Photo by: Chris MoraUSC Baseball Hosts No. 14 UCLA at Great Park April 30, 2025 | Baseball 14 UCLA Takes On USC in First Big Ten Crosstown Series May 01 Remington Park was full of flair and fashion on Saturday as fans gathered for the annual Kentucky Derby Day Hat and Bowtie Style Contest held in conjunction with the famed horse race invited attendees 18 and older to dress in their Derby best for a chance to win prizes and show off their creativity From extravagant wide-brimmed hats to handcrafted wooden bowties Judges noted the amount of effort and originality on display One standout entry featured a hat modeled after a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken guests stayed to watch the Kentucky Derby live making it a full day of entertainment and tradition Among those with a special interest in the race was country music star Toby Keith it held its own on the track and added excitement to the festivities Graham joined the News 9 team in February of 2025 He is dedicated to sharing the diverse stories that have shaped his country and his community and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox DENVER — What was once considered a long shot is now looking more like an easy putt for the future of Park Hill Golf Course Roughly seven years after the course shut down in 2018 it could partially reopen within a few weeks after a monumental Denver City Council vote set to happen this week The council will consider an ordinance to finally rezone the property from a golf course to a park This could set the stage for tearing down the chain-link fences in a matter of weeks and allowing limited use of the trails and open space “It’s about time,” said mother of two and Park Hill resident Margaret Fogarty who believes the promise of something new is long overdue carefully balance the interest of the neighbors.” who lives right across the street and certainly has his own vision I’d like to see a big one out there where people can go and grow their own fruits and vegetables,” Semien said After years of battles at the ballot box and in the courtroom “I’m elated that we are on the cusp of opening this space to the community,” said Lisa Calderon with the Latinos United Neighbors Association With Walgreens' recent closure across the street the park could spur new growth and development in adjacent neighborhoods and be a link between long-underserved communities a former mayoral candidate who grew up in Park Hill “We know that this area really does need amenities like a pool.” The idea of a youth-centered approach to reopening is a sentiment many share or pickleball,” said Colette Carey with the Greater Park Hill Community Group “Anything that’s going to serve the community.” plans for Park Hill should be just as bold as the redesign of City Park Golf Course “A beautiful big park and build a world-class regional youth recreation hub,” Fogarty said “It’s something that the Denver community is really lacking and we just have to drive to the suburbs all around us to see really great examples of how parks and rec departments have been able to do those things There’s not even enough basketball courts in town.” “It really should be a regional attraction,” Calderon said That vote is expected to happen on Monday in Denver City Council. As for what's next, plans are still being discussed, and you can have your voice heard by taking this survey, which is open to the public. Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above. Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Big Sky Horse Park hosts its 4th annual pet runby NBC Montana Staff — A handful of dogs and their owners gathered in Fort Missoula to participate in the fourth annual Big Sky Horse Park on Saturday morning participants were able to compete in one of three timed races with their furry friends a 6k and a 10k around the park's boundaries Attendees were also able to participate in a raffle Officials say the goal of the pet run is to bring residents and their pets together to enjoy the Big Sky Horse Park The Big Sky Horse Park is a maintained park that is preserved by a board of equestrian focused volunteers Equestrian activities are reportedly seasonal at the park (KERO) — Give Big Kern brought together local nonprofits and community members to raise funds and highlight the power of giving back across Kern County Over 70 local nonprofits are here at the Park at River Walk — all wanting to receive a donation from the community It’s officially giving season and Give Big Kern is in full swing over 1,000 community members gathered at the Park at Riverwalk to learn more about Kern County’s local nonprofits Give Big Kern is an event through the Kern Community Foundation Give Big Kern has raised millions of dollars from thousands of donors for hundreds of local nonprofits Aaron Falk is the President and CEO of Kern Community Foundation and he says there are over 150 local nonprofits in Give Big Kern — a nonprofit for everyone “In Kern County we’re used to not always being on the receiving end of federal and state funds This is a particularly interesting time with federal funding freezes and a state budget deficit That doesn’t mean the challenges in Kern County are any smaller we take care of each other here — we’re used to that That’s why we’re out here today for Give Big Kern.” Falk said One of these local nonprofits is Keepers Transformation House which is a one-year women’s discipleship program as well as a transitional living program and an overnight shelter They say their mission is to restore and empower women in crisis to have a dignified and purposeful life in Christ Heidi Adams is the program director for Keepers Transformation House and she says “Your donation goes a long way in improving each woman’s life so she can healing and wholeness and be a community member who gives back to the community and leads a fulfilling.” Charmed and Chosen is another local nonprofit that focuses on helping the youth ages 10–17 with college prep Shalanda Davis- Layton is the president and co- fouer of Charmed and Chosen “We have had a phenomenal impact over the last year We’ve won some significant grants and we have been able to expand our program so kids actually walk away with tangible things that they can actually go out in the workforce or go out to college and go out and be the best version of themselves.” Another group whose mission is to build up the next generation is the Kern Resource Center The KRC is a nonprofit that was established to offer a Christian education for K–12 They teach the core academics as well as life skills “We are so excited for the opportunity to be here at Give Big Kern It’s the biggest fundraising event of the year and we are doing a capital fundraising project in order to expand our campus so that we’re able to offer more services.” Melissa Wheeler said The KRC says they want to add more classrooms Southern California Global Messenger and athlete Bryan Johnson tells me why the community should look into donating to them “We do all kinds of sports and training for people with intellectual disabilities and so right now is our spring sports season and then we’ll go into summer sports and we have sports all throughout the year.” He said The Special Olympics tells me that they are always looking for new athletes to join the team or volunteers to help out Give Big Kern is a chance for nonprofits to earn unrestricted dollars that go directly into their bank accounts If you couldn’t make Give Big at the Park, there is still a chance for you to donate to your favorite local nonprofit by visiting GiveBigKern.org You can donate online until midnight on May 6th Columbia County is a step closer to creating a nearly 2,000-acre technology park that could accommodate more than 8 million square feet of data centers The county's planning commission is scheduled to consider a request Thursday May 1 from the Economic Development Authority of Columbia County to rezone two pieces of property totaling 1,945.05 acres behind White Oak Business Park The county placed the project's "estimated value at build-out" at $11.6 billion and is expected to collect more than $118 million annually in estimated local tax revenue according to a separate filing with the state Columbia County submitted a "Development of Regional Impact," or DRI statement to the Georgia Department of Commnuntiy Affairs Georgia classifies DRIs as "large-scale developments that are likely to have regional effects beyond the local government jurisdiction in which they are located," according to the DCA Currently classified as residential-agricultural the land would need to be rezoned to S-1 to allow high-tech activities under the name White Oak Technology Park Those uses include data centers; research and development facilities; cybersecurity providers; and digital infrastructure and advanced technology companies Data centers house computer hardware and networking equipment to support and store the massive amounts of data generated constantly by the world's computer users Tech talk: Columbia County filing with state offers details about White Oak Technology Park Other property uses associated with data centers and technology facilities also would be allowed at the discretion of Columbia County's director of Planning Services according to a staff report prepared by county planners the vast pieces of property stretch near Appling-Harlem Road from Columbia Road to Interstate 20 bordered on much of its eastern side by Kiokee Creek White Oak Branch and its tributaries also run through the property An illustration accompanying the EDACC's application shows a proposed use of the space for up to 29 data centers Each data center is shown covering 275,000 square feet Six electricity substations to power the centers would cover 82 acres Data centers aso require massive amounts of water to cool the constantly humming hardware County planners said the project's developer likely would use a glycol-based cooling system to reduce water use Glycol is a common component of antifreeze coolant The Columbia County Planning Commission is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m May 1 at the Evans Government Center on Ronald Reagan Drive GLEN DALE – The OVAC Tennis Tournament returned to the John Marshall courts on Wednesday for Day 3 under sun-filled skies with action in girls doubles The four-day event saw Day 2’s competition forced to be completed inside the Bubble at Wheeling Park due to inclement weather The event concludes Thursday with action in girls singles University and Linsly are the defending ‘Big School’ and ‘Small School’ champions All three doubles titles reside in Morgantown as the Mohigans won at No which was two better than Wheeling Park and University.