Franziska Barczyk for NPR

Franziska Barczyk for NPR

Next week, between 150 and 200 people will gather for a Passover seder at Temple Beth-El in Richmond, Va. When the traditional Passover question is posed "Why is this night different from all other nights?" there's a new answer. Guests at the Seder, co-sponsored by the refugee aid agency ReEstablish Richmond, will include about 50 locally resettled immigrants from Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

Passover, after all, is the ultimate refugee holiday. It's about an ancient flight to freedom by Israelites who were oppressed in Egypt. And the world is currently facing an unprecedented refugee crisis, with 65.3 million refugees worldwide.

One new version of the Haggada, from the American Jewish World Service, makes a direct connection: "Around the world today, courageous people are making similar journeys leaving behind violence, poverty and persecution and seeking security, freedom, prosperity and peace."

Against this backdrop, a number of Jewish organizations are offering new readings and rituals to include at the festive meal known as the Seder. These additions, says Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, are in keeping with the fact that the Haggada the text read at the Seder has always been flexible, "less of a fixed text than a user guide to tell the story."

Here are some suggestions from Jewish organizations to link the ancient holiday with the current crisis. Think of it as three more questions to add to the traditional four.

Why put tropical fruit on the table?

Both the banana and the pineapple are being suggested as additions to the Passover table.

The banana is a connection to the story of 3-year-old Syrian refugee Aylan Kurdi, who drowned on a beach in Turkey in 2015 on the cusp of reaching safety.

In different interviews, the father of Aylan and his 5-year old brother (who also drowned) said he'd bring them a banana as a treat. This ritual was introduced last year by Rabbi Dan Moskovitz, of Temple Sholom Vancouver, British Columbia the city where Aylan's family had hoped to settle.

The pineapple has been a traditional symbol of welcome and hospitality since colonial times because of its exotic pedigree and rich flavor. In bygone days, a pineapple on the table demonstrated that the hosts had gone to special trouble to welcome and honor their guests, says Rabbi Ronni Handler, executive editor of ritualwell.org of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. The fruit has another connection to the holiday of Passover, with its focus on the lives of Jews as slaves in Egypt. Pineapples were often farmed by slave laborers in the colonial era.

What would you take with you?

"As we tell the Passover story each year, we relive our own Exodus," says Rabbi Jennie Rosenn, vice president of community engagement at HIAS, formerly known as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, which focuses on protecting and aiding refugees. The HIAS Passover supplement encourages participants to think about what necessary or treasured object they would take on a journey to freedom. It also provides examples of actual objects taken by recent refugees, like Farhad, who hid a photograph of his mother under his clothes when smugglers told him to throw everything away as he escaped Afghanistan; and Sajida, who kept the necklace her best friend gave her to remember her childhood in Syria.

Why put shoes on the doorstep?

HIAS also suggests continuing a ritual the organization introduced last year: putting a pair of shoes on the household doorstop to symbolize the fact that Jews have stood in the shoes of the refugee. This also provides an opportunity for Seder participants to discuss their own family journeys. For Rabbi Pesner, the contemporary immigration crisis echoes the story of his Grandma Fanny, who in 1916 at age 16 fled pogroms in Russia for a new life in America.

And that's why Rabbi Knopf will be placing a pair of shoes at the door for the Interfaith Refugee Seder in Richmond on April 11, the second night of the holiday.

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Why Add A Banana To The Passover Table? - NPR

Golfs first major is this coming week as the best players in the world migrate to Augusta, Georgia.

If you enjoy golf, you need to put this trip on your bucket list, but be prepared to pay dearly for second-hand badges, as a one-day badge can fetch up to $2,000 in the secondary market.

Also, be prepared to open your wallet for rooms, as the hotel proprietors really jack up the prices. An average room in Augusta will cost you $300 - $400 per night, and thats assuming you can find one. The price-hike associated with The Masters ripples all the way to Atlanta.

