Latest news with #Slovak
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pastures of faith sowed seeds of Viera's growth
Andrew Duda had faith. He had faith in America when he immigrated here in 1909 from his native Slovakia. He had faith in the 1920s that he could turn 40 acres of Central Florida muckland that he had bought for $800 into profitable farmland. In the 1940s, his sons had faith that 43,000 acres of scrubland in Brevard County they had just purchased could be turned into a thriving cattle ranch. In the late 1980s, his descendants had faith that they could transform that same ranchland into a thriving new community of homes and businesses. They decided to name that community "Viera," the Slovak word for faith. It was a drumbeat of faith that kept them going — and growing — in more ways than one, for over a century in Central Florida. Brevard's boom town In the early 1990s, billboards at the Wickham Road exit of Interstate 95 read "Welcome to Viera: A New Town." But all anybody likely would have seen at the time were brand-new roads leading through vast acres of cow pastures. If one squinted hard, they might have noticed the new government center and baseball stadium far off in the distance. Now, nearly 40,000 people call Viera home. Projections are that twice as many will by 2045. The development is one of the core reasons a recent national study ranked Brevard County's economy as one of the fastest-growing in the country for midsized communities and is projected to continue to rank high in the future. Viera is projected to almost double to a population of about 77,400 by 2045. The study by University of North Carolina and Fifth Third Bank found that the Space Coast had the highest growth rate among 100 midsized communities over the past five years, as measured by gross domestic project — the value of an area's goods and services. Brevard also had the second-highest growth rate over the past decade. For the coming year, the study ranks the county's projected growth at No. 10 in the nation among 100 midsized areas. "It's a special place," said Eva Rey, senior vice president for community management and communications at The Viera Co. "And I think people feel that, and it drives them there." From veggies to Viera The Dudas' dream began when Andrew Duda emigrated from Slovakia in 1909. He was among others fleeing economic plight and religious suppression in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Once discharged from the Czech Army, Andrew settled with friends and relatives in Cleveland. He worked as a carpenter to save for his dream of buying land in Florida and moving his family from Velečice, Czechoslovakia. His faith kept him going. In 1912, Andrew and 11 other Czech immigrants journeyed to a 2,200-acre site near Oviedo in Seminole County. They joined others who founded the community of Slavia, just northwest of Brevard. Andrew borrowed to buy 40 acres of rich muckland, at $20 an acre. Then, in the summer of 1912, his dream came true. He was carrying buckets across a sandy road when his wife, Katarina, and their children arrived on wagon at their homestead, a few miles from today's Duda corporate headquarters. The wagon's driver also had a telegram for Duda that the family had sent to announce they were coming to America. They had yet to learn English. In Slavia at the time, there were a half-dozen shacks for sawmill workers and a church. The house the Dudas moved into had a dirt floor. Most of the Duda family still lives in the area. A crunchy no-frills vegetable helped build the Dudas' empire in Central Florida. Celery was among the first crops the Dudas tried in Seminole County. In Brevard, the Dudas would raise mostly cattle and grew sod that ultimately would turf one of Florida's fastest-growing areas. Their first celery crop in Slavia went well, but three bad years followed. They went bust in 1916, so they went back to Cleveland. Andrew worked in a furniture factory, made payments on his Slavia property and set his family up on a small farm. He kept the faith. By 1926, the Dudas had saved $2,000 and, by 1928, returned to Florida. Within a few years, they borrowed enough to buy a few hundred acres in Zellwood and Belle Glade, Florida. They'd expand their holdings in the 1930s, when Andrew bought land the state had foreclosed on. Further expansions in the 1940s and 1950s included the more-than-42,000-acre Duda Ranch in Brevard, and citrus and vegetable farms in Belle Glade. Articles in 1951 in the Cocoa Tribune noted some had warned Andrew Duda that the land was "too wet" to raise cattle. "But Mr. Duda reasoned otherwise," the article continued. "He figured that to grow cattle successfully you must have grass and to have grass you must have water." That, he had plenty of. He would drain it to his will. What's in a name? As Brevard grew in the 1980s, the Dudas envisioned a master-planned community on their ranch. In 1989, they