Latest news with #urbanimprovement
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fourth-generation Puebloan announces run for Pueblo City Council District 3
Joseph Perko seeks to welcome progress while also preserving Pueblo's legacy if elected to Pueblo City Council's District 3 seat. The fourth-generation Pueblo resident and union member is running for council in 2025 with goals to clean up the city and champion labor, public outreach and urban improvement. As a candidate for District 3, Perko's bid for a council seat will be determined by residents of Aberdeen, the Mesa Junction, Regency, Sunset Park and other communities in the southwest quadrant of the city. Perko has a business degree and is an electrician by trade with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 12. "As a blue-collar union member, I am all too aware of the challenges our workers and unions face as well as the benefits they stand to gain if empowered," Perko said in a written campaign announcement. "There is growth, development and industry all over Pueblo and yet our workers continue to see wages be outpaced by the cost of living, watching laborers in our sister cities around Colorado enjoy far greater gains." Often an attendee of Pueblo City Council meetings, Perko told the Chieftain he's considered running for office for about six years. While he said he respects the current council's thoroughness in addressing and debating issues, he feels council members can be "needlessly contentious with one another." Perko said he does not fully understand why some current council members have disregarded community-led efforts to preserve the City Park Bathhouse and that there is no need to tear it down. He also opposed city government's funding cuts to nonprofits like the Mariposa Center for Safety, Pueblo Zoo and Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, which the city made before passing its 2025 city. "I strongly disagree with a lot of the ways that they are trying to get this new budget... just trying to cut everything that we view as essential," Perko said. "I think it takes away from a lot of the things that give people opportunities, which just furthers economic decline, reduces our tax base and makes it harder for people to want to stay here." In his campaign announcement, Perko advocated for training programs to grow the local labor pool, tidying up the city's most distressed areas to make Pueblo more welcoming, and work programs to employ unhoused and probationary individuals. "Give them a chance to work cutting overgrowth, picking up litter, simple things like that. In time, they could work their way up to full-time employment and obtain housing," Perko said in the announcement. "Investment could be made in networks of medical and mental health treatment so they can have the abilities to elevate themselves out of their situation with confidence, independence and compassion. Perko will host a mixer and formal campaign launch event at his brother Anthony Perko's law office, Perko Law, LLC, at 113 Broadway Ave., from 4 to 6 p.m. on June 28. Half-cent sales tax: Mayor proposes change to half-cent sales tax criteria. Could it bring a Costco to Pueblo? Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@ Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Fourth-generation Puebloan announces 2025 bid for city council
BBC News
17-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
'Neglected' Newcastle city centre subways in line for spruce-up
Grotty subways beneath a major city centre roundabout are in line for investment to make them feel less City Council is set to fund work to improve the state of the underpasses around the Swan House roundabout, which were called "dated and neglected" in a local authority £64,000 is being set aside to pay for measures intended to make the subways feel safer, and it follows the recent installation of new plans could include things such as CCTV cameras, painting, new signage and a general clean-up of the area, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The council report said the subways, connecting to a redevelopment area on East Pilgrim Street and the east side of the A167 central motorway, were the subject of safety concerns from residents and were "experiencing a decline in the uptake of rental premises as a result of the unattractiveness of the surrounding connections", the document added.A spokesperson for the local authority said the lighting was "already making a difference" but added further improvements were needed to "create a more pleasant and appealing pedestrian route". Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Residents 'thrilled' with greening up
Residents in Grimsby have been "thrilled" with efforts to bring more greenery to the town centre, the council has said. The improvements, including new seating, planting and "living walls", were made as part of Levelling Up Funding awarded to the town in May last year, according to North East Lincolnshire Council. Grimsby in Bloom was working with the authority as part of the project, and was providing the plants and flowers throughout the year for hanging baskets along Victoria Street, a spokesperson said. Residents told the authority the town was "more appealing" and the changes were "positive" for the area and "exactly what Grimsby needs". As part of the improvements, new seating has been put in place and a number of "living walls" - structures attached to buildings and filled with plants - are being installed to improve the look of the town and to help air quality, the authority said. According to the council, Grimsby resident Janet Bird had given feedback that the improvements "look lovely". "All the bright plants and flowers really add to Victoria Street and make it more appealing," she said. "This is exactly what Grimsby needs." Meanwhile, Christine Ward, who said she was a regular visitor to the town centre, explained: "It's such a positive for the area and definitely makes it a better place." The authority said a pop-up garden was being created along West St Mary's Gate and festoon lighting was being installed along Victoria Street as part of the project's next stage. Elaine Atkinson, chair of Grimsby In Bloom, said they had also received many positive comments from visitors to the town. "To sit around these flowers makes you feel so much better. It makes the town look great, but it also does wonders for your personal health and wellbeing," she said. Councillor Philip Jackson said he was thrilled to see positive change in Grimsby which was part of the larger regeneration of the town centre. "With demolition under way, the new cinema, state-of-the-art market and other leisure outlets are one step closer," he said. "This is such an exciting time for Grimsby and North East Lincolnshire as a whole," he added. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Streets to get £1.5m levelling up money Grimsby receives £20m government cash Long-running market to reopen in temporary space North East Lincolnshire Council
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- BBC News
Residents 'thrilled' with greening efforts
Residents in Grimsby have been "thrilled" with efforts to bring more greenery to the town centre, the council has improvements, including new seating, planting and "living walls", were made as part of Levelling Up Funding awarded to the town in May last year, according to North East Lincolnshire in Bloom was working with the authority as part of the project, and was providing the plants and flowers throughout the year for hanging baskets along Victoria Street, a spokesperson told the authority the town was "more appealing" and the changes were "positive" for the area and "exactly what Grimsby needs". As part of the improvements, new seating has been put in place and a number of "living walls" - structures attached to buildings and filled with plants - are being installed to improve the look of the town and to help air quality, the authority to the council, Grimsby resident Janet Bird had given feedback that the improvements "look lovely"."All the bright plants and flowers really add to Victoria Street and make it more appealing," she said. "This is exactly what Grimsby needs." Meanwhile, Christine Ward, who said she was a regular visitor to the town centre, explained: "It's such a positive for the area and definitely makes it a better place."The authority said a pop-up garden was being created along West St Mary's Gate and festoon lighting was being installed along Victoria Street as part of the project's next Atkinson, chair of Grimsby In Bloom, said they had also received many positive comments from visitors to the town."To sit around these flowers makes you feel so much better. It makes the town look great, but it also does wonders for your personal health and wellbeing," she Philip Jackson said he was thrilled to see positive change in Grimsby which was part of the larger regeneration of the town centre."With demolition under way, the new cinema, state-of-the-art market and other leisure outlets are one step closer," he said."This is such an exciting time for Grimsby and North East Lincolnshire as a whole," he to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
