Latest news with #OliviaRose
New York Times
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
These New Yorkers Are Touching Grass
Visuals by Krista Schlueter Text by Miya Lee This Sunday, at 10:30 a.m. sharp, a group of stylish, mostly 30-something New Yorkers gathered at the Hare Krishna Tree in the center of Tompkins Square Park. Despite a few complaints of hangovers, they had made it there on time for a plant and history tour of the park led by Olivia Rose, who handed out tote bags and forest green zines she had made for the occasion. Ms. Rose, 33, is an artist and designer from the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan. She founded the plant design studio Original Rose in 2017. Last August, she began hosting free guided walks around New York that explored both the city's history and its local plants. Ms. Rose hopes her walks will foster a more intimate relationship between New Yorkers and the overlooked vegetation that lives alongside them. ' I like to think about it as, like, you're just learning more about your neighbors,' she said. The walks attract artists, writers, designers, models, musicians — 'the scenesters of the world,' as Daniel Ohrem, a friend of Ms. Rose's who showed up on Sunday for his second plant walk, put Maldonado and Sarah Gaudio, a married couple who run the streetwear brand Brigade USA, brought their dog to Sunday's walk and said they both identified as '100 percent plant-blind.' 'You can be here for decades and not know the intricacies of what you're seeing on the street day to day, ' Ms. Gaudio said. After roughly 35 people assembled, Ms. Rose called for everyone's attention. With her hand pressed to the Hare Krishna Tree's trunk, she explained that it was a rare example of a mature American elm in New York City, planted around 1879. In 1966, the tree was where the spiritual leader Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his followers held a chanting ceremony that represented the birth of the Hare Krishna religion in the United States. 'I like to think that the trees hold in memory of all the things that have occurred,' Ms. Rose said. The crowd listened attentively as she went on to illuminate the many memories contained in the 10.5 acres of Tompkins Square was its use as a military parade ground, the various labor and antiwar protests, the concerts and drag festivals and the 1988 clash between protestors and police officers over issues including homelessness, gentrification and a 1 a.m. curfew. 'You can't ever bring this park down,' Ms. Rose said. 'The people come back. This is the people's park for a reason.' Next to the skate park on 10th Street, Ms. Rose pointed out a London plane, among the most common trees in New York City and one favored by the urban planner Robert Moses for its hardiness and adaptability. London planes are known for their flaky, camouflage-like bark and five-point leaves, which many believe inspired the leaf on the city's Parks Department logo. After stopping by two monuments — the Slocum Memorial Fountain, which commemorates the victims of a 1904 ferry fire, and the Temperance Fountain, installed in 1888 to encourage people to drink water instead of alcohol — the walk was coming to a close. The park had begun filling up with sunbathers, children and people doing tai chi. Under the Hare Krishna Tree, a band was setting up for a performance.'She ate, absolutely ate,' Lydia Burns commented to her girlfriend about Ms. Rose. Ms. Burns, a model and native New Yorker, was particularly delighted by the hand-drawn map in Ms. Rose's zine that identified the location and the species of every tree in the park. 'I've been wanting to come for weeks and weeks and weeks,' she said. 'I'm excited that the spring is happening and she's really activating the girls to touch some grass — literally — and get outside.' Produced by Tanner Curtis
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Are you saving enough for retirement? 5 Texas cities rank in affordability for retirees
While a recent study showed Texas is the best state to retire to in 2025, exactly which Texas city is the most retiree-friendly is up for debate. Moving to a new city — or even a new state — is common for retirees, as they look for a comfortable place where they can also stretch their retirement savings. Quality of life and the share of seniors in a city's population are also key factors to consider. Personal finance site GOBankingRates examined these factors across the 50 biggest U.S. cities with senior populations of at least 10%. Affordability was calculated based on the annual retirement income needed to cover basic costs like housing, healthcare, groceries, transportation and utilities. How did Lone Star State cities measure up in what they can offer retirees? Five cities landed among the 50 cheapest in the country. The Panhandle city of Amarillo claimed the title of the eighth-cheapest U.S. city to retire to. Its average monthly costs added up to $1,745, and nearly 15% of its population is of retirement age. Joining Amarillo in the 50 cheapest cities were Brownsville, El Paso, Corpus Christi and Lubbock. Here's how the five Texas cities compare: Overall rank City Monthly expenditures % of pop. age 65+ Livability score No. 8 Amarillo $1,745 14.8% 66 No. 11 Brownsville $1,754 12.6% 79 No. 21 El Paso $1,794 13.9% 81 No. 38 Corpus Christi $1,833 15.0% 80 No. 48 Lubbock $1,856 12.5% 78 These are the most affordable cities to retire in and their monthly expenditure, according to GOBankingRates: Akron, Ohio: $1,699 Albuquerque, New Mexico: $1,710 Spokane, Washington: $1,711 Cleveland, Ohio: $1,723 Toledo, Ohio: $1,738 Fort Wayne, Indiana: $1,741 Greensboro, North Carolina: $1,742 Amarillo, Texas: $1,745 Grand Rapids, Michigan: $1,745 Little Rock, Arkansas: $1,745 — The Arizona Republic's Olivia Rose contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: This Texas city is among top 10 cheapest in US to retire to Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Greer Fire is 20K acres and growing: What to know about the blaze that's 0% contained