Dave Lobeck is a financial adviser by day and a BBQ enthusiast on nights and weekends. Liz is his wife. He is also a Kansas City Barbecue Society judge. You can contact Dave with your BBQ and grilling questions by emailing him at davelobeck@gmail.com or at BBQ-My-Way.com.

But fear not, for once you get on the grounds you will first be struck by the absolute beauty of Augusta National, followed closely by noticing the ridiculously low prices of the concessions. People in the golf tournament business consistently hold up The Masters as the premiere event in tournament and concession management. Want a cold beer and a pimentos cheese sandwich? That will be a grand total of $4 followed by a warm southern have a great day!

The food at The Masters is legendary and steeped in mystery and history. The best known sandwich is the pimento cheese sandwich. The recipe that I have here came from The Augusta Chronicle years ago, and its as close as I have been able to come to the taste of an Augusta National pimento cheese sandwich.

The original creator of the sandwich was Nick Rangos from Aiken, South Carolina. He passed away at the age of 86 in 2015 and a few years earlier than that, Augusta National decided to have someone else make their sandwiches. Nick was ticked and wouldnt hand over the recipe, so the new vendor worked for months to re-create it. Then the new vendor was fired as they (Augusta National) brought everything in-house. The new vendor wouldnt share the recipe either.

This recipe doesnt have a lot of the additions that you see listed on the packaging of the current version, but its darn close to the original. I posted this recipe on YouTube a few years back, and the comments left by people who have tried it say its as close to the original as any they have tried.

The key to this sandwich is to use soft, white bread and puree the cheese spread until its almost as smooth as peanut butter. One of my buddies, Phil Alicea, had read online that some patrons (if you attend The Masters you are a patron) have created new sandwiches out of existing sandwiches. One was to take the fried chicken sandwich, which is served cold, and spread the pimento cheese on the chicken sandwich. He stated it was heavenly. Of course it was. We were at The Masters. How could it not be?

Story continues below video

Augusta National Pimento Cheese Spread

24 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

12 cup real mayo

12 cup horseradish spread (I used Sandwich Pal brand)

1 cup pimentos, drained (You can also use fire roasted red peppers)

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Then, in stages, put in a blender and puree until smooth. This makes a good-sized batch.

If you plan on watching The Masters, whip up this recipe and experience a taste of Augusta National. Enjoy!

(Dave Lobeck is a financial adviser by day and a BBQ enthusiast on nights and weekends. Liz is his wife. He is also a Kansas City Barbecue Society judge. You can contact Dave with your BBQ and grilling questions by emailing him at davelobeck@gmail.com or at BBQ-My-Way.com.)

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Dave Lobeck: Make the Masters' pimento cheese sandwich at home - New Castle News

Hiring has been strong so far this year.(Photo: Keith Srakocic, AP)

Some economists expect the government to report Friday that hiring slowed in March from a surprisingly strong pace early in the year amid harsher weather and uncertainty about tax and regulatory policies.

Analysts on Wednesday stuck with those measured expectations despite payroll processor ADPs announcement that businesses added a booming 263,000 jobs last month. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expect the Labor Department on Friday to tally still-solid gains of 175,000 in the public and private sectors, but that would be down from an average pace of about 237,000 the first two months of the year.

ADP tries to foreshadow Labors report but often varies from it noticeably. In February, ADP recorded 298,000 payroll gains among businesses while Labor reported 227,000, and 235,000 total additions, including government hiring.

A big reason the two reports could vary more sharply in March is weather. Unseasonably high temperatures likely pulled forward hiring in sectors such as construction to early in the year, economists say. That could spell relatively subduedjob gains in the spring, especially since snowstorms may have posed a further hindrance to job totals in March.

Small businesses boost benefits, tout quality of life to lure job hunters

ADP typically counts employees asworking as long as theyre on the payroll, but Labor only includes those who are working when it conducts its survey, notes Jim OSullivan, chief U.S. economist of High Frequency Economics. As a result, Labors reported payroll gains, unlike ADPs, could be depressed by weather effects.

