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The pandemic transformed the way we live in countless ways. But one sector particularly affected by its drastic effects is real estate. For most of 2020, the future of the industry was up in the air.
With the world slowly but surely finding its way back into a normal rhythm, real estate remains changed by the impact of COVID-19. The preferences of consumers are facing a significant evolution, and companies must adapt to catch up. Here is how we think real estate will look in a post-pandemic setting.
Emphasis on Green, Well-ventilated Spaces
The many months spent indoors due to enforced lockdowns brought many families to a state of “pandemic fatigue.” Houses that incorporate green and blue spaces will grow in popularity in response to this. Families will be more inclined to live in a home that bridges the outdoors to the inside.
Along with greener areas, consumers are also likely to see if a home has good ventilation, which extends the refreshing outdoor mood into the house. If you are planning to rent out or sell your home, invest in high-quality heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, and employ good air duct cleaning services to maintain it.
The pandemic has made homeowners all the more conscious about how conducive to physical and mental health their homes are. Highlight these features when you market a property this year.
A Flexible, Multi-use Home
COVID-19 has caused many residents to create space in the home for their usual outside activities. For example, the pandemic accelerated the shift to online shopping and remote work.
This remains apparent now that many businesses are looking at hybrid work, or a rotation of working from home and in the office, as a long-term setup. Hybrid arrangements will make home offices a must in a residence.
Consumers are looking to turn their homes into a place that not only allows for work but also makes space for leisurely pursuits. So aside from office spaces, ample room for workouts and well-decorated backgrounds for video meetings will also gain popularity.
Closed floor plans are the most practical format for clear divisions between areas and to promote privacy and safety in the home. Open space concepts will stay popular, however, but will find more focus on functionality.
Suburbs over the City
The unique needs posed by COVID-19 has made consumers seek out homes in areas that are quieter, less densely populated, and have more greenery. Realtor.com reports that there has been a growth of 56.4% in online home shoppers looking at suburban homes. On the other hand, urban homes only saw a growth of 43.6%.
The impact of the pandemic on buying power has also made consumers prioritize affordability in housing. This leads them away from expensive, big city living and into the quiet neighborhoods of suburban areas and smaller cities. Notably, urbanites moving to the suburbs prefer locations that still allow them to have access to amenities available in urban areas.
Virtual Ocular Visits
Home buyers are more concerned for their safety than they have ever been. Interested parties will prefer an online meeting and tour of a property before going for a physical visit.
It is high time, then, for real estate companies to invest in virtual reality and augmented reality technologies that will replicate the experience of an actual visit. These virtual home tours will be more convenient for both the buyer and seller. How? Buyers get to check every nook and cranny of a house, while sellers save time jumping from one property location to another just to meet clients.
Rental Properties Remain Popular
Even in the middle of the pandemic, rental homes were the preferred choice for vacationers compared to hotels. This is understandable, as homes that are empty for a longer amount of time are preferable for safety reasons. They also usually allow more distance from other people.
With people easing back into out-of-town vacations as life after COVID-19 nears, rental properties are likely to remain the preferred accommodation because sanitation and safety are concerns that will remain top of mind for vacationers even after the pandemic.
For long-term residences, renting also seems the more feasible option. Professionals are still working towards better stability in their jobs as the post-pandemic transition occurs. This means that in the meantime, renting is the most practical choice.
The constant evolution of the world situation and buyer preferences can be a headache to manage. On the flip side, people are still renting and buying properties today. The primary role of the real estate industry is to keep helping people find homes where they are assured of their comfort and safety.


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Matt's Big Breakfast is opening in Glendale: When, where and how to score free bacon
Matt's Big Breakfast, one of metro Phoenix's most popular and locally owned brunch spots is ready to make its West Valley debut.
Matt's Big Breakfast is scheduled to open Friday, Oct. 15, in Glendale.
All employees will be required to wear masks, but it will not be mandated for guests, a restaurant spokesperson told The Republic.
The restaurant is known for its hearty breakfast plates, such as biscuits and gravy, griddle cakes, the Big Papa burrito and, a personal favorite of Guy Fieri, the Chop & Chick, featuring a skillet-seared Iowa pork rib chop marinated in pesto and served with two eggs and toast.
Founder Matt Pool first opened the breakfast restaurant in in 2004 in an 800-square-foot, red brick building in downtown Phoenix. The restaurant has since expanded to multiple locations, including in Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. A new location is also planned for Epicenter, an upcoming development inside Agritopia, a master-planned community in Gilbert.
Free bacon at the grand opening
The first fifty people in line for the Glendale grand opening will win six months of free bacon.
Doors open at 7 a.m. All proceeds from the opening day will be donated to the No Kid Hungry charity, according to a press release.
Details: 7507 W. Rose Garden Lane, Glendale. mattsbigbreakfast.com.
Subscribe to azcentral.com today to support local journalism.

domain: news


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Microsoft recently announced a special version of Windows 10 aimed primarily at teachers, students, and for use in educational institutions. Windows 10 S, as the new OS is called, is built from the core of Windows 10 Pro, but is meant to be faster, more secure, lightweight, and with improved battery life over its sibling operating systems. So, if you’re wondering what the differences between these two operating systems are, we pitched Windows 10 S vs Windows 10, and here are the differences you should know:
Windows 10 S is Microsoft’s own take at a “Walled Garden” OS, something that Apple perfected with iOS. Microsoft mentions that laptops running Windows 10 S will not be able to install apps from sources other than the official Windows Store, just like the Windows RT platform. This may be both a good thing, and a bad; and a lot depends on whether major third party developers repackage their apps for the Store or not.
Not allowing installation of apps from other sources will definitely improve the overall security of the system. Plus, app updates will be managed more efficiently, if every app is from the Windows Store only. However, all of these good things will go to waste, if popular third party apps like Chrome, Photoshop, Firefox etc. are not repackaged for the Windows Store.
WhatsApp is apparently testing out a brand new feature: chat pinning. The feature has been available on other chat apps like Telegram for quite some time now, so it’s good to see that WhatsApp is finally seeing the usability of such a feature, and is planning on bringing it to the stable version of the app soon.
The new feature is available in the latest version of WhatsApp Beta (v2.17.162), allowing users running the beta version to pin important chats to the top of the screen. What this means, is that if you’ve pinned a chat, it’ll always remain on the top of the list, regardless of any new messages in other chat threads.
The feature works for both individual and group chats, and can definitely help you if you chat with a lot of people, and would like to keep the important chats on top for easier accessibility when you need it.
To pin a chat, you can simply press and hold on the chat thread, and then tap on the pin icon on the top. Unpinning is a similar process: just tap and hold on the chat thread, and tap on the unpin icon on the top.
Since the feature is in beta right now, there is no telling when (or if) it’ll make it to the stable app. I really hope it does, because it can prove very useful to a lot of people. Plus brand new features always get people excited, so it’ll prove useful to WhatsApp itself, as well. When I say “brand new feature”, I mean brand new for the app; chat pinning as a feature has existed for quite some time now, so it’s not like WhatsApp is really innovating. But hey, cool new feature, who am I to complain?
Microsoft has forged a partnership with R3, a consortium of 43 financial institutions, to help make online money transfers and payments faster and more secure using blockchain technologies.
Blockchains, or online ledgers used for recording digital transactions, are touted as tamper resistant but were originally developed outside of the traditional banking system. This newer technology has banks scrambling to find the right technological fit
At Microsoft’s inaugural Envision conference for business leaders yesterday in New Orleans, CEO Satya Nadella told the crowd that R3 was using blockchain technology available on Microsoft Azure. Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) will be a preferred vendor, providing “blockchain as a service,” which will let financial institutions access the technology via the cloud. It will also provide services and staff to help R3 to develop new financial products using the blockchain technology.
Amazon’s AWS (Nasdaq: AMZN), Google (Nasdaq: Goog) and IBM(NYSE: IBM) also are racing to find their own answer to blockchain technology.


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Good game: Fiesta Bowl announces PlayStation as its new sponsor
PHOENIX — The annual Fiesta Bowl game has a new sponsor: PlayStation.
In a press release Tuesday, the Fiesta Bowl said the multiyear deal not only gives the game a sponsor, but makes the console the official gaming and virtual reality sponsor of the College Football Playoffs.
“PlayStation’s commitment to creating unique and exciting experiences matches our desire to deliver one-of-a-kind events to fans each year,” Mike Nealy, the bowl’s executive director, said in the release.
This year’s game will be played by two at-large teams on Dec. 31 in Glendale at University of Phoenix Stadium.
The PlayStation sponsorship came about in part through a deal with ESPN.
“As leaders in entertainment and technology, ESPN and PlayStation share some of the most passionate fans in the world,” Ed Erhardt, president of ESPN Global Sales and Marketing, said.
“The demographic drawn to PlayStation also consumes ESPN content, and the Fiesta Bowl is an excellent vehicle to reach those passionate college football fans.”
The agreement between PlayStation and ESPN will also include other programming throughout the year.
The bowl was sponsored by Tostitos for 18 years, but that agreement was ended in 2014. The game was sponsored by Vizio for one year and, last year, obstacle-course race organizer BattleFrog took over.
The Fiesta Bowl is part of a rotating group of bowl games that determine the annual college football national champion.
- Fans headed to Fiesta Bowl should expect Loop 101 traffic congestion
- Fiesta Bowl brings Overwatch Championship to the Valley
- Fiesta Bowl names retired Coyotes captain Shane Doan as grand marshal
- Fiesta Bowl donates record $2.5 million to Valley charities
- Fiesta Bowl says upcoming Ohio State-Clemson game is sold out


