Welcome to the weekend, Michigan!

Each week our Michigans Best team (thats us, Amy Sherman and John Gonzalez) come up with a list of great things to do for our Michigans Best Weekend Show, and share them with you here.

You can view our show by going to Facebook.com/MLiveMIBest.

This weeks show is brought to you by the Grand Rapids Remodeling & New Homes Show, happening Jan. 17-19 at DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids. You can find more information on this event below, as well as at buildremodelgr.com.

Here are the events that we covered on this weeks show, plus a few Michigans Best picks that weve been craving lately.

Have an event that we missed? Feel free to add it to the comments.

You can always email us your events, or your suggestions for Michigan's Best.

gonzo@mlive.com

asherma2@mlive.com

We hope you make it a Michigan's Best weekend!

Michigans Best Weekend Show - Jan. 16-19, 2020

Grand Rapids Remodeling & New Homes Show

Jan. 17-19, DeVos Place

This annual event features 200 local exhibitors, including kitchen design seminars by Sarah Reep, as wel as hands-on training at the DIY Homeowner Series. Hours are:

Fri, Jan 17: 12pm-9pm

Sat, Jan 18: 10am-9pm

Sun, Jan 19: 11am-5pm

Tickets: Single-Day Tickets: Adult $10 Online / $12 At the Door | Child (6-14) $4 | 5 & Under Free; Multi-Day Tickets:Adult $18 Online Only (Good for any 2 or all 3 days). Tickets available online now or at the DeVos Place Box Office during all hours of the show. More details at buildremodelgr.com.

Mackinaw City Winter Festival

Jan. 18-19

Downtown Mackinaw City

https://www.facebook.com/events/499593787348028/

Its a big weekend in Mackinaw City! Festivities begin with a DJ & Dancing at the Dixie Saloon at 10 p.m. Friday. Then on Saturday:

Winterfest Ice Fishing Tournament: (Weather permitting) From 8am until 2pm at the Carp Lake Marina, only seven miles from downtown Mackinaw City. Anglers can preregister at Carp Lake General Store, Clydes Bar or Paradise Lake Marina. All entry fees include a chance ticket valued at $5. The three categories to be judged are: Heaviest Pike, Heaviest Walleye and Heaviest Pan Fish with cash prizes for each category. Anglers may also preregister from 3-6pm on Friday in the headquarters located at Paradise Lake Marina. Registration on the day of the tournament is from 6:30-8am at the headquarters.

Chili Cook Off Competition: Begins at Mama Mias Pizzeria located at 231 East Central Avenue from 11am until 1pm. Come early to taste and vote for your favorite recipe.

Mackinaw Pepsi International Outhouse Races: Begins at at 2pm at the Sheplers Lot located on Huron Ave and Central Ave. This novelty event starts with the parade of outhouses which proves to be creative, colorful and entertaining a must see! The races are open to Adult & Junior Teams. The Outhouse must be 4x4x6 on skis. Must have a 5-person team {1-must ride & 4-push or pull}. The Outhouse must have a Toilet Seat and have Material to Wipe with. Entry must have a Name. CASH PRIZES: 1st Place: $500 | 2nd Place: $300 | 3rd Place: $200 | Best in Show: $100. Entrants under 18 must have a parents signature and ALL teams and participants must sign a waiver. http://www.mackinawouthouserace.com.

Other events include: Poker Walk from 10:15am to 1:15pm at B.C. Pizza; Sleigh/Wagon Rides from 11:30am until 2pm sponsored by Marshalls Fudge & Mackinaw Clothing Store.

For lodging reservations visit MackinawCity.com/stay/.

Pronto Pup Winter Weekend

Pronto Pup in Grand Haven has announced the dates for this years Winter Weekend - the only time during the off-season when its famed corn dogs are for sale. The food stand will be open on January 17, 18, and 19, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Owners Carl and Nancy Nelson run the 63-square-foot stand off Snug Harbor throughout the summer months, and customers sometimes line up down the block to buy their Pronto Pups - a Koegel hot dog, dipped in batter and fried, and served on a stick with ketchup or mustard.

Carls father, Charles Chuck Nelson, opened the stand in 1947.

Spicy Saturday at the Downtown Market

January 18, the Grand Rapids Downtown Market

9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Guests can experience blazin bites and strong sips during the fourth annual Spicy Saturday event throughout the Market Hall. This one-day-only event features hot items and other sizzling specials from various Market vendors and restaurants. Additionally, the second annual So Cluckin Hot spicy wing challenge takes place at noon on Spicy Saturday, hosted by Juju Bird. Participants will have 10 minutes to eat 12 of Juju Birds famous So Cluckin Hot wings. The winner will receive a $50 gift card to Juju Bird, a $50 gift card to the Downtown Market and $100 cash. All participants receive a $10 Juju Bird gift card.

