PREMIER Design + Build Group has hired Fred Castelbuono as vice president of field operations making another key addition to its growing East Coast team Castelbuono will oversee all field activities safety and quality while helping to strengthen its presence in the region He comes to PREMIER as a senior construction professional with a Project Management Professional certification bringing multidisciplinary experience in a wide range of sectors commercial and hospitality across the Eastern seaboard “Fred brings a wealth of knowledge from his 30+ years of construction experience and a results-driven approach to our field operations,” said Jason Hart “His leadership will be instrumental to our delivery of service and exceptional project execution across all PREMIER projects in the region.” Castelbuono’s educational background includes a degree in building and construction management from New York University and certification in mechanical and electrical systems from Lincoln Technical Institute said he prides himself on his ability to enhance collaboration on job sites ensuring clear communication and seamless coordination across teams “Fred’s immense skillset and leadership qualities will be invaluable to our field operations as PREMIER continues to expand in the Eastern U.S.,” PREMIER President Michael Pacini said maintain our high standards and build strong relationships across teams will contribute greatly to the continued success of our projects and the satisfaction of our clients.” has been covering New Jersey commercial real estate for 13 years Many industry leaders view him as the go-to real estate reporter in the state a role he is eager to continue as the editor of Real Estate NJ He is a lifelong New Jersey resident who has spent a decade covering the great Garden State Restaurant chain Bojangles has opened along a major commercial corridor in Piscataway as part of a previously announced deal brokered by The Goldstein Group All RIGHTS RESERVED Copyright 2023 Real Estate NJ 101 Eisenhower Parkway Roseland Our site uses cookies. Learn more about our use of cookies: cookie policy Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world Can It Last?After thousands of young workers fled urban lockdowns to the countryside village leaders are trying to make sure they stay 2021 at 1:00 AM EDTBookmarkSaveA Medieval hamlet perched in the Madonie mountains of Sicily Castelbuono looks straight out of a fairy tale winding streets and a stone-walled castle from the 14th century Creativity is at the core of a Zero Waste strategy. Sometimes this implies creating new processes and using innovative technologies but some other times it just requires combining the existing tools to create a low-tech win-win situation to reduce waste, create occupation, save money and increase sustainability. The example of Castelbuono is good proof of this. Mr Cicero explains how buying a small truck to collect waste costs more than 15,000eur and lasts 5 to 10 years whereas a donkey costs less than one tenth and last longer Plus the maintenance costs of donkeys are a lot lower and they don’t need oil or electricity to run which makes them more cost efficient in a world of ever rising oil prices donkeys can be useful when they are not working collecting waste; on one hand their milk is considered to be the closest to human milk and hence very much valued On the other hand onotherapy –therapy with donkeys- is proving wonders on mentally disabled people Finally from the cultural point of view it makes cost-neutral recovering this important element of Sicilian and Mediterranean culture which is now once again participating in ceremonies and other local festivities It is difficult to make a cost-benefit analysis of this practice because it over-arches on different fields but the fact is that; As a comparison; since 2008 –when the system was introduced in Castelbuono- the neighbouring municipality of Cefalú which is following the “modern” system of waste collection with road-containers and trucks has generated millions of euros in debts to the regional public waste company whereas Castelbuono is one of the few municipalities in the region with balanced accounts the region of Sicily has spent 1,5 million euros to reintroduce the Ragusa donkey but is not doing anything with them –it is a net cost-; instead Castelbuono started with 4 and now has 45 of these donkeys which are self-financing themselves But even when they are collecting waste donkeys work wonders; tourists in Castelbuono appreciate this silent and gentle creatures and stop to play with them The personal story – donkeys help communities It is impressive to observe how neighbours in Castelbuono know the donkeys by the name and many stop to feed them when they pass by When we visited them we accompanied one of the workers who does the tour with the donkey “Valentina” Having had problems with depression & addiction in the past before the introduction of donkeys he will not show up for work 5 days in a row Since he started working with Valentina in 2008 he has not missed a single day of work and he has managed to reorganise his life The bind between him and the animal and the daily contact with neighbours and tourists has managed to bring him back to society This personal story is just the top of the iceberg of a successful story of integration creativity and sustainability in Castelbuono Separate waste collection rates in this municipality are higher than in any of the neighbouring towns they host a composting plant that treats the separately collected organics of the province and they are a proud member of the Italian network of Zero Waste municipalities Many other ZW municipalities with similar characteristics inside and outside Sicily are studying importing this successful ZW practice This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page at the Civic Museum of Castelbuono (Palermo) Foreigners Everywhere by the Claire Fontaine Collective the winning project of the public notice PAC2022-2023 - Plan for Contemporary Art promoted by the Ministry of Culture’s Directorate General for Contemporary Creativity The Civic Museum acquires three works from the series Foreigners Everywhere - Foreigners Everywhere Venice International Biennial of Visual Arts becomes part of the permanent collection of the Castelbuono Civic Museum A conference will also be held on Thursday artistic director of FM Centro per l’Arte Contemporanea and director of the Department of Visual Arts and Curatorial Studies at NABA with an institutional greeting by Umberto De Paola Director of the Civic Museum of Castelbuono and professor of Art History at the Academy of Fine Arts of Catania will introduce.The work composed of a series of three neon sculptures in Italian Arabic and Persian is part of a series that began in 2004 and to date includes sixty languages including several indigenous idioms and some of them extinct currently visible in an installation at the Gaggiandre The illuminated writings express a condition of ambivalence that we can feel foreign anywhere due to experiences of social exclusion or discrimination that generate a feeling of not belonging to a community reinforcing the feeling of being “foreign.” The use of different languages highlights the foreigner’s need to submit one language to another in order to be understood while being culturally “colonized.” "The acquisition of the work Strangers Everywhere by Claire Fontaine fits coherently into the cultural directions of the Civic Museum of Castelbuono as it enriches the collection with a work of great ethical value an expression of a condition of individual and collective marginalization at the same time due to their linguistic power and intrinsic communicative force offer the representation of a universal contradiction to publicly solicit a now unavoidable reflection related to the current international political chaos," says Laura Barreca Director of the Civic Museum of Castelbuono “Those who arrive from elsewhere put us in touch with our ignorance and give us back an image of ourselves that we had never seen before-the image of us as foreigners The unknown can appear threatening because broadening one’s horizons is tantamount to losing one’s certainties which we conceive of as material possessions which we believe we can accumulate thus stabilizing ourselves in one place Of those who are natives of a place it is said for brevity that they are ”of“ a city The connection to a place is experienced as belonging; ”our“ land is linked to the imaginary private property that is identity ”How many people today live in a language that is not their own for a minor literature “This is the problem of migrants the problem of the minority (...) but also a problem for all of us: how to extract a minor literature from its own language allowing it to challenge language and follow a sober revolutionary path How to become a nomad and a migrant and a gypsy with respect to one’s own language Kafka answers: steal the baby from the cradle walk the tightrope.” One must “find one’s own point of underdevelopment one’s own desert,” said collective Claire Fontaine Claire Fontaine calls herself a collective artist founded by James Thornhill and Fulvia Carnevale in 2004 in Paris Her name is a pseudonym that sounds like the proper name of a French woman inspired by Duchamp’s urinal (Fontaine) and a well-known French stationery brand (Clairefontaine) deliberately wanting to create the misunderstanding by not directly associating their biographies with the works so that the work can be transformed into a space of freedom Claire Fontaine uses a variety of mediums and refuses the obligation of formal recognition in her work which she instead sees as experimental research in progress Claire Fontaine has exhibited all over the world and her