Latest news with #TakeFlight
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
40 years in, Dollywood stands as tourism powerhouse
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WJHL) — Dollywood is well into its 40th anniversary season, and on Friday, Dolly Parton will be in the park for a special celebration. News Channel 11 is participating in the celebration and exploring how the park attracts over 4 million visitors each year. News Channel 11's Anslee Daniel spoke with Leon Downey, Pigeon Forge's executive director of tourism, and Eugene Naughton, president of the Dollywood Company, to discuss how Silver Dollar City became Dollywood. 'The city saw the opportunity to partner with the Herschend family and with Dolly in 1986, and that was a major, first major attraction that the city had,' Downey said. 'And so it's grown every year since Dollywood became Dollywood.' Dollywood is the largest employer in Pigeon Forge and generates the highest tourism revenue in the area. TripAdvisor has awarded it the title of the number one theme park in the United States, and the park has also received the Golden Ticket Award for being the best theme park in the world. Downey stated that the park continues to thrive because 'the people just can't get enough of Dolly.' The Dreamer in Chief has plans to further enhance the park, including a new outdoor resort where guests can experience camping 'Dolly style.' Naughton stated that the ten-year master plan is a half-billion-dollar project that includes Dollywood's largest attraction yet: Take Flight. The upcoming attraction is set to open next season. 'Our largest attraction in our history that we've ever done,' he said. 'And I can promise it's nothing that the industry's ever seen and it'll carry Dolly's big dreams for sure.' Parton, a dedicated advocate for education, also prioritizes the educational needs of her employees. The Herschend Grow U program is a fully funded college tuition initiative available to all employees from their first day. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Los Angeles Times
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
$45 caviar tots? Here's everything you need to eat at Coachella Weekend 2
While attempting to catch a breeze in Isabel and Helen's 'Take Flight' art installation with interconnected windmills during the first (scorching) weekend of Coachella, a mysterious purple structure caught my eye. As I approached it, I noticed the yellow Takis logo in the corner. Figuring that the enclosed space was at the very least shaded and at best air-conditioned, I quickly got in line. The neon-lighted activation features interactive walls guests can 'graffiti' using special pens and plenty of photo ops, but I was most interested in free samples of the rolled tortilla chips, including the new Blue Heat flavor that tastes like Cool Ranch Doritos but crunchier and with more heat. This was the first freebie I nabbed in the festival that's become as much a showcase for elaborate headliner stage sets as it is for dynamic (and often pricy) food options. If you're heading to the Empire Polo Club for Weekend 2, here are my vetted recommendations for where to eat and drink. In the same area as the Takis, find Korean spice brand Buldak along with Hi-Chew gummies, and don't miss Travis Scott's 'Mad Max'-reminiscent activation. The headlining rapper was in charge of 'designing the desert' this year (though his influence isn't felt much beyond this pop-up) and partnered with Erewhon to give out free ginger shots. Eating and drinking your way through various brand freebies is a hack for anyone who's trying to save money at the three-day festival that costs upward of $600 for general admission tickets. If you need something heavier than a snack (and you will), there are still plenty of affordable options scattered throughout the grounds. At Indio Central Market, Italian deli All'Antico Vinaio is offering its signature focaccia sandwiches, including the festival-exclusive La Coachella with prosciutto, stracciatella, sun-dried tomato and basil. At $14, it's the most expensive item on the menu. The rest of the sandwiches are $12 each. Dallas-based Sandoitchi is just a few stalls down with a menu of Japanese sandwiches on fluffy white bread, including strawberry with chantilly cream, Spam and eggs, egg salad and chicken katsu. Most items are between $20 and $25, but if you've got money to burn, there's an A5 Wagyu katsu and caviar sando for $250. For a cool treat, stop by McConnell's Ice Cream or Happy Ice, tucked on opposite corners of the food hall. You can also grab a fresh young coconut from Farmhouse Kitchen for $12 — get your money's worth by scraping out the meat after you've finished the hydrating drink. Near the Sonora Tent, Smorgasburg L.A. vendor Mano Po is bringing Filipino flavors to the festival, including longganisa lumpia that come six to an order for $14 (a veggie option is also available), a longganisa burger for $15 and garlic shrimp with rice for $22. In the same area, College Boy Cheesesteaks is an L.A.