who is accused of starting last month's Ocean County wildfire was released from jail on electronic monitoring until trial following a detention hearing Monday A Waretown man accused of starting a wildfire that destroyed 15,300 acres and forced the evacuation of thousands in southern Ocean County was released from jail on electronic monitoring Monday until trial was charged April 23 with aggravated arson and arson He was charged with hindering apprehension Thursday after he allegedly gave false information to police Superior Court Judge Pamela Snyder granted Kling’s release with conditions that he must stay in his home at all times unless approved to leave and that he must stay out of the forest as well as undergo a mental health evaluation Snyder also said Kling cannot leave the jail until the ankle bracelet is installed “The court is ordering home detention with electronic monitoring because the court does find that the defendant poses a risk so great that the defendant must remain confined in his residence,” Snyder said during her ruling asked that his client be allowed to work at his father’s plumbing business from 11 a.m but Snyder denied the request since the locations where Kling would be performing plumbing work are unknown spoke during the hearing when Snyder asked him to state his full name and spell his last name and whether he understood the rules pertaining to electronic monitoring judge,” Kling told Snyder at the conclusion of the hearing The detention hearing for a Waretown man accused of starting a wildfire that destroyed 15,300 acres in southern Ocean County was adjourned Friday to allow defense counsel to submit additional information The decision came following a detention hearing that began Friday but was adjourned until Monday to allow the prosecution and defense to submit additional information as Snyder advised that Kling would only be released on strict conditions Compitello filed home detention screening and electronic monitoring forms prior to Monday’s hearing Assistant Prosecutor Gregory Lenzi filled out the form so it can be reviewed and approved by pretrial services but he said the state was not consenting or requesting release on home detention or electronic monitoring The Cedar Bridge Fire Tower spotted a column of smoke coming from the area of Jones and Bryant roads in Ocean Township at 9:45 a.m emergency personnel observed a fire within the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust’s Forked River Mountains Wilderness Area Investigators from the county Prosecutor’s Office Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office and New Jersey State Fire Marshal’s Office traced the origin of the blaze to an improperly extinguished bonfire Lenzi said during Friday’s hearing a juvenile identified as J.M was involved in a dirt bike accident near Jones Road on the night of April 21 and told officers at the hospital that the last thing he remembered was “being at a spot where there was a pit with a bunch of pallets.” Investigators learned Kling and three juveniles drove a 2006 Ford F-250 pickup to a local recycling center and picked up 10 to 20 wooden pallets before traveling back to the woods and starting the fire with two pallets Lenzi said when Kling and the others heard about J.M they left the area and Kling was observed throwing the remaining pallets onto the fire Officials acknowledge that misuse of the state's vast Pinelands region such as what led to last week's 15,000-acre wildfire said he and Kling were going to tell investigators that “Mexicans were in the area of the fire.” However a group chat with multiple individuals appeared to refute that claim The two other juveniles eventually admitted they were the only four people in the area at the time of the fire Kling has never been convicted of a crime but has pending charges of simple assault and endangering an injured victim stemming from a Jan Municipal court records also show Kling was cited Jan 17 for having an open fire in Lacey Township The public safety assessment used to determine a defendant’s likelihood of not appearing in court and committing new crimes recommended release but the state pushed for Kling to be held due to the nature of the charges Compitello submitted multiple character letters to the court from Kling’s mother and father as well as from a local neighbor and the Ocean County Vocational School where his client is a student in the diesel program He said during Monday’s hearing that Kling would be able to continue his studies from home A 17-year-old boy became the second individual charged in the case Thursday for allegedly helping Kling light several wooden pallets on fire to create a bonfire before leaving it unattended It also was determined that the juvenile gave misinformation to law enforcement about how the fire started A 19-year-old Waretown man charged with setting a massive forest fire that burned 15,300 acres in Ocean County says he did not light the fire He faces the same charges as Kling and is being held in the Ocean County juvenile facility Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email Email notifications are only sent once a day Dramatic video shows a massive wildfire engulfing New Jersey’s Pinelands Sign up for a digital subscription to The Press of Atlantic City now and take advantage of a great offer Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account FILE - Wind turbines of South Fork Wind are seen off the coast of Block Island A coalition of state attorneys general filed a lawsuit Monday against President Donald Trump's attempt to stop the development of wind energy Attorneys general from 17 states and Washington, D.C., are challenging an executive order Trump signed during his first day in office permits and loans for all wind energy projects both onshore and offshore They say Trump doesn't have the authority to unilaterally shut down the permitting process and he's jeopardizing development of a power source critical to the states’ economic vitality They're asking a federal judge to declare the order unlawful and stop federal agencies from implementing it “This arbitrary and unnecessary directive threatens the loss of thousands of good-paying jobs and billions in investments and it is delaying our transition away from the fossil fuels that harm our health and our planet," New York Attorney General Letitia James Trump vowed during the campaign to end the offshore wind industry if he returned to the White House His order said there were “alleged legal deficiencies underlying the federal government’s leasing and permitting” of wind projects and it directed the Interior secretary to review wind leasing and permitting practices for federal waters and lands The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Massachusetts to have the lowest-cost energy and electricity in the world The Trump administration took a more aggressive step against wind in April when it ordered the Norwegian company Equinor to halt construction on Empire Wind a fully permitted project located southeast of Long Island Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said it appeared the Biden administration rushed the approval Equinor went through a seven-year permitting process before starting to build Empire Wind last year to provide power to 500,000 New York homes which would be separate from the complaint filed Monday The Norwegian government owns a majority stake in Equinor Wind provides about 10% of the electricity generated in the United States, making it the nation’s largest source of renewable energy. The attorneys general argue that Trump’s order is at odds with years of bipartisan support for wind energy and contradicts his own declaration of a “national energy emergency,” which called for expanding domestic energy production They say they've invested hundreds of millions of dollars collectively to develop wind energy and even more on upgrading transmission lines to bring wind energy to the electrical grid Kathy Hochul said the executive order sows chaos when businesses need clear regulations to effectively operate Massachusetts has three offshore wind projects in various stages of development, include Vineyard Wind The state has invested in offshore wind to ensure residents have access to well-paying green jobs and reliable Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell said The Trump administration has also suspended federal funding for floating offshore wind research in Maine and revoked a permit for a proposed offshore wind project in New Jersey Elsewhere, political leaders are trying to rapidly increase wind energy. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmerannounced a major investment in wind power in April while hosting an international summit on energy security Nova Scotia plans to offer leases for five gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030 Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said in Virginia last week at an Oceantic Network conference The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org rewritten or redistributed without permission A veteran Ocean City firefighter has filed a civil lawsuit against the city alleging he was wrongfully passed over for promotion to fire chief New Jersey needs to rebuild its energy-generating power plants Attorney Seth Grossman has a suggestion for where to start The state Fire Marshal's Office is investigating a fire at a home in Northfield on Sunday Ocean City’s Board of Education shuts down the latest move to repeal policy related to transgender students Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardSelling the Shore: Wildwood and other beach towns spend millions on ads to attract summer visitorsThe communities spend anywhere from $80,000 to $4 million to market themselves while others reemphasize the attributes that their loyal visitors know and love You may have been noticing more commercials and digital ads for your favorite Jersey Shore towns Maybe your eyes were drawn to the Ocean City billboard on the Walt Whitman Bridge or to the Atlantic City bus-enclosure ads during the Eagles Super Bowl parade Tourism folks in the Wildwoods and Atlantic City have rolled out multimillion-dollar ad campaigns in recent months. These renewed efforts are combined with longer-standing campaigns like Cape May County’ “Escape to the Jersey Cape” commercials “The Jersey Cape is a place to create new memories,” a voice says in one 30-second promo. “For generations we have welcomed visitors to enjoy our great beaches as they try to stand out from neighboring towns without direct comparison the aim is to rebrand and leave behind undesirable misconceptions “this effort is all to change perception,” said Gary Musich While some may think the city is floundering Local tourism departments’ spending on these efforts runs the gamut with Sea Isle City spending about $80,000 a year; Ocean City spending $650,000; and the Wildwoods spending $1.2 million Officials from multiple towns said they try to target multiple demographic groups who they’ve found through research are often the family decision-makers “If they’re not getting on a plane to travel they’re going to be looking for vacation destinations closer to home,” said Ben Rose director of marketing and public relations for the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Authority And while some Shore-goers have been priced out of their family’s favorite towns, a beach trip can still be less expensive than an international vacation Here’s a look at how three different Shore towns are selling themselves this summer Atlantic City recently did away with its DO AC brand It was a slogan that Musich said resonated with some people in the Northeast but could confuse consumers from farther-away places While many of their advertising dollars are spent in Philadelphia including for prime spots along the Eagles Super Bowl parade route their marketing efforts go as far as Boston He said Atlantic City has 18,000 hotel rooms, more than Center City Philadelphia, and those hotels have made $1 billion in upgrades recently the Atlantic City Soar & Shore Festival any messaging is good messaging right now,” Musich said The ultimate goal of the celebration campaign is to get people to extend their stays in Atlantic City where visitors now spend just over a day on average Since the new website was unveiled early this year more than 20,000 rooms have been booked through it which Musich said “shows that people were starving to hear good things about Atlantic City.” The Wildwoods’ 2025 campaign advertises the five-mile island with an array of adjectives: Safe It’s centered around the greeting “Welcome to the Wildwoods.” we have to look at what our main assets are and how we differentiate our destination over other destinations,” said Rose of the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Authority “Overwhelmingly the research shows people feel welcomed in the Wildwoods.” every dollar that a family can save really goes a long way to help their budget,” said Rose noting the community also offers free events throughout the year The campaign will run for at least three years with a focus on digital ads targeting women between the ages of 25 and 54 The marketing extends to Southern New England, upstate New York, eastern Ohio, Virginia, and into Canada, though Rose said they are anticipating a drop in Canadian visitors due to the political climate the Wildwoods anticipates another year of record-breaking tourism tax revenue The towns have 8,000 hotel rooms and 3,000 vacation rentals “you’re seeing shorter stays and multiple stays,” with more people opting for a couple long weekends over the course of a summer But “there are still people staying for a week or month.” And he said the retention rate for visitors is about 85% Sea Isle City is sticking to its “tried and true” marketing strategies spending about $80,000 a year on billboards the director of the Department of Community Services “We don’t think we can rest on our laurels,” Custer said “There are many opportunities for families to vacation in many locations.” Their Philadelphia-area billboards in December say the messaging is more focused on planning a family vacation Custer believes the strategy is working based on the feedback she hears from the business community — and the city’s consistent $1 million beach-tag revenue each season Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F looks on during a press conference about Utah's new fluoride ban FILE - Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F arrives at Reinlander Mennonite Church in Seminole after a second measles-related death in the state listens during a press conference about Utah's new fluoride ban Jr speaks during a Make Indiana Healthy Again initiative event in Indianapolis Department of Health and Human Services is seen in Washington Attorneys general in 19 states and Washington, D.C., are challenging cuts to the U.S. Health and Human Services agency, saying the Trump administration's massive restructuring has destroyed life-saving programs and left states to pick up the bill for mounting health crises The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Rhode Island on Monday New York Attorney General Letitia James said Wisconsin and the District of Columbia signed onto the complaint Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. restructured the agency in March, eliminating more than 10,000 employees and collapsing 28 agencies under the sprawling HHS umbrella into 15 An additional 10,000 employees had already been let go by President Donald Trump's administration and combined the cuts stripped 25% of the HHS workforce “In its first three months, Secretary Kennedy and this administration deprived HHS of the resources necessary to do its job,” the attorneys general wrote Kennedy has said he is seeking to streamline the nation's public health agencies and reduce redundancies across them with the layoffs. The cuts were made as part of a directive the administration has dubbed, “ Make America Healthy Again.” HHS is one of the government's costliest federal agencies with an annual budget of about $1.7 trillion that is mostly spent on health care coverage for millions of people enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid called the restructuring a “sweeping and unlawful assault” that would endanger lives This is not efficiency,” James said during a press conference Monday The cuts have resulted in laboratories having limited testing for some infectious diseases the federal government not tracking cancer risks among U.S early childhood learning programs left unsure of future funds and programs aimed at monitoring cancer and maternal health closing Cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also have hampered states' ability to respond to one of the largest measles outbreaks in recent years “This chaos and abandonment of the Department’s core functions was not an unintended side effect but rather the intended result,” of the “MAHA Directive,” they said They want a judge to vacate the directive because they say the administration can't unilaterally eliminate programs and funding that have been created by Congress The restructuring eliminated the entire team of people who maintain the federal poverty guidelines used by states to determine whether residents are eligible for Medicaid Staff losses also were significant at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration This story has been updated to correct that the lawsuit is filed in federal court in Rhode Island New York City’s police department provided federal immigration authorities with information about a Palestinian woman who was arrested at a pr… A second person has been charged with arson in the wildfire in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens Prosecutors said Friday that a 17-year-old was arres… (OGN) on Thursday reported first-quarter net income of $87 million The winning numbers in Sunday's drawing of the "New Jersey Pick 4 Evening" game were: 4 The road to a Ryan Garcia-Devin Haney rematch runs right through the heart of Times Square Both boxers will fight Friday night in a ring set … Drone footage overhead the Stanley Holmes Village The Housing Authority board is independent of Atlantic City government and gets its funding from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has been the focus of years of com… ATLANTIC CITY — Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner said last week he is committed to changing the “status quo and revitalize communities” like those that are part of the Atlantic City Housing Authority Turner made the statement during a listening session Friday with U.S residents of the city’s public housing and community leaders About 150 residents are suing the Housing Authority over a lack of reliable heat and hot water gas leaks and other poor conditions at Stanley Holmes Village Residents of the 420-unit complex have lived without heat and hot water during the past few winters “What has been going on with the Atlantic City Housing Authority is completely unacceptable,” Van Drew said in a statement That is why I invited Secretary Turner to come here himself.” A resident of Stanley Holmes Village in Atlantic City says she is being forced out of her Village 3 apartment without replacement housing Van Drew said the listening session marks the first time the secretary of HUD has visited the city’s Housing Authority “Their voices are essential to shaping real solutions that are desperately needed in Atlantic City,” Turner said in a statement “We are here to change the status quo and revitalize communities that have been forgotten for far too long I’m inspired by the honesty and partnership shown today as we work together to expand access to safe affordable housing and build stronger communities.” Van Drew and Turner also met with representatives of Bridgeton and Weymouth Township to discuss broader housing concerns such as homelessness and senior housing I will not stop fighting until we see real results and real change for the people of Atlantic City and every community across South Jersey,” Van Drew said nhuba@pressofac.com Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter