Police Chief Fires Cops Involved in Alleged Beating Caught on Self-Storage Camera

Jun 25, 2010

Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland Wednesday fired the four officers involved in an alleged beating of a teenage burglary suspect March 23, which was videotaped by an Uncle Bob’s Self Storage video surveillance camera.

Andrew Blomberg, Phil Bryan, Raad Hassan and Drew Ryser were indicted by a Harris County grand jury Wednesday on charges of official oppression. Bryan and Hassan also were charged with violating the civil rights of a prisoner. Both charges are Class-A misdemeanors, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

McClelland defended the misdemeanor charges against critics, who said the officers should face felony charges, claiming he had to follow the state statute.

The incident came to light after Uncle Bob’s Self Storage employees noticed damage to the facility’s perimeter fencing. As they began reviewing video surveillance to determine the cause, they noticed the cameras had recorded the end of a police chase, the arrest of Chad Holley, then 15, and the alleged beating of Holly. Uncle Bob’s parent company sent a copy of the video to the Houston Police Department, which sparked the investigation.

The four officers are free on $1,000 bonds and scheduled to appear in court in July 23 to enter their pleas.

Source: Houston Chronicle, Chief Defends Level of Charges Against Officers

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Ohio Self-Storage Owner Launches Summer Donation Drive

Jun 25, 2010

A self-storage facility in Hamilton, Ohio, has dedicated a 15-by-15 unit to collecting nonperishable food items, clothing and other donations for the needy.

Stor-All Pisgah, located near U.S. route 42 in the northern part of the Cincinnati metro area, and its manager, Paul Borgarding, have begun the effort to combat the trend of dwindling charitable donations in the summer. Demand for food donations typically rise in the summer, as school students from low-income families are not able to receive school lunches because class is not in session. But food and clothing donations tend to drop during the warmer months.

Borgarding attends a local United Methodist Church and was inspired by the church's pantry. He thinks that by organizing a pantry at his facility he can encourage donations from people who may not be aware of the pantries at houses of worship.

Donations are accepted during normal facility hours Monday through Saturday and for four hours on Sundays. Food items accepted include canned items, especially meat like tuna or fish; box foods such as scallop potatoes, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes; rice; sugar; flour; cooking oil; ramen noodles; spaghetti sauce and other sauces; canned juices; baby formula and diapers; and hygiene products like toilet paper, shampoo, deodorant and soap.

Source: Journal-News.com, Storage Unit Turned Into Food Pantry for Summer

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N.Y. Self-Storage Owner Loses Land in Eminent Domain Case

Jun 24, 2010

After months of court battles and appeals, a Manhattan self-storage owner has lost his fight in a New York eminent domain case.

The New York Court of Appeals in Albany ruled Thursday the state can use its eminent domain power to acquire private property for an expansion for the Columbia University. Eminent domain is state seizure of private property for the “public good” in exchange for market-rate compensation.

The ruling is a reversal of a lower court ruling in December that stopped the state from taking property from self-storage owner Nicholas Sprayregen and the owner of two gas stations. Sprayregen owns four Tuck-It-Away Self Storage facilities.

Columbia unveiled plans to build a satellite campus in 2003 and has since attempted to obtain parts of a 17-acre site in Upper Manhattan for its $6.3 billion expansion. After Sprayregen refused to sell his property, Columbia sought to obtain the land through eminent domain, claiming the neighborhood in question is “blighted.”

The Empire State Development Corp., the state body that approved eminent domain for the project last December, formally appealed the decision in January and presented its oral arguments earlier this month alongside the respondents.

In the ruling Thursday, the New York Court of Appeals agreed with Empire State Development Corp.'s findings of blight. The court also found the Columbia project met a "civic purpose" that lets the state exercise eminent domain.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle, Columbia Expansion Backed by New York's Top Court

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American Buildings Co. Announces New Hire, Promotion

Jun 24, 2010

American Buildings Company (ABC), Eufaula, Ala.-based designer and manufacturer of metal building and roofing systems, has made changes to its Midwest division.

Ken Barnhart joins ABC in the newly created position of regional sales manager, assisting the district managers and builders in the Midwest division. Barnhart has worked in the metal-building industry for more than 16 years and has wide-ranging experience with estimating and customer service. As a top-performing district manager, Barnhart developed an extensive understanding of internal business operations.

“Ken’s extensive background with systems buildings and knowledge of business operations will be an excellent resource for our builders and district managers,” said Bill Brown, Midwest division sales manager. “This newly created position will quickly prove to be a beneficial addition.”

In addition, Jason Smith has been promoted to general manager for the company’s Midwest division. Since beginning his career with Nucor Building Systems Indiana in 1996, Smith has gained a wealth of experience in estimating, design, sales engineer and engineering management.

