Latest news with #GreenAcres
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Oregon pet shop owner learns his fate after sexually abusing little girl, 12, who volunteered in his store
An Oregon former pet shop owner was found guilty of raping a 12-year-old girl, who volunteered at his store. Daniel Stuebgen, 54, of Lincoln City, was found guilty of sexually abusing the preteen five separate times in 2023 in an Oregon court, the Lincoln County District Attorney's Office announced. He was convicted of three counts of rape in the second degree, two counts of sodomy in the second degree, four counts of sexual abuse in the first degree, and four counts of using a child in display of sexually explicit conduct, the DA's Office said. He faces mandatory prison sentences for all of his offenses. The mandatory sentence means a judge can lessen the time or reduce for good behavior. Second-degree rape and sodomy and first-degree sexual abuse carry a mandatory sentence of six years and three months. Using a child in display of sexually explicit conduct holds a sentence of five years and 10 months, according to the State of Oregon. In total, that means Stuebgen faces 79.5 years in prison. He was convicted after a five-day trial on May 1. Further details of the case were not made public in the May 20 statement. Stuebgen is the former owner of Happy Trails Feed & Tack and Green Acres Beach & Trail Rides, which he owned with his ex-wife Teresa Stuebgen. Happy Trails is now under new management. Stuebgen was arrested on June 12, 2024 after Lincoln City Police Department spent 10 months investigating him, the force announced at the time. At the time of his arrest, he was living at Happy Trials. The former business owner will be sentenced on June 3.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Against anti-DEI tide, NJ towns are spending millions to make playgrounds more accessible
As federal officials threaten to cut funding over DEI programs, some New Jersey towns are investing millions to ensure children with and without disabilities can play side by side. These efforts reflect a broader shift across the state as more communities reimagine public spaces to comply with Jake's Law, the 2018 legislation named after South Jersey's Jacob Cummings-Nasto or 'Baby Jake,' who died of a rare cardiac condition. The law calls for 'completely inclusive playgrounds' that follow standards set by the state's departments of Community Affairs and Education and funded by the Department of Environmental Protection's Green Acres program. The law seems to be achieving its desired effect, said Woodland Park Borough Administrator Sam Yodice, whose town has finalized its design and plans to solicit bids in June. "It was the piece that got us over the top,' he said. The town had been saving money to renovate Diane Grimes Memorial Park. But winning a $750,000 grant allowed Woodland Park to go 'all in' with a comprehensive, inclusive $1.3 million–$1.4 million redesign. Other parks in the works include Pascack Brook County Park in Westwood, Argonne Park in Teaneck, Habernickel Park in Ridgewood, and communities beyond North Jersey, including Evesham, Montgomery, Brigantine, Toms River and Cherry Hill. Many are pursuing the projects with the help of state grants and partnerships with advocacy organizations. The Township of Little Falls opened their much anticipated renovated and inclusive playground at Wilmore Park. Pictured is Mayor James Damiano during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. One advocate, Mercedes Witowsky, executive director of the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities and mother to a 35-year-old daughter with disabilities, is happy with the increasing number of accessible playgrounds popping up in recent years. But she also urges towns not to confuse good intentions with true accessibility. 'I just have to stop and not take the words 'inclusive' and 'accessible' at face value,' she said. Witowsky recounted her daughter's recent visit to a Morris County park that claimed to be inclusive. 'There was no close parking, the terrain didn't accommodate a wheelchair, and there wasn't a single piece of equipment that an adult with disabilities could use." What makes a playground inclusive? The Woodland Park project will feature inclusive equipment for children ages 2 to 12, quiet spaces for kids who need breaks, and a new ramp to connect the lower playground with its upper athletic fields. "We think it's going to be a super-dynamic park," Yodice said. "This initiative is going to give this town a place for everyone to go." Yodice's favorite feature will be found in one of the park's two quiet spaces. "You can go and sit on a larger chair and then it has smaller tree stumps and kids can sit around and listen to somebody read a story or even just tell a story," he said. 'So we're calling it our 'reader throne.' We think that's a pretty cool aspect. I don't think a lot of parks have that.' Yodice said the town hopes to have it ready by next spring. Playgrounds that qualify go beyond ADA compliance. Guidelines call for rubberized surfaces, accessible bathrooms, fencing, shaded areas, and play equipment that supports a wide range of physical, sensory and cognitive needs, according to the Cherry Hill nonprofit Build Jake's Place, which helped develop them. Students in the special education program at Licking Heights Everest Elementary will visit LifeTown, a 5,000 square foot facility in New Albany designed to teach disabled students essential life skills, once a month for the remainder of the 2024-25 school year. Here, students enjoy the facility's sensory-friendly playground during their introductory visit. Witowsky, whose daughter had a stroke at age 16 and still loves the swings, doesn't want communities focused on the design of play structures to overlook features like parking and terrain. 