By Craig Manning | May 14, 2022

If you look at a northern Michigan events calendar for the next four months, the easy takeaway is that things are reverting to the way they were before COVID-19 put the regions tourism machine on ice. From the Traverse City Film Festival to the Interlochen Arts Festival, big summer traditions are roaring back to life throughout the region.

But while local businesses and festival organizers are ready to get back to normal, a total return to last decades way of life might not be possible. Northern Michigan still has a big problem to solve: a full-on labor shortage crisis.

A Nationwide ChallengePandemic-related economic disruptions led to the highest unemployment levels since the Great Depression. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in April 2020 was 14.7 percent. For perspective, even at the worst juncture of the Great Recession, unemployment maxed out at 10 percent.

The job market recovered during the latter half of 2020 and into 2021, but many employers still faced difficulties finding job candidates. For months, the common narrative was that heftier-than-usual government unemployment benefits were incentivizing millions of Americans to stay home and delay their return to the workforce. But those unemployment programs, most of them funded by the CARES Act, expired last September, and more than eight months later, many employers are still struggling to find help.

Nationally, unemployment dropped to 3.6 percent in Marchnear the historic lows it reached in late 2019. At the same time, robust economic recovery has created millions of new jobs. Taken together, these trends mean there arent enough workers to fill the jobs that are out there. In fact, Jerome Powell, chairman of the United States Federal Reserve, recently crunched the numbers and noted that there are currently 1.7-plus job openings for every unemployed working-age American.

A Perfect StormBut while the whole U.S. labor market is out of whack, northern Michigan has its own unique challenges that are making the problem particularly dire. Just ask Matt McCauley, CEO of Networks Northwest.

Launched in 1974, Networks Northwest offers a variety of programs to the 10-county northwest Lower Michigan region, which includes Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, and Wexford. Many of the organizations programs are aimed at helping businesses start, grow, and stay in the northern Michigan area, by navigating the challenges of talent recruitment and retention. Those challenges, McCauley says, have rarely been more pronounced for local employers than they are today.

Our situation is very, very real, McCauley tells the Express. And thats for a variety of reasons, chief among them the shifting of demographics within northwest Michigan. We have a one-two punch with regards to the labor shortages that the last two years have brought to us. First, we know that a large portion of labor shortages across all industries come from people leaving the workforcemany of them Baby Boomers that are retiring. And second, because we have historically been and continue to be a retirement destination, older people are coming to the region that have an expectation for goods and services.

The result, McCauley says, is a significant labor gap. On one side, there is a demand from northern Michigans growing population for services that span a variety of industries from restaurants and hospitality to new home construction to healthcare and senior care services. On the other side, most industries are dealing with the mass exodus of Boomers from the workforce, a phenomenon referred to as the Silver Tsunami.

The cynical read is that northern Michigan was always going to face a reckoning with its aging population someday. Data from the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan (AAA)which serves the same 10-county region as Networks Northwestindicates that members of the Baby Boomer and Silent Generation cohorts account for 125,213 of the regions 315,339 residents. Those numbers mean that nearly 40 percent of northwest Michigan residents will be over the age of 60 by 2025. Comparatively, the region has just 108,657 residents who fit into the two generations (Generation X and Millennial) currently driving the American workforce.

For his part, McCauley acknowledges that this particular labor gap has been present and growing in northern Michigan for a number of years now. But by quickening Boomer retirement ratesaccording to Bloomberg, more than three million Americans have retired early because of COVIDand by driving more people out of urban epicenters and toward places like northern Michigan, the pandemic has moved up the date for when the region will need to face its unbalanced population.

[This labor gap] is likely to be especially felt this summer, McCauley says. Because, knock on wood, this will be potentially our first normal summer since 2019. And theres going to be some pent-up demand associated with that.

The ShockwavesSo, where will locals or visitors notice the impacts of the regions growing labor challenges this summer? McCauley points to hospitality and tourism businessesincluding restaurants, bars, and retailersas the first impact points.

At minimum, youre going to see limited hours of operation, he predicts. Places are going to open later and/or close earlier than what they did pre-COVID. And thats simply based on the availability of labor. On the more extreme side, its likely you are going to see some businesses closenot because the market isnt there [for what theyre providing], but because they simply arent able to find a critical mass of workers to provide the level of service that is desired or needed.

Those disruptions in business schedules are already happening. One example is Amical, a long-running restaurant in downtown Traverse City that cut lunch out of its hours during the pandemic and has yet to bring it back.

Its on the radar, Amical Owner Dave Denison says of restoring the restaurants lunch service. Actually, weve developed what a lunch menu would be, should things settle out and we can attract more staff members again. But there are a lot of things that have to be taken care of first to fix staffing, and that includes predictable childcare and predictable school schedules.

