Home Care In Mill Creek, IN

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].

St. Johns County and the Villages Baseball Association ushered in a new era of recreation with the grand opening of Mill Creek Park last Saturday, as reported by St. Johns County's Office of Public Affairs. In a gathering that saw the community unite for the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, Krista Joseph, chair of the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners, stood before the crowd to celebrate the park's role in local development and athletics.

Funded with a $12 million investment, the park underscores the county's deep-seated commitment to leisure and sports, with Chair Joseph highlighting how "recreation is paramount to St. Johns County," according to a statement obtained by the Office of Public Affairs. Alongside this facility, Joseph also underscored the broader vision encompassed in the $123 million Regional Park Plan, which seeks to enrich community spaces across the county, as detailed by the St. Johns County.

At the grand opening, amid the excitement of imminently thrown ceremonial first pitches, District 2 Commissioner Sarah Arnold offered remarks stressing the park's significance. "This project is about more than new fields," Arnold said. "It’s about investing in our families, in our athletes, and the future of our community," she told those in attendance, according to the St. Johns County.

Ryan Kane, the Parks and Recreation Director, conveyed a powerful message of hope and transformation tethered to the new park. Sprinkled with personal anecdotes, he professed how these grounds were fertile for the growth of young talent, where failures like a strikeout were but stepping stones to greater successes. “Out here, on these fields, coaches are going to connect with young boys and girls and make them amazing men and women,” Kane said, as per the St. Johns County. “They’re going to understand that if you strike out, you’re getting back up at bat, and you’re going again.”

With the inaugural speeches wrapped and the ribbon dutifully severed, all five members of the Board of County Commissioners claimed their spots on the baseball diamond. They symbolically launched the park into operational status with a series of pitches, each one marking the hopeful trajectory of the county's newest investment in public recreation.

For more details on the opening ceremony and future plans for Mill Creek Park, visit the St. Johns County Office of Public Affairs.

Nature-Centric Community Adds 381 Apartment Homes Near 212-Acre Erwin Park

MCKINNEY, Texas, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mill Creek Residential, a leading developer, owner-operator and investment manager specializing in premier rental housing across the U.S., today announced the start of preleasing at Modera McKinney Ridge, a contemporary garden-style community adjacent to 212-acre Erwin Park.

Modera McKinney Ridge, which features 381 apartment homes, is situated in the new Ridgeline development of McKinney, a 400-acre, outdoor-focused, master-planned development at Bloomdale Road and Hardin Boulevard that will feature lakes, trees and trails that connect to Erwin Park. The community is built to, and is pursuing, an NGBS Silver Certification, with first move-ins anticipated for April.

"The McKinney area continues to be a highly desirable living destination, and we look forward to welcoming our first residents," said Neil Eastwood, vice president of development in North Texas for Mill Creek Residential. "With its park-like setting and design that reflects the area's commercial and agricultural history, we believe Modera McKinney Ridge is a genuinely unique offering in the market. Residents will be surrounded by an abundance of recreational outlets, excellent schools and convenient access to McKinney's historic downtown, and we are eager to provide a top-tier living experience."

Located at 2400 N Hardin Boulevard, Modera McKinney Ridge is in the high-performing McKinney Independent School District and provides near-immediate access to Erwin Park's sought-after recreational activities. The community is located less than one mile from U.S. 75 and close to U.S. 380 and the 121 Tollway, offering direct connectivity to the Dallas metropolitan area, including the suburbs of Allen, Plano, Frisco and Richardson. Downtown Dallas and its vast array of entertainment and employment options sits 35 miles south of the community.

Modera McKinney Ridge offers one-, two- and three-bedroom homes with an average size of 1,025 square feet. Community amenities include a bi-level swimming pool, a multilevel courtyard, beer garden with outdoor fire pit, screened porch with harvest dining table, resident clubhouse with catering kitchen, hotel-inspired lobby with fireplace and self-serve coffee, remote and coworking spaces, event room and a club-quality fitness center with cardio equipment, yoga/Pilates studio and group fitness area. The community also features multiple outdoor gathering and grill spaces, a preserved century-old elm tree, two dog parks, private EV charging stations, controlled-access garage parking, digital package lockers, bike repair station and dedicated bike storage.

Home interiors include nine-to-12-foot ceilings, stainless steel appliances, honed granite countertops, designer tile backsplashes, soft-close cabinets, pull-down faucets, built-in desks and shelving, walk-in closets and in-home washers and dryers. Smart features include keyless entry, controlled-access guest technology, smart thermostats and leak detection. Select homes include mudrooms, breakfast bars, double vanities, linen closets and premium views of the surrounding woodlands.