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A U.S. government lawyer opened a civil trial by portraying Apple as a corporate bully that swaggered into the market for electronic books in 2010, forcing an end to price competition and costing consumers hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Justice Department attorney, Lawrence Buterman, said Monday a dramatic price increase in e-books was “no accident or unforeseen outcome” but the result of a deliberate plan by Apple and five book publishers to eliminate Seattle-based Amazon.com’s $9.99 bargain price for popular e-books.
He asked U.S. District Judge Denise Cote, who is overseeing a trial expected to last several weeks, to find that the computer company had violated anti-trust laws.
Defending itself from U.S. Department of Justice allegations of e-book price fixing, Apple on Tuesday pointed to the diverse contract terms it made with five major publishing houses as evidence against purported conspiracy.
A follow-up report to yesterday’s proceedings from AllThingsD says Apple lawyer Orin Snyder brought up the negotiated terms multiple times during the bench trial now in front of U.S. District Court Judge Denise Cote.
The composition of Apple’s agreements with five of the biggest book publishers in the world is central to the Justice Department’s antitrust argument, which holds that the companies worked hand-in-hand to falsely inflate e-book prices in the iBookstore. At the core of Apple’s pricing strategy was a so-called “most favored nations” clause that allows publishers to set e-book pricing, but precludes them from selling the same content to other retailers at a lower price.
via: Apple argues diverse book publisher contracts prove non-collusion in DOJ suit.
Here is the DoJ opening statement (June 3, 2013):


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Further, private investors have committed P300 million out of this year’s P1-billion target, while microlenders have pledged to allot another P4 billion.
“The microloans are for stakeholders of the companies—entrepreneurs, employees, farmers, fisherfolk,” said the NDC official.
The DTI has been actively promoting the startup ecosystem in the country, with its attention focused recently on the local creatives sector.
Last week, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual announced the government’s plan to establish a Creative Venture Fund and other financial support mechanisms to help local creative enterprises and workers sustain and expand their operations.
“The development of the creative economy is central to DTI’s industrialization and industrial transformation agenda, which is driven by science, technology and innovation. We at DTI endeavor to uplift the skills of Filipino artists and the quality of their outputs to be able to compete in the larger international market,” Pascual said in a statement last week.


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Over the years, we’ve come to expect the unexpected from one of the industry’s leaders, and we’re fully expecting Apple to do it once again at their annual September event. September 2016 is expected to be a huge launch announcement for three distinct versions of the latest iPhones including a smaller, and cheaper version called the Apple iPhone 6c.
iPhоnе 6C Price: Cheaper, but nо longer lоw рriсеd:
Thе iPhоnе 5C uѕеd to be Aррlе’ѕ mоѕt low-cost ѕmаrtрhоnе еvеr. Thаt dоеѕ not imply it wаѕ оnсе inexpensive. With costs starting аt £469, it ѕimрlу gave your pockets ѕlightlу muсh lеѕѕ of a kiсking than its metal-clad ѕiblingѕ. This timе around, thе probabilities of thе ‘C’ in iPhоnе 6C ѕtаnding for ‘lоw-рriсеd’ аrе ѕlim – but wе саn hоре, саn’t we?
Aррlе has, аѕ you might аntiсiраtе, yet tо соnfirm аnу iPhоnе 6C соѕtѕ. Early stories, hоwеvеr, are hаnging the gаdgеt rоund £100 less еxреnѕivе thаn thе 6S. We would hоре for еxtrа if thе plastic body is right.
We’ve been speculating that Apple is looking to bring back the cheaper iPhone that first debuted a couple of years ago, but this year’s 6c is expected to be so much better. We’re hearing rumors that Apple is looking to appeal to a very wide user base, and the current launch price iPhone 6c rumors have been very consistent.
The September 9th iPhone 6 launch announcement is also expected to reveal the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus giving consumers three distinct price options to choose from. Early rumors on the iPhone 6c price has it coming in at $649 off-contract, and only $99 on-contract. Many of the top carriers here in the US will certainly feature the launch which could start as early as the end of September 2016.
AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile will likely open up preorders by the middle of the month, but only if the phone becomes a reality. There has been a lot of speculation with the most consistent rumors suggesting three new iPhones launching to this year. The pricing structure seems to offer about a $50 – $200 difference between each model which would make the price of the iPhone 6s about $850, $950 for the 6s Plus, and $650 for the 6c.
It’ll be interesting if Apple does in fact launch three phones this summer as consumers are already lining up for the inevitable launch announcement. The same five colors for the iPhone 6c are expected including yellow, blue, green, pink, and white, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see a couple more including gold and silver.
Be sure to check back or check us out on Facebook as we’ll be bringing you the official Apple iPhone 6c launch announcement if the September 9th event holds-true.


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By Paul Homewood
Musk gets ever more desperate.
From the Mail:
- Tesla requested its suppliers return what it calls ‘a meaningful amount of money’
- The plea raises questions around the car company’s cash reserves
- All of Tesla’s suppliers were asked to help the company turn a profit
- Tesla has been burning cash at a rate of about $1 billion (£0.76bn) each quarter
- Last week, it was revealed Model 3 buyers have been cancelling their orders
Tesla has requested some suppliers refund a portion of what the automaker has already spent on orders in a bid to help it turn a profit, according to a leaked memo.
The plea, which has been branded ‘desperate’ and ‘ludicrous’ by a leading industry expert, raises questions around Tesla’s cash reserves.
Earlier this year, CEO Elon Musk said he expected Tesla to become profitable in the second half of 2018, despite losing $710 million (£540 million) on a revenue of $3.41 billion (£2.6 billion) during the last quarterly results.
According to the confidential memo, which was sent by a global supply manager for the company, Tesla has requested what it calls a ‘meaningful amount’ of money on its payments since 2016 from its supplier.
ll suppliers for the company are being asked to help Tesla become profitable, according to the memo seen by the Wall Street Journal.
The electric car company declined to comment on any specific leaked memos, however, confirmed that it is seeking price reductions from suppliers for projects, some of which date back to 2016.
Supply-chain consultants told the paper that sometimes automakers will demand a reduction in price for a current contract going forward or use the promise of a new deal as leverage to get savings upfront.
However, it is unusual for an automaker to ask for a refund for past work, they said.
It’s simply ludicrous and it just shows that Tesla is desperate right now,’ Dennis Virag, a manufacturing consultant who has worked in the automotive industry for 40 years, told the Wall Street Journal.
‘They’re worried about their profitability but they don’t care about their suppliers’ profitability.’
Tesla has been burning cash at a rate of about $1 billion (£0.76bn) a quarter and finished the first quarter with $2.7 billion (£2bn) in cash on hand.
However, it has struggled to balance its desire for growth with the expense of launching new vehicles and building out infrastructure to support its business.
Tesla is ready to be profitable, CEO and co-founder Elon Musk recently wrote in an internal email to all staff.
The company just needs to whittle down its capital expenditures, Musk added.
CEO Elon Musk has previously stated that he wants to avoid raising additional cash from venture capitalists and investors, promising the electric automaker will become cash-flow positive thanks to the continued Model 3 build rate.
Many analysts expect Tesla will eventually have to resort to raising more money.
MailOnline has contacted Tesla for comment.
Last week, it was revealed a growing number of Model 3 buyers have been cancelling their orders, following supply chain issues with the vehicle.
Wall Street Journal Reporter Deletes Twitter Account Following Tesla Model 3 Review Backlash
Wall Street Journal reporter Dan Neil has deleted his Twitter account following severe backlash over his recent Tesla Model 3 review — from both Tesla fans and critics.
Dan Neil, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, recently published his first review of Tesla’s Model 3 electric car. The review was quite balanced, in fact, Neil was quite complimentary of the car, writing:
I’m no financial analyst, but I do know cars. If you were hoping Tesla TSLA, -3.80% would fail on account of the Model 3 I’ve got bad news: This thing is magnificent, a little rainbow-farting space ship, so obviously representative of the next step in the history of autos. I know there are a lot of Tesla bears, haters and cynics out there. Tesla boss Elon Musk makes it easy. But in the spirit of charity I think we can all agree many brilliant people are putzes.
But Neil also had some criticisms of the car and its assembly saying:
The factory in Fremont is a dimly lit, vertically integrated madhouse. The place is the Kobe beef of lean production, with subassemblies and panels stacked to the rafters. About 30 percent of the Model 3’s robotic assemblers are hanging from above, to increase what one engineer called “manufacturing density.” Jeez. Keep your arms and legs inside the ride at all times.
But despite Neil’s largely positive review, both Tesla fans and detractors took to Twitter to express their dissatisfaction over the review. Some critics accused Neil of being biased towards Tesla or owning stock in the company, while others questioned why Dan hadn’t reviewed other electric cars or Tesla’s $35,000 Model 3 car (which is not yet available.)
Here are just some of the tweets that Neil was bombarded with following his review, which were captured by auto journalism site Tire Meets Road:
Neil isn’t one to back down from criticism and replied to many of the tweets he received:
However, a short time later, Neil deactivated his Twitter account. It would seem that any discussion about Tesla and Elon Musk often devolves into a battle between fanboys and detractors. Any well-rounded analysis of Tesla’s products and market strategy has no place in online discourse — you’re either with Elon Musk or against him.
Neil has reportedly not replied to a request for comment from Jalopnik about his account deletion, but his account currently remains deactivated.
24% of Tesla Model 3 Orders Cancelled, Cancellations Outnumber New Orders
By David Middleton
From the purveyors of Fake News…
24% of Tesla Model 3 orders have been canceled, analyst says
by Jordan Valinsky @CNNMoney
July 19, 2018
Tesla is finally making enough Model 3s — but an analyst says many customers are growing too impatient to wait any longer for them.
Cancellations for Model 3 orders have picked up in recent weeks. Refunds now outpace deposits for Tesla’s new mass-market electric car, according to Needham & Co. analyst Rajvindra Gill. Tesla disputes that.
In an analyst note delivered to clients Thursday, Gill cited extended wait times for the car, the expiration of a $7,500 tax credit, and the fact that Tesla has not yet made the $35,000 base model of the car available for purchase yet.
About one in every four Model 3 orders is canceled, Gill said, double the rate from a year ago. Customers have to put down a refundable $1,000 deposit to reserve a Model 3, then pay another $2,500 to choose their specific version. They pay the rest when the car is delivered.
The wait time for a Model 3 is about 4 months to a year, and base model customers could wait until 2020, Gill said.
A Tesla spokesperson denied that Model 3 cancellations exceed new orders.
Who do you believe?
Stark Industries Tesla, CNN or the Wall Street analyst?
Tesla has finally topped 5,000 Model 3 units per month, delivering 6,250 and 6,062 in May and June respectively. Tesla’s monthly Model 3 output is now up to about 55 hours worth of Ford F-Series production.