The difference between now and before the pandemic is that Denison and his staff are throwing all their energy at nights, rather than taking the risk of spreading themselves too thin by expanding beyond their current daily 4pm-9pm hours. Other downtown Traverse City restaurants are taking a similar picking their spots approach, whether that means giving staff recharge time on Sundays and Mondays (Mama Lus and The Flying Noodle) or focusing specifically on the lunch hour (The Towne Plaza).

Of course, less consistent restaurant service could be a problem if northern Michigan does end up having its busiest tourism season of the decade so far. Filmmaker Michael Moore, who is currently working to relaunch the Traverse City Film Festival for its first year since 2019, worries what understaffed hospitality businesses might mean for events like his.

At least right now, many of the downtown restaurants dont open until 5pm because they cant get the workers, Moore says. Well, how do you think the Traverse City Film Festival is going to run? We start showing movies at 9am. Theres not going to be places for breakfast? Or lunch? Clearly, theres a problem here, and its a hurdle that weve got to figure out how to get over.

Moore alludes to northern Michigans dearth of affordable housing as perhaps the biggest problem for building a young, vibrant working class in the region.

McCauley concurs and points out another half-dozen industries that, just like hospitality and tourism, are getting hit hard because workers cant live in the region affordably. Construction and other skilled trades, childcare jobs, positions in healthcare (particularly around senior care), and other roles, McCauley says, are hard to fill now and may only become more challenging as demographic shifts and population growth continue impacting the region.

No Silver BulletSo, whats the solution to northern Michigans labor crisis?

Beyond the obvious answers, like higher wages and better healthcare benefits, McCauley sees three main strategies that employers can implement right nowhousing, childcare, and job flexibilitythat might help attract candidates to hard-to-fill positions. Longer term, he predicts other fixeslike automation and international laborbecoming more prevalent in northern Michigan communities as ways to keep the economy revving.

As for an immediate, all-encompassing, foolproof fix?

There is not, in my view, a silver bullet, McCauley says. If there was, we would have already used it, because this [labor crisis] isnt new. This is a long-simmering issue that is, to a great extent, because of the aging of the largest generation that this country has ever seen. That crisis is something that we all have to pay attention to, and the solution to it is going to be multifaceted, and were not going to fix it overnight.

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Summer Employment Forecast: Will the job market warm back up? - northernexpress.com

In 2020 alone, a wave of subdivisions behind Alamo Ranch Marketplace and beyond led to population growth rates of 325% and 298%. Nowadays, we know Alamo Ranch as the place where you can find Target, Chick-fil-A, Mama Margie's, and one of Santikos' biggest movie theaters, Casa Blanca.

This is the Culebra Road as we know it today.

Head down Alamo Ranch Parkway, you can find new retail centers popping up outside growing subdivisions, including a fairly new H-E-B.

The area looked quite different 17 years ago. Save for a Jim's Restaurant on the corner of Culebra and 1604, most knew that driving past that would only lead you to Taft High School, the Cordi Marian Sisters, and miles of country leading you right to the shores of Medina Lake.

On the left, is a Google satellite image from 1989, and on the right is Alamo Ranch in 2020.

MySA dug through the archives to look at some of the key moments that brought Alamo Ranch to where it is today.

Press play below to see a time lapse of Alamo Ranch's growth.

Cordi Marian Sisters sold off about 160 acres of their land to area developers. New homes can be seen encroaching on their complex behind the statue of Jesus.

If anyone saw the boom of housing coming, it was the Cordi Marian Sisters, who sold about 160 acres for $2 million to Alamo Ranch developers Walt Busby and Brad Galo of Galo Properties around 2005.

New homes in the Alamo Ranch area were merely slabs in 2006.

Michigan-based Pulte Homes started with 1,600 acres for the Alamo Ranch subdivision near Loop 1604 and Potranco Road, not far from the Del Webb Hill Country Retreat, an upscale retirement community, according to Express-News archives.

New roadways had to be created as developers started on some of the first subdivisions being built around Hill Country Retreat.

At the time, Dale Kane of San Antonio-based First American Realty told the Express-News that builders planned 5,000 homes per year to reach 70,000 homes by 2016.

Construction crews were just getting started on Alamo Ranch Marketplace in 2006.

In 2007, developer Archon Group had just laid out plans for the Alamo Ranch Marketplace 900,000 square feet of retail development on 120 acres off Loop 1604 and Culebra Road.

In 2006, Alamo Ranch Marketplace was all dirt. Construction crews were just getting started.

Construction crews started turning dirt in September 2007 with plans to open the first phase of stores in 2008.

