Latest news with #Wilf
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ex-PM Boris Johnson and wife Carrie announce birth of their fourth child in Instagram post
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie have a welcomed a surprise new baby girl. Mrs Johnson, 37, revealed her fourth child with the Tory politician, 60, is called Poppy Eliza Josephine Johnson who was born on May 21. In an adorable Instagram post on Saturday, the Johnsons enjoyed pizza to celebrate the birth of their daughter at University College London Hospital. Mrs Johnson captioned it: 'Welcome to the world Poppy Eliza Josephine Johnson born on 21st May. 'Aka Pops, Pop Tart. I can't believe how pretty and tiny you are. Feel so incredibly lucky. We are all totally smitten. 'Not sure I've slept a minute since you were born as can't stop looking at how completely lovely you are. 'Thank you so much to the amazing maternity team at UCLH and particularly to Asma and Patrick who have looked after me so well through all my pregnancies. I really cannot thank you guys enough. 'Wilf, Romy and Frank are utterly delighted, particularly Romy who was desperate for a little sister. Bring on the matching dresses. 'A final gang member. Back from hospital now and time for cocktails and pizza with my tiny baby snoozing on my lap. Life doesn't get any better.' Together, the couple already share Wilf, five, Romy, three, and 22-month-old Frank. They got married in May 2021. Mr Johnson has four other children with ex-wife Marina Wheeler, and a child born in 2009 as a result of an affair with art consultant Helen Macintyre.
New York Post
19-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Billionaire NFL owner wants to build affordable housing on a pristine NJ hilltop — and locals are mad as hell
Locals in West Orange, NJ aren't just shouting from the rooftops — they're shouting about what might be built above them. A billionaire's bid to transform a pristine hilltop with Manhattan skyline views into a nearly 500-unit apartment complex is the latest drama in a decades-old land use battle in the tony town — and this time, the argument involves affordable housing. Owned by the family of Minnesota Vikings co-owner Zygmunt 'Zygi' Wilf, the 120-acre wooded parcel in the Watchung Mountains will be developed by Wilf's Garden Homes, a real estate firm, reported. 6 A controversial plan to build a 496-unit apartment complex—100 of which would be affordable housing—on a pristine 120-acre hilltop in West Orange, NJ, has reignited local opposition. West Orange Planning Board Besides clearing roughly 30 acres of woodland, the developer's vision includes a four-building, four-story complex with amenities like a clubhouse and pool. Of the 496 units, 100 are designated as affordable housing. While the plan goes to help satisfy the township's state-mandated housing obligations, locals say the environmental and public safety risks are simply too steep. 'Public safety and irreparable environmental harm trump, if you will, affordable housing,' said Joseph Pannullo, president of grassroots group We Care NJ, in an interview with The roots of the current plan trace back to New Jersey's controversial Mount Laurel Doctrine — a series of court rulings requiring municipalities to provide their fair share of affordable housing. West Orange, like many other towns, has faced pressure to comply. 6 Spearheaded by billionaire Zygi Wilf's Garden Homes, who owns the Minnesota Vikings, the project stems from a 2020 settlement aimed at helping the township meet its affordable housing obligations under the Mount Laurel Doctrine. Getty Images The saga began back in 2006, when the Wilf's proposed a less inclusive project for the property, which was rejected over similar concerns — including flooding, steep slopes, and limited emergency access. Finally, in 2020, local officials struck a court-approved deal with developers — Garden Homes got the go-ahead, so long as it introduced an affordable component that helped the town meet its mandate. 'It's a situation where the law is very coercive from a municipality's point of view,' West Orange Council President Joe Krakoviak told 'Municipalities' hands are very much tied because they have little, if any, influence over how many units of affordable housing to approve.' 6 While the developers argue the plan supports housing goals, residents and environmental advocates say it endangers public safety and exploits affordable housing as a loophole. Lithium6ion via Wikipedia Despite the legal issues, Krakoviak has remained outspoken in his skepticism of the Wilf proposal, citing the project's remote location and complex terrain. 'I have a tremendous amount of concern about the environmental ramifications of this proposal, as well as the appropriateness of placing lower-income residents in the proposal so far away from all of the things they need to reach,' he said to noting distance from public transit and basic services. The project has already cleared several regulatory hurdles, including receiving a stormwater permit from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. 6 Critics—including township council president Joe Krakoviak—cite concerns over flooding, isolation from public transit, and limited emergency access on the hilly, forested site. Google Maps Opposition is mounting, however. In July, the West Orange Environmental Commission asked for a delay in site plan review, raising red flags over potential damage to state-protected wetlands and two tributaries of the Canoe Brook. A November report by environmental consulting firm Princeton Hydro also stated that the site plans did not comply with state stormwater regulations, according to 6 Grassroots groups argue the land, untouched and far from basic amenities, is unsuitable for development, regardless of income level. Lithium6ion via Wikipedia Rachel Klein, a local resident and We Care NJ member, accused the developers of using affordable housing as a 'guise' to push through a plan that has previously been deemed unsafe. '[They] thought we'd be afraid of being accused of NIMBYism,' she told 'If it was unsafe for 136 homes that would have been worth $1 million at the time, why is suddenly throwing poor people into it making it safe? That makes no sense to us.' Klein, who has lived near the mountain since 2016, emphasized that her objection is not to affordable housing itself, but to the placement. 