ADP tends to be less responsive to weather-affected hiring either on the upside or the downside, UBS economist Samuel Coffin wrote in a note to clients.

Some other indicators also hint at a slowdown. Networking service LinkedIn said Wednesday that hiring moderated for the second straight month in March, with employers taking a slight step backto see how the economy takes shape in the months ahead. LinkedIn spokesman Joseph Roulades says strong business confidence in President Trump's proposed cuts in taxes and regulations likely lifted hiring in January but firms are now taking a wait-and-see approach after some early stumbling blocks to Trumps agenda in Washington.

Also, ameasure of service sector employment fell sharply in March to a seven-month low, the Institute for Supply Management said Wednesday. Andinitial jobless claims, a gauge of layoffs, trended higher through March, though they remained near four decade lows.

Economy grew 2.1% in Q4, faster than believed

Theaverage 237,000 monthly job gains reported by Labor this year have soundly beatthe estimates of economists who figured the low4.7% unemployment rate would slow hiring by supplyingemployersfewer available workers. Many analysts still expect monthly additions to fall back to an average of about 170,000 because of the tight labor market.

In March, ADP said, professional and business services led the broad-based job gains with57,000. Leisure and hospitality added 55,000; construction, 49,000; health care, 46,000; and trade, transportation and utilities, 34,000.

Manufacturers added 30,000 jobs as the rise in oil prices and an improving global economy continued to stokea healthy rebound forthe nations factories.

Some economists are more bullish, believingthe robust performance could foretell another month of better-than-expected job growth in Fridays report.

"The ADP survey is clearly another indication that, despite the apparent slowdown in (economic) growth in the first quarter, labor market conditions have remained unusually strong," economist Andrew Hunter of Capital Economics wrote in a note to clients.

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Hiring slowdown? Some economists think it's happening. - USA TODAY

Feb 27, 2017; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago White Sox second baseman Tyler Saladino (20) singles during the second inning against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

White Sox: Jose Quintana Struggles In Season Opener Against Tigers by Etheria Modacure

Report: White Sox Near Minor League Deal With Mike Pelfrey by Rob Hill

A few hours before Mondays postponed game, the Chicago White Sox Opening Day lineup was released. There are no doubts that this starting lineup will change many times over the season, hopefully featuring a few of the acquired prospects, but breaking down the team that Sox manager Rick Renteria will start the season with, there are a few no brainers and few surprises.

Leading off was Tyler Saladino who earned the vacant second base spot in Spring Training over teammates Yolmer Sanchez and Leury Garcia. After the release of Brett Lawrie, Saladino was the best option at second base after both Sanchez and Garcia continued to struggle at the plate.

In the second spot was shortstop Tim Anderson, no surprise there. He had a great rookie season and just signed a huge 6-year deal last week. The Sox are hoping Anderson can build on his very successful 2016 season.

Third, in left field was Melky Cabrera, one of the few starters from last season. Cabrera had a very productive year and looks to continue his success that goes largely unnoticed. He hit .296 with 175 hits, 14 home runs, 42 doubles, 86 RBI and only 69 strikeouts.

At first base, Jose Abreu was slotted in the cleanup spot and rightfully so. Hes the best hitter the White Sox have had since he arrived in 2014 hitting at least 25 home runs, driving in at least 100 RBI and hitting at least .290 in the past three seasons.

In the five-hole was slugger Todd Frazier at third base. Again, no surprise there but on the bench was the former highly-rated prospect third baseman Matt Davidson. The White Sox signed Frazier on a one-year deal so his future, especially at the trade deadline, is very much in question with a backup inDavidson. In the heart of the order, Frazier hit 40 home runs last season.

Surprisingly, batting sixth and the designated hitterwas outfielder Cody Asche. Asche had a decent Spring, hitting .289, logging 13 hits, four home runs and nine RBI. However he does not have that DH spot secured. He could even lose his spot in the lineup to the aforementioned Davidson.

