AC repair inPooler, GA

POOLER, Ga. (WTOC) - It’s been a hotly debated topic in Pooler for years, whether or not to add Chatham Area Transit bus stops in the city.

Over that time Pooler City Council has heard plenty of arguments on either side of the issue.

An issue that’s now in the hands of Pooler residents.

“It’s your local government that changes your everyday life. So, let us hear what you have to say,” said Pooler City Councilwoman Karen Williams.

In the upcoming primary, residents of Pooler have a chance to be heard regarding the future of CAT bus stops in their city.

“Now that’s something that over the years has been an issue. Council and myself personally felt that we should not make that decision but that should be a decision the residents of Pooler should make. Thereby, we put it on the ballot for them to make the decision,” said the Councilwoman.

Of course, it’s a debate that started long before Williams was on council, but one she understands.

“Pooler Parkway, we have our own traffic that we’re dealing with, with our infrastructure improvements trying to match our growth. To add CAT stops on Pooler Parkway, in my opinion, would not go well with our traffic plans.”

But she also knows, that’s not the only side to it.

“I’ve heard, this is one of the things I have heard, is they walk to the warehouses or to Tanger to work.”

Right now, the intersection of Benton and Highlands Blvd is the closest you can get to Pooler if you take a CAT bus.

Meaning, if you do work in the area you likely have a long walk ahead of you.

Not only is that walk a little over three miles but along the way you have to deal with navigating some dangerous intersections like along Pooler Parkway.

“That is something that, again, if we have enough people that need that service, it’s up to them to make that decision,” said Councilwoman Williams.

Keeping in mind, approving this would also mean a tax increase from the Chatham County Board of Commissioners.

An issue with plenty of sides, and no matter which side you land on now is your chance to be heard.

“This is not something we want to do without our residents voice. I’m a firm believer in residents having their say,” Councilwoman Williams says.

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The City of Pooler is getting $8 million in federal funds that will go towards major infrastructure improvement projects at the top of the ever-growing suburban community's list.

Over the last decade, nearly 10,000 new residents flocked to Pooler. As the city continues to grow, so does the need to improve the city's roads, highways and water and sewer systems.

The $8 million infusion was passed in December by the U.S. Congress as a community funding request within the 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Pooler), who championed the request, said the funding marks an important win for Pooler.

"Pooler has been my home since 1980," said Carter, who previously served as the city's mayor for eight years, "We've had tremendous growth in that area and we're going to continue to have tremendous growth along that I-16 corridor. That's why these community funding request projects are so important."

More:Dave & Buster's is eyeing a Pooler location. Here's what you need to know about the plans

Four different projects will receive a portion of the federal funds: improvements for Quacco Road, Pine Barren Road, South Rogers Street and the wastewater treatment plant, which is being expanded. Each project will receive about $2 million each, said Pooler Mayor Rebecca Benton.

"The city is most pleased to receive the $8 million," Benton wrote in an email, "particularly since the TSPLOST failed."

The Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax or TSPLOST was a referendum on the November 2022 ballot that lost narrowly by 1.3%. Had TSPLOST passed and increased the county's sales tax by 1%, the tariff would have generated approximately $500 million for infrastructure improvements throughout the county over a five-year period.

"These are good projects," said Carter, "Pooler is growing in leaps and bounds and is a city rich in heritage and tradition, but our greatest times lie ahead of us."

Road improvements include widening and pedestrian improvements such as sidewalks. The funds won't cover the total costs for all four projects but will accelerate preliminary engineering work and right-of-way acquisition.

Nancy Guan is the general assignment reporter covering Chatham County municipalities. Reach her at nguan@gannett.com or on Twitter @nancyguann.

BASKETBALL

The Vestavia Hills girls basketball team began play in the Class 7A, Area 5 tournament last Tuesday. The Lady Rebels rolled to a 63-31 win over Thompson to advance to the final. In the contest, Sarah Gordon led the way with 18 points. Jill Gaylard added 11 points as well.

The Vestavia Hills boys earned a 56-46 win over Thompson in the first round of the Class 7A, Area 5 tournament on Wednesday. Jackson Weaver posted 18 points to lead the Rebels, with Win Miller adding 16 points of his own.

Vestavia’s girls fell to Hoover 55-27 in the area tournament final Thursday evening. Alanah Pooler led Hoover with 21 points.

The Vestavia boys finished off the Area 5 tournament with a 64-59 win over Hoover on Friday night, claiming the title. Three Rebels reached double figures, led by Miller, who posted 24 points. Weaver scored 17 points and Keown Richardson added 11 points to lead the way. Salim London and Elijah Herron led Hoover with 12 points.

Vestavia’s boys and girls begin play in the Class 7A Northwest Regional tournaments this week at Wallace State Community College. The girls play Bob Jones at 9 a.m. Thursday, with the boys following against Bob Jones as well.

WRESTLING

The Vestavia Hills wrestling team won the Class 7A North Super Section tournament over the weekend, as 13 of the team’s 14 wrestlers qualified for the state tournament, set for this weekend in Huntsville.

