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GUILDERLAND In a 4-to-1 vote on Dec. 1, the Guilderland Town Board authorized the town to file a notice of appeal in the resident-backed lawsuit that stopped the construction of a 222-unit development on Rapp Road as well as a proposed Costco Wholesale store.

The vote was taken after the board had exited an executive session to discuss pending litigation. The states Open Meetings Law allows elected boards to discuss proposed, pending, or current litigation in closed session. However, the law requires any motions or votes to be public.

Councilwoman Laurel Bohl cast the sole dissenting vote, Town Clerk Lynne Buchanan told The Enterprise on Monday; Supervisor Peter Barber had made the motion to file the appeal and Councilwoman Rosemary Centi seconded the motion.

Prior to her 2019 election to the board, Bohl, a Democrat, headed the Guilderland Citizens (now Coalition) for Responsible Growth, a citizens watchdog group, and had often been critical of Guilderlands boards as being too lenient toward developers. The other four members of the town board are also Democrats.

Bohl was also the lone dissenter in August when the Guilderland Town Board passed a resolution, 4 to 1, to let the Champlain Hudson Power Express Inc. run underground lines through the town to bring electric power from Canada to the New York City area.

Albany County Supreme Court Judge Peter Lynch on Nov. 20 ruled in favor of a group of Westmere residents and a Guilderland gas-station owner who were seeking to stop the projects.

Pyramid Management Group, whose affiliated limited-liability corporation Rapp Road Development is the projects developer, has already said it will appeal Lynchs decision, which was made at the lowest level in the states three-tiered court system.

Barber did not return a call seeking comment.

James Bacon, the attorney who brought the case against the town and Pyramid, told The Enterprise that, with Pyramid stating it would appeal the decision, theres nothing atypical about the town filing an appeal as well.

Asked if he thought Lynchs decision would hold up on appeal, Bacon said, Predicting what happens at the Appellate Division is like trying to read tea leaves, but I think we made a strong case and I think the court made a very thorough determination.

But he added that hes seen plenty of cases where defeat has been snatched from the jaws of victory.

Save the Pine Bush on Nov. 27 filed a second suit against the town and company over the projects in the interest of preserving its rights in the event that Pyramid is able to move forward with its proposals, for example, in the event of reversal or dismissal of the prior decision of this Court, the not-for-profit organizations court filing states.

Pyramids proposal included developing three sites:

Site 1, a 19-acre plot at Rapp and Gipp roads for 222 apartments and townhouses, with the possibility for another 90 apartments to be built on the site.

Specifically, Pyramid was proposing three two-story townhouse-style buildings, with 10 units in each building, totaling 30 units, on the west side of the property. On either side of the entrance to the property, the developer was proposing two five-story apartment buildings, one with 94 units and the other with 98 units. The project additionally included about 3,900 square feet of commercial space. The company was also proposing a total of 362 parking spots: 84 indoor spaces and 278 outdoor spots;

Site 2, sixteen acres at Western Avenue and Crossgates Mall Road for a Costco, a membership-only, 160,000-square-foot warehouse-price club, that would offer gasoline service and 700 parking spots; and

Site 3: Eleven acres between the Costco site and Pyramids hotel on Western Avenue that could be used for retail, offices, or apartments. There were no current development plans for Site 3 however, Pyramid did present a zoning-compliant conceptual plan that could include 115,000 square feet of retail space, 50,000 square feet of office space, and 48 apartments.

Westmere residents Lisa and Thomas Hart and Kevin and Sarah McDonald, along with gas-station owner Jonathan Kaplan filed their suit in September after it took the planning board eight-and-half minutes to approve the Pyramids Rapp Road and Western Avenue projects at a previously-not-scheduled late August meeting. Kaplan has since sold his eight convenience stores, three car washes, and gas-distribution business to Stewarts Shops.

The issue, Lynch wrote in his Nov. 20 decision, was whether the Guilderland Planning Board had complied with its obligations under the State Environmental Quality Review Act procedurally and substantively. It did not, on both counts, Lynch concluded.

In his decision, Lynch wrote that the planning board had violated the procedure set out by the act as well as the hard look test, a three-part test that requires an agency reviewing an action to: identify the areas of environmental concern; analyze the areas of concern to determine if the action may have a significant adverse impact; and support its determination with evidence.

In violating SEQRA procedure and the hard look test, Lynch declared null and void the boards acceptance of both the draft and final environmental impact statements; the August issuance of a findings statement justifying its approval of the project; and the October granting of site-plan approval for Pyramids 222-unit apartment and townhome development.

Throughout his 77-page decision, Lynch pointed to omissions that the planning board failed to take into consideration when making its decision.

The historical and cultural significance of the Rapp Road Historic District, Lynch wrote, cannot be overstated, and, in turn, cannot be ignored under the hard look test. The district is a neighborhood of small homes, many of them hand-built by African Americans who arrived in the pinebush, largely from Mississippi during the Great Migration.

With the closest homes just a few hundred feet away from proposed five-story buildings, the planning board failed to consider any alternative with reduced building height.

Lynch even injected a note of sarcasm into his analysis.

Pointing out that the draft environmental impact statement adopted by the planning board in February claimed Pyramids projects would not be out of character with the area, rather they are authorized pursuant to Town of Guilderlands [Transit-Oriented Development District] TOD district.

Really? Lynch wrote, Since when do high-rise buildings comport with the character of historical one story bungalows.

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Guilderland to appeal judges decision that halted Pyramid projects - The Altamont Enterprise

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought ups and downs for West Michigans construction industry activity and competition has increased in areas like school bond projects, while the hospitality and office sectors saw major slowdowns.

Across the region, though, several major developments remain on the horizon. They range from marquee developments that have been in works for years to some that were unveiled during and are being guided by market forces resulting from the public health crisis.