Alamo Ranch Marketplace was just a a few shell buildings in 2007.

Alamo Ranch Marketplace first opened in 2008.

Alamo Ranch Marketplace opened its first stores, including Ross and Target, in 2008.

A few hundred people wait in line outside the July 4th, 2013 opening of the area's first Steak 'n Shake. The first 150 people in line receive free food for a year.

Steak n' Shake opened its first location in San Antonio at Alamo Ranch. People lined up outside the building to be one of the first 150 people in the store, earning free food for a year. The burger shop hasn't been doing as well as once hoped.

This would kick off the opening of other restaurants like Dunkin' Donuts, Raising Cane's Chicken, and In n' Out.

TxDOT began construction on the Loop 1604 to State Highway 151 flyover in 2015.

More homes mean more traffic. TxDOT began construction on the Highway 151 at Loop 1604 flyover. The flyover turns into Alamo Ranch Parkway, leading people working in San Antonio back to their Alamo Ranch homes. It opened in 2017.

Santikos Casa Blanca Theater off Alamo Ranch Parkway off 1604 opened in 2016.

Santikos opened the Casa Blanca movie theater in 2016 featuring 16 all-laser projection screens and 16 bowling lanes with a full-service bar and kitchen.

H-E-B opened a new store in San Antonio at Alamo Ranch in 2017.

H-E-B already had a store at Culebra and 1604, but in 2017 it opened a store on Alamo Ranch Parkway. Now the area past this store is one of the fastest growing in Bexar County.

Cars navigate the intersection of Culebra Road and Westwood Loop in the Far West Side beyond Loop 1604, where traffic is a constant complaint. Three census tracts in the area had Bexar Countys fastest population increases from 2010 to 2020 one of them grew 468 percent.

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Booming growth: Alamo Ranch's many changes the last 17 years - mySA

Tesla has started construction on a new, much-needed giant Supercharger station in Santa Monica. The station was also supposed to include the automakers 1950s restaurant, but now its not clear if the diner is still in the plans.

In 2018,Elon Musk said that Tesla plans to openan old school drive-in, roller skates & rock restaurant at one of the new Tesla Supercharger locations in Los Angeles. It was yet another, Is he joking? kind of Elon Musk idea, but he apparently wasnt kidding.

A few months later,Tesla actually applied for building permits for a restaurant and Supercharger station at a location in Santa Monica. However, the project has since stalled, apparently due to local regulations.

Nevertheless, Tesla still moved forward with a Supercharger at the location as this part of Los Angeles really needs more Supercharger stations.

Last year, we reported on construction plans revealing that Tesla was planning a large, 62-stall Supercharger V3 station at the location. When the project was approved in April 2021, Musk again said that Tesla still was aiming to build a 1950s diner at the location.

Now almost a year later, a local Electrek reader spotted construction starting at the site:

The reader noted that construction is happening fast. The location was only a dirt lot only a few weeks ago. The company has already poured concrete and installed quite a few Supercharger stalls.

Now the question is whether or not the diner and outdoor movie screen are still in the plans, as Musk said last year.

The construction plans submitted to the city havent been updated with anything that could indicate a diner, but there are a few other constructions at the site, including solar canopies and a small building.

We will be keeping an eye on the project to see if anything more comes out of it.

But the main objective is to provide much-needed fast-charging to Santa Monica and the surrounding neighborhoods.

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Tesla starts construction on giant new Santa Monica Supercharger, but wheres the 1950s diner? - Electrek.co

ALTON - McDonalds officials made an announcement Friday via a sign in front of the old location at 717 East Broadway in Alton that many have been waiting for with some simple words: Construction Starts In Mid-March.

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Elizabeth, one of the managers at the location, is now at the McDonalds restaurant on Homer Adams Parkway and will return to Broadway when it reopens.

She said that she and the other employees who work at the Broadway restaurant couldnt be more excited and confirmed she heard the great news on Friday.

All the customers I see now from here who knows I am from there is so excited, she said. We are ready to have our store back on Broadway. It went up on the reader board yesterday (Friday)."

McDonalds on Broadway was destroyed in an early morning fire on June 18, 2021. The Bold family owns the McDonalds restaurant and have always been exceptional community citizens. The McDonalds employees from the Broadway location were moved to other McDonalds restaurants while the insurance discussions occurred and the plan to rebuild was devised. This once again shows the Bold familys commitment to their employees and their families.

Elizabeth said she and the other McDonalds cant wait to serve customers again on Broadway and said there has been a big void there without it over the past months.

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McDonald's Announces Construction To Begin On Broadway In Alton - RiverBender.com

There's roast beef, and then there's the Original Roast Beef Sandwich - and it's coming to Sarasota this summer.