\ the second-seeded duo of Maya Greenlee and Annika Chadha defeated the No 1 Wheeling Park tandem of Madeline Bradshaw and Lauren Eskins by an 8-3 count Both teams advanced with 8-0 quarterfinal victories before Morgantown prevailed 8-3 in its semifinal and Wheeling Park 8-2 1 seeded pairing of Natalia Cassim and Annabelle Goodykoontz topped Wheeling Park’s second-seeded sister duo of Harper and Reese Moores The Mohigans won 8-2 in the quarters and 8-0 in the4 semifinals 2 tandem of Vanessa Wiesinger and Izzy Ringler held off Oak Glen’s fourth-seeded team of Roxye Brown and Zoey Caughey Both teams had to battle their way to the finals as Brown/Caughey won 8-1 in the quarterfinals before upsetting top-seeded Morgantown (8-5) in the semis University won 8-3 and 8-5 to reach the finals John Marshall’s Akwasi Braun was the Carol Strasser Sportsmanship Award winner on the boys side The girls winner will be announced following Thursday’s action the Ohio High School Athletic Association girls and boys basketball state tournaments will .. Rich Rodriguez made a big splash in the transfer portal on Wednesday CLAIRSVILLE – Colton McKivitz was a three-sport standout – baseball WHEELING – The Maroon Knights cruised on Wednesday Central starting pitcher Eli Sancomb tossing a five-inning .. | https://www.theintelligencer.net | 1500 Main Street Contact:Amber SprockPublic Information Officer(209) 540-6857 South Grove Trail at Calaveras Big Trees State Park reopens May 1 ARNOLD — Just in time for the peak hiking season, California State Parks today announced that the Walter W. Smith Memorial Parkway south of the Stanislaus River at Calaveras Big Trees State Park (SP) will reopen this Thursday State Parks closed the area in October 2024 to conduct a prescribed burn in the South Grove Natural Preserve the Parkway closes between December and May each year due to snow conditions Crews successfully treated 1,145 acres with beneficial fire to reduce fuel and promote giant sequoia regeneration Visitors may notice fire effects and changes to the landscape along the South Grove Trail It is important to stay on the trail to protect seedlings and help ensure giant sequoia regeneration Staying on the trail can also reduce risk from falling trees weakened by fire The protection and stewardship of giant sequoia groves at Calaveras Big Trees SP has been a priority for State Parks since the park opened to the public in 1931 Prescribed fire is part of the department’s program for vegetation management to increase the resilience of the forest and promote new giant sequoia regeneration Giant sequoia need fire to naturally reproduce.The heat from the fire opens cones to release the seeds into the mineral soil seedbed created by the fire Prescribed fire also helps restore and maintain a complex forest community and reduces the chance of catastrophic wildfire The South Grove Trail provides hikers access to the South Grove Natural Preserve and the largest giant sequoia in the park This moderate trail begins at the South Grove Trailhead and is about 5 miles in length The first 1.5 miles of the trail is a moderate steady climb from the parking lot to the start of the loop trail Visitors should allow for 3 to 4 hours for the 5-mile round-trip hike The South Grove Trail and areas south of the Stanislaus River are not accessible during winter months and are typically closed from December 1 to April 30 each year South Grove Trail inset from the Calaveras Big Trees State Park brochure. Map from California State Parks Visitors may see the effects of a successful prescribed burn in the South Grove Trail at Calaveras Big Trees State Park when the trail reopens on May 1 Subscribe to California State Parks News via e-mail at NewsRoom@parks.ca.gov California State Parks provides for the health inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources and creating opportunities for high quality outdoor recreation Sign up to receive the latest State Parks news directly to your email Have a question? Use the Contact Us Page. © Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); four walks and an error to score all its runs in the first inning in a 10-4 fastpitch softball win over Park Rapids on Thursday Allie Michaelson walked and scored in the second while singles by Allie Rowland and Vivian Shepersky led to another run in the third for Park Rapids The Panthers scored their final two runs in the sixth on a double by Michaelson and singles by Adrienne Cook Rowland went 2 for 4 to pace the Panthers’ eight-hit attack Keira Noyd and Maddison Shepherd finished up as those three pitches combined to allow nine hits and five earned runs with four walks and five strikeouts The loss dropped the Panthers’ record to 6-4 Maya Schmidt went 3 for 4 at the plate and earned the win with a complete-game effort as Bemidji improved to 5-3 Denverites can share their ideas for a public park to be built on the old Park Hill Golf Course in Northeast Park Hill The city doesn’t actually own the 155 acres yet, but  Parks and Recreation has hired the international planning and design firm Sasaki to lead the planning process for a major new regional park Sasaki has been part of projects around the world Neighbors have already been bandying about suggestions for the park: Pickleball Sasaki will start the planning process with a community survey to launch on April 21.  the city will host a Youth and Family Field Day at the City of Axum Park — near Colorado and Martin Luther King Jr The event will include brainstorming for the park working-class neighborhood that lost its grocery stores decades ago and has lacked many of the resources the city has invested in elsewhere.  City Councilmember Shontel Lewis described the creation of the park as “a long overdue investment.”  Sign up for more information about the Park Hill Park planning process here The golf course closed back in 2018 and has been sitting empty since wrestled at the ballot box over how the land should be used.  The owners, who wanted a mixed-use development on the land, lost that fight in the 2023 election Earlier this year, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and Parks and Rec head Jolon Clark — who supported developing the land — announced the golf course would become a park.  The pair joined former Mayor Wellington Webb and other open space advocates in their victory celebration declaring this would be the largest new park in the city in at least 100 years A land swap deal with the land’s owner and the city of Denver has been caught up in a slower-than-expected City Council process.  Still, Johnston anticipates opening the land to the public over the summer. 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public radio’s first one-hour radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting A weekly program presented by the New Yorker magazine’s editor killer beats and the edgiest new talent in storytelling come together for a weekly show that straps audiences into an audio rollercoaster Radiolab is known for its deep-dive journalism and innovative sound design Created in 2002 by former host Jad Abumrad the program began as an exploration of scientific inquiry Over the years it has evolved to become a platform for long-form journalism and storytelling Radiolab is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser An artist’s rendering shows the proposed DuSable Park pavilion the long-awaited $15 million Jean-Baptiste Point DuSable Park won’t be the city’s largest public green space but it has the potential to be one of the best The park is planned for an absolutely prime spot east of DuSable Lake Shore Drive that is bounded by the Chicago River Chicagoans have waited 38 years for this park honoring DuSable The DuSable’s very talented lead designers Ross Barney Architects and Brook Architecture submitted the project’s design and construction documents to the Chicago Park District this month That means the park is now likely on track to be completed summer 2027 “Everyone just wants to see this park built,” Chicago Park District Director of Planning and Development Heather Gleason said An artist’s rendering shows the DuSable Park layout and access points “It’s been a long wait and we know it,” she said “And so we’re really dedicated to getting a park in there and making it usable and beautiful for the city.” “This park needs to be a jewel,” said Carol Ross Barney design principal and founder of Ross Barney Architects the park’s most compelling element might be the way its features will honor and interpret the life of DuSable The Haitian-born trader and businessman set up shop in the 1780s just west of the park at the original mouth of the river making him among the first non-Indigenous people to take advantage of the economic potential of what would later become Chicago The park will memorialize DuSable with an entry plaza that leads to a promenade that runs elliptically around the site Brook Architecture will design a pavilion in which parkgoers can learn more about DuSable and their real estate holdings on their riverfront site “It’ll be a special place as set aside for reflecting that faces the lake,” Brook Architecture President RaMona Westbrook said “It’s really to show the expansiveness of DuSable’s estate to come against the narrative that he was [just] a fur trader in a cabin.” a connection to the Navy Pier Flyover and a statue of DuSable Another unusual feature about the park is its funding Lake Shore Drive residential project under construction across Lake Shore Drive from the park site — is covering $10 million of the project’s $15 million cost “I think this is a really great example of a kind of public-private partnership,” said Ann Thompson executive vice president of architecture and design at Related Midwest “That’s so powerful for the city and allows these kind of transformational projects to happen.” it is a nice gesture — having a big lakeside park (that’s also connected to the Chicago Riverwalk) right at your project’s front door doesn’t hurt a developer’s bottom line “It’s not a bad thing,” Thompson said with a laugh The park awaits more approvals after the Park District gives its nod The plan must also go before the Chicago Plan Commission to make sure it’s in line with the Lakefront Protection Ordinance the City Council must sign off on it as well the park has the potential to be a boon to Chicago “It’s something that should’ve happened years ago,” said DuSable Park Advisory Committee member Peggy Montes who has been pushing to get the park built since she the late DuSable Museum founder Margaret Burroughs and the museum’s chief curator Ramon Price — who was Washington’s brother — hatched the idea back in 1987 trying to make that legacy come true,” Montes said But DuSable Park has to carry the weight of being a place that tells the history of DuSable and Chicago while also being an attractive place for relaxation and recreation Especially for a $15 million construction budget — which is relative peanuts when it comes to designing and building what should be an important public space last year’s restoration of the Cloud Gate plaza at Millennium Park was somewhere between $7 million and $10 million Architects Barney and Westbrook have the design talent to deliver a great space The architectural team includes the DuSable Park Alliance an artist and a historian among its 11 members But one can’t help but wonder how much more they could deliver — Barney is lead architect of the award-winning Riverwalk — with a bit more cash on the table decades of community input and advocacy have helped shape what will be DuSable Park The public deserves a space that’s worth the effort — and the wait vsBig Ten Conference Championships USC’s Catherine Park Earns Top Ten Finish at Big Ten Championships April 20, 2025 | Women's Golf TennesseeMenu{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nature/tennessee/state-park-worth-the-visit-tn/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nature/tennessee/state-park-worth-the-visit-tn"},"author":{"name":"Jackie Sutherlin","url":"https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/authors/jackie-ann","@id":"https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/#/schema/person/dXNlcjoxNjM="},"headline":"We Love Our National Parks highly curated editorial content brings attention to hidden gems Jackie has lived in Louisiana for over three decades and currently lives in New Orleans She's been writing for OnlyInYourState since 2016 and can often be found with a coffee at her side But This Tennessee Park Is Just As AmazingDon't sleep on this underrated and beautiful state park in Tennessee Big Ridge State Park is full of outdoor adventure But I’m here to put the spotlight on some of the many beautiful state parks in Tennessee Mason H via AllTrailsLocated just 26 miles north of Knoxville Big Ridge State Park is an easy destination to escape to when you need a little respite from city life Conveniently located near Norris Dam State Park you could actually knock out both state parks in a weekend (but we will focus on Big Ridge today).  