Home Care In Mill Creek, IN

The newest park in St. Johns County will open Saturday morning.

Mill Creek Park on State Road 16 in St. Augustine cost more than $12 million to build and is the county’s first new park in more than a decade.

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It is going to be used for several different sports, including baseball, softball, flag football, soccer and even lacrosse.

Teddy Meyer is the St. Johns County Parks and Recreation facility manager. He says the multipurpose outdoor recreation space was a prime focus to come to the western corridor of World Golf Village.

“You couple that with right next door, you have retail and a large amount of residential housing coming in,” Meyer said. “We are going to be very much inundated and creating an opportunity as that area grows to grow into the facility. We needed something to kind of balance that growth on the western part of World Golf [Village].”

Meyer said planning and construction were in the works since as early as 2008.

“It has been a long time coming,” he said. “The housing market tanked and a lot of these projects with these developments on that side of World Golf were put on the shelf. Fast forward to now, it is crazy to think that we are talking 2025 and we are just getting it done. That is how long it’s taken for all of the things to come together.”

The new complex also has four batting cages, restrooms, concessions and turf.

Meyer says all of the amenities open the door for members of the Village Athletic Association to play baseball and softball, an adult soccer league called BASL and the county’s internal programming division’s adult flag football group to show off their skills, along with the public.

“The turf is massive,” Meyer said. “If you think about it, the large user is Monday through Thursday for practices, weekday use. The games occur on the weekends. It is lined for American football, American soccer, and lacrosse as well.”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony along with first pitch ceremonies are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

A full slate of action on the fields is already lined up as Meyer says games are expected between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.

This story was produced by News4Jax, a Jacksonville Today news partner.

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Duval County teachers will be allowed to communicate with students only through district-approved tools under a revised policy up for a vote. The revision, which comes after a series of teacher misconduct scandals, is among a handful of policy changes the Duval County School Board will vote up or down this coming Tuesday.

Last updated in 2019, the “fraternization with students” policy has historically specified that teachers can’t date students, for example, or “have conversations of a sexual nature.”

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The proposed, much longer policy includes specific guidelines intended to “protect” students, employees and Duval Schools’ reputation. The district has faced intense scrutiny over the last two years because several teachers at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts have been accused of sexual misconduct toward students — many of whom were said to have used social media or messaging apps to communicate with them.

The revised policy prohibits communication between teachers and students through social media and messaging apps and specifies how district employees should present themselves in public online spaces.

Last August, the district received a complaint that Craig Leavitt, a teacher at Douglas Anderson, had sent inappropriate messages through social media to a student at the county’s flagship public arts high school during the 2022-23 school year.

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The former student’s lawyer, Chris Moser, tells Jacksonville Today she plans to file a civil suit over the incident within the next few weeks.

Through its proposed updated policy, the district is instructing teachers and other employees to refrain from using social media or messaging apps to talk with students. The policy says: “Employees should avoid any appearance of impropriety. Private messaging blurs that boundary. Messaging with students will place an employee’s cell phone or personal computer privacy at risk.”

Florida public records laws require agencies like Duval Schools to maintain records of all official communications — regardless of the device used to communicate. The revised policy says “any text or social media messages sent to a student from a personal device” could become part of what the district is expected to maintain, which could in turn cause the district to “demand to review the contents of an employee’s private device.”

The new guidelines also broadly prohibit employees from posting to content on the internet that might be inappropriate:

“The School Board finds that publication of inappropriate or unbecoming material on publicly accessible websites or electronic media by an employee has the potential to disrupt the educational process, damage the reputation of the District, its teachers and staff, damage the District’s reputation and stature, and subject the District, its teachers and employees to ridicule.”

The proposed policy also says while employees are allowed to maintain personal or business websites, the content on them should adhere to the same guidelines if it is public.

Also on Tuesday, the board will vote on changes to the way the district screens parents and other volunteers who access school campuses.

The revisions split volunteers into two categories with two different levels of access to students and that require different approval processes.