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The Halifax Examiner is providing all COVID-19 coverage for free.
Postal workers in the province are fearful and expressing concerns that Canada Post isn’t doing enough to protect their safety as they continue working through this pandemic.
“There are people calling here crying. They have to go to work to get paid, but they’re worried about being exposed to the virus at work, worried that they’re going to bring this home to their family,” said Jim Gallant, a regional grievance officer for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) Atlantic Region.
“It’s not just about them. A lot of us in Nova Scotia have elderly parents, other people have people with different medical needs that put them at risk like heart problems, diabetes, things like that. There’s a lot of fear out there.”
Gallant said many postal workers in the province are concerned about not having continuous access to the necessary tools to do their jobs, including nitrile gloves or hand sanitizer. He said on Monday, there were no size small gloves left for workers who needed them in Sydney.
“On the hand sanitizer and on the gloves they say what everybody else is saying. ‘Oh we’ve ordered some.’ Well, that horse ran away,” he said. “But they did make us aware (Tuesday) that they got hand sanitizer from a distillery here in Nova Scotia, and they got a big order of gloves in. But how long that lasts, I don’t know.”
There are also concerns about the level of cleanliness, or lack thereof, at their two main plants on Almon Street in Halifax and in the Burnside Industrial Park.
“We’re an industrial warehouse. You’re dealing with paper and newsprint and all these things. The place gets filthy,” he explained.
Although they regularly complain to Canada Post about the need for a deep clean, Gallant said during this pandemic the need is far more urgent.
“It’s one thing when there’s dust around and people have asthma and different things like that, but when this is around and you can see dust that has been sitting there for a month or two months or 10 months, now what happens if COVID is on the floor,” he asked.
“And it’s not just on the floor. It’s on sortation cases. You can see the dust that’s been sitting there, and it’s not moving, so that’s the fear.”
Gallant said while Canada Post has assured them the deep cleaning of the warehouse will happen, it hasn’t yet.
In an emailed statement Wednesday morning, Canada Post acknowledged that there’s currently a limited supply of hand sanitizer in their Halifax facilities due to supply shortages. But they added that these items, including gloves, are still available for employees.
“We have also hired extra cleaning staff for each shift, who prioritize the cleaning and disinfecting of common touchpoints on a continuous basis throughout the day,” the statement continued.
“We know Canadians are counting on us and we will do everything we can to keep this country’s postal service operational, while ensuring we make the safety of our employees and our customers our first priority.”
As people hunker down in their homes, many with more time on their hands, online orders of a wide variety of items are keeping postal workers busy.
“The vast majority of the workers want to go to work and get their job done. It’s a matter of pride that we’re postal workers and we always deliver,” Gallant said.
“The snow, the sleet, the coronavirus. Whatever. We deliver parcels. People order things like their food through the mail and we bring it. That’s what we do. But we want to do it safely.”
Gallant said some employees are legitimately worried they’ve been exposed to COVID-19 due to customers not practicing social distancing and not abiding by required self-isolation.
“We’ve had people in Nova Scotia come in (to buy a stamp) and go, ‘I just got back from Cuba and I’m supposed to self-isolate and I just dropped in to get my mail before I go home.’ And they’re coughing,” he said.
“The Prime Minister, when he’s telling people to go home and stay home and don’t stop for anything in between, he’s not being an alarmist at that point. We’ve told politicians this is what’s going on. People just aren’t listening.”
He said those retail employees have another concern.
“At this point there’s still no plexiglass up for sneeze guards or whatever…Most of the time you’re within that six feet that they’re telling you to stay apart,” he said.
Gallant said he did want to thank the vast majority of customers for their support. He encouraged people to help keep postal workers safe by maintaining an adequate distance from them as they deliver mail and parcels. Whether it’s at a community mailbox or in an apartment building lobby, he said people should remain at a distance of two metres or ideally more.
“Absolutely people can say hi or thank you or whatever, but not within at least that couple of metres,” he said.
“People want their mail. That’s fantastic. It’s our job. But you can’t tap your foot close enough to me basically that I can get sprayed from you.”
On Tuesday, Canada Post announced service changes that include reduced hours in post officers operated by the Crown corporation and a suspension of on-time guaranteed delivery.
They’ve also asked customers to pay using the “tap” function with debit or credit cards whenever possible, and will hold parcels left at the post office for longer than the normal 15-day period.
In an effort to eliminate customer interactions at the door and reduce the number of people physically going to post offices, they’ve implemented a knock, drop and go approach.
“This change eliminates the need for signatures at the door and greatly reduces the number of parcels sent to our post offices for pick-up,” Canada Post said in a media release on Tuesday.
Canada Post’s COVID-19 updates are available online here.
The Halifax Examiner is an advertising-free, subscriber-supported news site. Your subscription makes this work possible; please subscribe.


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SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP, OH (FOX19) - Bank of America purchased Kenwood Towne Place during an auction Thursday morning.
Construction halted at the retail center about two years ago after several lawsuits were filed against Bear Creek Capital, the developer of the project.
Bank of America purchased the retail center for $27.5 million, $2 million above the appraised valued of $25.5 million. Bank of America is also the first lien-holder and was a major financier for the project.
The sale was ordered by Commons Pleas Court Judge Beth Myers in the civil case by various creditors against Bear Creek Capital.
"Its certainly a step in the right direction. Its something that we've been waiting for a long time now," said Mitchell's Salon & Day Spa vice president, Mike Batchelor. Mitchell's is one of four businesses that now occupy Kenwood Towne Place. "We're hopeful that it will bring more tenants which in turn will bring more foot traffic to the project and we think it will definitely, in turn, create more business for us," said Batchelor
Kroger built a new store in the project, then closed it after only months of operation due to the surrounding project not being completed. A couple of businesses are still operating on the ground floor.
"I'm sure Kroger's not coming back so they'll probably have their work cut out getting other stores to fill that space," said Towne Place shopper, Chad Moon.
Another shopper wasn't sure the project could be resurrected.
"Is it so far gone that they're going to have to spend a lot of time and a lot of money just bringing it back up to a standard where you can complete it?" asked Tom Johnson.


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Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) Dawlance has now introduced another innovative range home appliances, including the new Glass Door Chest Freezers – the DF 200 ES along with the 91998 Signature Inverter. This year, Dawlance’s chest freezer portfolio has revolutionized the technology market with the addition of these glass models. These products, launched shortly before Eid-ul-Azha, promise a great response from the consumers throughout the season.
With the launch of this Inverter Glass Door Chest Freezer, Dawlance has gained the First Movers Advantage, amongst all national brands. The consumers have appreciated the new product-line, as the demand for its Glass Door and Mirror Glass Door refrigerators has risen sharply. The chest freezer segment is also getting exceptional market feedback, whereby, the product portfolio has been further strengthened.
The Head of Marketing at Dawlance – Hasan Jamil said that; “The aesthetic appeal of these glass-door freezers makes them the best choice for the consumers as it matches the modern furnishings in all the classy homes, while the users can derive maximum functionality and performance from these next-generation appliances. Dawlance is committed to continue with its pursuit for more innovative products, to gain more trust and confidence of all consumer segments.”
Hasan Jamil further stated that; “The modern-day consumers look for appliances with sleek designs and prompt after sales-services that simplify their lifestyle, to promise higher value and energy-conservation. With continuous Research and Development practices, Dawlance has become a pioneering brand, that goes beyond the expectations of its consumers, to live up to their trust and confidence in its wide range of products.”
Dawlance has once again succeeded in creating an extraordinary experience for its customers’ daily life, by launching these Glass Door products, with a premium finish and luxurious make-over. Customers are struck by its beautiful design, as this concept tunes-in perfectly with the latest trends in kitchen design”. Each of these products will certainly enrich the home interiors with a truly glamorous touch.


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Posted by Claus Andersen, Partner
On 1 September 2016 Withy King LLP merged with Royds LLP. The trading name for the merged firm is Royds Withy King. All content produced prior to this date will remain in the name of the firms pre-merger.
European Tech Capital is London
A recent report has revealed that London is now considered the technology capital of Europe, after attracting a record number of overseas technology businesses in the last year.
Figures recently published by the Mayor of London revealed that during the last year, 90 European technology businesses relocated to London, an increase on 2012’s figures, with many starting up in the Tech City area.
According to the figures, half of the technology companies who relocated to London last year were from America, whilst a handful was from China and the rest from Europe.
The increase in technology firms opting to operate from London, particularly the Tech City area, has raised hopes that a new economic powerbase is being created, which will remove the dependency on the financial sector.
In addition, the latest figures have revealed that the largest investment in London from a technology firm, during the last financial year, equated to £1 billion and came as a result of Google creating its new European headquarters close to King’s Cross. Overall, 260 foreign businesses invested in London alone.
The latest figures follow previous proposals outlined by the Mayor of London, which aim to make London the tech capital of the world; and for those businesses looking to relocate to London or the rest of the United Kingdom, our commercial and corporate lawyers at Royds can assist by providing tailored legal advice.
Our solicitors in London provide a comprehensive service for business start-ups, including investment and finance; corporate structures; advising on complying with statutory requirements; service contracts; employment; intellectual property; software agreements; licensing; partnership agreements.
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Our corporate lawyers will get you the right deal and protect your business, now and in the future.