Big Ridge State Park boasts 3,687 acres to explore Its location in the Appalachian Ridge and Valley range offers plenty of scenic beauty and several historic sites Excavations in the 1930s revealed over 20 prehistoric Native American sites Ernie J via AllTrailsNestled along the southern shore of the Norris Reservoir, much of the park’s attractions center around Big Ridge Lake. Visitors can bring a kayak or a canoe to explore the lake on their own, or rent one from the park.  It’s not limited to just kayaks and canoes—rowboats, fishing boats, and wave runners are all welcome to join in on the fun. If you’ve got a fishing license, feel free to drop a line! The 49-acre lake offers excellent bass and bream fishing year-round.  the sandy beach at Big Ridge Lake is a very popular spot in the summer months The beach is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day but note that there are no lifeguards on duty Angela Brunelle via AllTrailsWith over 15 miles of hiking trails at Big Ridge State Park you can be certain you’ll find one that suits your skill set From lakeshores to remnants of early settlements and historic cemeteries each hiking trail offers something different Marshall Farnsworth via AllTrailsAs you wander through the trails of this beautiful state park in Tennessee, you'll find several historic hidden gems. The Norton Gristmill (pictured above) is one of the park’s most prominent historical features—it was built in 1825! keep an eye out for birds—this park is fabulous for migratory birds in the spring and fall Over 110 species of birds have been observed here and the Fisherman's Trail are three of the best trails at Big Ridge State Park for birdwatching If you want to turn your day trip into a weekend getaway, there are plenty of cabins at Big Ridge State Park as well as primitive campsites and RV slots Visit the official website to reserve your spot in advance If you've already explored Big Ridge State Park and are inspired for more outdoor adventures, read on to discover some of my favorite state parks in Tennessee. 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Contact: Tom VandenBerg Contact: Carolyn Whiting Over 1,200 species of plants are found within Big Bend National Park Download the NPS app to navigate the parks on the go Polar Adventure Day is part of the Night Out in the Parks initiative which features more than 1,000 citywide cultural and arts activities in the parks throughout the year 2014 National Gold Medal Winner Big Bear Mountain Resort’s (BBMR) Snow Valley Bike Park dropped a surprise announcement last week: the park will be opening more than one month early for the season The parks' bittersweet early opening on Saturday was made possible by warm mountain temperatures and the early closure of Big Bear Mountain Ski Resort "We did everything we could to keep the stoke alive," Big Bear Mountain Resort officials said of the early ski season closure in a statement on X "but the SoCal [weather] had other plans (seriously Big Bear ski and snowboarders enjoyed their final white powder runs on Easter Day Snow Valley's trail crew is now busying itself with quick maintenance of the bike tracks while the park transitions operations from winter to summer season The only trails not open yet are Bandit and Quick Draw Bike Park organizers announced in a press release that Snow Valley will be open only on weekends until the first weekend in June Big Bear Mountain Resort officials also advertised that the Summit Bike Park at Snow Summit Resort 13 miles from Snow Valley is tentatively scheduled to open on June 6 Bike Park season passes are on sale now and can be picked up at any Big Bear Mountain Resort ticket window or online at www.bigbearmountainresort.com/mountain-biking/lift-tickets Trail stats: Snow ValleySnow Valley Park is located in Running Springs The bike park has 10 downhill trails with over 8 miles of vertical fun Unique features and layouts for riders of all ability levels are available The three beginner trails — Upper and Lower Green Horn and Sundance — offer mellow descents and opportunities to practice speed control Winchester and Sundance Spur — are some of the most popular technical trails offer optional features to practice for tougher trails Quick Draw and Jumpline are the two advanced black diamond trails at Snow Valley and Gun Smoke is the only expert double-black diamond route with rock-crawling features Trail stats: Snow SummitSummit Bike Park is located in Big Bear Lake The bike park has nine trails with over 10 miles of downhill vert for all riding levels Small Wonder and Skill Builder Park are the beginner-rated trails that are best suited for kids or first-time riders Going Green offers scenic views of Big Bear Lake and is a beginner favorite Blue Steel and Turtle Trail are the park's two intermediate trails that feature medium-sized berms and jumps Party Wave and Westridge — are favorite among downhill racing experts with technical features like rock gardens and single-track is the most difficult downhill trail and is best suited for expert riders only It offers a mix of old-school designs with modern-day features Send it this summer and unlock unlimited laps at two of Southern California's most iconic mountain biking destinations – Snow Valley and Snow Summit Bike park season passes are $399 for adults ages 13 and over and $109 for children ages 5-12 One-day Snow Valley lift tickets are $25 per adult, $14 for children ages 5-12 and can be purchased online McKenna is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@gannett.com 2025 at 5:05 pm PT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The Dublin City Council meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m CA — The Dublin City Council will review a preliminary update to to its Fiscal Year 2025-26 General Fund budget and a receive a five-year Capital Improvement Program update ahead of official adoption in June Dublin continues to maintain a healthy position city staff is projecting a revenue decline of $319,000 and an expense increase of $3.3 million compared to last year's forecast largely due to a sharp drop in an auto-related sales tax the city's largest single source of revenue Dublin anticipates a $17.4 million operating surplus for 2025-26 The council will hear about more than $109 million in planned infrastructure investments from 2024 to 2029 including $33.5 million funded by the General Fund Upcoming projects include street resurfacing; renovations at Kolb Park and the Iron Horse Nature Park and Open Space; shade structures at The Wave and upgrades to Village Parkway and the Dublin Arts Center City staff note a potential operating deficit beginning in 2030-31 if current revenue projections and spending patterns continue Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. This story was updated because a previous version included an inaccuracy The resulting crowd, described by many as the largest they’d ever seen in Bloomington, left businesses strewn with improperly parked cars, lines out the door at college bars like Kilroys and The Upstairs Pub, and 159 calls made to Indiana University police – approximately 39 more than were made in 2024 knew that Little 500 was getting a lot of attention online She was still blown away by the massive crowds she saw across Bloomington from Kirkwood Avenue to the fraternity house row on East Third Street but I don’t remember it ever being this bad,” Slagle said IUPD public information officer Hannah Cornett said officers responded to 36 reports of criminal activity over the weekend most of which concerned underage drinking or “battery resulting in minor or no injury." IUPD made four outright arrests; two for battery one for public intoxication and one for intimidation Despite the comparatively tame nature of the crowd — both IUPD and Bloomington Police reported fewer arrests than in 2024 — people took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to complain about the overflowing crowds on Kirkwood using racist innuendos to describe the predominantly Black crowd “Kirkwood turned into the Bloomington Zoo,” one user wrote “What has happened to Bloomington it looks like Atlanta and I hate it our beautiful town is no longer safe,” another said Cornett said several incidents have been referred to university officials for further review Revelry and drunken crowds from Little 500 weekend usually don’t spill over to Ellettsville a quiet town west of Bloomington with about 7,000 residents Women's race: Kappa Alpha Theta wins record 10th women’s Little 500 title in thrilling finish That wasn't the case the afternoon of Saturday when more than 1,000 people seeking a party showed up at Ellettsville’s 10-acre Marci Jane Lewis Park contains the Ellettsville Youth Sports Complex home of the area’s children’s baseball leagues Practices were in full swing Saturday afternoon when hundreds of out-of-town cars started to arrive They filled the park’s parking lot and nearby Peoples State Bank’s large lot and were parked up and down nearby streets described online as “offering scenic trails and peaceful surroundings to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.” Ellettsville Police Department Lt. Zach Michael said calls from concerned parents at the youth ballfields started coming in about 4 p.m. Callers reported people milling around, many smoking marijuana and drinking alcoholic beverages. When Michael arrived, a DJ was setting up equipment and speakers, preparing for a party that clearly had been well-advertised via social media. Drugs and alcohol are prohibited in Ellettsville parks and anyone wanting to host an event in a town park must file 11 copies of an application with the clerk-treasurer and get town board approval 45 days in advance. A permit limits crowd size, mandates that security and emergency medical services be on site and requires organizers to have liability insurance. No permit for the unsanctioned event was sought or granted, Michael said. When he got to the park