Latest news with #MichaelDavis
CBS News
6 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Damaging vehicle crash into East Baltimore building wasn't the first time, owner says
A building owner in East Baltimore said that when a truck slammed into the structure on Monday night, it wasn't the first time. However, the most recent crash caused the building to collapse and was ultimately torn down. Michael Davis, the building's owner for 29 years, told WJZ his building has been hit three times within the last five years. The first crash was by a drunk driver, and the second was caused by someone running a red light. "I really think that it could have been saved, but the city didn't really give me time to do the repairs," Davis said. "I'm trying my best to fight to hold on to that new addition that's on the back." Davis said he tried to put poles in to prevent drivers from crashing into the rowhome, but it wasn't approved. Building torn down following the crash Around 8 p.m. on Monday, a 64-year-old man drove a pick-up truck into the building at the corner of Federal Street and N. Patterson Park Avenue, according to police. The building partially collapsed after a support structure was destroyed. The rest of the building was torn down by the city on Tuesday, according to the building's owner. Around 8 p.m. on Monday, a 64-year-old man drove a pick-up truck into the building at the corner of Federal Street and N. Patterson Park Avenue, according to police. CBS News Baltimore Davis said he rented the building to a hair salon owner who's been in business for 20 years. "She was very happy with the location, and just to see the amount of time that she put into it, and just see her lose her whole livelihood, it's terrible," Davis said. What will happen to the building space? The future of the corner property is uncertain Davis hopes to continue the hair salon in the back portion of the building, which is still standing. He said he may add more parking rather than rebuild the main structure. "If we were able to keep the city from tearing this section down, our goal is to put necessary windows and put everything that we need into that section and reopen within the next couple of months," Davis said. Neighbors react to "a big boom" Neighbors reported hearing a loud sound, and when they looked outside, they saw the aftermath of the crash. "A big boom. When I look out the window, all that fell," said neighbor Billy Grenlee. Another neighbor thought it was a tractor-trailer or bus speeding by. "I looked outside, and the truck was in the building," said Sandra. "Wow, how did that happen? How did you get there? That building has been hit multiple times. Each time they fix it. Somebody hit it again." Grenlee told WJZ the building collapse has made him think twice about staying in his home. "This whole side could have collapsed," Grenlee said. "I could have been right in that house in the living room, upstairs, and the whole place collapse. I would have been gone."
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
State will hear firm's protest of Helene homebuilding management bid
A chainsaw operator cuts down debris collected from the bottom of Lake Lure in Rutherford County, North Carolina, on April 14, 2025, to make it easier to load into dump trucks for disposal. The submerged debris is made up of vegetative and man-made debris washed into Lake Lure when Hurricane Helene impacted the area. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Michael Davis) North Carolina officials have agreed to schedule a hearing with a firm that is protesting how the state awarded a key hurricane rebuilding contract, according to the company. IEM International, which is based in Morrisville, filed a complaint in late May about the contract to manage homebuilding efforts in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. The firm believes its bid for the contract was improperly disqualified. State officials have said IEM did not submit proper financial documents. A spokesperson for IEM told NC Newsline that the firm's request for a hearing had been granted. The NC Department of Commerce, which is overseeing the contract, did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. State officials awarded the $81.5 million contract to Horne LLP, a Mississippi-based firm. The award has quickly come under scrutiny from state lawmakers, who cite Horne's involvement in past troubled recovery efforts. It is not yet known when the hearing will take place, or the broader timeline for IEM's protest. The firm has requested that the contract be re-bid; the Department of Commerce has said it believes 'this procurement was conducted fairly.' North Carolina rules state that the meeting between the state and IEM will be scheduled within 30 days. After the meeting, the state will decide if further review of the contract is needed. In its original statement detailing the protest, IEM said it believed its bid's disqualification was 'highly irregular and concerning.' The firm's bid, obtained through a public records request, shows that it provided a balance sheet, income statement and cash flow data from three fiscal years. It added: 'As a privately owned company, IEM's financial statements are not public. IEM can provide to DCR [the relevant Department of Commerce division] upon request.' State officials have cited a 2024 appeals court ruling that bars agencies from asking vendors for more information once bids have opened. Stephanie McGarrah, who is leading the Department of Commerce division that oversees Helene contracts, said during a hearing that it meant the state could not adequately follow up on IEM's financials.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Vote now to name two baby sharks at Sea Life Park Hawaii