'If you can't get to it or use it, it kind of defeats the purpose,' Witowsky said. Where are inclusive playgrounds being built? Passaic County is also investing $850,000 to replace outdated equipment at Weasel Brook Park in Clifton to build an inclusive playground. A completion date has not yet been announced. Neighboring Bergen County is incorporating those standards into its plans for a new playground at Pascack Brook County Park in Westwood. The county was recently awarded a $1 million Green Acres grant that it will match with funds from its own coffers, said County Executive James Tedesco's deputy chief of staff, Alan Sands. 'We are still in the planning stage at this point for the project and (the Parks Department) is currently in the process of bringing on a firm for design work. Once that is finalized, the anticipated timeline is about two years,' said Sands. The Pascack Brook Completely Inclusive Playground will feature shaded play areas, a quiet play area and play equipment for children from 2 to 12 years old. There will also be fencing, a wheelchair accessible see-saw, a wheelchair accessible merry-go-round and cognitive play boards (interactive panels that engage children in problem-solving and sensory activities), according to Sands, who added that the plans are conceptual and might change over time. Community input was 'vital,' to the project, Sands said. A two-month survey generated 339 responses, nearly a third of whom said they care for a child with a disability or medical issue. When asked whether it's important that Bergen County have a 'completely inclusive playground,' 77% of survey participants replied that it was 'very important.' A girl joyfully ran through bubbles at the dedication of the inclusive playground at Blendon Woods Metro Park on Thursday. Witowsky, whose council is tasked with the mission of empowering people with disabilities, cautions that input must also be sought from people with disabilities. 'You can build something terrific, but if the people it's meant for can't access it or weren't included in its design, why did we spend this money?' 'Nobody with a disability is going to charge you for that feedback," she said. "They just want to participate. It makes the project better,' she said. Ridgewood has secured a $68,000 grant to begin replacing the wooden structure at Habernickel Park with a modern, accessible design, with construction expected to begin this year. Teaneck was awarded $1.125 million in grant funding to enhance the playground at Milton Votee Park ($750,000) and the restrooms and play areas at Argonne Park ($375,000). 'Families who face these challenges are appreciative that the county is moving in this direction with our playgrounds and are very attentive to make sure that we live up to our promises to be the best place in New Jersey to raise any family,' Sands said. This article originally appeared on New inclusive playgrounds in NJ: These towns are building them
Wall Street Journal
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
‘Government Cheese' Review: David Oyelowo's Ex-Con Odyssey on Apple TV+
The push-button transmission on the indestructible Dodge Dart is one recurring late-'60s signifier in 'Government Cheese,' along with the pastels, paisleys and rampant polyester. They are all useful visual coordinates, considering that the story otherwise takes place in an unwelcoming Wonderland of surrealistic angst in which Alice is an ex-con, the looking-glass is Los Angeles and the dream involves a power drill. David Oyelowo, whose roles have included lawman Bass Reeves, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Kaley Cuoco's husband ('Role Play'), stars in and executive-produces this 10-part series created by Paul Hunter and Aeysha Carr. He seems eager to stretch as an actor, perhaps the way Steven Soderbergh did in 'Schizopolis,' or Eddie Albert in 'Green Acres.' Whether he will take his audience along on this particular trip seems a somewhat dicey proposition.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
Which town in Palm Beach County was named by drawing out of a hat? And other name facts
What's in a name? When it comes to towns and cities in Palm Beach County, the name could reflect its founder, or the place its original residents moved from — or the name could've been drawn out of a hat. (Can you guess which one that was without looking?) The county's newest municipality, established in 2016, was named by the developers behind the community and a town more than a century old had its name amended by residential vote in 2019. Here's a quick look at local town names, courtesy of The Palm Beach Post's "Post Time" local history column reported in 2019 by retired staffer Eliot Kleinberg: Atlantis: Developers picked an exotic name, that of the lost continent, to attract buyers, and get the town at the top of alphabetical lists. Belle Glade: Residents submitted names; the winner was a play off "Belle of the Glades," or from "Glade Bell," the name of a local ferry boat. Boca Raton: Originally Boca de los Ratones, or "mouth of the mice." Some say it was named for where sharp rocks gnawed at ships' docking ropes. According to the Boca Raton Historical Society, there is such an inlet, but it sits in what is present-day Miami Beach. Mapmakers goofed. Boynton Beach: The town of Boynton was named for settler Nathan Smith Boynton. In 1931, the adjacent barrier island split from Boynton Beach and, in 1939, it renamed itself Ocean Ridge, for its high ground. Two years later, Boynton became Boynton Beach. Briny Breezes: The mobile home park wanted to play off the adjacent ocean. Cloud Lake: The tiny town near Palm Beach International Airport played off a description local indigenous people used for the area. Delray Beach: It originally was named Linton but was renamed for a Detroit neighborhood believed to have been settled by a Mexican and named from the Spanish for "of the king." Glen Ridge: A resident of the tiny town near PBIA noted a canal bank formed a ridge and the main street was surrounded by trees that gave the appearance of a wooded glen. Golf: The village near Boynton Beach was settled by former residents of Golf, Illinois, then home of the Western Golf Association. Greenacres: When it was founded in 1926, the name was drawn from a hat. In 1987, residents suggested a change because of the television comedy "Green Acres," but the Town Council declined. Residents voted in 1990 to remove "City." Gulf Stream: It's considered the closest land area to the famed offshore current. Haverhill: It is named for Haverhill, Massachusetts, near Boston, the original home of some early settlers. Highland Beach: The small town north of Boca Raton features a coastal ridge. Hypoluxo: Once the name of Lake Worth, the body of water that's now the Intracoastal Waterway in central Palm Beach County, it's from a Seminole word for "water all around, can't get out." Before the Palm Beach Inlet was dug, the lake was closed in. Jupiter, Jupiter Inlet Colony and Juno Beach: Mapmakers noted the native settlement of Hobe (HO-bay) and thought it was the Spanish pronunciation of Jove, the Latin counterpart of the Greek god Zeus, who also went by Jupiter. When a sister settlement sprung up, it was named Juno for Jupiter's wife. It burned in 1894, and the town of Juno Beach formed in 1953. For a time, Jupiter and Juno were stops on a small rail line dubbed the Celestial Railroad, and in between were stops including Venus and Mars. Lake Clarke Shores: In the late 19th century, a fishing lodge owned by the C.J. Clarke family of Pittsburgh overlooked the site. Lake Park: Originally named Kelsey City, for developer Harry Kelsey. When he went bust and left, residents opted for a name that reflected adjacent Lake Worth and a nearby park. Lake Worth Beach: William Jenkins Worth, leader of American troops in the Second Seminole War (1835-42), ended the conflict by summarily declaring it over. The city's original name was Lake Worth; residents voted to add "Beach" in March 2019. Lantana: Incorporated in 1921, it was named for wild flower common to the region. Loxahatchee Groves: Named for the nearby waterway. In Seminole and related languages, Loxa is "turtle" and Hatchee "river." Manalapan: Named by settlers from the New Jersey town of the same name established more than 80 years prior. Mangonia Park: The original settlement was near West Palm Beach's Northwood neighborhood. It later was swallowed by the city. The present town, about 2 miles to the northwest, was founded in 1953, and wanted "Magnolia Park," but the state said the name was taken and unilaterally assigned Mangonia Park, for the nearby lake. Pahokee: The town on Lake Okeechobee comes from the Seminole for "grassy waters." Palm Beach: It was named in 1886 for the many palm trees that sprang up after the Spanish ship Providencia wrecked in 1878 and some 20,000 coconuts were sold as salvage. West Palm Beach, North Palm Beach and South Palm Beach are variations. Palm Beach Gardens: John D. MacArthur played off his "garden city" vision. Palm Beach Shores: British hotelier A.O. Edwards wanted a tie to Palm Beach and had a summer home at the Detroit suburb of St. Clair Shores. Palm Springs: Probably for the resort town of Palm Springs, California. Riviera Beach: Developers wanted to conjure up images of Europe's coastal resort area. Royal Palm Beach: Developers planted dozens of royal palms along what they named Royal Palm Beach Boulevard. South Bay: Believed named for its position at the south end of Lake Okeechobee. Tequesta: In the 1950s, when the developer created the neighborhood, historians explained the native Americans known as the Tequesta never came that far north, but he said he'd already printed promotional material and wouldn't budge. Wellington: It's named not for the duke who defeated Napoleon but for the area's settler, New England accountant C. Oliver Wellington (1886-1959). An aviator, Wellington's initials (C.O.W.) are the origins of Flying Cow Ranch road which served as a landing strip for his planes, according to the village's historical society. Westlake: The county's newest municipality (2016); developers Minto Communities successfully petitioned for incorporation, and picked the name, even before the first shovel was turned. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: How did these Palm Beach County towns get their names?