and saw more than 500 people there for a party, with traffic backed up as more continued to arrive, he called for backup from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Indiana State Police. “As soon as one group of people would leave, another 10 more groups would show up,” Micheal said, describing the scene. “I watched 200 people leave and then another 300 would show up. We’re not sure how it got promoted or where people came from.” Seven Ellettsville officers, four sheriff’s deputies and four state troopers spent two hours dispersing the crowds, which had pretty much cleared out by 6 p.m. “We don’t want to stifle people from using our park facilities,” Michael said, “but they have to follow the process." He drove his patrol car into the middle of the park and made loud-speaker announcements informing revelers the party violated the town’s mass-gathering ordinance and they had to leave. The DJ sent the same message through his microphone. The assembled were cooperative, Michael said, but slow in leaving the park. He said there were no altercations or arrests, just some angry words directed at police, "nothing we're not used to." “We told them the event was unauthorized and in violation of town code and they had to disperse,” Michael said. “We directed traffic out to the highway and told them to turn right and leave the area.” The party seekers headed back toward Bloomington, where Michael said police broke up similar unsanctioned parties on Friday, April 25: one at the south-side Monroe County YMCA and one at the city’s Lower Cascades Park. Ellettsville requires mass-gathering permits, the ordinance says, “to prevent tumultuous conduct, riots, unnecessary noise, nuisances, unsanitary conditions, public indecency, or uncontrolled gatherings which may constitute a threat to public health, safety, or welfare within the town.” Contact H-T reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967. our showsRandall Park on His New ‘The Residence’ Family, and How to Score Big Laughs — by Doing NothingAuthorMalcolm VenableAuthorMalcolm VenableTopicthe residenceReading Time6 MINSShare“Yeah!” Randall Park says with a sense of childlike wonder in a phone call with Shondaland I never thought about that until you brought it up!” Park, who stars in Shondaland’s latest Netflix series, The Residence, as Detective Cordelia Cupp’s (Uzo Aduba) reluctant partner that he is now one of the few Asian actors to have a lead role as a high-ranking official in a fictional White House “It is definitely an interesting thing to point out because it’s true — you don’t see a lot of that,” he says While Park also had a small part in Veep as Minnesota governor Danny Chung, it’s interesting Park hadn’t really thought about the significance of his role in The Residence until prompted, given that in 2015 the Los Angeles-born-and-raised son of Korean immigrants broke down doors by playing the goofy, lovable dad on Fresh Off the Boat the first sitcom about an Asian American family in some 20 years along with unforgettable parts in The Office and appearances across the MCU as the thorn in Ant-Man’s side made Park one of a handful of Asian American A-listers and part of an even smaller group of Asian leading men the characters’ identities barely factor into the story or dialogue at all (unless you count the Australians in attendance at the state dinner but they’re just people doing their jobs — and looking for a murderer — who look like what the United States looks like That Park hadn’t even thought about Edwin in the context of representation hints at how much has changed for him and in conversations about on-screen optics overall “This show,” he says, “as with a lot of Shondaland shows, is extremely diverse That’s really nice for me to be around and to see but it’s also nice to not make a big point of that To just be essential to the storyline and to the world As Edwin Park (their shared last name is just a coincidence) Randall Park again leaned into the deadpan style that’s made him so distinctive Special Agent Edwin Park is the Watson to Cordelia’s Sherlock but since The Residence is a nonstop chucklefest creator Paul William Davies wrote Edwin as a chap who’s always just a few paces behind her but in the shadow of Cordelia — everyone is dim-witted in the shadow of Cordelia My approach to the character was to actually make him think of him as the sharpest tool in the shed and Cordelia as the one who’s causing confusion Edwin gradually comes to realize that Cordelia he can only stand back and watch and listen as Cordelia pieces together what happened “So much of my role is just kind of standing there in the background and observing because Cordelia literally tells me I’m not allowed to talk,” he says who started out by playing in theater troupes while studying English and creative writing at UCLA turns Edwin’s nonverbal moments into priceless comedy there are shots of me just listening,” he says “I was able to just react and to try different things in my reaction So much of acting is when you’re not saying your lines.” even this seasoned performer had some challenges with his lines where Park could veer slightly from the dialogue The Residence demanded strict adherence to the words on the page and I do a lot of shows that very much encourage improvisation and being loose with the script,” he says We were not to stray from a single word that was in the script this is going to be a challenge.’ I hadn’t really experienced that [in a while] It was definitely daunting for me going in it felt really great to honor all the writing in that way because the writing was so good.” Park sums up his experience shooting The Residence with one word: joy “That’s the first word that comes to mind,” he says it was such a joy to work with these people — wonderful people but it really was just a great blessing.” And though there isn’t really much talk about heritage or culture in The Residence Park says that one of the things he loved most about working with his co-stars and now friends was how they bonded over their diverse cultures off-screen how Pizza Hut used to be a sit-down dining experience “But also learning about Uzo’s upbringing — her Nigerian family — and realizing how similar her upbringing was to my own Korean immigrant experience,” Park says this is so good!’ and so much of it reminds me of Korean food That connectedness is there through every head-scratching second of each of The Residence’s eight episodes It’s the mystery of who killed Wynter that draws you in true to Shondaland — known for giving us epic ensemble series like Grey’s Anatomy and Bridgerton — it’s the chemistry of the cast that can’t be denied that makes you want to watch and then rewatch to catch every nuanced moment between the actors that starts before cameras even start rolling “A lot of [our bond] was just formed in between setups just getting to know each other and realizing how similar we were in so many ways The Residence streams on Netflix on Thursday the residenceIn ‘The Residence,’ Susan Kelechi Watson Is Ready to Play a Different Kind of Housethe residenceHow Giancarlo Esposito’s Role in ‘The Residence’ Became a Lesson in Spirituality Malcolm Venable is a Senior Staff Writer at Shondaland. Follow him on Twitter @malcolmvenable the residenceInside the White House: The Craziest Presidential Requests for the White House KitchenFrom cheeseburger pizza to roasted possums to Coca-Cola salad presidents have noshed on from term to term the residenceHow to Steal a Scene: Jeremiah FelderA questionnaire for the scene-stealing talent of “The Residence” to tell us how they made their mark in record time the residenceHow to Steal a Scene: Eliza CoupeA questionnaire for the scene-stealing talent of “The Residence” to tell us how they made their mark in record time grey's anatomyLena Waithe Talks Her ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Storyline and What’s NextWaithe discusses how her two-episode arc on “Grey’s” marked a full-circle moment for her and what she’s planning during an uncertain time in Hollywood grey's anatomySophia Bush on Shaking Up the ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ World This SeasonThe beloved actor talks playing a queer character and making TikToks with friend our showsShondaland and SeriesFest Announce the Newest Recipient of Their Coveted MentorshipUpcoming writer and director Christina YR Lim is the new recipient of the Women Directing Mentorship and will get hands-on experience on a Shondaland set. As the City prepares for demolition of the former City Hall it is putting the finishing touches on the master plan for Big Spring Park East Though designs plans are still being developed about 2.4 acres will be added to the park following the removal of the former City Hall at 308 Fountain Circle It will include the grassy slope near the AT&T building that was the former home of the City Hall Annex The project will also improve ADA access from Church Street to Fountain Circle plaza-type areas and a pavilion for holding events,” City Administrator John Hamilton said “There is also a plan for a rustic playground for children.” Big Spring Park is a downtown treasure and adding the new land will only enhance its beauty and popularity “The new project will keep the character of the park while bringing more spaces that groups will be able to reserve and create opportunities for passive uses,” Hamilton said The hardscape areas will help support events as well.” Plans call for the plaza area to include public art rain gardens and a water feature to help minimize city noise A lower terrace connected by stairs and an ADA-accessible walkway will link the plaza and Big Spring Park West creating an urban space for various activities and overlooking the ponds in the park Terraced walks and walls will lead into Big Spring Park East A winding path similar to San Francisco’s Lombard Street will provide ADA connection from Church Street to Fountain Circle at the south end of the park that will also integrate public art The City has contracted with Bostick Landscape Architects on the design plans “The site itself is unique with the topography of the land so the design really focused on creating connectivity between Fountain Circle and Church Street,” said Chad Bostick “The park expansion is designed to have multiple terraces and plazas to achieve transitions throughout the slope of the former City Hall site.” Construction is expected to begin soon after the demolition of the former City Hall Debris removal will take up to four to five months Huntsville Parks & Recreation invites the community to celebrate the holiday season at the Big Spring Jingle on Friday the popular downtown park will be transformed into a magical winter wonderland a dance floor and plenty of prizes and giveaways A highlight of the evening will be a special appearance from Santa Claus who will take a break from his North Pole workshop to meet visitors and pose for photos His arrival may even bring a few flurries to the park For residents with special needs or sensory sensitivities a more relaxed experience will be offered from 4-5 p.m smaller crowds and the chance to meet Santa without the wait The Big Spring Jingle is presented in partnership with Downtown Huntsville In addition to the event’s festivities dine at nearby restaurants and food trucks along Church Street and explore the Tinsel Trail “We are incredibly excited to bring back the Big Spring Jingle in collaboration with our great community partners,” said James Gossett Director of Huntsville Parks & Recreation “This event is the perfect opportunity for everyone to come together and embrace the holiday spirit we’re looking forward to an unforgettable evening filled with joy More information here Senator Cornyn Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) today introduced the Big Bend National Park Boundary Adjustment Act National Park Service (NPS) to acquire around 6,100 acres of land along the western boundary of the park: “Big Bend National Park exemplifies the natural beauty and vibrant wildlife of the Lone Star State,” said Sen which would help Texans and all Americans enjoy our national parks.” “Big Bend National Park is one of the many treasures in the Southwest,” said Sen “I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation to expand Big Bend National Park This expansion will allow the National Parks Service to conserve the ecosystem along the Terlingua watershed for years to come.” “Big Bend National Park is a natural treasure unlike any other,” said Rep Gonzales.