BASSETT, Neb. Mandy Davis is behind the front desk of the Bassett Lodge at 11 p.m. to hand you your room key a big, old-fashioned brass thing on a hefty blue key chain.

Shes there at 7:30 a.m. the next morning, making sure the coffees hot for the local womens bridge group.

Shes there through the Sand Hills high tourist season, when the Range Cafe and historic hotels rooms fill up with sand-covered Niobrara River tubers. Shes there in early fall, when Sturgis bikers stop on their way to the South Dakota rally. And shes there in the middle of winter, when a raging blizzard that drops a foot and a half cant keep locals out of the dining room.

That dedication can be expected from Mandy and her husband, Dale, who, with no experience in either hotels or restaurants, took over the architectural gem to ensure it stays open and Bassett, population 562, stays on the map.

Mandy laughs, and shakes her head when she thinks about the past year and a half, 18 months that changed her life and Dales life, and their six childrens lives, too. She laughs when she thinks about how taking over the about-to-close Bassett Lodge and Range Cafe the heart, some say, of this north-central Nebraska town changed everything for them.

You want to know the truth? Mandy asks. We love this community. I dont know what it would be like without this place.

The Bassett Lodge opened in 1951 on the town's main street to cater to livestock buyers and Sand Hills tourists.

The Bassett Lodge and Range Cafe is the sort of place that nowadays exists only on picture postcards, a relic of a past when cattle buyers descended on small Nebraska towns like this one for booming livestock sales. Those ranchers needed a place to socialize and spend the night, and the Bassett Lodge became famous for providing just that. Now, livestock sales have consolidated, and only a handful of sale barns remain.

The Lodge opened in 1951 on the towns main street, a fine example of art moderne architecture, with its glass-block windows and simple dark-brick facade with rounded corners.

The vintage lobby a time warp of decor, changed little since 51 is made of mahogany wood and trim, with padded green wainscoting and a low fireplace along one wall. Green couches and comfortable chairs fill the space, dating from a time when guests preferred to mingle in the lobby instead of hunker down with cellphones in their rooms.

A switchboard that used to send calls to guests still sits behind the front desk. To its right, a painting of a curly-haired bull called Grand Pappy seems an especially appropriate welcome committee. In the adjoining Range Cafe, a long diner-style bar has its original low, swivel stools. Green and brown booths mirror the color scheme of the lobby. Its a comfortable spot both for tourists and locals, and its story, by this point, is Bassett legend.

Two generations of the Lackoff family ran the hotel for decades. Under their hand, the decor remained unchanged for a half-century. A group of business owners took the hotel over and kept it open.

Gale Simmons and Tony Ford, brother and sister, took it over around 2012. They added and renovated bathrooms, updated the beds and added television sets. Simmons and Ford put the hotel on the market in 2015; few buyers came forward. Late that year, they announced the hotel would close. The plan was to auction off the historic decor and contents of the cafe.

Potential buyers came forward. The Davises were the only ones from Bassett.

Dale had moved to town in 2001, when he started working for Nebraska Game and Parks. Mandy moved there in 2012.

Hes originally from Decatur, and shes from Sargent. Though theyre not natives, they both said sustaining the Lodge became a passion.

The Lodge closed for two weeks in December 2015, before the Davises officially took over, and opened again in January under their control. Ford stuck around to cook and help Mandy and Dale learn the ropes a huge help, she said, especially because they had not worked in the hospitality world. (Mandy formerly worked as a medical lab technician, and Dale still works for Game and Parks as a conservation officer.)

There was a lot of relief, said Marty Moravec, vice president of the Bassett Chamber of Commerce. When one of the major businesses in town closes, it seems like the rest of them arent far behind. It was a huge relief knowing it would stay open.

The hotel and cafe are no easy beast to care for, and Dale has become intimate with the quirks of this old place.

The main short-term goal: to keep everything running. The long-term goals: to install individual climate controls in each room. Dale would like to update one of the pods of rooms on the hotels second floor that have one shared bathroom for a few rooms and market them to cyclists riding the nearby Cowboy Trail. Theyd like to install more electrical outlets and finish remodeling every room.

We have never done anything like this, Dale said. I was in the Marines. Thats similar.