So Cluckin Hot wing eating challenge - noon

http://downtownmarketgr.com/classes-events/spicy-saturday-2

Spicy Saturday specials include:

Tip Up Town

January 16,17,18,19 and January 24-25

1625 W Houghton Lake Dr

Houghton Lake, Michigan 48629

989-366-5644

Its the 70th anniversary for Tip Up Town, and the theme is Groovy 70s. The festival is held at the southern DNR boat launch, off of M-55 near the Pines theater and Pineview Golf Course. Free parking is available at the High School and library with free shuttle service to and from Tip Up Town.

This is the largest ice fishing festival in north central Michigan, and runs the last two weekends in January.

Activities include:

Tip Up Queen is crowned at noon on Saturday, a 5k run on Saturday, Grand Parade at 10, and fireworks at dusk.

Indian River Winterfest

Friday January 17 and Saturday January 18

Throughout downtown Indian River

This family friendly festival take place in beautiful Indian River. There are events throughout the weekend, including a cornhole tournament, live music, poker run, ice fishing tournament, and much more.

Head to Cooperation Park for family activities on Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., including build your own cardboard sleds (with cardboard provided), ice skating and cross country skiing. Free cookies and cocoa!

Cornhole is at 11 a.m. Saturday, Live music from Mike Ridley both nights, and a very rare Jelly Roll Blues Band sighting on Friday at 8 p.m.

Look up Indian River Winterfest 2020 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/441772370110478/?event_time_id=441772373443811

Johns Michigans Best Pick

This is the Tortellini Alfredo pizza at Tiffany Foods and Spirits in Frankenmuth, Michigan. Tiffany's was a finalist in the search for Michigan's Best Pizza in 2013.Jeff Schrier

Tiffany's Food and Spirits

656 S. Main, Frankenmuth

989-652-6881

Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m daily (bar open until midnight)

Facebook

On our search for Michigans Best Pizza in 2013, Tiffanys was known for maybe the most unique pizza -- the signature PastaPitza. The pizza is topped with homemade pasta on a thin homemade crust and sauce and topped with cheeses before its baked into a rich, filling dish. You can get 8 different pastas from Chicken Marsala to Seafood Alfredo. The menu also includes traditional and Sicilian pizzas, as well as sandwiches, burgers, great appetizer (try the escargot) and homemade pasta dishes, of course. Built in the 1900s, youll love the old house feel of the restaurant and the large display of Tiffany Lamps.

Photos: Our MLive visit in 2013

23 great pizza places not to miss (2013)

Amys Michigans Best Pick

Amy Sherman and John Gonzalez of MLive search for Michigan's Best Bloody Mary. Here they visit the Hunt Club in Jackson (April 17, 2016).John Gonzalez

The Hunt Club, Jackson

1514 Daniel Road, Jackson

http://thehuntclubmichiganjh.com/

One of our top picks from one of our first searches together, The Hunt Club in Jackson has not only a top notch bloody mary, but also just great drinks altogether. The search for Michigans Best Bloody Mary was an epic adventure that took us across the state, as we traveled more than 1,500 miles and visited 47 places. We tried spicy ones, beefy ones, ones that were slightly sweet, and some that were very savory. We had a few that burned our tongues with lovely heat and some that werent hot at all. Several were loaded with full meals balanced on the top, and some came with a simple pickle and olive. The most amazing thing? Not one of them tasted the same. One of our top ten picks was The Hunt Club.

The Bloody Mary Breakdown: The Bacon Bloody Mary starts with a vegetable juice base, enhanced with fresh citrus and spices. Ugly Dog bacon infused vodka is used.

Garnish: Housemade beer-candied bacon, blue cheese-stuffed olive, regular olives, pickle, celery, lime wedge

Why try it: They spent a lot of time creating this drink, working on a sweet vs. salty vs. spicy balance. This is very refreshing, with lots of citrus flavor. The bacon vodka gives the drink depth without being overly bacony. Bright, twangy, light, this drink is all-around delicious. And that candied bacon is incredible.

When The Hunt Club switched to using the Ugly Dog bacon vodka, they saw their Bloody Mary sales quadruple. They have something for everyone, with a full restaurant, several bars, banquet rooms for rent and a game room.

LOOKING AHEAD

Amy Sherman of MLive interviews Angielena Muellenberg, co-owner of Snowbelt Brewery in Gaylord, Michigan. This was part of Michigan's Best Day in Gaylord.John Gonzalez

We are celebrating another Michigans Best Day! Amy and Gonzo just finished filming another best day video, this time in Gaylord. The video will debut at Snowbelt Brewing Co. in Gaylord at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21. The brewery is located at 132 W Main St, Gaylord, MI 49735.

We appreciate you following our Michigans Best adventures.

Follow Michigans Best on social media:

@mlivemibest on Twitter

@mlivemibest on Instagram

Also, be sure to follow our MI Best Facebook Page, which you can check out here.