Kelly's Roast Beef, theiconic Boston-area restaurantknown for itslobster rolls, clam chowder and sandwiches piled with pastrami, chicken salad and roast beef, will opena 3,500-square-foot location in the Square at University Town Center in thesummer.

The fast-casual restaurantwill take overthe former Sweet Tomatoes location at 5407 University Parkway. Construction is expected to begin soon, and the site will have a drive-thru and both indoor and outdoor seating.

Kelly's, which started as a hot dog stand onRevere Beach north of Bostonin 1951, currently has four corporate-owned locations in Massachusetts. The companystarted franchising in 2020, and a story that ran in the Sun-Sentinelfrom that summer indicated an interest in the Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach markets.

More in restaurants: Webber's Hot Dogs in Sarasota changing hands

Places to eat: Yard House is coming to Sarasota

The expansion into Southwest Florida, however, is happening through a partnership with theMassachusetts-basedgroupbehind modern American restaurant concept 110 Grill. The company currently operatesfive brands - 110 Grill, Italian eatery Evviva Trattoria, amusement company Apex Entertainment, barbecue joint Willie Jewell's and now Kelly's.

Ryan Dion, 110 Grill's chief operating officer, said the company has the rights to franchise Kelly's in 22 Florida counties. His business partner spends winters in the Naples area, so they're familiar with the Florida market, and they think there's a dearth of quality sandwich and soup places in the area.

It also helps that Florida has few COVID restrictions, Dion said. That makes doing business here feel a bit more secure.

"Were excited that it'snot restricted down there, and also 1,000 new people relocate to Floridadaily which is extremely exciting," he said. "The weather also helps."

At Kelly's, customers can choose from sandwiches like the lobster roll -prepared Maine-style with diced celery and mayonnaise - the reuben, the pastrami sandwich and traditional grill dishes like hot dogs and hamburgers. The roast beef sandwich is usually served with barbecue sauce, Dion said, and it comes on a grilled sesame seed roll.

Sarasota will be the first location of Kelly's that 110 Grill brings to Florida, but it won't be its last. Already, the company has plans to bring Kelly's to Parrish, North Port and Venice, all in properties owned by University Town Center creator Benderson Development Co. of Manatee County.

Kelly's will be in the Cocoplum Village Shoppes at U.S. 41 and Sumter Boulevard in North Port, in the former Albertsons in Venice at 1590 U.S. 41 Bypass South and in Parrish's Creekside Commons.

"We believe Floridais a great state to do business in," Dion said.

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Kelly's Roast Beef is coming to Sarasota, other locations - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Chipotle is delivering - and this is why you should order now

Burrito fans rejoice! Customers at all 1800 Chipotles in the US can now have their food delivered.

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FALL RIVER Bring on the burritos.

Its gonna be amazing its called lunch! exclaimed Dora Graca, referring to the imminent opening of a Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant located within walking distance of her place of employment.

Graca manages the Delken dry cleaners and laundromat inside the William S. Canning Boulevard plaza owned and utilized by Ocean State Job Lot.

She likes the idea of not having to drive across the Route 81 boulevard to grab lunch at one of the eateries inside SouthCoast Marketplace the South End shopping center that is often clogged with drivers heading in and out.

I cant wait till it opens, Graca, 44, said.

The plan is for the Fall River Chipotle Mexican Grill, which sits near the entrance of the Ocean State Job Lot plaza,to open on Monday, Jan. 31, said Mikhail Johnson.

Johnson, who manages the Chipotle on Route 6 in Dartmouth, said hes been training a general manager, as well as other staff members, who will work at the Fall River Chipotle.

Pink Bean Express: Fall River gets its Mojo back with reopening of Pink Bean coffee shop

A spokesperson for the California-based chain said the company still has job openings at the Fall River site and is in a hiring mode across the country.

She said Chipotle hires an average of 25 people per location, with starting wages for entry level crew members ranging from $11 to $18 an hour. Chipotles national, average hourly wage, she said, is $15.

The minimum hourly wage in Massachusetts now stands at $14.25.

'So many jobs out there': SouthCoast businesses, staffing agencies on the hunt for workers

The companys website, however, says that a full-time crew member can earn the equivalent of $35,000 when company benefits and potential bonuses are factored into the equation.

It also says that a general manager, not including benefits and bonuses, earns a base annual salary of $80,000 and that a top-tier restaurateur who has been promoted from the general manager position earns at least $100,000 a year.

All employees are entitled to medical, dental and vision plans; a weeks vacation and a 401(k) retirement plan after a year on the job; storewide performance bonuses; and discounts on cell phone and gym membership plans.