Someone has to stay at the Lodge every night Its a 24/7 business, Dale said and back in the day, the Bassett Lodge had a full staff. Not so these days. Either Dale or Mandy is there four nights a week, and an employee stays the rest of the nights. When the Davises spend the night, they stay in an apartment thats big enough for the two of them and the four of their children who still live at home. (The two oldest are in college.)

Its been a big change for the whole family, Mandy said. Our kids are being raised here.

Clockwise from left, Bassett residents Mary Morton, Faye Smith and Sharon Bussinger play bridge with Melissa Osentowski of Rose, Nebraska.

The familys gotten support from travelers, especially this time of year, but also from Bassett residents.

We have a lot of return guests, Dale said. People who come here every summer, or people who grew up here and come back.

When class reunion season comes around, the Lodge lobby is busy with parties. The same goes for graduation season. And the cafe gets packed with locals on the weekends and, on weekday mornings, with retirees.

Small towns are very supportive, Dale said.

Mary Morton, who plays bridge in the Lodges lobby, saw the hotel being built as a child in Bassett and said little has changed since then, both in how the hotel looks and the role it plays in Bassett.

The cafe is a social hub, she said. It means a lot to the town. If it closed, the town would just kind of shut down.

Moravec agrees: From a tourism standpoint, its huge. And for the locals, it provides another place to eat, which is a nice option in a town of 600-some people.

Since the Davises took over, Moravec said even more locals are supporting the cafe.

The scare of it not being there maybe influenced more people to give them some business, he said. People love seeing, especially in todays day and age, the whole family working together for a common goal.

The Davises do rely on their kids for help around the hotel. But even after theyre all grown and gone, Mandy and Dale are in the Bassett Lodge for the long haul.

I couldnt face the people in town if we sold it, she said. We arent quitters.

Food critic Sarah Baker Hansen is from Omaha. Columnist Matthew Hansen grew up in Red Cloud. As a married couple they travel Nebraska to share with each other little-known people, unexpected stops and memorable foods. Come along and discover more of what the state has to offer in "The Better Half," an occasional series prepared with support from the Nebraska Community Foundation.

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With no experience, family keeps hotel, cafe and small Nebraska town from shutting down - Omaha World-Herald

Over the 17 years we lived in a 1939 brick Colonial, my husband and I periodically flirted with more modern houses. We came close to buying three of them but never went for it until last summer. After 15 years of writing about home design, I knew going in that several spaces were more before than after. Still, the post-and-beam home in Arlingtonbuilt by the Acorn Deck House Company in 1990checked all our boxes for style and setting, with its open spaces and huge windows framing a nature trail and a wooded hillside.

Thanks to all the time Ive spent writing about other peoples projects, I wasnt too worried about diving into one of my ownwhich isnt to say everything went as planned. Initially, we budgeted about $115,000 to focus on remodeling the kitchen and waterproofing the basement. We wound up redoing both areas, plus two others, spending more than $140,000, and living in the house for all but two weeks of the construction. Here are my notes on what we learned along the way.

Budgeted:$100,000.

Spent:$100,675.

Time estimated:Six weeks.

Time it took:Eight weeks.

Among other problems, the original kitchens laminate cabinets were nearly hanging off their hinges, and the island was inexplicably small. Though the galley layout was sound, we enlisted Nadia Subaran of Aidan Design to figure out how to fit a larger island, extend the counters the length of the wall, and help us pick countertops and cabinets. Her team seamlessly incorporated our choices for appliances, hardware, and finishes into the layout. When you hire a professional design firm like Subarans, you can expect to pay for an initial site visit, measurements, and drawingswhich cost about $2,500and to buy the big-ticket items such as countertops and cabinetry through that company.

I think its worth hiring pros because they shepherd the whole project for you, helping keep you on time and budget. Of the money we spent on the kitchen, more than $52,000 went to Aidan Designand, full disclosure, that was after Subaran gave us an unsolicited 10-percent discount because were friends. We still went slightly over our original budget because we splurged on handmade pendant lights from Hubbardton Forge and custom barstools from Willem Smith.

Biggest headache:The main living areas were behind plastic sheeting for two months, and the construction dust still got everywhere. Meals consisted of frozen dinners zapped in a microwave set up in the lower-level family room.

Unforeseen issue:We had major problems with the down-draft vent that rises behind our stove. The appliance salesman gave us incomplete measurements, so the cabinet guys didnt leave enough space for the exhaust ducts when they installed the cabinetry around the range. Luckily, this kind of ductwork can be installed in a variety of configurations, though it took two more weeks to come up with a solution and about $250 in extra parts to get it right.