About Mill Creek ResidentialMill Creek Residential Trust LLC is a national rental housing company focused on developing, acquiring, and operating rental communities in targeted markets nationwide. The national company, headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, proactively develops, acquires, constructs, and operates communities through its seasoned team of real estate professionals in offices across the United States. Mill Creek is building its portfolio in many of the nation's most desirable markets in Seattle, Portland, the San Francisco Bay area, Sacramento, Southern California, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, Austin, Houston, Florida, Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, Raleigh, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, New York, and Boston. As of September 30, 2024, the company's portfolio comprises 144 communities representing over 41,000 rental homes operating and/or under construction. For more information, please visit MillCreekPlaces.com.

Media ContactStephen UrseryLinnellTaylor Marketing[email protected]303.682.3945

SOURCE Mill Creek Residential

This week, environmental reporter Connor Giffin delved into the latest restoration efforts for Mill Creek in southwest Louisville.

Connor joined the Courier Journal nearly four years ago through a grant-funded position focused on covering environmental issues in the Louisville metro area and the state. Over the years, he has gained invaluable expertise, enabling him to offer readers a unique perspective on our environment, climate, and related topics.

This Sunday's cover story explored the southwest Louisville waterway, which has historically been engineered into submission but is now the focus of significant restoration efforts. Local residents who commend the work on the creek are eager to see the next step — transforming the waterway into a recreational destination, similar to Floyds Fork in the eastern part of the county. While the city has a plan to achieve this vision, securing funding remains a challenge.

For more on the story, we posed several questions to Connor. Here are his responses:

Where did this reporting start?

I had heard previously about efforts to improve Mill Creek, including in The Courier Journal's past reporting, but this particular story started with one of the newspaper's mobile newsroom events, in which reporters work from libraries and other community centers in neighborhoods around the Louisville area to hear from residents.

Maureen Welch, a reader and South End advocate, stopped by and spoke with me about the proposal for the Mill Creek Greenway and invited me to meet with her and other community members to learn more about the project and its headwinds.

Describe your reporting process. What steps did you take?

One of my first steps was to read up on the greenway proposal, the history of the Mill Creek watershed (with the help of old clippings of The Courier Journal) and some of the issues facing neighborhoods along the creek.

In September, I met with community members who were advocating for the greenway and other improvements in the area, and we walked through Sylvania Park and down to the creek. I also spoke with some longtime residents about their childhood memories of the creek, and what improvements they'd like to see for future generations.

I later visited another stretch of Mill Creek with staff from the Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District to discuss the agency's watershed planning work. I also interviewed officials at the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources to learn more about the state's stream restoration efforts, and how philosophies around engineering waterways have changed to work more with nature, rather than against it, where possible.

What key points do you want readers to take away from this story?

A throughline of my conversations with residents living near Mill Creek was the feeling that the area was often overlooked for funding and revitalization. I picked up on a strong sense of neighborhood pride, but also some disappointment in a lack of recreational opportunities, combined with past environmental injustice and health disparities in this part of the county.

Like many of the commonwealth's waterways, Mill Creek is considered impaired for some recreational uses, based on state water quality assessments. Residents would like to see it restored one day to a clean and accessible state.

This story is about the greenway proposal and efforts to improve Mill Creek — but it's also about a community's desire for more investment, and some of the long-standing equity issues facing the South End.

Mill Creek is also an example of how humans have sought to control nature in the past, and how ensuing generations have been left to reckon with the outcomes of those choices, find solutions and address past environmental degradation.

What impact or outcome do you hope to achieve with this story?

Because of its isolation from nearby communities and history of neglect, Mill Creek is easy to forget, and I hope this story draws attention to one of Jefferson County's major watersheds.

The creek is down, but not out, and local advocates believe continuous investment in both ecological and recreational improvements could make a big difference for the area.

What was the most unexpected finding?

I was pleasantly surprised to find multiple people with fond childhood memories of Mill Creek who are now still living in the area, advocating for its protection and restoration, and willing to share their perspective. It was a joy to speak with Vince Jarboe, Keith Scanlon and several others about their past perceptions and experiences of Mill Creek.

What is your favorite part of being a journalist, especially in your current beat?

This story — bringing me down to the creek and talking to passionate people about how Louisville can establish a healthy coexistence between communities and the natural environment — is a good example of the kind of work I enjoy.

The environment beat is also very broad, including adjacent topics like energy, public health, agriculture and development at times. I learn something new every day, and get to talk to experts around the state and beyond on a wide range of subjects, from hydrology and beavers to "green aluminum" and the politics of electric vehicles.

Connor Giffin is an environmental reporter for The Courier Journal. Reach him directly at [email protected] or on X @byconnorgiffin.

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.