So, super fancy, exclusive restaurant catering to wealthy diners rips off its customers, harasses and steals from its employees, then washes its hands by gifting real estate to a proselytizing Christian organization that provides housing and meals to people who have been pushed down, abused, and displaced by the kinds of people who endure a waitlist of up to year, jet to a dining destination, and pay $500 for dinner. Can’t help but think this illustrates the capitalism circle of life.
The Willows Inn, a super fancy, fine-dining, farm-to-table, restaurant on a remote island near Bellingham, WA, that the New York Times in 2011 labeled "one of 10 Restaurants Worth a Plane Ride,” had a precipitous fall from grace in 2022. Now, the property is selling, and the proceeds will benefit Lighthouse Mission Ministries, a shelter for the unhoused.
In its heyday, as it topped the culinary world's best restaurant lists, fraud and abuse festered behind the scenes.
Employees alleged a nightmare environment of sexual harassment, bullying, misogyny, and racism.
The Willows Inn paid $1.37 million to settle a class-action lawsuit for wage theft.
Turns out, the restaurant's "farm-to-table" claims also fell short. Some of the supposed locally sourced and foraged food actually came from random grocery stores and even Costco. At $500 a plate, that’s not what you bargained for.
To make amends, the former owners, Tim and Marcia McEvoy, donated the property to Bellingham’s Lighthouse Mission, a Christian organization that provides shelter and services to the unhoused (and only hires Christians). The property, reportedly worth about $2.4 million, has accepted an offer and is expected to change hands soon.
"Supreme Court rules for GOP in South Carolina redistricting case
Civil rights groups argued that state Republicans unlawfully redrew GOP Rep. Nancy Mace’s district when they removed thousands of Black voters.
The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that Republicans in South Carolina did not unlawfully consider race when they drew a congressional district in a way that removed thousands of Black voters, making it harder for civil rights plaintiffs to bring racial gerrymandering claims.
The court, divided 6-3 on ideological lines with conservatives in the majority, said civil rights group had not done enough to show that legislators were focused on race in drawing the Charleston-area district currently represented by Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican."
A flag carried by US Capitol rioters was displayed last year at Supreme Court Justice Alito's vacation home, The New York Times reported Wednesday, after revelations a similarly provocative flag was flown outside his residence. #AureFreePress#News#press#headline#GOP#Politics#uspolitics#uspol#Trump
The Nation’s Conscience, Part II - Read by Eunice Wong
"The courageous stance of students across the country in defiance of genocide is accompanied by a near total blackout of their voices. Their words are the ones we most need to hear.
"The genocide has awakened a sleeping giant. Let us pray the giant prevails."
Roberts, Thomas, Alito, should-have-been-Garland, Squi (I still like beer) Kavanaugh, and Serena Joy Waterford were put in place to turn the hands of time BACK.
I'm the daughter of an immigrant from a dictatorship, the ally of many, a mother, a woman. I'm not going down without a fight.
I hope people realize what's at stake and start voting for the greater good.
"The county expects to release updated election results by 6 p.m. Wednesday but does not expect to tabulate results from all of its tens of thousands of unopened ballots until later this week"