Best bang for the buck:Our quartzite island countertop, called Taj Mahal. Its coloring and scale unify the kitchen and family room. The 12-foot-3-inch slab cost more than $10,000but makes me smile every day. We eat most of our meals there, and it doubles as a buffet.

Budgeted:$0.

Spent:$13,282.

Time estimated:Two weeks.

Time it took:Four weeks.

A gigantic space overlooking the entry was large enough for two rooms, but it didnt have a clear purpose and it felt cold and unfriendly. While we didnt initially planor budgetto redo it, we decided it was now or never. Like the basement, it felt like a monumental waste of space not to get any real use, and we still didnt have a place for our books and record albums. So we raided our savings accounts to turn it into an inviting library and office area, with plenty of storage.

Grasscloth-like vinyl paper now covers the walls, which are wrapped in custom oak shelving. I got advice from several interior-designer friends during the reno, including a tip from Andrea Houck that vinyl paper is ideal for shelves

because books and other items wont scuff it. My husband, Jim, designed the shelves, which include a built-in desk and clever hanging wood panels that screen the TV and stereo equipment.

Biggest headache:Jim had a hard time explaining to the carpenters how he envisioned the TV/stereo screen workingit hangs on a roller track, similar to sliding closet doorsplus they kept losing his plans.

Unforeseen issue:What were supposed to be 13-inch shelves to hold 12-inch record albums were cut an inch too shallow. The carpenters installed and stained all that beautiful oak before we realized their error. They had to cut, stain, and attach an extra inch of hidden wood in back. Because it was their fault, they didnt charge for the extra work and materials.

Biggest bang for the buck:Using screen panels instead of fully enclosed cabinetry to hide the TV and stereo components saved us thousands.

Budgeted:$0.

Spent:$1,500.

Time estimated:Two days.

Time spent:Two days.

This is another room that wasnt initially on our renovation radar, but with each passing day after we moved in, the dark, depressing little space became more of an irritation. Wed already finished the basement, then the kitchen, then the library. After making it through nearly six months of work, tacking on a two-day update to the powder room seemed well worth it. We found a fantastic vanity for $875 on Overstock.com that complemented the aspen-tree wallpaper Id been eyeing. Sconces from Schoolhouse Electric added a mod touchand we kept the rooms only attractive feature, a white-framed mirror from Ikea.

Biggest headache:We initially bought peel-and-stick wallpaper, but our paper-hanger, Michael DiGuiseppe, told us to return it and get the real stuff. Peel-and-stick isnt printed on paper, he explained, and tends to have a cheap, plastic-like sheen. Also, real wallpaper is easier to install. DiGuiseppes advice was spot-on, but the return process was a pain.

Unforeseen issue:Not a big deal, butthe light switch. Normally, switches are to the right of door frames as you enter a room, but because this door originally opened inward and to the right, the switch is on the left. I still reach to the right every time I go in.

Biggest bang for the buck:When the door opened inward, it blocked the vanity and you had to back up to the toilet just to close the door. We asked our contractors to change the hinges so the door opens out. This tiny changewhich cost nothingmade the room feel so much bigger.

Budgeted:$15,000.

Spent:$24,800.

Time estimated:Two weeks.

Time it took:Five weeks.

We went in for waterproofing reasonsan old French drain needed to be replaced. But we quickly realized that with a little sprucing up, we could fit much more than storage in the 1,000-square-foot basement.

We tiled the concrete floor, installed decent lighting, and painted. Now the kids can watch TV while playing pool, and my husband and I can use the workout area. We kept the other half of the room for storage.

Biggest headache:Not being able to store stuff down there for so long. We had boxes crammed in everywhere upstairs.

Unforeseen issue:Painting the ceiling, rafters, and overhead ductwork achieved the intended effectit almost feels as if theres no ceilingbut we didnt know that when you paint ducts, youre not supposed to turn on the air conditioning until theyre dry. Because the cold air created condensation, it was raining paint the morning after we moved in, during the thick of Julys heat.

Biggest bang for the buck:Painting the space for $2,850 rather than spending an extra $10,000 to install drywall. The crisp white walls and dark ceiling truly transformed this dingy basement.

