North Ogden Wind gusts fuel blaze; two escape unharmed.

Fire caused more than $1 million in damage to a North Ogden house on Saturday.

A neighbor called to report smoke coming from a house at 282 E. Lomond View Drive about 4:35 a.m., said North View Fire Chief Dave Wade. The two people living in the house were able to escape, and no one was injured.

Wade said he was "pretty sure [the fire] had got a good head start on us before we arrived."

Wade said the roughly 10,000-square-foot house had several additions and the fire did at least $1 million or more in damage.

"It is pretty well destroyed," Wade said adding that any area of the house that didnt have fire damage had smoke or water damage. However, some of the garage and the ATVs and vehicles inside were salvaged.

When fire crews arrived, they could see only light smoke coming from the house. As they began to attack the fire, flames went up the inside of the walls and into the attic and continued to spread. Wade said strong gusts of wind "contributed to moving that fire around also."

After about six hours, 20 firefighters from across Weber County were able to contain the fire enough to bring in a backhoe to knock down the walls to make sure the fire was out.

The North View fire marshal and inspector Saturday were investigating the fires cause. Wade said they believe the blaze may have started on the main level or in the basement near the front of the house.

cimaron@sltrib.com

Read the original post:
Fire does $1M in damage to Utah home

A blaze caused more than $1 million in damage to a massive North Ogden house on Saturday.

A neighbor called to report smoke coming from a house at 282 E. Lomond View Drive about 4:35 a.m., said North View Fire Chief Dave Wade. The two people living in the house were able to escape and no one was injured.

Wade said he was "pretty sure [the fire] had got a good head start on us before we arrived."

Wade said the roughly 10,000 square-foot house had several additions and the fire did at least an estimated $1 million dollars in damage if not more.

"It is pretty well destroyed," Wade said adding anywhere that didnt have fire damage had smoke or water damage. However, some of the garage and the ATVs and vehicles inside were salvaged.

When fire crews arrived they could only see light smoke coming from the house. As they began to attack the fire, flames went up the inside of the walls and into the attic and continued to spread. Wade said strong gusts of wind "contributed to moving that fire around also."

After about six hours, 20 firefighters from across Weber County were able to contain the fire enough to bring a backhoe in and knock down walls to make sure the fire was out.

"There are so many voids and areas we are still trying to access," Wade said adding the size of the home and dense trees around it made it hard to access. As of 2 p.m. crews were still working to make sure the fire was completely out.

The North View fire marshal and inspector are still investigating the cause of the fire. Wade said they believe the blaze may have started on the main level or in the basement below near the front of the house.

cimaron@sltrib.com

Read more:
Fire scolds $1 million in damage to northern Utah home

A roof over a loading dock at the VA Clinic in East Anchorage collapsed on Friday afternoon due to a heavy snow load -- the latest in a string of structures to collapse amid the city's near-record snowfall.

It happened after the winter's first residential roof collapse earlier in the week -- an unoccupied house in Peters Creek -- and as city officials continue to advise homeowners to be mindful of roof loads that grow heavier with each new snowfall.

Their general advice: If the snow is more than 2 feet deep, there might be a problem.

Two workers at the VA Clinic were in the vicinity when the slab slapped down. One had just stepped off the dock and another was still on it. One of them was doused with snow but neither was injured.

"We dodged another bullet," said Jim Stubbs, the lead structural building inspector for the Municipality of Anchorage.

At 4 p.m. Friday, Stubbs and Ron Wilde, also with the city's Building Safety department, stood in front of the loading dock shaking their heads at the surprisingly intact flat surface, about 80 feet long and 16 feet wide. It had flipped to a vertical position against the wall to which it had been attached as neatly as a stored TV tray.

"It just folded up," said Stubbs.

It was the 14th roof collapse to which the department has responded this winter. With a total snowfall within 3 inches of the record for a single winter, roofs have come down on commercial buildings around town and a church auditorium.

The first residential roof collapse was reported on Wednesday evening at a vacant house in Peters Creek. The two-bedroom single-family home at Tundra Rose Avenue near Four Wheel Drive had been for sale for some months and was unoccupied. The Alaska Star reported that entire southern half of the 768-square-foot home was destroyed in the collapse.

"We're fortunate so far that there haven't been any injuries," said Sharen Walsh, the building official for the city. But she's concerned the luck may not hold.

Read the original:
VA Clinic roof collapse is winter's 14th

SILVER CITY ---- The Santa Clara Fire Department celebrated the grand opening of its new facility on Friday with a reception and a tour for community members, while dozens of elementary school children climbed in and out of the fire trucks.

Eighty-eight Central Elementary School students and 25 community members attended the event, passing out about as many "thank-you s" and handshakes in recognition of the community s effort in the completion of the new building ---- a project nearly three years in the making.

"It's going to be a great addition to the village," said Santa Clara Mayor Richard Bauch. "It's something we've needed for a long time."