works can be found in the collections of major museums and international cultural institutions She has been living and working in Palermo since 2017 Follow us: On a quiet street in the Sicilian mountain town of Castelbuono there’s a tall stone house that looks like all the others on Via Mangano under the watch of government-paid caretakers and counselors These boys are Castelbuono’s refugee and migrant children who are now part of the town’s daily fabric play football at the sport complex and hang out in the town center on weekends What is happening in this out-of-the-way medieval town is subtly sculpting the future of not only these boys but also that of Europe Italy is experimenting with turning wayfaring African children into future European citizens minors who show up in Italy are handled differently from adults and given sanctuary and tutoring until they are 18 That’s the role places like Castelbuono are filling The hope is that these African youths can find jobs when they turn 18 and get work permits to remain in Italy we’re more personal,” says Lorena Ferrauto a psychotherapist who works with the children sitting in the marble-floored front room of the center in town “These children are like gulls,” Ferrauto explains with only a few possessions and bearing injuries suffered on their odyssey to Europe There are about 5000 refugee and migrant minors in Sicily spread out in dozens of similar houses and larger facilities known as centri di accoglienza Sicily has the highest number of unaccompanied minors in Italy On the whole Sicily is welcoming to those fleeing broken nations It may have to do with the island’s history Sicilians often say they are proud to have Arab and African ancestry The island also has its own experience with mass migration due to poverty and conflict “Maybe it’s our culture,” says Santi Lo Re “Half of Castelbuono left after the war,” he adds referring to large-scale migration after World War II Nonetheless there have been instances of intolerance as in the wealthy tourist town of Taormina and in Porto Empedocle where residents have spoken out against hosting refugees and migrants They hail from Muslim countries and pray several times a day They sleep three to four in a room and pray next to their beds Several children go to middle school while one older resident attends an agrarian academy a 16-year-old son of a tailor from the small impoverished West African nation of Gambia says he did not go to school in his native country and he did not know how to write when he arrived in Sicily in May 2016 says he feels no nostalgia for his homeland and that he wants to remain in Europe says he left because of problems with his father He says his father used to beat him and forced him to eat outside Ferrauto says many boys flee Africa because they are unwanted children whose fathers practice polygamy “I want to stay here in Castelbuono,” D says He is eager to go to school and improve his Italian life in Castelbuono is far better than what he has been through He rolls up a sleeve to show scars from when he says he was beaten in a Libyan prison for being an immigrant he speaks of his traumatic past: seeing a boy killed in the Libyan prison after he tried to escape confinement; the hardships he endured during three attempts to cross the Mediterranean; watching people drown when their vessel capsized; days of boredom and frustration in another center before he landed in Castelbuono the Gabbiani center gets funding from the town which receives funds from the regional and national government This center and others in Sicily have recently gone for months without being funded according to Ferrauto and other news reports a non-profit that runs two centers for minors in Palermo says the number of refugee and migrant children outstrips the network of facilities Funding problems have forced some centers to close their doors “Much more needs to happen to make the arriving youths prosper in Europe,” he says “Hospitality that looks only at the present – food pocket money – that’s not sufficient,” he adds “We need a system of hospitality that looks toward the future youths can learn to become barbers and restaurant workers The Italians who run the centers in Castelbuono say they see their work as turning the African boys into good citizens and adults who can also cook and look after themselves “When they get here they don’t speak Italian and they don’t have good manners,” says Antonio Cucco a towering and boisterous former sergeant in the Italian military who is a member of the group that runs Gabbiani “When they leave here they have good manners and they can speak Italian.” the smells of cooked rice and chicken basted in a spicy sauce fill the communal kitchen area There is wi-fi inside the center and the boys are consumed with their devices playing games and engaged on social media sites Then one of the boys shouts into the stairwell that leads to the sleeping quarters: “Ragazzi!” “Boys!” the long table is filled with beaming faces as the boys devour the food on their plates filled with the aroma of Africa and speak a mishmash of African languages and Italian they depart after washing their dishes and utensils their smartphones and their individual worlds Never has the world needed independent journalism more PoliticalCritique.org relies on the support of our readers Help us bring you the news that matters and make a contribution to support citizen journalism in the CEE region and beyond We are an independent newsroom producing high-quality journalism in the public interest We always provide our content free of charge PoliticalCritique.org was active between 2010 and 2020 We are making its digital records available on this website free of charge A tiny medieval village hidden inside a national park produces world-famous Sicilian panettone Nicola Fiasconaro pulls a floppy mass of panettone dough off of a conveyor belt fruit-studded goop into a perfect little round The legendary pastry chef makes it look easy despite the dough’s reputation as impossible tradition-rich Sicilian panettone for over 30 years ever since he started baking the traditionally Northern Italian bread at his father’s Sicilian bakery alongside traditional Southern offerings of cannoli This is a man who has baked panettone for not one He could make — and probably has made — panettone with his eyes closed The Italian bread is enriched with a delirious quantity of butter liquidy quality that is only made manageable by the strong high-gluten flour that is its backbone The dough ball on the steel table is at once stretchy like taffy and loose like honey he lifts and gently places the dough seam-side-down into its paper case sending it off for a day of proofing before baking rising in spa-like temperatures in another room It’s September at the Fiasconaro factory in Castelbuono months before panettone starts to appear on Christmastime tables worldwide but all of Fiasconaro’s loaves are already spoken for In dumpster-size tubs lined up along the walls in the mixing room webby dough practically spills over the edges Agata Fiasconaro — Nicola’s daughter and head of communications for the company — says that the bakery will produce 12,000 kilograms that number skyrockets to 16,000 kilograms Fiasconaro can bake over 1,200 1-kilogram panettoni at once The factory sits on top of the hill above the center of Castelbuono a cobblestoned 14th-century village in the middle of Sicily’s mountainous Madonie National Park Tourists come to see the park and Castelbuono Castle meaning the bakery employs about 2 percent of all locals they produce over a dozen varieties of panettone in several different sizes selling Fiasconaro’s Sicilian panettoni to 60 countries “Every step is handmade from the beginning to the final product to the end of the development,” Agata Fiasconaro says we produce more panettone because we export all over the world there are people.” Castelbuono residents work in the mixing room the upstairs cooling room where finished panettoni hang upside down by the hundreds like plump bats and downstairs in the packaging room where every holiday panettone is hand-wrapped While machines do the most of the heavy lifting — mixing and shaping thousands of pounds of dough at once — every step requires human intervention and constant monitoring and a very select list of employees maintain the 70-year-old sourdough starter (known as a lievito madre) that is the foundation of every Fiasconaro panettone The commitment to preserving the craft is as strong as the smell of sweet bread When Fiasconaro Bakery was first opened in 1953 by Mario Fiasconaro Northern cities like Milan were most famous for their enriched fruit-studded breads eventually taking over the business in different areas: Nicola learned to bake and Martino became the administration manager Nicola fell in love with natural leavening and panettone and brought the sweet bread to the business He decided the bakery should not mimic the Northern original but that it should make a Sicilian version of its own using Sicilian ingredients and highlighting Sicilian makers Fiasconaro is known across the world for its panettone made in the Sicilian tradition “There is a high excellence in the raw materials that we select from Sicily,” Agata Fiasconaro says “We choose what we can find in our land.” Panettone made from Sicilian strawberry jam and Modica chocolate spread and almonds all grown in Sicily set Fiasconaro apart from its Northern competitors But most notable for Fiasconaro is its use of the ingredient manna a resin harvested from ash trees in the Madonie Mountains surrounding Castelbuono This sap is a natural sweetener that the bakers use in a special panettone named oro di manna: golden manna Topped with manna cream made from the same ash tree resin it’s an