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Sea Life Park Hawaii is asking the public to help name two baby sharks as part of a celebration leading up to World Reef Day. Don't miss this: Kauaʻi's most important exhibit of the summer opens May 30 In partnership with Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary School, students from pre-K through sixth grade submitted name ideas, with eight finalists now up for a public vote. The naming contest is live on the park's Instagram page, @sealifepark, and runs through 12 p.m. on May 27. The winners will be revealed during Sea Life Park's Keiki Sunday Mālama Kai – World Reef Day celebration on June 1 at the Hawaiian Reef Habitat, following the Aloha Nai'a dolphin show at 12:30 p.m. 'This partnership with Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary gives students a hands-on way to connect with marine life and learn about conservation,' said Michael Davis, the park's education manager. Each shark pup has its own personality. One, known as 'The Big Shark,' is the boldest swimmer in the park's Hawaiian Reef Lagoon. 'I'm the biggest shark in the lagoon—which means I'm kind of a big deal,' the pup's bio options for this outgoing pup include: Bluey (Pre-K) Charzard (Kindergarten) Koa (1st grade) Shadow (2nd grade) The second, 'The Shy Shark,' is a quiet observer who prefers calm waters and shady spots. Finalists for this pup's name include: Pearl (3rd grade) Mālie (4th grade) Midnight (5th grade) Moonie (6th grade) 'Our school mascot is a shark, so this project was a natural fit,' said Chelsea Tavo, an instructional coach at Pearl Harbor Kai. 'For our military families, it's also a meaningful way to create lasting memories in Hawai'i.' Student ambassadors from the school will join the celebration on June 1 to help announce the winning names. The World Reef Day event will kick off with a beach cleanup at Baby Makapuʻu Beach at 8:30 a.m., followed by a green sea turtle release at 9:30 a.m. The park opens at 10 a.m. Event highlights include: Shark pup name reveal ceremony Free keiki face painting and souvenir photo booth Meet-and-greets with storybook characters Keiki hula performance and kapa making Craft fair and marine animal talks A special BOGO ticket deal will also be available: one free child admission (ages 4–12) with every paid adult ticket. Kamaʻāina rates apply, and annual pass holders enjoy free entry year-round. Children under three always get in free. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Tickets and more information are available at or by calling (808) 259-2500. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Stein: NC will carry on with Helene recovery work despite federal funding decision
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractors sort debris pulled from the bottom of Lake Lure in Rutherford County, North Carolina on April 14, 2025. Vegetative and man-made debris was washed into Lake Lure after Hurricane Helene devastated the region. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Michael Davis) The Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied North Carolina's appeal of its April decision to stop matching 100% of the state's spending on Hurricane Helene recovery. The ruling came Thursday in a letter from the person serving as the agency's acting leader, David Richardson, that provided little in the way of explanation. Richardson was elevated to the position of 'Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Administrator' after the person President Donald Trump selected as Acting Administrator, Cameron Hamilton, was fired earlier this month, one day after delivering congressional testimony in he expressed disagreement with the administration's plans to dismantle the agency. This is from Ricardson's denial letter: 'You specifically requested an extension of the 100 percent federal cost share for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance for an additional 180 days. After a careful and thorough review of all the information available, including that contained in your initial request for a cost share adjustment and appeal, we have concluded that an extension of the 100 percent federal cost share for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance for an additional 180 days under major disaster declaration FEMA-4827-DR is not warranted.' As NC Newsline previously reported, the ruling leaves the state on the hook for up to $200 million or more in additional expenses for debris cleanup and other emergency work. In a statement responding to the ruling, Gov. Josh Stein expressed disappointment but promised to press on with Helene cleanup and recovery efforts: 'The first step to help western North Carolina recover is to clean up all the debris. So far, we have removed more than 12 million cubic yards of debris from roads and water ways, but given the