Heres a look at major projects planned across West Michigan:

A former Southwest Michigan industrial site in Vicksburg is undergoing a massive $80 million redevelopment. The project was the second in the state to receive transformational brownfield incentives to turn the historic Lee Paper Mill into what will include an 84-room hotel, brewery, distillery, beer garden and restaurant.

The goal is to create a regional destination focused on beer, events and live music, said Jackie Koney, director of operations for Paper City Development LLC.

The project was initially planned to open in phases starting in 2022, but developers are now holding off until all aspects of the development are completed for an anticipated 2025 grand opening, Koney said. Construction started in June 2019, of which portions were delayed by the pandemic this summer.

Paper City Development was founded by Vicksburg native Chris Moore, who now lives in Seattle where he opened Old Stove Brewery five years ago and also owns software firm Concord Technologies. Moore will open a second location of Old Stove Brewery, as well as a brewery museum, as part of the development.

We want it to be a brewery destination, Koney said.

Despite some delays this year, construction is progressing. Six buildings that were not historic were removed from the property, exterior masonry has been completed, and work is now starting on interior renovations.

Between removing the exterior buildings and cleaning up the brick, it looks stunning, Koney said. Instead of white and gray paint, youre seeing new paint and steel. Its to the point where people cant see what it looked like before.

A five-story, mixed-use building with luxury condominiums is planned for 159 South River Ave. in Holland. Four medical suites will take up the second floor of the building, which will have parking on site for patients and tenants. The project is also expected to include retail space on the main floor of the facility.

Condo units will range from 1,000 to 2,500 square feet and will include one- to three-bedroom units at market rates. The facility will include a fitness center and a community terrace bordered by a green roof system.

Its a very unique project, its luxury living in downtown Holland, which I think is a very attractive area, said Mike Corby, executive vice president at Integrated Architecture LLC. There arent many walkable downtowns that compare to Holland in the state of Michigan. Its a nice example of a mixed-use project with condominiums, retail and medical.

The buildings modern design includes nine individual but connected towers, which will allow for scenic views and natural light in all of the units, Corby said.

The existing building on the site is expected to be demolished in the next several weeks, and site work is could begin in mid to late December. Construction is expected to be completed sometime in 2022.

Were looking forward to bringing some stylish architecture into town. We see that theres a need for high-end residential property in downtown Holland, said project developer Dennis Jacobs. The development thats been done by GDK and others to extend Eighth Street and at the Civic Center creates a need for this project.

A 10-story market rate residential development is planned for a former bank building at downtown property owned by the city of Muskegon. Upwards of $10 million will be invested in the redevelopment at the corner of First Street and Clay Avenue.

Plans include 50-60 apartment units in the first phase, which is expected to be completed in 2021. An additional 12-16 units are planned for phase two, which is expected to be finished in 2022.

This serves one of our biggest economic development initiatives, which is increasing residential development in downtown, said Jake Eckholm, Muskegons economic development director.

Eckholm also noted the projects African American-owned construction team led by Michigan State University Trustees Joel Ferguson and Brianna Scott.

Its a large-scale development, so its great we can bring some diversity to the project, Eckholm said.

Ferguson Development LLC spent nearly $300,000 investigating the site to determine if it could retain the existing frame of the structure, Eckholm said. The developers learned they could keep the steel frame, which will result in some efficiency on the project, he said.

The original intent was to use the first floor as commercial space, which changed when the pandemic hit, Eckholm said. Instead, robust tenant amenities are planned for the first floor, which include a large packaging room, meeting spaces, a game room, and leasable offices to accommodate people working from home, Eckholm said.

With the advent of COVID-19 wreaking havoc on the commercial real estate market, it is harder for those ventures to get funded, Eckholm said. If the market recovers in the future, we can still convert some of that space for commercial use.

The former site of Klover Gold Creamery is transforming into a mixed-use development in Kalamazoos Edison neighborhood. The three-story building will have 48 residential units, including 38 dedicated to tenants who make 30 percent or below Kalamazoo Countys area median income.

The facility will include a YWCA daycare with a natural outdoor play area, a co-working space, Hollander Development Corp. offices, retail space, outdoor patios, a rooftop terrace, exercise room and group gathering room. The project is planned to be LEED Platinum-certified with solar panels on the roof.

Construction is wrapping up on the $14.7 million project, and the apartments should be completed by the end of January 2021, said Michael Flynn, vice president of Byce & Associates Inc.

This was really a group effort with the neighborhood association to come up with an organic design for the community, Flynn said.

Perrigo Co. plc is relocating its North American corporate headquarters to downtown Grand Rapids as part of the Michigan State University Grand Rapids Innovation Park under development at 430 Monroe Ave. NW.

The company plans to invest nearly $44.8 million in what will be a 63,550-square-foot facility, which is expected to create 170 new jobs on Medical Mile. The company received a $2 million grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund for the project on Oct. 27.

Its about as significant as it gets in my business, The Right Place Inc. CEO Birgit Klohs previously told MiBiz of landing a downtown headquarters. It is an unbelievable success. Having a global company downtown is huge. It cant be overestimated how important it is.

The new office will primarily house corporate and functional leadership as well as some administrative roles. The facility will include an adaptable, collaborative workspace.

The McCamly Plaza Hotel is getting a facelift and rebranding after being closed since November 2019. After acquiring the property from its previous owner on Nov. 3, Battle Creek Unlimited is planning a complete renovation of the 15-story, 239-room hotel in downtown Battle Creek, located at 50 Capital Ave. SW.

The economic development organization has retained Suburban Inns to assist with rebranding and renovations, and plans to reopen the hotel in 2022. The project is expected to help attract international business travel to the area. The hotel includes event space for conferences and conventions and is connected to Kellogg Arena.

Battle Creek Unlimited President and CEO Joe Sobieralski said he is confident this property can be transformed into a showpiece thats a regional draw for Battle Creek.

