| Township boosts mall tax assessment
HOBART | Ross Township Assessor Randall Guernsey said Thursday that the township is correcting a "huge undervaluation" of Westfield Southlake Mall, more than doubling the assessed value of the shopping center.Earlier this year, with the help of Indianapolis-based consulting firm Nexus Group, the township was able to obtain documents from the 2002 sale of the mall to Westfield to determine its value for 2006 as $129.5 million.The township trended the price back two years to increase the mall's assessed value from $53 million to $117 million. The combined assessed value for 2004 and 2005 will be $234 million, a $128 million increase from the original assessed price.The increase in assessment will mean additional tax revenues for Ross Township, Guernsey said.Westfield is appealing its 2006 assessment, but Guernsey said the documentation from the 2002 sale will help the township's case before the Lake County Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals."I feel pretty confident that we should win.
AC360°: Flirting with disaster
There were supposed to be pictures tonight to give you a view of the control room from the back row. The photos didn't happen because of late word from Chicago that a decomposed body, which could be that of Stacy Peterson, had been found at an industrial site in Chicago. However, If you had gotten those pictures you would have seen: - our satellites coordinator, Brooke Turnbull, with multiple phones plastered to his ears, making sure that the two late guests and two late phoners actually made air at the top of the show - our video coordinator, Ashley Corum, frantically cutting new video of investigators at the site that was being fed in from the field - our line producer, Jenny Blanco, doing rundown aerobics to make sure the hour did not become a 90 minutes showIn the end, Brooke got us the guests, Ashley got us the pics and Jenny got us out on time.
Denver Nuggets (26-18) at Memphis Grizzlies (13-32), 8 p.m.
The Denver Nuggets will try to wrap up a three-game road trip on a positive note when they pay a visit to the Memphis Grizzlies tonight at FedExForum.Denver is 0-2 so far on the trip and fell to 7-13 on the road following Monday's 117-93 setback to the Hornets at New Orleans Arena. Allen Iverson scored 23 points for the Nuggets, who continued to play without forward Carmelo Anthony. Anthony has missed the last four games with a sprained left ankle and is questionable for Wednesday.Kenyon Martin scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds for Denver, which has lost three of its last five games. Linas Kleiza and J.R. Smith added 14 points apiece in a losing cause. In other injury news for the Nuggets, center Marcus Camby (knee) is probable for Wednesday's game against Memphis and Smith (back) is listed as questionable.Memphis will resume a five-game homestand tonight and is 9-15 as the host this season.
Hark, I hear the plush toys from hell singing!
TODAY'S seasonal gift-giving topic is: What to buy for the person or persons you are trying to drive insane during the festive season. My advice is this: holiday-themed electronic singing plush toys. If you have not heard any of these singing toys yet, then you are likely what we experienced holiday shoppers like to call "normal." If you have been exposed to these ubiquitous electronic creatures, then I can only hope the people who look after you have made sure you are not currently holding any sharp objects. Ha ha ha! OK, I'm not joking here. I mention this because my wife and I spent four hours -- or roughly two months in non-holiday shopping time -- in the mall on Sunday. .
Developer envisions Warminster Plaza expansion
The new owners of the Warminster Plaza shopping center say they want to expand and modernize the partially empty shopping center. The 12-acre property at 654 York Road - across from Archbishop Wood High School - is home to Petco and other stores. It was sold last year for $12.4 million to Philadelphia-based Walnut Street Capital. Eric Kuhn, vice president of GM Suburban Development, said at a township supervisors meeting Thursday that his company wants to rezone the land from shopping center to commercial. The shopping center totals 120,000 square feet. Kuhn said the update would add approximately 20,000 square feet of commercial space. Both GM Suburban Development and Walnut Street Capital are run by Philadelphia developer Joe Grasso. His companies have developed at least 27 shopping centers throughout the region, Kuhn said.
DEVELOPMENT: Unexpected Benefits of Lesotho Highlands Water Project
In Feb. 2004 the governments of Lesotho and South Africa agreed to commission a feasibility study of Phase two of the LHWP. The study was set to be completed in Dec. 2007 so that it could be presented to the Parliaments of the two countries concerned, this has been delayed.
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Emaar launches sale of Ghadeer townhomes at The Lakes on August 11
A key component of Emaar's Emirates Living neighbourhood, The Lakes is located near Emirates Hills and the Emirates Golf Club. Potential buyers for Ghadeer townhomes can register on-line from August 5 to 7, 2007 to attend the launch. Emirates Islamic Bank is offering easy home finance solutions to potential investors. A gated community set amidst placid lakes and a picturesque living environment, Ghadeer offers direct access to the vibrant Lakes Community Centre that features several recreational and retail outlets. An exclusive Ghadeer Neighbourhood Park with its own swimming pool will add to the amenities. Investors can choose from five types of Mediterranean-styled townhomes, varying in size from 2,485 to 3,153 sq ft. The three-bedroom Ghadeer homes have spacious layouts with verandahs, balconies or terraces, two car parking spaces each and gardens.
Other voices: CHP officer an angel in disguise
This story is a holiday tale of an act reflecting the spirit of the season that brought much happiness to a large family and a faithful dog on Christmas morning.
On Sunday afternoon, Dec. 23, 2007, I took my friend June Breen, a Nevada City music teacher, to the Sacramento airport to be with her daughter for the holidays. June has been a friend since our days in the same high school homeroom at Hollywood High School, back in 1939, '40 and '41.
My dog/caretaker, Cooper, and I picked June up later in the afternoon so we would have time to take her to dinner before going to the airport. During our dinner in Sacramento, Cooper stayed in his bed in the back our Prius hybrid car, with the ignition on, the air conditioner running and the windows closed. After a good dinner, we delivered June and her bags to the Southwest air terminal and headed home.
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