Andrew Sullivan won the 145-pound division, Harris Mitchell won at 160 pounds and Andrew Sykes prevailed at 220 pounds for the Rebels.

Stone Phillips (113) and Mac Chandler (152) finished second in their respective weight classes. Hastings Roberts (132), Clay Johnston (170), Riggs Manown (195) and Mitch Taylor (285) were all third-place finishers.

SOCCER

The Vestavia Hills girls soccer team knocked off St. Michael 5-0 last Thursday, in the first game of the Southern Shootout in Foley. The Lady Rebels picked up another win Friday, beating Auburn 2-1.

The Vestavia boys hosted the Rick Grammer Invitational over the weekend and won all three games. On Friday, the Rebels shut out Huntsville 2-0, with Parker Dennie and Alec Paraiso scoring the team’s goals.

The Rebels picked up two wins Saturday to finish off a perfect weekend. Owen Simpson scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Florence, then Simpson and Paraiso scored again in a 2-0 win over Westminster.

CHEER

The Vestavia Hills Competition Cheer squad rounded out the weekend with a National Championship for the JV squad and a sixth-place finish for the Varsity squad at the UCA Cheer National Championships in Orlando.

TENNIS

The Vestavia Hills boys tennis team picked up a pair of wins last week, beating Hewitt-Trussville 9-0 and defeating Cambridge (Georgia) 6-3.

Want to see something else mentioned? Feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnesmedia.com.

BATON ROUGE, La., Feb. 08, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amedisys, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMED), a leading provider of home health, hospice, personal care and high-acuity care services, has recognized 39 employees with the prestigious Spirit of Excellence Awards, one of the company’s highest honors.

“Our employees provide the highest quality care to our patients wherever they call home. With compassion in their hearts, they uphold our mission at Amedisys each and every day,” said Paul Kusserow, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We are grateful for the extraordinary people in our Amedisys family who go above and beyond the call of duty, and it is a privilege to honor them with this award.”

Each year, the company honors Home Health Nurses of the Year, Hospice Clinicians of the Year, Personal Care Nurse of the Year, Palliative Care Clinicians of the Year, Home Health Social Workers/Therapists of the Year, Aides of the Year, Volunteers of the Year, Home Health and Hospice Clinical Managers of the Year, Patient Support Services Professionals of the Year and a Corporate Support Professional of the Year.

This year, Amedisys added four new award categories to honor Contessa employees, including Acute Care Registered Nurse of the Year, Recovery Care Coordinator of the Year, Patient Support Professional of the Year and Director of Home Recovery Care of the year. The 39 winners were named from our roster of more than 21,000 employees nationwide.

Winners demonstrate clinical excellence with patients, positively influence patients and their families, achieve at a level beyond typical duties and promote patient independence.

The winners are as follows:

To learn more about our honorees, visit https://web.amedisys.com/soe-2022.

About Amedisys:Amedisys, Inc. is a leading healthcare at home Company delivering personalized home health, hospice, personal care and high-acuity care services. Amedisys is focused on delivering the care that is best for our patients, whether that is home-based personal care; inpatient hospital, palliative, and skilled nursing facility (“SNF”) care in their homes; recovery and rehabilitation after an operation or injury; care focused on empowering them to manage a chronic disease; or hospice care at the end of life. More than 3,000 hospitals and 102,000 physicians nationwide have chosen Amedisys as a partner in post-acute care. Founded in 1982, headquartered in Baton Rouge, LA with an executive office in Nashville, TN, Amedisys is a publicly held company. With approximately 20,000 employees, in 532 care centers in 37 states and the District of Columbia, Amedisys is dedicated to delivering the highest quality of care to the doorsteps of more than 465,000 patients in need every year, performing more than 11.2 million visits annually. For more information about the Company, please visit: www.amedisys.com.

Contact:

Kendra KimmonsVice President of Marketing & Communications225-299-3708kendra.kimmons@amedisys.com

Pooler, GA West Shore, a multifamily real estate investment firm, has acquired two properties. The Carlyle at Godley Station and The Preserve at Godley Station are upscale apartment communities located less than two miles apart. West Shore now owns and operates five multifamily assets in Georgia, including The Mark at Chatham, Walden at Chatham Center, and Grand Oaks at Ogeechee River, all in Savannah.

“The Carlyle at Godley Station and The Preserve at Godley Station are both premier properties perfectly situated just outside of downtown,” said Steven Rosenthal, chairman of West Shore. “Savannah is a fantastic market where we have seen great performance and adding two properties in Pooler to our portfolio demonstrates how important it is to us.”

The Carlyle at Godley Station is a 312-unit property featuring one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. The Carlyle at Godley Station apartments are located near the most shopping, dining, and entertainment in the city with access to downtown.

The Preserve at Godley Station is a 380-unit property featuring one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments with upscale amenities and modern features. The apartment community puts residents right in the middle of one of Savannah’s most sought-after neighborhoods with proximity to all major highways and the airport and access to employers, retail, and schools.