6 The plan is under review by the West Orange Planning Board. Lithium6ion via Wikipedia 'The need is there, for sure, and the town is working on it. But the problem is West Orange is already exceedingly overdeveloped,' she said. 'This is just not the appropriate place for it.' As part of the plan, the remaining undeveloped acreage would be preserved as green space and recreational trails, and developers have proposed replanting trees lost to construction. But critics remain unconvinced that mitigation measures can reverse the impact of clear-cutting a mature forest. According to the median list price in the surrounding area is $599,725, underscoring the contrast between market-rate housing and the proposed affordable component. While Garden Homes has not commented publicly, the township planning board is still reviewing site plans, with the next public hearing scheduled for Wednesday. For now, the mountaintop remains a flashpoint — caught between the urgent need for affordable housing and the equally pressing calls to preserve what locals see as one of the last untouched natural spaces in Essex County. 'I fully expect opposition to the project to grow well beyond the board's decision,' Krakoviak told
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Billionaire NFL Owner Wants To Build Nearly 500 Homes on an Untouched Mountaintop—but Some Say It's Not Safe
A decades-long battle over a development on an untouched New Jersey mountaintop, with sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline, has bubbled to life again, with furious locals saying it's simply not safe and it is being pushed through under the guise of providing affordable housing. Plans to turn a 120-acre wooded area in West Orange into a 496-unit residential development have been given the green light. Around 100 of the units will be designated as affordable housing. The current median list price in the neighborhood is $599,725, according to data. The project is spearheaded by Garden Homes, a real estate company run by billionaire property developer and Vikings chairman and co-owner Zygmunt (Zygi) Wilf and his family. Garden Homes owns a portion of the land on the Watchung Mountains, which has views of New York City. The expansive proposal includes a large apartment complex and extras such as a pool and a clubhouse. Around 30 acres of property, which is also owned by Wilf and his family, will be cleared for the development. However, local opposition groups say the proposal is dangerous and is being snuck throughunder the pretense of affordable housing—a hot-button issue in New Jersey. The development is the result of an April 2020 settlement to ensure the township of West Orange fulfills its affordable housing obligations. Local municipalities are entering their fourth round of obligations under the '70s-era Mount Laurel Doctrine, which requires them to provide a reasonable share of affordable housing. The West Orange Town Council recently voted to approve its own affordable housing obligation of adding or rehabbing 1,000 units between 2025 and 2035. The pressure on local municipalities to make suitable arrangements to get the job done is considerable—if they don't, developers can turn to legal tools, like builder's remedy, which could ultimately allow them to bypass local zoning ordinances. This can be done on the grounds that the municipality is not making its best effort to meet its obligations. Joe Krakoviak, president of the West Orange Township Council, tells that affordable housing rules could lead municipalities to support developments they would otherwise oppose, given they effectively represent the lesser of two evils. 'It's a situation where the law is very coercive from a municipality's point of view,' he says. 'Municipalities' hands are very much tied because they have little, if any, influence over how many units of affordable housing to approve, and also because they can't utilize many local zoning ordinances that the rest of the township, and developers, are required to comply with.' Krakoviak adds that he holds considerable reservations about Wilf's development and its potential impact on the surrounding community. 'I have a tremendous amount of concern about the environmental ramifications of this proposal, as well as the appropriateness of placing lower-income residents in the proposal so far away from all of the things they need to reach, especially if they do not have access to public transportation or regular transportation,' he says. The development would sit significantly far away from the local public bus, as well as other necessary amenities, like a gas station or a shopping center. 'It's hilly terrain to navigate, both coming and going, and it's one road in and one road out. The fact that this is at the top of the mountain means the drainage is going in every direction. … It's very complex,' Krakoviak says. There have been numerous attempts in the past to develop the mountaintop, with plans to install housing on the site being mooted periodically since at least the 1990s. A previous proposal, which included 136 units, was denied in 2006 over concerns around the environmental impact and safety. Local grass-roots organizations, such as Our Green West Orange and We Care NJ, have been at the forefront in opposing the latest development. Similar to Krakoviak, their reservations include concerns over flooding and debris in the event of storms, and a lack of facilities. Some opponents view the affordable housing component as little more than a ploy to finally making Wilf's development a reality. The developers 'thought we'd be afraid of being accused of NIMBYism,' Rachel Klein, a local resident associated with WeCare NJ, tells 'We said no: If it was unsafe for 136 homes that would have been worth $1 million at the time, why is suddenly throwing poor people into it making it safe? That makes no sense to us.' Klein, who has lived next to the mountain since 2016, says the issue lies with the site itself—not the wider need for affordable housing. 