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Check out the Ramadan fashion trends
Check Out The Ramadan Fashion Trends. Ramadan is here and this time it\'s not only about the delicacies that are served during the Muslim fest but also about the fashion trends that taking a new turn during this period.
London: Ramadan is here and this time it's not only about the delicacies that are served during the Muslim fest but also about the fashion trends that taking a new turn during this period.
The dates for Ramadan change every year as it is based on a lunar calendar but for the past few years the summer shopping season has coincided with Ramadan and this has trended new styles for the Muslim community, reported the Guardian.
Brands like Mango have launched a special Ramadan collection of long, flowing gowns and wide-leg trousers which a representative for the brand described as a collection that is "seeking alternatives to replace the traditional abayas and chadors with creative designs."
While shopping for Ramadan seems to be an old trend for British Muslims, it is still an alien concept for the Asian Muslims.
Interestingly, even without explicit Muslim-friendly branding, it's a doddle to shop for modest looks on the high street these days.
Long tunics, thin long duster coats and dresses over trousers are all the rage in bargain high-street shops across the nation and even halal beauty products such as water-permeable and wash-off nail polishes are becoming trend setters this year.
New styles and new fashion statements are all set to glam up this year's Ramadan.


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European mills have increased their HRC export volumes recently
, particularly to Turkey, due to the weak demand in their home markets.
“The start of an anti-dumping case against EU-origin HRC will entirely depend on the attitude of the European producers, because they have been selling to Turkey at dumped prices in recent months,” Ugur Dalbeler told Fastmarkets.
Dalbeler is chief executive officer of Turkish steelmaker Çolakoglu Metalurji, and is also a member of the board of directors of the Turkish Iron & Steel Producers’ Association (TÇÜD).
European mills were particularly active in the export market in April-May, during which time their domestic HRC prices reached their lowest point for more than two years.
Domestic prices have partially recovered since then due to production cuts initiated by European mills with the intention of balancing supply with poor demand. These measures, however, did not address the main issue facing the European flat...


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Ambarella Inc. AMBA, -3.03% shares fell in the extended session Wednesday after GoPro Inc. GPRO, +0.37% cut its outlook and announced layoffs. Ambarella shares dropped 11% to $39.85. The company is a major chip supplier for GoPro's wearable cameras. In early December, Ambarella warned of lighter-than-expected sales citing a weakness in the wearable camera market. Late Wednesday, GoPro shares dove more than 20% after the camera maker cut its fourth-quarter revenue outlook and announced it would cut 7% of its workforce.
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The American Chamber of Commerce in Saint Petersburg, Russia held its latest meeting on October 20 dedicated to logistics called the “Logistics seminar: Best practices.”
Over 30 representatives from the Chamber’s member-companies took part including SOLVO, which was represented by Maxim Maximov, the company’s TOS commercial director. The discussion saw active participation from logistics specialists, head of commercial departments and other experts representative such companies as: IKEA, Philip Morris, Nissan, Hyundai, Yusen Logistics, Toyota, and more.
The attendees shared their experience and best practices including real life examples of innovative approaches to optimizing logistics processing, developing and implementing the latest logistics-related technologies.
Among the main topics discusses were:
Maximov presented a report titled: IT solution for efficient storage logistics: port — terminal — warehouse. He discussed technologies, which can equally be applied in the logistics of sea, and rail terminals as well as warehouse complexes such as: parking zone management, web-portal for clients, loading/unloading zone management (gate), electronic driver queue.
The meeting concluded with an agreement on the future topics that will be discussed at the next meeting: the need and feasibility of switching from pallets to slip sheets, new packing technologies.


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Tech stocks: Groupon slides early
Here's a look at the tech stocks to watch Wednesday.
Groupon slides early. Shares of the online daily deals service are down 1.2% in pre-market trading, fresh off its investment into the European-based mobile payments service SumUp.
According to The Next Web, American Express is also investing in SumUp, which allows businesses to accept credit and debit card payments through a smartphone or tablet. It works similarly to Square, run by one of the co-founders of Twitter.
Facebook down after ad controversy. The social network's shares are down 1% after several advertisers reportedly nixed marketing campaigns on the site.
The Financial Times reports companies including Nissan have pulled campaigns after some of their ads started appearing next to offensive content. Facebook says the questionable posts have since been removed.


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Midland Expressway Limited has today increased the toll for driving on the M6, cementing its status as the UK’s most expensive road toll.
From now on, car drivers will have to pay £6.90 to access the road in the West Midlands, an increase of 20p over the previous charge. A return journey in a car will cost £13.80, meaning drivers who pass though the toll every weekday could pay up to £3615 a year.
The increase means that the M6 remains the most expensive toll in the UK. Now almost triple the cost of the Dartford Crossing, the next most expensive, which charges £2.50 for access, the M6 toll is seven times costlier than crossing the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Leasing expert Leasing Options noted that it would cost the equivalent of four tanks of petrol to travel through the toll for a month.
Leasing Options boss Mike Thompson said: “While some people have no other option to use these roads, it’s staggering the amount these toll charges can add up to when used on a daily basis.
“Our research shows that on average over the year, a commuter could pay £1264.15 [on toll roads across the UK]. That’s 3.5% of the average UK salary, which is a big amount to fork out over the year. The convenience can be great for the occasional user, but we feel it’s a big cost to take for some people with little other choice.”
Autocar has contacted Midland Expressway Limited for comment.
Introduced in 2003, the M6 toll spans 27 miles between Cannock and Coleshill. It was hailed as a way of relieving pressure on the congested motorway, but the move was controversial. Traffic on the motorway grew 4.5% in 2017; on average, 50,030 vehicles used it per day.
When it first arrived, the M6 toll for cars was £5.50, £1.40 less than it is today. However, this increase is quite a bit less than the rate of inflation. According to the Bank of England, if the toll had increased in line with rises of other goods and services, it would be closer to £9.
Despite the M6’s tolls controversy, the model could be about to be rolled out more widely as the government considers a road-pricing scheme to help fill the tax shortfall caused by the gradual switch to EVs. This switch has been accelerated by the announcement of its 2030 ban on the sale of new pure-ICE cars. Some hybrids will be allowed until 2035.


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Elon Musk ended the day as the world’s richest person on June 8, 2023, for the first time in six months. His net worth reached $220.2 billion, according to Forbes’ calculations, $4.2 billion more than Bernard Arnault, the CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton.
Musk’s wealth surge was driven by a rally in Tesla stock, which rose 13.1% on Tuesday. The electric car maker’s shares are up more than 50% this year, boosted by strong demand for its vehicles and optimism about its growth prospects.
Musk’s wealth has been on a roller coaster ride in recent months. He briefly became the world’s richest person in January, but Elon Musk net worth then plummeted as Tesla’s stock price tumbled. He lost the title of world’s richest person to Arnault in October.
Musk’s wealth is now more than double what it was a year ago. He is the only person in the world with a net worth of more than $200 billion.
Musk’s wealth is largely due to his ownership of Tesla and SpaceX. He owns about 20% of Tesla and about 50% of SpaceX.
Tesla is the world’s most valuable automaker, with a market capitalization of more than $1 trillion. SpaceX is a private rocket company that is developing reusable rockets that could revolutionize the space industry.
Musk is a controversial figure. He has been criticized for his erratic behaviour and his tweets, which have sometimes been seen as offensive or misleading.
However, Musk is also a visionary entrepreneur who has helped to revolutionize the automotive and space industries. He is likely to remain one of the world’s richest people for many years to come.


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Julie's Biscuits has launched a new Hari Raya campaign that tackles issues around gender equality. Working with GOVT Singapore, the ad takes an inside look at the production of typical Raya ads of the past, where women have been cast in stereotypical roles. In Ini Iklan Raya, Tau? the women break from script to raise questions to the director on why they are given certain stereotypical roles.
Sharing the advertisement on their social media pages, Julie's said in its LinkedIn post that women certainly play an important role in every aspect, including its Raya ad. "It turns out that now they dare to come forward and not be shackled to the same script again," it added.
Tzy Horng Sai, director of Julie's, said the idea of the ad came from enshrining women and the real work and roles they do and play in every facet of our lives. Sai added, "The stereotypes however problematically pigeonhole them in restrictive roles in the kitchen and at home when we know that they do so much more by somestimes being the breadwinner, taking care of the family etc and where many of them probably singlehandedly hold down the festive traditions."
"Every marketing communication is an opportunity to change some mindsets and be reflective. For a biscuit brand, this opportunity reminds us that ‘flipping the script’ helps us understand ourselves better and be more receptive to change," Sai added. He said that humour can disarm people in an assuring and a relaxed way, which renders so much clarity when questioning stereotypes or traditionally held truths.
“This ad isn’t meant to be a lecture, or an admonishment of any kind. We just wanted to make people chuckle and realise that the women in our lives are more than just caretakers and melodramatic criers. They bring way more to the table than just food. And they deserve our love for it,” Kevin Joseph, associate creative director at GOVT, said.
The ad features notable names in the Malaysian acting scene such as Fauziah Nawi, Sharifah Shahira, Batrisyia Razak and Amerul Affendy, and was directed by Junad M. Nor. With the exception of Joseph, GOVT also put in place an all-female team.
This was not the only instance where Julie's Biscuits collaborated with GOVT in campaign. In January 2020 Julie’s Biscuits launched a film titled "Operation Maybe". As part of its earlier rebranding campaign, the biscuit company aimed to elevate its new look and spread its reinvigorated message of confidence through its film.
The film featured a Malaysian cast including Indi Nadarajah, Fabian Loo, Amanda Ang and Bella Rahim. It tells the story of Julie's marketing head, Raju, proposing to rebrand the company but was met with a "maybe" from his boss, which Raju deems as disapproval. Raju then gathered different colleagues in the company to physically change the logo outside the building to let his boss see what a good idea it is. According to a press release, the story-line is fictionalised, comical take inspired by Julie’s actual real-life multi-layered rebranding process, including internal management, employee and stakeholder consultations and navigating insights from actual Julie’s consumers and focus groups.
The film follows its decision to refresh its 35-year-old brand logo, giving it a younger look. Sai said it was time for a makeover to "express who we are and what we stand for". In the new logo, Julie has short hair and wears a hairband with a red ribbon at the top, as well as a blue outfit. She is looking forward and upwards in the new logo.
Julie's Biscuits gets whimsical with new sonic branding after refresh
Julie's Biscuits ad with GOVT SG follows story of 'fictionalised' marketing head
Julie's Biscuits refreshes brand logo after 35 years to 'make biscuits young again'