The Greer Fire burning in eastern Arizona was at 20,833 acres and still uncontained the evening of May 18, according to InciWeb, a federal tracker. Control lines held through the wind during the day, the government Facebook page Greer Fire 2025 posted May 18. Smoke was visible, and there was some growth in acreage, but this was mostly due to areas of unburnt fuels within the existing fire perimeter being consumed, the page said. The cause of the blaze that began May 13 was under investigation but had burned grass, shrubs and timber, the Southwest Area Incident Management Team said. Almost 800 people were assigned to fight the fire, as of May 18. Here's what to know about efforts to contain the almost week-old Greer Fire. On May 16, the Apache County Sheriff's Office issued mandatory "go" evacuation orders for residents in Eagar, Greer, South Fork and all areas west of State Route 261. Eagar residents located south of State Route 260 between River Road and the SR 260/U.S. 180 junction — directly east of the fire — were included in the evacuation area. The fire had crossed east over State Route 261. The latest Greer Fire evacuations could be seen on an interactive map provided by the National Interagency Fire Center. Shelter for evacuees were open at the County Fairgrounds in St. Johns and the Alpine Community Center. Blankets and food were available for those who had been evacuated, according to the Apache County Office of Emergency Management website. Major highways in eastern Arizona remained closed due to the fire until further notice, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. State Route 260 was closed in both directions between mileposts 380 and 395. State Route 373's southbound lane was closed between mileposts 385 and 390. State Route 261 was closed in both directions between mileposts 394 and 412. Crews were expected to continue to patrol and mop up hotspots along the control lines to prepare for incoming weather, the Greer 2025 page confirmed. Gusty winds, dry fuels and low humidity will lead to the potential for rapid spread of new or existing fires, according to the National Weather Service Flagstaff office. Hazardous crosswinds were possible with reduced visibility due to blowing dust and sand in much of the northern part of the state, but strongest in east central Arizona, the weather service said. There was a chance of showers and isolated thunderstorms on May 19, mainly in northeast Arizona, the weather service said. Red flag warnings were in effect through May 19 for portions of eastern Arizona, according to the National Weather Service office in Phoenix. Lighter winds were expected on May 20. A public meeting will be hosted by the incident management team at 6 p.m. on May 19 at the Round Valley High School auditorium. Local safety and fire officials will share the latest information on the Greer Fire. The meeting will also be broadcast live on YouTube. The Republic's Olivia Rose contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Greer Fire in eastern Arizona burns more than 20K acres: What to know
Daily Mail
03-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Map shows why New York smells most disgusting in spring - and it's saving the city $8m a year
New York City is known for its array of strange smells, from urine to body odor, but one tree is filling the streets with a particularly unpleasant stench. The Callery Pear tree, which is in the same family as the Bradford Pear, has a distinctive smell that many people find disgusting. So if you find yourself scrunching your nose up this spring, that's why! The Callery Pear litters the Big Apple's streets in all five boroughs, so there's no escaping it. You might even find the invasive species beautiful due to its white flowers - it's one of the first to flower as winter breaks away. But the tree releases the compound trimethylamine and that's what causes the fishy smell, native New Yorker Olivia Rose told after sharing a recent TikTok. The compound can be found in semen and ammonia and it's a pollinator attractor. 'The fact that they attract pollinators now - mostly flies and beetles - is more of an ecological irony. The scent is designed to mimic decay - that's what pulls in the bugs. Turns out, some of them think semen smells like Byredo [perfume].' The peak stink comes between mid-March and mid-April as the tree begins to bloom. 'That's when they bloom and the smell is unmistakable - funky, fishy, and wafting through the city,' Olivia said. 'It's released during the early bloom. [The] Bradford Pear evolved to attract flies and beetles, many of which are drawn to the scent of decay.' The trees first came to New York City around the 1970s as 'as part of broader street beautification efforts,' Rose told 'There are plenty of invasive species growing around the city, but they were not planted with malice,' Olivia, who has a degree in landscape architecture from Cornell, told NYC has 65,591 of these trees and NYC Parks estimates it saves the city $8million a year through stormwater interception, energy conserved, and air pollutants removed. However, the trees aren't all they are cracked up to be, Olivia said. 'The Bradford Pear seemed like an ideal choice: a picturesque tree with a lollipop form, early white blooms, fast-growing, inexpensive, and able to thrive in polluted and compacted soil. 'It was thought to be sterile and low maintenance, but widespread planting of other Callery pear cultivars led to unexpected cross-pollination - sparking a wave of invasive offspring.' NYC no longer plants these trees and certain states, like Ohio and Pennsylvania, have banned the trees due to being invasive. 'They weren't kept for pollinators. It was a visual choice. It was fast. It gave impact. Pretty - and symmetrical,' Olivia told The trees are native to China and Vietnam that grow up to 26 feet tall. In the springtime, the tree produces white flowers, but as the weather gets cooler, it blossoms red, pink, orange, and more, according to NYC Parks.