-based pop-up from former Philadelphians who got sick of traveling back east to satisfy their craving for Philly cheesesteaks. The squishy Amoroso's roll is packed with finely shaved Black Angus beef, fried onions and melted American cheese — though mushrooms and halal chicken are also available as fillings. I followed the advice of the person who took my order and added sautéed mushrooms and pepperoncini to my sandwich, bringing my total to $25. Without those additions, the cheesesteak is $18 on its own or $25 with fries. Across from the Gobi Tent, the Aperol Piazza is an excuse to soak in aperitivo culture. Lounge under the umbrellas, take photos in the marigold-tinted space and learn how to make the perfect Aperol spritz. Behind the piazza, you'll find Postmates' Pizza Remix, featuring Prince Street Pizza's signature Sicilian-style square slices topped with ingredients from local restaurants. I'm campaigning for them to add the slice from Bridgetown Roti, with honey-jerk chicken and mango chutney, to the permanent menu. If Weekend 2 temperatures are similarly assaulting as they were at Weekend 1, you'll want to seek out the tiki bar oasis in 12 Peaks VIP Area near Menotti's coffee stand. Upon entry, you'll find yourself under a cover of leaning palm trees, with a pond that laps up against a palapa bar serving tropical, fruity cocktails to a reggaeton-pop soundtrack that bounces between Sean Paul and Calvin Harris. A breeze flows through the windows, and shaded benches border the pond-lake. It's tempting to wait out the afternoon heat in this clandestine watering hole, evidenced by the long line of festivalgoers waiting for more people to leave so they can finally make their way in. Visit early to beat the crowds. This year, two dining experiences competed as the most luxurious at the festival. Outstanding in the Field returned to the VIP Rose Garden with a multicourse family-style dinner served every evening at sunset. Held at a long communal table, the dinner includes wine pairings and a welcome cocktail from Gray Whale Gin, plus all-day access to the rose garden for those who purchased the dinner but don't have VIP wristbands. On Saturday, chef Diego Argoti of the Estrano pop-up and former executive chef of now-shuttered Poltergeist, brought a sense of chaotic whimsy to the feast with platters of battered frog legs drizzled with Sichuan pepper buffalo sauce, grilled beef tongue with strawberry puttanesca and refried lentils, plus a pandan butter mochi cake with rum raisin boba that glowed green thanks to a dusting of lime leaf sour patch. Weekend 2 dinners will be prepared by Eric Greenspan, the newly appointed chef for Hollywood's forthcoming Tesla diner; Wolfgang Puck's son and protégé Byron Lazaroff-Puck; and Danielle and Alessandro Zecca of Highland Park's Mexican-Italian restaurant Amiga Amore. Coachella's other opulent dining experience comes courtesy of global Nikkei restaurant chain Nobu, in partnership with Red Bull energy drink. Together, the brands have erected Red Bull Mirage, a multilevel playground across from the EDM-focused Quasar Stage. There are open-air booths facing the stage where guests can order bottle service with a la carte options from Nobu, while the interior features a chef's counter with omakase service. Those who have experienced the upscale restaurant might find the $350 tasting menu lacking — the fish is still fresh and high-quality, with popular items like rock shrimp tempura and yellowtail jalapeño, but not the signature black cod with miso. Besides, reservations are already sold out for Weekend 2. For the second year in a row, 12 Peaks VIP Area was home to my favorite bites. Something Good was my first full meal at the festival, but the potato flautas proved memorable, with three, crispy king-size corn tortillas wrapped around garlic mashed potato and dressed with queso fresco, crema, cabbage, pickled red onion, cilantro and your choice of red or green salsa (I had mine doused with both). Chubby Club comes courtesy of Chubby Group, behind Chubby Cattle BBQ in Little Tokyo, with a host of Wagyu and uni-filled options, including a savory uni ice cream with uni, sushi rice, soy sauce, wasabi and seaweed flakes piled into an ice cream cone. But it was the fried Wagyu and pork dumplings that stood out most to me. The chewy morsels come sopping in soy sauce and flecked with chile flakes, with a rich and juicy meat filling. After attempting to order caviar-topped chicken nuggets at Camphor (they were sold out of nuggets), I found my caviar fix at Sumo Dog, a Japanese-inspired hot dog chain with multiple California locations. At $45, the wasabi and caviar tots are considerably cheaper than the $100 caviar nuggets served at Camphor. The tots were crispy and well seasoned, topped with togarashi crème fraîche that carried a faint citrus taste with subtle heat. The wasabi sauce was sinus-clearing, with a generous portion of the black pearls gleaming on top. I found a grassy spot facing the Coachella Stage and waited for Megan Thee Stallion to begin her set, ready for some 'real hot girl s—.'
