Latest news with #ChrisMcDonald
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Market trader slams claims high street is a 'no go zone' for affecting footfall
A market trader has hit out at claims a Teesside town's high street is a 'no go zone' after online criticism he says is hitting footfall. John Buckle, known as John the Pie Man, has been selling his pastry-filled creations at Stockton High Street's market for 13 years. The high street has faced criticism in a handful of social media groups, with posts claiming the market area is a 'no go area' and pictures shared of alleged anti-social behaviour. But the 52-year-old pie man is determined to quash what he calls a 'false narrative' affecting footfall, insisting the high street is a good place to visit and work. "There have been quite a lot of negative posts about the high street," he said. "It's just not true. "I work there twice a week, and have done for years. "I love this town. I love the people, they are so down to earth, so honest. "We don't sugar coat stuff. We all say how we feel. "But people see stuff online that looks in all aspects like it's from a genuine verified news source. So they can't be blamed for believing the false negative narrative. "Obviously crime exists everywhere. I don't know the statistics for the town centre but it's never felt unsafe during the day. I'm there for 11 hours twice a week. I shop there regularly. John the Pie Man with his grandchild in Stockton. (Image: John the Pie Man) "It's all lies and affecting footfall for no reason." John has met with Stockton North MP Chris McDonald to discuss the issue and highlighted his work serving free pie and peas for homeless people in the town - something he has done for about four years. He hopes that his work will prove that 'Stockton High Street is a safe space to shop' and more people will come into the town as a result. Stockton Borough Council said efforts had been made in recent months to clean up the street and more police were visible throughout the town now. Chris McDonald MP said: "I've been contacted by many local residents who've raised concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour on Stockton High Street - and they're right to care deeply about their home town. "Fourteen years of cuts in Government funding have hit towns like Stockton hardest, stripping away vital services and undermining community safety. "We are turning a corner. Since being elected, we've committed to 13,000 new officers across the country. Stockton is getting its share of those new officers and we have secured 7-day-a-week policing in the town centre. "I won't pretend all the problems are solved, but confidence is growing. The High Street is safer, busier, and more vibrant - and we're only just getting started." Criticism of Stockton came to the forefront of the political world in 2023 when then Conservative home secretary James Cleverly was accused of calling the town a 's***hole' in the House of Commons. Mr Cleverly apologised at the time, insisting he called then-Labour MP Alex Cunningham 'sh**' instead. Councillor Norma Stephenson, Cabinet Member for Access, Communities and Community Safety at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, said: 'We want our town centres to be welcoming places, where residents and visitors can enjoy spending time and businesses can flourish. RAF warns of 'increased activity' in North East this week as advice issued The moment a wanted North East man was rugby tackled to ground by cop Baby left fighting for life after Darlington incident remains in critical condition 'Daily patrols take place by dedicated town centre civic enforcement officers but as part of Operation Shield, they are boosted by regular joint patrols with Cleveland Police. There is also targeted substance misuse support taking place for those needing it. 'Although crime is down in both Stockton Town Centre and the Ropner Ward, we have listened to both residents and businesses about their concerns around safety in the town centre, and how this affects people's perceptions and experience. "We hope Operation Shield provides further reassurance for members of the public who live, work and visit the town centre."
Dominion Post
22-05-2025
- Business
- Dominion Post
High Street craft cocktail eatery, parkside ice cream shop get BZA nod
MORGANTOWN — An upscale restaurant with a craft cocktail bar downtown and an ice cream shop next to 1st Ward's Jack Roberts Park each got the all-clear from the Morgantown Board of Zoning Appeals on Wednesday. The owners of Von Blaze, located at 1 Wall St., were granted a 'restaurant, private club' designation for 341 High St., which is the former UniversiTEES location and sits directly in front of the space Von Blaze is located in. The 'restaurant, private club' conditional use designation from the city is required before a downtown business can seek a liquor license from the state. 'We plan to put in a kind of upscale craft cocktail bar and finer dining restaurant in that space, trying to kind of fill a gap for more adult-oriented restaurants and options downtown,' applicant Chris McDonald said, adding, 'We consider Von Blaze kind of upscale casual, but this will be more of a kind of fine dining area … We're going to be doing small plates, shareables and things like that.' McDonald, a chef, said the idea is to use the momentum generated by Von Blaze to launch this new venture. 'Von Blaze has worked very well for us, so we have a jump start in kind of getting this rolling,' he said. 'It is going to be a kind of classier place. The food is definitely going to be more elevated than what Von Blaze sells, but it's still going to be the same quality.' Meanwhile, Adelheid Schaupp is thinking less about hot food and more about hot fudge. The Greenmont-based entrepreneur received a 'restaurant, fast food' approval as well as variance relief from off-street parking requirements for an ice cream shop to be located at the corner of Leonard Street and West Virginia Avenue – directly across from Jack Roberts Park. The project will begin with the rehabilitation of an approximately 500 square-foot structure on the property. Schaupp said seating will be primarily outdoors at Eisgarten Morgantown. 'It's a very European-style based setup, where it's right next to the park, which is convenient, but also we have enough greenspace there where everyone can be on site eating ice cream outside,' Schaupp said. 'This would be a seasonal type of business. This would not be open year-round.' The idea, she continued, is that a majority of the business's patrons would arrive on foot, either from the neighboring park or the surrounding neighborhood. The BZA approved the off-street parking relief under the condition that Schaupp apply to the city to get an on-street space adjacent to the business designated as an ADA-accessible parking spot.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Four Stars Auto wins several prestigious awards in Texas and Oklahoma
