Lizzie and Dan Routman had no plans to leave their Bluffview home of 21 years. Besides being spacious and beautiful, with a sizable yard, the house had sentimental value, tooit was where the couple had raised their two daughters.

But a quick zip through Zillows latest listings a couple of years ago presented an intriguing alternative for the now empty nesters. Tucked away on a secluded street, on a bluff overlooking Turtle Creek, a contemporary stunner designed by influential architect Bud Oglesby caught the couples eye. You walk in, and theres all this natural light and lots of windows, Lizzie says of the 1988-built house. So its very welcoming, but its clean and contemporary.

Originally designed for a pair of art collectors, the 5,000-square-foot residence also had plenty of art walls, a feature that appealed to the Routmans as they, too, collect art.

Before the couple closed the deal on the house, however, they asked architect Russell Buchanan to take a look at it as well. As great as it was, the home hadnt been updated since the 80s, so they wanted to get a professional opinion. Buchanan confirmed what the Routmans had suspected: the house had exceptional bones, and with just a few fixes, it could soon be ideal for the downsizing couple.

To complete their dream design team, Lizzie and Dan enlisted interior designer Wendy Konradi, who had done some work on their previous home, and builder Bert Smith to work alongside Buchanan. Then they tasked the trio with, among other things, completely remodeling two main spaces: the kitchen and the primary suite.

The kitchen was a very small space for the scale of the home, yet there were very interesting details that Bud Oglesby had originally designed for the house, Konradi says, the best one being a full-height window that overlooks Turtle Creek.

Originally, a set of glass upper cabinets floated in front of the window, offering a clear view of the outdoors. The Routmans loved the concept but felt a little bit like they were in a fishbowl. Buchanans solution: trade the glass cabinets for white oak to create more practical storage and to keep the homeowners from feeling like they were on display. It was very much respecting the original architecture but making it work better for the new homeowners, Konradi says.

To maximize the kitchens footprint, Buchanan removed an existing fireplace and relocated a nearby laundry room to the second floor. Then, to finish the space, Konradi and project manager Ashley Hunt opted for stainless steel countertops for the Bulthaup cabinetry and cork floors that extended into the adjoining breakfast nook. Cork is so soft underfoot, Konradi says. And with tho- se stainless countertops, its such a nice contrast.

Like the kitchen, the primary bedroom and bathroom also had to be gutted, but unlike the cramped cookery, the two private spaces were bigger than they needed to be. The bathroom area was especially cavernous, so much so that the remodeled space now houses a utility room, an exercise room, dual closets, and a spa-like wet room that Konradi clad in an eye-catching terrazzo, including the walls, floor, and tub surround.

In the bedroom, the design team added a dividing wall between the sleeping area and sitting area, transforming what was once an oversize single space into two separate and intimate spaces. To up the coziness quotient even further, Konradi wrapped the entire bedroom in a soothing blue fabric. The room just cocoons you in this wool flannel wall upholstery that is so serene, she says.

For the rest of the house, Konradi focused on adding color and texture throughout, as well as integrating Lizzie and Dans various collections. They didnt want it to feel like they were in a museum, the designer says, but we were very conscientious that nothing competed with the artwork.

In addition to art, the couple has been collecting exquisite furnishings for many years. Theyve also inherited several outstanding pieces, including a pair of Ward Bennett Scissor chairs that Konradi refinished and reupholstered. We didnt buy everything brand new for this home. We reimagined a lot, Konradi says. So its created this wonderful layered effect, and it gives the home such soul.

To keep a room feeling fresh, Konradi looks to the past and present, incorporating pieces from various eras. I think its a testament to good design when you cant differentiate a space or piece of furniture that is 100 years old versus something contemporary thats being executed today, she says. In the Routman house, Konradis eye for combining items from different time periods is on full display in the breakfast nook (below), where a pair of chairs designed in 2010 share space with a coffee table from 1947all resting in a brand-new Bulthaup kitchen. The space isnt staid or stuck in any one era, she says. These pieces can have this fun coexistence. That happened a lot throughout the home. Thats the fungetting that magic in the mix and making these pieces work together.

Interior Design byWendy Konradi Interior Design

Original Architecture byThe Oglesby Group

Renovation Architecture byBuchanan Architecture

Renovation byBD Smith Construction

Styling byJenny O'Connor

Floral byHaile Wossen

Continued here:
Find Antiques and Modern Touches in This Art Collector's Dream Home - D Magazine

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- In November, we interviewed Ruth and Jeff Vargo, two amazing veteran business owners to talk about their new business, DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen here in The Woodlands. Jeff and Ruth originally met while attending the Untied States Military Academy at West Point, New York. They served in Iraq together and eventually married. After the military, they started working for ExxonMobil. Then after 11 years at ExxonMobil, they decided to start their own business. With the help from a franchise search service, they were introduced to a DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen franchise.

According to their website, DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen provides remodeling that enhances lives & improves homes in The Woodlands. Their distinctive, full-service bathroom and kitchen remodeling approach focuses on serving their clients from design through installation. Their company is designed to provide high-quality, custom solutions for your residential remodeling needs. They are experienced. They are reliable. They are honest. And They are anxious to get started!

Ruth and Jeff opened their new business in May 2021 and on January 18, they had their grand opening of their new facility. Their new location is located off of Woodlands Parkway at 8000 McBeth Way, Suite 180, The Woodlands, TX 77382.