“Jason’s educational, technical and leadership experience will make him a valuable contributor as our Midwest division general manager,” said ABC President Ray Napolitan. “We’re excited to have Jason as part of the American Buildings Co. team.”

Ken Barnhart Jason Smith

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Self-Storage Operators Offer a Helping Hand

Jun 24, 2010

In the past few months, we’ve posted dozens of news items on the ISS news page about self-storage operators stepping up and helping charitable organizations. Some are sticking close to home, while others find ways to reach people beyond their own communities.

U-Haul is helping victims of a recent tornado in Montana, and a fire in Arizona by offering 30 days of free storage. Many operators across the country have also offered free storage after similar natural disasters. Here’s a sampling of more recent good deeds:

Westy Self Storage, a company that knows a few things about getting involved in its community, is helping with the cleanup efforts in the Gulf Coast. Westy’s 16 locations in the areas near the Gulf Coast are collecting water bottles, towels, paper towels and powder detergent for the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary, a wild bird hospital and sanctuary.

Acts of kindness—whether it’s offering free storage, hosting a drive, donating money to a local cause or even sponsoring the local soccer team—show your facility is more than just another local business competing for your customers’ dollars. Getting involved in your community demonstrates you care about the people living there, and want to do your part as a business owner and community member.

If you haven’t reached out to your community, what’s holding you back? Are you concerned you’ll be flooded with requests for free units or monetary donations? Worried about the time commitment? Then start small and slow. Reach out to your local elementary school and ask if they need help with a back-to-school drive. Offer a local charity a free unit for a month. Hook up with a national charitable cause that collects donations for military personnel and their families.

Can you spare a few hours a week to help at your local animal shelter, library or hospital. Nearly every charitable organization needs volunteers. If you’re interested in a particular charity or cause, check the Internet for a local chapter.

If you’re facility supports a charitable organization, tell us about it. How did you get involved and how did you help? Share your story by posting a comment below or join the discussion on this Self-Storage Talk thread.

Wine Storage Bellevue Offers Pre-Sale Exclusive for Wine Storage Lockers

Jun 24, 2010

To entice wine collectors, Wine Storage Bellevue in Bellevue, Wash., is offering a pre-sale program for a limited time. Tenants who sign a lease and prepay for one year also receive free use of the facility’s moving truck and a 25-percent discount off wine racks from a preferred Wine Storage Bellevue partner, to be installed in the locker.

Wine Storage Bellevue is owned by the Gilroy family and is part of Stor-House Self Storage, a $4.5 million, 120,000-square-foot self-storage facility. The 8,000-square-foot Wine Storage Bellevue facility can accommodate up to 19,000 cases of wine in individual, all-steel storage lockers that range in size from 10 to 200 cases.

Tenants can access their storage lockers seven days a week between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. Each tenant will have an individual key card. The wine lockers are equipped with a steel latch and bezel and fastened with a cylinder lock.

The facility also features a 1,000-square-foot Wine Resource Center characterized by stonework, leather furnishings, cabinets of knotty alder and 12-foot ceilings. Decorated in shades of brown and burgundy, the space consists of two rooms separated by a custom sliding door. A dual-sided fireplace, framed in stone and capped with an alder mantle, is surrounded by four leather chairs.

The center is also equipped with a computer for access to cellar-tracking software or other Internet databases designed to record wine inventory changes. The Wine Resource Center is open daily to members from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., or later by appointment.

Locker pricing starts at $24 per month, concluding at $395 per month for the largest size. The pre-sale offer expires July 15.

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Self-Storage Owner Challenges Town's Noise Ordinance

Jun 24, 2010

A self-storage owner in North Hampton, N.H., is leading the charge of local businesspeople to speak out against a recently passed noise ordinance that targets motorcyclists.

Rick Fucci, the owner of Route 1 Self Storage and director of the North Hampton Business Association, told the local newspaper the ordinance will keep many motorcyclists from patronizing local businesses, especially the local motorcycle dealers.

Fucci explains he and the group don't like noisy vehicles, either. But the broad ordinance, which requires all motorcycles in the town to be equipped with an Environmental Protection Association-approved exhaust system, is too much. Motorcycle groups have already contacted the business association explaining they will boycott.

Some lawyers who have examined the law say it's unenforceable because, as it's currently written, a parked motorcycle not producing any noise at all can still be in violation if it lacks the EPA stamp of approval. Police Chief Brian Page also thinks the law is unenforceable and is trying to persuade a local commission to overturn it.

The voters of North Hampton, which is about 50 miles north of Boston, approved the ordinance by a 2-to-1 margin in May.

Source: Seacoastonline.com,Three Legal Sources Say Noise Ordinance Unenforceable

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