The project is still in the planning and design phase, with construction expected to begin in the spring of 2021, Sobieralski said.

Im extremely excited about this project. Its a pivotal piece in the revitalization of downtown, even though its a little bit outside our wheelhouse, but that makes it an even more exciting project.

After a temporary delay this spring because of the pandemic, construction is wrapping up on the Lakeshore Convention Center in downtown Muskegon, which will serve as a conference and event venue set to be completed early next year.

The new 45,000-square-foot venue at 470 W. Western Ave. is attached to the Delta Hotels by Marriott Muskegon as well as Mercy Health Arena.

The new convention center is designed to accommodate groups of up to 1,000 people in its 20,000 square feet of meeting space.

A 133-unit condominium and apartment project will soon become downtown Grand Havens largest residential development. The project, at 125 Elliot Ave., is on the former Stanco property, a 4.66-acre site near Grand Havens waterfront.

The project developer is Kevin McGraw, president of East Lansing-based River Caddis Development LLC, and construction is planned in a single phase.

The project includes 124 market-rate apartments ranging in size from efficiency to two-bedroom units. Nine condominium units are also planned along Second Street. The Grand Haven City Council reportedly gave unanimous support for the project last month.

The public alley between four downtown Kalamazoo buildings 229-251 E. Michigan Ave. and the recently completed $100 million Catalyst building at 180 E. Water St. is being redeveloped into a shared community space called Haymarket Plaza. The project will feature a snowmelt system, lighting, outdoor furniture, an open area for entertainment and food trucks, as well as a three-dimensional art display that will project local art from the community.

Project funding managed by the Monroe-Brown Foundation came from a variety of sources, including the city of Kalamazoo, the Michigan Economic Development Corp., and a Patronicity crowdfunding campaign that raised nearly $54,000. Millions of dollars were invested to install the snowmelt system, and the art display will cost about $220,000, said Fritz Brown, a partner at Treystar.

There is nothing like it anywhere in any city our size, Brown said. This 3-D projection mapping is really cool and brings a big city feel to it, and is a huge picture that will be projected on the side of the Haymarket building.

Projectors for the development will arrive later this month, but will not be used until June 2021 when the outdoor furniture is also installed, Brown said.

Project developers originally planned to open the plaza this month, but the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed the projects urgency.

Were excited about it and cant wait to show everybody, Brown said.

More:
9 Projects to watch in West Michigan - MiBiz: West Michigan Business News

Tommy Cassell|The Milford Daily News

Emily Viti knew something wasnt right when she held her newborn son for the first time in 2013.

The first thing I felt was a lump on his back and I said Whats this? shesaid.

After countless medicalvisits with doctors and specialists for a little over a year, Viti finally discovered what was wrong:her sonhad mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS), a rare disease in which the body can't break down sugar molecules.

The condition, which affects one in 100,000 babies, is terminal.

It rocked my world, said Viti, the Framingham High boys and girls volleyball coach.

Her son, Christopher Hohn, is now seven years old. And Viti isfighting to find a cure.

Something terrible, terminal

There were other unhealthy signsover the first year of Christophers life.

His thumbs were still inside of his hands at three months andhis hips were shallow. He never slept for more than two hours and when he did, he made a very loud sound like an adult snoring.

Everybody said it was normal, said Viti, 44. By the time he was four months old, we had a list of six or seven things that were concerns.

We were just told repeatedly, repeatedly, repeatedly that everything was normal.

By Oct. 18, 2014, when Christopher was just over a year old, Viti scheduled an appointment for him at what is now Tufts Childrens Hospital in Boston.Aroutine visit turned into an 11-hour stay for Viti, her son and her partner, Darren Hohn.

I remember at one point Darren and I were looking at each other and thinking that this isnt good, Viti said.

Emily and I looked at each other and said Whats going on here? said Hohn, 46.

Around 8 p.m., Hohn and Viti were told their son had a lysosomal storage disease. Doctors said the best case scenario was that Christopher would live to be 25. The worst case: Hed die in a fewmonths.

I was like, What? Viti recalled. Although he had these issues, they all seemed so small. It never occurred to me that it could be something terminal.

We were numb about it, Hohnsaid. For the first week, there was a lot of sadness. Im not a crier and I cried my eyes out. Thats my kid. Thats when you get in the mindset of give me cancer or give me something so my kid can live a normal life.

Doctors urgedHohnand Viti not to Google anything until they received an official diagnosis a few weeks later. But Viti scoured the internet as soon as she got home on Oct. 18, 2014.

I did an MPS Google image search and the picture looked just like Christopher, Viti said. At that moment, denial was out the window and I knew MPS was what Christopher had. When you research MPS, its not a good situation.

I was having a total meltdown on the living room couch.

Two weeks later, on Halloween, doctors confirmed the diagnosis.

Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) infusions were then scheduled for Christopher before he underwent a stem cell transplant the day after Christmas. Following his transplant, which included 10 days of chemotherapy, Christopher was sent home in February and ordered to quarantine for a full year in order torebuild his immune system.

If he wanted to see anybody, it was through a window, his father said.

Quarantine life

Hohn was in the process of renovating their house in Milford when his first-born son was diagnosedwith MPS. In order for Christopher to return home from the hospital in February of 2015, the remodeling had to be finished and the house had to be prepped for quarantine.

So Hohnaccelerated his renovation timetable.

My whole thing with renovating the house was rapid, hesaid. I had help from friends, neighbors, they knew the situation. It was pretty hectic, pretty crazy, but I got it done.

For the rest of 2015, Hohn, Viti, Christopher and their dog, Norman, were in a somewhat strict quarantine as Christopher recovered from his stem cell transplant.