We visited with Ruth and Jeff at their grand opening and the facility is very beautiful. They built in various kitchen and bath sections in their building to showcase their exceptional product offers and services. Product vendors were on hand that evening to explain the various options available and to answer questions. When you enter their building, your imagination gets the chance to run free and dream about the cool improvements and enhancements you can make to your home. It is no secret why their business was named DreamMaker. They are in business to help make your bath and kitchen remodeling dreams come true.

If you are looking for a remodeling company that is known for quality and dependability, look no further than DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen. Ruth and Jeff are down to earth people that has built a reputation of dependability. You cant go wrong when the company you are working with puts the client first. They will find the best solution for your remodeling project and will help guide and direct you in what seems to be a complicated process of remodeling your bath and kitchen. Drop by their new location to get a sample of what you can upgrade your home with. There had physical samples of various project materials and a design room to help visualize the project.

Click here to learn more about DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen

Here is the original post:
DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen Introduce Their Brand New Location with a Grand Opening on Jan 18 - Woodlands Online

Longstanding Rockridge restaurant Oliveto closed at the end of 2021, and reopened last week. Credit: Oliveto

Oliveto5655 College Ave. (in the Market Hall building), Oakland

Longtime patrons of Oliveto, the 35-year-old Oakland Italian spot that closed with great fanfare at the end of last year, got a surprising message in their inboxes in recent days.

OK, its not actually over, the email began. According to the message, the restaurants cafe operation quietly reopened last week, an unexpected coda for a restaurant that seemingly ended its run with a multi-month celebration. Before you get comfortable though, be warned: This post-credits scene is a limited-time-only reprieve, as a new owner for the business is likely in the works.

Were in this world of pivots now, co-owner Bob Klein told Nosh about the surprise reopening. Everything is true until tomorrow. And then you pivot.

Olivetos epilogue, which was first reported by the SF Chronicle, wasnt something Klein had planned on, he said. The restaurant was jam-packed during its final two months, after its closure was announced last November, Klein said, and we were proud because the food we were doing was good.

But those last months were painful, too, Klein said. Nobody could get through to us to make reservations, as we didnt have the staff to answer the phone.

The restaurant had promised a number of the special dinners they were known for, including an oceanic dinner of curated sustainable fish, and a truffle celebration. Those did all happen before the restaurants ostensible last day, but my staff begged me not to publicize them because the volume of phone calls the dinners typically prompt would have been unmanageable, Klein said.

Klein had planned on a grand exit on New Years Eve, but four days prior to our finale, I come down with [COVID] symptoms, Klein said. While his bout with COVID-19 was a minor one, he wasnt able to be in the crowded dining room for Olivetos last days, as diners and staff celebrated while he remained isolated at home. How about that for a sad story? Klein asked.

But still, the place had had a good run, so that was it. Or so he thought.

We hadnt been looking for a buyer, Klein said, but then we were contacted by a significant restaurateur. Now, Klein wont say who this prospective buyer is (Nosh has heard rumors, and tips are always welcome), but seemed clearly excited about the potential for this new, mysterious chef to come take over Olivetos dining room.

That also meant a change in plans; for the sale to move forward, Oliveto still needed to be in possession of the space. That means rent, insurance and other costs still need to be paid. So why not just open back up for a little bit, until the sale negotiations are complete?

Heres the ideal situation, Klein said. We would keep going, the deal would be made, plans would be drawn and permits would be filed. Remodeling would be done incrementally remember, this is a two-in-one restaurant with an upstairs operation and a downstairs cafe, so this idea isnt as wild as it seems so closures would be incremental. Then wed close and the new guy would open.

If all that works out, that would be pretty amazing. Does he think it will? If not, were ready to pivot again, Klein said.

Klein also makes clear that he sees this Oliveto addendum as a chance to explore something that had just gotten interesting. He said that as the business started winding down, the cafe food got really good. But hasnt it always been good? Yes, but they really started nailing the duck, as we have a fish dish you wouldnt believe. They really figured it out.

Thats why the revived Oliveto will feature a menu from its cafe, led by chef Juan Guevara. Peter Jackson, the chef who guided the upstairs dining room through its final months, remains on as a consultant but isnt involved in the day-to-day.

Guevara is just so steady, hes a really good chef, Klein said. He was a longtime cook at the cafe, and in fact, we were able to hang on to all our cooks, Klein said.

And all this will continue until the deal is done and Oliveto is well and truly ready to make way for its successor. When pressed, Klein would finally say this about the prospective buyer:

Whoever it is, is focusing on who we are and who our neighborhood is, and theyre planning a food style that is consistent with a really amazing, knowledgeable food customer.

Well, thats vague enough that it leaves room for plenty of worry, Bob. Look, part of being a beloved place for this long means you carry a lot of dust, Klein said. Who wants to have fun in a monument? Ive always focused on fresh ideas, so when somebody new comes in I think the world is moving, everybody is moving, and thats good.

As of publication time, Oliveto is open from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, for lunch and dinner. Dinner reservations must be made through OpenTable, and lunch is walk-in service only. The cafe lunch menu of sandwiches and salads is relatively unchanged, while the dinner menu has some alterations.