The Housing Authority board is independent of Atlantic City government and gets its funding… Prom is a special night for many high school students and their families It's a night for students to celebrate as they approach the end of the school year From red carpet entrances to dance floor highlights check out our growing gallery of prom photos and relive the magic Wildwood Catholic Academy held their annual prom event at Panico's Secondo restaurant in Cape May on Friday Joseph's Academy held their 2025 Prom at the Sweetwater Marina scenes from Buena Regional High School's 2025 prom Holy Spirit High School held their prom Thursday Couples walked a red carpet outside the hot… Augustine Prep held its prom at the Carriage House in Galloway Township NORTHFIELD — Leah Peeler doesn’t really wear dresses and she sure enough doesn’t really like to wear pink So why did she walk away from Project Prom AC on Saturday morning with a pink dress A little inspiration from her aunt Rayshell Reid a 16-year-old Atlantic City High School junior Peeler also fell in love with the sequined top and shoe options that will go with it she added as she started to pick out some jewelry “I didn’t really think I was going to find something I would like,” she admitted “I wasn’t going to find anything in blue or black Hundreds of girls and their parents came to Kensington Furniture and Mattress on Tilton Road Saturday morning for Project Prom AC’s annual free dress giveaway girls got to pick out a dress and any jewelry and accessories — all free — that were donated to the organization embellished to laced and sequined to simple The event is supported by the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City Over 1,500 gently used and new dresses were available for prom hopefuls director of resource development at the Boys & Girls Club Dresses were dropped off at Esthetica Salon & Spa in Northfield the Marjorie & Lewis Katz Jewish Community Center in Margate and Berkshire Hathaway realty in Northfield in addition to donations from Sherri Hill Dresses Masterpiece Advertising in Atlantic City and Spencer Spirit Holdings in Egg Harbor Township Meredith Godfrey and Erin Luurtsema led the efforts this weekend who was able to spend more time running around Kensington helping kids pick out dresses Some of the volunteers were from the Boys & Girls Club as well as Ocean Casino Resort and Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa Many of them have been volunteering with Kane since the beginning “I think knowing that your community is there for you and prioritizes that it’s more than just a dress,” said D’Angio in her second year volunteering at the event “It’s showing commitment to the girls and showing that we’re committed The first family D’Angio helped Saturday was the Waggoners from Ventnor Desiree Waggoner brought her two daughters to pick out dresses for their upcoming proms a sophomore at the Atlantic County Institute of Technology because it’s so expensive right now (picking out a dress),” Desiree Waggoner said The sequined dress she picked out was the second of the four she tried on She really liked the open back and long sleeves “I was pretty excited to try on dresses because it’s my first prom,” she said “Everyone was really nice and (D’Angio) helped me a lot Laura tried on five dresses before she picked out a light blue one she said complemented her eyes “I remember when I was a freshman or sophomore I was most sad about (the cost of prom),” Laura said a lot of girls from my school can’t afford these dresses Laura praised the concept behind Project Prom from the fact that it helps families afford the prom experience for their daughters to the volunteers who put the time in to make the experience memorable But she also praised how her fellow teens lifted each other up especially when trying to find that one dress they will feel the most beautiful in all the girls were very kind and lifting each other up just lifting each other up and saying ‘you look beautiful.’ It’s really nice.” brought her daughter Angelina and Angelina’s friend Nicole Tarquinio had such a positive experience last year and Angelina did as well two years ago “It’s great because this is a dress where if you go into a boutique and then to wear once?” Alexandra Saltar said as the two friends looked in the mirror and admired the gowns they were trying on Angelina then traded in a plain pink gown for a red sequined one She was still looking for that perfect fit She said Project Prom helps take away some of the stress of finding a dress and figuring out how to pay for it “I think that we’re definitely going to make a decision,” she said “There are so many good choices that it’s hard to make a quick decision.” who is on the girls basketball team at Atlantic City She spent about an hour trying on three dresses with help from Reid who was excited to see her niece in pink and sparkles I’m really excited about this dress,” Peeler said try on dresses for their prom at the Cumberland County Technical Education Center said she doesn’t normally wear pink but she was excited about the dress she found Saturday at Project Prom AC Jane Francesco from Somers Point and her daughter Emileia Francesco Emileia was infatuated with the dress she had found for her prom at Charter High School of the Performing Arts takes the stage as she poses in her new dress for the Atlantic City High School prom from Atlantic County Institute of Technology posing in front of the mirror admiring their dresses The non-profit initiative Project Prom held their annual pop-up event to provide Atlantic County high schools girls with the opportunity to find dresses shoes and accessories at no cost for the families The non-profit initiative Project Prom held their annual pop-up event to provide Atlantic County high schools girls with the opportunity to fi… Take a look at photo galleries from proms from local high schools The 2025 Stockton Foundation Gala took place in the Stockton University Campus Center on April 26 celebrating donors and scholarship re… Middle Township students participated in a live chat with famers “Mootilda,” and had the opportunity to ask questions about her and the farm MIDDLE TOWNSHIP — Contrary to Bart Simpson’s instruction these fifth-grade students will have a cow students in Jessica Dorta’s homeroom at Middle Township Elementary #2 participated in a virtual adopt-a-cow program through Discovery Dairy the students adopted “Mootilda” from Kurtland Farms in Pennsylvania That’s meant tracking the dairy cow’s growth and getting monthly updates on her life at the farm through the program’s online portal They recently participated in a live chat with the famers and had the opportunity to ask questions about her and the farm according to information provided by the district district officials said Dorta was researching a way to bring an interactive and interesting learning experience to her class by incorporating a class pet when she stumbled upon the adopt-a-cow program online students learn about their adopted calf’s birthday where she lives and how the farmers have been taking care of her since birth Students also received photos of the cow activity sheets to help them understand her life The end came this month for the Upper Township cow that couldn’t be kept down on the farm The program also provided a slide deck with additional information and a lesson plan that Dorta used to educate the students about where their food comes from while integrating math students completed five lessons in topics including animal health “These types of programs extend learning outside of the classroom and give students real world experiences to learn from,” said Superintendent David Salvo “Great teaching comes from the individuals that think outside of the box and beyond the books The students connected what they learned in class to what they learned through the program by measuring the height of students in class and comparing them to Mootilda’s height Then the students estimated what they thought the cow’s weight and height would be at each subsequent monthly update Registration is required to participate in the program participants connect with their host farmer through an online message board Classes receive an introductory email and kit to introduce the calf and receive periodic updates participants are given the opportunity to virtually meet their calf and chat with the host farm remotely “I know that I can’t wait to sign up for it again and I encourage other teachers to do the same,” Dorta said bbarlow@pressofac.com Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox The H5N1 virus recently infected dairy cows for the first time raising concerns about the bird flu's potential implications for humans Will AI be the solution to preventing school shootings NJ is one of the first using the technology to better spot firearms The Rancocas Valley Regional High School is one of the first working with a company called ZeroEyes which uses existing video … OCEAN CITY — Policies are in the works for how students in the local school district use artificial intelligence in the classroom It sounds like students can expect to see it used more we’re missing the big picture,” Board of Education member Jacqueline McAllister said “The big picture of AI is that it creates efficiency in our lives.” She was reporting to the full board Thursday about a recent discussion of the curriculum and student affairs committee including a planned update to a now-outdated reference to virtual instruction in the student handbook the committee talked about the district’s plans for AI from generative systems that can create images or text in response to prompts to the algorithms that determine what you see next on a social media scroll AI is intertwined with the future of education New Jersey schools are working through policies and practices of where it can help students Educators have worked to keep up with the technology several experts said it would not be possible to keep all AI out of schools or even a good idea to do so if they could Today’s students will live and work in the future and right now that future appears certain to be awash in AI “It’s incumbent on the district to make sure that when kids leave our schools they are prepared to use AI tools productively,” she said “It will be part of their lives when they leave we have to make sure that our students that are graduating are competent consumers of AI.” a new policy will be ready for board approval but for now the update is that the administration and the committee are working on the issue and that students will be part of that process “The district is approaching AI in a very clever way because they’re the ones that know how to use it,” McAllister said she said the district has a process in place to help eligible high school students register to vote NJ is one of the first using the technology to better spot fire… Download the new Press of Atlantic City News Mobile App a drug and alcohol treatment center on Polk Lane "Following a careful review of our operations we have made the difficult decision to close our Seabrook facility," CEO TJ O’Reilly said in a statement "The persistent challenges facing the facility including the difficult labor market and the state’s unique regulatory environment proved too great to overcome and made continued operations unsustainable." The closure comes after Seabrook was ordered to pay $19.7 million to resolve allegations that it violated the Federal Claims Act by submitting claims to the Veterans Health Administration and the state's Medicaid program without the proper licensing Federal prosecutors said Seabrook provided services from Jan without a license and concealed the performed services from state inspectors The services were billed to the VHA Community Care Program A Bridgeton addiction recovery facility has agreed to pay $19.7 million to resolve allegations that it violated the Federal Claims Act by submitting claims to the Veterans Health Administration and the state's Medicaid program without the proper licensing It was further alleged the facility failed to employ a sufficient number of credentialed caregivers; failed to employ caregivers qualified to deal with mental health and addiction issues; provided the same care to veterans that it provided to other patients while claiming it was specialized care; and kept false records of the care provided to patients According to a WARN notice filed with the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development as a result of the closure 96 people will be laid off by July 30 Seabrook was founded in 1974 by Jerry and Peg Diehl Programs at the site center on 12-step programs combined with therapy wellness and recreation to provide healing and strengthen the connection between mind "This is a difficult moment for everyone in the Seabrook family," O'Reilly said "Our focus now will turn to facilitating a seamless transition of care for our remaining patients and ensuring our staff members have the support and resources they need to navigate this transition." Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly The decision to impose tariffs comes amid claims that Mexican growers are undercutting U.S tomato producers in the competitive market Guacamole has been spared from tariffs for now While President Donald Trump put threatened tariffs on Mexican avocados on pause government plans to put a nearly 21% duty on fresh Mexican tomatoes starting July 14 A duty — like a tariff — is a tax on imports and this one would impact the 4 billion pounds of tomatoes the U.S Tomatoes imported from Mexico are for sale in a supermarket in Miami as the United States imposed 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico starting a trade war with its closest neighbors and allies Proponents say the import tax will help rebuild the shrinking U.S tomato industry and ensure the produce eaten in the U.S Mexico currently supplies around 70% of U.S "Unless we even the playing field in terms of fair pricing you're not going to have a domestic industry for fresh tomatoes in the very near future," Robert Guenther the trade group's executive vice president but most of California's crop is turned into sauces and other products Opponents say the duty will make fresh tomatoes more expensive for U.S a San Antonio-based company that grows tomatoes in Mexico as well as the U.S. said it will be paying millions of dollars each month in duties if the decision isn't reversed "We will look for ways to adapt or streamline our operations we are always doing that so we run an efficient business already," said Skip Hulett We're determining what portion of the cost we could absorb but these added costs will most certainly need to be passed on to the consumer." a professor at the Morrison School of Agribusiness at Arizona State University retail prices for tomatoes to rise by around 10.5% if the duty goes through Mexico's government said last month it was convinced it could negotiate over the issue Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has hinted her country may impose duties on chicken and pork legs imported from the U.S The tug-of-war over tomatoes has a long history shortly after the North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect Department of Commerce investigated allegations that Mexico was exporting tomatoes to the U.S government agreed to suspend the investigation if Mexico met certain rules including selling its tomatoes at a minimum price the agreement has been subject to periodic reviews but the two sides always reached an agreement that avoided duties the Commerce Department announced its withdrawal from the latest agreement saying it had been "flooded with comments" from U.S tomato growers who want better protection from Mexican imports said even though Mexican exporters are required to charge a minimum price industry because it costs 40% to 50% less to grow tomatoes there labor is cheaper and inputs like seeds and fertilizer cost less industry typically relies on immigrant workers through the H-2A visa program That program required farmers to pay workers an average of $16.98 per hour last year an amount that has jumped as labor has become harder to find Richards estimates that workers on Mexican tomato farms earn about one-tenth that rate NatureSweet acknowledges that it's more cost-effective to grow tomatoes in Mexico but says climate is one of the biggest reasons The company's Mexican greenhouses don't need lighting heating or cooling systems because of the year-round weather conditions but you can't relocate climate agriculture," Hulett said the president of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas which represents importers of Mexican tomatoes said Florida doesn't produce the vine-ripened tomatoes that U.S Florida tomatoes are picked when they're green and shipped to warehouses to ripen "Florida doesn't grow the kinds of specialty tomatoes that have taken off but they want to get protection," Jungmeyer said "Their market share is dropping for reasons of their own choice." "If you put a Florida tomato up against a Mexican tomato I think it would do very well in taste test," he said an upscale Mexican restaurant in Fort Worth He compares it to fine wine; if he wants a good cabernet sauvignon If he wants a good tomato that reminds him of his childhood "We know the flavors they are going to bring to the salsas and moles We don't want to compromise flavors," Burciaga said Burciaga said his restaurant uses 300 to 400 pounds of Roma tomatoes from Mexico every week He currently pays $19 for a 25-pound crate of tomatoes He doesn't relish paying the additional cost Burciaga said the tomato duty — and the threat of Trump implementing the paused 25% tariff on many other products from Mexico — are making it difficult to run his business A small or medium restaurant budgets things out We know in advance that in six months things will increase "But we don't know these things in advance AP Reporter Maria Verza in Mexico City contributed All Elite ExperienceAEW All In TexasAEW on PPV AEW TogetherHeelsWatch & Listen Shop AEWAEW Amazon StoreAEW Games and More in Atlantic CityAll Elite Wrestling2 days ago3 min readUpdated: 1 day ago AEW Collision brings the action to Atlantic City tonight live from the Adrian Phillips Theater at Boardwalk Hall With Double or Nothing just three weeks away every match and moment is magnified as AEW builds momentum toward its next pay-per-view extravaganza For fans in attendance and watching at home AEW Collision Atlantic City marks the return of Saturday night wrestling to TBS tapping into the SuperStation’s storied legacy and promising an unforgettable evening Here’s your full AEW Collision preview for May 3 Toni Storm continues to dominate as the reigning AEW Women’s World Champion and tonight she faces her latest Title Eliminator challenge After dispatching game opponents like Queen Aminata and Miyu Yamashita over the past week the “Timeless” champion now squares off with Lady Frost – a world-traveled veteran known for her icy persona and high-flying offense Storm’s title is not on the line in this bout but if Lady Frost can pull off an upset victory she’ll earn a coveted future championship opportunity Two of the greatest tag teams on the planet -- two teams capable of putting on a Match of the Year on any given night in fact -- will collide once more on Saturday night Will Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler come away with another win (perhaps with a little help from Stokely?) or can Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong get one back on FTR What will Moxley have to say less than two weeks before he defends the AEW World Title inside a Steel Cage against Samoa Joe at AEW Beach Break on May 14 in Chicago Four of AEW's brightest rising stars will square off with $100,000 going to the winner especially with such a hefty prize on the line The match also marks Guevara's first match on Collision since last September when he faced AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada in a Continental Title Eliminator the juggernaut Brody King goes one-on-one