“My legislation would greatly improve the National Park Service’s ability to preserve and protect critical habitats This is an important step forward to conserve one of the most beautiful sites in our country for generations to come I look forward to working alongside my colleagues in the House and Senators John Cornyn and Ben Ray Luján to move this legislation through Congress.”  The Big Bend National Park Boundary Adjustment Act would authorize the limited expansion of Big Bend National Park by: and website in this browser for the next time I comment please check your information and try again Americans are buying up mobile homes — and flipping them for big profits she's saying it just takes $3,000 or $5,000 to start?'" Sellers remembers His passengers wanted him to switch to music earning a significant chunk of their income from mentorships and tutorials that help more people like them enter the field While they don't get a lot of attention, mobile homes — "manufactured housing" per marketing and policy wonks or "trailers" in other circles — are the country's biggest source of unsubsidized low-income housing they're becoming increasingly attractive to people who can't afford a traditional site-built home the number of new manufactured homes shipped across the country increased by over 60% and occupancy is as high as it's ever been," a report from the industry publication Multi-Housing News noted in December "They are the lowest cost of homeownership in nearly every market in America." But that's changing in today's housing market LendingTree reported that between 2018 and 2023 the average sales price of new mobile homes went up by almost 60% And the Urban Institute found that while there's more volatility in the manufactured housing market and location matters the homes generally appreciate much like site-built properties "We basically drive through these parks and if they look abandoned who flips mobile homes on the side with her husband We kind of pitch it to them to let them know we can make you all some money and get you a tenant in there if you allow us to fix it up.'" Over the past four years the Josephs have done about 20 deals and have earned about $250,000 They look to sell every home for double what they put into it spying out vacant mobile homes on private property The houses are often considered so worthless that many landowners will sell them for a song I got a mobile home and I want to get rid of it,'" says Michael Wiley "Sometimes they might put a decent little price on it but most of the time they just want to get rid of it." Wiley acquired one for a dollar; for another he paid $1,000 and then sold it for $30,000 Wiley worked in a factory and did graphic design before getting into mobile homes Investors say the downsides of the mobile homes business aren't much different from those of other real estate fields: homes that turn out to be in worse condition than the buyers had thought The sector's high returns are often characterized by desperation Facing a lost spouse or job or some other hardship sellers are often willing to dispose of a home cheaply because they need the quick cash They aren't looking to build equity; they're seeking shelter at a time when both conventional homeownership and rentals have soared out of reach for many Mobile homes exist in an alternate reality one where a home purchase can be completed in a day without the help of attorneys or appraisers where the cost of a used unit floats depending on its actual value to the buyer and seller "If you put a message on Facebook Marketplace saying 'I have a home to sell on payments,' you'd be overwhelmed," says John Fedro He's been in the field since 2002 and now owns several mobile home parks Like the other mom-and-pop investors interviewed for this story he sees himself as providing an important and helpful service that people will happily buy retrofitted homes built before 1976 the year the Department of Housing and Urban Development began regulating mobile homes The earlier homes were more shoddily built with cheaper plumbing and electrical systems Many subsequently raise the rent on the parks' mobile home lots who usually can't afford to move the units Small-scale investors say they're watching the phenomenon as rents climb The Instagram video starts with a drone shot that descends from above and lingers on a couple in matching black T-shirts who are standing in a mobile home park founders of Mobile Home Elite Investors," read the captions accompanied by Jay-Z's "Public Service Announcement." "We currently have five mobile home parks Follow us for mobile home and mobile home park investing." in part because the mobile home market there is so strong Byron realized they could make money teaching others how to do it paid online courses outlining the details of how to find and sell homes and one-on-one mentoring to respond to specific questions "I feel like it gives them the confidence to say Real estate investing requires an aggressive drive and a hustle Jenisha and DaVon Nelson took the Sellerses' online course in 2020 and began implementing their lessons shortly afterward grew up in a mobile home and was intrigued by the concept "It was as simple as taking doughnuts to a park manager to introduce ourselves But their business didn't really take off until they moved from Arizona to Spartanburg and they wear T-shirts sporting their logo wherever they go who leads the Innovations in Manufactured Homes Network at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy says her organization is focused on "addressing issues in the sector explicitly ban manufactured housing in communities all over the country — even though many modern units are indistinguishable from traditional homes And the classic image of a mobile home smashed to bits by a tornado isn't wrong; older homes or those that aren't securely fastened to the ground are vulnerable to extreme weather "Where else in America are you going to find a move-in-ready house for less than $30,000 to $50,000?" Amanda Abrams is a freelance journalist living in Durham The countdown is on for Launchpad, the free 3-day music festival returning to Big Spring Park East in September as part of Huntsville Music Month The free festival kicks off on Friday, Sept. 6, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 8, with the first two nights featuring regional talent and the final night dedicated to Jazz in the Park-Huntsville “Launchpad showcases how dynamic the North Alabama music scene is,” said Huntsville Music Officer Matt Mandrella “The Tennessee Valley has a wealth of talented artists and performers throughout the region and we are excited to have a few of them on the Launchpad stage.” The festival’s opening night will feature headliner The Beastie Goys a Huntsville-based Beastie Boys tribute band known for their packed shows at Mars Music Hall Joining them on the Friday night lineup is R&B artist Mechi Rae along with the eclectic Soul Karnival Saturday features some of Alabama’s buzziest groups including headliner Carver Commodore and folk-indie duo The Burney Sisters a touring band that recently relocated to Huntsville Sunday will feature an installment of the beloved Jazz in the Park-Huntsville series headlined by BK Jackson with opening performances by Sherry Reeves and N’General Attendees can enjoy food from various trucks and bring their own alcoholic beverages in designated purple cups Words:  Bea Mitchell Epic Universe is home to rides and attractions themed to Harry Potter Nintendo and Universal’s classic monsters Universal Epic Universe, the fourth theme park at Universal Orlando Universal’s biggest theme park in the US joins Universal Studios Florida Epic Universe includes a theme park and three new hotels for Universal Orland Resort Epic Universe is billed as the most ambitious theme park ever created by Universal Destinations and Experiences and a game changer for theme park entertainment “Our new park represents the single largest investment Comcast NBCUniversal has made in its theme park business and in Florida overall It reflects the tremendous excitement we have for the future of our theme park business and for our entire company’s future in Florida.” Epic Universe is opening to the public on 22 May 2025 but has already been unveiled to the media “This is such a pivotal moment for our destination, and we’re thrilled to welcome guests to Epic Universe next year,” said Karen Irwin “With the addition of this spectacular new theme park our guests will embark on an unforgettable vacation experience with a week’s worth of thrills that will be nothing short of epic Epic Universe is located close to Universal Orlando’s three other gates It is situated on a plot of land near the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando Epic Universe houses five themed lands with more than 50 attractions the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic Epic Universe executive creative director Steve Tatham said: “Epic Universe is a whole new kind of theme park We’re creating these five immersive worlds Universal Creative’s chief creative officer Brian Robinson said: “We’ve pushed every boundary possible [with Epic Universe].” The heart of Epic Universe is Celestial Park, home to gardens, waterways and pathways, as well as the Starfall Racers dual-launch racing coaster This sends guests flying through the sky on comets at top speeds of 62 mph and heights of 133 feet across 5,000 feet of track Starfall Racers is Epic Universe’s most thrilling coaster offering manoeuvres like the “celestial spin” where the two coaster vehicles perform an inverted crisscross in the air Also in this astronomical-themed land are the Constellation Carousel and the interactive Astronomica water play area Retail outlets include Nintendo Super Star Store and Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets Celestial Park serves as the gateway to the park’s four additional lands which can be accessed through magical