The wife of James Cargill II, a billionaire in America’s fourth-wealthiest family, bashed a “small-minded community” in Minnesota for their concerns about her buying up available homes in their neighborhood.
Kathy Cargill began attracting attention last year after scooping up 10 homes in the 7-mile-long neighborhood of Park Point along a Lake Superior sandbar in Duluth valued at $2 million.
Cargill then doubled up on her property shopping spree, purchasing an additional 10 homes.
Minnesota billionaire’s wife, Kathy Cargill, ends her plans to improve local Park Point neighborhood.(YouTube: @McLarenAutomotiveTV)
The 20 homes now belonging to Cargill worried the community’s neighbors about her plans for such a large portion of local property.
According to The New York Post, she called her neighbors from the city of Duluth “ingrates,” proclaimed the homes to be “pieces of crap” and canceled her plans to improve the neighborhood.
As rumors swirled, local Mayor Roger Reinert was looped in, who eventually wrote a letter to Cargill inquiring about her plans for the houses.
A vacant lot at 1314 Minnesota Ave. in Park Point.(Google Maps)
The Cargill Inc. heiress expressed her discontent with the mayor’s involvement, telling The Wall Street Journal, “I think an expression that we all know—don’t pee in your Cheerios—well, he kind of peed in his Cheerios right there, and definitely I’m not going to do anything to benefit that community.”
She continued, “The good plans that I have down there for beautifying, updating and fixing up Park Point park or putting up that sports court, forget it. There’s another community out there with more welcoming people than that small-minded community.”
Park Point locals had mixed feelings about Cargill’s large purchase of surrounding properties.
Brooks Anderson, a 90-year-old retired minister said, “This is my piece of crap, and I love it. I hope she regrets saying that.”
Shoreline of Park Point beach.(Google Maps)
“We’re Minnesotans, like, ‘I’ve got brandy, I’ve got some vodka, come on over, we’re gonna have something to eat together. We don’t understand this thing where people are like, it’s all a secret,” 59-year-old local resident Deb Strange said.
Dan O’Neill, a 71-year-old Park Point native and retired union organizer, told the Journal he sold his house to Cargill last year for $825,000. “I think Kathy Cargill is a well-meaning lady. I have faith that they are going to do the right thing. They’re all very pleasant and I really believe that they want to blend it into the Park Point environment. No way it’s going to be some McMansion.”
Cargill, who told the paper she’s getting calls from people who wish to sell their homes, revealed, “We’re going to make it even more private than it is, and we’re still going to go enjoy it. Those people aren’t running me out. They can posture themselves all they want, but I’m not going anywhere.”
Alba Cuebas-Fantauzzi is a freelance production assistant at Fox News Digital.
HALIFAX – A village of tiny homes is set to open next month in a Halifax suburb, the latest project by the provincial government to address homelessness.
Located in Lower Sackville, N.S., the tiny home community will house up to 34 people when the first 26 units open Nov. 4.
Another 35 people are scheduled to move in when construction on another 29 units should be complete in December, under a partnership between the province, the Halifax Regional Municipality, United Way Halifax, The Shaw Group and Dexter Construction.
The province invested $9.4 million to build the village and will contribute $935,000 annually for operating costs.
Residents have been chosen from a list of people experiencing homelessness maintained by the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia.
They will pay rent that is tied to their income for a unit that is fully furnished with a private bathroom, shower and a kitchen equipped with a cooktop, small fridge and microwave.
The Atlantic Community Shelters Society will also provide support to residents, ranging from counselling and mental health supports to employment and educational services.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2024.
Housing affordability is a key issue in the provincial election campaign in British Columbia, particularly in major centres.
Here are some statistics about housing in B.C. from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s 2024 Rental Market Report, issued in January, and the B.C. Real Estate Association’s August 2024 report.
Average residential home price in B.C.: $938,500
Average price in greater Vancouver (2024 year to date): $1,304,438
Average price in greater Victoria (2024 year to date): $979,103
Average price in the Okanagan (2024 year to date): $748,015
Average two-bedroom purpose-built rental in Vancouver: $2,181
Average two-bedroom purpose-built rental in Victoria: $1,839
Average two-bedroom purpose-built rental in Canada: $1,359
Rental vacancy rate in Vancouver: 0.9 per cent
How much more do new renters in Vancouver pay compared with renters who have occupied their home for at least a year: 27 per cent
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Voters along the south coast of British Columbia who have not cast their ballots yet will have to contend with heavy rain and high winds from an incoming atmospheric river weather system on election day.
Environment Canada says the weather system will bring prolonged heavy rain to Metro Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast, Fraser Valley, Howe Sound, Whistler and Vancouver Island starting Friday.
The agency says strong winds with gusts up to 80 kilometres an hour will also develop on Saturday — the day thousands are expected to go to the polls across B.C. — in parts of Vancouver Island and Metro Vancouver.
Wednesday was the last day for advance voting, which started on Oct. 10.
More than 180,000 voters cast their votes Wednesday — the most ever on an advance voting day in B.C., beating the record set just days earlier on Oct. 10 of more than 170,000 votes.
Environment Canada says voters in the area of the atmospheric river can expect around 70 millimetres of precipitation generally and up to 100 millimetres along the coastal mountains, while parts of Vancouver Island could see as much as 200 millimetres of rainfall for the weekend.
An atmospheric river system in November 2021 created severe flooding and landslides that at one point severed most rail links between Vancouver’s port and the rest of Canada while inundating communities in the Fraser Valley and B.C. Interior.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.
