Latest news with #Burkett
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Beltline Road repaving to affect drivers
Jun. 3—Road work will begin Monday on a 5-mile section of Beltline Road between U.S. 31 and Gordon Terry Parkway. The project will likely take several months to complete and will include milling the pavement, resurfacing the road and adding new traffic stripes and pavement markers, according to Alabama Department of Transportation North Region spokesperson Seth Burkett. "It's standard maintenance resurfacing," Burkett said. "This is about ensuring the longevity of the pavement and making for a smoother ride for the traveling public." Burkett said the project should be mostly completed, if not wholly completed, by the end of 2025. Work will occur between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday nights through Friday mornings. "The stuff that really impacts traffic will primarily be done at nighttime, so as to minimize daytime impact," Burkett said. This stretch of Beltline Road can see between 30,000 to 40,000 vehicles per day, according to ALDOT. With most work happening at night, Burkett expects evening and pre-rush hour morning drivers will experience the biggest traffic impact. He recommends travelers wanting real-time updates on lane closures and traffic check or the ALGO Traffic app. Work will be split into two segments. It will begin with the section from U.S. 31 to Danville Road. Then the northern segment from Danville Road to Gordon Terry Parkway will be repaved. "At least one lane in each direction will remain open at all times," Burkett said. "But I would expect at least a single lane closure if they're out there milling or paving at night." The project will cost $3.35 million, according to Burkett. Grayson Carter and Son Contracting Inc., an Athens-based company, will complete the work. This is a standard job for the company according to Steve Turner, the paving and milling manager. He expects traffic to be affected for a minimum of a month. As far as delays to the project's timeline, Turner said the weather could play the biggest role. "Everybody knows lately just how much rain we have had," Turner said. "If that trend continues, then it's definitely going to cause that job to be extended, but we hope that rain is just about over with." Turner encourages the public's cooperation to keep the area safe during the repaving process. "We ask for the public's patience as we're working," Turner said. "We want our people to come home safe, so try to obey all the traffic controls, the signs, and the people that are out there guiding traffic control... . We're definitely not trying to impede your day, so we don't want to get hurt in the process." — or 256-340-2437
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Buckley mayor fined nearly $15k over missing campaign forms
This story was originally published on Buckley Mayor Beau Burkett has racked up a bill of nearly $15,000 worth in fines. The fines are mostly related to breaking campaign finance laws, including having late or missing financial disclosures, according to The Tacoma News Tribune. The latest fine was a $1,000 charge filed last week for not reporting personal debt on a 2023 form, with his total amount owed reaching $14,850 in fines. The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) states that all elected officials must file financial statements to ensure transparency. Candidates running for public office in Washington must file an F-1 Personal Financial Affairs Statement, which documents the candidate's salary range, the real estate they own, and membership on boards of committees, among other important information. According to The Tacoma News Tribune, Burkett did not turn in F-1 forms for 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. In 2021, while running in the mayoral race, he didn't turn in his 2020 F-1 or his C-1 candidate registration form. When requested to file the paperwork accordingly, he failed to include and disclose the $13,850 he owed in fines to the PDC. 'Mayor Burkett is one of the approximately 5-10% of people who don't correct their forms when contacted by PDC staff,' Edwards wrote in an email to The News Tribune. 'Despite this, and despite the many thousands of dollars that Mayor Burkett already owes the agency for years of ignoring the law, the PDC still offered to suspend virtually all of today's penalty if he corrects his F1 report.' Burkett did not appear at last week's hearing. KIRO Newsradio has reached out for comment. Burkett's term as mayor ends December 31, and the fines have been sent to collections.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pierce County mayor owes state $15K for breaking campaign finance laws, PDC says