Seventh and in right field was Avisail Garcia, who won the spot by default. He has shown a few flashes of greatness but too few to count in his time in Chicago. Garcia needs to have a better season than his previous two to keep his spot in the lineup.

Eighth was another surprise. Catcher Omar Narvaez was slotted at the bottom of the lineup after a solid showing at the end of last season. He had a decent Spring but won his spot mainly because of lack of depth. The only competition Narvaez has on the Major League roster is veteran catcher Geovany Soto, who has had his fair share of MLB playing time with limited success.

In center and finishing off the lineup was the story of the Spring, outfielder Jacob May. After the trade of Adam Eaton and the injury to Charlie Tilson, the opportunity for May to make it to the Majors had finally presented itself. He was one of the best players this Spring and Renteria and the staff rewarded the 25-year-old.

In addition to the Opening Day lineup and rotation, the full 25-man roster was announced. Among the notables were Dylan Covey and Anthony Swarzak, who are both in consideration to take Carlos Rodons missing spot in the rotation. The rest of the rotation will remain the same, with Jose Quintana first, then James Shields, Derek Holland and Miguel Gonzalez. Jake Petricka and Zach Putnam were also noteworthy additions to the roster. The pair of relief pitchers are both are returning from season-ending injuries.

Overall, after the initial evaluation and assessment, the coaching staff has filled in the missing gaps in the everyday roster. It might take some time to fine-tune and readjust some pieces but its expected with the growing pains of the rebuilding process.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) Sabres forward Ryan OReilly calls it pathetic that his under-achieving Buffalo team will miss the playoffs for a sixth consecutive year.

Were not a very good hockey team. Weve let a lot of things go that we normally shouldnt, OReilly said during a six-minute session at his locker Wednesday before the teams final home game of the season against Montreal.

Its so frustrating coming to the rink right now. Practicing. Theres no purpose to it, he added. Im sick of losing. Its getting exhausting and its not fun. It sucks the fun out of the game.

OReilly blamed the Sabres troubles on season-long struggles with consistency and players falling back into bad habits. He also blamed himself for a failure to assert himself more in a leadership role.

I think I really didnt step up and hold guys accountable and be a voice, and its tough, he said. I think at times I didnt say enough, and at times I maybe said too much.

OReillys frustrations reflect the disappointment surrounding a team thats suddenly grown stagnant under an ambitious rebuilding plan which began after the Sabres finished with the NHLs worst record in both the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.

OReilly was pegged as a key fixture in the Sabres future. Buffalo acquired the multi-purpose forward in a multi-player deal with Colorado during the 2015 NHL draft, and shortly before the Sabres selected another key building block, Jack Eichel, with the No. 2 pick.

The additions began paying off last season, when Buffalo finished with a 35-36-11 record, which marking a 27-point improvement over the previous year. This year, Buffalo (32-25-12) needed to win its final three games to match last years win total.

Though second-year coach Dan Bylsma is taking much of the heat for the teams troubles, OReilly said the criticism should fall on the players.

Were the ones on the ice, OReilly said. You cant look at him to take the fall. Its a lot of us. Weve all kind of let it slip here.

Despite a series of injuries that sidelined numerous players during the first two months of the season, the Sabres worked their way into contention in mid-February before they completely unraveled. Starting with a 5-1 loss to Chicago on Feb. 19, Buffalo endured a 2-8-2 skid.

OReilly has been inconsistent this season, though his play was hampered by an abdominal strain which forced him to miss six games in November. Hes third on the team with 20 goals and second with 53 points.

OReillys frustrations echoed those expressed by Eichel following a 4-2 loss to Toronto on Monday.

As much as Im a young guy, Ive got to take on more responsibility, be more of a leader on this team, Eichel said. Ive got to expect more out of myself.

For more NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey

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O'Reilly sums up Sabres missing the playoffs as 'pathetic' (Apr 5, 2017) - FOXSports.com

Leyden School District 212 officials have begun taking the first steps in what has been termed the largest construction and renovation project in the history of the district, with major additions planned for both East and West Leyden high schools.

