Latest news with #HaskellCompany
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tornado impacts Texas bottling plant for second time in less than a decade
HAWKINS, Texas - For the second time in less than a decade, a tornado has reportedly caused significant damage to a bottling plant in East Texas. The National Weather Service office in Shreveport, Louisiana, said it received photos from a spotter of damage at the plant in Hawkins that coincided with a radar-indicated tornado. The tornado was part of a series of supercells tracked by National Weather Service meteorologists across East Texas, following nearly the same path as the twister that struck the plant in 2016. Similar to the April 29, 2016, event, the severe weather struck during daylight hours when potentially hundreds of workers were inside the more than 400,000-square-foot facility. Fortunately, during the previous event, there were no reported significant injuries as staff appeared to be well versed in what to do during severe weather events. FOX Weather reached out to the operator of the plant to determine the extent of the damage to the facility but has not heard back. Tornadoes Spotted As Heartland Pummeled Again With Severe Weather After Deadly Storms The Haskell Company, an engineering and construction firm that was tasked with rebuilding the facility after the 2016 tornado, called the destruction from the previous storm "devastating." Following the 2016 disaster, the company said it was able to restore occupancy for Nestlé in just under five months while also improving the plant's energy efficiency and environmental design. The bottling plant is a significant employer in Wood County, producing products for major retailers throughout the Lone Star State and beyond. The Shreveport NWS office will assess the strength of the most recent tornado based on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Doppler radar during the most recent severe weather outbreak showed significant debris being lofted in the air, which is often an indication of a more powerful vortex. At the time, radar data indicated that the supercell exhibited one of the strongest signs of rotation during Friday's severe weather outbreak. Attitudes Toward Tornado Preparedness In Us Changing As Storm Risk Zones Shift In addition to the damage at the plant, several homes in the area, particularly around the town of Gilmer, Texas, were also reported to have suffered significant damage. Gilmer is also considered to be a rural community and is located north of Interstate 20, about 20 miles outside of Tyler, Texas. The tornado that tore through Hawkins and Gilmer was one of several that were reported in the eastern half of the Lone Star State on Friday, during a particularly volatile week for extreme weather. Severe storms were expected to continue across the heartland, including heavy rain and damaging winds, as part of a broader weather pattern that had already caused significant flooding across the Mississippi River Valley and into parts of the southern Ohio article source: Tornado impacts Texas bottling plant for second time in less than a decade
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
$1M permit approved for splash pad at Jacksonville's Riverfront Plaza
The city's goal of transforming the former site of the Jacksonville Landing into a destination park is getting closer to reality with more construction permits now approved. This week, a permit was issued for the construction of a splash pad estimated to cost $1,160,000. Phase one of the Riverfront Plaza project is currently underway. According to the city's website, phase one will see the completion of a park pavilion building, which will include a small cafe space, restrooms, as well as an elevated playground on top. Outside of the pavilion building, there will be a large lawn for events, as well as a new bulkhead, riverwalk, and plaza space connecting the park to the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts. The splash pad is shown along with these features in the rendering below: Phase one is expected to wrap up construction late this year. Phase two will add a beer garden, rain garden, and a bike and pedestrian pathway to the Main Street Bridge. The project is being headed by the Haskell Company. The splash pad will be constructed by SAI Fountains, based out of Ponte Vedra. Read: Friendship Fountain closing for maintenance temporarily beginning April 1st [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