portals Dark Universe – a land themed to Universal’s classic monsters and described as a “shadowy landscape where monsters roam in a world of myth and mystery” The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic – a Harry Potter world inspired by 1920s Paris in the Fantastic Beasts film franchise and the British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series Universal Studios Florida at Universal Orlando is already home to Diagon Alley and Islands of Adventure houses a Hogsmeade area How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk – a colourful Vikings-themed world based on the How to Train Your Dragon film franchise where guests can soar with dragons Super Nintendo World – a gamified and interactive zone themed to video game characters including Mario Super Nintendo World made its debut at Universal Studios Japan in 2021 It was followed in 2023 by the first Nintendo land in the US at Universal Studios Hollywood The interactive experience is home to exhilarating entertainment and innovative technology based on Nintendo’s video games and characters Guests at Epic Universe enter the land via the iconic green pipe before finding a vibrant and energetic space surrounded by Mount Beanpole Super Mario Land at Epic Universe includes Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge a groundbreaking attraction located in Bowser’s Castle that merges augmented reality (AR) a family-friendly ride where visitors search for Captain Toad in a treasure hunt As for F&B, Super Nintendo World includes Toadstool Cafe clothing and toys at 1-UP Factory and Mario Motors Located at the edge of Super Mario Land is Donkey Kong Country, a tropical-themed area inspired by the Donkey Kong video games with tall trees waterfalls and landmarks like the Golden Temple.  Donkey Kong Country includes Mine-Cart Madness a unique family-friendly coaster using an unprecedented ride system and innovative technology Visitors feel like they are playing inside the arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981 the franchise has sold more than 65 million units worldwide Many of Super Nintendo World’s attractions and experiences are interactive and gamified Guests can jump and punch Question Blocks to collect virtual coins using the Power-Up Band wearable device Visitors can also earn digital keys to unlock content “Think of Super Nintendo World as a life-size, living video game where you become one of the characters. You’re not just playing the game – you’re living the game, you’re living the adventure,” Thierry Coup Universal Creative’s former senior VP and chief creative officer “We have developed some state-of-the-art technology to create the perfect fusion of the physical world with the world of video games.” Comcast executives said: “Nintendo – based on our research – is the biggest potential driver in attendance you can have in terms of intellectual properties Harry Potter drives an incremental attendance of two million people.” Dark Universe is an immersive land dedicated to Universal’s classic monsters at the new Epic Universe theme park It is themed to monsters such as Frankenstein The journey begins at the electrifying portal to Dark Universe an eerie town called Darkmoor featuring fiendish F&B Rides here are called Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment and Curse of the Werewolf The former is Universal Orlando’s most terrifying attraction to date. This state-of-the-art dark ride takes guests into the catacombs of Frankenstein Manor During an intense ride experience through the darkness guests attempt to escape monsters like the Creature from the Black Lagoon Curse of the Werewolf is a spinning family coaster inspired by The Wolf Man (1941) Guests board a wagon and venture into the forest to escape werewolves and avoid transforming into beasts themselves.  Additionally, a monster makeover experience is set in the old lab of Dr Pretorius (Bride of Frankenstein Universal’s monsters have been let loose on the Dark Universe land. “They’re unchained and we’re seeing how they interact with each other, how they interact with us and there’s just something that’s never been done even in the movies,” said Gregory Hall assistant director of creative design at Universal Creative “We can’t wait to show you guys how that’s done and all the new technology and innovations that we brought to make it come to life.” F&B venues in Dark Universe are Das Stakehaus Monstrous merchandise can be found at Pretorius’ Scientific Oddities Epic Universe contains a How to Train Your Dragon-themed land named Isle of Berk Guests can soar with dragons in a colourful world of attractions Universal said the land “captures the heart humor and scale of the films within an authentic re-creation of the rugged rocky world where raucous Vikings and rambunctious dragons live together in hilarious harmony” Visitors at Isle of Berk can experience one of the most spectacular environments ever made by Universal vibrant dragon houses and local establishments Isle of Berk at Epic Universe offers four new attractions, a live show, character meet-and-greet experiences, and flying dragons.  Attractions here are a family-friendly thrill coaster named Hiccup’s Wing Gliders there is a live show called ‘the Untrainable Dragon’ and guests can meet Hiccup and Toothless in the Haddock Paddock F&B outlets in Isle of Berk are Mead Hall and merchandise is available in themed shops like Viking Traders Hiccup’s Work Shop and Toothless’ Treasures The How to Train Your Dragon film franchise consists of three movies. However, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk at the new park is described as film “2.5” Tatham said: “Without getting too deep into our design process what’s important for you to keep in mind is that we decided to enter that story at a certain point… and we call it How to Train Your Dragon 2.5 because over the course of that saga dragons and Vikings come to coexist peacefully and so at that peak moment of harmony is when we enter the story.” This Ministry of Magic destination is Universal Orlando’s third Wizarding World of Harry Potter It’s based on 1920s Paris in the Fantastic Beasts film franchise and the British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series Rides and attractions in this world include Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. This is one of Universal’s most impressive attractions to date, with immersive environments, powerful storytelling, and unique ride technology.  Battle at the Ministry is “a game changer for the entire industry” assistant director of projects at Universal Creative and I can’t wait to see everyone’s reactions because I think everyone is going to not even really know what they just experienced and I can’t wait to see what that look is on everyone.” The ride experience begins with guests travelling by Métro-Floo Riders enter the ministry’s grand atrium and see other departments before boarding magical omnidirectional lifts to watch the trial take place Hermione and a house-elf named Higgledy in a thrilling chase through the building as they dodge attacks from Death Eaters and other creatures Also in this land is Le Cirque Arcanus, a live theatrical experience with performers and aerialists, puppetry, special effects and more. Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique is a shop selling interactive wands that guests can use to create magical experiences by casting spells at different locations Visitors can also interact with fantastic beasts like Nifflers F&B locations in the new land are Café L’Air De La Sirène Merchandise is on offer at Les Galeries Mirifiques “[Epic Universe is] the most technologically advanced park we’ve ever done,” said Mark Woodbury CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences “And that speaks to both the attractions themselves the next generation of robotics drone technology all the way through to the guest experience The full guest journey is really being taken to a whole new level.” One example is the Monsters Unchained ride in Dark Universe, which boasts state-of-the-art animatronics of Universal monsters These are Universal’s “most technologically advanced animated figures” said Universal Creative’s senior creative director Peter Carsillo they exceed beyond everyone’s wildest expectations for what an animated figure can do,” he said Universal Creative production designer Frances Franceschi said: “These animated figures are moving faster than any figures we have built and we have so many of them.” Another high-tech attraction at Epic Universe is Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry This includes omnidirectional ride vehicles high-resolution projections and media screens interactive elements such as wands and wearables Mine Cart Madness features advanced coaster engineering including dynamic track elements like gaps and splash effects “You will feel as if you’re in the little mine carts on a very rickety track jumping over gaps in the track across the fronts of waterfalls and splashing down into the water,” said Jeff Polk executive VP and general manager of Epic Universe at Universal Orlando As for the How to Train Your Dragon land, Hiccup’s Wing Gliders has a ride system that simulates flying on a dragon through motion-based technology Epic Universe has three new Universal hotels – Stella Nova Resort which includes its own dedicated entrance to the park Universal Stella Nova Resort opened on 21 January 2025 This was followed by Universal Terra Luna Resort Both new hotels are co-owned and operated by Loews Hotels Stella Nova is inspired by the “infinite vastness of the unknown universe” Terra Luna is themed to “the thrill of exploring the unknown pushing the limits of discovery and stepping into new landscapes” Universal Orlando’s current theme parks and Universal CityWalk are accessible from the new hotels via free shuttles The third and final Epic Universe hotel, the Universal Helios Grand Hotel Described as the crown jewel of Universal Orlando’s hotel collection the Helios Grand Hotel is also co-owned and operated by Loews Hotels It overlooks Epic Universe and includes 500 rooms It even features a dedicated entrance to the new theme park Highlights in the Helios Grand Hotel include How to Train Your Dragon-themed suites a game room and the Universal Studios Store Single-day tickets to Epic Universe allow entry to the park for one day the cost all depends on when guests plan to visit Other options currently include two-day resort tickets with access to Epic Universe and a separate day of admission to Universal Studios Florida and/or Universal Islands of Adventure The creation of Epic Universe has stimulated economic growth and generated thousands of jobs across the US, according to a report commissioned by Comcast Universal’s direct investment in Epic Universe has resulted in $11 billion of economic impact across the US the park is expected to generate $2bn for the state of Florida alone 65,000 roles were created in the US by the construction of Epic Universe the park is projected to create more than 17,500 new jobs across the country in its first year of opening Universal Destinations & Experiences has been extremely busy of late. Beyond Epic Universe, the company is building new parks