Jennifer Sergent, a design writer in Arlington, blogs at dcbydesignblog.com.

This article appears in theAugust2017issue of Washingtonian.

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Before and After: Behind the Scenes of My $140000 Home Remodel - Washingtonian.com

First-time homeowners took advantage of the solid bones of their 1904 house and added longevity, function and beauty.

JEFF PELLETIER APPROACHED the achy Queen Anne Craftsman like a skilled orthopedic surgeon, noting the age of the patient, assessing her weary bones and ultimately knocking her out and opening her up.

This was a major operation.

This is the first home for Kaitlyn and Jason Tamulonis, and its an old one, built in 1904. They loved its walkable neighborhood, its proximity to family and its charming aesthetic, but it had been limping along with painfully poor circulation since an unfortunate remodeling incident in the 1980s.

Assorted ailments included a sunken family-room addition that was like two separate homes next to each other; an enormous master bath with no shower; a massive master bedroom with no closets; and a series of really tiny, closed-off rooms, says architect Pelletier, of Board & Vellum.

A lot of older homes typically have large, open spaces; this was the most cramped house Ive ever worked on, he says. Early on, like a ball of string, we could slowly pull it all out and have it make sense. We tried to keep what we could, but the whole house was gutted.

And now its cured, thanks to the fusion of a strong, central spine: one single staircase.

The biggest problem was staircases everywhere: The front stair was like a dollhouse staircase, super-tiny; the one to the basement was like a ramp; and the addition had two staircases to the basement, Pelletier says. The staircase kind of designed the house. Solving the stair problem allowed everything else to happen.

Lots happened. By opening up the main floor, we created a grand space for entertaining, a quiet window seat off the entry and a generous mudroom at the back entrance, Pelletier says. The addition a few steps lower than the kitchen is now better integrated with the rest of the home. The house now has three full levels of living space, including a finished basement and second-floor master suite. Outside, theres a new front porch, an enlarged upper deck and a coordinating new two-car garage in back.

The result: beautiful, updated balance that works for the way a young family lives (Jason and Kaitlyn have a baby daughter, Julia, and a fuzzy pup, Kascade).

When youre planning, you look at compromises, Pelletier says. How do you turn whats there into opportunity? What battles do you fight? The goal was to have it all make sense, on a budget.

Smaller things made a big difference, Jason says. The upstairs front bedroom was slightly massaged and enlarged just enough after an earlier staircase vacated, says Pelletier, creating breathing room for a cozy nook.

Downstairs, expanded window wells pour light into Jasons office; a guest bedroom; and a big, open play area, where once there were crowded bedrooms, a utility space and a bizarre little bathroom aka, not a space you wanted to hang out, Pelletier says.

Off the family room, a mysteriously sited tall shower made way for a lovely mudroom, with built-in cubbies stuffed with baby and dog gear. And the newly proportional master suite gained a lovely shower and closet space.

Aside from that one critical, fully exposed staircase, Kaitlyn says, We dont feel like we splurged a lot. We got everything done in one go, with everything baby-friendly.

Like any professional with a first do no harm outlook, Pelletier is thrilled to have had a go at rejuvenation in the first place.

As first-time homebuyers, instead of tearing it down and building a box, they kept the bones that were there, he says. I love to remodel older homes. So many are chopped off. Theyre not sustainable. I feel like this remodel lasts another 100 years. The bones of the home are right now.

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A Queen Anne Craftsman gets a major remodel - The Seattle Times

Thanks to help from BB&TOswald Trippe and Company, visitors to the Kids' Room at Hope Hospice House in Fort Myers will be greeted by new toys and DVDs, a TV, artwork and fresh furnishings in a completely updated space that serves as a cheerful respite for children with family members in Hope's care.

After selecting Hope Hospice as the recipient of its Safeco Lighthouse Project grant, BB&T team members worked together with Hope to coordinate renovations throughout the summer.

"We had a great time remodeling the Kids' Playroom. We helped to create a warm and inviting place for children and parents to unwind while visiting their loved ones," said Stacey Mercado, marketing and sales development specialist at BB&TOswald Trippe and Company.

Photo provided

BB&T representatives, from left, Peaches Gendron, Melissa Wisniewski, Stacey Mercado, Eric Riemenschnei-der and Shernette Atkinson, with Samira K. Beckwith, right, the CEO and president of Hope Hospice

Updates to walls, flooring, furniture and decor completed the new playroom.

