Huge Palisades Tahoe ski village expansion will be much smaller with new compromise
The League to Save Lake Tahoe, which had challenged the plan approval in a complaint filed earlier this year, called the compromise 'a landmark agreement … to limit and cap future development at the famed resort,' according to a Tuesday press release.
The approved plan, first proposed in principle 14 years ago, called for adding 850 lodging units, 1,500 hotel rooms, 300,000 square feet of commercial space, housing for hundreds of resort employees and more to the resort's base village in Olympic Valley. The idea was to create 'a world-class village commensurate with our world-class mountain," former Palisades President and COO Dee Byrne said in November.
Tahoe-area conservation organizations had been fighting the proposal for years, saying it would worsen traffic congestion in North Tahoe and generally undermine the character of nearby mountain communities. After the plan gained approval from the Placer County Board of Supervisors last fall, nonprofits Sierra Watch and the League to Save Lake Tahoe filed a lawsuit to block the development.
However, according to a Tuesday statement from the league, rather than litigate the plan in court, the two nonprofits and the resort engaged in good-faith conversations as well as 'some hard-nosed negotiations' and were able to come to amicable terms on changes to some aspects of the project.
They include a 40% reduction in the number of 'bedrooms' and a 20% reduction in the size of the 'main village area,' according to a letter from Palisades President and COO Amy Ohran posted to the resort's website Tuesday morning.
Also, the resort will create a conservation easement to preserve land at the base of Shirley Canyon — which had been slated for development — for recreation and public access.
The compromise affirms the 'permanent elimination' of a highly controversial indoor waterpark that at one point was part of the proposal, according to Palisades.
The agreement 'prevents additional development within the Specific Plan boundary for 25 years,' according to Palisades.
'We are listening and taking a different approach, and we feel good about the outcome,' Ohran said in her Tuesday letter. She added: 'I hope you'll agree that the common ground we found is more reflective of the collective voice of our community.'
A revised plan is yet to be formally approved by the Placer County Board of Supervisors, according to Palisades. It will be shaped, in part, by a fresh round of community meetings about the project in the months ahead.
Once revisions are approved, Sierra Watch and the League to Save Lake Tahoe have pledged to drop their lawsuit.
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San Francisco Chronicle
6 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Fatal explosion at U.S. Steel's plant raises questions about its future, despite heavy investment
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The fatal explosion last week at U.S. Steel's Pittsburgh-area coal-processing plant has revived debate about its future just as the iconic American company was emerging from a long period of uncertainty. The fortunes of steelmaking in the U.S. — along with profits, share prices and steel prices — have been buoyed by years of friendly administrations in Washington that slapped tariffs on foreign imports and bolstered the industry's anti-competitive trade cases against China. Most recently, President Donald Trump's administration postponed new hazardous air pollution requirements for the nation's roughly dozen coke plants, like Clairton, and he approved U.S. Steel's nearly $15 billion acquisition by Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel. Nippon Steel's promised infusion of cash has brought vows that steelmaking will continue in the Mon Valley, a river valley south of Pittsburgh long synonymous with steelmaking. 'We're investing money here. And we wouldn't have done the deal with Nippon Steel if we weren't absolutely sure that we were going to have an enduring future here in the Mon Valley," David Burritt, U.S. Steel's CEO, told a news conference the day after the explosion. 'You can count on this facility to be around for a long, long time.' Will the explosion change anything? The explosion killed two workers and hospitalized 10 with a blast so powerful that it took hours to find two missing workers beneath charred wreckage and rubble. The cause is under investigation. The plant is considered the largest coking operation in North America and, along with a blast furnace and finishing mill up the Monongahela River, is one of a handful of integrated steelmaking operations left in the U.S. The explosion now could test Nippon Steel's resolve in propping up the nearly 110-year-old Clairton plant, or at least force it to spend more than it had anticipated. Nippon Steel didn't respond to a question as to whether the explosion will change its approach to the plant. Rather, a spokesperson for the company said its 'commitment to the Mon Valley remains strong' and that it sent 'technical experts to work with the local teams in the Clairton Plant, and to provide our full support.' Meanwhile, Burritt said he had talked to top Nippon Steel officials after the explosion and that 'this facility and the Mon Valley are here to stay.' U.S. Steel officials maintain that safety is their top priority and that they spend $100 million a year on environmental compliance at Clairton alone. However, repairing Clairton could be expensive, an investigation into the explosion could turn up more problems, and an official from the United Steelworkers union said it's a constant struggle to get U.S. Steel to invest in its plants. Besides that, production at the facility could be affected for some time. The plant has six batteries of ovens and two — where the explosion occurred — were damaged. Two others are on a reduced production schedule because of the explosion. There is no timeline to get the damaged batteries running again, U.S. Steel said. Accidents are nothing new at Clairton Accidents are nothing new at Clairton, which heats coal to high temperatures to make coke, a key component in steelmaking, and produces combustible gases as byproducts. An explosion