Latest news with #Lemke
Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Can a landmark Florida pier restaurant rebuild after hurricane? It's complicated
The Rod & Reel Pier is reopening on Anna Maria Island after its destruction in a hurricane — but it's in a new location. Oliver Lemke, who bought the landmark restaurant a year before Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton destroyed it, said he's planning to revive Rod & Reel in Holmes Beach. Lemke hasn't revealed an opening date for the restaurant's new location at the previous home of the Old Hamburg Schnitzelhaus restaurant, which closed in November. Will the original location be rebuilt? 'What we've got planned in this new location is to give people the same that they had on the pier, minus the pier, obviously,' Lemke said. 'We don't have the water. We don't have the old building. But everything else, interior, is going to be very similar. And the staff will be the same, and the food and beer and drinks will be the same.' Lemke said he's working to rebuild the pier on the north end of Anna Maria Island. Part of that process was starting a GoFundMe in October following Helene. As of Wednesday, Lemke has raised nearly $100,000 of the $300,000 goal. Both numbers are far from the estimated amount needed to rebuild the pier after Milton caused further damage. 'I can't tell you [any] numbers at this point of time, but it's going to be far more than those $300,000,' Lemke said. 'We're talking about millions. And obviously that [fundraiser] is going to bring just a little bit of what we need. And, unfortunately, we do not get government help. There was no insurance, because a building like that will not be insured by anybody.' Lemke said he is using the GoFundMe fundraising effort, bank loans and revenue from restaurants he owns in Germany to bring back the pier. 'We're determined to rebuild the Rod and Reel Pier, but we can't do it alone,' the online fundraiser said. An iconic restaurant Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short said everyone wants to see the Rod & Reel Pier return. 'It's iconic,' Short said. 'You think of the island and that, our city pier and Bridge Street. I mean, that's all you have on the whole island now of something that even resembles what used to be out here. And so people want it back, and I want to see it come back.' But first, Lemke will need to clear several hurdles. In addition to raising enough money to rebuild the pier, Lemke will need permits from agencies such as the Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. 'Because their project is over open water, so they need to get those permits and those approvals to rebuild their pier first,' Short said. Short said studies from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission might be needed, too. 'There will be a process they have to run first with those agencies to get them to sign off and give them the green light to rebuild their pier,' Short said. 'Then once all of that is done, then they would come to the city for the appropriate permitting permits that they would need from the city's perspective.' The city's process wouldn't require special commission approval — it would just be a normal construction project through the Anna Maria building department, Short said. Lemke said they have already started the permitting process and they're going to do something about repairing the sea wall. How long will it take? Lemke said he hasn't heard anything that would make rebuilding the Rod & Reel Pier impossible. 'I just cannot say right now when that's gonna be the case,' Lemke said. 'It's not an if, it's a when.' While an exact timetable is unknown for rebuilding the original Rod & Reel Pier location, the Anna Maria City Pier's rebuild, which was also damaged by Helene and Milton, is scheduled to begin as soon as this fall. A huge swath of the walkway connecting the city pier building and Mote Marine Science Education and Outreach Center with the mainland disappeared after Helene's storm surge weakened the pier for Milton to destroy the rest, Short said at the Anna Maria City Commission meeting on March 27. Short said the city received permits from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in early January. Short said the city commission will vote this week on whether to approve 'a vendor to demolish what's still in the water that needs to be removed.' He added that city officials will seek to rebuild the walkway in the meantime. Meanwhile, hurricane season begins June 1. 'We are crossing our fingers that ... doesn't just throw a monkey wrench into everything,' Short said.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Logistics company Jet Freight to start virtual cargo airline in India