Only two other people were allowed to be a part of theirbubble and there were certain restrictions Hohnand Vitihad to follow. They couldnt have things like sponges, cats or living plants, among other things, inside their home. The family couldnt buy a tree for Christmas and their dog was only allowed to go outside in their backyard.

Trips to the grocery store and to Framingham High volleyball games and practices were the only reason why Viti left her home for a year.

That was a really difficult time in our lives, said Viti, who teaches health and physical education at Framingham High. It was the extreme of what people are doing now. Quarantining like this is sort of like small potatoes compared to what we had to do.

This is easy living right now.

Playing with a purpose

A few months after Christophers quarantine was lifted, Viti helped steer the Framingham High boys volleyball team to its first ever state championship with a 3-0 win over Needham on June 15, 2016.

After the victory, Christopher tugged at the pant leg of his mother on the volleyball court at Concord-Carlisle High School. Viti lifted himup and placed a championship medal around his neck as she fielded questions from reporters.

They have rallied around Christopher, Viti told the Daily News at the time. Ive always thought that if Christopher cant play sports when hes older or whatever, he still has a team that he belongs to. They have MPS on their jerseys, they have MPS socks on. Hes part of their team. And I think that that is unbelievable.

A year prior, six players from the Framingham High boys volleyball team quit. It was a rough stretch for Viti as she juggled running her volleyball program and raising a son in quarantine. So winning the state title a year later was a sense of validation for Viti and her remaining players, who played with a greater purpose in 2016.

Were playing for Emily, everything shes been through, said former Framingham High libero Jason Shapiro after the state title victory. Shes been through more than anyone I know. All of this is for her.

I know that well all remember this season for the rest of our lives.

Just a normal kid

Christopher currently is a first-grader at Brookside Elementary School in Milford. Hes taking classes remotely due to coronavirus restrictions at his school.

Each morning he wakes up by 7:30and watches TV and eats breakfast before his virtual classes begin. Throughout the day, he enjoys play breaks with his younger brother, Jacob, who is also learning remotely. In the afternoon, Christopher completes his school work with some assistance from his mother.

Its fun, Viti said. Its busy.

To this day, Christopher has undergone more than a dozen different operations including one last year to remove thelump on his back.

No child should have to go through 13 procedures or more, his fathersaid.

Some people with MPS are small in stature. Christopher is 43 inches tall and weighs 45 pounds. Jacob, who is two years younger,is only an inch shorter.

Hes definitely starting to notice that hes the smallest, his mothersaid.

Christopher likes to ride his bike, eat ice cream and run around with his friends. He does scamper with a bit of a limp, though.

He walks like an old, arthritic man, Viti said.

Christopher has an old soul, too, especially when it comes to music. He enjoys The Beatles, Bob Marley and Twisted Sister. He dressed up as Dee Snider, Twisted Sisters lead vocalist, for Halloween this year.

Hes a character, hes certainly a character, Hohnsaid. He knows how to run a crowd.

Christopher is charismatic, incredibly funny and I think hes one of the deepest, most sensitive people Ive ever met, Viti said. I always say he has an over-developed sense of empathy.

Each October, Christopher and his family participate in a fundraiser called Smash out MPS at Cedar Hill Farm in Mendon.

During this years event on Oct. 17, the mother of one of Christophers former caretakers accidentally dialed 9-1-1 on her phone. So Mendon police officer Nick Erskine showed up to the picturesque farm unannounced.

After Erskine realized he received an accidental call, he introduced himself to the center of attention.

Whats going on? Having some fun today? Erskine asked Christopher.

Christopher proceeded to put his hands up in the air and knelt to the ground in front of the officer. His joke elicitedlaughterfrom the crowd of people, which included former Lincoln-Sudbury head volleyball coach Judy Katalina.

Katalina, who became friends with Viti through volleyball, has a tattoo on her right arm that commemorates Christopher. Katalinas tattoo features a purple ribbon with Christophers initials inked in black and the word Believe etched in black below.

Christopher is just a little spit-fire, Katalina said. Youd never know that he was sick because he just loves to live and hes just a good kid.

After Christophers antics, the police officer showed the seven-year-old where all the bad boys sit in his police cruiser before presenting himwith a voucher for free ice cream.

Im going to show this to my parents, Christopher said.

Later on, Viti thanked the crowd for showing up to support her family's effort toraiseawareness for MPS before Christopher chimed in.

Lets get smashing! he yelled.

The pack of people proceeded to smash purple-painted pumpkins on the ground. The event raised $700 in hopes of helping to find a cure for MPS.

This little boy is such an inspiration to many and he never lets it bother him, said Michelle Manoogian, who owns Cedar Hill Farm with her husband, Mark. (Christopher) is just a normal kid with a giant heart.

As of right now, Christopher doesnt have any procedures scheduled. His parentsbiggest fear is always the next operation.

Despite the grim prognosis,Emily Viti and Darren Hohn aredoing whatthey can to provide a normal life for Christopher. All while raising awareness about MPS inhopes of finding a cure.

I want him to be a well-rounded individual, Hohnsaid. I want him to live as a normal child and a normal teenager.

I want him to be able to enjoy life even though he is in pain, Viti said. Everything is against him and he just keeps fighting. Hell do anything and everything.

(If you'd like to donate to the National MPS society, please click here.)

Tommy Cassell is a senior multimedia journalist for the Daily News. He can be reached at tcassell@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @tommycassell44.

Read more from the original source:
Emily Viti's son has MPS and the Framingham High volleyball coach is fighting to find a cure for the terminal disease - Milford Daily News

Efrain Mercado and Matthew Ortega have a few things in common.

They both grew up in the Coachella Valley,share a passion for coffee andwere tired of working at coffee shops in Palm Springs.

In November 2019 they decided to share their love for coffee with their community by starting their own business,Everbloom Coffee.