with recent AEW signee Josh Alexander “The Walking Weapon” Alexander made a splash upon arrival as the Wild Card entrant in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament and by aligning himself with Don Callis’s crew – even scoring a tag team win over Brody King just last week Now Alexander steps into singles competition against King’s raw power as both men look to make a statement in Atlantic City After Bayne attacked Anna Jay last week on Collision Cameron is looking for vengeance on behalf of her friend as she and Jay bonded on a new level at Coachella recently but will she be able to avoid BOWING DOWN to the Megasus Location: Adrian Phillips Theater at Boardwalk Hall Fans of aviation should get a look in the next few weeks at a first-draft lineup of performers for the inaugural Visit Atlantic City Soar and Shore Festival this summer Air shows are an annual tradition in Atlantic City The selection of Herb Gillen Airshows of Columbus and the air show is scheduled for July 15-16 Company President Herb Gillen and his team toured the city and facilities in early April More: What happened? Atlantic City Airshow 2024 cancelled “It looks like it’s going to be a great show Gillen said a lineup announcement should be out in May “It’s a pretty quick turnaround for something that really just got confirmed that we were doing it less than a couple months ago,” Gillen said “It’ll be a little different than in the past We’re not selling any kind of premium seating should be easily watched from anywhere on the beach or the boardwalk and you’ll get to see probably a little better down there,” Gillen said “But you should be able to see everything from the boardwalk More: What's the best beach in New Jersey? Wildwoods won last year; vote now for the 2025 winner Navy and Air Force demonstration squadrons are not available for the 2025 show Those services book their schedules two years in advance But Gillen said he expects to snare military acts in the future “We’ll get military and civilian aircraft that will be able to support the show in the meantime,” he added One independently confirmed performer is coming from FighterJets Demo Team The company has a collection of military jets and is sending a MiG-17 fighter to Atlantic City Atlantic City has annually hosted an air show for decades a string that snapped with the abrupt cancellation of a show planned for August 2024 The producer would have been David Schultz Airshows members of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber had said there probably wouldn't be an air show until 2026 a nonprofit formed and funded to promote economic development in a private-public partnership with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority has taken over the promotion role for this year's event while working with chamber members “This is not just an air show,” Gillen said “There will be other activities going on at the beach and along the boardwalk they want to promote coming for a couple of days and seeing the airshow but doing other things while you’re in town.” Herb Gillen Airshows has produced more air shows than any other group since its founding in 2005 For information on where to stay and what to do in Atlantic City, see visitatlanticcity.com Philly native transplanted to South Jersey 36 years ago keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland Support local journalism with a subscription NJ CRDA ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – (April 24, 2025) – Summer is quickly approaching, and Atlantic City is getting ready to welcome visitors back to their favorite Jersey Shore destination with an array of exciting events top-tier entertainment and new restaurants that make the destination a hot spot throughout the season “Atlantic City is turning up the heat this summer with an incredible mix of can’t-miss entertainment vibrant new dining experiences and unforgettable events for every kind of traveler,” said Gary Musich there’s no better place to celebrate and create summer memories than right here in our iconic seaside destination.” As travelers start to plan their summer vacations activities and restaurants that are not to be missed Atlantic City is preparing for an impeccable lineup of A-list entertainers across the destination’s casino resorts Below is a look at some of the entertainment scheduled throughout the summer with additional acts to be announced in the coming months Caesars Atlantic City Hotel & Casino David Foster and Chris Botti Featuring Katharine McPhee on June 14 Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall Kane Brown on May 17 and Professional Fighters League World Tournament Championship on Aug At H2Q Dayclub and Nightclub, travelers can dance along some of the biggest names in electronic dance music, including James Hype on May 24, FISHER on June 21, Two Friends on July 5, Steve Aoki on July 12 and Tiësto on Aug Tropicana Casino and Resort Live with Jake Shane on June 28 and RuPaul’s Drag Race – Werq The World on Aug Atlantic City Aquarium The Atlantic City Aquarium recently reopened in March after a five-year closure guests can spend the day engaging with animals using the new hands-on touch tank and learn about aquatic species naturally found in the area Atlantic City Boardwalk and Steel Pier Visitors looking for a quintessential Atlantic City experience should spend some time exploring the iconic Atlantic City boardwalk, which is the first ever boardwalk to open in the United States. After strolling the boardwalk, visitors can ride the Flying Dutchman, Diving Horse or Freedom Flyer at Steel Pier which is also expected to launch a new coaster just in time for summer Atlantic City Cruises Atlantic City Cruises offers an array of tours for travelers to explore the destination on the water from skyline to happy hour tours and dolphin watching adventures Departing from Historic Gardner’s Basin Atlantic City Cruises provides guests with a fully stocked bar Fireworks Throughout the summer, Tropicana Atlantic City will host dazzling firework displays overlooking the Atlantic City Boardwalk and Atlantic Ocean on May 24; June 28; July 4 and 19; and Aug. 2, 16 and 30. Additionally, the annual North Beach Fireworks show will take place on June 27 with several viewing spots along the north end of the boardwalk Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City and other activities throughout the North Beach boardwalk area Mini Golf & Bar at Ocean Casino Resort Opening this summer Ocean Casino Resort is introducing Ocean’s 18 Mini Golf & Bar a new multi-million-dollar entertainment destination that the whole family will enjoy This venue will present technology used at The Sphere in Las Vegas featuring a state-of-the-art course and two stories of immersive fun all within an expansive 8,000-square-foot space they will be greeted by two eye-popping holograms including a 12-foot Great White Shark towering over the vibrant main bar Spas If relaxation is on the mind Qua Baths & Spa at Caesars Atlantic City Exhale Spa & Bathhouse at Ocean Casino Resort Spa Toccare at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa and Rock Spa & Salon at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino are the perfect wellness retreats for travelers to rejuvenate the mind and body while enjoying a day of pampering Visit Atlantic City Soar & Shore Festival Taking place on July 15 and 16 the Visit Atlantic City Soar & Shore Festival is returning to the destination allowing guests to experience a thrilling display of aerial performances and high-energy stunts This free and family-friendly event can be viewed across the destination from the iconic Atlantic City Boardwalk B Bar at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa will officially reopen the iconic B Bar in May which is currently undergoing a refresh to the space The new B Bar will feature a sleek new look inspired by Italian craftsmanship and will blend luxury and adaptability guests can enjoy craft cocktails and video poker in a truly reimagined space ByrdCage The ByrdCage an LGBTQ+ owned and operated hotspot is one of the newest additions to Atlantic City bringing vibrant energy to the destination’s day and nightlife scene The ByrdCage features a lively brunch menu The first floor will host a piano bar where patrons can enjoy great food and music in a relaxed atmosphere and the second floor will be home to an entertainment space offering drag shows theme nights and more fun and inclusive nightlife experiences This is the first full-time LGBTQ+ establishment in Atlantic City since the closure of Studio Six in 2004 and it is a landmark venue that contributes to the ongoing revitalization of the city’s dynamic culture New Restaurants at Ocean Casino Resort At Ocean Casino Resort Philadelphia native chef Stephen Starr is opening two new restaurants this summer The first is a French restaurant focusing on Steak Frites and the second is an American restaurant serving Thanksgiving dinner all year round The two restaurant concepts are expected to open this summer and will be located on the lobby level across from The Park a chop house offering premium cuts with featured dishes including the Wagyu Cheesesteak and classic Philly Cheesesteak a new casual dining restaurant focusing on smoothies and acai bowls LaScala’s Fire will open a restaurant in early summer LaScala’s Fire at Ocean will offer classic Italian dishes with a twist Resorts Casino Hotel Expands On-Site Restaurant, LandShark Bar & Grill LandShark Bar & Grill will be opening a new outdoor stage this summer dedicated to bringing in more entertainment to the resort while highlighting the newly widened beach The new expanded oceanfront tiki bar and deck will be equipped with private cabanas Tennessee Avenue New Restaurants Tennessee Avenue in the Orange Loop will be introducing a few new restaurant concepts this summer including Isabella’s Italian Pizza Kitchen an authentic Italian restaurant with a modern twist serving up wood-fired pizzas fresh salads and traditional Sicilian-inspired sauces a classic steakhouse that will transition into a lively late-night destination with craft cocktails and live music Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall will be transforming the outdoor garden space into Jennifer’s Oyster Bar a seafood restaurant featuring locally sourced oysters from the Barnegat Oyster Conservatory all paired with an extensive selection of draft beers and fresh wines on tap ACCOMODATIONS Atlantic City is home to an array of properties that appeal to every kind of traveler For guests looking to enjoy luxurious accommodations and experiences consider a stay at one of the destination’s nine casino resorts including Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa Resorts Casino Hotel and Bally’s Atlantic City Casino Resort For guests looking to experience Atlantic City outside of the casinos the destination is home to an array of hotels perfect for families Families looking to partake in a weekend of fun should book a room at Showboat Resort to take advantage of the on-site arcade and water park For couples looking for a relaxing weekend away look to Seaview – a Dolce Hotel and The Claridge for the ultimate romantic atmosphere Media Contacts MMGY [email protected] Visit Atlantic City Jessica Kasunich [email protected] YOU ARE HERE: Home » News Articles » Atlantic City Summer Preview: A-List Entertainment 15 South Pennsylvania Avenue Atlantic City Ring of Honor taped matches for future episodes of ROH TV on Saturday AEW presented a live episode of Collision from the Adrian Phillips Theater in Atlantic City Three ROH matches were taped before the show whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary he has covered the industry for a decade and a half Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboard⛱️ Selling the Shore | Morning NewsletterAnd affordable housing’s long road Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter — Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com) If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here If you think Atlantic City is just a place for gambling and drinking the town’s tourism board would like a word ⛱️ Jersey Shore towns are spending big to draw new crowds this summer from families ditching international vacations in an uncertain economy to young people looking for a hot dining scene ⛱️ The dollar amounts and target audiences vary which spends a whopping $4 million on marketing the goal is to change perception from hard-partying casino hub to a place with fun for the whole family The Wildwoods are highlighting free beach access any messaging is good messaging right now,” Visit Atlantic City’s president and CEO told The Inquirer Consumer reporter Erin McCarthy spoke to tourism officials about how they’re pitching their Shore towns ahead of a busy season. the Philadelphia Housing Authority and developer Pennrose have been trying to get approval to build 57 units of affordable housing in Strawberry Mansion The project in that time has faced intensive neighborhood scrutiny the clashing priorities of two successive City Council members and multiple Zoning Board of Adjustment hearings the housing authority and its partner say the double threat of inflation and cuts to federal housing aid could make the project so expensive Downingtown could become the first Pennsylvania community to elect an openly transgender mayor. Erica Deuso knows her candidacy carries a strain of resistance U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill sponsored the TikTok ban bill. Now she’s on the app for her campaign for New Jersey governor A former New Yorker editor drew “all the restaurants” in Philly. His work is now on display to raise money for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia South Philly’s 2300 Arena, the former home of Extreme Championship Wrestling, will host seven AEW shows this summer Delran native and Olympic gold medalist Carli Lloyd was officially inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame on Saturday. See the highlights from her emotional speech Stephen J. Harmelin, a former Dilworth Paxon chair, passionate Philadelphian, and history lover who shaped Center City through his tireless advocacy, has died at 85 We Golf Now wants more Black and brown youth to get involved in the sport Who is the nonprofit’s famous Philly founder Think you know? Check your answer. 🍺 Performing: Sea shanties and “9 to 5” at Philly Pub Sing at Fergie’s 💅 Immediately buying: Nail polishes from Sixers rookie Jared McCain’s new collection 🥅 Tracking: The top candidates of the Flyers’ coaching search ⛳ Eyeing: The Roomba-like autonomous mowers maintaining this Wissahickon golf course before the PGA Tour’s visit 🏈 Considering: The importance of investing in coaches alongside youth sports Hint: Student publication of a North Philadelphia college Email us if you know the answer We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here Cheers to Shannon Connelly, who solved Sunday’s anagram: Twisties. The iconic Strathmere tavern on the bay is for sale. The owners want its “cult” legacy to continue. This “only in Philly” story comes from reader Dawn DeCwikiel Kane who shares a short-and-sweet tribute to a classic meeting spot: I took my husband to show him around Wanamaker’s Thanks for starting your week with The Inquirer including the grant of rights in Section 10 Read through the obituaries published today in Press of Atlantic City Scenes from Oakcrest's 8-2 win over Atlantic City in the inaugural game at the renovated Pop Lloyd Stadium in Atlantic City on Thursday in Ocean City the second round of the Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic was held with St.Augustine competing with Moorestown Cancer Baseball event at the Jerome Avenue Field in Margate the Holy Spirit High School baseball team hosts Absegami cut the ribbon during the grand opening of Betty’s BBQ & Fried Chicken MARGATE — City officials joined the owners of Betty’s BBQ & Fried Chicken to cut the ribbon on the new Amherst Avenue business Friday afternoon The restaurant is owned by Steve Marchel and Robin Kramer Both eateries will offer live music with shared seating all summer long Betty’s BBQ is located at 9315 Amherst Ave. on the bay. For more information, visit bettybbq.com dgrote@pressofac.com With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food 2025,At a storage warehouse housing sets and costumes in Egg Harbor Township Co-Founder and Treasurer Paul Herron for the Fool… It didn't begin a long time ago or in a galaxy far far away memes and promotional deals involving “Star Wars” have an inescapable gravity A Star Wars supporter poses for a photo during a fan convention called the Star Wars Celebration Japan on April 18 in Chiba as fans say — has evolved over the years into Star Wars Day an informal holiday celebrating the space epic and its surrounding franchise Star Wars Day was created by fans as a sly nod to one of the films' most popular catchphrases It's not an official holiday but has become so well-known that even former President Joe Biden marked it last year when “Star Wars” actor Mark Hamill dropped by the White House a day beforehand “I think it's a very clever way for fans to celebrate their passion and love for ‘Star Wars’ once a year,” said Steve Sansweet founder and executive chairman of Rancho Obi-Wan a nonprofit museum in California that has the world's largest collection of “Star Wars” memorabilia A collection of “Star Wars” memorabilia is displayed at Rancho Obi-Wan The phrase “May the 4th be with you” was used by fans in the years after the first film was released in 1977 and even appeared in a British political ad in 1979 celebrating Margaret Thatcher's victory as prime minister on May 4 that year the official Star Wars Day comes on May 25 The Los Angeles City Council even declared the date to be Star Wars Day in 2007 although the California Legislature voted in 2019 to designate May 4 as Star Wars Day May the 4th caught on informally among fans through inside jokes shared on social media and viewings of the films to mark the occasion Businesses eventually joined in on the fun with brands ranging from Nissan to Jameson Whiskey running ads or posting on social media about it Star Wars fans in different creations of the Boba Fett uniforms attend a fan convention dubbed the Star Wars Celebration on April 18 in Chiba embraced the day as a way to further promote the franchise with merchandise special screenings and other events surrounding the brand Not all “Star Wars” fans are enthused about how ubiquitous the once-underground joke has become a senior editor at Mashable and author of “How Star Wars Conquered the Universe,” labels himself a “May the 4th grinch" in part because of its commercialization a Protestant congregation held a Star Wars-themed service Sunday Pastor Samuel Dörr and some of his congregants wore costumes and decorated their church in Bensberg The day is being celebrated on a large and small scale this year Disney+ is launching the new series “Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld” on the date and it comes as the second season gets underway for another franchise series It also follows the announcement that a new stand-alone “Star Wars” film installment starring Ryan Gosling will be released in 2027 Disney marks the day with the launch of new “Star Wars” merchandise Most Major League Baseball teams have marked the day in recent years with special events incorporating “Star Wars” characters the San Francisco Giants sold special tickets for Saturday's game that included a bobblehead portraying pitcher Logan Webb as “Obi-Webb Kenobi.” It's hard to find a place where May the 4th celebrations aren't occurring from bakeries serving cookies with a “Star Wars” theme to concerts featuring the memorable scores of the films which shares its name with the subtitle of the first “Star Wars” film located 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Philadelphia plans to have costumed characters throughout town with restaurants serving themed items like a “YodaRita.” “I would always joke around and wish people ‘May the 4th’ — but taking it to this