Confity Capital Partners, a Dubai-based private equity wealth management firm, plans to invest in at least 10 Airbus A330 converted freighter aircraft for use in the fast-growing India subcontinent airfreight market. Jet Freight Logistics, based in Mumbai, India, is the launch customer and will be the first Indian cargo airline to operate the A330 converted freighter platform. The Mumbai-based freight management company will lease an undisclosed number of aircraft from Confity and outsource flight operations to a licensed commercial airline. No start date has been announced, but when the flights begin Jet Freight will be the first Indian company to operate the A330 converted freighter platform. Elbe Flugzeugwerke, an Airbus joint venture with Singapore-based ST Engineering, announced Friday that it signed an agreement to convert several of the large Airbus medium-widebody jets from passenger to cargo configuration. A news release did not indicate how many aircraft are involved in the order or how many Jet Freight Logistics will lease, but EFW spokeswoman Anke Lemke said Confity has reserved production slots for at least 10 aircraft. Conversion work on Confity-supplied aircraft will begin at the end of the year at EFW's facility in Dresden, Germany, and other partner sites around the world. The air cargo market in India has a need for widebody freighters because of rising e-commerce volumes, domestic consumption, exports and infrastructure projects. Growth is also made possible by increased high-value manufacturing, stronger trade ties with the United States and Europe, and improvements in airport infrastructure and cargo handling capacity. Trade and Transport Group, a consulting and research firm, estimates air cargo tonnage in India will grow between 6.2% and 9.1% in the second half of the decade. Lemke said Confity will modify both the A330-200 and A330-300 variants. The -200 has a gross payload of 60 tons with a range of 4,785 miles. The -300 can carry up to 62 tons with a volumetric capacity of more than 18,500 feet. Both planes have more capacity than the Boeing 767, the dominant platform for cargo conversions in the medium widebody segment. Confity is an experienced investment fund manager that is entering the aerospace sector for the first time. Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch. RELATED READING: Amazon Air lands in India The post Logistics company Jet Freight to start virtual cargo airline in India appeared first on FreightWaves. Sign in to access your portfolio
Local Germany
17-04-2025
- Climate
- Local Germany
Germany sees 'worrying' record dry spell in early 2025
From February 1st to April 13th, Germany saw 40 litres of rainfall per square metre -- its lowest level since records began in 1931, according to the German Weather Service (DWD). "The current drought is worrying," Environment Minister Steffi Lemke said in a statement sent to AFP, warning that "it is much too dry in many parts of Germany this year". The record low for February 1st to April 13th is around 68 percent or 88 litres less than the average rainfall for the same period between 1991 and 2020, the DWD said. The record for the period had previously dated back to 1976, when rainfall was 55 litres per square metre. Northwest Germany saw around 35 percent less rain than usual, while some southeastern regions saw between 50 and 80 percent less, according to the DWD. READ ALSO: What the weather forecast predicts over Easter weekend in Germany Many parts of northern Europe have seen unusually low rainfall this year, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and countries around the Baltic Sea. This contrasts with southern Europe, including Spain and Portugal, where rainfall has been up to twice the usual amount. Advertisement "Agriculture and forestry, but also all of us, are clearly feeling the consequences of the climate crisis," Lemke said. "The risk of forest fires is high, and if it stays this dry, harvests are expected to suffer." The low water level of the Rhine is "affecting the environment and the economy", she added. In southern Germany, images taken by AFP showed large swathes of sand accessible to walkers on the shores of Lake Constance. The drought is "causing some concern for many asparagus growers", the regional farmers' association in the northern region of Lower Saxony told AFP. "Significant rainfall" expected next week in Germany should alleviate the drought "at least in some areas", the DWD said.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Where in Mexico are the Spring Arbor parents being held?