indulgent version of the bread that is especially popular around the holidays (Why Fiasconaro doesn’t use manna as the sweetener in every panettone Agata Fiasconaro explains: “We introduced manna to reduce the use of chemical sugar We can’t use just manna because manna has laxative properties.”) The taste of the manna is akin to a caramel or a maple candy — it dries on the tree like white craggy stalactites that the farmers sweetly call cannolis Though Agata says that no one believes him Nicola claims that his days defending panettone traditions are ticking down continuing the work Mario’s grandfather started 70 years ago “He wants his kids to go on with his dream,” Agata says What will he do if he’s not making panettone He would like to travel more to immerse himself in art It won’t be that unlike what he’s doing now — surrounded in Castelbuono by a different kind of art — but once he retires Nicola will let others handle the artistry Dayna Evans is a a writer and baker based in Philadelphia. She is currently the head baker at Downtime Bakery The freshest news from the food world every day Aggiornalo per vedere questo sito correttamente. Aggiorna ora A Ferrari Trento toast marked the inauguration of the Italy Pavilion at EXPO 2025 Osaka yesterday in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani Commissioner General Ambassador Mario Vattani President of Ferrari Trento and of Altagamma Foundation The sparkling wines of the Lunelli Group are the […] Ferrari Riserva Lunelli opens the State Dinner at the Quirinale on April 9 in honour of the British Royals Trento 2025 – Ferrari Trentodoc sparkling wines were selected to welcome the British Royal Family to the State Dinner held on April 9 at the Palazzo Quirinale in the presence of President of the […] Spring heralds the arrival of a new masterpiece from Ferrari Trento: Giulio Ferrari Rosé 2015 Trentodoc crafted from the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes encapsulates a legacy and tradition spanning over 120 years The 2015 vintage is a testament to excellence balancing high temperatures with the refreshing coolness of the mountain […] Ferrari Trento will proudly participate in “Open Factory” an initiative promoted by Comitato Leonardo to honour National Made in Italy Day established by the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy pays tribute to the genius of Leonardo da Vinciand the timeless values of Italian craftsmanship Gruppo Lunelli will present a single space to highlight the shared values of all its brands At Vinitaly 2025 which will take place in Verona from April 6 to 9 Gruppo Lunelli will debut a unified exhibition space for all its companies a true tribute to the excellence of Italian beverages Apply for our newsletter and be the first to find out what’s new in the world of Ferrari’s exclusive sparkling wines Ferrari Trento promotes a culture of drinking responsibly which is part of the Italian Art of Living It is a culture linked to the ritual nature of food and the celebration of convivial occasions in which consumption is moderate and informed Enter the ferraritrento.com website only if you share this approach and if you are of the legal age to drink alcohol in your country: a world of excellence awaits you CONTEMPORARY ART MAGAZINE SINCE 1980 More... Genny Petrotta and Luna Brancaccio, “MAMMA PERDONAMI / MËMA MË FAL”, video still, 2024. Courtesy the artist and Fondazione Studio Rizoma Lecce, 1999. After a three-year degree in Communication and Art Teaching and a two-year specialist course in Visual Cultures and curatorial practices at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, she collaborates with art magazines and with independent curatorial projects between Lecce and Milan. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); ASSOCIAZIONE JULIET – via Battisti 19/a – 34015 Muggia (TS) Juliet art magazine è pubblicata a cura dell’Associazione Juliet - direttore responsabile Alessio Curto autorizzazione del Tribunale di Trieste, n. 581 del 5/12/1980, n. 212/2016 V.G. registro informatico C.F./P.IVA 00699740320 | c/c postale 12103347 | SWIFT UNCRIT M10MC | IBAN IT75C0200802242000005111867 | UNICREDIT Banca Trieste. Jesus and Mary Chain cap things off superbly I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Set in the charming Sicilian town of Castelbuono, about an hour’s drive from Palermo, Ypsigrock festival has one of the most spectacular settings in Europe: a hill-top town surrounded by mountains and, back towards the city, the glittering blue of the Mediterranean. Australian dance pop act Confidence Man are a riot, led by a sequence of outrageously cheesy dance routines courtesy of singers Janet Planet and Sugar Bones (pseudonyms, not child cruelty) during tracks such as “Boyfriend”, and “COOL Party”. There are three outfit changes, including one where they strut out dressed in white to reveal, on the chorus, a flashing LED cone bra for Janet Planet and matching shoulder pads for Sugar Bones. British rock band The Horrors, first headliners of the weekend, are something of a comedown after this all-out dance fest, but bring home the drama of their night-time castle setting, which ties in perfectly with their looming, gothic frontman Faris Badwan. Even the most danceable tracks from their latest album, 2017’s V, don’t quite translate in a live setting, with those intricate layers of instrumentation sounding muddled and flat. It’s around 8.30 by the time US band Algiers arrive on stage to perform their sharp blend of punk rock with electronic and elements of gospel. They’re commanding to watch, although the vocal samples of figures such as Black Panther member Fred Hampton threaten to lose their power, as the band insist on sampling something at the beginning of every track, and it leans towards gimmick. Algiers are swiftly followed by an immersive yet forgettable set from Swedish dream pop act The Radio Dept. Solo artist Youngr, born Dario Darnell, should lighten the mood but is rather disappointing, serving as some kind of instrumental version of David Guetta by performing live drums and guitar over retro samples. Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. Terms apply. ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. It’s a superb way to close the weekend, and revellers drift away with flushed, sun-kissed faces to hang out underneath the magnolia trees. You’d be hard pressed to find a festival more beautiful than this one. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies review: You would be hard-pressed to find a festival more beautiful","description":"Jesus and Mary Chain cap things off superbly Kenya’s former IAAF World Half Marathon Championships winner Wilson Kiprop will top the bill at the legendary 10km Giro Podistico di Castelbuono which is celebrates its 101st edition on Friday (26) a small Sicilian village of 10000 inhabitants in the mountains Kiprop is no stranger to Italy but will compete in the race for the first time One of his first high-profile wins was when he won the first of two back-to-back editions of the Vallagarina Cross Country race He clinched the World Half Marathon title in the Chinese city of Nanning 2010 breaking the unbeaten streak of Eritrean Zersenay Tadese Kiprop also triumphed last March at the Rome-Ostia Half Marathon in 59:20 He has a Half Marathon personal best of 59:15 He will take on group of strong compatriots like Paul Lonyagata who has dipped under the one hour barrier with a lifetime best of 59:53 and 2:05:46 Marathon performer Dickson Chumba who set his personal best when winning in a course record time at the Marathon Eindhoven last year and who also won the Rome Marathon in 2011 Other top Kenyans in the field include Emanuel Kipsang the winner of the 2012 European Cross Country Championships The red-haired runner from Campochiaro in the southern Italian region of Molise who became the first runner in history to win continental titles in all three age-groups - junior under 23 and senior - was forced to cancel his much-awaited marathon debut that was originally scheduled to happen in Rome last March due to a injury but he is bouncing back over the shorter distance and has a 10km road best of 28:55 Lalli will not be the only Italian runner in the field as the home contingent also features the well-known 38-year-old Gabriele De Nard and Marathon specialist Giovanni Gualdi It will not be only a battle between Italy and Kenya as Morocco is also well represented by Rachid Kisri The Castelbuono race is traditionally held on 26t July The race is not known only for its fascinating scenery and very tough course but also for the knowledgeable crowd who pack the streets of Castelbuono to create a magical atmosphere The course record was set by Kenya's Geoffrey Mutai who clocked 29:05 in 2011 Bekele impresses with 10km victory in Cast.. Mary Collins has been teaching kindergarten for 15 years as her 25 charges sat patiently waiting for her to tell them what to do next Superintendent Tony Watlington visited Collins and students at Rhawnhurst Elementary School in Northeast Philadelphia Tuesday to urge families to enroll their children in kindergarten Registration started Tuesday and ends May 31 Kindergarten is not mandated in Pennsylvania, as it is in several other states Watlington said that sends the wrong message and requires schools to recruit students for kindergarten more actively He said that “lots of research” has shown kindergarten’s value some states are pushing universal prekindergarten Enrollment in Philadelphia district kindergarten classes this year is about 8,300 students which is still below what it was before the pandemic when it reached a peak of more than 12,000 Another 10,500 students are enrolled in district-run pre-K programs who has also taught first and second grades in