In the past few months, Everbloom has quickly become a favorite spot in the east valley as residents and patrons expresstheir support for thebusiness, specifically through social media posts.

"Starting the day off in a good way," wrote Eric Afan on Instagram under a picture of his Everbloom coffee cup.

Their Instagram following has grown as customers show off their coffee drinks and the Everbloom account re-postsphotos and videos.

Theirmotto "coffee for the people" has continuedto attract new customers along with their regulars. They said they hope their business will keepgrowing and become a place for the community to call their own.

How Everbloom began

Mercado and Ortega met at College of the Desert and quickly bonded after realizing they both had experience working at coffee shops in Palm Springs.

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Ortega, 25,worked at an espresso bar inside a Palm Springs hotel, but felt the lack of support from hotel management for his craft.

"No one cared, but I was passionate about the coffee,"Ortega said.

They bothenjoyedpersonal connections serving coffee allowed them to make.

We got to see our regulars everyday and sometimes we were the first face they saw in the morning,"said Mercado. It's an honor being able to make someones day through coffee."

Mercado, 26, gainedexperience workingat Coffee Bean. He also helped the now-closed coffee shop Joey Palm Springs with their business growth.

"I figured if theycould do it, then I could do it too,"Mercado said.

Wanting to branch out, the two started Everbloom Coffee as a cart last yearto cater events. Ortega said he saw a coffee cart in San Francisco and thought, "The valley would really appreciate something like that."

Their cart,a coffee stand with wheels and theEverbloom logo printed on the front, has just enough space to fit their coffee machineand room for them to make their drinks.

The name Everbloom comes from their desireto stand out and inspire others. According to Ortega, their name represents that it is never too late to bloom in life.

The modern arton their logo shows an outline of a blooming flower it's the same flower that grows from the coffee plant.

View | 16 Photos

They didn't initially plan on having a brick and mortar shop.

Two weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic brought stay-at-home orders to California, Everbloom began serving coffee from their cart outside of The Kids Bakery in Indio. They remained thereuntil August, when the restaurant terminated their agreement with them after they expressed wanting to open their own location, Ortega said.

Thesuccess of the Everbloom cart has allowed Mercado and Ortega tostart planning theirown coffee shop in Indio off Highway 111. They have continued to serve customers from theircart outside of their futurelocationuntil the remodeling of the shopis complete.

Community brewed

The duo decided to do business in Indio in hopes of expandingcoffee culture in their community after noticing a lack of coffeehousesin the Eastern CoachellaValley.

Sixth Street Coffee in downtown Coachella, The Vintage Coffee House in Indio and now Everbloom are currently the only established local coffee shopsin the east valley.

Some panaderias and restaurants in the area, however, have specialty coffee on their menus, like Casa De Silvia in downtown Indio.There is alsoa growing market of home coffee businesses like The Coffee House and Sinfull Sweets, which operates from a food truck in a backyard. These home coffee shops markettheir businesses through Instagram and sell at vendor fairs throughout the valley.

"Indio is the largest city and has the most full time residents," said Ortega. "We like the consistency of having year-round customers that we can build relationships with."

Everbloom's current setup involves their coffee cart and a few outdoor tent structures while they finish construction inside their building. But don't be fooled by the pop-up appearance of their operation: Ittakes them about three hours total to set up and take down.

On the weekend, there's a majority ofyounger coffee lovers at Everbloom,butother members of the community fathers, older couples can be found enjoying their coffee. While you canexpect a line at any hour of the day, there isn'ta long wait. There's usually another person on the register while Mercado and Ortega work the orders. Theyonly useone coffee machine, but work quickly and most single orders are done by the time you've finished your transaction.

Localssay they support them because they now have a new place to enjoy coffee closer to home. Customers have toldOrtegathey were previously forced to drive to Palm Desert or Palm Springs to find good coffee.

"I work at Indio High School and Everbloomis a big hit" with the staff, educator Amy Douglas told The Desert Sun. "I heard about them from my friends and now I make excuses to come get coffee here."

Customers have said theylike that Mercado and Ortega are from the community providing a service to the community.

According to Ortega, their Instagram analytics show that 75% of their followers live in Indio and Coachella.

Other customers have mentionedthat Sixth Street Coffee,whose ownershavebeen supportive of Everbloom, is their coffee destination during the days that Everbloom is not open.

"Our numbers have actually increased during the pandemic," Steve Garcia, the owner of Sixth Street Coffee, told The Desert Sun. "We've grown in how many team members we have. I credit our customer base to the customer service that my staff provides."

Customer service is something Everbloom also takes seriously.From the moment you place your order, the two only refer to you byyour first name.

"They asked me about my day and how work is going,"Marcella Flores said recentlyas she grabbed her iced coffee. "I like that they are home grown and they care about their customers. I've come every weekend since the start of quarantine."

More than coffee

Mercado and Ortega say they want their business to be honest and transparent. Theyalsowant to give back to their community.

This past summer the Everbloom owners set up their cart atone of the Black Lives Matter protests that took place in Palm Springs and donated free coffee to attendees.Ortega said they want Everbloom to be a safe space thatwelcomes everyone.

The duo hopes to collaboratewith other local businesses in the future and providebaked goods in addition to their coffee.

A goal of theirs is to get involved in programsthat better the valley, including being part of a coalition of Latino business owners. They also want to start aprogram that will teach residentsabout the finances involved in starting theirown business.

The city of Indio hasbeen supportive of Everbloom. Indio Mayor Glenn Millerhelped expedite its permit and businesslicense so they could continue selling out of their cart.

"Miller was a big helpand told us that Indio welcomes entrepreneurs," said Ortega.

It's not uncommonforcities to help local businesses'development.

In 2018 the city of Coachella assisted Sixth Street in starting their coffee business with an economic development incentive. During its first year of operation, the shop wasexempt from paying permitting and planning fees to the cityand received a subsidized lease rate.