The mayor of Buckley is in hot water with the state. The Washington State Public Disclosure Commission says Beau Burkett owes the state nearly $15,000 for breaking campaign finance laws. Burkett — who was elected in 2021 and whose term expires this year on Dec. 31 — has violations dating back to 2015, when he served on the Buckley City Council. 'To my knowledge, he hasn't paid any of his fines,' Natalie Johnson, spokesperson for the PDC, told The News Tribune. In a brief enforcement hearing on Thursday afternoon, the PDC added $1,000 to the mayor's mountain of debt. It ruled that Burkett failed to disclose the $13,850 in debt on a 2023 financial statement, which he filed on Feb. 27, 2024. That brings the total he owes to $14,850. Burkett was not at the hearing, which The News Tribune attended, nor did he have an attorney show up in his place. The News Tribune sought an interview with Burkett for this story, but he did not respond by deadline. Every candidate running for public office in Washington state is required to file an F-1 Personal Financial Affairs Statement, which documents the candidate's salary range, the value of real estate they own, membership on boards of committees and more. Candidates must complete this form within two weeks of announcing their intention to run for office. 'It discloses a variety of things personal to you, and it's intended to show conflicts of interest,' Johnson told The News Tribune. 'So, for example, if it's a school board member candidate, you'd want to know if they owned a portion of a construction company that the school board then contracted with to build a school.' According to PDC documents, Burkett did not turn in F-1 forms for the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. In 2021, while running in the mayoral race, he didn't turn in his 2020 F-1 or his C-1 candidate registration form, PDC documents show. In 2022, he didn't file his 2021 F-1, documents say. Below is a breakdown of when the PDC issued fines to Burkett over the years, according to PDC documents. The PDC says he has not paid any of these fees: Aug. 21, 2015: $100 Feb. 7, 2017: $250 Oct. 15, 2017: $1,000 Nov. 20, 2018: $500 March 11, 2021: $1,000 Nov. 16, 2021: $1,000 July 9, 2022: $10,000 In 2023, the PDC took the two most recent cases — totaling $11,000 — to Pierce County Superior Court. A judge ruled on Aug. 18, 2023 that Burkett had to pay the $11,000 with 12% interest. Johnson told The News Tribune that all of Burkett's fines have been taken to collections. When The News Tribune asked what happens after those fines get sent to collections, she said it's the same process as anyone else who doesn't pay debt they owe. 'The collections agency, at some point, can take them to court and can get a lien on the property, wages garnished – that sort of penalty,' Johnson said. 'That's something that the collections agency takes care of for us.' According to the PDC's website, Burkett has turned in F-1s for the years 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. However, he didn't turn in his 2019 or 2021 F-1s until years later in 2024. At Thursday afternoon's hearing, the PDC said Burkett filed a 2023 F-1 on Feb. 27, 2024, but the form did not disclose the $13,850 in debt to the PDC. Johnson told The News Tribune candidates and officials are required to disclose any debt above $2,400 on an F-1 form, unless it's credit card debt. J Leach, the presiding officer at Thursday's hearing, ruled that Burkett now owes the PDC an extra $1,000, bringing the total up to $14,850. If Burkett pays these fees or sets up a payment plan, the PDC will waive $900 of the $1,000 fine, bringing his total to $13,950. The PDC has until May 31 to send an official order to Burkett, and Burkett has 30 days to take action after the order is sent. Connor Edwards, the man who filed the complaint against Burkett, told The News Tribune Thursday that he thought the penalty should have been harsher than the $1,000 fine, with $900 suspended if Burkett starts paying. 'Mayor Burkett is one of the approximately 5-10% of people that don't correct their forms when contacted by PDC staff,' Edwards wrote in an email to The News Tribune. 'Despite this, and despite the many thousands of dollars that Mayor Burkett already owes the agency for years of ignoring the law, the PDC still offered to suspend virtually all of today's penalty if he corrects his F1 report.' Edwards is a recent law school graduate who has filed more than 2,000 complaints with the PDC against dozens of officials across the state. It started when he became a campaign treasurer for many politicians, a job that started as a way to make some extra money during law school. He wants to challenge the way the PDC handles these cases. 'The PDC is a paper tiger when it comes down to it,' Edwards said. '... all they do is dismiss the case with an administrative dismissal and say, 'Don't do it again.'' He filed another complaint against Burkett on May 1. This complaint alleges that Burkett filed an F-1 form covering 2024, but did not disclose the $13,850 in debt. He said Burkett's long history of ignoring campaign finance laws is important because these laws allow the public to be informed about their elected officials. '[It's a] right to see that information so that they can make an informed choice when it comes time to vote,' Edwards said. 'I've been to other countries around the world where corruption is a very big problem — and that's in large part because many of the elected officials over there, they don't have to file these types of disclosures.'