announced their master plan for Viera and broke ground for the Brevard County Educational Services Facility on land donated by The Viera Co. Dudas would donate additional lands for several other Brevard government buildings. The name the family first considered for the new community was Duran, short for Duda Ranch. But instead they chose Viera. "What we finally decided on was not to name our project after our founder or a family name, but to name it after what we believe in," Joseph Duda, executive vice president for real estate at the time, told FLORIDA TODAY in 1989. "When my grandfather left Czechoslovakia, he came to this country, and one thing he had was faith. That is about all he had. He had a strong faith in the Lord and strong faith in this country, America." FLORIDA TODAY readers also had voted 394-56 against the Duran name in a call-in poll earlier that year. Years later, Duran would become a golf-course community within Viera, which would take steps to become certified by Audubon International by limiting chemicals and enacting environmentally friendly management practices. A Sept. 24, 1989, story showcased Six Mile Creek, the first residents of Brevard's "city of the future" along 200 acres. Now, about 38,700 people live in Viera, with about 77,400 expected by 2045. There are challenges. Traffic is getting worse. Businesses like that, but those who live there, not so much. The new developments weren't without oppositions, though. Throughout much of the 20th century, Central Florida farmers like the Dudas drained the St. Johns floodplains to farm and stake claims on more land. Then, it was considered progress, but long-term environmental consequences were poorly understood. The Clean Water Act and other environmental laws in the 1970s would temper the old ditch-drain-fill ways of creating more uplands from wetlands. The late Leroy Wright and other activists with the nonprofit SAVE the St. Johns River Inc. fought for 15 years to have one dike removed that the Duda family had created just east of Lake Winder and west of Interstate 95 to drain land for farming. In the 1990s, Duda had hoped to develop parts of a 14-mile stretch of riverfront along the St. Johns, which included the Moccasin Island area. Early plans envisioned 200,000 people in Viera, with condos along the shoreline of Lake Winder. Wright and others fought for a state survey to determine what's called an "ordinary high water mark." That's the highest mark the water forms along the shoreline during the wet season, averaged over 20 years. With Wright's urging, the Brevard County Commission in 1994 tried to require the ordinary high water mark survey before Duda could build any closer to the river than Viera's first phase of development. But the survey didn't happen. It might have lowered the land's per-acre worth, Wright suspected, if it resulted in more land being called wetlands. In 1999, Duda would sell 14,137 acres, including the Moccasin Island area, to the St. Johns River Water Management District for $24.8 million for conservation and recreation. Current plans are much more environmentally friendly than what was possible when Viera was first envisioned in the 1980s. After negotiations with county and environmental officials, the overall development plan evolved to include a 5,200-acre wilderness park. It preserved large wetlands and made up for species impacted by the surrounding development, as well as to continue ongoing farming operations. It's the open spaces — even the man-made ones — that lure many families here. The parks add to all the reasons Worawat Srimaart moved to new apartments southwest of Borrows West three years ago. This recent day, he brought his 2-year-old son, Davin, to Borrows West Park. 'I love it here," Srimaart said. "It's the best place to relax." The Viera 'bubble' Rey, The Viera Co.'s senior vice president, sees a bubble in Brevard, but not the bubble we typically imagine. It's more a defense mechanism against more extreme market swings, driven by a strong presence of the defense, space and tourism industries. "There's almost like a dome over Brevard," Rey said. "The Space Coast has a great economic bubble here. I think we're a lot more insulated than a lot of other communities." Viera's median household income is 30% higher than the rest of Florida, $103,016, compared with $76,993 in all of Brevard and $71,711 in all of Florida, according to The Viera Co.'s marketing research. Among Viera's more than 13,200 employees, public employment is its largest employment sector, at 21.7%, with the prominence of government, educational and judicial facilities in the community. Almost one in four working-age adults in Viera has a master's degree or higher. "I think what really stands out is the level of education," Rey said. "You have a lot of white-collar here in Viera." While other analysts show people leaving Florida and a glut of homes on the market, The Viera Co.'s research shows many still moving here from places associated with aerospace, such as Texas, Colorado and California The Dudas always knew the area would take off. They kept the faith. Andrew always did. Waymer covers the environment. Contact him at 321-261-5903 or at jwaymer@ Dave Berman and Tim Shortt contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Dudas' faith turns humble pastures into the Space Coast Solve the daily Crossword