Volunteers who don’t work directly with students would be considered Level 1 and would be required to complete the current background check procedure. Volunteers who do work with students — including parents who chaperone field trips — would be Level 2 volunteers and be subject to a more extensive vetting process that includes fingerprinting.

District officials said volunteers would wear color-coded badges to allow for easy identification of their level of approval.

In a workshop about the policy changes this week, board members acknowledged the need for screening volunteers as thoroughly as possible but also wondered if the additional screenings might be cost prohibitive. Level 2 checks can cost up to $100, and parents would be expected to foot the bill.

“Especially if you talk about a school, school culture, and you’re trying to get parents involved — I think we should be removing as many barriers while keeping our students safe,” District 4 representative Darryl Willie said. “So I just wonder how we go about it.”

District 3 representative Cindy Pearson asked if a third party — like a PTA, for example — would be allowed to pay for the screenings. Superintendent Christopher Bernier said yes.

Board members also continue to review other proposed changes to more than a dozen policies, including a separate policy about employee social media use, as well as sex education and the district’s approach to book challenges. Those issues will come up for votes at a later date.

At the Monday, February 10 meeting of the Mebane City Council, the local elected board unanimously approved a conditional rezoning that is three decades in the making - a massive expansion of the Mill Creek community.

The proposed community, which will be called “Preserve at Mill Creek,” will add 565 homes across approximately 229 acres of area land. The approval of Preserve at Mill Creek will complete a planning process that was initially planned by area developers and approved by Mebane town leaders back in 1993.

“More than 30 years ago, the city council did approve the Mill Creek development, which originally indicated that all of the land you see today would have had homes on it,” stated Mebane Development Director Ashley Ownbey. “The site is largely within the Mebane city limits. There is a small portion that has not been annexed and would require annexation before connecting to any city utilities. This portion is in our extraterritorial jurisdiction. The site is in both Alamance County and Orange county, and city utilities are available to serve the development. As it currently exists. It is a largely vacant and forested site.”

Amanda Hodierne, an attorney with Greensboro-based Isaacson Sheridan, made a two-plus hour presentation for the project on behalf of Lennar Carolinas. She addressed multiple concerns on the part of local residents, several of which spoke during the public comments portion of the January Planning Board meeting. Mebane’s Planning Board recommended the project to be approved back in January via a 7-1 affirmative vote.

“We’ve been through a long process to get here, which I hope you’ll agree, is presenting a plan that we feel is a product of that process, and is better now than when we started all those months ago. We’ve enjoyed that process,” Hodierne explained to town leaders. “it is a total acreage of 229.31 acres that’s comprised of four different parcels, sort of divided up and meandering amongst what you know as the existing Mill Creek Golf Course. That’s the result of a community that started a long time ago, and got developed part of the way. The whole golf course got developed, and then the rest of it has laid in wait to finish completion, which we’re excited to hopefully embark upon.”

The project is considered an ‘infill’ project - intended to cover a specific space that is rapidly being surrounded by growth and development in all directions. While over 180 acres of the proposed community lies in Alamance County, approximately 64 acres of the project sits in western Orange County.

Hodierne has referred to the project as a ‘puzzle piece,’ intended to complete the local roadway and infrastructure tapestry north of downtown Mebane, while also filling in the 229-plus acres with new housing. With the approval by the council, all of Preserve at Mill Creek has been annexed into the Mebane city limits, and will utilize Mebane’s water and sewer system.

Lennar Carolinas, LLC indicated that it is planning to install an internal public street network, which would include 5-feet wide sidewalks on one side of the street, along with private amenities such as a clubhouse and athletic courts. Plans also call for a public multi-use path network, which will include an off-site path that will run along N. First Street to connect to the entrance of nearby Cates Farm Park.

Only two residents spoke about the project on February 10 - one local neighbor who expressed support for the project, and another who noted concerns about the neighborhood’s proposed multi-use path’s proximity to the Mill Creek golf course.