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Hathway’s performance from cable TV, broadband biz in Q2
MUMBAI: Multi system operator (MSO) Hathway Cable and Datacom’s standalone EBITDA has jumped 20% at Rs 59.8 crore during the quarter ended 30 September compared to Rs 50 crore in the trailing quarter. The company’s standalone result includes only the broadband business as the cable TV business has moved to a wholly owned subsidiary Hathway Digital. The company’s net profit fell 44% to Rs 15.3 crore as against Rs 27.3 crore.
Broadband subscription remained flat at Rs 131.1 crore compared to Rs 129 crore. Total expenditure declined 3% to Rs 77.2 crore from Rs 79.9 crore. Hathway added 40,000 broadband subscribers to take its total base to 700,000 compared to 660,000 in the trailing quarter.
ARPU saw a decline to Rs 717 from Rs 730 in the trailing quarter. Total passed increased to 4.98 million from 4.6 million. The company said that the normalisation of consumer ARPU is due to increase in higher pay term plans.
It also said that there is increased consumer stickiness due to better VFM on these long-duration pack. Hathway has also upgraded its tech infrastructure to handle higher network traffic coming out of 50% increase in speed and 200% increase in data capacity. The minimum data limit across the country was increased to 200 GB/consumer/month.
45% of its consumers have monthly data limits of 1,000 GB. Average GB/consumer/month has increased to 98 GB in the month of October. It has partnered with Microsoft to give 1 TB cloud storage free to all its yearly consumers.
The process of upgrading Docsis 3.0 technology to Docsis 3.1 is in progress to further enhance customer experience. Docsis 3.1 is the latest global technology for offering high-speed broadband over cable. GPON FTTH Parallel network being deployed in High Potential High Penetrated Docsis home passes to increase market share by offering 200mbps – 500mbps speed to premium consumers.
It is also using Microsoft CRM to use digital tools to enhance customer experience and implement preventive churn management. Cable TV business Hathway’s EBITDA from cable TV business jumped 22% to Rs 33.1 crore compared to Rs 27.2 crore in the trailing quarter driven by a strong revenue growth and stability in costs.
EBITDA margin improved 200 bps to 14%. Total income increased 4% to Rs 244.9 crore from Rs 236.5 crore. Subscription income jumped 6% to Rs 140.1 crore from Rs 132.5 crore.
Total expenditure remained flat at Rs 211.8 crore as against Rs 209.3 crore. Pay channel stood at Rs 138.5 crore an increase of 2% compared to Rs 135.2 crore. Hathway’s cable TV base stood at 7.5 million while the total set top boxes (STBs) was 7.2 million.
The total seeding in DAS Phase I, II, III, and IV are 1.6 million, 2.3 million, 2.4 million and 0.9 million respectively. ARPU from Phase II increased 3% to Rs.
98 (+3%) while Phase III ARPU was up 5% to Rs 58. The company has kick-started Phase IV monetisation with Rs 41.
Hathway Connect implementation has improved from 56% in Q1 FY18 to 61% in Q2 FY18.
Hathway Connect implementation, the company said, has created a change in payment habits of business partners.
In September 2017, 74% in terms of volume and 46% in terms of value of the transaction, is effected by LCOs to the company through digital mode.


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WELLINGTON, Fla. — A redevelopment project that would include a hotel and apartments for the Mall at Wellington Green has been officially withdrawn.
Village officials said Monday that the petition was withdrawn because of inactivity.
The mall, which has been struggling against the rise of online shopping, was purchased by Starwood Retail Partners in 2014.
Starwood announced its redevelopment project last year, an ambitious plan that would transform the property into more of an entertainment district.
However, the coronavirus pandemic forced the company to put the project on pause.
Now that the plan has been scrapped, it remains to be seen what will become of the property.
"We certainly don't want to see what happened in other locations where malls have gone dark," Deputy Village Manager Jim Barnes said last month.


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For a government having trouble selling economic or political momentum, Tony Abbott and Andrew Robb are delighted to have the signing of the free trade agreement with China. It's a convenient reminder of the benefits of the government's achievements in trade.
It's especially timely when another trade pact that has so preoccupied Robb – the 12-nation Trans Pacific Partnership – is now in deep difficulties in the US Congress and may collapse as a result. Doing trade deals with China, it turns out, is less complicated than being able to rely on the free trade credentials of Australia's close ally.
"The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement will lock in existing trade and provide the catalyst for future growth across a range of areas including goods, services and investment," says the statement by Abbott and Robb.
"The agreement secures better market access for Australia to the world's second largest economy, improves our competitive position in a rapidly growing market, promotes increased two-way investment and reduces import costs. It is a win for households and businesses alike."
How well that win-win will work out in practice is not quite so clear. Much of it will depend on how quickly Australian businesses can learn to make use of those increased trade opportunities.
The Australian Industry Group, for example, notes that industry has long viewed the agreement "with a mixture of optimism and trepidation," complaining about inadequate consultation – to get a better understanding of the threats and opportunities – before signing.
"With details now available, companies will be able to assess the details of the agreement and implement strategies – either to take advantage of the opportunities or adjust their business models in the face of increased competition in domestic markets," CEO Innes Willox says.
Actually, if Australian companies haven't already being adjusting business models in the face of constantly increasing global competition in domestic markets, poring over the clauses of the agreement is not going to help them much. Nor would lots more time for consultation with businesses trying to restrict imports or forestall threats - as opposed to finding niche areas in which to specialise and innovate or become part of global supply chains. Instead, it sounds more like a doomed attempt to hold back an ever advancing digital tide.
But the real promise of the free trade agreement is in making it easier for Australia to sell products, especially agricultural and quality food and dairy products, and – at least in Robb's grand vision – many, many more services to a rapidly expanding and already massive middle class market in China.
That's obviously not a smooth transition, particularly given the Chinese sensitivity to agricultural imports combined with Australia's sensitivity to investment by state-owned enterprises and the Nationals' angst about "selling the farm" to foreigners..
It's why the negotiations for a free trade agreement started a decade ago under the Howard government but didn't get far, despite years of effort under the former Labor government.
As a new trade and investment minister, Robb's breakthrough was to negotiate a two-stage process with China's commerce minister Gao Hucheng who was in Canberra for the signing. The government's negotiating flexibility means some of the more difficult areas – like sugar and rice – have been put off to be dealt with in three years time, along with the details of how investments by Chinese state-owned enterprises are treated.
Tariffs will be progressively abolished for Australia's dairy industry while beef and sheep farmers get a phased abolition of tariffs ranging from 12 to 25 per cent. All tariffs on Australian horticulture will be eliminated. China's relatively new tariffs on imported coking coal will be removed immediately and those on thermal coal over two years.
But the growth of services is probably the area where Robb is most passionate about untapped potential. He persuaded his Chinese counterparts to agree to much greater liberalisation than normal by suggesting China treat a limited Australian market as a version of one of their special economic zones. These zones allow reforms to be trialled without irreversible or dramatic national impact. China experiments in them as part of moving its own economy to become more consumer and service oriented.
The Business Council of Australia is among those keen to emphasise how important unlocking such a vast new market for services could be for this country. President Catherine Livingstone says the Chinese middle class will want the same valued-added service in professional services, finance, health, education and aged care that already underpins around 80 per cent of the Australian economy.
But despite the enthusiasm on show in Canberra Wednesday, political agreement for the details of this particular free trade deal is not guaranteed. Labor is expressing its concerns about arrangements that allow Chinese or other foreign companies undertaking major investments of more than $150 million to bring in their own temporary skilled workers. As long as the companies comply with Australian wages and conditions, there will not be any need to try to first test the local labour market to see if it is possible to fill the positions using Australians.
The government says this provides investment certainty and will encourage more investment which, inevitably, will create jobs and growth here.
But like the US Democrats – including Hillary Clinton preserving her own credentials for the top job – Labor will now attack the potential threat to Australian jobs.
Even President Obama's well known rhetorical skills haven't so far been able to persuade enough of Congress to back his authority to negotiate such an important free trade deal without amendment. It would be a big, high risk call for Labor to try to hold up the free trade deal with China.The government says this part doesn't need to legislated anyway, so the complaints won't affect the agreement. But these are strange times indeed.


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The Dutch Data Protection Authority has received information about a possible data breach at Tesla. Over a hundred gigabytes of data is said to be on the streets via a former employee in Germany. The Dutch Data Protection Authority may investigate the data leak, because Tesla’s European headquarters are in Amsterdam.
Stolen bank details
The German trade newspaper Handelsblatt has personal data from Tesla, such as employee personal numbers, customer information and sensitive company information. Bank details of the carmaker’s customers may have been stolen, among other things. The data leak also appears to contain the data of Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Tesla reports that the data was stolen by a former employee.
Read also | Tesla no longer ‘sells’ itself and starts promoting itself
A possible data leak may have been reported by the privacy administrator to the Dutch Data Protection Authority. This happened in the only factory in Europe, located in Germany.
In addition, Handelsblatt reports that confidential data from the production of electric vehicles has been leaked. Thousands of customers are reporting complaints about Tesla’s testing. For example, some cars would accelerate or brake suddenly. Information about the incidents has so far been withheld by Tesla to avoid prosecution. Because this comes out, according to Handelsblatt, the problem of automation seems to be bigger than expected.