Originally posted here:
Closed in 2021, Oliveto has reopened - The Oaklandside

The renovated Green Park store will reopen Nov. 12

ST. LOUIS The Aldi in Green Park in south St. Louis County will reopen soon, the ninth of the chains grocery stores in St. Louis to be renovated so far this year.

The renovated Green Park store, at 11185 South Towne Square, will reopen Nov. 12.

The ongoing remodeling of St. Louis Aldi locations is part of the grocery stores ongoing effort to remodel and expand its existing stores nationwide, but a spokesperson declined to give costs for remodeling St. Louis stores or the Green Park location. The spokesperson said Aldi has spent $5 billion on remodeling and expansion, adding 500 stores in the past five years and another 100 by years end.

Remodeling gives stores an elevated design, improved layout and more refrigeration to make room for additional fresh and frozen foods, with a move toward more natural lighting and environmentally friendly materials, the company said.

The Green Park location opened in 2016 across the street from a smaller Aldi, which closed.

The company operates more than 40 stores in the St. Louis region. Local stores that have closed for remodeling and reopened so far this year are in Warrenton; Vandalia, Illinois; St. Charles; Collinsville; St. Peters; Jennings; Sullivan; and the location at 6601 Gravois Ave. in St. Louis, which reopened Oct. 22.

Click here for the full story from the St. Louis Business Journal.

More local news

See the article here:
Aldi reopening a renovated store, its ninth in St. Louis this year - KSDK.com

Many Fairfield Glade residents who spoke at a town hall meeting on the future of the Druid Hills Clubhouse project made it known that they miss dining at the now-closed Legends banquet room and Fireside Lounge there.

Whether the Fairfield Glade Community Club should operate more than one restaurant currently only Stonehenge Grille was the primary topic of discussion during the Oct. 26 meeting at The Center.

The board of directors called the town hall meeting for residents to offer their suggestions and ask questions about the future of the Druid Hills Clubhouse building.

The board will decide whether to remodel the 50-year-old building or tear it down and replace it and whether a restaurant will be included.

FGCC board member Greg Jones, who heads the Druid Hills Clubhouse project advance planning team, said the meeting would be the first of several town halls on what should be done at Druid Hills with the support of residents.

This is not the committees or even the boards clubhouse, it is the communitys, said Jones, who moderated discussion with the audience of about 150 people. So we want to be attentive to make sure were listening to what you have to say.

He said there likely will be a survey for residents, too, and noted that residents also can offer their comments and ask questions by email at druidhillsprojects@fairfieldglade.cc.

Most residents who spoke wanted either Legends/Fireside to reopen or a restaurant to be included in plans for a new clubhouse complex.

One woman made her point for more dining by asking the audience for a show of hands who are golfers and then for the same among those who like to eat out. About twice as many hands went up for the latter.

I think that tells you where were coming from, she said, adding that the emphasis in Fairfield Glade, seems to be on golf, and golf only.

She said the Casa Grande Mexican restaurant that opened on Peavine Rd. in October has been mobbed with customers, and noted that they dont even have a liquor license.

So, I think there is an opportunity for us to have more and better food and beverage service here, and have it quickly, she said. She and others agreed that waiting several years for a remodeled or new complex is too long.

According to a project timeline, construction of a new complex or remodeling of the existing building would occur in two phases, with the first completed in 2024. There was no timeline yet for completion of the second phase.

One resident said because the community club has a flagship golf course in Stonehenge there had better be a flagship restaurant to go along with it. Stonehenge Grille, he said, is nice, but it doesnt cut it.

Pointing out FGCCs history of an unsuccessful food and beverage operation, he said a friend who owns an Illinois resort with golf courses and restaurants suggested to him that FGCC lease Legends/Fireside to a restaurateur who knows how to run a restaurant rather than operate it itself. Many in the audience applauded him.

The F&B operation had been subject to complaints in recent years from some residents when both Stonehenge Grille and Legends/Fireside were open. In 2018, for example, it lost $657,000. Losses were reduced to $472,000 in 2019.

All F&B losses are subsidized through property owner assessments.

Complaints about poor quality of both food and service, primarily at Fireside Lounge, coupled with the high level of subsidies, led the board to decide to close Legends/Fireside effective April of this year, and operate only a newly remodeled Stonehenge Grille year-round. Stonehenge Grille previously shut down at the same time as the golf course in November until the spring.

With now only one restaurant to manage, F&B for the year to date ending Sept. 30 lost about $239,000; that is $90,000 less than what it was budgeted to lose at $329,000 for the first nine months. During the same period last year, it lost $425,000.

Before the meeting, one woman walked carried a petition and asked attendees if they would sign it in support of a drive to reopen Legends/Fireside.

A reopening is not likely anytime soon, if at all. At a board meeting this past summer, General Manager Bob Weber said that the COVID-19 pandemic has made hiring and retaining staff even more difficult than previously. He repeated at a board workshop Oct. 27, that staffing is the major obstacle to reopening Legends/Fireside.

Weber said another issue is that there arent enough diners to support more than one restaurant in the fall and winter when the number of visitors to the Glade drops considerably, some residents leave for warmer weather and others prefer to stay at home during cold temperatures. He said F&B revenue typically falls about 40% during that time.

The board announced last week that Stonehenge Grille will be closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays starting in November and continuing through the winter as part of a reshuffling of services during the usually slow time.