in February injured two workers. Even as Nippon Steel was closing the deal in June, a breakdown at the plant dealt three days of a rotten egg odor into the air around it from elevated hydrogen sulfide emissions, the environmental group GASP reported. The Breathe Project, a public health organization, said U.S. Steel has been forced to pay $57 million in fines and settlements since Jan. 1, 2020, for problems at the Clairton plant. A lawsuit over a Christmas Eve fire at the Clairton plant in 2018 that saturated the area's air for weeks with sulfur dioxide produced a withering assessment of conditions there. An engineer for the environmental groups that sued wrote that he 'found no indication that U.S. Steel has an effective, comprehensive maintenance program for the Clairton plant.' The Clairton plant, he wrote, is "inherently dangerous because of the combination of its deficient maintenance and its defective design." U.S. Steel settled, agreeing to spend millions on upgrades. Matthew Mehalik, executive director of the Breathe Project, said U.S. Steel has shown more willingness to spend money on fines, lobbying the government and buying back shares to reward shareholders than making its plants safe. Will Clairton be modernized? It's not clear whether Nippon Steel will change Clairton. Central to Trump's approval of the acquisition was Nippon Steel's promises to invest $11 billion into U.S. Steel's aging plants and to give the federal government a say in decisions involving domestic steel production, including plant closings. But much of the $2.2 billion that Nippon Steel has earmarked for the Mon Valley plants is expected to go toward upgrading the finishing mill, or building a new one. For years before the acquisition, U.S. Steel had signaled that the Mon Valley was on the chopping block. That left workers there uncertain whether they'd have jobs in a couple years and whispering that U.S. Steel couldn't fill openings because nobody believed the jobs would exist much longer. Relics of steelmaking's past In many ways, U.S. Steel's Mon Valley plants are relics of steelmaking's past. In the early 1970s, U.S. steel production led the world and was at an all-time high, thanks to 62 coke plants that fed 141 blast furnaces. Nobody in the U.S. has built a blast furnace since then, as foreign competition devastated the American steel industry and coal fell out of favor. Now, China is dominant in steel and heavily invested in coal-based steelmaking. In the U.S., there are barely a dozen coke plants and blast furnaces left, as the country's steelmaking has shifted to cheaper electric arc furnaces that use electricity, not coal. Blast furnaces won't entirely go away, analysts say, since they produce metals that are preferred by automakers, appliance makers and oil and gas exploration firms. Still, Christopher Briem, an economist at the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Social and Urban Research, questioned whether the Clairton plant really will survive much longer, given its age and condition. It could be particularly vulnerable if the economy slides into recession or the fundamentals of the American steel market shift, he said. 'I'm not quite sure it's all set in stone as people believe,' Briem said. 'If the market does not bode well for U.S. Steel, for American steel, is Nippon Steel really going to keep these things?'
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Jack in the Box returns to Chicago after 40 years with long lines, but no clown drive-thru
For fast-food fans of a certain age, a familiar name has begun popping up again in the Chicago suburbs this summer. Jack in the Box, which exited the Chicago market four decades ago, returned last month to open the first of eight company-owned restaurants, a converted Arby's in southwest suburban Plainfield that continues to draw long lines of diners on a gastronomical trip down memory lane. Nostalgic visitors will find that Jack in the Box's signature tacos are still on the menu, but its once ubiquitous clown mascot is mostly missing, relegated to the pantheon of bygone fast-food icons along with Burger Chef. That apparently hasn't dampened enthusiasm for the brand's Chicago-area revival. Since launching July 14 in Plainfield, the San Diego-based chain has opened restaurants in Countryside and Naperville to similarly large crowds, with Lake in the Hills welcoming customers beginning Monday. Jack in the Box is also planning to add locations in Tinley Park, New Lenox, Carol Stream and near Midway Airport in Chicago. 'We'll have all eight open before the last day of September,' said Van Ingram, vice president of franchise development for Jack in the Box. If all goes well, Jack in the Box could go from zero to 30-plus Chicago-area locations in short order, with plans for extensive franchising in the pipeline, Ingram said. The publicly traded restaurant chain, which has struggled recently with declining same-store sales and a falling stock price, may need more than nostalgia to win market share in the hometown of fast-food giant McDonald's, but early returns at the first three locations have been promising. 'Obviously, when a new restaurant opens, there's always pent-up demand,' Ingram said. 'People like to try the new place out, and so we experienced that clearly. But then the good thing is, we've sustained those sales beyond that initial honeymoon period.' Launched in 1951, Jack in the Box has nearly 2,200 restaurants in 22 states, of which only 142 are corporate owned. The restaurants are most plentiful in California with about 950 locations, followed by Texas and other states west of the Mississippi River. Returning to Chicago is part of an ambitious eastward expansion of the West Coast staple, which is looking to catalyze growth in the competitive fast-food arena on the eve of its 75th anniversary. The eight inaugural Chicago-area Jack in the Boxes are all corporate owned and occupy former Arby's restaurants acquired in one fell swoop from a large franchise operator to get the brand reestablished quickly in the market, Ingram said. Jack in the Box has invested more than $10 million to relaunch in Chicago, with the eight restaurants costing between $1 million and $2.5 million each to convert from an Arby's, he