The Independent
24-04-2025
- The Independent
Celebrity stalking victims have confidence to report offenders, prosecutor says
A senior prosecutor has said celebrities have the confidence to report stalkers after figures showed the number of prosecuted offences has doubled since 2020. Olivia Rose, the stalking lead for the Crown Prosecution Service, told the PA news agency the rise in the number of prosecutions 'has to be a positive thing'. She also said being a victim of cyber stalking, whether high-profile or not, 'can be incredibly isolating' because 'victims can't escape their abuse, and in the comfort of their own home they are constantly being stalked and abused'. Ms Rose said prosecutors need to be aware of the 'societal shift' presented in the Netflix show Adolescence and added that youngsters must be warned about 'falling into that trap of thinking it's OK to send' harmful messages. In the year 2023-24, the number of stalking offences prosecuted reached 5,859, up from 2,512 in 2020-21. A number of high-profile celebrities have been named as victims in recent months, including Cheryl Tweedy, Shirley Ballas and Fern Britton. Speaking as part of National Stalking Awareness Week, Ms Rose told PA: 'I would hope that we've done enough over the years, particularly with the charities, and particularly with the awareness… and what we've really tried to do year on year is to give victims the confidence to know that if they come forward, we will support them. 'We've got tools in our armoury that we can say, look, if you come forward, we can ask the court to apply for special measures so they can give their evidence behind a screen. 'We can ask the court if they can give evidence via a videolink, so they don't even need to go into the court so their voices are still heard, but they don't actually have to face the offender.' She continued: 'All victims are unique and we don't treat them any differently, whether they're celebrities or not. 'The cases of stalking or harassment that make the headlines are often celebrities, and I understand that, but these offences are often committed by somebody that the victim doesn't know. 'However, for us, celebrity cases only just scratch the surface of the stalking offences that we see. 'I think it's a misconception to think that only celebrities can be stalked. The majority of the victims that we see are not celebrities.' Addressing how prosecutors deal with cyber stalking, Ms Rose said: 'There is something in some of the harmful platforms that particularly youngsters are using, and that is something that we have to look at when we're looking at how to gather evidence and gathering evidence from social media. 'Being a victim of cyber stalking, whether you're a celebrity or not, can be incredibly isolating, because offenders can cross additional boundaries. 'They can't in what we would class as the traditional forms of stalking, so victims can't escape their abuse, and in the comfort of their own home they are constantly being stalked and abused.' Ms Rose said the rise in prosecution numbers 'has to be a positive thing', adding: 'It's a really hard one sometimes when people look at the numbers going up to say, well, actually, is that good then? 'But actually, what we say is that if we can, we can assure justice for victims, that we can give them the confidence to come forward and report these offences, that actually does show an improvement. 'We hope that this goes some way to reassure all victims, whether they're celebrities or not, that improvements are being made to protect them through the criminal justice system.' Asked if a large number of young offenders are being prosecuted for stalking offences, Ms Rose said: 'I think, as I said before, there is that certain societal shift that we need to be aware of. 'You see these programmes like Adolescence, etc – we know that it's there, and we know that we need to keep an eye on that, and we need to make sure that, again, we give young people confidence.' Asked if the Netflix show has helped raise awareness of the issue, she added: 'Personally, I think any kind of anything that raises awareness in this area has got to be a good thing. 'Does it help? Yes, because it builds awareness. And I think that, from my point of view, anything we can do to show that the dangers of perhaps young offenders falling into that trap of thinking it's OK to send that. 'I talk about the warning to stalkers, but I really wanted to send a warning to them to say you will not get away with this. It's not acceptable, and it has to stop. 'And particularly this point about the business, about the fact that it does tend to be these offences do tend to be committed by men against women, not always, but that seems to be the pattern that we're seeing.'