But the board said it is working with caterers to have some special events at The Center, which has a banquet room but no full-service kitchen.

Jones said at the workshop that the community meeting on Druid Hills was well-attended with a lot of good conversation and that he received 30-35 email messages on the topic.

I thought yesterday was a pretty good day, he said.

More here:
Druid Hills project in the works, FGCC holds town hall - Crossville Chronicle

(Alexandria, MN) There are only a few school board positions and a handful of questions on the ballot for next Tuesday's special elections. The following is a look at what is on the ballot in the various school districts in and around Alexandria.

ISD 206 - Alexandria (Vacancy)

ISD 213 - Osakis (Vacancy)

ISD 547 - Parkers Prairie (Vacancy)

ISD 2908 - Brandon-Evansville(Question)

Approval of School Building Bonds

Shall the School Board of Independent School District No. 2908 (Brandon-Evansville), Minnesota (the School District), be authorized to issue general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $14,500,000, for the purpose of providing funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including but not limited to, safety and security improvements, renovation of existing space into classrooms, gymnasium, career and technical shop and community fitness room additions, construction of new parking lots and new storage shed at the Brandon school facility and including but not limited to, safety and security improvements, classroom addition, gymnasium addition, renovation of existing space to provide more classrooms, new parent drop-off area, demolition of three story building and construction of new parking lots at the Evansville school facility?

ISD 2753 - Long Prairie-Grey Eagle(Question)

Question - Renewal of Expiring Referendum Revenue Authorization

The board of Independent School District No. 2753 (Long Prairie-Grey Eagle) has proposed to renew the school district's existing referendum revenue authorization of $249.24 per pupil which is scheduled to expire after taxes payable in 2022. The proposed referendum revenue authorization would be applicable for ten years beginning with taxes payable in 2023, unless otherwise revoked or reduced as provided by law. Shall the increase in the revenue proposed by the board of Independent School District No. 2753 be approved?

ISD 743 - Sauk Centre (Question)

Question 1 - Renewal of Capital Project Levy To Fund Technology

The board of Independent School District No. 743 (Sauk Centre Public Schools) has proposed a capital project levy authorization of 2.281% times the net tax capacity of the school district. This authorization would renew the school districts existing authorization which is scheduled to expire after taxes payable in 2021. The proposed capital project levy authorization will raise approximately $259,805 for taxes payable in 2022, the first year it is to be levied, and would be authorized for six years. The estimated total cost of the projects to be funded over that time period is approximately $1,558,830. The additional revenue from the proposed capital project levy authorization will provide funds for the acquisition, installation, replacement, support and maintenance of software, software licenses, computers, improved technology equipment, networks, infrastructure, and the costs of technology related personnel and training. Shall the capital project levy authorization proposed by the board of Independent School District No. 743 be approved?

Question 2 - Approval of School District Bond Issue

Shall the school board of Independent School District No. 743 (Sauk Centre Public Schools) also be authorized to issue its general obligation school building bonds in an amount not to exceed $26,450,000 to provide funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including renovations and ADA-accessibility improvements to existing restrooms in the secondary building, the construction and equipping of an early childhood center, storm shelter, and outdoor projects yard at the elementary school, remodeling and improvements to the existing elementary school library and computer lab, remodeling and improvements to create learning communities at the elementary school, the remodeling and equipping of the elementary school special education suite, the addition of a sensory room at that site, subdividing existing elementary classrooms to create smaller classrooms and break-out areas, the construction and equipping of new entrances and learning commons in the secondary building, the remodeling and equipping of the media center, staff lounge, career and technical education spaces, the construction and equipping a new cafeteria and storm shelter at the secondary school building, remodeling and improvements to create a culinary arts learning space with break-out areas, renovations to the existing science lab to create classrooms and storage areas, upgrades and improvements to lighting, boilers, water distribution systems, the central clock and public address system, and the construction of roofing repairs and improvements at the elementary school and auditorium?

ISD 2342 - West Central Area (Question)

Question 1 - School Building Bonds for New and Existing Elementary Schools

Shall the board of Independent School District No. 2342 (West Central Area Schools), Minnesota be authorized to issue general obligation school building bonds of the School District in an aggregate amount not to exceed $37,030,000 for acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities including, but not limited to, construction of a new South elementary school in Hoffman and construction and renovation at North elementary school in Elbow Lake including, but not limited to, site acquisition and improvements at the elementary sites by means of site development, demolition and abatement, modernization, and beautification?

Question 2 - School Building Bonds for Classroom Expansion, Fitness Center and Equipment

Shall the board of Independent School District No. 2342 (West Central Area Schools), Minnesota be authorized to issue general obligation school building bonds of the School District in an aggregate amount not to exceed *4,870,000 for acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities including, but not limited to, expanding classroom spaces and labs, adding equipment and furniture to support STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math), Career and Technical Education, a Student Fitness Center, the Media Center and other general updates to facility grounds?

Question 3 - School Building Bonds for Athletic Complexes; Outdoor Upgrades

Shall the board of Independent School District No. 2342 (West Central Area Schools), Minnesota be authorized to issue general obligation school building bonds of the School District in an aggregate amount not to exceed $5,495,000 for acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities including, but not limited to, construction and equipping of a track and filed complex, construction of a softball and baseball field complex and to repair and upgrade other outdoor grounds and structures?