level I've definitely upped my ‘Star Wars’ nerdiness,” said Michael Sklar president of the Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce Beryl • Atop a dried-up lakebed in the middle of nowhere and seemingly light-years from everywhere this southern Utah sci-fi retreat in the remote desert 50 miles west of Cedar City would not seem to hold much allure But since its opening in a barren and sagebrush-dotted basin last March, its otherworldly vibe has turned it into a utopian getaway that has emerged as a tourist destination of choice rather than a place of last resort, The Salt Lake Tribune reports Billed as a blend between "Star Wars," "Mad Max" and "Dune" movies and a glamping-style resort, Outpost X has garnered millions of views on YouTube It has also captured the popular imagination and solitude seekers to the site from across the country and as far away as France and Germany it shares one important concept with Seinfeld the earthly hit '90s television sitcom famously touted as "a show about nothing." to feel like you have the opportunity to be on a different planet without being on a different planet," said John Lawson "We want guests there to reconnect with themselves or whomever they are with Outpost X is the brainchild of Travis Chambers who conjured up the idea while working as a social media manager for 20th Century Fox and other film industry jobs building $100,000 disposable film sets that were summarily scrapped as soon as filming was over "I thought it would be really cool to build a film set that people could stay in overnight," said Chambers "I wanted to build movies that people could immerse themselves in … and escape the city and modern life." The sale of his ad agency for millions of dollars in September 2021 put that dream within reach and their three children and staying in off-the-beaten-path adventure hotels in 30 foreign countries Chambers bought the land for Outpost X for about $110,000 To get the resort off the drawing board and onto the ground, Chambers turned to crowdfunding, raising more than $900,000 from investors in exchange for stays of up to seven nights once the project was completed Unable to find a builder during the post-COVID-19 construction boom Chambers teamed up with various contractors and bootstrapped the project Construction started in 2022, and Outpost X, which can accommodate up to 35 people, has enjoyed about 90% occupancy ever since opening. The resort's living quarters consist of three upscale, cave-like dwellings similar to Luke Skywalker's abode in the desert world of Tattooine in "Star Wars." It also features four smaller and less expensive futuresque zen glass domes ideal for stargazing in an area devoid of light pollution Although the resort is built on the concept of nothingness, it is a mistake to assume there is nothing to do. Even before guests arrive at the post-apocalyptic-style property, they are sent podcasts for a front-end education on the backstory of Namaajin a planet destroyed during a cosmic upheaval that they will be asked to resettle as part of their stay Guests' immersive experience continues upon their arrival as they hop aboard one of five electric "Star Wars"-style landspeeders—essentially modified golf carts—to cruise the site and stop at 20 interactive stations to glean more about the planet Visitors who want to take over the whole property can do so for $5,000 a night guests can dress up as one of 20 prominent Namaajin denizens The only limit to how far guests can take their role-playing is their imagination Aiding that imagination is an array of amenities which resembles an avant-garde Viking longhouse or French Polynesian dwelling It's a lush communal hangout where guests can lounge on couches to watch movies on a drop-down screen download an app for yoga and kickboxing tutorials Guests can further indulge their whims outside the downstairs of which is devoted to a game room where guests can piece together puzzles or seat themselves at the controls of a PlayStation which is ensconced in a replica of a spaceship cockpit where guests can pay extra to access recipes and ingredients to make exotic nonalcoholic drinks Those preferring alcoholic libations are free to bring their own Just outside the cantina is a skydeck where visitors can take in the 360-degree views of There's also an outside common area where guests can gather around two fire pits for conversation or to throw pottery on a nearby clay wheel that they can air dry rather than use a kiln A nearby spa area on the other side of a walled entry has a sauna The cold plunge brings back warm memories for Lawson who recalls seeing a coyote drinking from the pool as a couple were in the water a few feet away "They were actually enjoying the experience," Lawson said "taking pictures of the coyote as it drank." Chambers enjoys the experimental aircraft that soar overhead from Area 51 the clandestine government base secreted 125 miles away in the Nevada desert where some guests meditate and others levitate drones to take aerial photos is the fully made bed located in an empty field near the cave rentals Staff removed the bed from a cave rental and placed it outdoors for removal after deciding it didn't fit with the resort's decor "We have found people sleeping in the bed and jumping or taking pictures on it The hardest part of that is changing the sheets every day and chasing pillows blown away by the wind." All the resort's caves and zen domes come equipped with modern amenities, including large-screen televisions, heat and air conditioning, and kitchenette and shower areas. Guests can bring and cook their own food or purchase exotically named meal packages designed by celebrity chef and influencer Cody Candelario that they can cook themselves in their rental or on a communal fire pit and creative role-playing was a big draw for Las Vegas residents Dennis and Lizzie Haro "We wanted to do a quick off-grid getaway," Lizzie Haro said while checking out the Kaan Lounge. "We enjoy doing unique stays and once stayed at a spaceship near Joshua Tree National Park we loved the 'Star Wars' feel about it and decided to take our children here." "We've had tons of Star Wars fan groups stay and film out here," Chambers said, "like The 501st Legion which is one of the largest of those groups." National Geographic and Vogue magazine photojournalists have also visited the site, and Utah videographer Devin Graham, better known by his online moniker, DevinSuperTramp, recently shot a film at the resort to promote Star Wars Outlaws, an action-adventure video game for Ubisoft and Lucasfilm Games resort officials urge would-be visitors to come with an open mind and let go of any preconceived expectations He is also constructing an adventure resort in the jungles of Puerto Rico and shopping for land in the Rocky Mountains to open a Viking village "Now we have proven that this immersive and experimental concept can work," he said "My goal is to build about 20 of these projects over the next 10 years." This story was produced by The Salt Lake Tribune and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly Workers are using a homemade puppet fashioned to look like an adult king vulture to feed a chick that hatched in late February A king vulture feeds with the help of a vulture puppet in March at the Bronx Zoo in the Bronx borough of New York NEW YORK — A baby vulture at a New York zoo is being fed not by another bird but by hand puppet — a decades-old technique used to ensure the chick doesn’t identify too closely with its human handlers so hand-feeding is necessary to ensure the baby survives But to make sure it doesn't imprint on humans staff train the bird's instincts onto a hand puppet that's crafted to look like a real vulture our animal care staff are feeding the chick with the Bronx Zoo-made puppet once a day and we are working to ensure it does not imprint on humans," Bronx Zoo Curator of Ornithology Chuck Cerbini said in a statement A king vulture sits during a feeding session in March at the Bronx Zoo in the Bronx borough of New York Footage of a feeding session shows someone with their arm clad in black and a puppet that looks like a vulture’s face and beak on their hand which is used to grab morsels of food and deliver them to the chick’s mouth An adult king vulture is placed in an adjacent enclosure that “allows the chick to have exposure to appropriate king vulture behavior," Cerbini said EGAD Manager Carolyn Fuchs paints details on a king vulture hand puppet in March at the Bronx Zoo in the Bronx borough of New York The zoo says it helped develop the feeding technique more than four decades ago when workers there used it to raise three Andean condor chicks which were then released into the wild in Peru Hand-puppet rearing has also been used to help bring back the critically endangered California condor is the first of its kind to be hatched at the Bronx Zoo since the 1990s The zoo said it wants to make sure the genetics of the chick's 55-year-old father are carried on One of four Galapagos tortoises hatchlings make its debut at the Philadelphia Zoo in Philadelphia four hatchlings make their debut at the Philadelphia Zoo in Philadelphia the parent of four hatchlings moves in her enclosure at the Philadelphia Zoo in Philadelphia and mother of four hatchlings eats a watermelon at Philadelphia Zoo in Philadelphia and father of four hatchlings walks in his enclosure at the Philadelphia Zoo in Philadelphia Galapagos tortoises and parents of four hatchlings hold them in place in their enclosure at Philadelphia Zoo in Philadelphia Four Galapagos tortoises hatchlings are placed in their enclosure as they make their debut at the Philadelphia Zoo in Philadelphia tortoises and parents of four hatchlings are seen in their enclosure at Philadelphia Zoo in Philadelphia and Abrazzo Galapagos tortoises and parents of four hatchlings move in their enclosure at Philadelphia Zoo in Philadelphia and parent of four hatchlings is seen in her enclosure at the Philadelphia Zoo in Philadelphia Not many animals have shown an ability to identify and move to a beat -- with humans parrots and some primates being notable exceptions a bright-eyed sea lion that’s caused scientists to rethink the meaning of music Ronan the sea lion can still keep a beat after all these years But the 15-year-old California sea lion's talent shines most in bobbing to disco hits like “Boogie Wonderland.” California sea lion Ronan in 2023 in Santa Cruz “She just nails that one,” swaying her head in time to the tempo changes a behavioral neuroscientist at New College of Florida who has spent a decade studying Ronan’s rhythmic abilities Not many animals show a clear ability to identify and move to a beat aside from humans a bright-eyed sea lion that has scientists rethinking the meaning of music she burst to fame around a decade ago after scientists reported her musical skills she has been a resident at the University of California where researchers including Cook have tested and honed her ability to recognize rhythms Ronan joined a select group of animal movers and shakers — which also includes Snowball the famed dancing cockatoo — that together upended the long-held idea that the ability to respond to music and recognize a beat was distinctly human What is particularly notable about Ronan is that she can learn to dance to a beat without learning to sing or talk musically “Scientists once believed that only animals who were vocal learners — like humans and parrots — could learn to find a beat,” said Hugo Merchant a researcher at Mexico’s Institute of Neurobiology who was not involved in the Ronan research But in the years since since Ronan came into the spotlight questions emerged about whether she still had it Was Ronan better than people at keeping a beat published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports This time the researchers focused not on studio music but on percussion beats in a laboratory They filmed Ronan bobbing her head as the drummer played three tempos: 112 Two of those beats Ronan had never been exposed to allowing scientists to test her flexibility in recognizing new rhythms And the researchers asked 10 college students to do the same “No human was better than Ronan at all the different ways we test quality of beat-keeping,” said Cook adding that "she's much better than when she was a kid,” indicating lifetime learning The new study confirms Ronan's place as one of the “top ambassadors” of animal musicality said University of Amsterdam music cognition researcher Henkjan Honing Researchers plan to train and test other sea lions Cook suspects other sea lions can also bob to a beat — but that Ronan will still stand out as a star performer North Wildwood unveiled the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument and reopened Veterans Memorial Park in front of several hundred people When it comes to the Phillies' starting pitching the working theory is that the club has the depth to go to a six-man rotation Jake Lodgek pitches in the Diamond Classic against Northern Burlington PINE HILL – The Mainland Regional High School baseball team waited all season for May the Mustangs pulled off their biggest win of the year Jake Lodgek threw a complete game and struck out nine as the 15th-seeded Mustangs upset No 4 seed and previously undefeated Northern Burlington 4-2 in a Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic second-round game at Overbrook on Saturday afternoon but we’re a better team than what our record says.” Mainland has struggled at times this season New Mustangs coach Joe Smith knew there would be a period of adjustment for both the team and himself “I’ve been preaching to the team since March that May 1st is our date,” Smith said They were getting a little frustrated because it’s almost like trust the process and they were starting to maybe not trust the process May 1st is when we had to start winning these tight games.” Mainland scored all of its runs in the bottom of the sixth using the vintage small-ball style Smith was famed for at his previous coaching stops a Delsea Regional and Williamstown “We jus put all of our trust in our coach,” Lodgek said one of the premier events of the high school sports season The tournament is named after the deceased Hartmann a former coach and athletic director and longtime fixture on the South Jersey baseball scene Northern Burlington began this season with 17 straight wins That's why things seemed ominous for the Mustangs when they trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth But Chase Camac (2 for 3) led off with a single up the middle Mainland then sent eight more batters to the plate in the inning and four of them bunted The Mustangs bunted twice with the bases loaded and once with two outs and two strikes on the batter Finn Haines and John Franchini got bunts down did not allow a hit in the final four innings Lodgek kept Northern Burlington hitters off-balance with a breaking ball he was consistently able to locate at the hitter's knees on the outside corner It’s finally warm out and I haven’t pitched in a warm game,” he said so I felt loose and felt my command was good.” Mainland will play 14th-seeded Audubon in the quarterfinals at Ocean City Saturday The winner advances to the semifinal also Saturday at Ocean City The championship game is May 13 at Alcyon Park in Pitman But before they looked ahead to the rest of the Classic “The first thing I said after the game was ‘you guys deserve this You’ve been working hard all year,’ ” Smith said We just needed to win a tight game like tonight Ocean City school board President Kevin Barnes said Thursday that board meetings are not a forum for political Ocean City school board member Catherine Panico tried again to bring a school district policy related to transgendered students up for a vote Ocean City school board member Liz Nicoletti seconded a motion from Catherine Panico to rescind policy 5756 which has been a target for some community members for years the policy prevents the district from notifying parents of a student’s gender identity assertions without the student’s permission another attempt to reverse a policy related to gender identity at Ocean City schools have sought to end the school district’s policy relating to transgender students which calls for staff to accept student’s gender identity regardless of whether it corresponds to the sex on their birth certificates That includes using the student’s preferred name and pronouns and expressly prevents the district from notifying the parents or guardians without the permission of the student a student need not meet any threshold diagnosis or treatment requirements to have his or her gender identity recognized and respected by the district school or school personnel,” reads the state’s policy recommendation Much of the opposition has related to parental notification who said he currently lives in Galloway Township and has three children attending the Ocean City school district said at the Thursday meeting that it was a matter of honesty and integrity he argued during the public comment portion of the meeting teaches children that it is acceptable to be honest with their teachers but not with their parents “When people are telling me it’s alright to be deceptive or guarded every relationship I’m involved in gets hurt,” he said he described teachers withholding information from parents about students’ “self-deception and mental health.” based on guidance from the New Jersey Department of Education has been a source of controversy in the district for years Opponents maintain the district had leeway to decline to adopt the policy and that it should be scrapped We Belong Cape May County is bringing the OC Pride Fest back for a third year on May 31 notifying their families could mean alienation or even physical danger who told the board she has one child in the district and another who recently graduated “I think it does as good a job as any public institution can do in helping a very small minority of students who have issues that they are struggling with I think it’s a good thing to have,” Kolitsky said Panico and Nicoletti have sought to scrap the policy Based on comments made at several public meetings the members have attempted to get the matter on a Board of Education agenda for some time but have not been able to advance it through the committee process Board President Kevin Barnes has described it as the democratic process Policy opponents have called it stonewalling with a motion to remove the decisions about the policy from the board’s policy committee with only Panico and Nicoletti voting in favor Panico made a motion to rescind Policy 5756 The board discussed whether they could vote on a motion that had already been made and defeated at a previous meeting although Panico argued this was a distinct motion not to remove the policy from the committee but to repeal it directly Board attorney Michael Stanton said the matter would need to be voted out of committee before it could be considered by the full board called for a repeal of a policy related to transgender students and said parents have a right to know and we’re not going to address it,” Barnes said Barnes began the meeting with an admonition for members of the public He said the meeting is for the Board of Education and the board acts on the recommendations of the school superintendent and works for the betterment of the students “We welcome members of the public to attend and observe our meetings this meeting is strictly for conducting district business and is not a platform for political It is essential to maintain professionalism and order out-of-order comments or any behavior that interferes with the orderly conduct of this meeting Members of the public can be asked to leave.” He added that board members are expected to adhere to Robert’s Rules of Order He began the meeting with a moment of silence in recognition of the National Day of Prayer which takes place annually on the first Thursday of May Panico and Nicoletti successfully ran together in 2022 in a campaign focused on parental rights that was endorsed by the conservative group Moms for Liberty The