“After working with Amanda and Ashley, many of our concerns have been addressed,” said Steve Beckner, an area resident who owns a large tract of land to the immediate east of the proposed Mill Creek expansion. “For instance, Lennar agreed to build a fence wrapping around our southwest corner. And I’m very appreciative of their efforts, although I have to say I would like to see that fence extended further east past the Tupelo (Junction) property line, going east along our southern property line. But on the whole, as I said, I’m very happy within the these people. These lovely ladies have worked with us, and so I’m not opposed (to this development).”

“My understanding is that currently the only persons allowed to be on the golf course, are registered golfers,” said Jonathan Warren, a resident of 1514 St. Andrews Drive within the existing Mill Creek community. “So if the (proposed multi-use) greenway is going to cross over the golf course, has the golf course operator granted an exemption for that? I play that course, and I’m a terrible, terrible golfer. I’m sure Lennar is going to find many of my balls in the woods there when they clear the trees to build homes. So I’m just questioning, does it make sense to locate a pedestrian pathway that close to the golf course?”

As is the case with most developers bringing projects before the City of Mebane in recent years, the developer requested and received permission for a wide range of variances to the town’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), also known as Mebane by Design.

Specifically, Lennar received approval for a minimum lot width of just 46 feet for lots zoned R-8 (the UDO calls for a minimum of 50 feet), and a minimum of 57 feet for lots zoned R-10 (the UDO calls for a minimum of 65 feet). Plans call for 335 of the 565 total housing units to be zoned R-8, with an additional 107 housing lots zoned R-10. Another 123 housing units will be zoned R-12.

Lennar received unanimous permission from the Mebane City Council for minimum side setbacks of 7.5 feet per lot (the UDO calls for a minimum of 10 feet), minimum street side setbacks of 13 feet (the UDO calls for a minimum of 18 feet), a maximum building height of 40 feet for R-12 zoning (the UDO calls for a maximum building height of 35 feet for lots zoned R-12), and private storm drainage easements in rear yards with a minimum of 10 feet (the UDO calls for a minimum width of 15 feet for drainage easements).

Lennar also received permission from the City of Mebane to count the proposed multi-use path - which has an estimated cost of $2,574,942 - to meet the town’s public recreation requirements instead of a payment in lieu of provided public recreation infrastructure of just over $100,000.

“They (Lennar) have provided an estimate that shows this (multi-use path) construction will exceed $2.5 million,” Hodierne explained. “If they were to do a payment in lieu, it would just be approximately $116,000, I believe. So there’s definitely a difference there.”

A traffic impact analysis (TIA) was conducted as part of the Technical Review Committee (TRC) process, indicating a wide range of required street enhancements and improvements around town. The TIA, which was conducted by DRMP, incorporated surrounding neighborhoods including Havenstone, Retreat at Lake Michael, Stagecoach Corner, Landing at Lake Michael, Tupelo Junction, and Saddle Club.

Traffic improvements specifically related to Preserve at Mill Creek include an exclusive westbound left turn lane on Saint Andrews Extension at the intersection with N. First Street, along with the construction of exclusive eastbound and westbound left turn lanes on East Stagecoach Road with a minimum of 100 feet of full storage and appropriate transfers according to North Carolina Department of Transportation specifications.

The East Stagecoach Road improvements are required to be completed prior to the Certificate of Occupancy (COA) for the 50th housing unit constructed in the southern portion of the development.

For almost a year, several My Neighborhood News readers have suggested that I review a restaurant called Rare Society. I was reluctant to write a review because Rare Society is in Mill Creek and it is out of “range” for the areas that this publication covers. In addition, I was hesitant because Rare Society is pricey and I like to offer readers affordable options (in a world where eating out is becoming increasingly expensive).