'We could go into a long, deep dive on why this is an inappropriate place for fair share housing. The need is there, for sure, and the town is working on it. But the problem is West Orange is already exceedingly overdeveloped,' she says. 'Nothing's ever been built on this land. It's in the furtherest part of town, miles away from schools and public transport. 'There is a need for affordable housing, but this is just not the appropriate place for it.' Affordable housing advocates have been measured, with some pointing to the proposed 100 units earmarked for lower-income earners as important in West Orange fulfilling its obligations. Garden Homes declined to comment when approached by The development is currently before the West Orange Planning Board. Buyers Now Need To Earn 70% More Than They Did 6 Years Ago To Buy a Home Hamptons Home Prices Reach Record High as Playground for the Rich and Famous Courts 'Middle' Buyers Seniors in This State Could Get a Tax Break—Will Younger Residents Pay for It?
Edinburgh Live
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
'Terrifying' Netflix little-known Stephen King horror 'really gets under viewers' skin'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The 2017 Netflix film 1922, directed by Zak Hilditch, is a mind-bending horror drama that has garnered a staggering 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Based on Stephen King's 2010 novella of the same name, the movie stars Thomas Jane as Wilfred "Wilf" James, a proud farmer living in rural Nebraska in 1922 with his wife Arlette and their 14 year old son Henry. When Arlette reveals plans to sell the farm and move to Omaha, Wilf manipulates Henry into helping him murder his mother, exploiting the teenager's romance with Shannon Cotterie, which Arlette strongly disapproves of. As the story unfolds, Wilf's actions lead to a downward spiral of guilt, paranoia, and madness, ultimately culminating in the family's devastating downfall. Thomas Jane's chilling performance as the troubled Wilf earned him widespread critical acclaim. Interestingly, the film's production team initially began principal photography in Vancouver but struggled to find a suitable farmhouse with a cornfield due to the timing of the harvest season. Despite this challenge, Hilditch successfully brought King's haunting tale to life, weaving a dark and unsettling narrative that explores the darkest corners of the human psyche. The corn seen in the film ultimately had to be created with a mix of Chinese corn props, computer graphics (CG), and scenes shot in Boort, Australia. Eventually, they anchored down in Langley city for a farmhouse scene and wrapped up the movie's production in Boort, reports Surrey Live. Critics warmly greeted the slow-burning intensity of 1922 at its release, noting its creeping eeriness. One critic said: "There's an unshakable menace that lingers, a tale of guilt and regret that burrows its way under the skin." Meanwhile, another observer added: "1922 is a movie that gets under your skin. It maintains a menacing vibe from start to finish without ever relying on overused gimmicks or formulas." (Image: Channel 4) The acting was also lauded, with one review saying: "The performances are great from was a movie that probably should have been on the big screen." Compliments continued as another critic said: "1922 is an effective, chilling bit of work that boasts a revelatory lead performance and a compelling, gradual erosion of a man's psyche." From the audience perspective, 1922 had a more varied reception, enthralling some while leaving others less enthused. An impressed viewer said: "I love this movie, it's so entertaining to me. The scenery is probably my favourite part and the story in general, and just the way it was filmed and the song placement and choice is just amazing." One less impressed viewer added: "Honestly, this movie is bad. It's not on the cinematic side as much as the storyline. It was so slow of a movie I couldn't keep watching. I have been watching it for 2 days and kept falling asleep. It's very forgettable. After they killed his wife there was no more thrill to the story, nothing to make me remember anything." But others loved the film, saying: "This movie is great, I think the problem people have with it is that it's not for them. People use movies to escape life, this is not what this movie is. It is life, and it has no mercy. One of the best movies I've seen, amazingly done." While one reviewer described the film as "a disturbing story of betrayal, love, and murder" that provides "an intense viewing from start to finish", another offered their view listing it as an "amazing psychological horror" featuring "perfect pacing" and a "great and accurate atmosphere". Another meticulous critique noted: "Each moment within this film is employed judiciously. Even during quieter scenes, the camera lingers, skilfully eliciting the very emotions coursing through the characters. Each frame possesses the potential to be a captivating photograph, exuding sheer beauty. The ensemble cast delivers an astounding performance, with Thomas Jane standing out in particular. His portrayal breathes life into Wilfred's emotions, resonating deeply within me. Undoubtedly, this ranks among my all-time favourite horror films." 1922 is streaming on Netflix now.