"We are so grateful to BB&T for volunteering their time and making the Kids' Room renovation a reality," said Samira K. Beckwith, president and CEO of Hope Healthcare. "Caring community partners like BB&T help us make a difference to the families we serve."

Hope Healthcare is a nonprofit health care organization dedicated to providing care and comfort to every individual and their loved ones as they fulfill life's journey.

Call 239-454-3100 or visit http://www.HopeHCS.org.

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BB&T - Oswald Trippe and Company helps with renovation of Kids' Room at Hope Hospice House - Cape Coral Daily Breeze

Serving Massillon, North Canton, Wadsworth & the surrounding areas since 1985, Quality Heating & Cooling is a locally-owned, family operated business dedicated to providing trustworthy and affordable services to our friends and neighbors. Through superior customer service and greater return from your investment, we earn your recommendation and build lasting relationships. Whether you are in need of new installation, retrofit, regular maintenance, or prompt repair of heating, cooling, air quality, or water heating systems, have complete confidence in Quality Heating & Cooling.

The team from Quality Heating & Cooling is experienced, NATE-certified, and consistently updated in evolving technology, techniques, and products. Through accurate diagnosis and by catering to your specific goals, we dont sell you something you dont need or advise unnecessary repairs or replacement of equipment. Participating in internal training programs and adhering to strict installation and service procedures, we target energy efficient, reliable, and sustainable operation from your essential systems.

We chose our name carefully, and live up to it in every job we complete. From proven products and materials, to every aspect of service, Quality Heating & Cooling is committed to your satisfaction. Convenient scheduling, punctual arrival, affordable pricing, friendly technicians, tidy job sites, and quick turnaround are a few of the ways we ensure a rewarding experience. Know that we consider our customers our neighbors and friends, and treat you as part of the family. Quality Heating & Cooling is standing by and readyto ensure expert service throughout Wadsworth, Medina, Fairlawn, Canal Fulton, Montrose-Ghent, Massillon, North Canton, Canton, Uniontown, Green, Hartville & Louisville, OH.

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Quality Heating & Cooling - Heating Repair Massillon, OH ...

KINGSTON, N.Y. >> Repairs were being made last week to the air conditioning system at City Hall.

Megan Weiss-Rowe, the citys director of communications and community engagement, said Wednesday the repairs had begun and were expected to be completed soon. She said the work was being done by Eastern Cooling and Heating of Albany.

The estimated cost of the repair was $18,982, Weiss-Rowe said.

The Common Council in July unanimously voted to transfer $20,000 from a contingency fund to the City Clerks Office budget to pay for repair of the air conditioning system.

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The system had stopped working June 12 and a contractor identified the problem as coming from a circuit breaker switch. A compressor assembly had also failed.

Some repairs were made to get the 17-year-old system working at partial capacity.

The initial estimate to repair the system was $17,000. The city did not need to seek bids for the repair because the expected cost was under $30,000.

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Kingston City Hall air conditioning under repair - The Daily Freeman

Low-income homeowners in Calistoga in need of financial help for making repairs or certain upgrades have an option thanks to two loan and grant programs offered through the City of Napas Housing Authority.

In 2013, Calistoga successfully assisted over 20 households in Calistoga with household repairs for their homes. For doing so, the City of Calistoga was rewarded about $600,000 in Community Development Block Grants to assist homeowners, said Sheral Brekke, of the City of Napas Housing Authority.

Loans of up to $60,000 for conventional homes, and up to about $20,000 for mobile homes can be made to low- or very-low income homeowners who meet certain criteria. These are 30-year-term, zero interest rate loans.

They have no monthly payments, and no upfront costs, Brekke said at the July 18 city council meeting. There are no costs to the homeowner and the balance is not due for 30 years or upon transfer of title, she said.

The housing authority also assists with the whole rehab process, Brekke said, including help with the scope of work, inspections before and after the work, bids, and hiring contractors.

Some of the eligible repairs include such things as energy-efficiency upgrades like dual-pane windows and new heating and cooling systems; accessibility improvements such as low-rise stairs, wheelchair lifts or low-threshold showers; maintenance items such as roof replacement, laminate flooring or painting; and seismic retrofitting such as water heater bracing or tie-down systems.