lawsuit follows weeks of feuding between the Republican administration and Democratic Gov Janet Mills that has led to threats to cut off crucial federal funding multiple people asked the board to rescind the transgender policy and some describing gender affirming treatments as mutilation which has organized public events in support of LGBTQ students has planned a third Ocean City Pride Fest for May 31 including a pride walk on the Ocean City Boardwalk at 9 a.m As the rhetoric around trans athletes grows more heated one organization is trying to create a safe space The NAIGC allows trans and non-bin… The inaugural Cyber Crime Reduction program graduation consisted of 27 Atlantic City residents during a program at Resorts Atlantic City The graduates are now qualified to support the Atlantic City Police Department efforts to install wireless cameras throughout the city with AI capabilities speaks with Atlantic City Councilwoman Maria Lacca during the inaugural Cyber Crime Reduction program graduation which consisted of 27 Atlantic City residents during a program at Resorts Atlantic City ATLANTIC CITY — Kai Warren believes his whole life has been leading up to the moment Friday when he stood with 27 other graduates of a cybersecurity program The graduates completed a Low Voltage Electrical Workforce training as part of a Cyber Crime Reduction Program and received certification during a ceremony at Resorts Casino Hotel The program is sponsored by the nonprofit U.S and the training took place at the RX5 Cyber EnVision Center in the city The program is funded by a federal Department of Labor grant sponsored by U.S who attended a program earlier with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner he was drawn to and encouraged to pursue science and technology in school “It’s important to me because the next step for me is to be able to learn about cybersecurity and how to protect ourselves and other people from being potentially scammed and other online threats,” he said The graduates are now qualified to assist the Atlantic City Police Department to install wireless cameras throughout the city with artificial intelligence capabilities This allows the police to capture real-time data or criminal activity to support public safety And it’s a step toward better things for the graduates “They have the first step in a skill that will allow them to become apprentice electricians and/or enter the cybersecurity market,” said Horace Jones “They now have definable skills that they can put on their resume that will open doors for them that they can raise the level of the jobs that they can go after.” Candidates were invited to apply for the training through an interview process but they hope to begin training middle school-age children He said this part of the program will be followed up with another series of more advanced courses in the fall Now that gambling companies have set their sights on the United Arab Emirates New Jersey gambling regulators say they will work with their counterparts in the Middle East on cybersecurity and consumer protection And even in a political atmosphere in which no federal programs seem to be safe from cuts or outright elimination he believes the grants that fund this type of training will continue There are actually jobs that go towards filling the cybersecurity gap in Atlantic City in New Jersey and in the U.S.,” Jones said “We are confident that these type of programs will continue to be funded.” Jones said a big positive concerning cybersecurity is that it’s for everybody not focused or targeted toward any one group “Anyone who has the desire and a little bit of focus can come and participate.” City Councilwoman Maria Lacca echoed his belief in the value of the program innovative cybersecurity and artificial intelligence industry jobs which will help make Atlantic City the greatest oceanfront city in America again,” she said Atlantic City residents complete cybersecurity training during a graduation ceremony at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City WNBA’s newest team debuts with global focus Don't tell Natalie Nakase she doesn't have what it takes to do something The coach of the San Francisco Bay Area's first WNBA team got to where she is by learning to block out those who underestimated her "If I hear one negative thing about my goal we're done," Nakase told The Associated Press but it's made my circle really powerful and encouraging and supportive for me." Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase speaks with the press during their first day of camp in Oakland to going from being a walk-on at UCLA to team captain as a 5-foot-2 freshman in 1998 It's what made her the first Asian American player to join the now-defunct National Women's Basketball League in 2003 Nakase is blazing a trail again as the WNBA's first Asian American head coach That distinction adds to an already impressive rise to be the leader of the Golden State Valkyries the league's first expansion franchise since 2008 Their inaugural roster also happens to include championship-winning UConn guard Kaitlyn Chen who last month became the first Taiwanese American drafted Golden State Valkyries' Kaitlyn Chen practices during training camp at the WNBA team's facility in Oakland isn't rattled ascending to a larger spotlight has prepared her for being more public and "preparation builds confidence," she said Coaching is something Nakase expressed interest in as far back as 20 years when she was on the San Jose Spiders For people who may not see Asian American women as leaders Nakase hopes her new role will change minds "I think it's more like what's in your mind rather than like the exterior part of it," said Nakase who at UCLA was often mistaken for a gymnast or tennis player Nakase's leadership style is one of "tough love." It's an approach she learned from her father Compliments were not something given in her family Her father "not only (held) me accountable but he set higher and higher standards because I think if you believe in yourself — in this — then I want to push you to this," Nakase said That's not to say she won't be there for players off the court Nakase said her "responsibility is to be with them every single day Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase smiles during training camp at the WNBA team's facility in Oakland Nakase will be one of four head coaches of color in the WNBA this season Seattle Storm coach Noelle Quinn is the only other female Latricia Trammell became the first Native American or Alaska Native head coach Only one-fourth of the head coaches in the league are Black which is a sharp contrast to the fact that roughly 64% of WNBA players are Black or African American according to a 2023 report from The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport Hispanic/Latina and Asian players each account for 1.4% Those who identify as mixed race amount to nearly 11% The WNBA is on track to expand to 16 teams by 2028 This is all happening as women's sports at college and professional levels have seen a popularity surge in the last few years Nakase was a Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach for 10 years before she joined the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces in a similar role after the Aces won back-to-back championships She believes the opportunity to be part of the movement happening in women's sports as the coach of the Valkyries couldn't have come at a better time experiencing everything on a day to day on what it looks like what they get and now coming here," Nakase said Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase and assistant coach Sugar Rodgers during training camp at the WNBA team's facility in Oakland Nakase's presence has electrified Bay Area Asian Americans who already were stoked to have a hometown WNBA team to support had bought Valkyries season tickets for themselves and their daughters Adelaide one of several Asian American youth teams around the Bay Area Adelaide said she was "freaking out" when she found out an Asian American woman would be taking a lead in Dub Nation who also grew up playing in an Asian American league "I thought that was just so cool and it felt more so like she was part of our community already," Adelaide said Both Nakase and Chen's presence have intensified Ashlyn's interest laughs while talking with guard Kaitlyn Chen while being interviewed during training camp at the WNBA team's facility in Oakland "I didn't really watch the WNBA like that much before," Ashlyn said "but now that I see a lot of Asian representation .. whose father founded a local basketball club over 30 years ago said it's "the most wonderful thing that we could ever ask for I think also it challenges the stereotypes and expands their views of what's possible." It's "a symbol to all girls and boys alike in the Asian community," Nathan Chan added Nakase embraces what she feels is a responsibility and thinks about how to use her new platform to encourage more girls on a daily basis "What I feel like I'm going to connect more to also is more coaches," Nakase said the impact of coaches is going to be the reason why other females — younger kids that look like me — that they're going to be inspired." The Washington Senate has passed a bill to try and stop habitual speeders in their tracks A teenager who admitted being "addicted to speed" behind the wheel had totaled two other cars in the year before he slammed into a minivan at 112 mph in a Seattle suburb killing the driver and three of the five children she was transporting for a homeschool co-op After sentencing Chase Daniel Jones last month to more than 17 years in prison the judge tacked on a novel condition should he drive again: His vehicle must be equipped with a device that prevents accelerating far beyond the speed limit Chase Daniel Jones cries as attorney Brad Barshis gets up to read a letter Jones wrote to the families of his victims at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent Virginia this year became the first state to give its judges such a tool to deal with the most dangerous drivers on the road already is using it and similar measures await governors' signatures in Washington state and Georgia New York and California also could soon tap the GPS-based technology to help combat a recent national spike in traffic deaths "It's a horror no one should have to experience," said Amy Cohen who founded the victims' advocacy group Families for Safe Streets after her 12-year-old son was killed by a speeding driver in front of their New York home more than a decade ago the minivan driver who was killed when Jones ran a red light was building a backyard greenhouse with her husband to help educate several kids who shuttle between homes during the school day Also killed in the March 2024 crash near Hudson's home in Renton were Boyd "Buster" Brown and Eloise Wilcoxson Hudson's two children were sitting on the passenger side and survived "You always hear of these horrific accidents comforts Rivka Wilcoxson after Wilcoxson spoke about her family's loss during Chase Daniel Jones' sentencing on April 25 at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent who reached out to offer condolences and tell him she was sponsoring legislation to mandate intelligent speed assistance devices as a condition for habitual speeders to get back their suspended licenses Leavitt predicts it will have an even more powerful impact than revoking driving privileges citing studies showing around three-quarters of people who lose their licenses get behind a wheel anyway the state saw a 200% increase in drivers cited for going at least 50 mph over the speed limit according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission "I guess I don't understand why someone is compelled to want to drive that fast," Leavitt said "But if they choose to drive that fast with the speed limiter which Washington legislators passed last month and Democratic Gov using the first letters of the names of the four victims: Buster didn't receive a speeding ticket in his two previous crashes he likely wouldn't have been required to use the speed-limiter ahead of the fatal one And because it could be 2029 before the law takes effect the judge's requirement at sentencing only applies to his time on probation after being released from prison Competing tech companies that joined forces to lobby for ignition interlock requirements for drunken drivers have been working in unison again the last few years to pitch intelligent speed assistance chief government affairs officer at one manufacturer said fleet vehicles including school buses in the nation's capital have been trying it out for years But it took a lot of refinement before the GPS technology could instantly recognize speed limit changes and compel vehicles with the devices installed to adjust accordingly "We've got a lot more satellites in the sky now," said Ken Denton a retired police officer who is the chief compliance officer at Cincinnati-based LifeSafer for a vigil honoring the four people killed in a car crash the devices would prevent cars from exceeding speed limits or whatever threshold regulators set An override button allows speeding in emergencies but states can decide whether to activate it and authorities would be alerted any time the button is pushed which beeps to alert drivers when they are going too fast is required for new cars in the European Union Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar proposal last year explaining vehicle safety requirements are set by the federal government and he was concerned a patchwork of state laws could stir confusion near where a speeding motorist crashed into a minivan killing four people and seriously injuring two Patrick Hope agreed to sponsor the proposal in the Virginia Legislature which was calibrated to not go more than 9 mph over the speed limit "That was my first question: Is it safe?" Hope said Not only did he come away convinced it was safe Hope is now pondering whether to install it on the cars of his three children the price could be hefty: $4 per day and a $100 installation fee The fee would be reduced for low-income offenders which provides support services to the loved ones of crash victims knows firsthand the kind of impact slowing down speeders can make A year after her son was struck and killed in front of their New York apartment Attorneys general from 17 states and Washington, D.C., including New Jersey, are challenging an executive order Trump signed during his first day in office With soaring electric prices becoming a major political issue in New Jersey a widening group of state lawmakers from both parties is telling utility regulators how to do their jobs Elsewhere, political leaders are trying to rapidly increase wind energy. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a major investment in wind power in April while hosting an international summit on energy security John Burzichelli talks about major state investments in facilities to serve the offshore wind industry during a legislative confere… Egg Harbor Township police and EMTs were honored last week for their roles in two roadside births and a fiery car crash in recent months EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — The Township Committee last week honored EMTs and police officers who helped deliver two children and saved another person’s life “There are two babies in the world and somebody who is alive because of the people in this room,” Mayor Laura Pfrommer said during the Wednesday meeting About 7:30 p.m. March 14 police responded to a car crash on Delilah Road A 1993 BMW had struck a tree and caught fire with the driver Officers Michael O’Hagan and Dominik Newman were the first to arrive on scene and extricated the unconscious Uzzaman from the burning vehicle Officer Matthew Perkins extinguished the fire AtlantiCare paramedics and the Cardiff Volunteer Fire Company provided lifesaving support and scene security during the emergency response and crash investigation Uzzaman was transported to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center where he underwent surgery and was listed in stable condition The first responders who helped deliver a baby in a car in Egg Harbor Township met with the mother and child in the hospital Monday, police said in a Facebook post dispatch received a call about a woman in distress outside Ollie’s Bargain Outlet in the English Creek Shopping Center EMTs Chris Shuster and Steve Lee arrived to find a woman standing and in clear it was determined the woman was pregnant and experiencing intense and rapid contractions The emergency crew loaded the woman onto a stretcher and into the ambulance where within minutes they delivered a baby boy Responders cleared his airway and administered oxygen before transporting mother and baby to a local hospital At 4 a.m. March 6 Samuel Walsh and Juwan Parker; EMTs Jillian Millish and William Shallcross; and Communication Officer Juliet Lipari helped deliver a baby along the Black Horse Pike they delivered the baby girl within five minutes Mother and baby headed home after a brief stay at AtlantiCare’s Mainland Campus in Galloway Township I know what they are doing each and every day our officers are doing something heroic-worthy,” police Chief Frederick Spano said “Egg Harbor Township is a growing jurisdiction The types of calls that we are dealing with In a post on Facebook regarding the birth assists vjackson@pressofac.com the annual reorganization meeting of the Egg Harbor Township Committee at the Community Center on English Creek avenue HAMILTON TOWNSHIP — Five people were arrested Friday night following fights at a carnival in the Hamilton Mall parking lot Police responded to the mall about 8:15 p.m. after a report of numerous fights and disorderly individuals at the carnival. Officers implemented crowd-control measures and requested mutual aid from neighboring towns, police said Monday in a post on Facebook Several people reported suffering minor injuries Police did not identify the five people arrested but said additional charges are pending further investigation "There will be zero tolerance for anyone acting disorderly and those who cannot follow the rules will be arrested," police said in the Facebook post "Juveniles who are out past curfew will be charged and released to a parent/guardian." President Donald Trump is opening a new salvo in his tariff war In a post Sunday night on his Truth Social platform Trump said he has authorized the Department of Commerce and the Office of the U.S Trade Representative to slap a 100% tariff “on any an… NEW YORK — President Donald Trump is opening a new salvo in his tariff war Trade Representative to slap a 100% tariff "on any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands." "The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death," he wrote complaining that other countries "are offering all sorts of incentives to draw" filmmakers and studios away from the U.S "This is a concerted effort by other Nations and President Donald Trump speaks with reporters after disembarking Marine One upon arrival on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington It wasn't immediately clear how any such tariff on international productions could be implemented It's common for both large and small films to include production in the U.S Big-budget movies like the upcoming "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning," for instance Incentive programs for years have influenced where movies are shot increasingly driving film production out of California and to other states and countries with favorable tax incentives Yet Trump's tariffs are designed to lead consumers toward American products American-produced movies overwhelming dominate the domestic marketplace China has ramped up its domestic movie production culminating in the animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" grossing more than $2 billion this year its sales came almost entirely from mainland China where successive governments have offered rebates and incentives in recent years to draw Hollywood films to the country the film industry has