J. Elias O'Neal

Greater Wilmington Business Journal, Feb. 3, 2012: An area north of historic downtown Wilmington poised for rapid growth before the Great Recession of 2008 may be swinging back to life.

Work on a new marina and hotel is slowly beginning to take shape, as developers with Wilmington-based Northern Riverfront Marina and Hotel, LLC ramp up efforts to bring more entertainment to the area — including plans for a minor league baseball team and stadium.

BONUS LINK: Wilmington’s newest player, a profile about Clay Boardman-May 11, 2012 Continue reading →

R.J. Alex, WRAR president

Greater Wilmington Business Journal, Apr. 28, 2013: A nearly 6-year-old agreement allowing two regional realty associations to share property and listing information has been terminated, potentially leaving in its wake unintended consequences for area Realtors.

“I’m losing sleep over this,” said Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors (WRAR) president R.J. Alex. “This could really impact a lot of people in both associations, and hopefully, we can identify the problem and reach a solution.”

Earlier this year, the Brunswick County Association of Realtors (BCAR) board of directors voted to end its reciprocal data access agreement with WRAR.

As a result of the discontinued arrangement, members from both groups will no longer have access to each other’s multiple listing service, or MLS.

The two groups had held a reciprocal data access agreement since Aug. 14, 2007. Continue reading →

New home under construction

Greater Wilmington Business Journal, Feb. 1, 2013: Permits for new single-family homes are increasing, former zombie developments are seeing new life and the sales of existing homes are going up.

But before area Realtors and builders can break out the Champagne, some warn that greater Wilmington’s housing market is not totally out of the clear. Continue reading →

New shopping center proposed for Porters Neck

Greater Wilmington Business Journal, Apr. 27, 2012: When Steve Warwick closed on a 46,000-square-foot lease in the Hanover Center with Hobby Lobby earlier this month, it signaled the beginning of the end – the end of available commercial space exceeding 20,000 square feet.

As leasing heats up this spring, some area commercial brokers are having a tough time finding existing retail space for junior box retailers looking to enter the market. Continue reading →

Greater Wilmington Business Journal, Aug. 20, 2012: Before the last granite countertop was installed, final piece of carpet laid and new wood framing applied for the next new building, interest in Wilmington’s newest apartment community – Headwaters at Autumn Hall – began gaining traction with perspective tenants.

“Leasing has been very swift,” said Bill Schoettelkotte, director of development services for Wilmington-based Cape Fear Commercial. “There’s been a pent-up demand for class-A apartment development.” Continue reading →

Greater Wilmington Business Journal, Feb. 15, 2013: As cranes give way to floors of poured concrete and pillars of steel at downtown Wilmington’s newest hotel chain, the bustle of activity may soon have neighboring company in the coming months.

After a tepid period of growth, parts of New Hanover County are experiencing a hotel explosion – giving rise to new rooms and optimism to many hospitality and tourism officials.  Continue reading →

Williamson County Sun, Sept. 9, 2010: GEORGETOWN — He’d been listening to the rain for hours, watching the floodwaters that had breached the San Gabriel’s banks creep along the ground toward him.

But by 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, when his 30-foot Puma trailer began to drift, Frank Smith knew it was time to go.

“I just pulled in here Saturday, and then this,” said Mr. Smith, who spent Wednesday morning searching a stand of trees for the trailer that had been swept away from its spot in the Shady River RV Park. “My truck is in the shop, so I couldn’t pull her out. That’s just my luck.” Continue reading →

Community Impact Newspaper, Aug. 8, 2011: FORT WORTH — Tarrant County’s proposed budget for 2011-12 includes department cuts and increased fees and fines for residents. However, county officials say tax hikes are not on the table.

Debbie K. Schneider, director of Tarrant County’s Budget and Risk Management office, said shrinking revenue from the state, along with a more than 3 percent increase in the cost of employee health care, prompted officials to carefully trim the budget while striving to maintain an adequate level of resident services.

The proposed budget comes in at roughly $463 million, more than $6 million less than the 2010-11 operational budget.

“In March, we told all the department heads to, ‘Go back and see what you can do to lower operational costs,’” Schneider said. “We’re not the feds; we must have a balanced budget.” Continue reading →

Longview News-Journal, Aug. 11, 2009:  CARTHAGE—Forming a fortress of American flags, members of the Patriot Guard encircled St. William of Vercelli Catholic Church of Carthage on Monday afternoon to pay tribute to a fallen soldier.

“I never met Alex,” said Army Staff Sgt. Miguel Fabbiani of his brother in arms while taking shade under a cedar tree. “But that’s beside the point; he’s one of us, he’s our brother. We’re here to pay respect for his service and to his family.”

Army Staff Sgt. 1st Class Alejandro “Alex” Granado III was among three people killed Aug. 2 during an ambush in eastern Afghanistan. Continue reading →

Williamson County Sun, Oct. 11, 2009: 

Proposed route of the TTC-35 project.

AUSTIN — Once considered Central Texas’ solution to increasing traffic congestion and growing cargo transports, the wildly unpopular Texas-Trans Corridor 35 project is officially dead, Texas Department of Transportation officials announced this week.

The transportation department, which spent years on large environmental study on a large swath of land stretching from Dallas to San Antonio, said last week it will officially recommend to the Federal Highway Administration that no action be taken on the massive road project.

Plans once called for Gov. Rick Perry’s brainchild to swallow more than 86,000 acres of farmland to accommodate lanes of freight rail, light rail and separate lanes for cars and large cargo trucks. Continue reading →