Officials are tackling an estimated $55 million project at East Leyden, at 3400 Rose St., in Franklin Park; and a roughly $25 million project at West Leyden, 1000 N. Wolf Road, Northlake; with the goal of "enhancing students educational experience," Supt. Nick Polyak said, announcing the project.

"East Leyden High School is 90 years old, and West Leyden High is 60 years old," Polyak said. "Both buildings were designed for a different era of education, and certain aspects of each building don't meet the current needs of our students.

"The focus of these projects is to enhance the educational experience for our students," he said. "Various aspects of these projects are meant to improve safety and security, promote academic opportunities, increase athletic and extracurricular programming and make our schools sustainable into the future."

The work is to be done without the need for a tax referendum, Polyak pointed out. Working with the district's financial partners, District Business Manager Thomas Janeteas suggested use of a debt certificate as a financing tool that would allow officials to spread the project cost over 20 years, with payments made annually out of the district's operating budget/capital improvement fund.

At East Leyden, an addition will be built on the current site of Dodge Field, Polyak said. The work is to include new classrooms and practice rooms for band and choir, a new cafeteria/commons, an enclosed inner courtyard, a preschool and day care facility, and a new aquatic center, he said.

Renovated spaces at East Leyden will include a new wrestling room, girls locker room, additional classrooms and a maintenance area, he said..

At West Leyden, an addition is to be built inside a portion of the inner courtyard, he said. The first floor will be a cafeteria/commons addition and a kitchen renovation, Polyak said. The second floor addition will be a new library and media center, he said.

Renovated spaces will include new classrooms, as well as reorganized office spaces, student support areas and more, the superintendent said.

He said the additions will result in new cafeterias and common large areas "that all of our students will use every day."

"So that it's not only a new modern space for them," Polyak said in a phone interview, "but it's also going to allow us to go down from five or six lunch hours a day down to three, which is going to have curricular benefits for our students."

For the community, "one really noticeable piece will be a new aquatic center," he said.

Currently, Leyden has a swim team and a pool at each campus but the pools are only five lanes wide and situated underground at both campuses, he said. A legitimate aquatic center will allow the swim teams to bring activities such as water polo and diving into their program, he said.

Construction is to get underway in May at West Leyden, while work at East Leyden is expected to begin next year, probably around December or January, Polyak said.

The East Leyden work, though constituting a larger footprint and larger dollar amount, is expected to have a less disruptive effect because it will be largely taking place behind the building, Polyak said. Work is to be completed by the beginning of the 2019-20 school year.

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Big plans: District 212 set for renovation project at East and West Leyden - Chicago Tribune

Investors Bank donates $100,000 toward construction of a Community Activities Building at Bloomfield's Foley Field.(Photo: Courtesy of Foley Field Foundation)

The Bloomfield Board of Education has accepted $100,000 toward the construction of a Community Activities Building at Foley Field.

The Foley Field Foundation received the donation from Investors Bank, according to foundation President Mike Napolitano. That investment covers half the costs, with the rest of the funding and material contributions well on their way, he said.

The $200,000 project is the latest in the high school fields transformation.

Phase 1 saw the demolition of the dilapidated grandstands, followed by additions of an artificial turf field, upgraded lighting and an eight-lane track. Phase 2 involved a Green Acres grant that matched referendum funding. That helped install new grandstands and a press box.

Contributions have also paid for two ticket booths, secure storage for the track and field program, a public address system, scoreboard, trainer cart and commemorative flag park.

PHOTOS:Bloomfield students have a blast a concert

ESSEX COUNTY:Schools' state aid holds steady

Phase 3 brings the Community Activities Building, which Fallon Pacheco Architects designed pro bono, Napolitano said.

The two stories cover 1,875 square feet each. The first floor consists of concessions, restrooms and storage. The second floor, with a kitchenette and seating, accommodates more than 80 people.