“Adding these properties to our growing portfolio complements our other assets in Savannah and aligns perfectly with our strategy,” said West Shore president, Lee Rosenthal. “The population increase has been a key factor in the growth being witnessed in the area and our disciplined investment model has enabled us to continue to expand our Georgia portfolio to over 1,500 units.”

The Preserve at Godley Station is located at 65 Tanger Outlets Blvd.

The Carlyle at Godley Station is located at 385 North Godley Station Blvd.

West Shore is a fully integrated real estate investment firm with a specific focus on the acquisition and management of multifamily assets. It is a company that blends an entrepreneurial approach to real estate with institutional investment discipline. Its principals are experienced management and real estate private equity executives. Boston-based West Shore was founded in 2016 and owns and operates a diverse portfolio of 43 multifamily properties in seven states, totaling over 13,500 units with a total market value of more than $3.0 Billion.

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Quakertown, PA Cronheim Mortgage has arranged $9 million in permanent financing for Quakertown Plaza, a 210,000 s/f grocery-anchored community shopping center, located in Bucks County. The loan was structured on a 20-year self-liquidating basis and was placed with one of Cronheim’s life insurance company correspondents. Allison Villamagna and Andrew Stewart represented the borrower, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ADCO group.

The subject features a roster of tenants including a Giant supermarket with a gas station, Health Center at Quakertown, Rite Aid, Wine & Spirits, Buffalo Wild Wings, Panera Bread, Hand & Stone, and H&R Block, among others. The property was recently redeveloped which included the demolition of a 3,000 s/f pad that was previously leased to Boston Market. In its place, a new Wendy’s was constructed along with a 5,000 s/f outparcel which is now fully leased to Chipotle and honeygrow.

Quakertown is the first major retail corridor south of the Allentown/Lehigh Valley market. Situated at Rtes. 309 & 313, Quakertown Plaza offers access to area shoppers.

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Philadelphia, PA According to Silverstein Properties and Arden Group, five new lease signings at 1735 Market St. totaling more than 75,000 s/f. The five leases bring the building to 90% occupancy. They include:

• UBS Financial Services, Inc., a multinational investment bank and financial services company founded and based in Switzerland, signed a 10-year, 10-month lease for 22,625 s/f. UBS will relocate within the building to the 44^th floor in August 2023.

• Capital One Financial Corp., a bank holding company specializing in credit cards, auto loans, banking, and savings accounts, signed a nine-year lease for 22,382 s/f. The company will create an innovation center on the 37^th floor when it relocates from Philadelphia’s suburbs to downtown in spring 2023.

• Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C., a leading labor and employment law firm, renewed its lease for 15,204 s/f on the 30 floor.

• T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., a publicly-owned global investment management firm, expanded its lease by 3,824 s/f. Beginning June 2024, the company will occupy 7,447 s/f on the 30^th floor.

• Heidrick & Struggles, a premier provider of senior-level executive search, culture shaping, and leadership consulting services renewed its lease for 7,353 s/f on the 35^th floor.

“1735 Market St. continues to attract the top companies in Philadelphia,” said Jeremy Moss, executive vice president at Silverstein Props. “As business leaders look to get the most out of their office space, conveniently located, well amenitized buildings like 1735 will be their first choice.”

Owned by Silverstein Properties and Arden Group, the 54-story, 1,286,936 s/f building is the crown jewel of the Philadelphia Central Business District, and one of the premier office buildings in the U.S. Tenants include Akin Gump, Ballard Spahr, Boston Consulting Group, BNY Mellon, Brandywine Global, Fidelity, Goldman Sachs, and Willis Towers Watson. The building is recognized for its trademark pyramid crowned top and lobby that is accessible from both Market St. and JFK Blvd., which are among Philadelphia’s most prominent avenues.

Silverstein and Arden just completed capital improvements to the Market Street entrance and lobby, including the replacement of existing monument sides on the north and south faces to provide increased signage opportunities for tenants. Additional improvements included repainting the steel supporting the building’s iconic rooftop pyramid, upgrades to LED lighting, and a multi-phase project to improve the quality of elevator rides. Silverstein and Arden installed new MERV-13 air filtration systems to improve the building’s air quality, a COVID-era protocol the developer chose to make permanent.

Across Silverstein Properties’ portfolio, tenants now have access to a new hospitality program, INSPIRE, offering premier hotel-quality amenities, community events, fitness classes, and access to every amenity space and flexible co-working space in the Silverstein portfolio, allowing customers to choose the best work environment for their needs. Last year, Silverstein and Arden hired a hospitality ambassador for the Lounge @ 1735 Market, a tenant-only amenity floor that offers a blend of shared workspace, conference rooms, lounge space, entertainment areas and outdoor space.

Jeremy Moss and Keith Cody of Silverstein Properties, as well as Anthony LiVecchi, Tom Weitzel and Mitch Marcus of JLL represented the landlord in these deals. Jack Meyers of Cushman & Wakefield represented UBS Financial Services, Inc., Scott Gabrielsen of CBRE represented Capital One Financial Corp., Mitch Marcus of JLL represented Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C., Ashley Parrillo of JLL represented T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., Perry Kaplan, Peter Cipriano and Scott Weiss of Savills represented Heidrick & Struggles.

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