USA Today
28-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Could Jets seek a trade with New York Giants for WR Jalin Hyatt?
Could Jets seek a trade with New York Giants for WR Jalin Hyatt? Could the New York Jets, in search of wide receiver depth, possibly target Jalin Hyatt in a rivalry trade with the New York Giants? ESPN insider Rich Cimini certainly thinks so. During the latest episode of his Take Flight podcast, Cimini floated the idea of Hyatt to the Jets, arguing that the third-year wideout has become somewhat of a castoff in East Rutherford. "The concerning part is, here we are in late March, and … the Jets have arguably the worst group of pass catchers in the league," Cimini said, as transcribed by Sports Illustrated. "I mean, it's Garrett Wilson and a whole lot of question marks. "I think the Jets need to go out and sign a wide receiver. … The Jets haven't made any bold moves at receiver. "A name to watch … Jalin Hyatt with the Giants … could be the odd man out in that receiver situation, especially if they go out and draft like a Travis Hunter. … (Hyatt is) more of a vertical threat more than anything else." Hyatt, selected by the Giants in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft, has not developed into the star deep threat many expected. In 33 games (10 starts), he's recorded just 31 receptions for 435 yards. Hyatt was a non-factor in 2024 and, at times, expressed mild frustration with his role. However, the signing of quarterback Russell Wilson may lead to a career resurgence. "I talked to Jalin Hyatt today a little bit, too. He's a guy that's been untapped in terms of what he knows he's capable of," Wilson told reporters on Wednesday. Wilson is known for his deep ball passing and may be precisely what Hyatt needs under center to succeed. Should the Giants pass on two-way star Travis Hunter in the 2025 NFL draft, it's unlikely they'll move Hyatt despite some of their other free agent signings.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arvin Mayor calls out members of city council absent from Tuesday meeting
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A video posted on Mayor Olivia Calderon's social media shows Tuesday's council meeting that was cancelled due to lack of quorum. 'The two members, Reyes and Horton, who are part of the previous administration that was investigated by the Grand Jury,' said Arvin Mayor Olivia Calderon. 'We've inherited now all of these issues that were caused because of the poor decisions that were made in the previous administration…both of those members failed to show up.' Mayor Pro Tem, Susana Reyes, was unavailable for an interview, but shared an email sent to City Manager Jeff Jones Monday afternoon, saying she would not make it to the meeting. She said the mayor and current councilmembers seem to constantly seek the spotlight in ways that undermine her and councilmember Donny Horton. Mr. Horton was not available for an interview either. City staff was informed about his absence due to a family emergency with enough time to cancel the meeting, but they failed to do so. Horton also issued his disappointment in Mayor Calderon and Councilmember Perez for weaponizing his family emergency against him. Kern High School District announces 'Take Flight' aviation program Newly elected councilmember Jaime Perez said usually the City Manager will let other councilmembers know if officials will be absent, but in this instance they were not made aware. 'There is a lot of tension there, but, people need to take that to the side and treat is as this is not personal, it's a business,' said Councilmember Jaime Perez. Pressing issues that were scheduled to be discussed in the meeting included the contract of interim City Attorney Nathan Hodges, a special election to fill the vacant council seat left by Juan Murillo, and quality of the roads, among others. Applications are open for a permanent city attorney and the deadline is March 5. Click here to learn more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
KCFD receives $200,000 to strengthen programs and resources
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The Kern County Fire Department received a donation Tuesday evening with the support of firefighter health and safety in mind. The department received a $200,000 donation from Rio Tinto U.S. Borax during a Kern County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 25. The donation is apart of a larger effort to help impacted organizations that helped with the Los Angeles disasters and recovery efforts, organizers said. The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and Los Angeles Food Bank also received $200,000 from Rio Tinto U.S. Borax. Kern High School District announces 'Take Flight' aviation program Kern County Fire Department Chief Aaron Duncan expressed deep appreciation for the donation. 'This generous donation will play a vital role in ensuring our firefighters have the resources they need to stay strong, both on and off the job. We are extremely grateful for this support, which helps us better care for those who dedicate their lives to protecting our community,' said Chief Duncan. Funds will be used to expand firefighter health programs, improve equipment and increase mental health and wellness resources. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