said. But with 94% of its stores nationwide operated by franchisees, that model will be key to long-term growth in the Chicago market, Ingram said. Jack in the Box has signed three franchisees committed to developing 25 more locations in the Chicago area over the next two to six years, Ingram said. That should enable the chain to reach enough critical mass for coordinated advertising to compete with more established fast-food restaurants for market share. Down the road, Jack in the Box is targeting another 80 to 90 potential franchise locations in the Chicago area to develop as the market matures, Ingram said. When Jack in the Box pulled up stakes and left the Chicago market more than 40 years ago, the quirky California-based fast-food chain was perhaps best known for its talking clown head taking orders at the drive-thru. Its return this summer may spark some nostalgic memories, but Jack in the Box long ago dispensed with the clown image, focusing instead on a diverse menu beyond the burgers that includes all-day breakfast, tacos and even egg rolls, among other items. Jack in the Box restaurants are also open later than many fast-food competitors to sate those after-hours cravings. Darren Tristano, CEO of FoodserviceResults, a Chicago-based research and consulting firm, said nostalgic older customers and curious newbies should give Jack in the Box an initial boost, but it remains a tall order to become a major fast-food player in Chicago. 'Many consumers are drawn to the shiny new operator but price, quality and service will be important to building return patronage and longer-term success,' Tristano said. 'It will be hard for Jack in the Box to build in a market McDonald's calls home and compete with Burger King and Wendy's.' Even nostalgia may have its pitfalls. For some older customers, the warm and fuzzy memories may be tainted by a 1993 food poisoning outbreak — a decade after Jack in the Box left Chicago — where hundreds of its customers on the West Coast were sickened and four children died from E. coli contamination traced to undercooked hamburger meat. Jack in the Box subsequently raised the hamburger cooking temperature to 155 degrees, which also became the new FDA standard for fast-food restaurants. Tristano said the 30-year-old incident and Jack in the Box's previous failure to conquer the Chicago market during its first go-round will likely be forgotten by most consumers in the 2025 reboot. 'Jack in the Box's return to the Illinois market is evidence that consumers have short memories and because of this, they will likely get a reset,' Tristano said. For Jack in the Box, there may be a lot riding on a successful reentry into Chicago. Jack in the Box ranked 23rd among U.S. fast-food restaurants for 2024 with just under $4.4 billion in total sales, a slight decline that dropped it one position in the annual Technomic Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report. Sales are projected to decline 3.5% this year, according to Technomic, a Chicago-based research firm. Same store sales were down 7.1% in the third quarter, according to the Jack in the Box earnings report filed last week. Meanwhile, the company's stock price is down nearly 60% in 2025. Lance Tucker, who was elevated from CFO to CEO in March, blamed the dismal third quarter sales on demographics during an earnings call. 'Jack in the Box significantly over-indexes with Hispanic guests, who, especially in our core markets, face uncertainty and have pulled back their spending,' Tucker said. 'This issue is having an outsized impact on our sales.' At the same time, Tucker expressed optimism about the 'very strong opening' with the first three stores in Chicago. 'We're excited about the early returns on Chicago,' Tucker said. Amplifying the buzz, Steve Dahl, former Chicago radio personality and current podcaster, went on a multiday social media-documented quest to battle the lines and procure a Jack in the Box taco, which has a cult-like following among some fast-foodies. A recent visit to the Plainfield store offered a glimpse into the enthusiastic response Jack in the Box has generated among new and old fans. A weekday lunchtime crowd descended on the restaurant by 11 a.m., forming a slow-moving drive-thru line stretching into the neighboring parking lot. Meanwhile, those who could find a parking space were queued up at the restaurant's entrance by a security guard, who carefully let customers filter inside to keep capacity within village codes. At one point, tempers flared in the drive-thru lane as a driver in a pickup truck gave up and somehow managed to pull off a U-turn, precipitating a hangry window-down exchange of epithets with the car behind him. None of that deterred Bill Fouts, 72, a retired manufacturer's supervisor from Minooka, who stopped into the Plainfield Jack in the Box looking to buy a gift card for his son-in-law and to check out the restaurant chain where he had worked as a teenager in Harvey. He returned to his car in the busy parking lot empty-handed, smiling nonetheless. It was his fourth attempt and his first success at getting inside, but Fouts said the Jack in the Box didn't have any gift cards. He plans to return soon with his wife to share the Jack in the Box tacos he loved growing up. 'I want to enjoy this with my wife,' Fouts said. 'We both enjoyed them, and actually, that's when we started going together. We've been married 53 years, and when I was 16 and working at the Jack in the Box, that's where we kind of met.' Susan Maluck, 66, of Florida, who grew up in Evergreen Park and regularly hung out at a local Jack in the Box on 95th Street while in high school, was in town visiting her brother, Tony Brazzale, 61, who now lives in Plainfield. They decided to take a trip down memory lane via Route 59 to try the fast food of their youth. After successfully navigating the gridlocked parking lot, the siblings were stopped for a brief crowd control wait in the entrance before making their way to the ordering lines. Maluck was there to try the 'cheap tacos' she scarfed down regularly as a teenager. 'I want to see if they're as greasy as they used to be,' she said. The tacos were a 'good greasy,' added her brother, who nonetheless planned to order a hamburger.