her 30-year career described her students’ journey from not knowing letters to being able to read and even write sentences “They’ll always remember what they learned in kindergarten.” The district’s deputy chief for early childhood education said that families can register their child online or in person While the official enrollment window ends on May 31 for planning purposes families can register later if their circumstances change Rhawnhurst Principal Joy Kingwood-Ellis took Watlington and Board of Education Vice President Sarah-Ashey Andrews to Collins’ room where the superintendent asked the students “who likes the snow?” Dale Mezzacappa is a senior writer for Chalkbeat Philadelphia, where she covers K-12 schools and early childhood education in Philadelphia. Contact Dale at dmezzacappa@chalkbeat.org Students at North Star Academy are exploring career options by understanding how AI could shape the workforce The lessons provide students with hands-on exercises to learn about AI The seven new schools are part of a multiyear flurry of openings that city officials hope will reinvigorate the system at a time of faltering enrollment and New Jersey have in-state tuition programs for undocumented students the Trump administration plans to take action against those programs A funding shortfall in the state budget forced New York City to freeze enrollment for a popular child care voucher program for low-income families Superintendent Aleesia Johnson said that while she’s deeply concerned about the changes brought by a new property tax law the district will strive to engage the community Here’s what I wish I could say when someone asks Chalkbeat Philadelphia will send you only the most important news about the city's public schools and statewide education policy Get informed in 3 minutes or less with our free newsletter By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Notice and European users agree to the data transfer policy. You may also receive occasional messages from sponsors CHALKBEAT IS A CIVIC NEWS COMPANY NEWSROOM ©2025 It's aptly named – nestled in the Sicilian mountains the air is clear and blue skies stretch on for mile after mile beyond the walls of the Medieval castle itself Only a 90 minute drive from the centre of Palermo Castelbuono feels entirely removed from the hustle and bustle of city life with the languid pace perfectly reflecting the incredible weather Ypsigrock festival was kick-started 20 years ago the festival has grown from strength to strength gathering an international reputation thanks to its unique setting and laid-back atmosphere though: the festival has had an incredible impact on the town itself meaning that bars in this tiny corner of Sicily resonate to LCD Soundsystem This year's Ypsigrock gets under way with an informal party on the camp site a series of DJs from across Italy uniting to raise the temperature just a little Georgia plays in the courtyard of a small church with the Domino signing presenting material from her rightly acclaimed debut album the crushing bass matched against those pulverising drum beats played by Georgia herself who are clearly enjoying every second – and Georgia even utilises some improvisatory sign language to get her point across With the sun setting behind a Medieval castle and his band setting up in the courtyard Oscar is clearly in his element each song seeming to lift the band higher and higher Oscar promises to stick around – so long as someone offers to drive him to the beach in the morning Liverpool's The Vryll Society are next and their audacious psychedelia soars into the night Cosmic Scousers with their eyes set on the prize the band do themselves no harm with a crisp impassioned set that is high on energy and thrills "We are Mudhoney and we play rock 'n' roll." Mark Arm is in the house and the grunge pioneers have lost none of their illicit charm the band marking their first ever visit to Sicily with an incredible Big Muff fuelled set that draws on key moments from their classic catalogue The group's sheer delight in the Italian crowd barking out the lyrics to 'Touch Me I'm Sick' provides one of the weekend's real highlights but some of the lesser explored cuts rival their seminal cohort and – with the band celebrating Freddie Cowan's birthday – they pulled out all the stops for Ypsigrock 'Post Break Up Sex' unfurls with rare abandon Justin Young abandoning his guitar to playfully croon with the front row The sheer zest that dominates the set has to be seen to be believed – the doubters remain Saturday opens with a downpour of Biblical proportions and the beautiful balconies that jut out from each floor of each building are turned en masse into small ponds The festival organisers are quick to react pushing back stage times and promoting Loyle Carner onto the main stage The London star's brand of hip-hop goes down a storm with sodden fans who cram into the main square to catch a glimpse the set erupting with real passion and a thirst for new ideas – yet there's also enough crisp 90s hip-hop references in those boom bap beats to make the whole affair immediately enticing The German duo fill the darkening sky with beautiful music aligning notes of neo-classical piano to some exploratory techno Fellow travellers of the Erased Tapes stable Grandbrothers are one of the weekend's real surprises disillusionment and an eagerness to find themselves once more it appears they've succeeded in their search; the band's edgy post-punk inspired set goes down a storm with Italian fans preening stage manner is reminiscent of those early Garbage shows All thoughts are moving towards Crystal Castles Ethan Kath's controversial decision to continue with the project ruffled feathers with new vocalist Edith Frances picking up Alice Glass' shattered microphone one that meshes the chaos of their earlier shows with a little more focus It's far from the disaster some would wish it to be with Ethan ably shunting their electro-noize onto a fresh chapter with Castelbuono once again basking in delirious warmth and no one seems to be doing a stroke of work The streets are empty and the church are full with the sound of peeling bells tinkling across those endless azure skies A local marching band leads a colourful parade through the town centre before making way for an unforgettable set from Willis Earl Beal Demanding that the crowd remain seated and do not – repeat DO NOT – clap between songs his dramatic voice and powerful stage presence comes to the fore “Buy my records because I’m a dirty capitalist” Minor Victories are – on paper – a superb proposition the whole is greater than the sum of the parts with the group meshing into something quite powerful indeed with that ancient castle smouldering in the late evening sunset but Minor Victories break free of their prior occupations to become an entirely independent With the square now full to bursting and the castle falling into shadow… visceral live show has now empowered two full lengths with material from ‘Adore Life’ forming the spine of their Ypsigrock set Lush noise triggers adoration from the crowd with Jehnny Beth’s stage-diving taking her out across their heads In tribute to the late Alan Vega the band play a moving rendition of ‘Dream Baby Dream’ which they introduce as “one of the best songs With the square now full to bursting and the castle falling into shadow it’s time for Daughter to take to the stage The band’s live set has always been about subtlety and allusion but that beautiful noise seems to perfectly fill the arena Elanda Tonra seems genuinely moved by the response – the crowd are patient waiting for each song to unfurl before showing their praise the applause rippling far into the Sicilian sky And that’s precisely why Ypsigrock succeeds It’s not about any one element – the line up even – but the way each interacts with the other becoming something unforgettable in the process there’s a mysterious charm to this Sicilian event that is nigh on impossible to put into words but true: Ypsigrock really is spell-binding Buy Clash Magazine ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " bumbling and comically great olive season finally feels like it is over We are rich in a new way: More than 70 liters of dark green corpulent and peppery olive oil has been produced There was the prospect of not having any oil for a second disappointing year We moved to the Madonie mountains in north-central Sicily in no small part to enjoy making oil from some 40 trees on the country property we purchased But disastrous drought and extreme heat hit Sicily and Italy hard only seven inches of rain fell into our rain gauge there could have been the problem that the olives wouldn’t have produced any fruit,” said Francesco Raimondo an oil maker who runs a mill in Castelbuono that his grandfather started in 1955 the smell of crushed olives still hanging in the air inside the mill though the picking season was all but over the olive presses had been clanking and whirring and crates and bags heavy with olives were hauled in by farm trucks atop tiny Fiat cars and in the backs of cars “This was supposed to be a good year But the plants went into stress due to the drought,” he said we’d looked forward to picking olives But that first harvest was destroyed by the olive fruit fly Wells ran dry and gardens were limp lifeless places Bees buzzed in throngs –î and died in throngs –î at the few pools of water It’s customary in Italy to wait until after the Day of the Dead to start harvesting olives We live on a hillside in a farming valley with a good variety of olive trees a few pear trees and two empty fields once covered in grape vines and given trees names taken from the Greek and Georgian alphabets full-bodied younger tree with a healthy number of olives Its good exposure to sun and