Join in by using the hashtags #mibest and #ItriedMiBest

In addition:

Amy Sherman is on Twitter @amyonthetrail, as well as Facebook and Instagram @amyonthetrail.

John Gonzalez is on Twitter @michigangonzo, as well as Facebook and Instagram @MichiganGonzo.

More:
Michigans Best Weekend Show - Things to Do, Jan. 16-19, 2020 - mlive.com

An old weatherboard-clad farmhouse rests on a hillside overlooking the James River in Nelson County, where it has stood since 1840.

Rock Cliff is an interesting home: short doors connect the 1840 section of the house with the new construction of 1882, and its front stoop is made of stones from an old canal lock.

Its most unique feature, however, has nothing to do with design or construction. It has to do with its inhabitants.

Rock Cliff has been continuously owned by the Cabell family and its descendants for almost 300 years.

It currently is owned by Andrew and Digna Gantt, who have been working diligently to restore and maintain the property, which now is on the National Register of Historic Landmarks.

It just feels like home, Andrew said.

Rock Cliff started as a land grant of about 6,000 acres along the James River to Dr. William Cabell in 1734. By the time John Cabell, the last of William Cabells children, died, the property had grown to 60,000 acres on both sides of the James River, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior registration form for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

Before the Cabells, the land long had been inhabited by the Monacan Indian tribe.

The multiple-branched Cabell familys three-century tenure in the area is an enduring testimony to William Cabells skill and foresight in selecting this area for permanent settlement, the historic register documentation reads.

Cabell deeded the land to his son, Col. William Cabell, who gave it to his son, Mayo Cabell. Mayo Cabell sold the property, then 640 acres, to the great-great grandson of Dr. William Cabell, Dr. William Andrew Horsley, who descended from Cabells daughter Mary Cabell Horsley.

William Andrew Horsley, Andrew Gantts great grandfather, practiced medicine from an office still standing on the property.

When the 1882 addition to the 1840 house was constructed, the two halves didnt connect, forcing residents to walk out one side and back in the other,

In Dr. Horsleys daughter Anna Maria Perkins Horsleys diary, she described her father cutting a door on the second floor from the old house into the new addition, calling it not pretty but convenient, the historic register documentation reads.

Anna Maria Horsley diary indicates her father was a general practice doctor who set bones and delivered babies. Dr. Horsleys lower income patients would pay doctors fees with goods rather than money.

Family tradition holds that during the Civil War, Union General Philip H. Sheridan and his troops arrived at the area near Rock Cliff in March of 1865 on their way to sever Confederate supply lines by destroying the Virginia Central Railroad and the James River and Kanawha Canal.

Andrew said his grandmothers diary described Sheridans troops arrival at Rock Cliffs back porch. She was about 7 years old when that happened.

They were scuffling and fighting over a glass of wine. One of them told me, Get out of the way, you damn little rebel. I had expected monsters but they were just ordinary men, Andrew quoted.

Horsleys modest income as a doctor was just enough to keep Rock Cliff in the family when many of his ancestors lost their homes, Andrew said.

After William Andrew Horsleys death in 1887, the 637-acre property was divided among his five children and then subdivided among their heirs, and so on.

It was Andrews father, Dr. William Andrew Horsley Gantt, who set out to reassemble the homestead. Dr. Gantt had a storied history of his own. He worked as Chief of the Petrograd Unit of the American Relief Administration, helping with famine relief in Russia starting in 1922.

There he met Dr. Ivan Pavlov and became interested in his conditional reflex studies using a bell and a salivating dog. He stayed until the end of the program in 1923, and then returned from 1925 to 1929 to continue work with Pavlov. He later established a Pavlovian laboratory at Johns Hopkins University.

He formed the theories of schizogenesis and autokinesis which became the foundation of our modern understanding of the link between stress and psychological suffering and physical illness, the form states.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Gantt published seven books and authored 700 articles; he was nominated but did not receive the Nobel Prize in 1970.

Andrews father is the one who first installed plumbing in the house.

He knew nothing about plumbing but he got books from Montgomery Ward, Andrew said. Montgomery Ward, in those days, this was 1940 or so, would loan out tools and instruction books if you bought the materials from them. So thats what my father did and he knew absolutely nothing about plumbing. He was a doctor and a psychiatrist but he did all this himself. He read up on it the night before and the next day he would do what he read up on.

Beginning in 1930, Andrews father started trying to buy back all the fragmented pieces of his old homestead, finishing in the 1970s. The current Rock Cliff is a 692-acre property.

I remember when he finally bought the last piece from a cousin who had 1/84th of the farm, Andrew said. She did not want to sell it. ... I remember the day she finally did. He had great big hands, my father, and he was sitting there rubbing them together.

Andrews father died in 1980.

At one point in its history, the Rock Cliff house was leaning perilously, about to collapse under the forces of time. But Andrews father saved it.

My father rescued it and then we did more rescuing, Andrew said. We will do what we can to maintain it and if we cant, we wont. But we will still keep it. Whether my children will have that attitude, who knows?