But when Rare Society reached out to invite me to dinner, I could not pass up the opportunity. I only wish that I had visited this place sooner because Rare Society has been open in Mill Creek for almost two years. The chef/owner Brad Wise is based in California and has five locations — four in California and one in Washington — plus another restaurant opening in Las Vegas this spring. We are so lucky to have this place in our backyard — even if it is a bit of a drive from Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood.

Chef Wise’s Rare Society is a homage to the infamous Vegas retro steakhouses, and he has created a neighborhood steakhouse that is elegant and comfortable with delicious food and great service. Located in a strip mall surrounded by a huge apartment complex, you cannot imagine what welcomes you when you walk through the door. It feels like a speakeasy meets a piano lounge where you expect to hear Frank Sinatra playing. The décor is New York meets LA meets Las Vegas — but you can show up in jeans like anywhere in the Pacific Northwest and feel welcomed. The only thing that was a bit off is the music selection — it was too loud and the music choices didn’t match the mood/theme of the place. I hope that they will consider lowering the volume to allow easier conversation.

We had a 5 p.m. reservation and when we arrived the place was very busy in the bar area with a lively crowd who came to enjoy their excellent happy hour drink and food specials. Happy hour (4-6 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday) is the most affordable way to eat at Rare Society. Cocktails and wine are $10 and beer is $6, and the hot and cold food offerings are innovative as well as generous for the price ($9-$24). You can select from oysters on the half shell, shrimp cocktail, tuna tartare, wedge salad, fried brussel sprouts, wood-grilled artichoke, barbecued dry-aged meatballs, harissa-marinated beef skewers, smash burger, Philly cheesesteak and truffle fries. Happy hour is the perfect way to enjoy Rare Society without incurring a large bill.

We were seated at a comfortable table in the main dining room and our server Maxwell thoroughly explained the dinner menu, which focuses on meat and seafood. However, there are lots of options for vegetarians who could easily create a robust meal from the starters and side dishes. (It would be challenging for vegans to enjoy Rare Society’s menu though.) We ordered a Cadillac Margarita ($28) and a Whiskey Sour ($22) to accompany our appetizers. We ordered the chilled half lobster ($31), snow crab claws ($34) and the Caesar salad ($16). Drinks were delicious although expensive, in my opinion (but I warned you right?). The Caesar Salad was the highlight of our starters. The dressing was spot on unctuous, and the fried breaded anchovies added a novel touch. I could have eaten the whole thing myself; but part of the eating experience at Rare Society is about sharing.

We ordered an 8-ounce filet mignon ($57) and a 20-ounce, 40-day dry-aged, bone-in New York strip ($68). Both came to the table perfectly grilled and tender to the bone. Our sides included wood-fired broccolini ($15) with za’atar, lemon, sumac yogurt and a very rich potato au gratin with truffle mornay sauce and black truffles. Both were lovely accompaniments for our steaks.

The Rare Society is known for its “boards,” called the Associate ($128), which serves two to three, and the Executive ($198) which serves three to four. It’s the chef’s choice of cuts of meat accompanied by sauces (Béarnaise, veggie butter, Santa Maria style salsa, creamy horseradish and steak sauce). While we did not order a board, the neighboring table of four ordered one which I photographed so that you could see its abundance. We enjoyed our entrees with a glass of wine ($15-$18). The entree portions were large, and the staff boxed up our leftovers (which gave us two more meals at home).

To be honest, I was very full. But in the interest of research, I felt obligated to try dessert. Everything is made in-house. Their signature Butter Cake with sour cream ice cream ($15) was over-the-top decadent. As a trained pastry chef, I think it would have benefitted from a seasonal fruit compote to complement the richness of the cake. We also tried the daily scoop of Rocky Road ice cream ($6), which paired well with the cake. If it’s your birthday they will gift you a scoop of the housemade ice cream too!

The whole evening was a rare experience for us because we do not often order drinks, starters, entrees, sides and dessert. This is a special-occasion restaurant for most of us. It’s a great place to go for a business dinner too. We were well taken care of by the staff and left feeling very satiated by good food and drinks as well as impeccable service. It was a memorable evening, and I recognize that it is a privilege to have the opportunity to eat at Rare Society. Like many restaurants, Rare Society has a 4% service charge that is added to the check to help cover “competitive industry compensation, including health benefits for full-time employees.” They will remove this charge if requested.