breezes helped it thrive we attacked the “olive jungle,” as I called our unruly trees left for years without a good pruning due largely to the landscape of steep hills and mountain slopes Many families make oil just for domestic needs you pick up the net and collect the olives in it Nets got stuck on our uncut grass and wild plants We twisted and turned and tried every possible position to get our heavy-duty construction ladder into trees We struggled to get olives that were entangled in “secco,” a thick dry web of branches in each of our uncultivated trees we got up in the morning and trudged off in rubber boots to attack another tree talked for hours and worked in silence for even longer; we admired dawns and dusks and watched with satisfaction as the first olive oil was made at the mill; we climbed onto massive tree limbs and worried about falling; we killed our backs with long rakes and wondered why in the world we were going to so much effort for a few olives dangling high up there out of reach And we ate voraciously to satisfy our work appetite and those of friendly neighbors who live away in Palermo and we ended our season picking other friends’ olives under the shadows of Pizzo Carbonara the massive alpine mountain that overlooks Castelbuono an oil producer named Enzo Biundo chatted with the mill owner “This is called courageous agriculture,” Biundo said about harvesting olives in the Madonie the year had been “scarso,” disappointing He got few olives from some 1,000 trees he planted six years ago “I now have two favorite seasons: picking wild asparagus under our olive trees in the spring and picking olives in the fall,” my wife said with a smile And a few trees still haven’t been mapped and named The Maui News has compiled a list of countywide cancellations closures and postponements due to coronavirus The following is a listing of nonprofit organizations that sell an assortment of used and donated goods workshop or presentation included in this free listing Copyright © 2025 Maui News Publishing Company LTD | https://www.mauinews.com | 100 Mahalani Street Leticia Meneses and her son Gael Carmona-Meneses are at left (Dale Mezzacappa / Chalkbeat) Luke Julien and Gael Carmona-Meneses know exactly what kindergarten is for.  Gael added another cool activity: “I like to paint right now.”  The two 5-year-olds at Kirkbride Elementary School in Queen Village on Thursday helped district leaders launch a key moment in the school calendar: the first day of kindergarten registration.  Kindergarten is not mandatory in Pennsylvania so some families think it is not important said Superintendent William Hite and Deputy Chief for Early Education Diane Castelbuono Kindergarten “puts students on the path to long-term success,” she said The district’s registration initiative is called “Thrive at Five.”  “I know next fall seems like a long time away,” said Castelbuono But the district would like families to register by the end of May although it will not turn students away after that – although The early deadline is for planning purposes and because “it helps families make the psychological transition and spend the summer thinking about kindergarten readiness” through reading and other activities All children who will be 5 years old by Sept Kindergarten registration plummeted during the 2020-2021 school year, which was mostly virtual, and it has been slow to rebound Castelbuono said that for this year it is back up to about 90% of eligible children – close to the pre-pandemic norm.  Philadelphia was the first district in the state to offer universal full-day kindergarten Many suburban and rural districts continue to just offer half-day programs.  But with more research showing the importance of early childhood education, that is starting to change (Although there is no organized movement in Harrisburg to make it mandatory and have the state help districts pay for it.) Luke is the son of Kirkbride Principal Rebecca Julien who said she was proud to lead a school that her own child attends is a “neighborhood school with resources and a diversity of learners,” she said who speak many languages and come from many different cultures This helps students “build empathy at a young age Kindergarten is one of the most effective ways to help children understand the academic and social lessons that will help them become contributing members of society.” who spoke in Spanish through an interpreter said her son “has made new friends and is exploring a new world.” The teachers help students feel confident they can do homework by themselves “Kindergarten is a good option for children…a first step for their future,” she said.  Parents can register their children online or in person at their neighborhood school. If they are not certain which catchment they are in, they can find their school on the district’s website. Instructions are in several languages.  The district will also be having a kindergarten registration day on March 1 and there is also a mobile truck making the rounds to city neighborhoods that has a QR code on its side that opens the registration website.   Luke and Gael – who are members of the graduating class of 2034 – were asked if there was anything they would tell students who would be entering kindergarten in September.  Make sure “you don’t hurt people,” said Gael Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker You do not have access to www.researchgate.net The site owner may have set restrictions that prevent you from accessing the site a farmer is reviving this ancient "superfood" It's a hot and muggy summer day in Sicily's Madonie mountains a rugged range of ridges about 65km east of Palermo the buzzing of cicadas is interrupted by a voice "You came at the right time," says Giulio Gelardi a local farmer pointing towards a white-streaked branch Along the bark of each tree are thick lines of manna a white mineral-rich resin referenced in the Bible 17 times that has been used as a natural sweetener and medicinal aid for centuries Manna harvesting (the practice of cutting the bark of Fraxinus ornus trees to collect their sap) used to be a common practice throughout the Mediterranean urbanisation and industrialisation have led to it nearly vanishing Gelardi has made it his mission to put this Biblical superfood back on our tables this once-forgotten sap is being used by chefs and pastry makers in innovative ways manna is described as a "flaky substance as fine as frost blanketed on the ground" flaky and frost-coloured resin named manna has been extracted from the bark of ash trees in the Mediterranean region for more than a millennium In the Madonie mountains – home to the 40,000-hectare Madonie Natural Park – manna harvesting dates back to at least the 9th Century when the island was under Arab rule Sicilian farmers used to collect this sweet sap – which tastes like cane sugar with almond undertones – and sell it to merchants from around the Mediterranean a highly profitable trade that led the Kingdom of Naples to put taxes on it during the 16th Century Until World War Two, manna farming was a way of life for many Sicilian families. Footage from 1936 shows local farmers harvesting the substance, which was commonly sold to pharmaceutical companies to extract mannitol, a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener and a diuretic scientists found a way to synthesise mannitol When Gelardi came back to his hometown of Pollina in 1985 after 15 years away he realised that one of the core components of his local culture was vanishing everyone knew how to extract manna," he explains there were less than 100 farmers who could still do it." Pollina is a 3,000-person medieval town that seems sculpted out of the surrounding limestone hills Gelardi learned to harvest manna in the summer from his parents "Manna harvesting involved the whole family," he explains Men used handmade billhooks to make thin cuts along the bark women collected the overflowing sap using dried prickly pear stems and children turned the goopy nectar into cylindrical cones called cannoli due to their resemblance to the popular Sicilian sweet the hardest part of manna harvesting is knowing when to cut the bark Ash trees produce sap year-round but only produce enough resin to harvest during the hottest days of the year Gelardi says if you cut the bark too early it can cause the trees to stop making manna altogether "Finding out when the moment for cutting has come is a unique skill based on observation and intuition," he says explaining: "[It's necessary to] listen to each plant." leaves turning from dark green to lighter green with yellow marks may mean that a tree has reached peak manna production Spotting cracks in the ground near the roots can also mean it's ready for harvest as plants produce surplus sap to overcome dry spells manna farmers make a shallow cut in the bark and observe the plant's reaction a small amount of resin will ooze from the cut Farmers can then proceed to make deeper carvings as small streams of sticky manna will flow towards the roots "Manna harvesting is not something you can learn from a book," Gelardi explains "If we don't pass these skills down to the next generation we would lose centuries-old local farming knowledge." Gelardi set out to revive the waning tradition most locals did not meet his "manna renaissance" with enthusiasm They said manna was a thing of the past," he says Gelardi spent months learning all he could about it He spent time with elder farmers to refine his harvesting skills and visited Palermo's public library to study manna. "I knew manna was used locally as a sweetener, a moisturiser and a diuretic," he says. "But I learned that it could also be used to treat food intoxication, a variety of skin conditions, arthritis and cold symptoms." Local expressions