The tan weatherboard-clad house stands among ancient oak trees. The original house features three banks of windows and a screened-in, columned front porch. The later addition sticks out on the left hand side, with its tin-clad roof sitting a little lower than the original.

A 1965 addition gave the back of the house a two-story porch. A bay window was added in 2000 and the house was extended out the back to accommodate a kitchen renovation.

In 2009, one chimney on the 1882 addition was removed and rebuilt and a carport added.

Much of the houses historic character has been maintained, and subsequent renovations have been respectful to the houses original look.

The windows are framed by the louvered shutters and some original windows remain, which the couple clad with plexiglass to cut down on drafts without altering its historic look.

The floors still are the original heart pine, and each room has 10-foot ceilings with dimensions Andrew calls just about perfect. The original construction consists of four large rooms, with four more added in the newer construction.

The staircase in the oldest portion of the house is open, featuring square newel posts and balusters but curves gracefully at the top.

I used to slide down the banister all the time, Andrew said with a chuckle.

The fireplaces feature a simple carved wood mantle with a triangular center panel and wood mantel shelves.

The upstairs rooms in the original house both were bedrooms and one has doors cut small enough that an average-sized adult must duck to get through to allow access to the newer addition.

A back staircase between the kitchen and den leads to the second floor in the 1882 side, which contains a modern bathroom and a small office where one can see the original weatherboarding on the 1840 construction preserved.

The older part of the house, Andrew said, has some ghosts. He recalled once seeing three female forms float across the original parlor, and Digna noted other guests have refused to stay there.

The house is decorated with all kinds of art, from impressionistic paintings to hand-drawn maps and even a bust of Andrews father.

The plaster has been reworked to eliminate the cracking common in a home that is more than a century old.

Digna said the man who repaired the walls told the couple if any of Andrews ancestors were to return, they would feel right at home, since all the alterations kept with the original character of the house.

My goal during the remodeling is if you didnt know it before, you wouldve never realized anything had been changed, Andrew said.

The estate now is about 673 aces of timber with 19 acres of open land. Several creeks cut through the property, the largest of which is Haw Creek that passes through the canal towpath before emptying into the James River.

As a kid, I loved it down there, Andrew said. I would wander around all over the place and nobody restricted me. Id get lost in the woods. My father told me if you ever get lost in the woods, just follow the creeks and youll get back home.

Behind the house sits a circa-1854 smokehouse, a circa-1825 office, circa 1854-summer kitchen, the circa-1860 cemetery and a circa-2008 garage.

The property was entered into the historic register in 2015 and the community itself now is part of the Norwood-Wingina Rural Historic District, encompassing a number of historic homes and buildings.

Andrew once wanted to farm the land but after running the numbers, he learned it wouldnt be profitable. Instead some 450,000 trees have been planted there, making it a modest timber farm with just enough income to maintain the property.

It was a terrible eye-opener, Andrew said. A small dairy farm is all it could support so I changed professions and went into economics [at Cornell] got a Ph.D. in economics but I have always loved the place so now I can do it as a hobby rather than as a living.

While Rock Cliff endured over the centuries, the modern world at times has threatened its character most recently when a natural gas pipeline was proposed that would cut through the property.

Now the land has a measure of protection being on both the state and national historic registers.

It has remained a beloved homestead for the Cabell-Horsley-Gantt family through the generations. Andrew and Digna hope it will remain in the hands of Cabell descendants.

I trust our children will do what is right for them, Andrew said. If I had the money, I would put the whole thing in a historic trust but I dont have the money and I dont wish to control what my children do.

PHOTOS: Generations of Cabell family found home in 1840 estate

Rock Cliff is an interesting home: short doors connect the 1840 section of the house with the new construction of 1882, and its front stoop is made of stones from an old canal lock.

Its most unique feature, however, has nothing to do with design or construction. It has to do with its inhabitants.

A living room at the home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

A bust of Andrew Gantt's father at the home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

A living room at the home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

A dining room at the home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

The original exterior of the house is seen at the home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

A nook at the home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

Stairs at the home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

A bedroom at the home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

A bedroom at the home of Andrew and Digna Gantt. The upstairs rooms in the original house both were bedrooms.

The original exterior of the house is seen behind a book shelf at the home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

A map at the home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

Andrew and Digna Gantt at their home in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

A graveyard at the home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

A gravestone at the home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

A graveyard at the home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

The home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

The home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

The home of Andrew and Digna Gantt in Nelson on November 14, 2019.

Sidener is the special publications editor for The News & Advance. Reach her at (434) 385-5539.

Go here to read the rest:
Generations of Cabell family found home in 1840 estate - Lynchburg News and Advance

FAIRFIELD TWP.

Last year, Fairfield Twp. focused on getting its fire department a better functional station.

This year, its the police departments turn.

