Latest news with #Acero
Daily Mail
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Jono Castano enjoys date night with Love Triangle star Emily Ryder - one year after welcoming daughter with model Simone Holtznagel
Jono Castano looked very loved-up when he stepped out for a date night with new girlfriend Emily Ryder. The celebrity personal trainer and Simone Hotznagel's baby daddy, 35, went Instagram official with the Love Triangle star earlier this week. The newly-minted couple looked over the moon to be in each other's company on Tuesday when they enjoyed an intimate dinner for two in Sydney's Potts Point. Jono cut a relaxed figure for the romantic interlude, wearing a plain white T-Shirt that fitted his well honed torso perfectly. He also wore a pair of loose-fitting navy blue tracksuit pants, while finishing his ensemble with a pair of white sneakers. Sporting a shock of stubble, Jono accessorised with a silver bracelet on his wrist while holding tight to his phone as the couple strolled. Emily also went with a casual look, stepping out in a plain black long-sleeved top with a scooped neck. She tucked her top into a pair of patterned, wide leg pants that featured a drawstring and black and white stripes running down the leg. Choosing to leave her flaxen locks down for the occasion, Emily finished the look with a pair of black leather slides. Wanting to protect herself from the inclement Sydney weather, she also accessorised with a chic beige trench coat that finished just below the knee. The lovebirds looked very happy to be spending the evening together, beaming as they walked, arm in arm to the restaurant. Choosing to enjoy their intimate meal al fresco, Jono and Emily appeared lost in deep conversation as they enjoyed the ambiance. Jono's new romance comes after he was previously linked to Perth-based fashion designer Nilofar Khirzad, following his high-profile split from Simone Holtznagel. Jono and Simone dated for almost two years after meeting through Sydney 's social scene. The newly-minted couple looked over the moon to be in each other's company on Tuesday when they enjoyed an intimate dinner for two in Sydney's Potts Point The lovebirds looked very happy to be spending the evening together, beaming as they walked arm-in-arm to the restaurant The trainer, who owns the Acero fitness brand, remains one of Australia's most in-demand celebrity trainers, having worked with the likes of Rebel Wilson, Rita Ora and Michael Clarke. Castano abruptly ended his relationship with designer Nilofar in January after less than six months of dating. 'They've been over for weeks,' an insider told Daily Mail Australia at the time. 'Their relationship just ran its course.' The genetically blessed couple have since unfollowed each other on Instagram. Emily meanwhile rose to fame on Stan's hit dating series Love Triangle, where she was initially matched with Sam Fisher. Their relationship quickly soured after it was revealed that Sam had been secretly communicating with an ex-girlfriend named Hannah during filming, leading to a dramatic fallout on the show. Emily later spoke out about the betrayal, stating, 'The lies were so detailed, you couldn't even write this. I congratulate him for how great he was at lying, it was pretty well done!' Meanwhile, Simone and Jono split in May last year, around nine weeks after welcoming their daughter Gia into the world on Easter Sunday. Jono confirmed news of their break-up to Daily Mail Australia in July and Simone has since said she is raising Gia alone. She also recently made a cryptic remark that she 'couldn't change' the man she loved. 'I wanted to set an example for my daughter; that's something that shifted for me, Simone revealed to Stellar. 'One day I was like, "What am I doing? This isn't right. And I would hate if she was ever in this situation.' She continued: 'You have to do what is right for you at the end of the day. 'No matter the number of promises or anything else that people make, when they show you who they are, believe them. Because you can't change people.' Simone also said she is content co-parenting Gia with Jono and that she is confident she made the right choice. 'I've never felt more sure of anything, and I know I can do it by myself,' she admitted. 'It's unfortunate that I'm mostly having to do it by myself, but I couldn't think of it any other way, really,' she said.
Daily Mail
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Jono Castano steps out for date night with glamorous reality star girlfriend Emily Ryder - as the pair go public with their romance at the Opera House
Jono Castano has officially moved on from his fashion designer ex Nilofar Khirzad, stepping out with his glamorous new girlfriend Emily Ryder. The 33-year-old celebrity trainer was spotted enjoying a romantic night out with Love Triangle star Emily at the Sydney Opera House on Saturday night. In a moody black-and-white clip during their outing, the couple looked completely smitten as they paused on a grand staircase under dramatic lighting. In the footage, the fitness guru was seen planting a kiss on his girlfriend's lips as they posed for a cute photo together. Jono cut a relaxed figure in a dark outfit paired with sneakers, while Emily, 29, showcased her long, toned legs in a chic bodycon dress and clear heels. Her hair tumbled over her shoulders in soft waves as she leaned in affectionately towards Jono. The pair appearing to share an intimate moment despite passing onlookers. The pair have reportedly been dating for several months and are taking things 'very slowly'. Sources close to the couple say Jono and Emily bonded over their shared passion for fitness and adventure, and are often seen working out together. While the couple have kept their relationship relatively low-key until now, insiders claim they are 'absolutely smitten' and looking forward to spending even more time together. Jono's new romance comes after he was previously linked to Perth-based fashion designer Nilofar Khirzad, following his high-profile split from Simone Holtznagel. Jono and Simone dated for almost two years after meeting through Sydney's social scene. The trainer, who owns the Acero fitness brand, remains one of Australia's most in-demand celebrity trainers, having worked with the likes of Rebel Wilson, Rita Ora and Michael Clarke. Castano abruptly ended his relationship with designer Nilofar in January after less than six months of dating. 'They've been over for weeks,' an inside told Daily Mail Australia at the time. 'Their relationship just ran its course.' The genetically blessed couple have since unfollowed each other on Instagram. Emily meanwhile rose to fame on Stan's hit dating series Love Triangle, where she was initially matched with Sam Fisher. Their relationship quickly soured after it was revealed that Sam had been secretly communicating with an ex-girlfriend named Hannah during filming, leading to a dramatic fallout on the show. Emily later spoke out about the betrayal, stating, 'The lies were so detailed, you couldn't even write this. I congratulate him for how great he was at lying, it was pretty well done!' Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Jono and Emily for comment.