On the menu: Coffee with a twist

Everbloom's menu features traditional coffee shopfavoriteslike cappuccinos, americanos and cold brews, but what makes them stand out are their homemade syrups. Customers can choose to add Madagascar vanilla, honey lavender, butterscotch or mocha to their drinks. They alsoserve chai for non-coffee fans and offer oat milk as a substitute.

Everbloom Coffee is currently only open three days a week due to the construction of their shop. Those wanting to trytheir coffee or chai all week can order ahalf-gallon batchby visiting their website.

If you go

Mercado and Ortega are currently working on building theirlocation in Indio and plan to open their doors in December.

The Everbloom Coffee cart is located in Indiooff Highway 111 and Granada Drive. They are currently open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Those wanting to order from Everbloom Coffee can do so at http://www.everbloom.coffee

Amaray Alvarezis an intern at The Desert Sun. You may reach her at amaray.alvarez@desertsun.com.

Efrain Mercado and Matthew Ortega have a few things in common.

They both grew up in the Coachella Valley,share a passion for coffee andwere tired of working at coffee shops in Palm Springs.

In November 2019 they decided to share their love for coffee with their community by starting their own business,Everbloom Coffee.

In the past few months, Everbloom has quickly become a favorite spot in the east valley as residents and patrons expresstheir support for thebusiness, specifically through social media posts.

"Starting the day off in a good way," wrote Eric Afan on Instagram under a picture of his Everbloom coffee cup.

View post:
Everbloom Coffee began with a cart. Meet the duo behind the popular coffee spot in Indio - Desert Sun

Shiver me timbers, porch pirates are back!

Well, actually they never really left. You'll find thieves taking packages from porches year-round, but with more people staying home during the pandemic comes an increase in online shopping and that means 'tis the season for thieves to take advantage.

Spokane teacher Kathleen Messersmith found that out the hard way this week.

"These guy are apparently not even checking for cameras because they walked right in front of two at least," Messersmith told me on Wednesday. "There was a missed doorbell (notification) at 3:04 pm and then a motion sensor (notification) went off at 3:23 pm."

Kathleen had plenty of precautions in place. She had cameras running and there was even someone home when her packages were brazenly taken in broad daylight, but not even 20 minutes after her three packages were dropped off by her mail carrier, they were gone.

"Somebody just walked up, grabbed three packages, ran back to their car and drove off," Kathleen said.

And after posting the photos and video from her security cameras online, Kathleen found out she wasn't the only one.

"I got at least three other people saying they were hit by the same guy," Kathleen added. "It's really frustrating that it was that quick and it sounds like this car was following the mail man."

"We are aware that thieves use that tactic where they will actually follow delivery vehicles," Spokane Police Sgt. Terry Preuninger said Wednesday morning. "They will stake neighborhoods out and will randomly drive around and be opportunist."

While it's too early in the season to tell exactly how much of an uptick Spokane Police are seeing in package thefts, every year like clockwork, it's an issue.

While you may not get an immediate response, depending on what else is happening and resources available for that day, Sgt. Preuninger said reporting the thefts, no matter how small is important.

"We expect to see it through the holidays," Sgt. Preuninger said. "Fighting crime is a partnership between the community and police. We encourage people to watch out for their neighbors, to protect themselves, but we want you to work with us because we are the people who can often bring the best results."

Kathleen did report her theft to Crime Check and then posted the images on social media in hopes that someone will know the thief.

Sgt. Preuninger said while posting those images to social media can help, citizens who have evidence like that need to make sure they get it to police as well, which is something that can be facilitated through Crime Check (509-456-2233).

Kathleen told me she let Crime Check know she had the video and pictures of the thief, but so far has not been contacted by police to get it.

"I'm trying to get the word out as much as possible since it's popped up that so many people were hit by these people," Kathleen said. "I think there's a good chance that we can all collaborate as a community and get this problem addressed a little bit more."

Kathleen's says the thief got away with a lightbulb, a light display for her TV and perhaps most tragic in all of this, a Christmas gift from her obviously awesome husband: A burrito blanket.

Honestly, our dog would've eaten it so it was more funny as 'look what I was going to get you' rather than actually having it in our house." Kathleen said laughing while trying to find the humor in her situation. "I'm imagining these thieves opening up a package expecting something awesome for Christmas and they get a giant fleece blanket that looks like a tortilla. That kind of almost made my day, but it serves them right."

Porch pirates will often try to sell their bounty online so it's important if you are looking to buy things on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, that you are doing your homework, too.

"If it's too good to be true, often it is," Sgt. Preuninger said. "Doesn't mean that anybody selling something privately like that is wrong, but you need to be responsible because if you take on stolen property you may be exposing yourself to what could be criminal activity, depending on a myriad of circumstances like 1.) How obvious was it that that deal was too good to be true, 2.) What were the circumstances? 3.) What did the other person say?, etc. If I buy a watch from someone and it's engraved and they can't explain why it's engraved and they're selling it for what I think is 1/10th of the value, that's a problem."

If you do your own investigating and happen to find what you think is your stolen property for sale online, again, police want you to call them first.

"You've done some investigating and you think you're going to try and recover your stolen property, we would like you to involve us," Sgt. Preuninger said. "We've had instances where people were 100 percent sure they've found their stolen property and they go to recover it and it turns out they were wrong. You can only imagine the dilemma that causes."

Kathleen told me Amazon did issue a refund, so while they aren't out any money, they are out one magnificent tortilla blanket.

When it comes to ordering online, Spokane Police recommend a security camera, specific delivery instructions for drivers, alternate and secure delivery locations like work or an Amazon locker, being home when you know more valuable items will be delivered, connecting with your neighbors and looking out for each other, and again, reporting the theft to crime check.