Construction to remodel and expand the Fairfield Twp. police station is likely to start later this year as its anticipated trustees will hire a contractor this spring if everything goes as scheduled, said Fairfield Twp. Administrator Julie Vonderhaar.

LOCAL NEWS: Fairfield Twp. asks the states help to fund veterans memorial

The township is seeking qualifications from developers by Friday, and proposals would be due this spring. The contractor hired would determine when construction starts, but Vonderhaar said the project could take up to a year.

Included in the remodeling of the 3,500-square-foot building is an expansion on the front side that will include nine offices and a new lobby, records room, secure properties office and conference room. There will be three restrooms and the possibility for additional rooms. The remodeling of the existing building will include relocating partitions, and new floors, ceiling tiles and lighting.

The expansion will also require additional fencing to the southeast corner with a gated entrance and redeveloped parking area for police vehicles.

The existing under-roof parking bays to the rear of the building will also be enclosed as part of the remodeling project.

Weve outgrown the department, said Fairfield Twp. Assistant Chief Doug Lanier. When we first moved into this department, we just had an office at the administration building.

LOCAL NEWS: Overwhelmed, stunned and thankful: Fairfield Twp. man fighting to find kidney for wife

The department moved into the building in 2002 with about 10 fewer full-time employees. Today they have 21 sworn officers with two more to be hired later this year and two full-time clerks. They also have a part-time property room clerk.

The remodel and expansion will address three key areas of improvement needed, Lanier said: more space, better operational efficiency and better workflow.

Weve got a lot more people doing a lot more work, Lanier said. Weve moved personnel from one office to the other, weve turned offices into storage, weve moved the property room and evidence room around.

The working conditions are not unlike Fairfield Twp.s old fire station 212 on Tylersville Road before it was relocated to a new building last year on Gilmore Road.

The township has boomed in population since 1990 when it was 9,753 residents. Today, there are nearly 23,000 residents living in the township, a 130-plus percent growth over the past 30 years. Lanier said that growth does not include the townships business growth and day-time traffic, which is also growing.

Vonderhaar said the project could cost about $1.2 million.

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Read more:
Growing Fairfield Twp. needs larger police headquarters: What to know - Hamilton Journal News

If you think remodeling your kitchen is a lot of work, what if you had a fixer upper thats more than 2-thousand miles long. Yes, the Appalachian Trail, which runs from Maine to Florida and through Virginia is getting a makeover so it can be more accessible to people of various skill levels.

Literally, one step at a time, volunteers have been remaking sectionss of the Appalachian Trail that are too vertical, too precarious or just worn out.

Bruce Agnew is a Volunteer Steward of the AT. Back in the old days, they just ran it up the side of the mountain. And we've been maintaining those steep grades for 50 years, 75 years. So, let's make the grade a little bit gentler."

We met up with him on a New Years Day Hike in the Mountain Lakes Wilderness that comprises Virginias Giles and Craig Counties. Its a three-year project, 6,000 linear feet, a lot of stone steps and a, a, a lot of cutting side Hill. Literally cutting into a hillside, pulling the dirt out, creating a nice flat trail as it winds around the side of the mountain.

And let me just show you one photo of a section of trail that we finished about a year ago,

He shows us a picture of one section with what looks like a gently curved a staircase to a stone mansion. But at the top, all there is more wilderness. Hey, great picture, the hikers with us say. Very straight, and even."

The Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club has been doing this work and more volunteers are more than welcome. People come from all over the country and the world to help in these efforts. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, based in Blacksburg, makes sure they have tools and training to get the job done.

We use local material within a very short distance of where the steps are going in. We're hauling heavy tools, but we're not hauling a stone any further than we have to.

Several years ago, the Appalachian trail Conservancy decided its better to have a trail that is less steep. People like people like me can make it up a gentler slope.

Agnew is retired but he doesnt appear to have slowed down. The new, gentler trails follow the available topography when possible. Some are relocated to make them more sustainable.

A steep trail erodes much more rapidly than a gentler sloping trail because water running down hill has a erosional capabilities. The gentler the slope, the less erosion, the less erosion, the less maintenance, the less maintenance, the less work that the trail maintainers have to do to maintain that section of trail that they're responsible for.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy's flagship Konnarock crew program, founded in 1983, named after its original base camp in southwest Virginia, is looking for volunteers of all experience levels and backgrounds, any age over 18. No experience necessary. The ATC provides training, equipment, room and board.

Here's a section of trail that we put in about 40 or 50 stone steps. It takes about three people, four people to move one of those steps into place. And I mean, to be a part of that and to be able to come back five years, 10 years down the road and step on these things and make sure they don't wobble. Agnew Trails off: Well, thats a job well done.

Click here for more information about the Konnarock Trail Crew

View post:
Remodeling the Appalachian Trail - WVTF

Arkansas Federal Credit Union is paying $12 million for a building in west Little Rock that will become the organization's new corporate home.