The latter was designed with boosters in mind, noted Napolitano. The "Events and Meeting" floor couldserve league or team banquets. It also can be a celebratory space for annual events such as the marching band festival, the Sunset Classic and the township fireworks spectacular, for example, he added.

A small crows nest, overlooking the field, can treat second-floor guests, or a camera to supplement press-box coverage, he said.

In addition to the Investors Banks donation, Phase 3 funding includes $25,000 from Brookdale ShopRite, $25,000 from Bloomfield native Bob Pascal, and $5,000 from Joseph Poniatowski. Another $25,000 sponsor is expected to be named soon, said Napolitano, and the foundation is seeking sponsorship for the buildings ADA-compliant lift.

The recent agreement to remove a PSE&G utility pole, in the middle of the structures footprint, will allow groundbreaking in late spring, Napolitano said. That could spell an opening in time for the Bloomfield High School's football season, he said.

Also, during the recent meeting, the Bloomfield Board of Education applauded Carteret Elementary Schools Chrome Caf and Watsessing Elementary Schools STEAM programs.

Carterets Chrome Caf is a makeover of the schools media center.

Watssessing Elementary School students position their violins prior to a performance on March 28, 2017, for the Bloomfield Board of Education.(Photo: Owen Proctor/NorthJersey.com)

While a traditional library is a place of independent study, weve transformed it into a center of active learning, Principal John Baltz told the board.

Watsessing faculty, meanwhile, walked through the school's achievements in mathematics, science, technology, engineering, and the performing arts.

The presentation included a performance of 30 student violinists, representing half of those involved in the program. Five numbers included Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Hot Cross Buns and Mary Had a Little Lamb.

Im very proud of these kids, fourth-grade teacher Monika Martin said. Theyve only had an instrument in their hands about six months.

Email: proctor@northjersey.com

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Bloomfield officials applaud field and fiddles - NorthJersey.com

A larger and more technological Indian Trails Public Library soon will open to the public, as crews put the finishing touches on a $14.4 million construction project that replaced almost everything at the original Wheeling-based library except for steel frames and concrete.

Officials at Indian Trails Public Library, which serves residents in Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Prospect Heights and Wheeling, said the new building is about 60,000 square-feet and features new additions on both floors.

Floor-to-ceiling windows down long sections of the new building should brighten the library for patrons, who also will find more computers and technological features than at the old library, which closed in March 2016, said Executive Director Brian Shepard.

Once the new building opens to the public April 10, patrons also will find 3D printers and an 82-inch touchscreen, along with power plugs and USB ports at each of the new desks, booths and tables.

"All of the major features of the building changed," Shepard said.

Library communications manager Susan Dennison said during a media tour of the new building March 31 that the construction project is set to finish on schedule with most of the new amenities up and running by the April 10 opening date. Some of the technological additions may not be ready until the fall, she said.

But library patrons may also never want to step inside the new building because of a new checkout service.

With the addition of a drive-through window along the north wall of the new Indian Trails Public Library, customers can check items out online or through the phone, and then pick them up and drop them off directly from their cars, officials said.

Library officials also said the redesigned parking lot should be simpler for residents after crews built a separate parking entrance and exit along with 46 new spots.

"There were too many decision points," Shepard said of the old parking layout.

Construction work on the new Indian Trails Public Library began after voters approved a referendum in 2011 that laid out financing for the multi-million-dollar project. Officials at the time said the original library, built in 1981 and expanded in the 1990s, couldn't meet the needs of the 67,000 residents the library district serves.

Along with better natural lighting and some energy-efficient lighting upgrades, the new building also includes eight new study rooms where officials used to place books, DVDs, video games and magazines.

Study rooms will be available in the middle part of the library on both floors, officials said.

rwachter@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @RonnieAtPioneer

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Indian Trails Public Library previews $14.4 million building renovation ahead of opening - Chicago Tribune

A view of the Hobby Lobby shopping center. A number of structures would be demolished and the parking configuration changed as part of a plan for new commercial buildings and the future addition of two yet to be named restaurants.