HENRIETTA (KFDX/KJTL) — The Four Star family of dealerships is celebrating after winning numerous awards from The general manager of Four Stars Auto Ranch in Henrietta, Chris McDonald, said the location won the Texas Chevrolet dealer of the year award for superior customer experience. PREVIOUS STORY: Four Stars dealership family wins numerous awards from That is their third time in a row. Four Stars Toyota in Altus won the Oklahoma Toyota Dealer of the Year award for superior customer experience for the fifth consecutive year. Four Stars Ford out of Jacksboro won Texas Ford Dealer of the Year for superior customer experience. McDonald said these awards are a true testament to their employees and their daily hard work in satisfying customers. 'Our goal every year is to continuously improve, you know, we want not only we want to be number one in the state of Texas, but we want to move up in the national rankings as well, and that's always our goal. But our main goal is to take care of our customers,' McDonald said. 'If we take care of our customers, they will take care of us, which is what they did in providing these, providing these results that we get to receive.' Four Stars won additional awards as well. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Four Stars dealership family wins numerous awards from Cars.com
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — The Four Star family of dealerships has much to celebrate after winning numerous awards from Kelly Strausser, owner, said every award is a testament to her staff. Hotter'N Hell nominated as USAToday's Best Road Cycling Event 'I don't know of any other dealer group in the country that has these kinds of awards. All of these awards are from independent companies that are widely recognized in the automotive industry,' Strausser said. 'To have a small group from Texoma winning across the board – dominating large and small dealers all over the state… it's an unbelievable testament to our staff who care so much about our customers and work hard to give each person an amazing experience, not just in the short run but also in the long run.' The awards won by the Four Stars dealership family include: Four Stars Auto Ranch, Henrietta, TX Texas Chevrolet Dealer of the Year Award for Superior Customer Experience Third consecutive win! Four Stars Auto Ranch General Manager Chris McDonald said, 'We are privileged and honored to be named the #1 Chevrolet Dealer in Texas for the third consecutive year. We pride ourselves on providing a top-notch customer experience. This award isn't about us – this award belongs to all of our customers who helped us achieve this recognition by giving us 5-star reviews about their experience. Thank you to all of our customers!' Four Stars Toyota, Altus, OK Oklahoma Toyota Dealer of the Year Award for Superior Customer Experience Fifth consecutive win! Four Stars Auto Ranch General Manager Chris McDonald said, 'We are privileged and honored to be named the #1 Chevrolet Dealer in Texas for the third consecutive year. We pride ourselves on providing a top-notch customer experience. This award isn't about us – this award belongs to all of our customers who helped us achieve this recognition by giving us 5-star reviews about their experience. Thank you to all of our customers!' Four Stars Ford, Jacksboro, TX Texas Ford Dealer of the Year Award for Superior Customer Experience Four Stars Ford General Manager Floyd Goatcher said, 'It's been five years in the making, one customer at a time. Patience and great people can move mountains and do amazing things. Out of all my automotive achievements, this proves to be number one and means the most to me. One amazing customer experience at a time can change lives.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Over 30,000 Pounds of Beef Tallow Recalled Nationwide
The Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced an active recall of 33,899 pounds of beef tallow. The products were processed, packaged, and labeled without required federal inspection. The recall was initiated after FSIS was notified by a local health department that Lady May Tallow had contracted Common Sense Soap to process, package, and label the recalled product, which does not bear a USDA mark of inspection. Further, Common Sense Soap does not have the federal grant of inspection needed to process, package, and label food products and is not authorized to produce products intended for human consumption. The beef tallow products were shipped by Lady May Tallow to wholesalers and recall locations nationwide. The items were produced between Oct. 16, 2024 and Feb. 6, 2025. The following products are included in the recall and labeled as: PREMIUM QUALITY GOODS Grass-fed beef TALLOW Lady May ALL NATURAL sold in a 24 fl oz glass jar PREMIUM QUALITY GOODS Grass-fed beef TALLOW Lady May ALL NATURAL sold in a 2 lb plastic tub PREMIUM QUALITY GOODS Grass-fed beef Original TALLOW Lady May ALL NATURAL sold in a 7.8-8 lb plastic tub PREMIUM QUALITY GOODS Grass-fed beef TALLOW Lady May ALL NATURAL sold in a 16 lb plastic tub FSIS says that the beef tallow products contain a nutrition facts label, which leads consumers to believe that the product is safe for consumption. There have been no reports of adverse reactions following the consumption of the recalled items, however, anyone concerned about possible side effects should contact a healthcare provider. Since the products may be in the pantries of consumers, FSIS advises them to throw them away or return to the place of purchase. Those with questions concerning the recall can contact the owner of Lady May Tallow, Chris McDonald, by calling 601-270-7410 or emailing may@ Related: 2 Million Donuts and Pastries Recalled Nationwide Due to Listeria Risk, FDA Warns Read the original article on Martha Stewart