Arkansas Federal announced Tuesday that over the next 18-24 months it will move its primary operations from Jacksonville to the 97,000-square-foot building at 5800 Ranch Drive that housed the nonprofit Family Life.

Family Life will continue operating at the site until August.

"After a three-year search for space to accommodate our growing operations and membership, we felt the building's size, quality, location and value were the perfect fit for us," Rodney Showmar, president and chief executive officer of Arkansas Federal, said in a news release. "We are excited to be able to have all of our operations staff under one roof in this new facility."

The new headquarters will accommodate 200 employees and has plenty of room for expansion, the company said, noting that it also will build a full-service branch on site to serve the area. Remodeling is scheduled to be completed in 2021.

The credit union serves 108,000 members at 15 branches in Arkansas. It has $1.2 billion in assets.

-- Andrew Moreau

Print Headline: Arkansas Federal Credit Union union moving to $12M west Little Rock facility

Excerpt from:
Arkansas Federal Credit Union union moving to $12M west Little Rock facility - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Arkansas Federal Credit Union is paying $12 million for a building in west Little Rock that will become the organizations new home.

Arkansas Federal announced Tuesday that over the next 18-24 months it will move its primary operations from Jacksonville to the 97,000-square-foot building at 5800 Ranch Drive that housed the nonprofit Family Life.

Family Life will continue operating at the site until August.

After a three-year search for space to accommodate our growing operations and membership, we felt the buildings size, quality, location and value were the perfect fit for us, Rodney Showmar, president and chief executive officer of Arkansas Federal, said in a news release. We are excited to be able to have all of our operations staff under one roof in this new facility."

The new headquarters will accommodate 200 employees and has plenty of room for expansion, the company said, noting that it also will build a full-service branch on site to serve the area. Remodeling is scheduled to be completed in 2021.

The credit union serves 108,000 members at 15 branches in Arkansas. It has $1.2 billion in assets.

Continue reading here:
Arkansas Federal Credit Union to move HQ from Jacksonville to west Little Rock - Arkansas Online

(Press Staff Photo by C.P. Thompson)Ralph Toy Sepulveda and Frank Cordova are sworn in by Magistrate Judge Hector Grijalva during a school board meeting Monday. They were reelected in Novembers first-ever consolidated local election.

The Cobre Consolidated Schools Board of Education heard from the district superintendent during their Monday meeting about the possibilities of moving sixth-grade students to Snell Middle School. Board members also tabled the superintendents contract because of time constraints.

Our elementaries are tight, Superintendent Robert Mendoza said. We have no more room. Theres no classrooms. The only way to get immediate relief from the elementaries is that we move the sixth grade [next year], the current fifth-graders, instead of being sixth grade in their elementaries, will be bused to Snell Middle School.

This year, the school includes just seventh and eighth grades.

Mendoza said this will be discussed with school administrators, and then a plan will be created for board approval. Snell Principal Pat Abalos has already expressed he is willing to take them, Mendoza said.

I think we really have to educate the community and get the community on board also, because, if not, we may have a lot of parents that are going to be really against it, said Deputy Superintendent George Peru. We were really aggressive, going after all these buildings. I mean, theres a lot of districts in the state that didnt put up as many schools as we did. But when we went after [the schools], we had a lot of layoffs [at the mines], so we built the schools for the amount of kids that we had at that time.

Associate Superintendent Jose Carrillo said that sixth-graders were originally moved to the elementary because Snell was being remodeled.

If you remember, we had seventh and eighth grades here at the high school, he said. And sixth grade went to the elementaries to help with that remodeling. We had the space at the time.

Carrillo said the districts early childhood programs have increased in numbers, and Mendoza assured board members that, so far, this move is just at the discussion level.

The board went into closed session for about an hour to discuss Mendozas contract and evaluation, but the action items were tabled after the board emerged.

We did not finish the evaluation, said board President Ralph Toy Sepulveda. Were going to table that, and resume at the next board meeting.

Magistrate Judge Hector Grijalva swore in Sepulveda and Frank Cordova as board members during the meeting, after they were re-elected in Novembers first-ever consolidated local election. The board then voted on officers for the year, and Cordova made the motion to keep the same board members as last year Sepulveda as president, Cordova as vice president and Frank Gomez as secretary. Gomez seconded the motion, and it was passed by the board, with Gilbert Guadiana being the only one to vote against.

I think the current makeup of the leadership of the board doesnt prioritize to get more people to participate in the meetings, Guadiana told the Daily Press.

He also complained that the board doesnt talk about the students education, strategies and issues even when there is a substantive strategic plan.

The current leadership of the board circumvents information to the board that should go to the board by engaging in one-on-one conversation with the superintendent, he said. The leadership is not fulfilling our responsibility of fiscal oversight.

During public input, Ruben Udero, coach of the Cobre Youth Wrestling program, said he would like a key to the facility at Cobre High School for practices. He said there have been multiple times that he had to call wrestling coach Reyne Maynes and Athletic Director Nelson Diaz to open the facility.