Chipotle also has an employee referral program with bonuses ranging from $200 to $750 depending on the position being filled and offers qualifying candidates an educational assistance program that can total as much as $5,250 per year.

All 2,900 fast casual Chipotle restaurants in the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Germany and France are corporate-owned.

Soup spots: Warm your soul this winter at these Fall River area soup spots

The Fall River Chipotle will feature a Chipotlane drive-thru lane that allows customers to pick up orders without leaving their car.

The digital-order, drive-thru lane, which the company introduced in 2019, is available to customers who place food orders using the Chipotle mobile app or website.

Popular orders: Mexican-inspired foods, salads dominate DoorDash's 15 most popular food orders in US

Customers who dont order online and are accustomed to driving up and ordering will have to park and go inside the building.

Once a customer has downloaded the app its simply a matter of selecting the nearest store, the time you expect to arrive and whether you choose to use the Chipotlane; walk into the restaurant; or park in a designated parking space reserved for pickups.

In addition to 18 standard parking spaces, the Fall River Chipotle has three spaces reserved for app and online curbside pickup; two Burrito Loading Zone spaces for customers who have placed online or catering orders and prefer going inside the building; and two handicap parking spots.

It also has an outdoor patio with seating for 10 and 46 chairs inside the restaurant.

The Chipotle company in January 2021 said that since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020 that one third of its customers had tried its digital-ordering option, and that by third quarter of 2020 digital sales had tripled year over year and accounted for nearly 49 percent of total sales for the quarter.

At the Don Carlos Club: This new Fall River restaurant is serving up classic Italian fare favorites

Nearby competition for the Fall River Chipotle from other Mexican-style eateries include a Taco Bell on Mariano Bishop Boulevard; Fiesta Mexican Restaurant on Rhode Island Avenue; Qdoba Mexican Grill in SouthCoast Marketplace; and what by next summer will be a Pancheros Mexican Grill on Route 6 in Somerset.

The busy shopping district surrounding the Fall River Chipotle includes a number of fast food, or quick service, restaurants such as Subway, Wendys, Burger King and McDonalds. Theres also a Chik-fil-A now under construction inside SouthCoast Marketplace.

Fast food upgrade: Fall River Burger King gets major makeover as part of $32 million franchisee investment

Shawn Coelho, project manager for Cornerstone Design/Build Services, said his Swansea company finished building the 3,000-plus-square-foot Fall River restaurant in mid-December and delivered a certificate of occupancy to Chipotle on Jan. 13.

Coelho says in addition to the Fall River project, Cornerstone Design/Build last month finished construction of new Chipotle restaurants in Wareham and Smithfield, Rhode Island.

In the case of Smithfield, he said Chipotle decided to abandon an older store with no drive-thru and relocate a half-mile away into a brand new building equipped with a Chipotlane.

Coelho said it usually takes a week to 10 days for a Chipotle to open for business after a certificate of occupancy has been delivered.

The Chipotle spokesperson didnt provide an answer as to whether there has been difficulty in hiring staff for the Fall River location, and if so whether it might have accounted for a delay in the opening date.

Coelho, who has worked for Cornerstone Design/Build for 18 years, said his company had supply chain problems during the four months of construction in getting timely delivery of materials including rigid insulation, steel and wooden trusses.

He says his company did its best to anticipate delivery delays by placing large orders of certain materials well in advance.

The idea is to hoard it until you need it, he said.

Coelho said construction of the Fall River Chipotle building ended up being delayed three weeks as result of the supply chain problem.

He said other brands of fast casual Mexican-style restaurants that Cornerstone has built in recent years include Qdoba, Boston-based Boloco and Moes Southwest Grill.

Coelho also noted that a small building almost adjacent to the new Chipotle, whichonce had been a cell phone store, has been removed and replaced with a small island containing a pair ofsmall trees.

Ocean State Job Lot, he said, made the change in orderto create more parking for its customers.

Coelho sayseven beforehis work crew wasfinished working on the Chipotle building people would sometimes drive into the Chipotlane or walk up to the front door thinking that it was open.

Chipotle Mexican Grill has in recent years weathered some tough times in terms of negative publicity.

In 2020 it agreed to pay what was a largest of its kind $25 million criminal fine and institute a new food safety program, after the Justice Department charged the company with two counts of violating the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

That came after more than 1,100 customers across the country who ate food from Chipotle became sick from 2015 to 2018.

Chipotle that same year also paid a nearly $1.4 million settlement to the office of the Massachusetts Attorney General in restitution and penalties for violating child labor laws.

It also voluntarily agreed to pay $500,000 into a fund to benefit young people in the commonwealth through educational programs and training.