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How do NJ's Democratic candidates for governor see Trump's plans on the environment?
As the Trump administration continues to implement an agenda that strongly echoes Project 2025, Elon Musk is eyeing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration next for his 'government efficiency' efforts. That agency, part of the Department of Commerce, is home to the National Weather Service and is responsible for providing scientifically accurate weather forecasts, advisories, watches and warnings to residents throughout the country. Musk's examination of NOAA comes two weeks after the United States withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement, an international treaty aimed at mitigating climate change. So what do the Democratic hopefuls in this year's gubernatorial primary see as New Jersey's role in the fight against climate change? 'The reality is that climate change is real — no matter what Donald Trump or anyone else says,' Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said. 'Ignoring it doesn't make the rising sea levels, stronger storms or extreme heat disappear.' Baraka went on to say it's critical for New Jersey to be a 'leader, not a follower,' because of the actions of the federal government. He noted that the state can't 'afford to be dependent on outdated energy sources or vulnerable power grids' and can't 'back down in the face of climate denial.' 'We see flooding devastating communities across every county in our state, and so-called 'hundred-year storms' happening multiple times a decade,' Baraka said. 'Clean energy is not just an environmental issue — it's an economic issue, a public safety issue, a public health issue and a moral imperative.' Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop announced his candidacy nearly two years ago and has provided policy platforms on a whole host of topics. One addresses sustainability and the environment, which he says are important because as a father with young kids, he recognizes that climate change is an essential threat. 'Being a mayor I understand the levers of government and what we can do with and without the federal government, so when you have a partner in Washington who is not supportive, it doesn't mean we give up our priorities as it relates to the environment and climate change,' Fulop said. He cited measures the state can take without federal, help such as land preservation, land acquisition and Green Acres funding. Fulop went on to say he believes 'clean energy alternatives are really important to the long-term health of New Jersey' and that the state administration needs to be smarter, because the federal government 'obviously is not supportive.' Continuing the Murphy administration's plan to make the state energy-independent by 2035 is something Sean Spiller, president of the New Jersey Education Association, would do if elected. 'I will never let Donald Trump and the big oil special interests dictate New Jersey's climate and energy priorities,' he said. 'New Jersey can and must be a leader in the effort to create clean energy and combat climate change. We need an energy master plan that will bring down costs, create green energy jobs and invest in sustainability and renewable energy.' Rep. Mikie Sherrill thinks the state needs a 'comprehensive strategy to address climate change and build a plan that meets the energy needs of the future with clean, low-cost power.' 'This will fuel economic growth and create good-paying jobs, prevent worsening weather events due to climate change, and improve the health of our children and grandchildren,' she said. 'It's maddening that the president is putting up roadblocks for clean energy — with the upcoming huge energy needs, we need an all-of-the-above approach that invests in strategies that will create more energy and lower carbon emissions and costs.' Rep. Josh Gottheimer said the 'intense flooding, rising tides and extreme storms' New Jersey has experienced are evidence of climate change and that he would be focusing on giving families a break by lowering the cost of energy with an 'all-of-the-above energy plan— especially more alternative energy.' Former state Senate President Steve Sweeney did not respond to calls for comment. What they said: New Jersey's Democratic candidates for governor debated As New Jersey gears up for a historic gubernatorial election, a new poll shows that overwhelming majorities of likely Democratic voters support strong action to protect the environment — and believe that a clean energy transition would lower costs for working families. A poll, conducted by Global Strategy Group on behalf of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, shows that likely Democratic voters support prioritizing climate change and pushing back against the Trump administration. Of those surveyed, 67% would be more likely to vote for a candidate who 'supports bold climate policies that will push back against President Trump's anti-environmental agenda.' The poll also found that more than 80% of likely primary voters believe clean energy would lower New Jersey families' energy bills and nearly 90% believe it's more important for New Jersey to take steps to protect the environment at the state level in response to the Trump administration. The poll, which surveyed 800 likely 2025 Democratic primary voters between Nov. 21 and 25, has a margin of error of 3.5%. Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@ This article originally appeared on NJ Democrat governor candidates on Trump environment policy