I feel like, why shouldnt I have a key? Udero said. I dont even lend my keys to my coaches. To tell you the truth, people, I just dont see any sense. I am not your enemy. Im not going to destroy that place. The success of this wrestling program is because of the feeder programs.

Peru updated the board on school construction projects, one of which is a new well at San Lorenzo Elementary.

We got cleared last Thursday, he said. We can open that well to the public, and theyre going to let us connect everything. So what well do is well hook everything up. Well just continue to test it. Right now, they feel that its OK for public use, especially after we start treating it.

The new well will pump more than 30 gallons per minute, Peru said after the meeting. The old well it replaces would sometimes run dry.

Fixing a problem with heating at the high school wrestling room, Peru said, will be about $6,000 for a new unit.

Construction of an auxiliary gym at Cobre High is on hold because of a lack of funds.

Once [President Donald] Trump put all those tariffs in, the [cost for] metal went through the roof, and we couldnt do anything, he said. We went now to check to see if we could do it with block, and the block is right at about the same cost. We can build one, but were only going to get about half the size that we had anticipated wed be able to get for the money we were going to put in. And if we build one half that size, we wont be able to accommodate the wrestling, the basketball and all those things at one time.

Peru said he visited with Lt. Gov. Howie Morales and District 28 state Sen. Gabe Ramos about the auxiliary gym, and that district is short by about $500,000 to $600,000.

In other news, Guadiana made a motion to allow No Regrets Basketball to use Cobre facilities, but there was no second from another board member, killing the request. Board members approved a preventive maintenance plan, which will now go to the New Mexico Public School Facilities Authority, Peru said.

C.P. Thompson may be reached at cp@scdaily press.com.

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Cobre may return 6th grade to Snell - Silver City Daily Press and Independent

Kimberly Manning had hit one of those crossroads in her professional career working for a high-profile insurance company.

The company was consolidating offices, and I was going to have to move or find a new job, Manning said. My husband (Michael) saw that this space was coming open and thought we should open a restaurant.

I thought he was crazy. I had no restaurant experience, but he kept talking to me about opening a wing spot, and I warmed up to that.

So about three months ago, the Mannings opened Macks Wings in space that has held several restaurants, including Uncle Herms, Sweet Lisas Caf (now at 1717 N. Peoria Ave.) and Reba Dales BBQ (now a food truck rotating between the Oklahoma City area and Tulsa).

I have chosen not to rate this restaurant because it essentially has one item chicken wings. It has a line of sauces, plus a sauce of the week, which was bourbon barbecue when we were there.

The standard sauces are mild, medium or hot buffalo; lemon pepper, Oklahoma dry rub, Mack sauce (a sweet and tangy buffalo sauce) and hot lemon twist (hot buffalo with lemon pepper seasoning).

The wings may be ordered by the piece, starting with 10 wings for $9.49 and going all the way to 100 wings for $93.99, or in combos with regular or sweet potato fries, carrot and celery sticks and a 20-ounce drink.

We opted for the combos. We got six wings with the dry rub, six with the Mack sauce and six with the hot lemon twist (World photographer Matt Barnard sampled the latter) for $8.99 each. We also received a small container of ranch dipping sauce for the veggies.

Barnard said the hot lemon twist had a pleasing flavor and some pizzazz without blowing off the top of your head.

If you like chicken relatively plain, then the dry rub is the way to go. It was mild and let the flavor of the chicken shine. I liked the Mack sauce as something between mild and spicy, and it had a little sweetness to it.

Michael developed the sauces, and we plan to add some more, probably roasted garlic and traditional flavors, Kimberly said.

The dining room is relatively small four red-cushioned booths and four high-tops but it is a new and comfortable space for dine-in guests. A large aerial skyline view of downtown Tulsa decorates one wall.

Michael did all of the remodeling himself, Kimberly said.

The restaurant is named after the owners 11-year-old daughter, Mackenzie.

She has her handlers permit, and she is pretty good on the register, Michael said.

Both Mannings come from interesting backgrounds.

Michael, who is a sizable man, was raised in Georgia and played basketball at Clemson University and Coker University, both in South Carolina. He also played for two years in Lisbon, Spain, when he was in his early 20s. He moved to Tulsa in 2006, and today works as a defense attorney.

He said he first envisioned owning a restaurant so his older sister in South Carolina could move here and go into business with him.

That didnt work out, but I still liked the idea, he said.

Kimberly, a native Tulsan, served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a security guard in Madagascar, an island off the east coast of Africa, and in the West African country of Togo.

It was an eye-opening experience, she said. There was so much poverty over there. You really appreciate coming home.

Macks Wings has been operating Thursday through Sunday, but beginning Monday, it will go to seven days a week.

We wanted to ease into it at first, but I think we have it down pretty good now, Kimberly said.