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FLAVOURED milk brand Jersey Dairy has been pushing forward with its sustainability drive, having successfully become the first dairy to achieve LEAF Marque status.
The LEAF Marque is an award that recognises the work that farmers have put in to help make their farms more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Jersey Dairy, a farming led co-operative established for over 250 years, has been supporting its farmers to improve soil sustainability, water management and energy efficiency, with support from the States of Jersey’s Rural Support Scheme.
David Ashton, UK sales and marketing manager, said: “When it comes to all dairy products, quality, sustainability, traceability and provenance are becoming increasingly important to today’s socially aware consumer.”
• Jersey Dairy has also recently launched a new chocolate milk.
Made made from semi-skimmed UHT milk, Jersey Dairy’s chocolate drink is “perfect for making a supreme hot chocolate,” according to Ashton.


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Tank: City hall's surveys come with promise, pitfalls
City seeks input online and at open house on three options for short-term rental rules.
A City of Saskatoon initiative to gather input on options for regulations to govern short-term rentals could mark a new era in consultation with residents.
But it raises its fair share of questions, too.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
The effort is intended to try to address the tidal wave of rental properties offered through online platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo.
It differs, arguably, from previous efforts to gather input by offering residents three different options for which they can show support, in both an online survey and at an open house.
The options relate mainly to whether homeowners offering properties for rent would need to obtain a business licence or not.
Residents have expressed skepticism about the degree to which citizen engagement is taken seriously by city hall; the feeling frequently expressed is that input is only sought after decisions have been made.
City hall came up with a new approach to engagement this summer to try to blunt that criticism.
The short-term rentals file straddles the shift in engagement philosophy, since it dates back more than four years. Bed and breakfast owners first complained in 2015 about the restrictions they face given the proliferation of unregulated rentals offered through online platforms.
The city first consulted the public on short-term rentals in 2017.
For those who think city hall moves slowly, the effort to strike a balance for rental regulations could provide a case study.
In fairness, though, it’s been a difficult issue in many cities in Canada and around the world — just like ride-sharing platforms.
The online survey two years ago attracted 1,053 respondents; 72 per cent said they are in favour of allowing all forms of short-term rentals.
A slight majority, 54 per cent, supported a business licence when operating a rental at a property not occupied by the owner, while just over a third backed a business licence for rentals in an owner-occupied home.
Unsurprisingly, the top concern revealed in the survey turned out to be parking, cited by 57 per cent. That’s why bed and breakfast regulations included a requirement for on-site parking.
It’s also why under the proposals put forward by the city a requirement for at least one off-street parking space for short-term rentals will likely be part of the final rules.
The city’s not even seeking input on it. City hall is also not asking about limits on the number of people staying in a rental depending on the size. Those seem set, too.
The three options all relate to whether a business licence should be required depending on whether a rental is in a host’s home or in a host’s rental property.
One option includes an outright prohibition on short-term rentals in properties not occupied by the owner. For such properties, the other option is a mandatory business licence, public consultation and approval by city council.
Residents will essentially get to vote on their preferences related to business licences. But how much will these votes count when it comes to crafting the final bylaw?
A news release from the city says: “The results of this public consultation will be used to shape the direction of short term rental regulations in Saskatoon.”
The issue, of course, is the degree to which the results can be manipulated through self-selection.
Those who offer short-term rentals or who might want to in the future could taint the pool of respondents. There’s more than 300 rental properties listed on Airbnb alone.
Those who are already making money and not currently required to obtain a business licence — even though it is a commercial enterprise within city limits — will be motivated to take part.
The average resident might not care about short-term rentals until he or she can’t find a parking space on the street. Then, some regulation might seem like a good idea.
Also, online surveys tend to skew toward younger people, as was evident in the previous short-term rental survey.
City hall’s commitment to consultation seems legitimate enough this time, but it’s full of pitfalls, too.


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Average used car stocks fell for the sixth consecutive month this year to a new low of 39.9 units, eBay Motors Group said today (Jul 7).
The figure was down from 42.3 units in May and 40.8 per cent below June 2019’s pre-pandemic average of 67.5 units in, according to the group’s latest Market View analysis.
Car supermarkets were the hardest hit, seeing their stock levels tumble by 47 per cent to just 263 units on average, versus 499 in June 2019 – a drop of 4.3 per cent from 275 units in May.
Independents’ stocks dropped by 36 per cent from 47.5 units in June 2019 to 30.5, while franchised sites suffered a 27 per cent fall from 67.8 to 49.7.
However, despite the low supply and continued consumer demand, average prices for the top 50 makes and models on Motors.co.uk dropped by one per cent from £12,149 to £12,024.
That followed May’s 1.9 per cent drop, making it the lowest average list price for the first half of 2021 and a 5.7 per cent drop since April’s peak of £12,753.
June’s price drop was led by supermarkets – down 1.9 per cent to £12,570 – followed by independents, which were down 1.4 per cent to £8,890. While franchised dealers saw a 0.9 per cent increase to £14,216.
The fastest-selling used car in June was the Skoda Yeti Outdoor, averaging just 19.4 days to sell. Next was the Kia Sorento at 22.3 days, followed by the Land Rover Discovery (23.1 days).
Dermot Kelleher, head of marketing and research at eBay Motors Group, said: ‘The widely reported impact of the wholesale shortage of used cars is being felt by dealers across all sectors, with retailers struggling to restock to meet continued consumer demand.
‘Another monthly drop in average list prices is unwelcome news for dealers, especially at a time when book prices continue to rise month on month, although this could be the consequence of retailers being forced to replace sold stock with older inventory.
‘Dealers will need to hold firm on advertised prices over the coming weeks or face the prospect of buying high and selling low.’
Dealers sold cars faster in June than at any point this year, averaging just 36.5 days in stock. Car supermarkets achieved the fastest sales, averaging 27.5 days, while independents were the longest at 46.7 days.
The fastest-selling cars were found at the higher end of the price spectrum, with cars price-tagged between £15,000 and £40,000 averaging just 34 days to sell – four days faster than June 2019’s average.
‘With travel restrictions still in place, limiting the opportunity for early summer holidays, some buyers in June chose instead to cash in unplanned savings on desirable off-roaders and sports cars, which was welcome news for dealers able to source them,’ said Kelleher.
Dealers in Northern Ireland sold cars quicker than anywhere else in the UK, averaging 28 days, and the south-west of England was the slowest, averaging 50 days.
Diesel-engined cars were the fastest sellers by fuel type, averaging 34.8 days to sell, versus petrol at 37.3 days.


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Samsung’s partnership with Marvel has been quite prominent in the past, but it’s about to be taken to a whole new level. Samsung has announced that it will be releasing an Iron Man-themed Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge. And while the photo above is just a render, the device shouldn’t ... Read More »
We’d put up good money that the intersection of Android fans and comic fans is a large one. Now you can enjoy both at the same time.
The Marvel Comics app is now available for Android devices sporting version 2.1 (Eclair) and up. (That should encompass our entire readership. If not, shame on you). With ... Read More »


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Former Philadelphia councilman Bill Green spent $1,124 of his campaign dollars on Uber in 2012. The on-demand car service accounted for less than one percent of the $84,395 he spent in 2012 on campaign-related activities, according to data from AxisPhilly. (The new chair of the School Reform Commission is also an Airbnb supporter.) Council President Darrell Clarke also used the service, spending $223 on it in 2012.
That’s just one of the things you can find in AxisPhilly’s new City Council campaign spending app.
You can also use this AxisPhilly app to see where City Council’s campaign contributions come from.
Knowledge is power!
Subscribe for free today and stay up to date with news and tips you need to grow your career and connect with our vibrant tech community.


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WPTavern: Yoast SEO’s PHP Upgrade Nag is Producing a Significant Increase in Sites Upgrading to PHP 7
Less than three weeks ago Yoast SEO version 4.5 was released with an ugly, non-dismissible notice for sites on PHP 5.2. The notice encourages the user to upgrade to PHP 7, explaining that it is faster and more secure. It includes links for getting started and example emails that users can send to their hosting companies.
In the 18 days since shipping the plugin with the upgrade nag, Yoast SEO creator Joost de Valk has seen a dramatic uptick in sites moving from old, unsupported versions to PHP 7. From December to March, PHP 5.2 usage among Yoast SEO users decreased from 1.9% to 1.7%, a modest drop over three months. After adding the nag on March 21, PHP 5.2 usage dropped from 1.7% to 1.3% for those using Yoast SEO version 4.5. PHP 5.3 usage is also steadily decreasing since de Valk began the campaign to educate his plugin’s users about the benefits of upgrading.
According to de Valk’s stats, 22.2% of Yoast SEO users are on version 4.5 of the plugin. He estimates 1,443,000 sites on 4.5 out of 6.5 million users.
“Assuming 0.5% updated their PHP versions, that’s 7K sites,” de Valk said. “And another 14-20k that updated from 5.3 to something more decent.”
Many developers are hesitant to implement a nag in their plugins, but Yoast SEO is one of the largest plugins to prove that an ugly, non-dismissible notice can be an effective tool for getting users to take action.
“One of the reasons I’m sharing is because I’d love others to join us,” de Valk said. “People don’t like nags, but we’ve had some truly great feedback from users who went from PHP 5.2 to 7 and were astonished by how fast their sites suddenly were. Negative feedback has been absolutely minimal.”
The Yoast SEO team created a project called WHIP that makes it easy for plugin and theme developers to add notices that will nudge their users to upgrade their software versions, starting with PHP. The project also includes a filter for linking to the WordPress.org recommended hosting page, as an alternative to the Yoast.com hosting overview.
De Valk said his team intends to push the notice to users on other PHP versions in the near future, starting with 5.3.
“We’ve got a release coming next week (4.6), in which we won’t do it yet,” de Valk said. “If all goes well and continues to be mellow, 5.3 will be ‘nagged’ as of 4.7, probably three weeks later.”