Chicago Tribune
28-02-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
As distraught parents plead, school board votes to keep Acero charter schools open, despite financial warning
The Chicago Board of Education approved an amended resolution at a board meeting Thursday requiring Chicago Public Schools to keep open several charter schools slated for closure. After a protracted and often confusing debate on the feasibility and fine print of the amendment, the school board voted 16 to 3 with one abstention to keep open all of the seven schools slated for closure in Acero Charter Network through the end of the 2025-26 school year and incorporate five into district schools the following year. It did not provide concrete options for the other two schools. The last-minute change in the resolution to make it mandatory to absorb all schools and costs reflects the dynamics of a divided board — with several newly elected and appointed members — that is facing serious financial challenges. The first change in the resolution language, which CPS made in its online agenda just 48 hours before the vote, would have gone back on promises the school board made in December — when a six-member board voted unanimously to keep all Acero charter school locations open until the next school year and absorb five of them in 2026. Acero first announced closures of seven out of 15 schools last fall. It's the second time the board voted to maintain the schools through the 2025-26 school year. In December, the board passed a resolution for the same outcome, but the agenda for Thursday's monthly meeting indicated the board would be voting to amend the resolution and close three of Acero's schools, not two. The amendment, posted just 48 hours before the board meeting, directed the district to keep the remaining four schools open through at least the 2025-26 school year. The future of those schools in the year following, however, was uncertain. Several of those board members spoke passionately about the financial decisions facing the board. But most of the meeting's public comment was taken up by parents and students at Acero expressing their frustration – some with raised voices and tears — about the lack of communication from Acero leadership and their discomfort with the uncertainty they have faced for weeks. 'We're broken due to this situation. I hope that no organization — be it charter or public — be so careless and reckless,' said Acero's Fuentes Elementary parent Angelica Juarez. Acero charter schools are authorized and overseen by the district. The seven schools in question serve 2,000 students, who are predominantly Latino. News about the potential closures of the schools was first announced by Acero leadership in October. It has been the source of contention at board meetings for months since. Acero's 11-member board initially cited funding challenges, declining enrollment and inadequate spaces to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as reasons for the closures. They said keeping the schools open would leave the network with a $40 million budget shortfall for the 2025-26 school year. The district has been in ongoing negotiations with Acero leadership, including CEO Richard L. Rodriguez, according to Alfonso Carmona, CPS's chief portfolio officer. Carmona cited state law that requires school districts to give charter operators between 97% and 103% of the funding it gives district-run schools per student. Maintaining the Acero buildings would exceed that, Carmona said. It would take $4.1 million at a minimum to keep all seven campuses open, according to Carmona. 'The district does not have legal grounds to keep any of the campuses open,' he said.
Chicago Tribune
27-02-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Immigration agents detain an Acero parent on Southwest Side
A parent dropping off two students at an Acero charter school on the Southwest Side was detained Wednesday morning by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, according to a letter from the charter network's leadership sent to parents. In a letter to parents Wednesday, Acero officials said 'Community Wellness Protocols' were immediately implemented at two schools, Victoria Soto High School and Jovita Idar Elementary, which share a campus, to 'maintain the safety and security' of the schools' community. Chicago Public Schools' Office of Safety and Security was also engaged, according to the letter signed by the schools' principals, Elizabeth Obrzut and Nicolle Macias. ICE agents did not attempt to enter either Soto High School or Idar Elementary, according to the letter. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The network of 15 charter elementary and high schools, said focused support will be made available for those impacted by the event, due to how 'stressful and upsetting' the situation may have been on the school's community, both schools will have additional social work support available for students, Helena Stangle, Chief Culture Officer at Acero Schools said in an emailed statement to the Tribune. Acero 'has and will continue to share the Civil Rights Resource Hub with all of our school communities and regularly distributes information about stand-alone Know Your Rights opportunities.' The school network's online information center, known as the 'Civil Rights Resource Hub,' is updated weekly and includes direct contact information for Acero staff members 'positioned to support our school community,' Stangle said. Three officers were spotted outside the school Wednesday morning in normal-looking cars and clothes, said Evelyn Aguayo, a member of the rapid response team for the community organizing group Increase the Peace Chicago. Aguayo said photos of the agents circulated among response groups later in the afternoon. The ICE arrest occurred about a month after CPS incorrectly reported that ICE agents tried to enter Hamline Elementary in Back of the Yards in late January. The two officers who tried to enter Hamline were later reported to be with Secret Service, not ICE. Aguayo and her team have been working to disseminate Know Your Rights information to communities like Gage Park and Back of the Yards, she said. But after Wednesday's ICE arrest, she said that work is more urgent. 'These students have a right to be dropped off without trauma,' she said. 'I do think a lot of families are going to be scared to take their kids to school.'
