUPPORT@BUSINESSDEN.COM Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Should have tired to buy another lot and tied the new neighborhood into Skipton Road All residents will have to make lots of U turns to get in and out if as there will be no crossover access to Forest Hill We could certainly do more housing in this space in an area that lacks new multifamily development I think this ten home development would be the right size for Powhatan County by the courthouse were it is 10 homes on 3 acres vs 200 homes in one sitting They need to offer the 1907 home for free and let people have a few weeks or months while they get building permits to let someone move it I’m not a preservationist by ANY stretch but if someone could relocate that old house I grew up about a half mile east of this development site and I’m thrilled to see this little vest-pocket subdivision come to that neighborhood Would love to see more of these popping up in this part of town All of Richmond Hill Builds are overpriced and look cheap © 2025 Richmond BizSense - All Rights Reserved Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now × nestled in the woods just off Highway 43 in Spruce Pine might be best known as a high-fence hunting preserve offering whitetail deer wild turkey and quail hunts – but it’s so much more Willow Oak Lodge offers more than a thousand acres of diverse terrain spotting wildlife and generally enjoying being in the great outdoors Other options for relaxing include booking a massage taking advantage of the sauna and making use of the full gym Good food and Southern hospitality greet guests many of whom come from out of state to get away from it all New Year’s Eve party and a Valentine’s Day ball Husband and wife team Tim and Kim Horton are the owner-operators of Willow Oak Lodge Tim won the 2000 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year award and is an 11-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier He is also the star of his well-known educational fishing television show “Timmy Horton Outdoors.” Kim worked in education as a gifted and talented program teacher for 13 years “Franklin County has always been home,” said Tim Horton and Kim is from the Rockwood/Belgreen area This is a very special place that’s really entwined in the fabric of who we are Our goal is to get people outside and making wonderful memories together With its expansive acreage of open fields and an abundance of creeks and ponds Willow Oak Lodge is a popular destination for vacations the property has been developed and managed for wildlife habitat with lodging added in the past year and a half Accommodation options include rooms in the lodge The barn offers six bedrooms and bathrooms and includes some of the wood from a barn built on the property in 1918 A variety of themed lodging options include Valley View There is also the option to stay in the honeymoon suite “We’ve had some of our most enjoyable moments on this property,” said Kim Horton fishing with our kids and relaxing in the cabin That’s why we opened the lodge in the first place.” The majority of hunters come from other states and a lot of them visit other local attractions while in the area “We had a family with two younger kids come and stay just for lodging,” said Kim Horton “They caught fireflies and made smores and had so much fun walking the trails and hiking and going on nature walks and skipping rocks in the ponds their mom sent me the sweetest note about their stay.” Willow Oak Lodge is located at 8410 Highway 43 in Spruce Pine email willow.oak.lodge@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page or Instagram account