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
ALDOT evaluating damage to Upper River Road overpass at I-65
Apr. 30—Damage caused Monday to the Upper River Road overpass at Interstate 65 is being evaluated by the Alabama Department of Transportation, but the agency said it's too early to know the extent of repairs that will be needed. At approximately 12:48 p.m. on Monday, an excavator being transported by a 2020 Mack Pinnacle 64T tractor-trailer being driven by Christopher W. Douglas, 40, of Trinity, struck the concrete overpass at Upper River Road, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. The Alabama Department of Transportation said they responded to the scene after receiving reports that a southbound vehicle had struck the underside of the bridge, littering I-65 with chunks of concrete and causing traffic backups. An initial inspection by a bridge engineer showed damage to the concrete on all six girders — the long horizontal beams that support the bridge deck. ALDOT said the steel rebar appeared intact in all of the girders except one. The most heavily damaged girder is the outside girder on the north side of the bridge, which supports Upper River Road's westbound shoulder and is not part of the load path for the travel lanes, according to ALDOT. As a result, the westbound shoulder was closed. "It's too soon to speculate about any closures that might be necessary for repair, or a timeline for that," said ALDOT North Region spokesman Seth Burkett. "They will need to look at it further." ALDOT said crews removed all loose concrete from the underside of the bridge and trimmed any exposed rebar, allowing the southbound lanes of I-65 to reopen before 8 p.m. Monday. The agency's Emergency Bridge Inspection Team is expected to continue evaluating the bridge later this week to determine the extent of repairs needed. Should significant repairs be necessary, the impact on traffic could be dramatic. According to ALDOT, Upper River Road near the overpass had a daily traffic count of 4,682 vehicles in 2023, the latest data available. I-65 near the overpass had a traffic count of 54,370 vehicles per day. Burkett said the clearance between the road and the overpass is 15 feet, 11 inches, an inch less than the standard clearance of 16 feet. "For that reason, the bridge has warning signs posted indicating the clearance," Burkett said. "The signs are on either side of the roadway approaching the bridge." He said the legal limit for vehicle height is 13 feet, 6 inches, measured from the ground to the top of the transported load. "Anything taller would require a permit and ALDOT-approved route," Burkett said. Burkett said ALDOT plans to raise the Upper River Road overpass and one other overpass when I-65 is resurfaced, which he said will begin this summer. — or 256-340-2442.
Axios
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
"Ugly as hell." Critique of Surfside collapse memorial complicates project
Last-minute objections to a planned memorial for the victims of the 2021 Surfside condominium collapse have upset family members who say the project must continue without delay. The big picture: Commissioners and a family-led memorial committee have already approved design plans for a memorial park near the site of the Champlain Towers South collapse. But last month, the town's Planning and Zoning Board criticized the appearance of the project and urged the commission to seek alternative design proposals. Friction point: At the March 27 meeting, board member Carlos Aparicio, a Surfside architect, called it "ugly as hell" and "the worst thing I've ever seen in my life." "It makes me want to throw up, it's that bad," he said. Aparicio said the memorial project — proposed to include a roughly 20-foot-tall water feature depicting the Champlain Towers and original materials from the building — had "no soul" and looked like "every cliche of every cheap monument that's ever been put together." "I will chain myself to this corner until this doesn't happen; this is a monstrosity." He told Axios this week that he "never intended to hurt anyone" and was only giving his opinion on the architecture and design of the project. "I spoke as an architect who lives in Surfside that has a private opinion on the matter," he wrote in a text message. The latest: Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett told Axios Wednesday evening that Aparicio had resigned. Pablo Langesfeld, whose 26-year-old daughter Nicole Langesfeld died in the collapse, called Aparicio's comments "not only inappropriate but cruel" in an April 2 email to Surfside and Miami-Dade County elected leaders. "The process to create this memorial has been transparent, inclusive, and lawful, and it is disgraceful that a few individuals believe they have the right to dismantle years of work and the collective will of grieving families and the community," Langesfeld wrote. Between the lines: The chair of the planning board, Lindsay Lecour, apologized for the inflammatory comments at an April 8 commission meeting but said she still wants the board to provide input on the design — with final say coming from the family-led committee. "I understand the urgency. But this memorial is going to be here long beyond anyone in this room." Some commissioners, who argued the design plans were incomplete, said they also wanted to hear the board's ideas if it didn't delay the project. Reality check: The planning board doesn't have the authority to block the project. Surfside leaders, including Burkett, say they want to fast-track it while following the will of the family committee. "We are not slowing down," Burkett said at the April 8 commission meeting. The commission voted that day to direct the firm behind the memorial project, Keith & Associates, to engage an artist and work with the memorial committee and the planning board to discuss any possible design changes. The board will discuss the memorial at its Tuesday meeting. Martin Langesfeld, Nicole's brother, said at the April 8 meeting that the families were not opposed to "seeing other ideas and making this better; we just really do not want delays, and we want the final concept to be approved by us." In emailed comments to Axios this week, Martin Langesfeld said it seemed the town was delaying the project by asking the planning board to provide input. "I hope that's not the intention, but it certainly feels that way." He said the planning board had four years to make suggestions about a memorial. Members speaking up now "feels like an unnecessary delay." "The families deserve action, not disrespect and setbacks." The other side: Burkett tells Axios that the planning board will not slow down the process unless Langesfeld and the other family members decide to adopt their suggestions. "Martin is in control, and he can take it or leave it, but we're going," Burkett said. "If anybody says the word 'delay,' then we'll just go right past the [planning] board."