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Fred’s profit beats in Q1, on track to open up to 28 stores this year
Memphis, Tenn. — Fred’s Inc. reported Thursday that profit for the quarter ended April 28 rose 9.9% to $10.5 million, compared with $9.5 million in the year-ago period.
Revenue increased 3.3% to $500.5 million, edging Wall Street’s expected $500.3 million, but same-store sales dipped 0.4%.
The company opened three new regular stores and four express pharmacy stores during the quarter, as part of its plan to open 22 to 28 stores this year.
Notable Retail Quotes From RECon
I’m just back from the retail real estate industry’s annual confab, the International Council of Shopping Centers’ RECon, in Las Vegas. As part of the event, Faith Hope Consolo, chairman, Prudential Douglas Elliman, hosted a panel discussion of retailers at the Women’s Special Industry Group meeting. Here are some of the more notable quotes from the discussion:
– Brenda Godfrey, VP global store development, Starbucks Coffee Co.
“We are renovating over 1,700 stores and making a significant investment in our existing store fleet.”
Speaking about Starbucks recently-opened Evolution Fresh juice bar: “We’re very pleased with the results. Based on its performance, we will be looking at future opportunities in other markets.”
With reference to Starbucks’ new small, 500-sq.-ft. store model: “With no seating, it’s a quick, in-and-out experience for our customers. So a smaller footprint, smaller rents, smaller build out costs. It’s a model that we can use as an infill strategy. ”
– David Chiovetti, senior VP North America retail/consumer direct, True Religion Brand Jeans
“Retail in Canada is underpenetrated in terms of shopping centers for us. Canada is a big opportunity for us.”
– Kitsy Ritter, director of real estate, Gap Inc.
“The days of asking landlords for rent reductions have really slowed.”
“We have 12 Athleta stores and they are performing very, very well. That number will double by the end of this year, with 50 by the end of next year.
“The Piperlime store will be a pilot for us to see how it does in brick-and-mortar.”
Mark Comstock, VP real estate, Sur La Table
“The greatest challenge in retail is [finding] good people.”
“We will grow at about 10% net (store count) for the next few years.”
More As I See It entries.
Hy-Vee names new chairman and CEO
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Randy Edeker, has been named chairman and CEO of Hy-Vee. Edeker will be only the fourth person in the company’s 82-year history to be elected to this position. He will succeed Ric Jurgens, who is retiring June 1 following a 43-year caeer with the company.
Edeker most recently served as President and Chief Operating Officer, and will now hold the offices of chairman, CEO and president of Hy-Vee.
"I have been truly blessed to be allowed to assume this role, leading the most incredible group of dedicated, hard-working people," Edeker said. "I am both honored and humbled to follow in the footsteps of Hy-Vee’s great leaders, including the man who has caringly mentored me for the past eight years, Ric Jurgens.
"We will remain diligent in upholding the core values our founders set forth for us and delivering great service, great value and a helpful smile."
Edeker, a 30-year veteran of Hy-Vee, has held positions at every level of the company during his career. He joined Hy-Vee as a part-time employee at the Chariton store and quickly moved up through the ranks, working at retail stores in four states before getting his first store director assignment at Columbus, NE in 1993. After just a year at the helm there, he was selected by his peers for induction to the Hy-Vee Hall of Fame as "Store Manager of the Year" – the first of his three Hall of Fame awards.
In 1995 Edeker was promoted to Hy-Vee’s corporate staff, serving as a director of operations overseeing stores in two different geographic regions. In 2004 he was elected VP marketing for the company; he moved up to SVP retail operations in 2006, and in 2008 he became EVP, COO. Stockholders elected Edeker to succeed Jurgens as president of Hy-Vee in 2009.


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Assure Holdings Corp (NASDAQ: IONM) on November 20, 2023, started off the session at the price of $0.34, soaring 5.57% from the previous trading day. During the day, the shares moved up to $0.34 and dropped to $0.297 before settling in for the closing price of $0.29. Within the past 52 weeks, IONM’s price has moved between $0.20 and $10.00.
Healthcare Sector giant saw their annual sales surged by 119.86% over the last five years. With a float of $5.23 million, this company’s outstanding shares have now reached $5.42 million.
The firm has a total of 127 workers. Let’s measure their productivity. In terms of profitability, gross margin is -75.38, operating margin of -221.25, and the pretax margin is -272.50.
Assure Holdings Corp (IONM) Breakdown of a Key Holders of the stock
Observing investor behavior towards Medical Care Facilities industry stocks is more important than anything else. The insider ownership of Assure Holdings Corp is 3.50%, while institutional ownership is 1.76%. The most recent insider transaction that took place on Apr 11, was worth 7,579. In this transaction 10% Owner of this company sold 2,500 shares at a rate of $3.03, taking the stock ownership to the 175,025 shares. Before that another transaction happened on Apr 10, when Company’s Director sold 2,609 for $2.84, making the entire transaction worth $7,410. This insider now owns 250 shares in total.
Assure Holdings Corp (IONM) Recent Fiscal highlights
As on 6/29/2023, Multinational firm has announced its last quarter scores, in which it reported -$1.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the period topping the consensus outlook (set at -$1.87) by $0.24. This company achieved a net margin of -274.34 while generating a return on equity of -174.96. Wall Street market experts anticipate that the next fiscal year will bring earnings of 0.04 per share during the current fiscal year.
Assure Holdings Corp (NASDAQ: IONM) Trading Performance Indicators
Assure Holdings Corp (IONM) is currently performing well based on its current performance indicators. A quick ratio of 2.60 was reported for the most recent quarter. In addition, a publicly-traded company’s price to sales ratio for the trailing twelve months stands at 0.07.
For the trailing twelve months, Company’s Diluted EPS (Earnings per Share) is -13.48
Technical Analysis of Assure Holdings Corp (IONM)
Analysing the last 5-days average volume posted by the [Assure Holdings Corp, IONM], we can find that recorded value of 2.31 million was better than the volume posted last year of 0.64 million. As of the previous 9 days, the stock’s Stochastic %D was 43.31%. Additionally, its Average True Range was 0.06.
During the past 100 days, Assure Holdings Corp’s (IONM) raw stochastic average was set at 13.30%, which indicates a significant decrease from 25.72% during the past two weeks. Based on volatility metrics of the stock, it showed a historical volatility of 117.85% in the past 14 days, which was lower than the 168.11% volatility it showed in the past 100 days.
At the time of writing, stock’s 50-day Moving Average is $0.2606, while its 200-day Moving Average is $1.7829. Now, the first resistance to watch is $0.3311. This is followed by the second major resistance level at $0.3570. The third major resistance level sits at $0.3741. If the price goes on to break the first support level at $0.2881, it is likely to go to the next support level at $0.2710. Now, if the price goes above the second support level, the third support stands at $0.2451.
Assure Holdings Corp (NASDAQ: IONM) Key Stats
Market capitalization of the company is 1.65 million based on 6,710K outstanding shares. Right now, sales total 10,980 K and income totals -30,110 K. The company made 1,540 K in profit during its latest quarter, and -5,260 K in sales during its previous quarter.


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Bloomberg reports on how Big Data is trying to steal all privacy. Here’s a bit:
For several years, Amazon and Google have collected data every time someone used a smart speaker to turn on a light or lock a door. Now they’re asking smart-home gadget makers such as Logitech and Hunter Fan Co. to send a continuous stream of information.
In other words, after you connect a light fixture to Alexa, Amazon wants to know every time the light is turned on or off, regardless of whether you asked Alexa to toggle the switch. Televisions must report the channel they’re set to. Smart locks must keep the company apprised whether or not the front door bolt is engaged.
This is not good.