The housing authority also has an emergency home repair grant program with free to qualified owner-occupied homeowners in both conventional and mobile homes help with repairing items such as water heaters, roofs, heating and cooling systems, electrical and plumbing, and other household necessities.

For additional information or assistance contact Antonio Mejia, who speaks fluent Spanish, at 707-257-9356.

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Home repair financing available for low income Calistoga homeowners - Napa Valley Register

A redesigned superhero mural proposed for the retaining wall across from the Blount County Courthouse will be up for a vote again Monday.

The Maryville Downtown Design Review Board will revisit a request from David Laney, co-owner of The Golden Age, 1942 comic book store at 316 Court St., for a superhero-themed mural on the retaining wall that turns the corner at Court and High streets.

The retaining wall is on Laneys property.

While blank walls are discouraged in Maryvilles Office Transition zone, it is up to the DDRB to determine whether painted murals and other wall decorations are appropriate, according to the citys zoning ordinance.

The DDRB has been debating the concept of a superhero mural since their May meeting. Laney heeded the boards feedback, removing urban art elements that some DDRB members said resembled graffiti and, in the process, lost the local artists who designed the original proposal for him.

The mural the DDRB will see Monday is by artist Wesley Stout of Florida, who has 24 years of experience in fine art and murals, according to his website, and runs the Wesley Stout School of Art.

The new mural proposal features several superheroes running towards the viewer with mountains in the background, the citys Development Services staff writes in board members meeting packets. The rendering seems conceptual in style (no detail on superheroes, etc.). Will this be the style of the completed mural?

Appropriate is key

The primary questions before the DDRB, however, are whether any mural is appropriate at the location and, if so, is this particular mural appropriate based on subject matter/content, color and scale.

In many cities, murals are works of art, Development Services staff writes. These can become iconic for a city or district and can withstand changes of ownership.

At the same time, other murals in the past have been approved when tied to the business, staff adds.

One example is the mural the DDRB approved in August 2016 for Bike N Tri at 601 E. Broadway Ave. The mural proposed for the buildings wall facing Washington Street would depict biking, swimming and running with specific downtown Maryville landmarks in the background.

Murals do not count toward a businesss allotted signage if they do not include the business name, Development Services staff have noted at past meetings. Brackins Blues Club got the go-ahead from the DDRB last month to replace its existing mural with a design that eliminates the name of the venue for that reason.

Supporters speak

Supporters of Laneys proposed superhero mural showed up en masse in June, but the DDRB did not have a quorum to take a vote that night.

The board allowed supporters to voice their opinions for the record, however.

Laney pulled his request from the DDRBs July agenda as he continued to look for another artist or artists to complete the mural for him.

The DDRB meets at 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14, in the Maryville Municipal Centers Council Chambers, 400 W. Broadway Ave.

Any decision made by the board, which is an ad hoc advisory committee, will have to be validated by the Maryville Regional Planning Commission before it is final.

The Planning Commission meets at 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21, also in the Maryville Municipal Centers Council Chambers.

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Revised superhero mural due for decision Monday - Maryville Daily Times

After initially recommending project, staff objects to building heights, densities and proximity to Sarasota Bay

MANATEE COUNTY Having repeatedly recommended approval of the controversial Aqua by the Bay development, the Manatee County planning staff released a surprising report Saturday stating it now recommends that the County Commission deny the developer's land use application for a 529-acre site.

No one could have been more surprised than the picketers on Cortez Road, who were letting motorists know about their objections to Aqua by the Bay on Saturday afternoon.

While the residents rallied against the project planned to be built along Sarasota Bay, the county staff released the agenda for a Wednesday public hearing for which Aqua by the Bay is the only topic.

After the county Planning Commission voted 3-1 on Thursday to recommend denial, county planners evidently reconsidered their collective opinion. They now agree with the Planning Commission and hundreds of citizens who have expressed objections in person and in writing that the mixed-use community on Sarasota Bay is inconsistent with the countys land development code and comprehensive land use plan. The staff report specifically refers to building heights, the requested densities and the projects proximity to Sarasota Bay.

This is a BIG ONE, former County Commissioner Jane von Hahmann, an organizer of the opposition, quickly stated in an email. Staff is now recommending DENIAL!!!! I dont know about you but for me this is a huge Alleluia Praise the Lord!

Von Hahmann still urged objectors to the project to attend the 9 am. hearing Wednesday and reinforce the county staffs new findings to the County Commission.