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Mack's Wings off to flying start in north Tulsa - Tulsa World

A wet room may sound mysterious and potentially freaky, but it's actually quite simple and exactly what it sounds like: a bathroom wherein everything is optimized to thrive in a wet environment. "A lot of homeowners are doing away with the door completely. This is part of the wet room trend. Thats a bathroom where all or most of the surfaces are intended to get wet. Its a very space-efficient strategy, since it allows you to cram more functionalityopen shower, tub, toilet, vanityinto the same amount of space," explains Dan DiClerico, Dan DiClerico, home expert for HomeAdvisor.

Some wet rooms are outfitted from floor to ceiling with water-friendly materials while others are a more flexible interpretations of a wet room. In some cases, a designer will choose to divide the bathroom into dry and wet sections, just like a baker would. So in one area, you'll find the toilet and sink and then the bathtub and shower in another zone. They can be separated by a glass door or half partition, but wide open curtain-free wet rooms are gaining popularity.

The key is that the floors and walls are sealed properly in the splashing zones and that there is proper drainage, preferably in the center of the room. This is a good alternative for those who don't want to fully commit or appreciate some softer, water-averse materials incorporated into the design.

Whether you go all out or take the section-by-section approach, wet rooms seem like a practical thing to consider during a bathroom renovation since choosing materials that are resilient in wet conditions means the space will wear better. This is a bathroom, after all. But there are a few deterrents. For example, your bathroom has to be equipped with plumbing be the right size to accomodate a wet room.

Interior designer Jean Stoffer describers one project to House Beautiful, saying the client's "daughters needed to have both a shower and a tub so the layout worked perfectly to include a wet room, which had both" in the same area. Visually, it creates continuity and flow.

Chrome 1-Spray Showerhead

Carrara Shower Wall Niche

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What Is a Wet Room - Bathroom Design and Layout Trend - HouseBeautiful.com

DENVER, Jan. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- HomeAdvisor's Chief Economist Mischa Fisher and HomeAdvisor's Home Expert Dan DiClerico will be leading talks as a part of the "Voices from the Industry Conference" at the upcoming 2020 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) held in Las Vegas.

Fisher's panel,"Labor Force Shortages & The Skills Gap," will cover the latest research on labor market dynamics, how public policy is impacting the overall issue, and show hands on new strategies for recruiting the best new talent and maintaining a competitive edge. DiClerico's panel, "Top 10 Trends in Residential Housing," will be offering a unique perspective on remodeling and design, standing at the intersection of the homeowner and the home service professional. In this talk on housing trends, he'll share insights from these two groupspros and consumersdrawing on data from HomeAdvisor surveys and cost reports, along with other industry sources.

HomeAdvisor's Chief Economist, Mischa Fisher "Labor Force Shortages & The Skills Gap"WHEN:Tuesday, January 21, 2020 from 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM WHERE:Las Vegas Convention Center Room N229

HomeAdvisor's Home Expert, Dan DiClerico "Top 10 Trends in Residential Housing" WHEN:Wednesday, January 22, 2020 from 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM WHERE:Las Vegas Convention Center Room N223

About Mischa Fisher Mischa Fisher is the Chief Economist for HomeAdvisor and ANGI Homeservices. Prior to assuming the role of Chief Economist with HomeAdvisor, Mr. Fisher was Chief Economist at the State of Illinois where he served as the economic policy advisor to the Governor while overseeing the state agencies responsible for workforce, housing, and professional licensing.

In that role, Mr. Fisher designed many of the state's efforts to compassionately improve capital and labor market liquidity while working on issues surrounding marketplace platforms, job mobility, and residential investment.

He is an instructor in quantitative analysis at Northwestern University SESP and was formerly a deputy director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and a legislative director in the United States Congress in Washington, D.C.

About Dan DiClerico Dan DiClerico is an experienced speaker and thought leader in the real estate, remodeling and home product space. DiClerico joined HomeAdvisor in 2017 as the company's smart home strategist, overseeing all content related to smart homes and the internet of things.

Prior to joining HomeAdvisor, DiClerico was the senior home editor of Consumer Reports, where he produced award-winning content on real estate, remodeling and other topics. He was also the senior associate editor of Martha Stewart Living and the associate editor of This Old House. DiClerico is a versatile spokesperson who has been featured on CBS This Morning, Fox News, The Today Show and Wall Street Journal Live. DiClerico has also written and contributed to numerous books, including "The Just Right Home" (Workman, 2013), which he co-authored with Marianne Cusato.

Direct all speaking requests for Dan DiClerico and Mischa Fisher to the HomeAdvisor public relations team at publicrelations@homeadvisor.com.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/homeadvisors-chief-economist-and-home-expert-to-speak-at-the-2020-kitchen-and-bath-industry-show-voices-from-the-industry-conference-300983171.html

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HomeAdvisor's Chief Economist And Home Expert To Speak At The 2020 Kitchen And Bath Industry Show "Voices From The Industry Conference" -...