See the original post:
What are on the local ballots for next Tuesday's special elections - Voice Of Alexandria

Phone and online orders are pouring into Rangoon since management announced on social media that Chinatowns lone Burmese restaurant would close at the end of the year after a 28-year run on Ninth Street.

But the thousand-layer bread and spring ginger salads may not go away for good.

While Christine Gyaw and her business partners field an uptick in orders from nostalgic customers, they have also heard from several restaurateurs who are interested in either keeping Rangoon in business or opening it as a different Burmese restaurant at 112 N. Ninth St. The restaurant opened in 1993 at 145 N. Ninth St. and moved down the block to a larger storefront in 1996.

READ MORE: Rangoon and 11 other restaurants that capture Chinatown's spirit

One potential suitor owns several non-Asian restaurants in Philadelphia, Gyaw said, and his children love the food. If she can strike a deal with him, she said, she would stay on as a partner and would teach Rangoons recipes to a new chef. Regardless of the new management, Gyaw said, the place needs remodeling, a common necessity at an older restaurant. Rangoon had offered beer and wine in the dining room, but new management could offer more profitable cocktails and a tightening of the menu.

Gyaw, 64, who fled Myanmar in 1990 with her daughter, Mya, said the rigors of the business have caught up with her and partners Jenny Louie and Chiu Sin Mee. They decided to announce the closing Oct. 26 to allow customers time to process the news.

Gyaw said the pandemic has been particularly hard on them as they schlep sacks of potatoes and other heavy ingredients from storage into the kitchen.

Their chef, as Gyaw explained, is 77 years old. The restaurant has also shed staff since reopening in May 2020 after a two-month shutdown early in the pandemic to the point that they cannot staff the formal dining room for in-person service. Rangoon did not offer delivery before the pandemic, and the owners were forced to transition their kitchen to the world of third-party platforms.

Customers showing up for pickups have been emotional, Gyaw said. One said, I almost cried when I heard about this. When I saw him, I wanted to cry, too.

See original here:
Rangoon, which brought Burmese cuisine to Philadelphia in 1993, says it will close, but there are plans to sell - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Election Day is fast approaching.

It's a thin ballot in Livingston County. Here's what Livingston County residentsneed to know for Nov. 2.

In Brighton, residents will decide who will fill four of the city's council seats.

In Howell, residents will chose a mayor and three city council members.They also will select two people to serve on the city's board of review.

Voters in Conway and Handy townships will join voters in Fowlerville in deciding ona bond millage for Fowlerville Schools. The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bondis 0.9 mill, which wouldnot increase what taxpayers are paying, according to the proposal.

An informational flyer from Fowlerville Schools says the proposed millage essentially extends thebond repayments by a year. The additional money will be used for a new elementary school building, technology for the new school,remodeling school buildings and playgrounds, according to the proposal.

In Howell, residents inPrecincts 1 and 2vote atLivingstonEducationalServiceAgency (LESA).Precinct 3votes at Howell City Hall in the second floor conference room.

In Brighton, residents in Precinct 1 vote at the Brighton Area District Library; residents in Precinct 2 vote at the Brighton Community Center and residents in Precincts 3 and 4 vote at the Brighton Education Community Center (BECC).

In Conway Township, residents will vote at Conway Township Hall and Handy Township residents will vote atWoodshire Place Banquet Facility.

Residents can find their assigned precinctby entering their address on the county's website.

A resident may register in person at their local clerk's office, up to and including Election Day with residency verification. Documents that may be accepted for residency verification (items must include the applicant's name and current address): current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document.

A person registering to vote less than 14 days before an election can vote in person with an absentee ballot at the Clerk's Office with residency verification. They also have the option to go to their voting location after registering at their local clerk's office.

Polls will be open 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Contact Kayla Daugherty at 517-552-2848 or kdaugherty@gannett.com.Follow her on Twitter @KayDaugherty92.

Go here to see the original:
The 2021 general election is Tuesday. Here is what you need to know in Livingston County - Livingston Daily

Grand Canyon's men's basketball team returns to pre-COVID normalcy in its arena Saturday night against Western New Mexico.

There will be a full house, the frenzied, electric atmosphere created by the students known as the "Havocs."

And there will likely be some tears shed before the game when a tribute video will be played to honor former player Oscar Frayer, who died March 23 in a fiery car crash in northern California, three days after he blocked three shots and scored eight points in GCU's loss to Iowa in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Frayer, who returned for his final season last year after missing the 2019-20 season, will always be remembered by his teammates and coaches and the newcomers who have heard stories about the athletic, charismatic forward.

"He's done a lot for this school, so it's good that they are honoring him," said forward Sean Miller-Moore, who was Frayer's roommate last season when the Antelopes made school history, becoming the first team to reach the NCAA Tournament.

Miller-Moore said Frayer's passion carried over to the kind of player he has become.

"How joyful he was, and how passionate he was," Miller-Moore said. "When he was on the court, he was always working hard. Every time I'm on the floor, I'm remembering him, no matter what."

Coach Bryce Drew, now in his second year leading the Antelopes, said that Saturday is going to be a celebration of Frayer's life.

"Honoring him with the team and what he helped accomplish," Drew said. "When I look down at his jersey (number 4), I'll have some sadness but I'llalso have a smile in my heart knowing what he's accomplished in his life."