Andrew J. Whitaker

Traffic issues must be addressed before the Cape Girardeau City Council votes on developer Scott Rhodes' request to rezone the Hobby Lobby shopping area, city planner Ryan Shrimplin said Monday.

Rezoning is required before Rhodes can move ahead with his proposed development, Shrimplin said.

The "Shoppes at South Kingshighway" development would be centered around the Hobby Lobby store at the corner of William Street and Kingshighway, according to development documents filed with the city.

For the third time since March 6, the council held a public hearing on the request to rezone property at 201, 205, 207, 211, 213 and 215 S. Kingshighway from highway commercial (C-2) to planned development (PD). No one appeared at the hearing.

Rather than close the hearing, the council continued the hearing as it has done each time. Continuing the hearing allows development issues to be addressed without advertising for a new hearing, Shrimplin said before the council meeting.

A view of the Hobby Lobby shopping center.

Mayor Harry Rediger said the development will be back on the agenda at the April 17 meeting.

The plan proposed by Rhodes Development Co. and South K Inc. includes construction of a new right-in, right-out driveway on William Street, Shrimplin said. Currently, there is no access to the shopping area from William Street.

Rhodes also has suggested removing all three existing South Kingshighway entrances to the shopping area and replacing them with a single, signalized entrance directly across from Good Hope Street, according to the preliminary plan submitted to city staff.

But Shrimplin said both proposals would require approval from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).

"MoDOT has some concerns with putting a signal light there," Shrimplin said. State highway officials are concerned the proposed traffic signal would be too close to the existing William Street and Kingshighway signalized intersection, he said.

"That is not something they are open to at this point," Shrimplin said.

In addition, MoDOT has expressed concern about adding a right-turn entrance and exit onto William Street, Shrimplin said.

Shrimplin said city and MoDOT staff will meet with the developer and/or his engineer to review the traffic issues.

"It warrants taking a closer look," he said, adding city officials want to make sure the proposed development would not create additional traffic problems in an already congested area.

The developer recently submitted a traffic analysis, but city staff has not had time to review it, Shrimplin said.

Rhodes has proposed demolishing all the old commercial buildings on the site, except for the Hobby Lobby store. They include Nearly Perfect Shoes, Sherwin Williams Personal Finance, China Town Buffet, and the former Pizza Hut and EZ Express Carwash, Shrimplin said.

Building additions have been proposed on the north and south sides of Hobby Lobby.

The 10,000-square-foot north addition, currently under construction, will be occupied by a Dollar Tree store. Shrimplin said that project could proceed because there was sufficient existing parking for the new store.

Planned-development zoning is needed for the overall site to address parking for the remainder of the proposed development, Shrimplin said.

The south addition would consist of three retail spaces consisting of 18,242 square feet, 10,000 square feet and 5,600 square feet, according to a development plan submitted by Koehler Engineering.

In addition, the plan calls for two restaurants to be built.

As currently envisioned, a 72-seat, 3,900-square-foot restaurant would be built on the northeast corner of the shopping center and an 80-seat, 3,630-square-foot restaurant would be built on the southeast corner. No specific restaurants have been mentioned.

Under a planned development, the Cape Girardeau City Council can allow exceptions to the city code. Rhodes has proposed two exceptions dealing with traffic.

The first calls for reducing the number of parking spaces in the shopping area from 624 to 479, a decrease of 145 spaces, according to the development plan.

The second would allow parking spaces to have a depth of 18 feet rather than the 19-foot minimum required under the city code, Shrimplin wrote in an agenda report to the city council.

In exchange for fewer parking spaces, Rhodes has proposed construction of "landscape islands," Shrimplin said. The islands would "serve to break up the massive expanse of pavement currently in the parking lot," the city planner wrote.

City development staff support the proposed exceptions, Shrimplin said. Even with reduced parking spaces, Shrimplin said he believes the site will have sufficient customer parking for the proposed development.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-03641

Pertinent address:

207 S. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

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Plan for redevelopment around Hobby Lobby delayed by traffic concerns - Southeast Missourian

Now a year into the renovation, the men behind 10,000 Drops micro distillery who are looking to open the business in the Peterson Arts building inched closer to opening their business in downtown Faribault.