are also shaped by manna "vivere di mieli e manna" ("to live of honey and manna") In 1986 Gelardi began handing out pamphlets containing facts about manna to tourists staying at a nearby resort "People were captivated by manna's healing properties and its impact on local culture," he recalls he was leading tours demonstrating how to harvest manna to international travellers "They started to see it as our local superfood," he says Spadaro says some manna can be used as a sweetener for diabetic people or those on hypo-caloric diets In addition to Hostaria Cycas and Nangalarruni, look for manna at La Manna di Zabbra This family-owned B&B and restaurant in Pollina offers a salad of local edible flowers sprinkled with manna flakes as well as jams you can witness the century-old process of manna harvesting in the family’s ash tree field Gelardi developed a more efficient way to harvest the substance with far less risk of contamination from bark or insects He created a "clean manna" technique by attaching a small aluminum spout to the tree so that manna flows away from the trunk along a fishing line attached to the spout This allowed Gelardi to nearly double his manna production In 2002, manna from the Madonie was declared a protected ingredient by Slow Food an international organisation that promotes endangered food traditions manna became a sought-after ingredient for local chefs and pastry-makers chefs Peppe Carollo and his daughter Francesca use crushed manna to create one of the restaurant's signature dishes: suckling pig with almonds "The key is to [use] it well," Francesca Carollo explains "A small portion of sweet-tasting manna offers a nice contrast to roast meat flavour but too much manna can make this dish too sweet." Most chefs buy manna from the Madonie's Manna Consortium a cooperative created in 2015 by Gelardi and other farmers to market manna products and promote manna harvesting to younger farmers "I grew up hearing about manna but had never learned how to harvest it," says Mario Cicero he spent years working around the world as a chef before returning to the Madonie "Giulio's taught me many tricks," he says "but he mostly passed on a contagious passion for manna harvesting." Cicero now tends 200 ash trees in his farm near Castelbuono and hopes that more young people will take up manna harvesting Seeing young farmers like Cicero becoming ntaccaluori (Sicilian for "cutters") is what Gelardi is most proud about As he explains: "Every young person that learns how to harvest manna will ensure the survival of a centuries-old tradition." 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Held in the seriously picturesque hill-top town of Castelbuono in Sicily drawing an eclectic and impressive roster of artists and bands from across the world – offering festival goers everything from post-punk and hip-hop Cardiff quartet Boy Azooga filling a beautiful deconsecrated  baroque  church with their psychedelic alt-rock instantly showing the crowd what this festival is all about: bringing together the unexpected If the Sicilian audience weren’t charmed by fan favourites like ‘Breakfast Epiphany’ and ‘Jerry’ then the valiant attempts at Italian and choreographed dance moves most definitely did Let’s Eat Grandma took to the stage at Piazza Castello Their unique brand of alternative pop and striking stage presence – all waist length hair and flailing arms – made for an otherworldly atmosphere and they ran through the track list of 2018’s much hyped ‘I’m All Ears’ playing songs like ‘Falling Into Me’ ‘Hot Pink’ and ‘Cool And Collected’ Closing the set with the 10-minute ‘Donnie Darko’ they exclaimed “We’re having such a good time in Sicily” sounding in disbelief at the venue they’d just played – a sentiment plenty of the crowd could empathise with – and treating the audience to a school kid style hand-clapping game and synchronised moves left-field artist and breathtaking Italian setting only added to the experience as festival goers thronged into the Piazza Castello to see The National grace the stage Fans were packed into every corner of the space packed up against the ancient walls – the heat of the evening given extra electricity by the anticipation of the crowd Matt Berninger was characteristically suave and charming gently seducing the crowd by exclaiming in surprise “You’re all so beautiful!” and paying homage to Silver Jews’ “genius brilliant” David Berman who’d just passed away – dedicating ‘Green Gloves’ from 2007's ‘Boxer’ to him Old favourites like ‘Fake Empire’ and ‘Brainy’ were lent a melancholy drama flanked by the ancient stone of the castle floodlit and surrounded by swaying figures The breathtaking performance was rounded off with an encore of ‘Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks’ Matt Berninger bringing up a fan to sing with him on stage making the guy’s night…if not his summer bracing breakfast – or “colazione” an almost-sorbet flavoured with almond and sugar hunks of delicious brioche dunked into it as it starts to melt in the morning sunshine Accompanied by plenty of espresso and the beautiful surroundings of Castelbueno’s main piazza there’s not really a better way to start a morning With a less-packed line-up for the festival’s second day that left plenty of time for ambling the winding enjoying sights like the pretty Fountain of Venus Ciprea (a must for Instagrammers) picking up trinkets and local handicraft in the little shops hidden down small alleyways and spilling out into the piazza and enjoying a pizza bianca (highly recommended) on the terrace of restaurant Antico Baglio Belgian-raised MC Baloji brought hip-hop stylings to the day weaving African influences into the mix as well as his thoughts about European attitudes and approaches to immigration and Arisfrica The fact that these monologues were being delivered in Sicily lent the performance a specific urgency and relevance – more than 119,000 migrants arrived in Italy by sea in 2017 but facing tough anti-migrant laws when they arrive Performing tracks from last year’s ‘137 Avenue Kaniama’ Baloji managed to strike a positive tone though encouraging the crowd to embrace unity and love in the face of division.  At the Piazza Castello was the moody electronica of David August bringing a different atmosphere to the night in contrast to The National the evening before – again demonstrating Ypsigrock’s diverse and brave programming approach For the adventurous among us was a late night performance from Pick a Piper at the Cuzzocrea Stage in the festival campsite – set in the middle of the picturesque pine forest of San Focà, Known for his collaborations with the likes of Caribou this was a rare opportunity to see the Canadian producer’s unique dance-music structures atmospheric sound design and loopy melodies in a dreamlike setting His sound is something straddling the organic and the synthetic which perfectly mirrored his electronic-led set placed in the middle of the woods Sunday brought with it the opportunity for a trip to Abbazia Santa Anastasia – a breathtaking vineyard up in the Madonie Park hills In a 12th-century converted Benedictine abbey this stunning place offers tours of its impressive organic and biodynamic wine cellar – we were told the intricate (and ancient) methods of cultivating the land and growing vines in harmony with nature – as well as tastings by the adjoining hotel’s beautiful pool complete with breathtaking views across the valley and any Ypsigrock-goers should consider adding a visit to their trip – it’s hard to compete with Italian wine especially when combined with a stunning Italian landscape The culinary delights continued on this indulgent Sunday with a meal at Nangalarruni – a Castelbuono restaurant serving up local delicacies just off the town square with a pretty outdoor area and an interior packed with character: bottles of wine on the shelves and old photos lining the walls There’s a focus on locally grown mushrooms and truffle as well as other local ingredients and traditional recipes The team were just as welcoming as the food was delicious and it was another reminder that Ypsigrock is a festival like no other – quality Sicilian food one of the day’s highlights being indie folk heroes Whitney bringing their atmospheric sound to a picturesque deconsecrated  baroque  church (doing shots on stage unlike the men of the cloth who would have occupied the space centuries before) Taking the crowd through through hits from their stunning debut ‘Light Upon the Lake’ (2016) and the follow-up ‘Forever Turned Around’ vocalist Julien Ehrlich  joked with the crowd about the new material but that belied how surprisingly well their delicate crystalline sound paired with the surroundings Now-classic tracks like ‘Golden Days’ and ‘No Woman’ were a festival highlight their warm glowing vibrations matching the golden Sicilian sunset Another exciting prospect was up soon: Dublin’s Mercury-nominated Fontaines DC,bringing post-punk to the ancient Piazza Castello Opening with ‘Chequeless Reckless’ and following up with heavy cuts like ‘Too Real’ ‘Big’ and (personal favourite) ‘Boys in the Better Land’ it was a blistering set made all the more apocalyptic when bouncing off the piazza’s ancient walls rubbing up against the charming medieval surroundings with a snarly It was like they’d brought some of their hometown’s angry greyness that bleak beauty outlined in ‘Dublin In The Rain’ Catching up with Fontaines after their set they told Clash that this performance was the first time in months they’d had a day to relax first…no wonder it was such a high octane set Spiritualized – another weekend highlight – brought some otherworldly ambiance to the piazza in some ways echoing the ethereal stylings of The National’s opening night set In his trademark sunglasses (even though the sun went down hours ago) and lanky mop of hair frontman Jason Pierce led us through the iconic 1997 album ‘Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space’ running up to 2018’s ‘And Nothing Hurt’ There was something poignant about hearing the soulful backing singers – their gospel-inflected vocals echoing around the ancient piazza reverberating off the castle walls – in this medieval setting their sound lent extra weight by the spirituality of the old Sicilian setting Jason’s voice is equally melodic and hypnotic which – when heard while looking up above the floodlit castle and the star-laden Sicilian skies – it’s pretty hard to argue anything different The first wave of this year’s Ypsigrock line up has now been announced – featuring the likes of DIIV, NilÜfer Yanya and Girl Ray, taking place 6th-9th August. For more information and tickets, click here.  