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The VW Group has posted record sales volume, revenue and earnings in 2011, according to the company's full consolidated results.
IHS Global Insight Perspective
The Volkswagen (VW) Group has set new records after posting its fully consolidated financial results for 2011 with net profit more than doubling to EUR15.8 billion.
The VW Group is currently the pre-eminent financial performer in the global industry and with revenues rising by more than a quarter in 2011 and operating profit also doubling, it is enjoying a golden age in terms of its financial results.
The strong financials are backed up by strong sales growth as VW looks to become the unchallenged biggest global carmaker by sales volume. Despite fourth-quarter figures showing signs of slowing momentum, VW is confident of repeating its 2011 results in 2012 despite uncertainty over the global economic environment.
According to the full consolidated financial results that the company has just released, the Volkswagen (VW) Group doubled its net and operating profits in 2011 and set new records for these figures. The results showed that profit after tax or net profit more than doubled to EUR15.8 billion (USD20.7 billion), up from EUR7.2 billion, while profit before tax more than doubled to EUR18.9 billion, a year-on-year (y/y) rise of more than EUR10 billion. Operating profit also rose strongly, up EUR4.1 billion to reach EUR11.3 billion. According to VW, the strongest contributory factors to this improvement in operating performance were an improvement in sales volume, product mix and pricing effects. There were also product development cost savings of EUR1.1 billion, and there was a negative effect on the operating result of EUR2.6 billion arising from rising input costs, depreciation and amortisation. This primarily resulted from the Group's accelerated growth strategy and development costs relating to the expansion of the Group's product portfolio. Most important of all, the company's operating margin posted a very strong improvement from 5.6% in 2010 to 7.1% to 2011. The consolidated operating result does not include the EUR2.6-billion profit generated in 2011 from its Chinese joint ventures (JVs). Shanghai-VW and FAW-VW are included using the equity method and are therefore included in the financial result, which rose by EUR5.8 billion to EUR7.7 billion last year. This extremely strong result for 2011 means that the board of management will propose a dividend increase to EUR3, up from EUR2.20 in 2010, while the preference share dividend will be raised to EUR3.06, up from EUR2.26 last year. These incredibly strong financials were generated off the back of a 25.6% y/y increase in sales revenue to EUR159.3 billion.
VW Group's 2011 Consolidated Financial Results (EUR, Bil.)
VW's net liquidity feel slightly to EUR17 billion, down from EUR18.6 billion in 2010, but given the large-scale investment programme undertaken during the year this is actually hugely impressive and VW has the strongest cash position in the global industry. The investment programme in 2011 included the acquisition of Porsche Holding Salzburg, an increase in the stake in MAN SE and the equity investment in SGL Carbon SE, totalling some EUR7 billion, as well as increased investments in property, plant and equipment to around EUR8 billion.
VW also posted its global sales results for February and it appears to be continuing its very positive sales growth momentum, despite coming from a very high base level. Sales volumes in February rose by 15.1% y/y to 642,300 units, a more rapid increase than the slow growth posted in January. The combined year-to-date (YTD) increase rose by 7.7% to 1.29 million units, which meant that the Group outperformed the increase in the global market of 6%, according to the company's own data. However, despite the strong performance, sales chief Christian Klinger said that VW would remain vigilant about the ongoing development of the global economy in 2012, with specific reference to Western Europe. VW managed to expand its sales in Western Europe in the first two months of the year by 1.3% y/y to 532,700 units, although the February figure actually slumped by 7.0% to 281,200 units. The Group announced encouraging delivery figures for the Asia-Pacific region in the first two months of the year, handing over 451,200 (394,600; +14.4%) vehicles to customers there, of which 397,400 (350,600; +13.4%) units were delivered in China, the largest single market. In India, deliveries increased by 23.1% to 19,800 (16,100) units. In the US, sales rose by 25.7% y/y to 110,100 units during the first two months of the year.
Outlook and Implications
The VW Group's 2011 sales results show a company that is at the peak of its powers and which is enjoying the fruits of a global sales and model strategy that is aimed at honing profitability and encouraging growth in the emerging markets. During the year, the company set new records for sales, sale revenue and earnings, with more than 8 million units being sold for the first time in 2012. VW's large cash war chest means that it is in a strong position to make future acquisitions and also complete the full equity takeover of Porsche SE which it is now looking at completing after all but abandoning plans to acquire Porsche through a legal merger. This will further improve VW's profitability and operating margin as it will finally be able to incorporate Porsche SE's financial results into its own. As part of a complex agreement signed in August 2009 to forge a joint company, VW and Porsche's holding firm mutually granted each other put and call options to integrate Porsche's sports car business into VW if a decision on a fully fledged merger could not be reached by the end of 2011 as planned. As part of the deal, VW acquired a 49.9% stake in Porsche's sports car unit for around EUR3.9 billion. However, the full takeover of the remaining shares in Porsche will not come before next year as VW can only exercise the respective call option to buy the remaining 50.1% stake in Porsche Zwischenholding GmbH between 1 March 2013, and 30 April 2013, or between 1 August 2014, and 30 September 2014. Further acquisitions cannot be ruled out, and the company certainly has the cash resources to make further purchases. There has long been talk that VW is interested in the Alfa Romeo brand but Fiat has thus far steadfastly refused to countenance such a deal. The only clouds on the horizon for VW remain the ongoing poor sales and financial performance of the SEAT brand. SEAT is about to launch a new generation of models and it may be the brand's last chance to turn itself around otherwise VW may decide to make Skoda its defined entry-level brand on a global basis and abandon SEAT altogether.
VW remains on target to sell 10 million units and the Group's market share has risen by 2.7% since 2007. Therefore the company remains well on track to meet its "Strategy 2018" goal of becoming the world's biggest carmaker by sales volume. However, Strategy 2018 is also about a holistic approach to making the VW Group the global leader by all kinds of measures, including to be the most ecological carmaker in the world. Last week, it announced that it intends to have its vehicle fleet emit less than 120g/km CO2 for the first time. The strong sales performance in the first two months of the year is a positive development, although the already high base levels means that constant growth will be hard to maintain, especially given the uncertainty surrounding the development of the macroeconomic situation in Western Europe. However, 40 new model launches, including the new Golf and Audi A3 will maintain significant momentum in the market.


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A new ransomware campaign specifically targeting the encryption of enterprise servers has been discovered by security researchers. The technology employed by the criminals indicates the involvement of notorious cyber gangsters.
Phishers are known to jump on any running board. Special caution is, therefore, required with mails originating from Thomas Cook in the light of recent events.
Last Saturday saw the introduction of the newly revised EU Payment Services Directive, PSD2. Many consumers still know far too little about the implications of the new regulations or have been made uncertain by the information they have received from banks or other providers of financial services – an opportunity that cyber criminals are surely unlikely to miss out on.
Law enforcement authorities in about a dozen countries this week apprehended more than 280 suspected email scammers as part of a concerted campaign.
When cyber criminals are trying to make off with our login details, they make an effort to exploit the way that our brains work.


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We're One Step Closer to Ending Tampon Tax in Australia
Update 3.10.28: According to the ABC, the 10 percent tax on tampons and pads will be removed after states and territories agreed to make sanitary products exempt from the GST. It was addressed in parliament this morning, where treasurers unanimously agreed to pass the federal government's proposal.
"Stop taxing my period" is a slogan you've likely seen over the last few months as Australian women have been petitioning to have legislation passed to remove the $30 million GST from feminine hygiene products. And today, we're one step closer.
According to Pedestrian, a short while ago, the bill officially titled the Treasury Laws Amendment (Axe the Tampon Tax) was passed through the Senate, with no amendments. Being propelled forward by Greens senator, Janet Rice, the push will see that the 10% GST currently levied on tampons will be removed.
Interestingly, tampons currently have sat in a "luxury" category since 2000 alongside products including condoms, sunscreen and Viagra (which do not incur the same fee).
So where do we go from here? It's a step in the right direction, but we need the bill to pass the lower house. At this point, it is not expected to pass, with the coalition likely to block the bill.
While we wait to see the change we need, shop one of our favourite organic tampon brands.


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Saturday, February 06, 2010
Grocers await stock after shopping frenzy before snowstorm
The weather that caused people to rush out and buy food could also delay shipments.
Photos by Eric Brady | The Roanoke Times
Cars and trucks move steadily on southbound Interstate 81 near exit 141 in Roanoke County Friday morning. [See more photos of the early morning snow]
Passengers load Flight 5543 en-route to Atlanta before it takes off from Roanoke Regional Airport Friday morning. [See more photos of the early morning snow]
Weather Journal blog
From this week's papers
- Winter turns deadly on I-81
- Third major storm slaps region with snow, sleet
- Grocers await stock after shopping frenzy
- Weather Journal: Storm likely to sprinkle more snow, less sleet
- Trusty winter tool in short supply locally
- Winter takes another wallop at Southwest Va.
Winter weather resources
Use #swvasnow to send your comment!
Update (12:02 p.m. Saturday): Follow our continuous updates throughout the weekend as the snow continues to fall.
Grocery store business usually soars when a snowstorm's brewing. Now, some grocers in the Roanoke Valley anxiously await food deliveries after shoppers slammed stores this week in anticipation of today's continuing winter storm.
A truck carrying everything from produce to meat and frozen foods will not arrive at Mick-or-Mack in Roanoke until Sunday, instead of today. Winter weather is the culprit because the truck is traveling from North Carolina, said Thurman Crowder, who owns this neighborhood grocer in Grandin Village.
As of Friday morning, the store was sold out of bagged potatoes, though loose potatoes remained. Still, the milk selection was growing slim, and customers "may not get exactly what they want," Crowder said.
"The shelves are shot, but we're still in business," he said.
Mick-or-Mack's sales were up 30 percent as of Friday, compared with a normal six-day week, Crowder said. The store is closed on Sundays.
Truck deliveries were running on a normal schedule at some other local grocers, including Kroger, Food Lion and Save-A-Lot. Even so, retailers said they hoped the winter weather would not affect those plans this weekend.
"We try to get ahead ... but when you have everyone that normally shops throughout the week cram stuff into one day, you're going to have some holes," said Carl York, a spokesman for Kroger.
Kroger stores have pulled all food from back rooms to fill shelves, he said. And although shopping was busy all week, Thursday was the ultimate traffic rush.
Staple foods such as milk and bread sold swiftly, though people also appeared to be stocking up for Super Bowl parties on Sunday, York said.
Rett Ward, owner of Save-A-Lot in Roanoke, was most concerned that an expected food delivery via truck from Maryland would be delayed. It's planned for today at Save-A-Lot. As of midday Friday, he had not yet heard if the truck would be late.
If it doesn't arrive on schedule, "We still have food," Ward said. "I'm sure we would run out of some things."
Meanwhile, customers had little trouble finding groceries in Christiansburg. As snow continued to pour down and Bobcats and blade-equipped four-wheel drives worked to keep the lots clear, most shoppers were far from panic, with many saying they were doing only their normal shopping.
"I'm just here because my wife sent me here," Christiansburg resident Fred Vitaliano said.
Kim Walters of Christiansburg experienced the long lines at Food Lion on Thursday night. She was back Friday morning buying meat, which had run low the night before, she said.
Staff writer Tonia Moxley contributed to this report.


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Discovery+ has discontinued live streams of Discovery-owned channels, meaning you’re fresh out of luck if you want to watch HGTV or TLC live on the streamer.
Instead, the programming will only be available on-demand.
“As we continue to grow and provide the best streaming experience across all our products and through all compatible devices, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue our Discovery+ channels offer,” the company posted on its website.
Though Discovery+ channels are no longer available, the company notes viewers will still be able to stream shows such as 90 Day Fiancé, Fixer Upper, House Hunters or Property Brothers, among others, by using the search tab.
There’s no explanation given on the decision, but it may have to do with the upcoming merger of HBO Max and Discovery+ into a single streaming service, which will launch this spring.
HBO Max has come under fire for its decision to pull content left and right from its streaming service, including at least six HBO Max Original films, 20 original series and nearly 200 episodes of Sesame Street and various specials.
More cuts are expected ahead of the launch of the combined streamer.
“As we work toward bringing our content catalogs together under one platform, we will be making changes to the content offering available on both HBO Max and Discovery+,” HBO Max previously said in a statement. “That will include the removal of some content from both platforms.”