If you have a Ring security system, you can also opt-in to local public safety agency video requests. If enabled, you will receive notifications when local public safety agencies are looking for information relevant to an investigation. Ring states on their website that the feature does not grant public safety agencies the ability to see your video recordings "unless you explicitly choose to share them by responding to a video request." More information on that program can be found here.

Read the original here:
Porch Pirates out in full force this holiday season: 'I got at least three people saying they were hit by the same guy' - KHQ Right Now

Kenyon Martin recently reflected on the good ole days in the NBA when players could play with a high level of physicality, unlike in todays game.

As Martin made his case for enforcers, the former New Jersey Nets power forward also mentioned how there were some players who were fake tough on the floor calling out Kevin Garnett in the process.

There were some guys like that back when I played, too. Kevin Garnett was a porch puppy a miniature chihuahua in a Dobermanns body. I told him to his face, Youre a porch puppy. All you do is bark. He never wanted smoke from me, Martin wrote for BasketballNews.com. I told him straight up, You better take your [expletive] back to your huddle before I get mad. Dahntay Jones heard it; you can ask him.

Garnett caught wind of what Martin said, along with all the talk that followed.

The hall of fame big man let everyone know on Instagram that all is well between him and Martin, per Brandon Scoop B Robinson of Heavy.com:

Real bros, real love. Stop it internet. Yall stop it!

More here:
Kevin Garnett reacts to Kenyon Martin calling him a 'porch puppy' - Nets Wire

Online shoppers should be aware of porch pirates - people stealing packages from unsuspecting homeowners. In fact, package theft is at an all-time high since so many people are using online services. Although certain crimes occur more often around the holidays, the U.S. Postal Service has a few ways you can keep your packages safe from thieves.

Dont leave delivered packages unattended. If possible, dont leave delivered packages unattended for long periods of time.

Take advantage of online tracking services offered by retailers; if the company says it was delivered but its not at the delivered address, report it.

Consider monitoring the front door. If you have a home security camera system, make sure it captures activity at your front door and mailbox. If you catch any mail thieves in the act, save the video and alert your local Postal Inspectors. Video surveillance goes a long way in preventing crimes and catching bad guys.

Customize the delivery. If you know the package is going to be larger than the mailbox, authorize the carrier to leave it in a specified out-of-sight location. You can also request pick-up at their facility.

Secure the shipment. Signature confirmations ensure that the package ends up in the right hands. Register your most valuable packages so special care and documentation are used every step of the way. Ship your packages to where you are, not where you arent.

Talk to employers. See if they'll agree to have packages delivered to the workplace instead of the home address.

Watch for suspicious activity. Some thieves follow delivery trucks waiting for the opportune time to steal packages. If you notice something out of place in your neighborhood, report it to the proper authorities with specific details.

Report it to BBB Scam Tracker to help warn others if you or someone you know has been affected by stolen packages.

For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin BBB at http://www.bbb.org/wisconsin, 414-847-6000 or 1-800-273-1002. Consumers also can find more information about how to protect themselves from scams by following the Wisconsin BBB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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Take steps to avoid being the victim of porch pirates - HNGnews.com

SPRINGFIELD, Ga. (WSAV) The Effingham County Sheriffs Office says Christmas was saved for a few families after a team of porch pirates was arrested.

According to the sheriffs office, authorities became aware of a video circulating from a doorbell camera on Monday showing a white male with long blonde hair snatching a package from a porch and running back to a car.

The video showed a 2007 Honda Accord driving away from the house.

ECSO says on Tuesday, Deputy John Morris saw the vehicle and pulled the driver over. Mariah Harley, 23, who was driving the car, admitted to being involved in the package theft and was arrested.

Morris also discovered that 22-year-old John Maddox, believed to be the suspect caught on camera, was arrested that same night on an unrelated warrant.

The sheriffs office says a total of four people were involved.

Harley and Maddox will be charged with several counts of theft by taking and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Another person, Angel Standbury, 27, will be charged with party to a crime. The fourth person involved is a juvenile.

According to ECSO, several packages were recovered and returned to their owners, thanks to the investigation.

During this busy time of year, criminals will try to take full advantage, the sheriffs office stated. If youre ordering your gifts online, consider trying to be home when they are slated for delivery or asking a friend or relative to pick your packages up to keep them safe until your return.

Anyone can report suspicious activity to 912-754-3449 or anonymously via text to 847411.

Read more:
Several packages recovered after team of porch pirates arrested in Effingham Co. - WSAV-TV

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has notified customers in targeted portions of 15 counties and five tribal communities about a potential Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) starting early Monday morning (Dec. 7). Dry conditions combined with expected high wind gusts pose an increased risk for damage to the electric system that has the potential to ignite fires in areas with dry vegetation.

High fire-risk conditions are expected to arrive late Sunday evening with high winds forecast to continue until into early Monday morning, peaking in strength during the day Monday, and possibly lingering in some regions through early Tuesday. Once the strong winds subside, PG&E crew will patrol the de-energized lines to ensure they were not damaged during the severe weather. PG&E will safely restore power as quickly as possible, with the goal of restoring most customers within 12 daylight hours, based on weather conditions.

While there is still uncertainty regarding the strength and timing of this weather wind event, the shutoff is forecasted to affect approximately 130,000 customers in targeted portions of 15 counties, including Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Lake, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Sierra, Sonoma, Tulare, Tuolumne, and Yuba, as well as five tribal communities.

The highest probability areas for this PSPS are the Sierra foothills; the North Bay mountains and portions of the Central Coast. This is not expected to be a widespread event in the Bay Area at this time.

Potential Public Safety Power Shutoff: What People Should Know

The potential PSPS event is still more than two days away. PG&E in-house meteorologists as well as staff in its Wildfire Safety Operation Center and Emergency Operation Center will continue to monitor conditions closely, and additional customer notifications will be issued as we move closer to the potential event.