generated billions of dollars in tourism revenue driven by the "Lord of the Rings" and "Hobbit" films which featured the country's pristine and scenic vistas the blockbuster "Minecraft" movie was filmed entirely in New Zealand productions in 2023 delivered $1.3 billion New Zealand dollars ($777 million) to the country in return for NZ$200 million in subsidies New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he was awaiting more details of Trump's measures before commenting on them but would continue to pitch to filmmakers abroad "We've got an absolutely world class industry," he said didn't immediately respond to messages Sunday evening The MPA's data shows how much Hollywood exports have dominated cinemas the American movies produced $22.6 billion in exports and $15.3 billion in trade surplus in 2023 has made good on the "tariff man" label he gave himself years ago slapping new taxes on goods made in countries around the globe That includes a 145% tariff on Chinese goods and a 10% baseline tariff on goods from other countries Trump has exerted extraordinary influence over the flow of commerce creating political risks and pulling the market in different directions set to be subject to new tariffs in the weeks ahead Trump has long voiced concern about movie production moving overseas he announced that he had tapped actors Mel Gibson Jon Voight and Sylvester Stallone to serve as "special ambassadors" to Hollywood to bring it "BACK — BIGGER film and television production has been hampered in recent years the Hollywood guild strikes of 2023 and the recent wildfires in the Los Angeles area which asked about preferred filming locations Central Europe and Australia came out on top The problem is especially acute in California production last year was down 5.6% from 2023 according to FilmLA during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic proposed expanding California's Film & Television Tax Credit program to $750 million annually Chicago and San Francisco have also used aggressive tax incentives to lure film and TV productions Those programs can take the form of cash grants "Other nations have been stealing the movie-making capabilities from the United States," Trump told reporters at the White House on Sunday night after returning from a weekend in Florida "If they're not willing to make a movie inside the United States we should have a tariff on movies that come in." Associated Press writers Gary Field in Washington and Charlotte Graham-McLay in Wellington contributed to this report from Washington In a post Sunday night on his Truth Soc… (IART) on Monday reported a loss of $25.3 million in its first quarter New Jersey-based company said it had a loss of 33 cents per share The results fell short of Wall Street expectations The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 43 cents per share The medical device maker posted revenue of $382.7 million in the period Six analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $382.2 million Integra expects its per-share earnings to range from 40 cents to 45 cents The company said it expects revenue in the range of $390 million to $400 million for the fiscal second quarter Integra expects full-year earnings in the range of $2.19 to $2.29 per share with revenue ranging from $1.65 billion to $1.72 billion This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on IART at https://www.zacks.com/ap/IART The Press will select six high school MVPs each Monday of the spring season based on their recent performances Fans can vote at pressofac.com for one of the six to be named The Press High School Athlete of the Week and the results will appear Friday online and in Saturday’s print edition The senior shortstop went 7 for 15 with two home runs two triples and six RBIs in four games last week Cagna is batting .511 (24 for 47) with eight home runs and 20 RBIs this season Jake Lodgek Mainland Regional baseball The senior struck out nine and pitched a complete game as the Mustangs upset previously undefeated Northern Burlington 4-2 in a Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic second-round game The freshman won the Cape-Atlantic League individual singles championship with a 6-3 The senior outfielder went 11 for 18 with eight runs scored nine RBIs and two home runs to spark the Fighting Clan to a 5-0 week The senior became the seventh girl in Cape-Atlantic League history to break five minutes in the 1,600-meter run when she won the event at the South Jersey Track and Field Coaches Elite Meet in 4 minutes The junior propelled the Hermits in the quarterfinals of the Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic He homered and scored three runs in a 13-3 first-round win over Vineland Weingartner then threw a no-hitter with eight strikeouts and hit two home runs in a 10-0 second-round win over Moorestown Contact: 609-272-7209. MMcGarry@PressofAC.com Ava Sheeran entered Wednesday leading Mainland with 35 goals and 44 points this season PJ Foley and the Mainland Regional High School golf team excelled Thursday at the prestigious Carl-Arena/Al Rifkin Memorial Golf Tournament ATLANTIC CITY — Ransel Perez sprinted up the steps of the dugout at Pop Lloyd Stadium and took his position at shortstop Thursday night LOWER TOWNSHIP — Police said Sunday they are looking for a missing 15-year-old girl Jada Goolsby is 5-foot-4 and about 105 pounds Police said she was last seen heading north on Bayshore Road from the Baywood Park neighborhood wearing a black sweatshirt Anyone who may know Goolsby's whereabouts can call police at 609-886-2711 Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter Pete Kelsey and his team 3D-mapped all of Alcatraz Island gaining access to areas previously off limits the team unveiled details around the famous 1962 prison escape and created new models that could help str… NEW YORK — President Donald Trump says he is directing the government to reopen and expand Alcatraz the notorious former prison on a California island President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport on Sunday in West Palm Beach In a message on his Truth Social site Sunday evening who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals and keep them far away from anyone they could harm to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ to house America’s most ruthless and violent Offenders," he wrote adding: "The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law no one knows the fate of Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin to this day although authorities believe they likely died in the treacherous waters of the San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz Island is currently operated as a tourist site The order comes as Trump has been clashing with the courts as he tries to send accused gang members to a notorious prison in El Salvador Trump has also talked about wanting to send American citizens there and to other foreign prisons President Donald Trump has made moves to expand the United States' already gargantuan carceral system from mass deportation to harsher punishments for some crimes are reliant on the federal government having access to more prison and jail cells to enact his promises on immigration and crime and punishment This lack of space is one of the major barriers to ramping up deportations, and ICE is limited by its budget. But Trump is now considering tapping into defense funds. Those funds "would allow civilian-run companies to quickly and rapidly expand temporary detention facilities," such as tents, according to NBC News putting their safety—and that of employees—at risk Yet another sign of a private prison infrastructure expansion is a report that the Trump administration is preparing to restart family immigrant detention, including incarcerating families with young children, and is expected to ask companies to bid for contracts, according to NBC News he told sheriffs: "We need your bed space." Homan promised to make it easier for local jails to incarcerate people for ICE by lowering detention standards and limiting the number of federal inspections He said he hoped to eliminate federal rules and instead defer to state-level standards it's good enough for an illegal immigrant detained for us," Homan said Other state politicians have resisted cooperation with ICE. A law in Illinois prohibits local sheriffs from renting jail space for immigrant detention. Trump is now suing the state over the law The president's search for more prison and jail cells for imprisoning both citizens and undocumented immigrants extends beyond U.S legal to deport a non-citizen to a third country the administration's effort to send three Venezuelan men to Guantánamo Many have speculated that Trump's sending people to Guantánamo, like many of his immigration efforts, is an attempt to create a massive spectacle intended to project power and instill fear But despite the significant legal and practical barriers the Trump administration's numerous efforts to find more jail and prison cells indicate a clear desire to build a larger carceral system Trump has styled himself as a "law and order" president and is using that frame in his efforts at expanded incarceration But despite his wide-ranging moves to increase prison and jail space he has been selective in who should be imprisoned or punished for illegal behavior This story was produced by The Marshall Project nonprofit news organization that seeks to create and sustain a sense of national urgency about the U.S Judges in several states may soon get a new tool to stop dangerous drivers from speeding again Philadelphia Phillies' Ranger Suarez pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez reacts after he was relieved during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks scores on an error past Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper reacts after hitting a pop flyout to center off Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Jalen Beeks during the tenth inning of a baseball game PHILADELPHIA — When it comes to the Phillies' starting pitching In light of Ranger Suarez’s season debut Sunday allowing seven runs and seven hits in an 11-9 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks before 44,010 fans at Citizens Bank Park “It just looked like he lost his command (pitching) out of the stretch,” manager Rob Thomson said “leaving his breaking ball up a little bit Suarez missed the start of the year with a lower back soreness that reared its head in spring training This could be the 29-year-old Suarez’s only opportunity to cash in on a big contract There was great anticipation for his start Sunday The fans gave him a big ovation before his first pitch Suarez was one of the best pitchers in baseball the first three months of last season He ended June with a 10-2 record and a 2.29 ERA last year Suarez looked Sunday like the pitcher that struggled so much in last season’s final months Suarez retired the first six hitters he faced Suarez wrestled with his command when pitching out of the stretch The Diamondbacks were 6 for 8 with a walk against Suarez with a runner on base “I was overthrowing the ball a little bit from the stretch,” Suarez said “I think I was trying to do a little too much.” The Diamondbacks swung at 39 pitches and missed on just seven The Phillies trailed 7-1 when Suarez left the mound And because Suarez lasted less than four innings the Phillies had to burn through their bullpen ran out of arms as the game went into extra innings Closer Jose Alvarado was forced to throw 1⅔ innings and 30 pitches who was only supposed to pitch in case of emergency Alvarado is on pace to appear in 76 games this season Sunday was the third time he has thrown more than one inning after not doing it all last season “They’re a little bit taxed right now,” Thomson said of the bullpen and we’ll regroup on Tuesday (in Tampa against the Rays).” One doesn’t want to overreact to one start but Suarez’s performance is concerning because it continues the trend seen at the end of last season runs allowed and a couple of walks that we had today I think what I take from today is that I feel fine,” Suarez said was solid in six starts this season with a 2.54 ERA in 28⅓ innings The job of the fifth starter is to eat innings and keep the team in the game Walker failed to last five innings in three of his six starts Suarez didn’t get out of the fourth Sunday With four quality starters in Zack Wheeler the Phillies are better off than nearly every other team But this season is beginning to feel like last September when the club struggled to find a fifth starter but Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski admitted in the offseason that the lack of a dependable fifth starter probably cost the club a shot at 100 wins North Wildwood unveiled the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument and reopened Veterans Memorial Park in fr… NHL news: The Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights battle closely using diverse tactics Ottawa Senators upset the Toronto Maple Leafs with a remarkable win Dallas forward Matt Duchene relies on the same eats an identical meal — pasta and salmon — and spends time reviewing notes he's made in his journal For many NHL players and coaches, little pregame rituals and routines help them slip into the proper frame of mind for the next big game Or revolve around how they get dressed for a game not to lump these in with superstitions like Patrick Roy talking to his goalposts or Brendan Shanahan listening to Madonna but I don't think that means you're superstitious," Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson explained fights for control of the puck with Dallas Stars center Matt Duchene in the second period of Game 4 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series Saturday Food seems to be a common theme; many have a go-to menu on game day while Stars forward Mikko Rantanen prefers chicken Vegas forward Tomas Hertl has the same breakfast every morning — scrambled eggs with mushrooms It used to be 13 meatballs with lingonberry sauce and mashed potatoes with gravy for Minnesota Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood follows the same steps before each period whose pregame meal is usually chickpea pasta with marinara sauce two chicken breasts and a bowl of chicken noodle soup I don't think it would mentally screw me up." Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour watches action behind players Mark Jankowski (77) Jack Roslovic (96) and his son Skyler Brind'Amour during first period NHL hockey action against the Montreal Canadiens in Montreal on Wednesday it involves how players put on their uniform but I don't even think about it," Hertl said Same with Vegas defenseman Ben Hutton: "I kiss the inside of my jersey when I put it on," he said One frequent requirement: sneaking in a pregame nap — or at least logging some chill time I was a little bit more (superstitious) when I was younger I've kind of had to change my schedule on the fly with a busy household," said Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo Carolina forward Mark Jankowski typically takes Lucy followed by slipping on a pair of Normatec boots — compression therapy to enhance circulation He naps 60 to 90 minutes before taking off for the rink Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) and Minnesota Wild center Gustav Nyquist (41) fall to the ice during the third period of Game 2 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Tuesday Washington goaltender Logan Thompson used to have numerous superstitions "if I would mess one up or if I would do something wrong I think it would throw off my whole game," he explained "Over the last two years just switched it up of making sure my body feels good and just keeping it loose," he added he credits "sewer ball," a game played in some corner of a hockey arena all over Players form a circle and try to keep a ball from hitting the ground his playlist is heavy Czech music to set the proper goal-scoring mood "I'm the kind of guy who can listen to everything," Hertl said "I like just the songs I kind of know I can sing along Other ways that players loosen up for a game: Gustavsson Vegas defenseman Noah Hanifin takes a cold plunge while teammate Brayden McNabb chomps on gum (peppermint) in warmups Vegas Golden Knights right wing Reilly Smith (19) scores a goal past Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) during the third period of Game 3 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Thursday Players also make sure their equipment is as prepared as they are Avalanche forward Jonathan Drouin spray-paints the bottom of his sticks Stars forward Mason Marchment makes sure his stick is stiff and newly taped Duchene slightly tweaks his routine depending on if it's a road or home game he includes rice with his pasta and salmon He also naps in a hyperbaric chamber before home games who writes the title of a song — "Jim Bob" by Hardy — on his stick "I did everything to the minute before a game "My biggest thing is you do what you do to get prepared and then you just throw the gear on and go play," he added "That's the most pure form of playing hockey You don't need to do 'A-through-Z' to get ready." FILE - Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky laughs as he wears his new Hockey Hall of Fame ring during his induction ceremony at the Hall in Toronto and New York Islanders Denis Potvin (5) jostle for a loose puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale FILE - Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin celebrates after his winning goal against the Ottawa Senators during overtime NHL hockey game action in Ottawa (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP FILE - Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers FILE - Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild FILE - Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin celebrates his second goal of the game during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers FILE - Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) watches from the bench during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers FILE - Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin takes a shot during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins Washington Capitals left winger Alex Ovechkin shoots the puck from over his head after being checked to the ice by Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Paul Mara for a goal in the third period an NHL game in Glendale FILE - Fans cheer as Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin celebrates his goal against the Arizona Coyotes during the third period of an NHL hockey game FILE - Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (8) takes a shot during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres follows through on a shot during the second period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes FILE - Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin holds his 798 and 800th career goal pucks in the locker room next to hats collected for his hat trick after an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday FILE - Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin celebrates his goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils follows through on a shot during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers FILE - Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates after scoring his 767 NHL career goals during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders celebrates after scoring his third goal of an NHL hockey game during the third period against the St winds up for a shot during the second period of the team's NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin follows through on a shot against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Tampa FILE - Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin reacts during a media availability at the team's NHL hockey training camp in Arlington FILE - Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin celebrates his 600th career goal in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets Ottawa Senators upset the Toronto Maple Leafs with… Chrissy Houlahan and CNN Political Commentators Ashley Allison and Kristen Soltis Anderson discuss Trump saying he doesn’t know if he has to uphold the Constitution as well as growing concerns over his handling of the economy — President Donald Trump is circumspect about his duties to uphold due process rights laid out in the Constitution saying in a new interview that he does not know whether U.S citizens and noncitizens alike deserve that guarantee President Donald Trump holds a document with notes about Kilmar Abrego Garcia as he speaks with reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on April 18 in Washington He also said he does not think military force will be needed to make Canada the “51st state” and played down the possibility he would look to run for a third term in the White House interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press" came as the Republican president's efforts to quickly enact his agenda face sharper headwinds with Americans just as his second administration crossed the 100-day mark according to a recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research made clear that he is not backing away from a to-do list that he insists the American electorate broadly supported when they elected him in November Here are some of the highlights from the interview with NBC's Kristen Welker that was taped Friday at his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida and aired Sunday Critics on the left have tried to make the case that Trump is chipping away at due process in the United States they cite the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia a Salvadoran man who was living in Maryland when he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador and imprisoned without communication Trump says Abrego Garcia is part of a violent transnational gang The Republican president has sought to turn deportation into a test case for his campaign against illegal immigration despite a Supreme Court order saying the administration must work to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S citizens and noncitizens both deserve due process as laid out in the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution I don’t know,” Trump said when pressed by Welker The Fifth Amendment provides “due process of law,” meaning a person has certain rights when it comes to being prosecuted for a crime the 14th Amendment says no state can “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said.” He said he was pushing to deport “some of the worst most dangerous people on Earth,” but that courts are getting in his way “I was elected to get them the hell out of here and the courts are holding me from doing it,” Trump said The president has repeatedly threatened that he intends to make Canada the “51st state.” Fareed assesses the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term with Jon Meacham Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential biographer Before his White House meeting on Tuesday with newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Trump is not backing away from the rhetoric that has angered Canadians told NBC that it was “highly unlikely” that the U.S would need to use military force to make Canada the 51st state He offered less certainty about whether his repeated calls for the U.S to take over Greenland from NATO-ally Denmark can be achieved without military action “Something could happen with Greenland,” Trump said we need that for national and international security economy is in a “transition period” but he expects it to do “fantastically” despite the economic turmoil sparked by his tariffs He offered sharp pushback when Welker noted that some Wall Street analysts now say the chances of a recession are increasing some people on Wall Street say,” Trump said Some people on Wall Street say that we’re going to have the greatest economy in history.” He also deflected blame for the 0.3% decline in the U.S “I think the good parts are the Trump economy and the bad parts are the Biden economy because he’s done a terrible job,” referring to his Democratic predecessor Trump doubled down on his recent comments at a Cabinet meeting that children might have to have two dolls instead of 30 denying that is an acknowledgment his tariffs will lead to supply shortages “I’m just saying they don’t need to have 30 dolls The president has repeatedly suggested he could seek a third term in the White House even though the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution says that “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” Trump told NBC there is considerable support for him to run for a third term “But this is not something I’m looking to do,” Trump said “I’m looking to have four great years and turn it over to somebody Trump's previous comments about a third term sometimes seem more about provoking outrage on the political left The Trump Organization is even selling red caps with the words “Trump 2028.” he has suggested he was seriously looking into a third term Vice President JD Vance waves waves as he departs Charleston after touring Nucor Steel Berkeley in Huger Trump said in the interview that Vice President JD Vance is doing a “fantastic job” and is “brilliant.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio whom Trump last week tasked to simultaneously serve as acting national security adviser But Trump said it is “far too early” to begin talking about his potential successor He is confident that his "Make America Great Again" movement will flourish beyond his time in the White House The limited-edition nutcrackers titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," is seen at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman works on nutcrackers of a cowboy at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman uses hairspray to fixe the hair on a nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg manager and owner of the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory Fabrics for nutcracker costumes are stored on the shelf at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg Nutcrackers are displayed at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg The desk of the limited-edition nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," is seen at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A nutcracker commemorating the coronation of Britain's King Charles III stands alongside other nutcrackers at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A man walks on the road near the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A man works on a lathe in the carpentry of the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg Two limited-edition nutcrackers titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," are seen on a table at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman fixes a coat on a nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg An Uncle Sam nutcracker with an American flag stands between other nutcrackers at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg nutcrackers showing Britain's King Charles III Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam are displayed at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman combs the hair on a nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg and Kristen Soltis Anderson discuss Tru… it's no secret that coffee is the drink of choice for many starting their day From the importance of sourcing high quality green beans We take an inside look into the coffee roasting process Reneé Colón stands on a stepladder in the rented corner of a warehouse pouring Brazilian coffee beans into her groaning old roasting machine The beans are precious because they survived severe drought in a year when environmental conditions depressed coffee production globally doubling the price of raw beans in just months coffee is going to become more scarce," said Colón founder and roaster at Fuego Coffee Roasters "Seeing that dramatic loss of the Brazilian crop is a perfect example." Losses from heat and drought have cut production forecasts in Brazil and Vietnam Global production is still expected to increase but not as much as commodity market investors had expected largely because of continued high demand in Europe Prices peaked in February but have remained high forcing roasters like Colón to weigh how much of that cost to absorb and how much to pass on to consumers The beans Colón was roasting cost her $5.50 per pound in early March more than double what they cost in September Specialty coffees — grown in delicate climates to slow growth and add flavor — can cost even more President Donald Trump's current 10% tariffs cover most coffee-producing countries and are expected to drive up costs for Americans Amid his chaotic tariff pronouncements — at one point he threatened 46% tariffs on Vietnam imports and 32% on Indonesia imports before pausing them — American coffee roasters are rethinking their supply chains "With all these changes in coffee maybe we should open our own damn farm," Colón muses Coffee beans fall into the cooling tray of a roasting machine at Fuego Coffee Roasters' roasting facility The world's best coffee thrives near the equator where slow growing allows beans to gather flavor either — labor costs are too high and she worries about the increasing risk of crop-damaging hurricanes She shrugs off buying coffee from Hawaii and California global coffee green exports were down 14.2% from a year earlier according to the International Coffee Organization's market report The shortage led to the highest price ever for raw coffee in February breaking the record set in 1977 when severe frost wiped out 70% of Brazil's coffee plants Climate isn't the only thing driving up prices a buyer for San Francisco-based Ritual Coffee Roasters She described being in Mexico in April seeking to finalize contracts between Trump's fits and starts on tariffs It reminded her of being in Colombia a month earlier as Trump threatened and then backed away from tariffs that would have affected coffee prices because at the end of the day it didn't exist," Whalen said Some of the recent rise in coffee prices may be from importers buying extra in anticipation of the tariffs Colón believes prices will go still higher as import taxes begin being paid And with consumer confidence hitting a 12-year low Colón could see a decrease in demand for her premium coffee "It is tough on our end because it drives the price up tough on the consumer end because they have to pay more and tough on the farmers' end because they may be experiencing really significant losses," Colón said make coffee at Fuego Coffee Roasters in Rochester she and her husband took out a $50,000 loan to buy a custom coffee roaster from Turkey that will triple capacity They're trying to increase sales by adding new wholesale clients like coffee shops and selling directly to homes via a beans-of-the-month-style subscription service The Colóns have raised the wholesale price on a pound of roasted beans by 25 cents They're considering doing the same for pour-overs and espresso drinks at their two retail locations one couple said they don't look at the coffee's price on the receipt "We know we could go find coffee cheaper somewhere else," said Rob Newell as he held a cooing infant daughter alongside his wife "Maybe it's just because we're new parents cabin fever staying in the house all day." The warehouse where she roasts has some extra space so she's weighing stacking up more bags of raw beans there to save as much as $500 on monthly storage costs in port cities She's tried to cultivate relationships with farmers to minimize price spikes and control bean quality She described working with a farmer in Colombia as coffee prices were spiking in February to lock in a one-year contract that avoided the worst of the increase she's had to get used to the complexity of tariffs she turned down a pitch from a Montreal coffee importer who suggested the U.S dollar's strength in Canada would allow her to save money by importing through their warehouse She feared that tariffs on Canada could increase prices the coffee would have to cross an extra border And the value of the dollar has been up and down "I want things to be less complicated instead of more," she said The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org In a post Sunday on his Truth Social platform Trump said he has authorized a 100% tariff "on any and all Movies" coming into the U.S District 11 representative and gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill seen at the Atlantic County Democratic Convention at Renault Winery in March is slightly ahead of the other five candidates Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Ras Baraka was in Pleasantville and Atlantic City on April 19 to meet with small businesses and participate in the Rise Up Against Trump Rally With five weeks until New Jersey’s June 10 primary and voters already returning mail ballots all six candidates have a path to securing the Democratic nomination the race has become a high-profile barometer of how Jersey voters are responding to President Donald Trump’s second term so far Mikie Sherrill slightly ahead of other Democratic candidates but New Jersey political experts say the uniquely competitive race is still fair game and could have razor-sharp margins All of the candidates have experience in elected office as a mayor state senator or member of Congress — and a base of voters “Undecided is in first place; Mikie Sherrill is in a distant second and everybody else is crowded around her in third place,” Patrick Murray Experts predict the primary winner could wiggle to victory with just 20% of the vote — or 250,000 ballots “Many election cycles recently have taught us to never say never,” said Ashley Koning director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling “It really comes down to who actually turns out Here’s a look at each candidate’s paths to victory The New Jersey Monitor sued Jersey City after it refused to release the disciplinary report of a sergeant who shot at his party guests Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is a progressive who would be the state’s first Black governor He has particularly embraced working-class voters of color who he argues the Democratic Party has taken for granted Baraka could energize voters who don’t always show up to vote but have a record of voting in elections they care about Baraka argues that Democrats need to stop trying to be “Republican Lite.” He has the support of progressive organizations like the Working Families Party and various labor unions Baraka surprised some politicos by being a second-favorite in certain county party committee votes “For far too long we’ve seen that a lot of the Democratic Party’s strategy has been to focus only on the suburbs and focus only on mostly white voters,” said Antoinette Miles director of the New Jersey Working Families Party “If this electorate in the primary skews more multiracial then I think that presents a pathway to victory.” Some residents of Osprey Cove want Upper Township to find a way to ease a planned 30% rent increase in their community Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop has been running an anti-establishment campaign Some question the validity of that branding given his past involvement in the Hudson County establishment but he hasn’t shied away from publicly criticizing a slew of political actors throughout his campaign He’s formed a coalition that could be described as his own anti-establishment establishment of sorts He recruited down-ballot candidates throughout the state who will run for county and state offices with a shared slogan with him He’s argued that this strategy has given the opportunity for more people to run but running candidates against Democratic incumbents has also made him some enemies “This may be the first test in which we really see whether or not somebody can put together something that could credibly challenge the power of the county organizations,” said Micah Rasmussen director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics Fulop also uniquely already announced a lieutenant governor candidate and said he would reappoint Attorney General Matt Platkin Fulop checks some of the boxes that other candidates in the race have touted as part of their bios: His parents are immigrants Fulop would also be the state’s first Jewish governor and New Jersey Democratic lawmakers are sweating over the political impact of big spikes in electric bills that are due to kick in soon Josh Gottheimer has focused on more moderate and conservative Democrats through a repeated “lower taxes Gottheimer was the only New Jersey Democrat in Congress who voted in favor of the Laken Riley Act — which allows undocumented people to be detained based on theft-related arrests — solidifying himself to the right of other candidates in the field on immigration he’s targeted older voters since they tend to be more moderate He has also tried to reach blue-collar workers Gottheimer hasn’t gotten as much establishment support as some expected but he has secured a sought-after endorsement from the Bergen County Democrats — the county has the second highest number of registered Democrats in the state who would also be the state’s first Jewish governor stands out as the Democratic candidate engaging the Orthodox Jewish community the most executive director of the New Jersey Jewish Business Alliance A new poll shows Jack Ciattarelli leading the GOP race to become N.J.'s next governor while Democrats remain divided on their six candidates Mikie Sherrill can be described as generally more progressive than Gottheimer and Sweeney but less progressive than Baraka and Fulop She’s the candidate with the most support from county Democratic party establishments throughout the state With the county line axed from New Jersey ballots it’s unclear how much these endorsements matter county committees bring a structured support system made up of engaged party voters Sherrill said she’s found success building broad coalitions though given her background as a veteran and mother she said she’s had particular resonance with suburban women and veterans “There is still this sense from women who want to see a woman elected to office and the fact that she is a veteran gives her some of that credit with some men who have a lot of respect for her military background” said Patricia Campos-Medina a New Jersey progressive activist who is advising Sherrill on engaging with Latino voters The six Democrats vying to become our next governor have all taken aim at billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk Sean Spiller is the president of the New Jersey Education Association the state’s largest teachers union with about 200,000 members His campaign is unique because of how heavily he relies on a multimillion-dollar super PAC called Working New Jersey that’s largely funded with union dues from public school teachers Spiller failed to garner enough individual donations to qualify for public matching funds and the debate stage He was the only candidate in the Democratic field who didn’t hit the benchmark “I think that’s going to send a very strong signal to any voter who’s paying attention that he sort of faded into the background,” Rasmussen said an immigrant from Jamaica who served one term as Montclair mayor would also be the Garden State’s first Black governor Critics argue that using teachers union dues to support his campaign isn’t the best look but his supporters say he can champion public education and that the union has backed candidates before The question is whether the barrage of ads from Working New Jersey has resonated with enough voters as well as whether enough teachers in the state show up for him Spiller also has some opportunities to pick up voters who have developed grudges against other candidates in the field As renovations to the Atlantic City Hall courtyard near completion the city is asking visitors to use the South Carolina Avenue entrance to the parking lot Sweeney is