Latest news with #AndreaSmith
CTV News
05-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
B.C. judge says concerns ‘overblown' in court challenge to Squamish townhouse project
Apartments, condos and houses are seen in downtown Squamish, B.C., on Thursday, June 26, 2025. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press) VANCOUVER — The B.C. Supreme Court says concerns raised by Squamish, B.C., residents in a legal challenge to a townhouse development project are 'overblown,' paving the way for high-density housing in one of the country's fastest-growing communities. A ruling issued Thursday says Dennis and Andrea Smith wanted to stop a four-unit townhouse project from being built on a neighbouring property, claiming a 'building scheme' from 1959 only allows for single family homes to be built on the lot. The court ruling says the developer behind the project, Clearwater Park GP Inc., sought to cancel or modify the scheme to allow the project to go ahead. It says the homeowners opposed the townhouse project because it will 'change the character of the neighbourhood,' impacting their privacy, increasing traffic and reducing pedestrian safety. The judge's decision says 'circumstances have changed' since the creation of the 1959 building scheme, and it has been 'widely ignored' for years, allowing residents to conduct renovations and build secondary suites. Judge Frits Verhoeven's ruling says the building scheme is therefore 'obsolete' and the company has a development permit from the District of Squamish, rejecting the Smiths' bid to halt the project and agreeing to cancel the building scheme at the heart of the court challenge. 'I am not without sympathy for the desire of the Smiths and other property owners and residents of the area to preserve their neighbourhood as it is, including in particular its single family, low-density nature,' Judge Verhoeven wrote. " However, in relation to the exercise of the court's residual discretion, the need of the community for additional housing is also relevant." The ruling says Squamish is among Canada's 10 fastest-growing communities, with its population growing more than 22 per cent between 2016 and 2021. The ruling says its population was just under 24,000 people in 2021, and is forecasted to grow past 40,000 by 2040. 'Consideration of the public interest does not favour the position of the Smiths that the court should refuse to cancel the building scheme,' the court ruled. This report by Darryl Greer of The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2025.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
California greenlights State Farm Home insurance rate increase
State Farm General, California's largest home insurer, has been granted approval to raise its home insurance rates across the state — triggering fierce backlash from consumer advocates. A judge and Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara (pictured) approved the hike, which will see average home insurance premiums rise by 17 percent. Condo owners and renters will also see average increases of 15 percent, while rental property owners will be hit hardest with a staggering 38 percent jump. 'It is unthinkable that State Farm would do this after so many families in the area were affected by wildfires,' said Los Angeles native Andrea Smith, referencing the blazes that ravaged parts of the city in January. The rate hike follows a year-long standoff between the insurer and the state, which regulates premium increases. Experts had warned that price hikes were inevitable as insurers faced massive payouts for wildfires that severely damaged the Pacific Palisades neighborhood and thousands of other homes across Los Angeles County. State Farm says the latest round of price increases is necessary to stop the company going bust, especially in the wake of the devastating Los Angeles fires which damaged its bottom line further. State Farm has so far received nearly 12,700 claims from wildfire victims, and has paid customers more than $3.5 billion, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Although regulators have approved the price rise, a public hearing has also been instigated at which State Farm will have to prove its finances are in a state that justifies the enormous price rise for consumers. As part of the agreement State Farm will also not drop the additional customers it had threatened to cut until at least the end of the year. This includes keeping all its customers in Los Angeles County for at least a year. The ruling has faced fierce pushback from consumer advocacy groups including Consumer Watchdog. 'Today's decision that would make consumers pay now but allow State Farm to wait months before having to show its math is a great disappointment for consumers,' the group's executive director said in a statement. 'Voter-approved Proposition 103 says a rate hike shouldn't come before the rate justification, but that's what happened here.' Other insurance companies, including Allstate and Farmers Direct, have also limited cover or stopped doing business entirely in the Golden State. This led to California introducing new regulations aimed at easing the state's home insurance crisis - days before the deadly fires broke out. Want more stories like this from the Daily Mail? Hit the follow button above for more of the news you need.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Mole and skin-lesion checks at Wolverhampton NHS drop-in event
A hospital is giving visitors the chance to get any moles or skin lesions checked at a drop-in event organised to raise awareness of sun exposure and the damaging effects it can have on skin, including stall will be at Greggs at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton on Tuesday, from 10:00 BST to 14:00 will be run by members of the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust's dermatology teamVisitors will be able to access a range of free samples promoting healthy skin care and have the chance to talk to specialist nurses about the importance of skin cancer prevention and detection. Last year, Cancer Research UK said melanoma skin cancer cases in the UK rose by almost a third between 2009 and charity report suggested around 17,000 melanoma cases every year were preventable - with almost nine in 10 caused by too much ultraviolet (UV) Smith, clinical nurse specialist at the Wolverhampton NHS trust, said: "Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK, but most cases are preventable by taking proper precautions in the sun."It's really important that everyone knows how to best protect and look after their skin to help prevent skin cancer forming, and know how to check their skin properly to help spot any issues as quickly as possible."These events are a fantastic way for us to raise awareness of skin cancer but also foster a culture of proactive skin health, hopefully allowing us to detect cancer when it's easier to treat or avoid it altogether."The team shared the following tips to help prevent sun damage:Avoid tanning beds: tanning beds emit harmful UV radiation and increase the risk of skin cancerUse sun protection: always wear sunscreen with a high SPF, and reapply every two hours, especially after swimming or sweatingSeek shade: avoid prolonged sun exposure, especially during peak hours between 10:00 BST and 16:00 BST and avoid clothing: cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses to shield your skin from harmful UV your skin for changes regularly and report any skin changes to your GP or nurse promptlyPeople who would like a free mole check, leaflets, advice or a chat in confidence are encouraged to attend the event next week. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How I Bounced Back from Bankruptcy in Under 7 Years — And You Can Too