Photos: Elisabetta Brian and Roberto Panucci exclusive content and access to Clash Live events and a true view into our world as the fun and games unfold Ribbon cutting for the Advent Prayer Center | Photo credit: Darren Heslop University Communication staff photographer a small crowd gathered in the newly-built Advent Prayer Center on the campus of Andrews University for a ribbon cutting ceremony The program began with a welcome from Sung Um and was followed by a thank you to donors from Peter Ahn for her fundraising efforts over the last 12 years especially to those who have helped us through your prayers,” he said He also thanked the audience for attending executive secretary for the Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists offered a few words and a prayer of thanks to God for allowing the group to achieve their goals “If there was ever a time for a house of prayer We give thanks to God for His leading in this,” he said pastor of the Michiana Fil-Am Seventh-day Adventist Church recognized those who assisted with the building and finishing of the Prayer Center reflecting on their contributions to the project Castelbuono noted that the concept for the Advent Prayer Center began in 2007 when a Korean prayer ministry dreamed about finding a permanent building to work from After exploring this idea in Southern California the group came to Berrien Springs in 2012 to work with the Advent Discipleship Center at the Fil-Am Church This led to connections with Andrews University in 2015 where plans were made and construction began After Castelbuono shared more about this process delivered a few brief remarks about the importance of prayer “Sometimes we think of prayer happening in churches or maybe personally in our own homes but this is a wonderful place of community to show how important prayer is and how it can bring so much power as we pray together.” She added this will be a wonderful place for many people to experience closeness to God.” gave a prayer of dedication before the ceremony ended with the ribbon cutting and a tour of the facility for attendees we asked whether new music was on the way—or if the duo were just burning it all down for the thrill Today, Royel Otis posted their first message since the purge. True to form, it was minimal, cheeky, and tapped with a bump chaos. “This is a poster telling you we are playing shows at the Troubadour on May 5th and 6th,” it reads. “We will be singing and maybe dancing, but you will definitely be dancing and you will have fun.” The image is simple but deliberate. Gone are the washed-out tones and VHS-filtered nostalgia. In their place: a new pink and grey colour palette that feels cleaner, weirder, and perhaps more refined. Their website’s also been updated to match. It’s the same deadpan energy, but something’s shifted. Even their profile picture is a simple grey image with the words ‘royel otis profile pic’. View this post on InstagramA post shared by Royel Otis (@royelotis) Tacked onto the end of the video is what sounds like a snippet of new music and unresolved—exactly the kind of breadcrumb fans have been waiting on since their debut album or something stranger altogether is still unclear But the message is obvious: we’re in a new phase Royel Otis have always played it loose with expectations From bedroom pop outliers to triple j darlings it feels more curated—like the band is turning a corner rather than drifting toward one Two nights at the Troubadour in LA might not seem huge on paper but for a band known for levelling up quietly this could be the start of something bigger it’s clear they’re not just teasing a tour—they’re introducing a new version of themselves And if history’s anything to go by, it won’t stay quiet for long. Tickets to the shows at the Troubadour on May 5 and 6 can be purchased here About Privacy Policy All content © 2025 Blunt Magazine unless otherwise stated. HomeDestinationsInterestsTop Places to Travel by MonthSearchMenuBest time to go to Sicily Sicily hosts one of the most well-known indie and alternative festivals in Italy As one of the oldest rock music festivals in the country it has been held at Castelbuono's town square and the Castle of Castelbuon since 1997 Ypsigrock was praised as the best festival in 2015 at the Italian On Stage Awards The festival organizers put a lot of effort in the integration of the artistic program into its local culture spiced with the unique Sicilian cuisine and internationally renown wines Ypsigrock doesn't gather huge crowds but has had a stable audience for over 20 years the lineup features numerous niche and respected artists The lineups of the Ypsigrock festival included the best talent of world rock and alternative music scene The show typically begins in mid-afternoon on all days of the festival The Ypsi & Love Stage opens for spectators at 5 pm The show at Ypsi Once Stage kicks off at 7:30 pm while a pass to all days of the festival costs €125.89 Tickets for children between the ages of 6 and 12 years old cost €5.25 for one day and €10.49 for the entire festival Children under five years old can enter for free with an adult ticketholder you are required to purchase a camping pass which costs €45 per person and doesn't include entry to the festival One of the biggest advantages of the festival The main Ypsi Once Stage is an amphitheater next to the medieval Castelbuono Castle with the Madonie Mountains as the backdrop and the coast just 20 minutes by car The second stage—Ypsi & Love Stage—is located in the 18th-century cloister at Piazza San Francesco The camping area of the festival is set up in Madonie National Park This relaxing green space is a perfect spot for a break in the ideal pine tree surrounding Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship To mark two weeks to go to the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020 (17 October) six of the world’s oldest footraces have been awarded the World Athletics Heritage Plaque The World Athletics Heritage Plaque is a location-based recognition awarded for “an outstanding contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport of track and field athletics and of out-of-stadia athletics disciplines such as cross country Today six historic road races join a list of 54 other recipients which had previously been awarded the plaque since the honour was inaugurated on 2 December 2018 “These six footraces represent some of the oldest sports events in the world,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe “They join others such as the marathons in Athens and Hakone Ekiden which we recognised last year “Together these races ooze athletics history They represent what running is truly about: the record-breaking feats of the many great champions and the personal triumphs of the countless recreational and charity runners We should also not forget the dedication and hard work of the officials and volunteers of the local clubs and organising committees which have kept these historic events on the roads for decades,” concluded Coe holds the distinction of being the oldest long-distance race in North America is another footrace to have been held every year since its inauguration You will not find many international sporting events with such a historic location as the Giro Podistico di Castelbuono which has been annually run around a loop course of this 14th century Sicilian town along with the Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship are among the original classic marathons established before the development of the mass running movement Information about all recipients of World Athletics Heritage Plaque can be found at worldathletics.org/heritage/plaque Gary and Roy Lydiard attend Heritage Plaque p.. Athens Marathon’s World Athletics Heritage Pl.. Heritage Plaque honouring Paavo Nurmi present.. Heritage plaque honouring the legend Irena Sz.. Even though Thanksgiving is a New World tradition why not give your meal an Old-World touch this year these offerings from Italy and Portugal will pair perfectly with your turkey fest The first wine (which was my favorite by a long shot) is made by Avignonesi in southeastern Tuscany surrounding the town of Montepulciano Lovers of Italian wines will associate Montepulciano with fantastic sangiovese Started in 1974 and named after a member of the founding family Avignonesi was purchased in 2009 by Virginie Virginie Saverys she has worked to convert the entire vineyard to organic and biodynamic viticulture Avignonesi owns 495 acres of vineyards spread over the Montepulciano and Cortona appellations If you're fans of the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun," you'll recognize the name Cortona as the village near where Frances Meyes' Bramasole villa was located It's a fruit-forward wine that has complex layers of ripe berries Italian prunes and a dusting of earthy spice The velvety tannins give the wine a nice long finish