The building features a new conference room, five rooms for storage and cleaning purposes, an empty space for a future second story addition and an 80-by-40 foot garage ---- double the size of the old garage ---- with a drive-through bay.

"The other building, we d have to back the fire trucks in and we had vehicles parked outside," said Fire Chief Frank Ryan.

He said that depending on how far the funding goes, additions to the building will be made in the future, including new lockers, a kitchenette and interior and exterior work like a paint job and new asphalt.

The new facility cost $775,000, according to Bauch, and was paid for by money from the village as well as three funding sources including an initial $160,000 from the state, a $396,000 community development block grant, and another $180,000 from the state that

"We're well represented here in the mining district," Bauch said.

"Everyone pulled together to make sure the funding was there," Morales said. "Everybody put their efforts together to get this done."

The opening kicked off at 10 a.m. with a hands-on fire truck investigation by students from Central Elementary School, all of whom clambered on and around two trucks amidst high-fives, excited screams and blaring horns, before teachers rounded everybody up for a group photo in front of the new station.

Link:
Santa Clara Fire Department celebrates grand opening

To many right now it looks like a parking garage, but Warren County economic officials say it's much more.

"It's really a whole retail and commercial development that's got great parking," said Warren County Economic Development Official Doug Gorman.

Development efforts for the new structure are being divided up into two phases.

"Retail on the first floor, second, third, and fourth floor of office space, class a office space. It's going to be built on the backside of the existing parking structure facing the Hot Rods stadium and coming around to Seventh Street. Phase B will be on College Street and wrapping around the rest of the parking structure," said Gorman.

With all of the downtown development including the Hot Rods and SKyPAC officials see this new project as a one way street forward.

"Of course we had that goal of 150 million dollars to be able to have those TIF funds from the state flow back to Bowling Green, but really is never ending. I think it's a great step, but there is going to me more and more development that happens, and positive growth for Bowling Green and Warren County and things that people can be proud of," said Gorman.

Another part of this new structure is the hope for housing and more people moving downtown.

"This development brings some retail down here that's much needed to go along with the existing retail that's down here. It's just the next piece of the puzzle to get people to relocate, but to live in downtown Bowling Green," said Gorman.

Right now, it's dark and unfinished, but developers hope for more traffic to continue boosting downtown.

Gorman said they're still working out the details on phase B, but you could possibly see retail business in the new structure as early as October of this year.

Continue reading here:
Downtown Development is Getting Ready for New Additions

Creative Casino's Mojito Pointe project is taking on new ownership that plans to super-size the casino-resort development. Las Vegas-based Ameristar Casino, Inc. are set to acquire Creative Casinos, LLC for $32,500,000 and pick up where they left off with the proposed Mojito Pointe project.

"Well it's a great opportunity for growth. This definitely is an under-served market," said Troy Stremming, Ameristar Sr. VP of Government and Public Affairs.

Ameristar is looking to be the next premier gaming operator in Southwest Louisiana. The acquisition hinged on the approval of the Lake Charles Port Authority and the Louisiana Gaming Board. At a special Port Board meeting Wednesday night Ameristar had no problem getting the unanimous approval. With that support they are set to go before the Gaming Control Board on Thursday.

The mastermind behind Mojito Pointe, Creative Casinos CEO Dan Lee, said it was hard to walk away but that his decision to sell was the right one.

"I really like the Lake Charles market and think it deserves a first-class facility. I couldn't afford to build what was needed, "said Lee. "Basically we were going to incur $125,000,000 in interest fees during construction. Ameristar has a great credit facility that's much cheaper with only about $25,000,000 of interest during construction and that allows them to build it for the same price and build a bigger and better project."

The project includes several additions from the original proposal: 400 rooms will now go to 700, including 70 suites. They are also proposing a larger parking garage with at least 1,000 spaces and a parking lot to accommodate 2,000. They'll also have their own 18-hole golf course separate from L'auberge.

"Having two golf courses will be a nice option for patrons. It will really make us a destination for this region," said Stremming.

They say with the upgrades there will be a minimum investment of $500,000,000. As for the original Mojito Pointe theme, Stremming said the name and plan are subject to change.

"We want to make certain that is what the local community would like to see. We do not have a cookie cutter concept that we go into each market. We want to better understand the local culture and give them something here in the community that fits well and something that they will be very proud of," explained Stremming.

With the acquisition Ameristar will take on all commitments made by Creative Casinos and keep the same two-year construction timeline. According to Stremming they hope to break ground July 20th.

Read more:
Las Vegas group interested in Creative Casinos, Inc.

By Meghan Keneally

PUBLISHED: 19:12 EST, 14 March 2012 | UPDATED: 05:40 EST, 15 March 2012

President Barack Obama made sure that British Prime Minister David Cameron will be able to have a little taste of America whenever he wants once he returns to the UK after this week's state visit.

As is tradition, the two heads of state exchanged ceremonial gifts, but Mr Obama was sure to make his one that brought out the Eton-educated Prime Minister's masculine side.