This will be Drew's and most of the players' first full Havocs experience. They got a glimpse of the noise level during Midnight Madness, when students packed the arena. But this is now in a game situation.

Last year, with COVID-19 restrictions, GCU was grateful to have some fans spread out among cardboard cutouts. As the season wound down, more than 2,000 students were let into games, which still created a great college basketball atmosphere.

Now the noise level figures to be off the charts, especially after that full crowd couldn't be heard for a year-and-a-half. During Thursday's practice, Drew had noise piped in over the PA system at times.

"Trying to make them realize how loud they're going to have to talk during the games," Drew said.

After practice, the players got to see their new locker room that includes a lounge and massage chairs. There also is a new weight room near steps from the locker room and an expanded trainer's room.

That excited them.

Since the spring, they weren't able to shower at the arena, because of remodeling going on. They would have to go back to their dorms to shower.

Thursday's practice was attended by Bryce's father, Homer Drew, the former great Valparaiso coach, who led his small Indiana team to a first-round NCAA shocking win over Mississippi on son Drew's memorable 3-point buzzer beater in 1998. Homer said he will be attending Saturday's game.

Drew wasn't ready to say what his starting lineup will be for Western New Mexico, but said he's comfortable with a number of players.

It could be fun watching local guys, Jovan Blacksher Jr., and Holland Woods II, in the backcourt together for the first time. Blacksher was the MVP of the WAC Tournament last year. Woods transferred in from Arizona State, where he played in every game last season for the Sun Devils, who were bitten by injuries.

"We might see different starting lineups," Drew said. "There's a lot of versatility. I don't see a set starting lineup. I see lots of guys that will play first half and second half, see how it goes."

Miller-Moore, who played a key role off the bench last season, said this a close team, even with seven newcomers, including former ASU forward Taeshon Cherry.

"We all love each other," Miller-Moore said. "We're so close as a team already."

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.comor 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today

Go here to read the rest:
Grand Canyon to pay tribute to Oscar Frayer before playing Western New Mexico on Saturday - The Arizona Republic

CHESHIRE The dense, green veil of growth that wraps the former Beechwood House on Route 8 was just hacked away. Why? After years of neglect, visitors are coming Friday.

The haircut isnt doing this grand old lady any favors.

The mansion, an early American tavern and, later, a summer refuge for New Yorks elite, sits open in places to the weather, its clapboards loose, roofline heaving, hinges sagging, doors mismatched. In the past decade, it drew squatters, not socialites.

We can never recover these lost historical structures. Unfortunately, our society doesnt appreciate the historical value of them.

Barry Emery, Cheshire historian

Out back, missing boards above two windows suggest a scowl.

Thats what strangers will find at noon Friday, when the fabled building at 12 South St., built not long after the Revolutionary War and dramatically remodeled a century later, faces a foreclosure auction.

Once again, one of Cheshires most historic buildings, and perhaps its most distressed, stands at a crossroads.

Ill be very surprised if there arent a lot of bidders there, said Carol Francesconi, a former Select Board member. She said she has gotten calls from people asking about the building. Its prime property for the town of Cheshire.

Longtime residents see past the blight. Some hope what comes next for this historic address, at the prominent corner of South Street and West Mountain Road, will enrich the towns civic life, not diminish it.

For some reason, everybody in town is connected to it and everyone cares about it, said Jill Reynolds, who runs a business, Cheshire Glassworks, next door. Everybody wants to see something good happen with it. Its the center of town its right there. Its literally the heart of the town.

Beechwood House in Cheshire, as it appeared more than a century ago.

Dense growth surrounds much of the current 12 South St. property in Cheshire, formerly known as Beechwood.

A view of the rear of the building at 12 South St. in Cheshire, the property erected in 1975 by Moses Wolcott.

A view of the original tavern erected in 1795 by Moses Wolcott on South Street in Cheshire, two years after the town's incorporation. More than 70 years later, a different owner radically transformed the building's look.

At one time, the Pittsfield-Adams street railway passed through Cheshire.

The back side of the former Beechwood House in Cheshire, which faces a foreclosure auction Friday, Aug. 27, 2021.

The late Peter J. Krutiak operated a bed and breakfast from the 12 South St. property in Cheshire.

This view of the former Beechwood House in Cheshire shows a section of the building that has been removed. The former roof line is visible in the upper center.

The former Wolcott Tavern in Cheshire, after its transformation, in 1869, by owner Felix Petitclerc.

Looking though a picture window at the rear of the house, visitors to 12 South St. in Cheshire see objects left abandoned by previous occupants.

Felix Petitclerc's monument stone, showing his date of death as 1890. After his passing, the historic Cheshire home he had preserved became known as the Beechwood House.

At one point, this sign welcomed visitors to the Beechwood property in Cheshire.

The former Beechwood House, at 12 South St. in Cheshire, is assessed by the town at $115,300, with the land worth more than the building, according to town records.

When the building was remodeled, in 1869, the new owner transformed the look of Mose Wolcott's 1795 tavern into a Second Empire-style dwelling with Mansard roof and bay windows.

Beechwood House in Cheshire, as it appeared more than a century ago.

Dense growth surrounds much of the current 12 South St. property in Cheshire, formerly known as Beechwood.

A view of the rear of the building at 12 South St. in Cheshire, the property erected in 1975 by Moses Wolcott.