Qdoba Mexican Grill, in 2019, was fined nearly $410,000 by the AGS office for child labor law violations in Massachusetts.

Chipotle, which began in 1993 as a Denver burrito shop,has managed to get past the bad publicity and continues to see its brand grow and expand.

The company has stated a goal of having 6,000 outlets throughout the international marketplace, according to the GOBankingRates website, which also reported that same-store sales in the second quarter of 2021 increased 31 percent.

The Fall River Chipotle will be open every day from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Charles Winokoor may be reached at cwinokoor@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism and subscribe to The Herald News today.

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Will you try the Chipotlane? Fall River Chipotle Mexican Grill nearly ready to roll - Fall River Herald News

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The two biggest health care projects currently under construction in the state are at opposite ends of the UAMS campus in Little Rock. Additions to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences campus in Little Rock account for two of the five biggest ongoing health care construction projects in Arkansas.

The $68.5 million Orthopaedic & Spine Hospital will provide operating rooms, patient rooms and offices as well as space for the orthopedic trauma, orthopedic oncology, physical medicine and rehabilitation programs.

Construction of the 158,000-SF hospital reflects the growth of the UAMS orthopedic program and represents an expansion of the research and education offered by the UAMS Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute.

The second project, the $56 million Radiation Oncology Center, augments the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. The new 59,855-SF facility will house the states first proton therapy center in collaboration with Arkansas Childrens Hospital and Baptist Health.

UAMS officials believe the project will gain designation as a National Cancer Institute and bring millions of dollars in federal research funding and trials.

In southwest Arkansas, construction of the Sevier County Medical Center in De Queen is two months away from completion. The $18.5 million hospital will house 14 patient rooms and 10 ER rooms along with inpatient and outpatient services that include radiology, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography scanning and behavioral health. A walking trail, restaurant and large community room are part of the development picture as well.

The publicly owned hospital will replace the privately owned De Queen Medical Center, which closed in February 2019 amid financial woes. Ten months later, Sevier County voters said yes to a 1% sales tax to build and support operations of the new 43,000-SF facility.

Expected to employ about 100, Sevier County Medical Center is considered a must-have amenity to attract industry. Without it, the nearest ER and inpatient care options are about 30 miles away.

A 66,500-SF addition to Conway Regional Hospital is moving toward completion in July. The $16.8 million project encompasses 24 patient intensive care unit rooms on the third floor and fourth-floor shell space for future needs. The development includes an atrium with an interior garden.

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Medical Projects Feed Construction Pipeline - Arkansas Business Online

Update, 1/21/2022 1:47 p.m. Flipd by IHOP is slated to open in summer 2022, according to a company representative.

Original story:

Construction is underway at the upcoming Flipd by IHOP location in Downtown Silver Spring, according to a report from The MoCo Show.

We reported last April that Flipd by IHOP, a new fast-casual concept from the chain known for its signature pancakes, will take the place once filled by Asian Bistro, next to Panera at 8537 Georgia Ave.

One of the principals, Sunil Shrestha, also is president ofUniversolutions, LLC, a northern Virginia software developer. The company was primarily a government contractor, but has switched to a focus on restaurants and real estate.

Shrestha and other family members own 10 IHOPs in the region, and operate other franchises, including Dairy Queens, under the umbrella ofNMS Holdings.

Flipd is a new concept started by IHOP, Shrestha said to the Source last April, adding that something is missing from IHOPthe quick service sector.

The concept had been in the works for a couple of years (Flipd was announcedin 2019) and isnow being marketed. Shresthra saw it as a way to fill that missing niche.

Its focus is mainly in the urban concept, where the foot traffic is high, where the office density is high, and where daytime and night population is high, Shrestha said last year. He sees all that in the Silver Spring location.

In addition, his company has had locations on Peterson property in the past, so he was familiar with them; IHOP liked the location as well.

The Flipd menu will include pancakes, breakfast burritos, pancake bowls with a variety of sweet and savory toppings, egg sandwiches, burgers and other sandwiches, salads and grab-and-go items, according to a company announcement. It will target day and night diners.

Its something different from what you see in the market right now in the quick-service sector, Shrestha said last year.

An opening date has not been announced; an IHOP spokesperson said last year that they were targeting a late 2021 opening. Thrillist reported yesterday that Flipd by IHOPs second location opened this week in New York City; the first opened in Lawrence, Kansas last year.

Flipd by IHOP is one of several recent and upcoming restaurant openings in Silver Spring, including The Breakfast Club, Firepan Korean BBQ,J. Hollingers,Dog Haus Biergarten,Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen,Black Lion Caf,Willie Ts Seafood Shack/Be Right Burger,Underground Pizza Company,Kusshi Ko,Miss Toyas Creole House, and theCommas food hall at Ellsworth Place.