He gave Mr Cameron a custom-designed speciality barbeque grill that is both steeped in symbolism and kitted out with capabilities that a gourmet chef would appreciate.

Special friends: As is tradition, Prime Minister David Cameron (left) and President Barack Obama (right) exchanged gifts to commemorate the British leader's state visit to America this week

Fully equipped: President Obama presented Prime Minister Cameron with a Engelbrecht Grills & Cookers grill, from the company's 1000 Braten series, prices of which start at $1,895 for the most basic model

No joke: The wood-burning grill is said to sustain temperatures of up to 1000 degrees, which would typically bend or melt lesser grills made of steel or other metals

Mr Obama chose the gift as a way to memorialize the time that he and Mr Cameron spent grilling together on his visit to Downing Street last year, where the two men served up burgers, sausages, and Kentish lamb chops.

The Braten 1000 series grills by Engelbrecht Grills & Cookers all feature:

Read the rest here:
Guys at the grill: President Obama gives David Cameron a $2,000 barbecue grill to commemorate state visit

By Meghan Keneally

PUBLISHED: 19:12 EST, 14 March 2012 | UPDATED: 05:40 EST, 15 March 2012

President Barack Obama made sure that British Prime Minister David Cameron will be able to have a little taste of America whenever he wants once he returns to the UK after this week's state visit.

As is tradition, the two heads of state exchanged ceremonial gifts, but Mr Obama was sure to make his one that brought out the Eton-educated Prime Minister's masculine side.

He gave Mr Cameron a custom-designed speciality barbeque grill that is both steeped in symbolism and kitted out with capabilities that a gourmet chef would appreciate.

Special friends: As is tradition, Prime Minister David Cameron (left) and President Barack Obama (right) exchanged gifts to commemorate the British leader's state visit to America this week

Fully equipped: President Obama presented Prime Minister Cameron with a Engelbrecht Grills & Cookers grill, from the company's 1000 Braten series, prices of which start at $1,895 for the most basic model

No joke: The wood-burning grill is said to sustain temperatures of up to 1000 degrees, which would typically bend or melt lesser grills made of steel or other metals

Mr Obama chose the gift as a way to memorialize the time that he and Mr Cameron spent grilling together on his visit to Downing Street last year, where the two men served up burgers, sausages, and Kentish lamb chops.

The Braten 1000 series grills by Engelbrecht Grills & Cookers all feature:

See the article here:
Obama gives David Cameron a $2,000 barbecue grill to commemorate US visit

Copyright 2010. The Associated Press. Produced by NewsOK.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

EDMOND Fairfax property owners' campaign to keep $250,000 to $300,000 garden homes out of their neighborhood failed this week before the city council.

Council members approved a preliminary plat for 31 single-family lots to be built northwest of Covell Road and Sooner Road. The average lot size is 7,500 square feet.

Other homes surrounding the Fairfax golf course are valued at $500,000 and more.

We are very concerned about the small tract home versus the estate, large custom homes, Fred Stanley, 3208 Cumberland, said during his PowerPoint presentation. Garden homes are not appropriate.

Danette Sanchez, 3101 Garden Hill Circle, called the garden homes cookie cutter homes with the same garage doors and same color of brick.

Stanley said the developers, Fairfax Joint Ventures LLC and J.W. Armstrong, promised the homes would cost between $380,000 and $1.3 million.

View the photos.

35 photos

Read the rest here:
Edmond homeowners protest garden homes planned for Fairfax addition

Posted: Mar. 14, 2012 | 12:52 a.m.

Sam Cherry is happy to be downtown again.

Known for the development of two key downtown high-rises, Soho Lofts (where he lives) and Newport Lofts, Cherry took some time away from the downtown scene to regroup after his namesake development group crumbled with the real estate crash.

But Cherry is back downtown and likes what he sees in the new Fremont East District, at Soho with its Lady Sylvia bar opening last summer, a grocery store up and running, and the many overall additions to an area brimming with optimism.

Cherry also shares a common thinking with local businesses of making a connection to The Smith Center for the Performing Arts.

"A lot of downtown property owners have reached out to The Smith Center to try to package services. ... Someone might want to do dinner, a cocktail and dessert after the show. ... A downtown hotel could provide shuttle service," said Bill Arent, director of economic and urban development for the city of Las Vegas.

"At Lady Sylvia, we need to do a good job of giving that person a great experience before going to the show or after," Cherry added.

Links to downtown

With businesses wanting to link on the marketing front, there also is a quest for a physical link from Symphony Park to amenities downtown. Newland Development, which oversees the build-out of the 61-acre Symphony Park, doesn't have a lot of big vertical construction announcements on the near horizon. But some of the smaller stuff is important, too.

A pedestrian bridge soon will break ground from the south end of Symphony Park near The Smith Center, crossing the railroad tracks along Symphony Park's eastern border to a parking garage being built for the recently opened City Hall. This link, for which Newland is pursuing federal funds to build, will help Smith Center patrons gain access to Fremont Street.

Excerpt from:
Children's Museum And Center's Links To Downtown Planned