Mint
3 days ago
- Sport
- Mint
Jaroslav Halak, former New York Rangers goalie retires after 17 NHL seasons; says 'I'll never put on the pads again'
Jaroslav Halak, veteran goaltender, announced his retirement at the age of 40 on Friday (July 18), closing a remarkable 17-year NHL career that spanned seven teams. Known for his clutch playoff performances and steady presence, the Slovak player will leave behind a legacy as one of Europe's finest goalies. Jaroslav Halak defied the odds to become a reliable NHL starter when he was drafted in the ninth round (No. 271) by the Montreal Canadiens in 2003. He played for seven teams, including Montreal, St. Louis, Washington, the New York Islanders, Boston, Vancouver, and the New York Rangers. His final NHL season was 2022-23 with the New York Rangers. During that time, he posted a 10-9-5 record in 25 games. In over 581 career games, Halak amassed 295 wins, ranking 14th among European-born goaltenders, with 53 shutouts and a 0.915 save percentage. Jaroslav Halak's one of the best performances was during the 2010 playoffs with Montreal. Trailing 3-1 against the top-seeded Washington Capitals, he delivered a historic performance, stopping 131 of 134 shots (0.978 save percentage) in the final three games to fuel a stunning seven-game upset. Montreal then defeated Pittsburgh before falling to Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference Final. In 39 playoff games, Halak recorded a 17-20 record, a 2.48 goals-against average (GAA), and a 0.919 save percentage, proving his ability to thrive under pressure. Jaroslav Halak's career peaked in 2014-15 with the New York Islanders, where he set a franchise record with 38 wins in 59 starts. In that season, he earned his only All-Star nod, posting a 2.43 GAA and six shutouts. He won the William M. Jennings Trophy twice for playing on the team allowing the fewest goals, sharing it with Brian Elliott (St. Louis, 2011-12) and Tuukka Rask (Boston, 2019-20). On the international stage, Jaroslav Halak played a significant role for Slovakia, starting at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and pushing his team to the bronze medal game. He also earned silver medals at the 2003 U18 World Championship and with Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. After two years away from hockey, Jaroslav Halak told Slovak reporter Tomas Prokop, 'I'm done. I'll never put on the pads again.' He now focuses on family, supporting his children, Nathan and Inna, both aspiring goaltenders.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Jaroslav Halak announces official retirement–says it was pointless returning to the ice
(Image via Getty Images: Jaroslav Halak) 'Last year, I completed summer training. I wanted to go on the ice in Boston, but when nothing came of it, I told myself it was pointless. After that, I didn't even try anymore. I'm officially ending my career. I would like to thank my family, friends, fans, and especially my wife Petra, who has stood by me throughout my career.'– Jaroslav Halak, former goaltender for the New York Rangers, told Tomas Prokop of Dennik Sport on Friday. Halak had been inactive for the past two seasons. He last played in the 2022-2023 NHL season for the Rangers. Jaroslav Halak is ready to settle with 295 wins in his NHL career When Prokop asked the 40-year-old goaltender if he would miss playing in the five NHL games for a total of 300 wins, Halak said, 'It's been two years, and I have come to terms with the fact that I won't reach the 300. When I look back at my career, it was good. It would be nicer with 300 wins, but I'll settle for 295.' Now, let's look at other notable accolades that Halak accomplished in his 19-year-long NHL career: Out of 555 regular-season games started in 581 games, goaltender Jaroslav Halak accumulated 295 wins, 189 losses, and 69 overtime losses The goaltender faced 16,394 shots His goals against average turned out to be 2.50 Save percentage looked outstanding at .915 The Slovak netminder has had 53 shutouts and 13 assists He's only had 16 penalty minutes in his career spanning from the 2006-07 NHL season to the 2022-23 NHL season Halak bids goodbye to the ice hockey rink with 33302:41 - time on ice Jaroslav Halak retires at 40–how was his last NHL season? The Montreal Canadiens drafted the 40-year-old Slovak former professional ice hockey goaltender as their 271st overall pick in the 2003 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut, playing for them, only in the 2006-2007 NHL season. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Invest 80$ In The Investment Package And Earn Monthly TradeApp Undo Ever since then, he has played for several other NHL teams, including the St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, and New York Rangers. Halak's last stint was with the Rangers in the 2022-23 NHL season. He started 24 games out of 25–won 10, lost 9, and had 5 overtime losses. He faced 680 shots, 2.72 was the goals against average, and .903 was his save percentage. He had one shutout and one assist. And his last NHL game clocked 1453:56–time on ice. Also Read: Connor McDavid shows up at a beer league game in Ontario–fan says he wanted to win something | NHL News - Times of India Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
American Military News
3 days ago
- Business
- American Military News
Oil Cap In New EU Sanctions Package Signals Independence From G7
This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission. The European Union finally managed to approve a new round of sanctions on Russia — as well as Belarus — before going on its traditional all-August recess, eventually overcoming a Slovak veto in a saga that has dragged on for two months. But perhaps the bigger story is that the bloc managed to agree to lower the Russian oil cap substantially, and do so on its own without agreement from the United States and other G7 nations — who can join at a later stage — a sign of a more confident and independent EU on the world stage. When the oil price cap was first agreed on a G7-level in December 2022 it was meant as a sort of global compromise over an EU ban on services to transport Russian oil. The idea was to decrease Russian trade revenues but at the same time allow third countries, notably in the poorer global south, to still get access to the product in order to avoid shortages. The cap was set at $60 per barrel and even though it should have been reviewed every three months to reflect fluctuations in world oil prices, it has remained at that level for the last two and half years. The EU finally decided to push for a lowering to $45 per barrel when it presented its new round of sanctions, its 18th since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, in June. Taking the proposal to the G7 summit in Canada last month, the bloc tried and failed to secure a deal with the United States resisting as oil prices surged after Israeli and American attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities. Presumed dead at first, several key EU member states such as Germany and France as well as the European Commission still aimed at resuscitating the new cap and tried to convince Cyprus, Greece, and Malta – countries with considerable maritime services sectors – to agree on EU-only measures instead. Eventually the trio got onboard with lowering the cap to $47.6 per barrel, 15 percent lower than the average market price of Russian crude oil. What got them all onboard was the promise of a 'dynamic review' of the cap, meaning that it should be reviewed on a regular basis. The key thing to look out for now is if other G7 nations follow suit. EU officials RFE/RL has spoken to hope that the United Kingdom, another significant maritime insurer, will join and that this will eventually prompt the United States to get onboard as well. The other big talking point was the Slovak sanctions veto threat. What made this veto special was the linkage Bratislava made to give thumbs up to the restrictive measures, which the Central European country in principle had nothing against. What worried Slovakia was a separate proposal by the European Commission presented earlier this year to phase out Russian energy imports into the bloc by the end of 2027. The proposal, named 'RePowerEU,' is not a traditional sanctions move which requires unanimity but an EU internal market regulation that can be adopted via a qualified majority of 55 percent of the member states representing 65 percent of the total EU population voting in favor. It would, in other words, be possible for Brussels to circumvent Bratislava entirely. In the end, Fico lifted his veto threat late on July 17, paving the way for a stop to Russian gas flow to his country by January 1, 2028. But he did secure an improved 'crisis mechanism' in the regulation that can be triggered in the case of high energy prices and gas shortages. So Russian gas could potentially still very much enter the bloc. He also got assurances that EU funds can be used to compensate for high gas prices, with the European Commission earlier this week presenting a proposal for a new 2 trillion-euro budget. The European Commission, with its arrays of well-paid legal minds, also promised Fico that it will assist Slovakia in the case of any future arbitration over a breach of contract with the Russian energy giant Gazprom, which has valid contracts with Bratislava until 2034.