Pete Logan, spokesman for the development team, said the county staffs review remains supportive of the plans but appears to be influenced recently by a change in an opinion by a consultant. Weve worked through a public process for 25 months understanding that compatibility and consistency were moving along smoothly, and these recent concerns had not been shared with our engineering team.

We are working to ensure Aqua by the Bay is a neighborhood that will benefit the entire community and the environment. And we remain positive that, in the end, it will be a point of pride for Manatee County.

Developers Carlos Beruff and Larry Liebermans Cargor Partners want to build on waterfront property commonly known as Long Bar Pointe. The county rejected a previous development proposal, called Long Bar Pointe, because it included a marina and a channel that environmentalists and Cortez fishermen said would harm fisheries in Sarasota Bay. The developers sued the county but lost in Circuit Court and appellate court.

Cargorsubmitted a new application called Aqua by the Bay a 529-acre development that could eventually include 2,384 multi-family units, 510 single-family homes and 78,000 square feet of commercial space.

Among other complaints, protestors objected to the height of the proposed high-rises as incompatible with the area and disrupting the scenic vista of the last unspoiled stretch of Sarasota Bay coastline.

In May, the County Commission sent Cargor back to the drawing board saying its original plan lacked details about the number of high-rises. Cargor later stipulated that it was planning four buildings at 145 feet, 12 buildings at 95 feet and an undetermined number of buildings ranging from 36 to 75 feet.

Buildings exceeding 35 feet in height require special approval of the County Commission.

Opponents also strenuously objected to what the developers called an estuary enhancement area or lagoon, and the opposition called a canal or a trench.

The 2.5-mile, man-made waterway running the length of the property would separate existing mangroves from an elevated mainland that would be behind a retaining wall. Separating the wall from the waterway would be a slope of planted native vegetation, the developers stated.

Opponents countered that the barrier would be a common seawall and that it would deprive the mangroves of sediments. The new waterway, they argued,would block the mangroves ability to migrate onto uplands as sea levels rise.

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Manatee County planners recommend against Aqua by the Bay - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Interface (NASDAQ: IFSIA) and Interface (NASDAQ:TILE) are both cyclical consumer goods & services companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, analyst recommendations, dividends, risk, valuation, earnings and institutional ownership.

Profitability

This table compares Interface and Interfaces net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Interface and Interface, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Interface has a consensus price target of $19.00, indicating a potential upside of 1.33%. Given Interfaces higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Interface is more favorable than Interface.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

92.2% of Interface shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.9% of Interface shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Dividends

Interface pays an annual dividend of $0.26 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.4%. Interface does not pay a dividend. Interface pays out 33.3% of its earnings in the form of a dividend.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Interface and Interfaces gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Interface has higher revenue and earnings than Interface.

Summary

Interface beats Interface on 9 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.

Interface Company Profile

Interface Inc. is engaged in design, production and sale of modular carpet, also known as carpet tile. As of January 1, 2017, the Company marketed its modular carpets in over 110 countries under the brand names Interface and FLOR. The Company operates through three segments: Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. The Company distributes its products through two primary channels, including direct sales to end users and indirect sales through independent contractors or distributors. The Company sells an antimicrobial chemical compound under the trademark Intersept that the Company incorporates in all of its modular carpet products. It also sells its TacTiles carpet tile installation system, along with a range of traditional adhesives and products for carpet installation and maintenance that are manufactured by a third party. It also provides turnkey project management services for national accounts and other customers through its InterfaceSERVICES business.

Interface Company Profile

Interface Inc. is engaged in design, production and sale of modular carpet, also known as carpet tile. As of January 1, 2017, the Company marketed its modular carpets in over 110 countries under the brand names Interface and FLOR. The Company operates through three segments: Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. The Company distributes its products through two primary channels, including direct sales to end users and indirect sales through independent contractors or distributors. The Company sells an antimicrobial chemical compound under the trademark Intersept that the Company incorporates in all of its modular carpet products. It also sells its TacTiles carpet tile installation system, along with a range of traditional adhesives and products for carpet installation and maintenance that are manufactured by a third party. It also provides turnkey project management services for national accounts and other customers through its InterfaceSERVICES business.

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Interface (IFSIA) & Interface (TILE) Critical Comparison - The Cerbat Gem