Virginia

Business owners express dissatisfaction with proposed annexation plans in Virginia Gardens

Published

2 years ago

January 14, 2023

Business owners express dissatisfaction with proposed annexation plans in Virginia Gardens

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Enterprise house owners expressed their dissatisfaction Friday after calling for a cease to annexation plans for a business space west of Miami Worldwide Airport within the village of Virginia Gardens.

As tons of cargo that go via the world are sometimes unloaded and processed, many like Luis Mata, a marketing consultant for the Miami Airport West enterprise district, mentioned that the dangers for the brand new plans are tremendously excessive.

“This space strikes billions in {dollars} of cargo,” he mentioned. “That is the place we get all of our produce, flowers and all the various kinds of equipment and we purchased the airport so the safety dangers right here on the aspect of the airport are great.”

For years, a close-by village of Virginia Gardens has been working to amass the world, a wholly industrial space the place there are not any registered voters which implies there isn’t a election on the difficulty.

And not using a vote, an indication in opposition to annexation started Friday morning in order that house owners can have a voice.

“That is an apparent money seize that’s coming off the heels of a large pandemic that just about killed this space,” mentioned Seth Woods, Vice President with Smith Industrial Property Group. “It’s un-American.”

The primary considerations are increased taxes and a fear that the village’s small police power isn’t satisfactory in measurement and expertise to correctly police the expanded footprint.

“These of us haven’t any vote they’re being land grabbed; it is a hostile takeover by a quiet group that’s been making an attempt to do it for 20 years unsuccessfully,” mentioned Mata.

Woods says the annexation plans are an opportunistic “money seize” that he doesn’t need to be part of.

“We don’t need to be a part of Virginia Gardens. (It’s) a money seize, an opportunistic money seize coming off three years of instability that has produced file excessive inflation. We simply bought again on our ft, we’re hit with inflation, now we’re heading right into a recess to extend property taxes that’s absurd.”

“It might take at least a yr to gear up and to have the ability to perceive the dynamics that go on right here,” mentioned Mata.

“There are billions of {dollars} of cargo that undergo this financial engine yr, [The thought that their 20+ police unit] will be capable to shield in opposition to worldwide crime theft rings is ludicrous,” mentioned Woods.

“We’re protected by a few of the finest law enforcement officials within the county with Miami-Dade police,” he added.

“We’ve got roughly 28 law enforcement officials and quite a lot of them are part-timers, a few of our guys have retired from different departments, so they simply wished to work two-to-three days per week, we do have 7 full-timers. That being mentioned, we’ve part-timers proper now able to step as much as full time and we will begin patrolling that space tomorrow if want be,” Village of Virginia Gardens Mayor Spencer Deno.

“We’ve got officers who’ve retired from the county, retired from the town of Miami, different companies, he added. “I’ve extra expertise with a few of my officers than the county has with a few of theirs.”

In response to Deno, whereas the speed of an annexed property’s taxable worth might be greater than the county, it is not going to be as excessive because the village fee.

“They aren’t going to be taxes on the 4.6 village millage fee,” he mentioned. “They’re already paying tax on the 1.9 millage fee with the county so we’ll convey our millage fee right down to 2.5 or 3.0 and they’re solely going to be taxed on the distinction they aren’t going to be taxed at our present millage fee so that’s the place a misperception is coming.”

The one different space we will develop to maintain our taxes in examine with the remainder of the world is to annex the world there and that’s the space contiguous to us,” he added.

On Tuesday, county commissioners will resolve how a lot the village might want to pay to offset the income the county is giving up via annexation.

In response to Deno, the nation is charging the village 4 years of mitigation charges that make up the distinction between the revenues misplaced from us annexing these areas.

“The county is saying you might want to work out a option to complement and to mitigate that loss to the county, so they’re supposed to return again to reply to that,” mentioned Mata.

“The difficulty right here is that Virginia Gardens is just not fitted to annexation,” mentioned Woods.

For extra data on Tuesday’s associated agenda merchandise, click on right here.

Native 10 Information obtained a memo from Miami-Dade Mayor Danielle Levine Cava to the Board of County Commissioners concerning the annexation plans of the Village of Virginia Gardens during which she wrote:

“I strongly assist communities’ proper to self-determination. On the similar time, we should make sure that proposed annexations are fastidiously deliberate and don’t impression the county’s capacity to offer important providers to our taxpayers. The development of municipalities annexing revenue-generating business areas will lead to a damaging fiscal impression to UMSA – which can require the County to both alter very important providers, resembling public security, parks, and public works or to extend taxes sooner or later.”