This wine is 96 percent Sangiovese blended with other varieties and aged 5 months in oak with one part aged in barriques and another in large oak casks The alcohol content is 13 percent so it's a very smooth and drinkable wine that would pair well with roast turkey as well as lightly-flavored game birds such as pheasant The second wine on this list is from Montefalco right smack in the middle of Italy's geographical boot the age and origin of the Sagrantino grape has been a subject of debate The Sagrantino name can be traced to the word 'Sacrament' (from the Latin "Sacer"- Sacred) because the grape was cultivated by monks to produce a raisin wine used for religious rites It was also the wine that farmers drank during religious feasts and festivals such as Easter The grape variety nearly died out on the 1960s but was revived thanks to a few pioneering wine producers 74 wineries produce Montefalco Sagrantino and Tenuta Castelbuono is one of them 2007 Tenuta Castelbuono Montefalco Sagrantino and very dry red wine that has a spicy nose laced with dark red fruit raspberry and a hint of cinnamon and spice This wine needs to breathe before you drink it so open it early and give it plenty of time before serving And don't be tempted to serve it without food; this wine is not one that would do well on your palate if you don't enjoy it with a meal The wine would pair well with roast turkey The third wine is a Chianti from Marchesi di Frescobaldi's Castello di Nipozzano estate east of Florence in the heart of the Chianti Rufina territory on the mountainous side that overlooks the valley of the Arno River The castle of Nipozzano is the most celebrated and historic property of the Frescobaldi family 2011 Nipozzano Vecchie Viti Chianti Rufina Reserva Made from the oldest vineyards surrounding the Nipozzano Castle this wine is a combination of 90 percent Sangiovese and other varieties It has a bright ruby color and aged in large oak barrels for 24 months rose petal and flavors of strawberry and cherry pie and has a silky texture and fine tannins The wine would pair well with roast pork as well as turkey And the last wine in this tasting is actually the perfect wine to start off your Thanksgiving evening with appetizers It's made by Nortico from 100 percent Alvarinho grapes in the northernmost part of the Portugal bordering Spain in the Vinho Regional Minho winegrowing region in the subregion of Monção and Melgaço Pale straw color belies this wine's orange tropical fruit flavors laced with vibrant minerality and a crisp citrus finish The wine is only 11 percent alcohol and it's fermented in stainless steel with no oak The wine would pair well with cheese and fruit asparagus wrapped with prosciutto and most light appetizers Victor Panichkul is Passion Topic Editor at the Statesman Journal follow at Facebook.com/WillametteValleyFoodWine and on Twitter @TasteofOregon but I just didn't see this music as being connected to politics and stuff Wayne Coyne has spoken about a lost Flaming Lips musical which he said screenwriter Aaron Sorkin wanted to be about 9/11 it was announced that the US psych-rock band’s seminal 2002 album ‘Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots’ would be adapted for the stage with the frontman having previously shared that he and screenwriter Sorkin had discussed ideas Coyne has elaborated on how he and Sorkin had conflicting ideas for the stage production I don’t remember it all that precisely We were in New York City — I think we were going to be on the David Letterman Show or something — and in the afternoon we were going to meet with some potential writers,” Coyne said He also recalled how there was a strike on Broadway that day and the writers had “a lot on their minds” and they’re talking about what it could be We were only allowed to meet for probably 20 minutes or something.” He continued: “You’ve got to remember this is… not that long after the World Trade Center planes and we were still dealing with George Bush Jr He then explained that Sorkin wanted the musical to revolve around that period “He saw the ‘Pink Robots’ as being the evil George Bush empire And I really don’t know why I was so opinionated I don’t really like that idea.’ Not that I had a better idea but I just didn’t see this music as being connected to politics and stuff I felt like ‘Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots’ is going to last forever but George Bush will be gone in a couple of years so you’re going to say no to my idea?’ I mean but I just got the feeling that he was like McAnuff later publicly shared that Sorkin exited the project because the musical would be sung-through The ‘Yoshimi’ musical premiered in San Diego in 2012 Meanwhile, The Flaming Lips recently added two more UK shows to their 2023 tour, where the band will play ‘Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots’ in full to celebrate its 20th anniversary The world’s defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking what’s new and what’s next since 1952 the band made waves in 2004 with their self-titled album it quickly became a cult classic amongst fans around the world and DIY spirit struck managed to really strike a chord with audiences Their anniversary tour kicks off in March and will hit North America they’ll bring the celebration to Australia and New Zealand Expect a set full of fan favourites like The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth and Over and Over Again (Lost and Found) the band will release a limited-edition vinyl reissue of their debut album it will be available through their own label and Secretly Distribution Clap Your Hands Say Yeah have always stayed entirely independent and this release only keeps that spirit more alive Fans also get a special treat: a remixed and remastered version of “Heavy Metal,” a track from their early demos “We were just a bunch of guys crammed in a hotel room We never thought we’d make an album.” That spontaneous energy led to the creation of one of indie rock’s most iconic records A record which we’re all still listening to with the same unbridled joy as the first listen Clap Your Hands Say Yeah 2025 Tour Dates:Sydney – November 5th – Metro TheatreMelbourne – November 7th – Northcote TheatreBrisbane – November 8th – The TriffidAuckland – November 11th – The Tuning Fork Tickets and more information can be found at: cyhsy.com All content © 2025 Blunt Magazine unless otherwise stated .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Staten Island Advance StaffSTATEN ISLAND a retired telephone company employee and the matriarch of her family she also lived in Brooklyn before moving to Westerleigh in 1994 Cecala worked in data processing for New York Telephone Company until her retirement in 1984 She was a member of the Telephone Pioneers Cecala was extremely proud of her Italian heritage and Italian culture and was renowned for her baked macaroni and Italian cookies She traveled to Italy four times after her retirement and visited Castelbuono her family's ancestral village in Sicily Whenever she would meet someone else of Italian descent she enjoyed speaking to them in her native language Cecala took great joy in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren whom she lovingly referred to as her "grandbabies." She also was preceded in death by her grandson The funeral will be Wednesday from the Matthew Funeral Home Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices For a band that’s spent the past few years riding a wave of momentum It caps off a killer run for the Sydney duo. Last year saw their woozy, stripped-back cover of The Cranberries’ ‘Linger’ blow up introducing them to a wider audience well beyond the local scene It was the kind of breakout moment that felt both unexpected and inevitable and they backed it up with an EP that only cemented their reputation as one of the most exciting acts currently coming out of Australia In a Rolling Stone Australia exclusive earlier this year the band confirmed they were heading back into the studio in 2025 to start work on new music Otis Pavlovic described their writing process as loose and collaborative—trading voice notes ideas and half-finished tracks until something sticks but the timing of this Instagram wipe makes it pretty clear that the gears are turning Royel Otis are booked solid on the international festival circuit with appearances locked in across the US and UK—including Governors Ball It’s a massive run that pushes them even further into the global spotlight right as they’re presumably about to drop something fresh The band’s rise has been anything but accidental and off-centre hooks has landed them on all the right radars 2 for the marriage of Eltingville residents Emily Jean Bodkin and Joseph Charles Scaglione Timothy Herring officiated at the afternoon ceremony A reception followed in the Living Seas Salon The bride is a daughter of Jim Bodkin of East Freetown and the late Barbara Bodkin and the stepdaughter of the late Joanne Ludwig The bridegroom is the son of Lucia Scaglione of Great Kills and the late Paul Scaglione Gerry Gallagher was the best man for his brother-in-law Scaglione is a graduate of Apponequet Regional High School and earned a bachelor of music degree in musical theater from Baldwin-Wallace College where she was a recipient of White Rose’s Outstanding Women Students Award and the president and co-founder of Ars Nova an organization that promotes musical theater She is an administrative assistant for the Sesame Workshop in Manhattan and an actress and singer Scaglione is a graduate of Moore Catholic High School and earned a bachelor of science degree in computer science from the College of Staten Island He is a regional desktop analyst with AXA Equitable The newlyweds spent their honeymoon on a Disney cruise