and attractions in Nevada, Texas and even the UK Comcast has invested more than $10bn in new and existing Universal destinations With the introduction of Epic Universe and the development of the surrounding area, Universal Orlando has grown significantly. The Florida resort now includes three theme parks “Over the past 35 years we’ve grown to a fully developed, integrated resort destination comprised of multiple theme parks, hotels, CityWalk; everything you could possibly imagine to spend your entire week to create a full vacation destination,” said Woodbury Irwin said: “Epic Universe is going to be a game changer in terms of how much time that people are going to want to spend here Get the latest attractions industry news direct to your inbox More from this author Blooloop is taking climate action and is now B Corp Certified speed and the best experience on this site here's the official list of all the national parks in the United States Stephanie Vermillion is a travel journalist and photographer covering culture and adventure for Travel + Leisure Outside Irjaliina Paavonpera / Travel + Leisure The property purge includes 10 malls and shopping centers in Florida a WPG spokesperson confirmed the company is selling off the assets in its portfolio writing that “about half of WPG’s properties sold in the past year while the remainder of the portfolio is or will soon be on the market.” The spokesperson says the strategy is “part of WPG’s multi-year journey” but did not give further details There could also be big changes coming for the Sears building at the mall RELATED | Celebrating 50 years of the Orange Park Mall: A look back at the longtime community hub and its 189,796-square-foot shell and associated parking are being marketed as a multitenant building along with five outparcels by commercial real estate services firm The Shopping Center Group Sears was among the original stores when the mall opened Sept it’s empty,” mall General Manager Randy Bowman said.‘Bowman confirmed the Sears store and its former auto service center will be demolished a TSCG marketing flyer shows on a conceptual design that the defunct department store’s shell could be divided into four spaces from 10,000 to about 24,000 square feet along Blanding Boulevard showing stores from 3,000 to 6,000 square feet Read more on JaxDailyRecord.com. Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved. Scott is a multi-Emmy Award Winning Anchor and Reporter, who also hosts the “Going Ringside With The Local Station” Podcast. Scott has been a journalist for 25 years, covering stories including six presidential elections, multiple space shuttle launches and dozens of high-profile murder trials. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us Careers at WJXT / WCWJ Closed Captioning / Audio Description WJXT Public File WJXT EEO Report WCWJ Public File WCWJ EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 News4JAX.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group Sign In Subscribe Now Peninsula residents came together on Saturday food and shopping in celebration of the grand reopening of Canadian Tire and the growing success of Sandown Park Shopping Centre eager to experience the newly re-imagined store and enjoy the festivities "We love having this close by," said one resident highlighting the convenience of having the shopping centre within walking distance The celebration kicked off with former Sidney town crier Kenny Podmore welcoming the crowd and inviting Canadian Tire owners John and Janet Cunningham to officially cut the ribbon marking the store's grand reopening since taking over in 2018 John enthusiastically shared details about the store's transformation saying, "We re-merchandised the store We touched every shelf and added 25 per cent more retail space We’ve opened up the aisles for our valued customers." noting the accessibility improvements within the store "I can tell you that my wife is a wheelchair user and she just loves getting around this store.” Attendees were treated to live music from young musician Chase Varnes as well as radio stations 100.3 The Q The event also featured a variety of family-friendly activities VRX racing simulator booths and a dunk tank Victoria Humane Society brought puppies for adoption. Kats and Dogs also joined in the fun as well as members of Torque Masters Car Club who drove and parked their shiny vintage cars at the celebration The Peninsula Panthers even showcased their Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League championship cup Despite unpredictable weather that included a mix of sunshine the celebration drew shoppers to other businesses within the Sandown Park Shopping Centre.  At least 2,000 shoppers visited the Canadian Tire store throughout the event the parking lot was full," said John Cunningham "Red Barn Market had a barbecue for our charity praised the collaborative environment of the shopping centre Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines New Hyde Park, NY — A lucky player scored a $17,243 top prize in the New York Lottery’s Take 5 midday drawing on Monday after purchasing a winning ticket in New Hyde Park The ticket was sold at King Kullen, located at 2305 Jericho Turnpike, according to lottery officials offering players two chances each day to hit the top prize by matching numbers drawn from a field of one through 39 Lottery winners have up to one year from the date of the drawing to claim their prize The Take 5 game allows for multiple top-prize winners depending on the number of matching tickets sold for each drawing Monday’s midday win adds to a growing list of recent payouts across the state The New York Lottery encourages players to check their tickets promptly to avoid missing the opportunity to claim prizes before expiration Players can view winning numbers and prize details by visiting the New York Lottery website or tuning in to televised drawings The New York Lottery continues to be the largest and most profitable lottery system in North America contributing $3.8 billion during the 2023-2024 fiscal year to support New York State public schools Lottery officials also remind players to seek help if they or someone they know struggles with gambling with support available through NYProblemGamblingHelp.org or by contacting the HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY © 2008-2025 - Shore News Media & Marketing Ltd Roundup of Saturday’s high school sports action from the Greater Spokane League Deer Park 7-18: Shelby Swanson went 3 for 3 with a home run a double and five RBIs and the Knights dealt the visiting Stags their first loss of the season in the opening game of a doubleheader Sierra Whitmore scored the walk-off run on a steal of third base and a throwing error a double and five RBIs and the Stags (15-1 Riley Killarzoac went 2 for 2 with two doubles and an RBI for East Valley (9-5 West Valley 6-7 : Kinsey Rees went 3 for 4 with a home run two doubles and five RBIs and the Greyhounds (9-6 Caylee Kappen went 2 for 4 with a triple and two RBIs for West Valley East Valley 1-2 : Ezekiel Callagan scored four runs in the second game and the visiting Stags (11-5 Mason Watt doubled and stole a base for East Valley Brock Berger scored three runs and stole a pair of bases for Deer Park in the opener 11-4) split a doubleheader with the visiting Eagles (12-3 Will Focht hit a two-run single for Pullman in the first inning of the second game Brandon Spunich scored three runs and stole three bases for West Valley in the first game Simon Rosselli of Mead threw the discus 212 feet 3 inches for first place and shot put 52-8 3/4 for second Rosselli was also part of the first-place 4x100 throwers relay team Spokane set a season personal record in the 300m hurdles at 46.74 seconds Ella Brinkman of Ferris took first place in the long jump (17-1) and triple jump (25-3.75) Spokane placed first in the 100 with a PR of 12.22 Ritter was also part of the first-place 4x400 relay team and second-place 4x100 relay team Talan Hughes of East Valley took first place in the 300 hurdles with a PR of 38.16 and second place in 110 with another PR of 14.54 Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible Get the day’s top sports headlines and breaking news delivered to your inbox by subscribing here TDS Telecommunications continues expanding its high-speed all-fiber internet network into more Spokane-area neighborhoods © Copyright 2025, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy Zion Canyon Scenic Drive reopened after debris cleanup www.nps.gov/zion $400,000 and change doesn’t get what it used to around Atlanta One example is the growing Park Vue project in the Westside’s Rockdale neighborhood where dozens of options remain available and nearly 300 new townhomes will sprout overall when finished.  Situated across the street from Atlanta’s largest greenspace, Shirley Clarke Franklin Park (formerly Westside Park) the relatively large intown project by national homebuilder Ashton Woods kicked off construction about three years ago.  Project reps tell Urbanize Atlanta construction continues today The gated community replaced a long-shuttered warehouse facility on Johnson Road which debuted its first phase of 280 acres in the summer of 2021.  Builders have previously said Park Vue will include 293 townhomes when finished.  Don’t expect the beefy townhome floorplans of something like O4W’s Residences at Studioplex or Bankhead’s nearby Ten29 West which many younger or downsizing buyers could consider too large (and pricey).  The three Park Vue floorplans currently offered range from 1,362 to 1,507 square feet across two stories Amenities include a communal pool with cabanas and an onsite pond Promotional materials have pointed to everything from Atlantic Station Have a closer look around the Park Vue project Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram   • Grove Park news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)  Vehicle/ engine replacement program to reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions Learn more about Missouri’s air permits and how to apply Search our interactive map of hazardous waste facilities Learn more about Missouri’s hazardous and solid waste permits and how to apply Search our interactive map of scrap tire processing facilities and solid waste landfills and processing facilities Learn how or where to get rid of specific waste Training and information for drinking water and wastewater system operators Learn more about Missouri’s water permits and how to apply Learn more about the quality of Missouri’s drinking water Learn more about the health of Missouri’s groundwater Install conservation practices to conserve soil and improve water quality Learn more about Missouri’s land and geology permits and how to apply Explore our interactive tool for locating springs GIS spatial data and geographic content provided by the Missouri Geological Survey Energy-efficient improvements for Missouri’s low income households How you can benefit from Home Energy Certification How you can make your home more energy efficient and save money Learn more about our various low-interest loans grants and reimbursement programs for energy efficiency projects Searching for a Missouri state park or historic site has