Miami-Dade County Chief Monetary Officer Edward Marquez despatched further data on the proposed annexation which you’ll be able to learn beneath:

“The proposed Ordinance amends the municipal boundaries of the Village of Virginia Gardens to annex 1,026.7 acres of land from the unincorporated municipal providers space (UMSA). If applied, the annexation areas will change into a part of the Village boundaries with out an election as the world has underneath 250 residents since it’s completely business and industrial. These enterprise house owners which might be affected by the annexation should not have the flexibility to vote and their solely participation within the course of is to attend any public hearings.

If the annexation is authorized, there could also be a social profit to the companies from having authorities nearer and extra accessible with providers resembling native police patrol and public works. Though the Village of Virginia Gardens has decreased its millage fee to 4.6 mills, the common property proprietor can pay further estimated property taxes of $5,516; further bills which might be handed on to the patron. These elevated prices might create a social burden on these enterprise house owners and their purchasers. I strongly suggest that the ordinance and interlocal settlement be amended to incorporate mitigation funds for seven years.”

Associated

Inhabitants and boundary map for the Village of Virginia Gardens:

Village of Virginia Gardens map/inhabitants (WPLG)

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Virginia

Virginia Tech Football: Where do Hokies Finish in Final ACC Power Rankings?

Published

4 hours ago

January 10, 2025

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Virginia Tech Football: Where do Hokies Finish in Final ACC Power Rankings?

Just a few months ago, before the 2024 season ever officially kicked off, Virginia Tech seemed like a program that was trending up. They finished the 2023 season strong and were returning a ton of starters from that team and seemingly had a favorable schedule in front of them. They were talked about as the dark horse to win the ACC and make the college football playoff, but it wasn’t long before that was proven to be false.

The Hokies started the season with an upset loss to Vanderbilt, lost to Rutgers a few weeks later, and had the controversial loss to Miami to drop them to 2-3. After rallying to win three straight to get to 5-3 and still have a shot at the ACC Championship, the Hokies collapsed, losing four of their last five, including the bowl game to Minnesota last Friday. Not only was this season very disappointing, but the Hokies are losing most of their contributors from this team to the transfer portal or the draft. RB Bhayshul Tuten, OL Xavier Chaplin, Braelin Moore, and several members of the secondary. They are working to fill those holes in the portal and quarterback Kyron Drones is coming back, but there is not as much optimism heading into this offseason as there was for last season

While all eyes might be on moving forward to the 2025 season, where did Virginia Tech finish in the final ACC Power Rankings From 247Sports analyst Grant Hughes?

“Bowl Result: Lost Duke’s Mayo Bowl to Minnesota, 24-10

“Virginia Tech entered the 2024 season with ACC championship aspirations but failed to live up to expectations after dropping three of its first five games. A 1-4 finish to the campaign secured the Hokies’ fourth losing season in the last five years. The good news is that starting quarterback Kyron Drones is returning for the 2025 season, and the Hokies have already replaced star running back Bhayshul Tuten via the portal with former top-100 recruit and Tennessee transfer Cameron Seldon.”

Aug 31, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Brent Pry watches from the sideline against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

All of that has led to speculation about head coach Brent Pry being on the hot seat going into 2025. Pry has gone 3-8, 7-6, and 6-7 in his three seasons in Blacksburg. Earlier this week, ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg listed Pry as a coach on the hot seat going into 2025 and listed him in the “Don’t backslide” category alongside Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman, Florida’s Billy Napier, and Cal’s Justin Wilcox:

“The hot-seat talk bubbled up around Pry in November, and if the Commonwealth Cup had gone differently, Virginia Tech could have had a decision to make after a disappointing fall. Pry’s second consecutive 6-6 regular season got him to a bowl game, but he will enter Year 4 with a new defensive coordinator and a staff that will include former longtime Hokies DC Bud Foster as an advisor/analyst.

Pry is halfway through his contract and Virginia Tech isn’t in the best position to eat a seven-figure buyout. Virginia Tech should be more competitive in a very winnable ACC, especially with quarterback Kyron Drones back. The Hokies have eclipsed seven wins just once since 2017.”

Will Pry need to improve upon his record in 2025 to be ensured of another season in Blacksburg? Virginia Tech opens the season against South Carolina in Atlanta and the Gamecocks are likely going to start the season with a lofty ranking. They also face Miami, Georgia Tech, Florida State, and Louisville next season, but it is not a murderers row of a schedule. Needless to say, the Hokies need to see some progress next season.