According to co-founder Jake Hvistendahl, 10,000 Drops plans to open its doors sometime in October so the public can sample their rums, whiskeys, brandies and gins in downtown Faribault.

On Monday night, the Planning Commission sat down to tackle one issue with Hvistendahls plan, namely, the lack of permitted use for micro distilleries in Faribaults Central Business District.

In 2013, the city of Faribault amended the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to allow for microbreweries, which was requested by F-Town Brewing Co., the business adjacent to the future home of 10,000 Drops. The buildings are both owned by Hvistendahls father, David, who spoke to the Planning Commission on Monday.

In 2015, the city added options for liquor licensing for micro distilleries, but did not change the UDO.

Now, with 10,000 Drops opening on the horizon, David Hvistendahl requested that the city add micro distilleries to the zoning text amendment and make micro distilling a permitted use in Faribault.

While Hvistendahl is seeking a permitted use, city staff urged the commissioners to issue a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) instead.

Among the factors the city needs to account for are noise control, odor control, outdoor storage controls, deliveries, loading and a cocktail room size minimum of 10 percent of the gross floor area.

The latter factor was discussed at length on Monday evening and was the cause of some delay with the project. The building contained too much floor space in the current structure to meet fire code requirements. While learning this news was a setback, a silver lining soon emerged.

We are creating some mezzanines so we are up to fire code, said Jake Hvistendahl in an interview before Mondays meeting. The cocktail room is getting a little bigger and we will add a second story mezzanine, which will be opened up for private events. It will cost us some money and create some delays, but it might give us a more usable space and bring something even cooler to Faribault.

Besides the tasting room requirement, the other aspect of the citys proposed zoning text that was questioned by Hvistendahl and his associates was the volume the distillery is allowed to produce annually.

As it is written, the proposed amendment has a cap of only 500 gallons of storage allowed each year, which David Hvistendahl argued was simply not enough.

Basically, they will hit 500 proof gallons at the end of their first month, he said. Thats why storage limits have to be opened up. They want to cask a substantial part of their production. Their business plan allows them to cask a substantial amount of whiskey over three years.

Hvistendahl explained that the team hopes to cask about 50 percent of their production, while bottling, serving and distributing the other 50 percent.

Hvistendahl asked the Planning Commission to instead consider adopting the state statute level of production. Currently, the state of Minnesota allows for 40,000 gallons of annual production, which differs starkly from the proposed restriction of only allowing 500 gallons of storage.

The commission seemed to agree that the state statute makes sense in this scenario.

Lets change the 500 gallons to the state statute, said Commissioner Steve White. I think thats perfectly aligned with this building. If we are going to have this thing be successful, we have to make it so they can make enough product to be successful.

As the meeting concluded, the commissioners amended the zoning text to allow micro distilleries, but chose to continue discussion of awarding 10,000 Drops a CUP until its site plan evolves further.

In the conversation, ideas of an event center in the building and of a possible parking structure were discussed as possible additions to the plan.

For now, Jake Hvistendahl and his co-founders, Rob Kruchoski and Pat Jacobs, are hard at work preparing the building for their distillery to open in October.

Jake Hvistendahl noted that the process working with the city has been easy and finds city hall supportive of the plan. This, he said, allows his team to work toward their vision of what 10,000 Drops could be.

We want to give Faribault a fun place to hang out that feels different than the other cocktail lounges around the Twin Cities, he said. Hopefully its a good place for people to go to sip on some whiskey and rum. Im hoping we can get it all wrapped up in early fall and get it open.

Gunnar Olson covers city government, public safety and business for the Faribault Daily News. Reach him at (507) 333-3128, at golson@faribault.com, or follow him on Twitter @fdnGunnar.

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Planning Commission amends zoning text to allow for micro distilleries downtown - Southernminn.com