Canada News.Net
3 days ago
- Business
- Canada News.Net
Oil Cap In New EU Sanctions Package Signals Independence from G7
The European Union finally managed to approve a new round of sanctions on Russia -- as well as Belarus -- before going on its traditional all-August recess, eventually overcoming a Slovak veto in a saga that has dragged on for two months. But perhaps the bigger story is that the bloc managed to agree to lower the Russian oil cap substantially, and do so on its own without agreement from the United States and other G7 nations -- who can join at a later stage -- a sign of a more confident and independent EU on the world stage. When the oil price cap was first agreed on a G7-level in December 2022 it was meant as a sort of global compromise over an EU ban on services to transport Russian oil. The idea was to decrease Russian trade revenues but at the same time allow third countries, notably in the poorer global south, to still get access to the product in order to avoid shortages. The cap was set at $60 per barrel and even though it should have been reviewed every three months to reflect fluctuations in world oil prices, it has remained at that level for the last two and half years. The EU finally decided to push for a lowering to $45 per barrel when it presented its new round of sanctions, its 18th since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, in June. Taking the proposal to the G7 summit in Canada last month, the bloc tried and failed to secure a deal with the United States resisting as oil prices surged after Israeli and American attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities. SEE ALSO: EU Sanctions Score A Legal Win Over Russian Oligarchs Presumed dead at first, several key EU member states such as Germany and France as well as the European Commission still aimed at resuscitating the new cap and tried to convince Cyprus, Greece, and Malta - countries with considerable maritime services sectors to agree on EU-only measures instead. Eventually the trio got onboard with lowering the cap to $47.6 per barrel, 15 percent lower than the average market price of Russian crude oil. What got them all onboard was the promise of a dynamic review of the cap, meaning that it should be reviewed on a regular basis. The key thing to look out for now is if other G7 nations follow suit. EU officials RFE/RL has spoken to hope that the United Kingdom, another significant maritime insurer, will join and that this will eventually prompt the United States to get onboard as well. The other big talking point was the Slovak sanctions veto threat. What made this veto special was the linkage Bratislava made to give thumbs up to the restrictive measures, which the Central European country in principle had nothing against. What worried Slovakia was a separate proposal by the European Commission presented earlier this year to phase out Russian energy imports into the bloc by the end of 2027. The proposal, named "RePowerEU," is not a traditional sanctions move which requires unanimity but an EU internal market regulation that can be adopted via a qualified majority of 55 percent of the member states representing 65 percent of the total EU population voting in favor. It would, in other words, be possible for Brussels to circumvent Bratislava entirely. SEE ALSO: Russia Seeks 'Expendable Manpower' For Ukraine War With New Recruiting Network In the end, Fico lifted his veto threat late on July 17, paving the way for a stop to Russian gas flow to his country by January 1, 2028. But he did secure an improved crisis mechanism in the regulation that can be triggered in the case of high energy prices and gas shortages. So Russian gas could potentially still very much enter the bloc. He also gotassurancesthat EU funds can be used to compensate for high gas prices, with the European Commission earlier this week presenting a proposal for a new 2 trillion-euro budget. The European Commission, with its arrays of well-paid legal minds, also promised Fico that it will assist Slovakia in the case of any future arbitration over a breach of contract with the Russian energy giant Gazprom, which has valid contracts with Bratislava until 2034.