Virginia Tech Football: Hokies Get Commitment From New Mexico Safety Transfer Christian Ellis

Virginia Tech Football: PFF Grades and Snap Counts for every Hokies player in the 2024 Season

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Virginia Tech grads living in LA share wildfire experiences

Published

12 hours ago

January 10, 2025

Press Room

Virginia Tech grads living in LA share wildfire experiences

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – Firefighters are continuing to battle the devastating fires in Los Angeles that have destroyed thousands of homes and led to the evacuations of over 180,000.

While the fires are thousands of miles away those flames have connections to our hometowns. WDBJ7 spoke with two Virginia Tech Alumni living in Los Angeles on Thursday. While neither of them have had to evacuate their homes, they shared what it’s like to be in LA during the fires and how people there are handling the destruction.

“It definitely feels like a little apocalyptic, just the sky being somewhat black and grey. Here it’s more like the sun is covered by the smoke so it’s just very eerie,” said Jillian Ostick, a 2017 Virginia Tech graduate who lives in Los Angeles.

Ostick lives in the South Bay area of Los Angeles about 10-15 miles from where the fires are.

“It’s close by but in terms of being evacuated or anything we’re very safe down here. We’re really just affected by the air quality and being worried about other people,” she said.

Ostick works in residential real estate and says many of her clients have lost their homes or evacuated and her team is currently working to help them find rentals.

“People have lost everything and they’re just scared but I think people have a place to stay and have resources. Our team is collecting blankets and clothes and is just messaging out to everybody ‘If you need help, no questions asked just fill out this form’,’” she said. “A lot of people did have to just pack up quick last night if they were in an evacuation area.”

Leah Gay is a 2014 Virginia Tech Graduate who is from the Blacksburg area. She lives in the West Hollywood area of LA and hasn’t had to evacuate yet but says she is prepared to do so if needed.

“Everything so far in our area has just been super smokey, there’s been ash on the ground, on the car, everything like that but in terms of actual fires our area is safe,” said Gay. “Last night we got a new fire that was in the Hollywood Hills. It’s since been contained so that’s good but we could see those flames, the second you open the door it smelled like you were right in a fireplace. It was super close to us so we could see it, especially with the night sky it was super illuminated with all that fire.”

Gay said that she is remaining alert and closely following the latest updates on the fires.

“There’s an app called Watch Duty that pretty much everyone in LA is using for updates. It gives you real-time information about where first responders are being placed and where needs to be evacuated, where the flames are even if they’re moving in a certain direction. It’s a really great app, it has an amazing map in it so you can see in real-time who is being affected and what you need to do next,” she said.

Gay said that she does know several people who have had to evacuate. She said that it is an emotional time in Los Angeles.

“It’s super heartbreaking, so many people’s lives have been affected by this. It feels almost like COVID outside how there are so many less people out on the streets, many people are wearing masks to stay safe from the smoke, so it’s kind of feeling like a completely different Los Angeles,” she said.

Both Gay and Ostick said that people are already doing everything they can to help those who have lost everything to the fires. They both noted that there are many places where people can donate to help those in need.

While not everyone in L-A has had to be evacuated from their homes, the smoke from the fires is causing major air quality problems that can be harmful to people. The air quality is being adversely affected as far as 100 miles from the fire.

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JUCO Edge Rusher Keenan Eck Sets Visit to West Virginia

Published

20 hours ago

January 9, 2025

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JUCO Edge Rusher Keenan Eck Sets Visit to West Virginia

Citrus College edge rusher Keenan Eck is one of several transfer portal recruits who will be in Morgantown this weekend for an official visit to West Virginia.

He began his career at Division II Black Hills State in South Dakota, and in his freshman season, he was responsible for 13 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks. Eck then transferred to Citrus where he notched 6 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, and one forced fumble.

“I love it,” Eck said about the opportunity of playing at West Virginia. “A huge culture of winning is being built there; I would love to put in every bit of hard-hitting energy when it comes to rushing the passer for the mountaineers!”

Eck has had several conversations with head coach Rich Rodriguez and defensive coordinator Zac Alley, whom he looks forward to meeting in person this weekend.

“I really like how fired up they are for a turnaround. They’ve proven to be successful for many years, and they’re bringing the heat with this class of athletes. They want some dawgs that are ready to WORK!”

In addition to West Virginia, Eck has also heard from Eastern Illinois, Montana, San Diego State, Southern Utah, and Texas State. He will have three years of eligibility remaining.