A view of the original tavern erected in 1795 by Moses Wolcott on South Street in Cheshire, two years after the town's incorporation. More than 70 years later, a different owner radically transformed the building's look.

At one time, the Pittsfield-Adams street railway passed through Cheshire.

The back side of the former Beechwood House in Cheshire, which faces a foreclosure auction Friday, Aug. 27, 2021.

The late Peter J. Krutiak operated a bed and breakfast from the 12 South St. property in Cheshire.

This view of the former Beechwood House in Cheshire shows a section of the building that has been removed. The former roof line is visible in the upper center.

The former Wolcott Tavern in Cheshire, after its transformation, in 1869, by owner Felix Petitclerc.

Looking though a picture window at the rear of the house, visitors to 12 South St. in Cheshire see objects left abandoned by previous occupants.

Felix Petitclerc's monument stone, showing his date of death as 1890. After his passing, the historic Cheshire home he had preserved became known as the Beechwood House.

At one point, this sign welcomed visitors to the Beechwood property in Cheshire.

The former Beechwood House, at 12 South St. in Cheshire, is assessed by the town at $115,300, with the land worth more than the building, according to town records.

When the building was remodeled, in 1869, the new owner transformed the look of Mose Wolcott's 1795 tavern into a Second Empire-style dwelling with Mansard roof and bay windows.

Cheshire had been incorporated for just two years when Moses Wolcott built the sites original home, using timbers that are still in there, beneath years of remodeling.

A view of the original tavern erected in 1795 by Moses Wolcott on South Street in Cheshire, two years after the town's incorporation. More than 70 years later, a different owner radically transformed the building's look.

Barry Emery, a town historian, dates the home to 1795. He said Wolcott operated a tavern and, in a side building, a store. The towns farmers celebrated Thomas Jeffersons election in 1800 by sending him a 1,235-pound cheese containing curds from every local dairy.

Decades go by. Wolcott keeps at it for years, sometimes tapping others to run the tavern. In the Cheshire town history published in 1885, Wolcotts name bobs up again and again, as authors Emma L. Petitclerc and Ellen M. Raynor chronicle, in their floral prose, his rising prosperity.

Wolcott seems to have made a killing on cheese, buying up supplies from local farms for sale around the Northeast, according to Petitclerc and Raynor, gathering the golden products of the farms, tier after tier of cheese, and row after row of jars packed with sweet fall butter, which he held until the proper time to ship and sell.

Wolcotts Cheshire legacy, to the authors in 1885, seemed far away. A grist mill he built had fallen into disrepair even then, when the tract was far larger than today.

The ruins still stand, the brook laughs along its stony bed, tumbles over the white boulders as fresh and young as when it turned the wheel, now crumbling away, they wrote.

Inside the tavern, and a cluster of related buildings, life was good through the first half of the 1800s.

The bar room always wore a bright and cheery look as very many of those living to-day can testify, Petitclerc and Raynor wrote.

The tavern-keepers inside this landmark seemed to come and go: Alpheus Smith, of North Adams, in 1825; Nathaniel Waterman from 1827 to 1835; then Allan Tucker for several years, according to Petitclerc and Raynor. In 1844, J.B. Dean opened a store on the property.

For decades, Wolcotts sprawling property served as a kind of business incubator. It created community.

In cool days, a bright fire of hard wood logs burned upon the hearth of the open fire place, arm chairs stood all about the nicely swept room, where the morning sun lay in bars of silvery light all the wintry morning hours, Petitclerc and Raynor wrote. Where the villagers dropped in from time to time during the day to inquire of the news and to chat a while with the neighbors already seated around the bright fire.

Felix Petitclerc's monument stone, showing his date of death as 1890. After his passing, the historic Cheshire home he had preserved became known as the Beechwood House.

Dexter Angel came on in 1859 to run the tavern, followed by Nathaniel Angel in 1862 and Daniel Morey in 1864. When Morey left, the tavern closed, ending more than 70 years as a public house.

In 1866, Felix Petitclerc, likely kin to that early town historian, Emma, bought Wolcotts tavern and dramatically remodeled it, adopting the Second Empire architectural style then popular and putting on its new mansard roof and replacing small windowpanes with deep bay windows. It became his home, ending the buildings long public life but only for a spell.

He kept the bones of the house exactly the same, Emery, the current historian, said of Petitclerc. According to the 1885 town history, Petitclerc had visited the Wolcott tavern as a child of about 12 and had stayed in a front room. Petitclerc returned to make Cheshire his home, accumulating a fortune as manager of the Cheshire Glass Sand Works and helping to organize the Cheshire Water Co.

This was another old landmark preserved with generous care, but, which from this time appears in a new dress, the authors wrote of Petitclerc in 1885.

Mentions of the property abound in old newspapers at the end of the 19th century. It had become known, two decades after Petitclercs makeover, and Petitclercs death in 1890, as Beechwood. It would go on to be referred to as the Beechwood House, Beechwood Hotel and, by the middle of the 20th century, as the Beechwood Nursing Home and Beechwood Rest Home.

Columns in The Berkshire Evening Eagle and in the Pittsfield Sun regularly listed which tony out-of-towners were staying at Beechwood. New Yorkers, especially, had found Cheshire, including a notorious madam who bought Greylock Villa in town and lived there often with her employees on holiday, according to Emery.

