Dozens of acres including several miles of trails and two ponds, among other features, are being added to the Anne Springs Close Greenway after a significant land donation.
Leroy Springs & Co., the nonprofit organization that owns and operates the greenway, received a donation of 167 acres from Sandra Hagler White and her husband, Spratt, according to a press release. The property, which has passed through several generations of Sandra's family, will remain subject to a life estate retained by the Whites. It's in the Bethesda community in Rock Hill.
“We love this land,” said Spratt White, per the release. “Preserving it was important to us and we are delighted now to have this arrangement with the Greenway. We hope other owners will join us in the effort to preserve land for the future.”
Land management will be a primary focus in the greenway’s initial transition to ownership, with the greenway’s staff evaluating trail opportunities and scouting locations for possible future group camping and other programs. The property will be accessible for greenway programming only and not available for public use.
“The Greenway is honored that the Whites have chosen our organization as beneficiary of this historic landholding. We look forward to working it into the myriad of programming opportunities that staff will utilize in order to help draw more people to the outdoors,” said John Gordon, CEO of Leroy Springs, in the release.
The greenway, created by local conservationist, philanthropist and civic leader Anne Springs Close, spans thousands of acres just across the state line from Charlotte in South Carolina. Close died in August at age 95. The nature preserve has been in operation for decades. In 2019, it added a $4 million welcome center.
In other local news:
That photo of Mick Jagger at the Thirsty Beaver Saloon continues to ricochet around the internet this morning — now that word has gotten out that the Rolling Stones singer went entirely unnoticed at the beloved dive bar in Plaza Midwood. Jagger was in town for a concert last night at Bank of America Stadium, where he gave a shout-out to the establishment, the Carolina Panthers and pimento cheese, among other Charlotte staples.
Turns out the legendary rocker wasn't the only celebrity out and about in the Queen City this week. Comedy star Dave Chappelle was spotted in South End; he was involved with a show that took place at The Fillmore this week.
Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ: DNUT) is making a move in Canada to further its strategy of taking more control of the brand, inking an agreement with existing operators there to assume majority control of the Krispy K Canada franchise, according to a press release. Financial terms of the deal weren't disclosed; current operators Christopher Lindsay and Kelcey Hamaker are expected to continue running the business day to day as co-CEOs. Following this transaction, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter, Krispy Kreme says it will control 75% of sales across its global network.
And CharlotteFive reports local coffee purveyor Queen City Grounds has opened its third location at The Refinery, an office building that was developed in 2019 just west of uptown. In addition, Chef's Kitchen will soon open its second location at the Carolina Place mall in Pineville, according to C5, which is affiliated with The Charlotte Observer.
Yesterday's top-read story on the CBJ website: What the owner of a local dive bar said about rockstar's visit
In the national news:
- House delays vote on infrastructure bill in big setback for Biden agenda — The New York Times
- Covid-19 updates: Merck says its antiviral pill is effective against coronavirus — The Times
- 'Everything going the wrong way': Dollar stores hit a pandemic downturn — The Times
- PwC offers U.S. employees full-time remote work — Reuters
- Ten years of Facebook employee data — who's up, who's down — The Wall Street Journal
- Gunmaker Smith & Wesson to relocate from Mass. as state considers ban on making assault weapons — The Washington Post
- Nation’s most restrictive abortion law back in Texas court — Associated Press
This week and beyond:
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