Photo by David Lay. Rendering courtesy Sunil Shrestha

Link:
Flip'd by IHOP Construction Underway - Source of the Spring

The 10-year challenge has been circulating on social media for quite some time.

The fad, which hasgrown in popularity at the start of 2022, is designed to make people look back to a photo of themselves from 10 years ago and compare it to one today.

In honor of thetrend, here's a look at some of the changes certainWilmington places have experienced during the past 10 years.

In 2012, Cape Fear Community Colleges Union Station was still under construction. The building, at the corner of Front and Red Cross streets, provided more classrooms for the growing college, expanded health care training labsand a student services center.

It was designed after the original Wilmington Union Station that stood in the same location. Thatbuilding opened in 1913 and wasdemolished in 1970.

Kenny McManus opened Lanes Ferry Dock & Grill in 2011 at 11016 NC Highway 210 in Rocky Point. The restaurant was located in the old general store that was constructed in 1932 close to the banks of the Northeast Cape Fear River.

Sadly, flooding from Hurricane Florence in September 2018 damaged the historic building and left McManus without a home for his very popular restaurant.

With the help of a GoFundMe campaign McManus opened Lanes Ferry Food Truck in 2019.

The truck is open every week from Wednesday through Saturday. Hes at Eagle island Seafood every Wednesday and Jerrys Barber Shop in Rocky Point several other days during a month. For the schedule check http://www.lanesferry.com.

In 2012, the PPD building was one of the only major developments along the Cape Fear River on the north end of downtown Wilmington.

Since then, almost the entire area has been developed and PPD was sold to Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. in late 2021.

More: 'Business as usual:' Amid sale, PPD to keep its footprint in downtown Wilmington

The $65 million mixed-use Pier 33 development can be seen along the water in the picture from 2022.

Residents began moving into the development in 2020. The project has 286 residencies, 525 parking spaces and 20,000 feet of commercial space.

In 2012, South Front Apartments was still in the process of being renovated at the site of the former Nesbitt Courts housing project. The housing opened in 1940 and closed in 2007.

The Wilmington Housing Authority sold the 13-acre property in 2010 to Tribute Properties for its redevelopment.

The $9.4 million North Third Street project took place in 2012. It included the replacement of water and sewer lines, underground utilities as well as new street paving, sidewalks, curbs, lighting and traffic signals.

The Battleship North Carolina has seen plenty of change over the past 10 years.

In 2021 the popular tourist attraction completed a $14 million repair project. The project included repairs on the ships hull that had deteriorated over the years and a beautiful walkway that now circles the ship.

The north end of downtown Wilmington looks very different than it did in 2012.

In the election that year, voters overwhelmingly chose not to spend $37 million on a baseball stadium that would have brought a minor-league affiliate of the Atlanta Braves to the north end of Wilmington.

Since then the entire area has seen various developments.

This specific area next to the Isabel Holmes Bridge is the current location for the Sawmill Point Apartments.

The long-awaited store began construction in 2012 and opened its doors on Nov. 30, 2012.

The 13,000-square-foot specialty grocery store is known for its rabid fans and many in the area had been trying to get one of the stores in Wilmington for several years. The store sits on more than anacreat the corner of S. College Roadand Oleander Drive.

The long wait for a VA clinic in Wilmington finally ended when the clinic opened in April of 2013 after being under construction for allof 2012.The building is locatednext toWilmington International Airport at 1705 Gardner Drive.

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10-year challenge: What has changed in Wilmington since 2012 - StarNewsOnline.com

Barbara M. Houle| Correspondent

Wayne Taylor, new to Salem Cross Inn in West Brookfield, is an executive chef who brings skill and charismatic personality to the family-owned and operated restaurant that marks 61 years in business in June.

Taylor channels his passion for cooking through food that falls in the category of classic American cuisine. Depending on the restaurant, his signature dishes have slightly different takes, he said. Different variations, said Taylor, an experienced chef with a long history in the hospitality industry.

He got on board at Salem Cross last summer and as head chef shares the kitchen with chefs and best friends James Bliss and Patrick Carroll. At times in our careers we all worked the line beside one another, said Taylor, who explained he met Nancy Salem through an introduction from Carroll. When I told Patrick (Carroll) that I needed a new project after my last job, he put me in contact with Nancy, who was looking to hire a chef, said Taylor. Nancy Salem and her brothers and sisters own and operate Salem Cross Inn.