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Paul and Christy Akeo, a couple from Spring Arbor, have been prison for more than three weeks after being arrested at an airport in Cancún and reportedly charged with defrauding a resort of more than $100,000—allegations their daughter Lindsey Hull. But, where are they exactly? According to their son, Michael Lemke, the Akeos are currently being held in Centro de Reinserción Social de Cancún, also known as Cereso de Cancún, located in Cancún, the largest city in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo in the southeast of the country. Other penitentiaries in the state are located in Chetumal and Playa del Carmen. The prison is located on the western side of Cancún, surrounded by woods on all sides except the eastern side, where it is bordered by a road. Spring Arbor couple held in Mexican prison, daughter says Hull and Lemke are concerned for their parents' safety, telling 6 News that their parents' time in prison has taken a toll on their health—especially for their mother, Christy. 'My mom has lost 25 lbs. in 20 days due to inability to eat as the prison is serving her food they are aware she is allergic to,' wrote Hull in a . 'She also has a severe rash all over her body they refuse to treat.' Lemke also told 6 News that Christy avoids most meals due to her allergies and is concerned that her rash stems from how the food was prepared. 'My Mom saw a doctor early on for her rash, but they refused to help and didn't say anything to her, she said,' wrote Lemke in a text to 6 News. 'When she moved to this new area of the jail, she was able to request a doctor to look at her rash again, and they were more helpful but couldn't get her the medication she needed. That's how we learned about her weight.' Lemke also provided more details on the conditions inside of the prison. Concern grows over Spring Arbor parents imprisoned in Mexico 'My mom is sleeping in a cell with other people, 'at least one,' but it's been up to 4 including her. They do get time outside it sounds like, but it's limited and always varies depending on the day,' wrote Lemke in a text to 6 News. The siblings say they have managed to stay in regular contact with their mother, but they are concerned for their stepfather. The family, through their attorneys, has managed to secure medication for him, but say they have not heard from him since he was detained.. 'Not too sure how Paul's treatment has been,' wrote Lemke in a text to 6 News. 'So all we've been told was Paul was sleeping in another area with 30 other people.' The language barrier has served to make things even more difficult for the family, with Lemke telling 6 News that things are not being translated for them. Lemke told 6 News there have been several 'odd situations' that have complicated the Akeos' stay in prison. 'She reports out that it feels, sometimes, there's helpful people, but then sometimes things happen where it feels like they aren't helping,' wrote Lemke in a text to 6 News. 'An example would be when they moved her, they took all of her toiletries she had paid for in her cell and didn't give them back until the next day.' The Akeos are not the only ones to say Cereso de Cancún has unfavorable conditions. The , the state-affiliated human rights institution of Mexico, conducted a of penitentiaries in the country last year. The review looked at five separate categories, of which Cereso de Cancún received three poor rankings and two fair for an overall score of 5.76 out of 10. The report specifically noted that, among other issues, Cereso de Cancún has deficiencies in healthcare and human rights protections, insufficient food services, unhygienic conditions, and insufficient staffing. A copy of the portion of the report discussing the prison (in Spanish) is available below. The full report can be found here. DNSP_2024-270-270Download Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Yahoo
Concern grows over Spring Arbor parents imprisoned in Mexico
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — A couple from Spring Arbor has been held in a Mexican prison for weeks, with no sign of being released. The has gone national, and their loved ones are desperate to get them back home. The Akeos were detained after landing at the Cancun International Airport on March 4, stemming from a contract dispute dating back to 2021 that they thought was behind them. 6 News spoke with their children, Lindsey Hull and Michael Lemke, to find out what might happen next. 'Every second of every day, we are concerned for their safety, especially with the lack of communication,' says Hull. 'The idea that they're sitting in a maximum-security prison over a time-share dispute at best is unacceptable.' Hull says they are being falsely accused of defrauding Palace Resorts out of more than $110,000 and that the dispute goes back to 2021. The Akeo family says Palace Resorts breached a timeshare contract they had signed with the Akeo parents, leading them to seek legal advice. Hull says they then presented evidence to their bank, who agreed with them, cancelling more than $110,000 of payments. The Akeo parents thought the dispute was over, but they were arrested and are now locked up in Centro de Reinserción Social de Cancún, according to their son Michael Lemke. 'The situation is incredibly unfortunate over something that is a contract dispute that we felt, I should say it seemed like was done and over with,' says Lemke. 'The big thing for us is just bringing them home.' The siblings say their stay in the prison has already taken a toll on them, especially their mother. 'They've been serving her food. The problem is there's been several times where they've served her food that she's allergic to or cannot eat because of that,' says Lemke. 'She's been having this rash that keeps breaking out on her just after some food, so she's only able to eat certain things.' Lemke says a Mexican judge has given Palace Resorts six months to gather evidence—meaning the Akeos could be detained for much longer. The siblings have been able to speak with their mother over the phone several times but still haven't heard from their stepfather. The U.S. government is aware of the situation, but so far, no agreement has been reached for their release as of Tuesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