Irish Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
One of the best Netflix horror movies I've seen - but I fall asleep watching
Zak Hilditch's film 1922 has garnered a whopping 92 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, marking it as a deeply affecting horror drama. The flick, which is an adaptation of Stephen King's 2010 novella by the same title, was both penned and helmed by Hilditch and made its debut on Netflix in October 2017. Thomas Jane's portrayal as the protagonist received heaps of acclaim for his chillingly powerful act. The cast of 1922 also includes Neal McDonough, Molly Parker, Dylan Schmid, and Kaitlyn Bernard. In the movie, Thomas Jane embodies Wilfred "Wilf" James, a modest yet staunch farmer residing in Hemingford, Nebraska, during the year 1922, alongside his spouse Arlette James and their teenage son, Henry. Confronted with Arlette's intent to sell off their land and relocate to Omaha, Wilf manipulates his son into colluding to murder his mother. He leverages Henry's affair with Shannon Cotterie as leverage – due to Arlette's vehement objection to their relationship – and the youngster hesitantly consents to assist his dad. Wilf ultimately disposes of Arlette's remains in a deserted well, reports Surrey Live. The aftermath is the family's – and particularly Wilf's – gradual and excruciating disintegration. Despite plans to shoot 1922's main photography in Vancouver, the team faced a snag as they couldn't secure a farmhouse with an adjoining cornfield during harvest season, throwing a wrench in their filming schedule. The film's team had to get creative when it came to depicting corn, opting for Chinese-made corn props, computer-generated wizardry (CG), and scenes shot in the Aussie town of Boort. They then settled on a farmhouse in Langley as a prime location before wrapping up filming back in Boort. Critics hailed '1922' as an intense slow-burner that garnered plenty of positive buzz for its skin-crawling impact. One critic said: "There's an unshakable menace that lingers, a tale of guilt and regret that burrows its way under the skin." While another added: "1922 is a movie that gets under your skin. It maintains a menacing vibe from start to finish without ever relying on overused gimmicks or formulas." Praise was also lavished on the stellar cast, with one reviewer saying: "The performances are great from was a movie that probably should have been on the big screen." Another reviewer praised its storytelling prowess: "1922 is an effective, chilling bit of work that boasts a revelatory lead performance and a compelling, gradual erosion of a man's psyche." Viewer reactions were split, with some thoroughly captivated by the film, but others weren't quite as taken. One viewer said: "I love this movie, it's so entertaining to me. The scenery is probably my favourite part and the story in general, and just the way it was filmed and the song placement and choice is just amazing." While another viewer added: "Honestly, this movie falls short. The issues lie more with the narrative than the cinematic aspects. The pacing was so slow that I struggled to stay engaged, and it took me two days to finish, frequently dozing off. The storyline is very forgettable, and after the wife's death, the plot lost its thrill, leaving nothing memorable." On the other hand, another audience member disagreed, saying: "This movie is great, I think the problem people have with it is that it's not for them. People use movies to escape life, this is not what this movie is. It is life, and it has no mercy. One of the best movies I've seen, amazingly done." One enthusiastic review described the film as "a disturbing story of betrayal, love, and murder" that provides "an intense viewing from start to finish" Another viewer praised it as an "amazing psychological horror" with "perfect pacing" and a "great and accurate atmosphere". A more in-depth review praised the film's thoughtful approach: "Each moment within this film is employed judiciously. Even during quieter scenes, the camera lingers, skilfully eliciting the very emotions coursing through the characters. Each frame possesses the potential to be a captivating photograph, exuding sheer beauty. The ensemble cast delivers an astounding performance, with Thomas Jane standing out in particular. His portrayal breathes life into Wilfred's emotions, resonating deeply within me. Undoubtedly, this ranks among my all-time favourite horror films."