immense scale of the wreckage, we have only scratched the surface. FEMA's denial of our appeal will cost North Carolina taxpayers potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to clean up out west. The money we have to pay toward debris removal will mean less money towards supporting our small businesses, rebuilding downtown infrastructure, repairing our water and sewer systems, and other critical needs. Despite this news, we are going to stay the course. We will keep pushing the federal and state governments to do right by western North Carolina. We will keep working with urgency, focus, and transparency to get any appropriated money on the ground as quickly as we can to speed the recovery. We will not forget the people of western North Carolina.' The ruling came the same day the North Carolina House unanimously approved a bill that would provide $464 million in new relief for western North Carolina — roughly half of what Stein had asked for. That bill is likely to be part of the House-Senate state budget negotiations that will take place in the coming weeks.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
House swiftly passes $464M in Helene aid for business grants, WNC repairs
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractors sort debris pulled from the bottom of Lake Lure in Rutherford County, North Carolina on April 14, 2025. Vegetative and man-made debris was washed into Lake Lure after Hurricane Helene devastated the region. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Michael Davis) The House unanimously approved $464 million in new relief for western North Carolina on Thursday, swiftly sending a package that includes money for small business grants to the Senate. The aid bill sets out $60 million for a long-requested grant program, allowing western businesses already saddled with loans to build back from damages. And it sends $50 million to local governments to help rebuild infrastructure. It comes in at about half of the level Gov. Josh Stein requested earlier this week, but earned broad bipartisan support as lawmakers push for investment in a disaster region that has seen a slow trickle of federal aid. 'We didn't stop with looking at what needed to be funded, what might not have been funded before,' said Rep. Karl Gillespie (R-Macon). 'We took a deep dive into what had been funded, and was it on the mark? Was that money doing the job we intended for it to do?' Much of the money in the House package comes from NCInnovation, a private research nonprofit that Republicans have sought to claw back money from. And $65 million is clawed back from other programs deemed unsuccessful or unsatisfactory, redirected elsewhere for recovery. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle praised the bill during floor debate Thursday. 'Our people in certain places are still really hurting,' said Rep. Eric Ager (D-Buncombe). 'This bill's going to really help.' The business grants, Ager said, would 'keep businesses rolling and really help our economy not fall off a cliff.' Republicans have previously been hesitant to approve grants for businesses, wary of fraud and large companies taking advantage. They have instead opted for loans — a more fiscally conservative option, but one that many businesses have said they cannot afford to take on. Budget writers' solution was to require businesses to document revenue loss in order to receive a grant. 'I think if we have some standard that we can measure those things, our folks are much more comfortable with it,' House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) said Wednesday evening. 'We're not the federal government, we can't print money like they did for [the Paycheck Protection Program].' Although the money for local governments to repair infrastructure was necessary, one Democrat said, those municipalities need further aid. Many governments are facing budget shortfalls due to lost tourism revenue in the fall busy season. 'I hope that as we move forward, we can provide more flexible funds,' said Rep. Lindsey Prather (D-Buncombe). Also included in the bill is $70 million to continue earning federal reimbursement, $30 million for private road and bridge repairs, $30 million for debris removal, and $25 million to repair destroyed schools. The regional airport infrastructure is also set to see improvements from a bundle of $25 million. Western North Carolina's mountainous terrain meant that almost all aid in the weeks after the storm came by air. If the House package is approved by the Senate and signed into law, it would bring the legislature's total spending on Helene recovery to more than $1.8 billion. But the bill's immediate future is uncertain. The Senate has proposed allocating money for Helene within its budget proposal; the House has approached relief as a separate bill. Senate leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) said his caucus was 'open to negotiating' on Helene relief. 'We've not had those conversations,' Berger told reporters Thursday. 'It's clear that the House has taken a different approach on that. We'll see if we can come to an agreement.' 'That may argue for us to actually include it in the budget,' he added, of concerns that prolonged negotiations could delay storm relief. 'Because I think everybody wants that to go forward.'