Customer notificationsvia text, email and automated phone callbegan late this afternoon, approximately two days prior to the potential shutoff. Customers enrolled in the companys Medical Baseline program who do not verify that they have received these important safety communications will be individually visited by a PG&E employee with a knock on their door when possible. A primary focus will be given to customers who rely on electricity for critical life-sustaining equipment.

Potentially Affected Customers

Here is a list of customers by county who could be potentially affected by this PSPS event.

*The following Tribal Community counts are included within the County level detail above.

Why PG&E Calls a PSPS Event

When extreme weather conditions are forecasted, PG&E considers proactively turning off power for safety, as such weather conditions increase the potential for damage and hazards to PG&Es electric infrastructure, which could cause sparks if lines are energized. These conditions also increase the potential for rapid fire spread.

State officials classify more than half of PG&Es 70,000-square-mile service area in Northern and Central California as having a high fire threat, given dry grasses and the high volume of dead and dying trees. The states high-risk areas have tripled in size over the last seven years.

No single factor drives a PSPS, as each situation is unique. PG&E carefully reviews a combination of criteria when determining if power should be turned off for safety. These factors generally include, but are not limited to:

Improved Watch and Warning Notifications

In response to customer feedback requesting more timely information to prepare for a potential PSPS event, PG&E will provide improved Watch and Warning notifications this year.

Whenever possible, an initial Watch notification will be sent two days in advance of a potential PSPS event. One day before the potential PSPS event, an additional Watch notification will go out, notifying customers of the possibility of a PSPS event in their area based on forecasted conditions.

A PSPS Watch will be upgraded to a Warning when forecasted conditions show that a safety shutoff will be needed. Whenever possible, Warning notifications will be sent approximately four to 12 hours in advance of the power being shut off.

Both Watch and Warning notifications are directly tied to the weather forecast, which can change rapidly.

As an example of how notifications have been improved in 2020, customers will see the date and time when power is estimated to be shut off as well as the estimated time for restoration. These notifications will be provided two days before the power goes out. Last year, the estimated time of restoration was not provided until after the power had been turned off.

Outage and Backup Power Safety

While backup power can be helpful during an outage, it can also pose safety hazards when not used correctly. Improper use can risk damage to your property, or endanger the lives of you, your family, or PG&E crews who may be working to restore power.

If you have a stand-by generator, make sure that its installed safely and inform PG&E to avoid risking damage to your property and endangering PG&E workers. Information on the safe installation of generators can be found on our website at http://www.pge.com/generator.

Heres Where to Go to Learn More

Smaller, Shorter, Smarter PSPS events

Learning from past PSPS events, PG&E has been making events smaller in size, shorter in length and smarter for customers in 2020.

Community Resource Centers Reflect COVID-Safety Protocols

The sole purpose of a PSPS is to reduce the risk of major wildfires during severe weather. While a PSPS is an important wildfire safety tool, PG&E understands that losing power disrupts lives, especially for customers sheltering-at-home in response to COVID-19.

During PSPS events, PG&E opens temporary Community Resource Centers (CRCs) to support our customers. These temporary CRCs are open to customers when power is out at their homes and provide ADA-accessible restrooms and hand-washing stations; medical-equipment charging; Wi-Fi; bottled water; and non-perishable snacks.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, all CRCs follow important health and safety protocols including:

PG&Es CRCs in 2020 have been improved from those in 2019. In addition to using existing indoor facilities, PG&Es CRCs include outdoor, open-air sites in some locations and large commercial vans in other locations. CRC format will depend on a number of factors, including input from local and tribal leaders. Supplies are handed out in grab-and-go bags at outdoor CRCs so most customers can be on their way quickly.

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 23,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.

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Potential Early Monday PSPS Event: Forecasted High Winds and Dry Conditions Mean PG&E Might Need to Proactively Turn Off Power for Safety in Targeted...

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Please replace the release issued Dec. 1, 2020 with the following corrected version due to multiple revisions.

The updated release reads:

GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE POWER WINDOW MOTOR MARKET TO GENERATE $ 518 MILLION REVENUE DURING 2020-2024 | 59% GROWTH TO ORIGINATE FROM APAC | TECHNAVIO

The automotive power window motor market is expected to grow by USD 518.04 million, progressing at a CAGR of over 2% during the forecast period.

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The growing adoption of the power window system is one of the major factors propelling the market growth. However, factors such as the high chances of power window motor malfunctioning will hamper growth.

More details: https://www.technavio.com/report/automotive-power-window-motor-market-industry-analysis

Automotive Power Window Motor Market: Application Landscape

Based on the application, the passenger car segment generated maximum revenue to the market in 2019. This can be attributed to the introduction of the power window system as a standard feature in entry and mid-segment vehicles. The market growth in the segment will be significant over the forecast period.

Automotive Power Window Motor Market: Geographic Landscape

By geography, APAC is going to have a lucrative growth during the forecast period. About 59% of the markets overall growth is expected to originate from APAC. The growth of the market in APAC can be attributed to factors such as the adoption of advanced automobile safety systems such as power window system and the introduction of safety and convenience features in mid-level and entry-level vehicles.

China, Japan, and India are the key markets for automotive power window motor in APAC. Market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the market in other regions.

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Global Automotive Windshield Market - Global automotive windshield market is segmented by vehicle type (passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles) and geography (APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and MEA). Click Here to Get an Exclusive Free Sample Report

Global Automotive Speed Sensor Market - Global automotive speed sensor market is segmented by application (passenger cars and commercial vehicles) and geography (APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and MEA). Click Here to Get an Exclusive Free Sample Report

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Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

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Geographic Landscape

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Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavios report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavios comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View original post here:
CORRECTING and REPLACING Global Automotive Power Window Motor Market to Generate $ 518 Million Revenue During 2020-2024 | 59% Growth to Originate from...