In late 2018, Andrea Smith declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy. She came out of bankruptcy with a net worth of around $150,000. Read More: Discover Next: Less than seven years later, she has catapulted her net worth over sixfold to $840,000. Here's how you can bounce back financially, too. Smith — speaking under a pseudonym to preserve anonymity — opted for a Chapter 7 over a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. A Chapter 13 or 'wage earner's' bankruptcy lets you keep many of your assets and restructure your debts, but they don't disappear. A Chapter 7 or liquidation bankruptcy involves selling off most of your valuable assets to pay off creditors. After that, however, the debts dissolve, leaving you with a clean slate (read the full rules from the IRS). 'I had rental properties that were upside-down on debt and produced negative cash flow,' Smith explained. They lost her money every year, rather than generating it. 'In the Chapter 7, I signed ownership of the properties over to the mortgage lenders and got a fresh start.' See Now: Unshackled by the heavy debts and negative cash flow, Smith was able to reinvest more of the slim profits from her online business into growing it. That took time and plenty of long work weeks, of course. But it ultimately let her grow her profits from just a couple thousand each month to over $10,000. Determined not to make similar mistakes in the future, Smith wanted multiple sources of income. She picked up a side hustle as a freelance writer. That added another few thousand dollars of income each month. 'Even more important than the income, it let my husband and me sleep easier at night.' Smith and her husband, a teacher, discovered that they could live comfortably on his income alone if he took a job teaching at an international school overseas. He still earns a modest salary of under $50,000. But his school provides free furnished housing, full premium health insurance for the entire family, and even paid flights home to the U.S. each year. Meanwhile, they enjoy lower living expenses overseas and lower US taxes through the foreign earned income exclusion. The IRS waives regular income taxes for expats, up to the first $130,000 per adult in 2025. 'We aim to live entirely on my husband's income, while saving and investing mine,' said Smith. By simultaneously lowering her living expenses (and taxes) and growing her income, Smith and her husband found they could save and invest $5,000 – $10,000 each month. At first, most of the growth in their net worth came from them adding money each month. But over time, their investments started compounding on themselves. They earn over $2,000 each month in passive income today. They haven't yet reached financial independence — able to cover their living expenses with passive income from investments — but they're hurtling toward it. 'We've reached what they call 'coastFI,' where we could stop investing today and our investments would compound on their own to reach our retirement goal,' Smith added. 'But we plan to keep investing at least $5,000 each month through the rest of our 40s. I never want to feel that helplessness again that I felt when going through bankruptcy.' More From GOBankingRates 5 Luxury Cars That Will Have Massive Price Drops in Spring 2025 4 Things You Should Do if You Want To Retire Early How Far $750K Plus Social Security Goes in Retirement in Every US Region 12 SUVs With the Most Reliable Engines Sources: IRS, 'Chapter 7 bankruptcy – Liquidation under the bankruptcy code' IRS, 'Foreign earned income exclusion' This article originally appeared on How I Bounced Back from Bankruptcy in Under 7 Years — And You Can Too
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
Section of Five Mile Drive closing for construction at Point Defiance Park
Construction is about to begin on a paved trail at Point Defiance Park that will separate pedestrians and cyclists from cars. Parks Tacoma says the second phase of the Loop Trail project will begin in May. As a result, the entry to Five Mile Drive from the turn at Waterfront Drive up to Animal Loop Road will be closed to vehicles for one year. A non-paved detour will be provided for pedestrians and bicyclists. The project will create 1.6 miles of trail apart from the roadway to connect visitors to Wilson Way Bridge, the Pagoda, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, the Environmental Learning Center and Owen Beach. All park destinations will remain open. Parks Tacoma says drivers wanting to access the Lodge, Pagoda, gardens, and marina will use the Pearl Street entrance. Those wanting to visit Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Owen Beach, Fort Nisqually, and the Outer Loop of Five Mile Drive will need to use the Mildred Street entrance. 'We know the road detour is an inconvenience, but we're committed to providing multi-modal links to improve connectivity, safety, and accessibility between major destinations within Point Defiance Park,' said Park Board President Andrea Smith. 'The community has been wanting this for years, and we're excited to deliver on a long-held goal.' Point Defiance Park draws more than 3 million visitors every year. In 2016, the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office awarded Parks Tacoma a $3.25 million grant to move forward with the Loop Trail. The first phase was completed in 2023 and included a new sidewalk and improvements to Park Avenue west of the Mildred Street entrance roundabout. It also paved the top of Trolley Lane trail leading north from the roundabout to the Japanese Garden, featuring a small plaza at the entry of Wilson Way Bridge and a safer pedestrian road crossing near the garden. There is no exact date in May for when this second phase will begin.