This was one of the best meals that I have had anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. Chef Brad Wise and his staff have created a steakhouse that is as good as any in New York City. We should be grateful to have such a special place within a 30–45-minute drive from our community. If you are looking for a place to hold a business party, wedding or any other special event, Rare Society will do full buy outs and large party events with pre-set menus available. I recommend making reservations because as the word gets out, Rare Society is going to be tough to get into.

Address: 13223 39th Ave. S.E., Mill Creek, WA. 98012 Get directions

Hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 5 p.m.- close. Happy hour 4-6 p.m.

Contact: 425-777-4590

Deborah Binder lives in Edmonds with her family. She loves to cook from scratch using produce from the gardens she created with her husband. She attended culinary school and worked for restaurants, caterers and culinary schools. Her current interest in food is learning to eat for health and wellness, while at the same time enjoying the pleasures of the table. Deborah loves experimenting and developing new recipes. As Julia Child once said, “Everything in moderation including moderation.” Deborah can be contacted at [email protected].

March 20, 2025

Ad-supported streaming media company Future Today is bringing content from the “Ultraman” franchise to its streaming platforms through a partnership with Mill Creek Entertainment.

As part of the collaboration, Future Today will onboard 19 “Ultraman” movies and eight specials.

Ultraman films and series are under exclusive North American license to Mill Creek Entertainment from Tsuburaya Fields Media & Pictures Entertainment.

Originating in Japan in 1966, “Ultraman” is one of the most recognized superhero franchises worldwide, spawning a number of television series, films, video games, and more. Ultraman is a legendary giant from a faraway galaxy, who comes to Earth to protect Earthlings from giant monsters called Kaiju. He is aided by Japan’s Defense Teams, whose main purpose is to defend the Earth from monsters and aliens. For almost 60 years, Ultraman and his people, the Ultras, have been friends and guardians to humankind.

Viewers can watch “Ultraman” on HappyKids for free, available on streaming devices including Roku, Fire TV, LG, and Samsung. Ultraman TV is available to stream for free in the Roku channel store and Amazon App store.

“Launching the Ultraman TV streaming app in the United States is an exciting milestone for Mill Creek and Tsuburaya,” Jeff Hayne, SVP of acquisitions at Mill Creek, said in a statement. “This platform allows fans in the U.S. to experience the legendary ‘Ultraman’ franchise in a new way, with ad-supported accessibility. We are thrilled to bring this iconic franchise and character to an even broader audience, while embracing the unique needs of today’s streaming landscape.”

“This partnership with Mill Creek Entertainment allows us to expand our content library with an iconic franchise that has a long-standing global fan base,” Soma Sengupta, head of partner relationships, Future Today, said in a statement. “By bringing ‘Ultraman’ to our platform, we are providing more diverse entertainment choices that appeal to a broad audience.”

“We are pleased to collaborate with our colleagues at Mill Creek Entertainment in adding Future Today to our ever-increasing portfolio of platforms now streaming this seminal franchise,” David Kornblum, president and CEO of Tsuburaya, said in a statement.

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Legendary Japanese Superhero Franchise Brings Classic Sci-Fi and Action Content to Future Today's Streaming Lineup

MENLO PARK, Calif., March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Future Today, a leader in ad-supported streaming media, is expanding its content library with the globally renowned ULTRAMAN franchise through a partnership with Mill Creek Entertainment, a division of Alliance Entertainment Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: AENT). As part of this collaboration, Future Today will onboard 19 ULTRAMAN movies and 8 specials, further enriching its extensive portfolio of streaming content.