never been easier apparel - bring a piece of MoStateParks into your everyday life We host hundreds of special events throughout the year - find an event near you Learn more about Missouri's environmental permits and how to apply Learn more about our grants and low interest loans rules and actions on public notice and provide your input Discuss specific environmental issues with department staff through forums, workgroups JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MARCH 14, 2025 – Beginning this spring, the campground at Big Lake State Park will offer 28 campsites with sewer, water and 50-amp electrical service. The campground underwent major renovations as part of 22 revenue projects across Missouri. More information on the statewide revenue bond projects is available at mostateparks.com/revenue-bonds Missouri State Parks will accept reservations for the renovated campsites beginning Monday Reservations can be made by contacting the Reservation Call Center at 877-422-6766 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or by visiting icampmo1.usedirect.com/MSPWeb/ Big Lake State Park is located at 204 Lake Shore Drive in Craig please contact Big Lake State Park at 660-771-6341 For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Click here to Save a Life The Missouri Department of Natural Resources does not endorse of any websites or related materials provided outside of this website The department bears no responsibility for any damages arising from using these websites or related materials The Missouri Department of Natural Resources' (the "Department") website can be translated into many different languages using Google™ Translate, a third-party service that provides automated computer translations of webpages. The Google™ Translate Service is offered as a convenience and is subject to applicable Google Terms of Service Providing the service as a convenience is not an endorsement of the product or the results generated and nothing herein should be construed as such an approval or endorsement The content of the Department's website originates in English If there are differences between the English content and its translation the English content is always the most accurate By selecting a language from the Google Translate menu the user accepts the legal implications of any misinterpretations or differences in the translation As Google's translation is an automated service it may display interpretations that are an approximation of the website's original content You should not rely on Google™ Translate to provide an exact translation of the website There are circumstances where the service does not translate correctly or where translations may not be possible some applications or services may not work as expected when translated The Department has no control over the nature Neither the Department nor its employees accept liability for any inaccuracies or errors in the translation or liability for any loss indirect or consequential loss or damage arising from or in connection with using the Google™ Translate Service For assistance, please contact the Department of Natural Resources at 573-751-3443 or by email at dnrwebcontact@dnr.mo.gov. If you are having accessibility or usability issues with our website, please fill out an Accessibility Issue form Contact: Megan Urban Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed The type of sunflower is a new plant species identified in Big Bend National Park in Texas is especially notable for being the simultaneous discovery of a new species and genus The findings were published last week in the peer-reviewed journal PhytoKeys The plant was found on a hike in the park's backcountry in March 2024 by park volunteer Deb Manley and Cathy Hoyt When Manley uploaded photos to the community science app iNaturalist "That kind of caused an uproar — it caused an email chain of different botanists emailing each other," says Isaac Lichter Marck a post-doctoral research fellow at the California Academy of Sciences who was part of the research A whole team assembled to study samples of these plants "It was very clear at first that it was a member of the sunflower family because all members of the sunflower family have flowers that are made up of a bunch of flowers put together," Lichter Marck says The "goal was to solve the mystery of what its closest relatives were The team compared it to similar plants by sequencing its DNA and using a scanning electron microscope They found a group where the mystery plant fit in among its close relatives But "this new plant didn't fit cleanly within any recognized genus which is the rank of classification above the species which meant that it wasn't only a new species to science but a completely new genus," Lichter Marck says It's not uncommon for new species and new genera to be named but for it to be discovered simultaneously is "very rare." Deb Manley picked the name based on the plant's wooly hairs and its tendency to have two ray florets that "sort of look like devil horns," according to Lichter Mark The wooly devil is small — it can be less than half an inch to about 3 inches across They still have a lot to learn about the plant So far it's only been identified in three small sections in one area of the Chihuahuan Desert in the national park They know it's an annual plant that blooms after desert rains. And rain has been lacking; the area has suffered drought in recent years People might think of desert plants as being accustomed to drought and aridity conditions that are predicted to become more common because of climate change But "the truth is that desert plants in many cases are very sensitive," Lichter Marck says Plants like the wooly devil depend on "good rain years," which are expected to become more rare Lichter Marck says because the plant is so "restricted geographically," it may have already passed its peak "It's a great thing that we're able to document one of our coinhabitants on Earth," he says But then there's the stark reality of climate change "We probably are documenting a species that's on its way out," he adds "There are countless other species that are probably not going to be recognized before they go extinct." Become an NPR sponsor Portion of the East Rim Trail to close February 1st through April 18 Contact: Thomas Athens Contact: Tom VandenBerg A portion of the East Rim Trail from the southern junction of the Boot Canyon Trail to a point just north of Campsite ER-4 Technical rock climbing on rock faces within ¼ mile of known peregrine eyries The NPS does not plan to close any other areas but restrictions may be modified if Peregrine behavior or nesting sites do not follow traditional trends The 2021 South Rim Fire burned 1,300 acres of woodland in the Chisos including some areas above historical falcon nesting sites In 2022 a mating pair returned to the area and during monthly surveys biologists confirmed that the nest was successful with fledging offspring Last year falcons were sighted in the area May 29-June 5: 8-night firefly viewing opportunity open to vehicle reservation holders and Elkmont Campground reservation holders The firefly viewing opportunity takes place in Elkmont within Great Smoky Mountains National Park The park manages this high demand viewing opportunity through a lottery to protect the fireflies. Visitors can enter the lottery on Recreation.gov in late April Elkmont is closed at night to all but vehicles with a reservation and foot traffic from registered campers in Elkmont Campground When the lottery opens visitors may select two dates within the 8-day viewing opportunity—a preferred choice and an alternate date All lottery participants are notified that their entry was selected or not Lottery winners will receive a vehicle reservation All lottery participants are charged a $1.00 application fee Successful lottery participants will receive a vehicle reservation for a specific night within the 8-day viewing opportunity and will automatically be charged and additional $29 to the same credit or debit card used for the application fee on Recreation.gov This additional fee helps cover the costs associated with supplies and personnel required to manage the viewing opportunity Flashlights can disrupt the firefly display and impair others’ night vision Cover your flashlight with red cellophane or use a flashlight with a red-light filter Multiple layers of red cellophane may be necessary to dim bright lights Use your flashlight (with red cellophane or a filter) only when walking to your viewing spot Point your flashlight directly at the ground to minimize disturbance to fireflies and other visitors Turn off your flashlight once you reach your viewing location You can also help protect fireflies and their habitats: Female fireflies reside on the forest floor The science behind this phenomenon is known as bioluminescence a natural process also seen in certain fungi Firefly flashes are remarkable examples of bioluminescence producing light through highly efficient chemical reactions that generate light with minimal heat fireflies mix the chemical luciferin with oxygen and the enzyme luciferase resulting in a ‘cool’ glow that boasts nearly 100% light traditional incandescent bulbs emit only about 10% of their energy as light Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to 19 unique species of fireflies out of over 2,000 species identified worldwide the synchronous fireflies (Photinus carolinus) are particularly famous known as one of few species with the incredible ability to synchronize their flashing patterns This mesmerizing display transforms sections of the forest into a flickering spectacle Researchers have investigated the reasons behind this synchronized flashing behavior; however the synchronous behavior is not yet fully understood One theory suggests that males flash in unison to elicit a call-and-response interaction from the females A study found that female fireflies of this species only respond when an adequate amount of flashing is presented to them Once enough light is generated in the forest the much dimmer females will respond during the pauses in the males' flashing pattern The flash pattern of Photinus carolinus is a remarkable sequence of five to eight distinct flashes followed by an eight-second pause of darkness creating a breathtaking display of pulsating light throughout the forest The mating season for synchronous fireflies lasts approximately two to three weeks each year with the exact timing varying based on environmental conditions such as temperature and soil moisture The park uses soil temperatures to predict the optimal dates for the viewing opportunity in Elkmont Nature's unpredictability means that the peak of firefly activity can shift year by year recorded peak dates have ranged from the third week of May to the third week of June the display begins with just a few flashing insects till the season peaks before gradually declining as the season comes to an end Environmental factors may influence these nightly displays; heavy rain often halts their flashing while misty weather will likely not stop their display Cool temperatures below 50º Fahrenheit can also reduce the number of active fireflies Download the NPS app to navigate the parks on the go.