The Beechwood property continued to change hands. The ownership chain can be hard to pin down.

In February 1893, The Eagle noted that W.J. McDonald, formerly of Dalton, was the new proprietor at Beechwood House, adding, Many of his friends from this town will avail themselves of Mr. McDonalds hospitality.

In August 1901, Joseph H. Ressler, headwaiter at the Ellis restaurant in Pittsfield, bought it.

Mr. Resslers friends will be glad to hear of his success, the Pittsfield Sun reported. A trolley now ran by the business.

He will keep the inn open the year round, The Eagle reported, catering to summer country lovers in the season, and to sleighing and trolley parties in the winter.

A January 1912 newspaper ad for a major auction at Beechwood House signaled yet another transition of some sort, listing a slew of farm animals for sale, including horses, cows, shoats, buggies, blankets, harnesses and 111 chickens. The notice said the property just had been sold by John Rofenole.

The former Wolcott Tavern in Cheshire, after its transformation, in 1869, by owner Felix Petitclerc.

Skip ahead two decades, over a global flu epidemic, world war and financial crisis. P.S. Penner moved his family down from North Adams and opened a home bakery in Beechwood in June 1932.

The building became a home for the elderly by the 1940s, newspaper coverage suggests, and operated in that way into the 1980s once again a place of public life. Members of Girl Scout Troop 155 brought Thanksgiving gifts to residents in 1958. In February 1960, residents celebrated the 95th birthday of Lura Emerson, the homes oldest resident who had run her own nursing home on North Street for 28 years.

Francesconi, the former Select Board member, remembers helping out, as a child in the 1960s, at Beechwood, where her mother worked. She carried meals to residents seven rooms upstairs, seven rooms downstairs, and four more in back. The place was well-respected, she said.

A tag sale at Beechwood in November 1982 augured a change: The place was selling out all its furnishings, including linens, blankets and dishes.

That was a few years before the late Peter J. Krutiak, whose estate owns the property today, and which faces Fridays foreclosure auction, bought the property.

Peoples Choice Home Loan says the estate breached conditions of the $136,500 mortgage it gave Krutiak in February 2002. He had been the sole owner since September 1993, when it was transferred to him at no cost by a co-owner, Linda D. Krutiak. Land records show that Peter Krutiak used some proceeds of the 2002 mortgage to pay off a 1993 loan from the Adams Co-Operative Bank.

As of the last fiscal year, the estates property was valued at $115,300, with the land worth more than the building, according to town records.

Krutiak came to own not only Beechwood, but other Cheshire tracts, including, just to the south, the old Cheshire Inn, which also had been built by Capt. Daniel Brown around 1795. Krutiak bought the Cheshire Inn for $77,000 in 1986 from Cyril H. Conrod and Mildred M. McCoy.

Twenty-seven years later, in March 2013, Krutiak stood outside the Cheshire Inn watching workers level it. A raccoon living on the third floor was seen scrambling down an outside wall, evicted by the wreckers. Townspeople, like Diane Hitter, had tried to save the inn; repairs, though, were pegged at over $1 million.

The town had taken the property in 2011 for failure to pay taxes; it shelled out about $45,000 to demolish the inn. Krutiak expressed regret at the loss.

I love old buildings but this one has just been too far gone for a decade, Krutiak told a reporter at the time.

Krutiak died of esophageal cancer in 2019, and his estate left the house and land to siblings, including Maryann Ogden, of Cheshire, who declined to speak about the familys handling of the property.

A year after the Cheshire Inn went down, Krutiak brought forward a plan to sell the Beechwood property two doors to the north to Dollar General. At town meetings, people fretted about traffic, safety and the sites changing character. It wasnt the first intrusion of chain-store commerce on a historic property. Ten years before, Dunkin Donuts had proposed leveling the Cheshire Inn for a store, also with Krutiak as the prospective seller. Neither deal went ahead.

Steps leading to Fridays foreclosure auction began Feb. 6, 2019, with a filing by the lender, Peoples Home Choice Loan.

Even those who prize historic properties believe Beechwoods long run is near an end. Emery walked the outside of the building a month ago and doesnt think it can be saved. That pains him.

Looking though a picture window at the rear of the house, visitors to 12 South St. in Cheshire see objects left abandoned by previous occupants.

We can never recover these lost historical structures, he said. Unfortunately, our society doesnt appreciate the historical value of them.

For years, Francesconi hoped for a better outcome for her mothers former workplace at 12 South St.

Its a sad situation because that house at one time was a beautiful place, she said. They just let it fall into disrepair. Its ready to fall down. Its going to have to be torn down. I cant see how it will be fixed.

Reynolds, the glass artist, grew up in Cheshire and remembers admiring the Beechwood, before it fell dark and silent and brush climbed its walls. Krutiak was the landlord for her shop next door, where she has been for 15 years.

He loved that place and put his heart and soul into it, she said of the mans connection to Beechwood. He did a beautiful job, but he couldnt keep up with it.

Everyone moved out and people just kind of left. Then it just deteriorated. Its just a shame it got to the state it is, Reynolds said. I wish it had a different fate.

Visit link:
How Beechwood went from full of life to foreclosure. We go inside a fabled Cheshire mansion's long reign and abrupt fall - Berkshire Eagle