Latest news with #BillEdwards
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Residents question lack of sirens before Highfill tornado
HIGHFILL, Ark. (KNWA/FOX24) — On June 18, a tornado touched down in Highfill almost unexpectedly without tornado sirens warning the city's residents. Residents knew there was potential for severe weather, but the lack of tornado sirens left some residents confused. For a city to alert the signals, a tornado warning must be issued by the National Weather Service. Centerton Mayor Bill Edwards released a statement on why the alarms weren't sounded in Centerton: Edwards said he always has his eye on the weather and his number one priority is to make sure everyone is safe and notified. 'I watch the weather like a hawk. This day, for instance, I knew we were in a high risk for severe weather, so I posted it very early in the day and I said, 'Hey, just heads up,' and I put timing. I also want to stress for folks to have some way to receive alerts,' Edwards said. Residents are still asking the question, 'How did the National Weather Service not see the threat of a tornado?' Chief Meteorologist Dan Skoff explains exactly why. 'The problem is that the type of tornadoes that we saw that morning happen very quickly. Also, they're very low to the ground. So, our radar technology for the three radars that surround our weather coverage area, those beams are too high in order to detect that rotation,' Skoff said. It is recommended that someone have three forms of notifications when it comes to severe weather. Skoff said relying on the tornado sirens alone is simply not enough. 'Don't wait for the sirens. A lot of times, power goes, gets knocked out, and the siren system goes down. And if that is your only source of warning, then you just failed in terms of getting notified of that tornado warning. Never solely rely on them. Have additional sources for warning,' Skoff said. As a reminder, outdoor storm sirens are designed to warn people who are outside. To get more up-to-the-minute information and alerts on severe weather, download the Your Weather Authority app. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New owner wants to revive Treasure Island Yacht Club
Since the 1970s, the Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club was the backdrop for countless weddings, pool parties, community meetings, sailing races and boat parades. In its heyday the club had upwards of 1,600 members and condominiums on site. Over the years the club was renovated. It changed owners and changed names. It narrowly escaped financial ruin on more than one occasion. In August 2023, after nearly 50 years, it closed without warning. Then-owner and local business mogul Bill Edwards told the Tampa Bay Times he filed for bankruptcy on the club because he was 'tired of losing money.' Now after sitting vacant for two years, the storied property may be poised for a comeback. 'We want to restore the club to its former glory,' said Jason Gerbsman, a real estate broker who is representing the club's current owner, Tavaco Properties. He is looking for a tenant to lease the property, which comes complete with six tennis courts, a pool with tiki a bar and a 47-slip marina. The 39,198-square-foot building on the site features a restaurant with a commercial kitchen, a catering hall, bridal suites, a fitness area and locker rooms. Gerbsman declined to share the price per square foot. When Tavaco acquired the club last year, partner Sam Tavakoli outlined an ambitious vision to bring multiple operators in to run different aspects of the space. From the pool to the tennis courts, to the catering hall 'we want the best in each category,' he said in an interview with the Times. Before that plan could get off the ground, hurricanes Helene and Milton hit Treasure Island with a force, devastating properties and scaring off tourists. The club's marina was damaged by the storm and needs to be refurbished or replaced. But Gerbsman said the rest of the facility remains in good shape. 'The community is going to come back bigger and stronger than ever,' he said, adding that the opportunity to take over the club 'is going to offer tremendous longterm potential for whoever comes in.' When asked if the owners would consider selling the property, Gerbsman said they recently received an offer but that the buyer's proposed use would have required a zoning variance. Before he sold it, Edwards wanted to add condos to the site. That plan was thwarted by the City of Treasure Island. Tavakoli previously told reporters that he was not interested in redeveloping the property. 'Perhaps if the right group came along that was looking to do the right thing by the property and for the community ownership may consider a sale,' Gerbsman said. 'You never know!'