the only candidate from South Jersey — and has the establishment support to show for it — giving him a unique geographical base since the North Jersey vote is split five ways “I would argue that the primary-minded South Jersey voters are some of the most organized primary Democrats in the state,” Rasmussen said has positioned himself as a more moderate candidate coming out against New Jersey’s status as a sanctuary state He has catered messaging to blue-collar workers Sweeney has credited his interest in public office to the birth of his daughter Lauren Sweeney was the longest-serving state Senate president a powerful position where he became deeply familiar with New Jersey policy While Sweeney’s knowledge of the state sets him apart some view him as running a “nostalgia campaign” representing old Jersey politics at a time when there’s a hunger for something new Sweeney was ousted from his long-held seat in 2021 by Ed Durr a Republican truck driver who was little known at the time Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Ras Baraka visited two Pleasantville and two Atlantic City hair studios and participated in the Rise Up Again… Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi walks on the field for an MLS soccer match against the New York Red Bulls races for the ball in front of New York Red Bulls players during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday Inter Miami forward Tadeo Allende (21) controls the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match against the New York Red Bulls Inter Miami defender Marcelo Weigandt (57) reacts after scoring against the New York Red Bulls during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday New York Red Bulls defender Kyle Duncan heads the ball in front of Inter Miami midfielder Fafà Picault (7) during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi dribbles the ball against New York Red Bulls defenders Noah Eile (3) and Sean Nealis (15) during the first half of an MLS soccer match runs into New York Red Bulls midfielder Peter Stroud during the first half of an MLS soccer match Saturday FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi had a goal and an assist Fafà Picault scored a goal for the second consecutive game and Inter Miami beat the New York Red Bulls 4-1 on Saturday night Inter Miami (6-1-3) rebounded from a 4-3 loss to Dallas that snapped its eight-game unbeaten streak to open the season Messi capped the scoring in the 67th minute After four consecutive to or from Messi and Telasco Segovia Messi used his right hip to hold off defender Noah Eile and then calmly slammed home a left-footer from the center of the area Picault scored to give Miami a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute After two failed clearances by the Red Bulls Marcelo Weigandt played an arcing ball-in from the right side that was redirected near post when Luis Suárez flicked a headed to the back post and Picault put away a half-volley Weigandt scored in the 30th and Luis Suárez added a goal — his first since March 2 — in the 39th minute to give Miami a 3-0 lead Mohammed Sofo put away a corner kick for the Red Bulls (4-4-3) played in by Omar Valencia — going up high at the back post and somehow heading it back inside the front post — to make it 3-1 in the 43rd Weigandt, from point-blank range, tapped in the putback of his own shot to make it 2-0 in the 30th Suárez put away his own rebound to give Miami a 3-0 lead Tadeo Allende rolled a cross to Suárez for a one-touch shot from center of the area that was blocked by defender Kyle Duncan but Suárez was there for the finish for the left corner of the 6-yard box Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and veteran NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr (currently a free agent) were in attendance AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer Alex Weingartner delivered one of the most memorable high school baseball performances in the state Saturday afternoon Augustine Prep junior threw a no-hitter and hit two home runs to propel the Hermits to a 10-0 victory over Moorestown in the second round of the Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic on Saturday Weingartner struck out eight in five innings The game ended at that point because of the 10-run rule Joe Erace went 2 for 4 with three runs scored while Marco Christopher knocked in three runs for St The third-seeded Hermits will play 24th-seeded Haddonfield in the quarterfinals at  Alcyon Park in Pitman The winner advances to the semifinal also Saturday at Pitman The championship game is May 13 also at Pitman The Middle Township High School softball team won two close games Saturday and will play in the Betty Howell Tournament championship Sunday Middle defeated host Oakcrest 7-6 and Holy Spirit 2-1 The Panthers will play Vineland in the championship Sunday Katie Creamer scored on an error in the bottom of the seventh inning to win it for Middle Megan Turner hit a grounder to second base that led to the error struck out three and allowed just five hits to earn the win The Panthers' Victoria Atwood drove in Paige Peters in the first inning Mary Kate Armstrong struck out four and gave up just two hits in 6 1/3 innings The Spartans' Mariah Witmer hit two singles and scored Alexa LiTrenta singled in Witmer in the second inning Note: Vineland beat Clearview Regional 13-1 in the semifinals Hammonton 5: The Blue Devils' Gracie Ravenkamp pitched a complete game Alexis Vellucci went 2 for 3 and drove in two for Hammonton (13-5) drove in four runs and scored another for Gloucester (8-4) which lost to Donovan Catholic (17-0) in the semifinals Note: Southern Regional beat Paul VI 19-16 in the first round The Rams then lost to Haddon Township 6-5 in the semifinals Southern's Emily Evans got her 100th career hit against Haddon Township 2: Harrison LaMonaca scored four goals in the Mustangs (9-3) Joe Eyde added three goals and two assists Ryan Scannell contributed three assists and two goals Pontari and Dylan Grant each added an assist Mason Naman won nine of 14 faceoff attempts 5: Zac Castellano scored two for the Caper Tigers (4-9) He also won 17 of his 24 faceoff attempts and scooped up 14 ground balls Barnegat 0: The Rams (14-1) won by set scores of 25-19 Logan Homme led with 29 assists to go with six service points Brody Reynolds added eight service points and seven digs PMulranen@pressofac.com Watch the full Run for the Roses at the 151st Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs crosses the finish line Saturday to win the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville — Sovereignty outdueled 3-1 favorite Journalism down the stretch to win the 151st Kentucky Derby in the slop on Saturday Trainer Bill Mott won his first Derby in 2019 when Country House was elevated to first after Maximum Security crossed the finish line first and was disqualified after a 22-minute delay Journalism found trouble in the first turn and jockey Umberto Rispoli moved him to the outside He and Sovereignty hooked up at the eighth pole before Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado pulled away Jockey Junior Alvarado celebrates after riding Sovereignty to victory in the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby Final Gambit was fourth and Owen Almighty finished fifth with the Churchill Downs dirt strip listed as sloppy and horse racing fans protecting their fancy hats and clothing with clear plastic ponchos crosses the finish line to win the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby Rams #15 Kyle Sininsky rockets a scoring shot on goal during the Ocean City Lacrosse matchup against Southern Regional at Carey Stadium Rams #4 Joe Kessler looks for a third goal as he circles the Raider goal during the Ocean City Lacrosse matchup against Southern Regional at Carey Stadium Red Raider #18 Anthony Pontari runs past the goal after a scoring shot during the Ocean City Lacrosse matchup against Southern Regional at Carey Stadium Ocean City Lacrosse hosts Southern Regional at Carey Stadium Rams #12 Shea ODonell celebrates with his teammate after scoring a goal during the Ocean City Lacrosse matchup against Southern Regional at Carey Stadium OCEAN CITY — The Southern Regional High School boys lacrosse team was motivated to close out its four-game week with a victory Saturday Kessler scored two first-quarter goals to set the tone and lead the Rams to a 7-5 victory over Ocean City in a nonconference game at Carey Stadium His goals gave Southern a 2-0 lead after the first quarter Start early and just keep rolling from there," Kessler "I haven't really been able to put in many goals lately so today felt good to put up two right away "I feel like those two goals back-to-back set the tone for the game and we kept firing from there." Southern played defending Shore Conference champion Christian Brothers Academy on Monday The Rams beat Red Bank Regional and Middletown South on Wednesday and Friday "They are a great program," Southern coach John Pampalone said of Ocean City (Red Raiders' coach Joe LaTorre) does a tremendous job with them They are always one of the best programs in South Jersey "We were able to get a tough win after a four-game week Kessler hadn't scored in two of the Rams' previous three games "It was huge," Pampalone said of his senior's early goals "He has kind of been struggling and fighting himself a little bit lately He was slumping a little bit there and fighting himself "He came out with two right out of the gate and we were able to jump out and we were able to overcome some penalties and mistakes that we made to get a nice road win." Shea O'Donell scored off an assist from Kyle Sininsky to extend Southern's lead to 3-0 in the third quarter Ocean City's Charlie Beseris scored off an assist from Jack Scherbin and teammate Otter Donohue scored off an assist from Nolan O'Kane to cut the deficit to 3-2 Sininsky scored off an assist from senior Liam Griffin with one second left in the first half to give the Rams a 4-2 lead "Every year we play these guys and it's always a two- or three-goal game but we just have to play through the penalties Starting off with those two goals in the first couple minutes was a great start for us but those penalties in the third set us back a little bit Southern's Niko Iliescu and Cash McVey scored in the third quarter Scherbin scored for Ocean City in the quarter Griffin scored in the fourth to give the Rams a 7-3 lead Ocean City's Chris Pontari and Donohue scored in the closing minutes "This has been the standard procedure since the season started," Kessler said "We came into the season knowing what we were capable of Doing this and really accomplishing that means something to us." Southern competes in the Shore Conference American Division with top programs like CBA so beating another top program like Ocean City was great I think winning this game and winning the games we have is huge momentum," Griffin said Southern lost in the South Jersey Group IV semifinals the last two springs The Rams won the title in 2022 when Griffin and Kessler were freshmen "Hopefully we can move on and win the South (Jersey) Group IV championship," Griffin said We are just looking to get back there and take back what is ours," Kessler said "We have big expectations this year," he said it's South Jersey Group IV or bust for us this year We know they are some other good teams out there Rams #12 Shea ODonell sends a scoring shot on goal during the Ocean City Lacrosse matchup against Southern Regional at Carey Stadium Red Raider #8 picks himself off the ground after a diving scoring shot during the Ocean City Lacrosse matchup against Southern Regional at Carey Stadium Red Raider #46 Dean Lappin sends a shot on goal during the Ocean City Lacrosse matchup against Southern Regional at Carey Stadium Rams #3 Liam Bates battles his way through Red Raider pressure during the Ocean City Lacrosse matchup against Southern Regional at Carey Stadium In a new study published Friday in the journal Cell scientists created one antivenom to treat snakebites from several different species in mice — using antibodies from Tim Friede’s blood A more universal antivenom for humans is still many years away NEW YORK — Tim Friede has been bitten by snakes hundreds of times — often on purpose Now scientists are studying his blood in hopes of creating a better treatment for snake bites Friede has long had a fascination with reptiles and other venomous creatures He used to milk scorpions' and spiders' venom as a hobby and kept dozens of snakes at his Wisconsin home Hoping to protect himself from snake bites — and out of what he calls "simple curiosity" — he began injecting himself with small doses of snake venom and then slowly increased the amount to try to build up tolerance This undated photo provided by Centivax in 2025 shows Tim Friede who is hyper-immune to the venom of various snakes While no doctor or emergency medical technician — or anyone really — would ever suggest this is a remotely good idea experts say his method tracks how the body works When the immune system is exposed to the toxins in snake venom it develops antibodies that can neutralize the poison If it's a small amount of venom the body can react before it's overwhelmed And if it's venom the body has seen before it can react more quickly and handle larger exposures Friede has withstood snakebites and injections for nearly two decades and still has a refrigerator full of venom he shows off swollen fang marks on his arms from black mamba "I wanted to push the limits as close to death as possible to where I'm just basically teetering right there and then back off of it," he said asking them to study the tolerance he'd built up And there is a need: Around 110,000 people die from snakebite every year according to the World Health Organization And making antivenom is expensive and difficult It is often created by injecting large mammals like horses with venom and collecting the antibodies they produce These antivenoms are usually only effective against specific snake species and can sometimes produce bad reactions due to their nonhuman origins When Columbia University's Peter Kwong heard of Friede We had a very special individual with amazing antibodies that he created over 18 years." that is using his blood to prepare an antivenom to the bites of various snakes In a study published Friday in the journal Cell Kwong and collaborators shared what they were able to do with Friede's unique blood: They identified two antibodies that neutralize venom from many different snake species with the aim of someday producing a treatment that could offer broad protection It's very early research — the antivenom was only tested in mice and researchers are still years away from human trials And while their experimental treatment shows promise against the group of snakes that include mambas and cobras there is much work to do," said Nicholas Casewell a snakebite researcher at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in an email Casewell was not involved with the new study This photo provided by Centivax shows Mark Bellin and Hannah Hirou who are involved in efforts to produce an antivenom to counteract the bites of various snakes Friede's journey has not been without its missteps Among them: He said after one bad snake bite he had to cut off part of his finger And some particularly nasty cobra bites sent him to the hospital a company trying to develop the treatment and that helped pay for the study He's excited that his 18-year odyssey could one day save lives from snakebite but his message to those inspired to follow in his footsteps is simple: "Don't do it," he said The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation The AP is solely responsible for all content scientists created one antivenom to treat snakebites from several different species in mi… Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a dramatic warning to world leaders planning to attend Russia’s Victory Day Parade on May 9 declaring that Ukraine "cannot take responsibility for what is happening" inside Russia Zelensky said it is Moscow — not Kyiv — … Ukraine — A Russian drone strike on Kharkiv and prompted another appeal from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for more decisive support from the country’s allies Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said drones hit 12 locations across the city late Friday civilian infrastructure and vehicles were damaged in the assault The Kharkiv Prosecutor’s Office said Saturday that Russian forces used drones with thermobaric warheads it said thermobaric weapons create a powerful blast wave and a hot cloud of smoke The prosecutor said its use may indicate a deliberate violation of international humanitarian law Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire Saturday after a Russian attack in Kharkiv nearly every night in Ukraine turns into a nightmare Strong and real decisions are needed from our partners — the United States all our partners who seek peace," Zelenskyy wrote on social media in the early hours of Saturday Russia fired 183 exploding drones and decoys overnight Russia also launched two ballistic missiles Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 170 Ukrainian drones overnight The ministry said eight cruise missiles and three guided missiles were also intercepted were injured in a drone strike on the Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk overnight Ukrainian servicemen train Saturday in the Zaporizhzhia region Ukraine and Russia are at odds over competing ceasefire proposals as Moscow accused Zelenskyy of threatening the safety of dignitaries attending Victory Day celebrations after he dismissed Russia's unilateral 72-hour ceasefire Zelenskyy instead renewed calls for a more substantial 30-day pause in hostilities He said the proposed ceasefire could start anytime as a meaningful step toward ending the three-year war "Let's be honest — you can't agree on anything serious in three Zelenskyy said Moscow's announcement of a 72-hour ceasefire this week in Ukraine to mark Victory Day in World War II is merely an attempt to create a "soft atmosphere" ahead of Russia's annual celebrations "so that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's guests on Red Square feel comfortable and safe." Zelenskyy said Ukraine cannot provide security assurances to foreign officials planning to visit Russia around Friday warning that Moscow could stage provocations and later attempt to blame Ukraine Zelenskyy said some governments approached Kyiv seeking safety reassurance while their delegations are in Russia "Our position is very simple: we cannot take responsibility for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation," he said "They are the ones providing your security and we will not be offering any guarantees." The Ukrainian leader reiterated that Kyiv's military actions will remain "mirror-like," responding to Russia's moves He acknowledged that implementing a complete front-line ceasefire without robust international monitoring remains almost impossible but emphasized that the 30-day window offers a credible start He confirmed ongoing efforts to convene the next round of negotiations with the U.S and expressed hope that it could happen in Ukraine saying it was a "positive sign" that such a gathering is under discussion despite recent personnel changes in Washington Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that he "unequivocally threatened the world leaders who are planning to arrive in Moscow on May 9." deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council said Saturday that nobody could guarantee Kyiv's safety if Ukraine attacked Moscow celebrations Friday "In the event of a real provocation on Victory Day no one will guarantee that May 10 will come in Kyiv," he wrote on Telegram Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia expects Kyiv to take steps to de-escalate before Victory Day actions aimed at de-escalating the conflict during the holidays," Peskov told journalists were meant to "test Kyiv's readiness to find ways for long-term sustainable peace between Russia and Ukraine."