Originating in Japan in 1966, ULTRAMAN is a cultural phenomenon and one of the most recognized superhero franchises worldwide. With its rich history and enduring popularity, the franchise continues to capture the imagination of fans across generations. Ultraman films and series are under exclusive North American license to Mill Creek Entertainment from Tsuburaya Fields Media & Pictures Entertainment.

"This partnership with Mill Creek Entertainment allows us to expand our content library with an iconic franchise that has a long-standing global fan base,” said Soma Sengupta, Head of Partner Relationships, Future Today. "By bringing ULTRAMAN to our platform, we are providing more diverse entertainment choices that appeal to a broad audience.”

"Launching the ULTRAMAN TV streaming app in the United States is an exciting milestone for Mill Creek and Tsuburaya," said Jeff Hayne, SVP of Acquisitions at Mill Creek. "This platform allows fans in the U.S. to experience the legendary Ultraman franchise in a new way, with ad-supported accessibility. We are thrilled to bring this iconic franchise and character to an even broader audience, while embracing the unique needs of today's streaming landscape."

David Kornblum, President and CEO of Tsuburaya, added, "We are pleased to collaborate with our colleagues at Mill Creek Entertainment in adding Future Today to our ever-increasing portfolio of platforms now streaming this seminal franchise.”

Ultraman is a legendary giant from a faraway galaxy, who comes to Earth to protect us from giant monsters called Kaiju. He is aided by Japan's Defense Teams, whose main purpose is to defend the Earth from monsters and aliens. For almost 60 years, Ultraman and his people, the Ultras, have been friends and guardians to humankind. The Ultraman franchise has spawned a record number of television series, films, video games, and more.

Watch Ultraman on HappyKids for free, available on all popular streaming devices including Roku, Fire TV, LG, and Samsung. ULTRAMAN TV is available to stream for free in the Roku channel store and Amazon App store.

About Future Today

Future Today is a leader in the ad-supported streaming media universe with its flagship channels - Fawesome, HappyKids, and iFood.tv - ranking among the top free channels on nearly every OTT consumer platform. The company's proprietary, cloud-based technology platform enables content owners, producers, distributors, and major media companies to launch and monetize Connected TV channels efficiently. Future Today's comprehensive services include video management, content publishing, app development, cross-channel promotion, and advertising monetization. Learn more about Future Today https://futuretodayinc.com/.

About Tsuburaya Fields Media & Pictures Entertainment

Tsuburaya Fields Media & Pictures Entertainment Inc., located in Los Angeles, is active in the production and distribution of ULTRAMAN entertainment content for North America and other markets. Headed by President & CEO David Kornblum, the new subsidiary established in 2023 will expand the ULTRAMAN North America licensing program into the UK, EU, South America, India and MENA markets thereby solidifying the franchise's place on the global stage. For more information, visit https://tf-mpe.com/.

About Mill Creek Entertainment

Mill Creek Entertainment is the home entertainment industry's leading independent studio for Blu-ray™, DVD, and digital distribution. With direct sales pipelines to major retail and online partners, Mill Creek Entertainment licenses, produces, markets, and distributes a diverse array of film and television content to over 30,000 retail stores and thousands of websites, reaching millions of customers across North America. Its expansive library includes Oscar®-winning theatrical films, Emmy®-winning TV series, original documentaries, and pop-culture favorites. Mill Creek Entertainment is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

About Alliance Entertainment

Alliance Entertainment (NASDAQ: AENT) is a premier distributor of music, movies, toys, collectibles, and consumer electronics. We offer over 325,000 unique in-stock SKU's, including over 57,300 exclusive compact discs, vinyl LP records, DVDs, Blu-rays, and video games. Complementing our vast media catalog, we also stock a full array of related accessories, toys, and collectibles. With more than 35 years of distribution experience, Alliance Entertainment serves customers of every size, providing a robust suite of services to resellers and retailers worldwide. Our efficient processing and essential seller tools noticeably reduce the costs associated with administrating multiple vendor relationships, while helping omni-channel retailers expand their product selection and fulfillment goals. For more information, visit www.aent.com.

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