Taylor of Brookfield is a lifelong fan of Salem Cross. The place has ambience and the food and events are awesome, he said. The Salem family members want to ensure people have a great experience when theyre on the property, and they go out of their way to make it happen.

Originally from Brimfield, Taylor graduated fromTantasquaHigh School in Sturbridge and Johnson & Wales University in Providence. He has worked the line at hotels, restaurants, catering companies and at Eddy Pond in Auburn when the senior facility first opened. In Sturbridge, he has worked for the Publick House, Ox Head Tavern and Host Hotel and Conference Center. Hes done gigs at the Brimfield Flea Market and a stint at the former Mad Maggies (Route 20) in Charlton, a steak and ale house.

He spent his formative cooking years on Nantucket in restaurants. Through word of mouth, Taylor was hired to prepare meals in clients homes and at small intimate weddings and parties. He said he loved working with fresh Atlantic seafood and seasonal summer recipes highlighting the islands cuisine.Friends and colleagues sometimes went to Nantucket to work with the chef. Off-season, Taylor said, he took jobs in construction, etc.

With 25 years of industry experience under his belt, single and in his 40s, Taylor left Nantucket around the time the pandemic hit. He returned to the Sturbridge area and worked at the Host Hotel and at local events and functions before deciding to take vacation. Referring to himself as a rogue chef, he contacted Carroll when he got antsy to get back to work, he said. For a while I thought I was out of the restaurant game, said Taylor. Then I met the Salem family.

Salem Cross guests have come to appreciate its excellent cuisine, atmosphere and special events such as the annual sold-out Fireplace Feast, according to Taylor, who said the restaurant offersColonialcuisine, a type of quality comfort food that utilizes not only ingredients grown on the property, but also supports local agriculture whenever available. The Salem Cross farm-raised beef is featured on the restaurants menu, with prime rib a signature dish alongside other favorites like the Signature Sirloin and Salem Cross Farm Burger, he said.

The chef likes to tweak the menu now and then, adding a new appetizer such as prime rib potato skins, or the authentic German Schnitzel in the fall.He also likes to mix and get creative with ingredients and ups the ante with sauces, dressings, herbs and spices.

The current restaurant menu offers starters, salads, sandwiches and entrees that include a Skillet Roasted Pork Chop (bone-in, apple bacon jam, cider supreme sauce, toasted walnuts); Cedar Plank BBQ Salmon (rosemary BBQ glaze, frizzled sweet potato); Succotash Roasted Acorn Squash (sage and cranberry corn polenta, white beans, caramelized onion, spinach, red pepper relish, maple drizzle, toasted pumpkin seeds); Maple Jack Chicken (melted Monterey Jack, local maple syrup, bacon, roasted tomatoes). Seasonal libations, beers and seltzers and wine are available. So are desserts!

Salem Cross Inn is not a pretentious restaurant, said Taylor, despite what some people may think. His take is the more flannel, the better!

Taylor is definitely enthusiastic, personable and descriptive in conversation. Hes into English literature, he said, and likes playing with words when creating menus. Hes a stickler for spelling.

For this interview, he left the traditional chefs jacket (black or white) in the closet and wore one with colorful printed pineapples, reminding us that the pineapple is symbolic of hospitality and celebration. He feels at home at Salem Cross and welcomed as part of the family, he said.

The kitchen team and everyone who works the front of the house are here for each other, said Taylor. We learn together. Ive always believed that if you make great food and are consistent, people will come to your restaurant.

The chefs Valentines Day Specials 2022 will be offered Feb. 12-14, by reservation only. Call(508) 867-2345 or visit http://www.salemcrossinn.com.

The menu:Ros Buttered Roasted Oysters; Kumquat Salad Lyonnaise; Pink Peppercorn Crusted Lamb Lollipops.Entrees: Drover Roasted Prime Rib Au Jus; Atlantic Swordfish Oscar;Surf and Turfy (with filet mignon and grilled butterflied jumbo shrimp); Champagne and Asparagus Risotto. Sweet Endings: Chocolate Seduction (flourless walnut crusted chocolate terrine with crme anglaise); Strawberry White Chocolate Tiramisu; and Love Bird Cream Puffs.

Salem Cross Inn, 260 W. Main St. (Route 9), West Brookfield currently is not open for lunch. Dining room hours are from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Special COVID 19 notes can be found on the website. Call about booking weddings, etc. Note: TheHexmarkTavern at Salem Cross Inn is not open at this time. The Salem family plans to resume outdoor dining on the lawn this summer.

The picturesque, award-winning Salem Cross Inn has built a solid reputation on good food, ambience and family. The new chef helps continue the tradition.

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Table Hoppin': Executive chef embraces Salem Cross Inn's history of food and family - Worcester Mag