Business Upturn
3 days ago
- Business Upturn
LGI Homes Introduces 17 New Floor Plans Across Minneapolis Area Communities
MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LGI Homes, Inc. (NASDAQ: LGIH) is excited to announce the addition of 17 new floor plans now available across four of its Minneapolis-area communities: Cambridge Cove, Meadows North, Parkside, and Triplett Farms. This wide-ranging lineup provides homebuyers with a wider selection of thoughtfully designed homes that combine modern features, spacious layouts and incredible value. 'We're excited and proud to introduce our newest lineup of floor plans, designed with the modern homeowner in mind. These homes reflect our continued commitment to affordability, while offering the space, style, and features our buyers want most,' said Johnathan Welch, Vice President of Operations for Minnesota. 'From three-car garages and cozy fireplaces to quartz countertops and refreshed exterior colors, these new homes deliver more of what homebuyers are looking for, without compromise.' At Cambridge Cove in Cambridge, ten new floor plans have been added. Seven of these homes are two-story plans, while three are single-story. These beautiful homes range from around 1,100 to over 2,400 square feet and feature open layouts, spacious kitchens, and large bedrooms. The brand-new Rachel plan, also available at Triplett Farms, is now the largest plan offered in the Minneapolis area. This home has five bedrooms and three bathrooms, making it perfect for growing or multigenerational families. At Parkside in Clear Lake, LGI has introduced the Becker , a modern two-bedroom townhome with an open-concept layout and low-maintenance exterior. As the smallest floor plan built thus far in Minneapolis, the Becker is ideal for first-time buyers or those looking to downsize without having to sacrifice quality. At Meadows North in North Branch, homebuyers will now find the Becker, Fox, Hubert , and Mays townhome plans. Each offers two to four bedrooms, flexible living spaces, and upgraded finishes throughout. Lastly, at Triplett Farms located in Annandale, LGI welcomed six new floor plans including the Rachel, Floyd, Hancock, Henderson, Madden, and Olson . These homes feature two to five bedrooms, large laundry and mud rooms, and beautiful chef-ready kitchens, all within a peaceful, family-friendly setting. Every new home by LGI Homes in Minneapolis comes equipped with the CompleteHome™ package, which includes stainless steel Whirlpool® appliances, quartz countertops, designer cabinetry, luxury plank flooring, professional front yard landscaping, and energy-efficient features. All of this and more are included in the purchase price, so nothing comes at an extra cost to the buyer. Homes in Minneapolis are move-in ready now, with pricing starting in the $280s. Each community offers quick access to schools, shopping, local parks, commuter routes, and nearby employers. Any of these Minneapolis-area communities are ideal choices for Minneapolis-area buyers seeking space, quality, and convenience. For more information or to schedule a tour, interested buyers are encouraged to visit About LGI Homes Headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, LGI Homes, Inc. is a pioneer in the homebuilding industry, successfully applying an innovative and systematic approach to the design, construction and sale of homes across 36 markets in 21 states. As one of America's fastest growing companies, LGI Homes has closed over 75,000 homes since its founding in 2003 and has delivered profitable financial results every year. Nationally recognized for its quality construction and exceptional customer service, LGI Homes was named to Newsweek's list of the World's Most Trustworthy Companies. LGI Homes' commitment to excellence extends to its more than 1,000 employees, earning the Company numerous workplace awards at the local, state and national level, including the Top Workplaces USA 2025 Award. For more information about LGI Homes and its unique operating model focused on making the dream of homeownership a reality for families across the nation, please visit the Company's website at MEDIA CONTACT: Rachel Eaton (281) 362-8998 ext. 2560 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash
