The town of Palm Beach said there is police activity on the north end of the island Monday morning after undocumented immigrants landed near Mockingbird Trail and North Ocean Boulevard.Officers and Border Patrol found a boat on the beach.It’s unclear if anyone is in custody.
Officials in Key West, Florida have reopened all beaches and parks to residents with some restrictions.Beginning Monday April 27th, Key West residents will be able to take walks and exercise at parks and beaches while still practicing social distancing.“We hope that by easing some restrictions on public spaces our residents can enjoy the natural environment Key West has to offer,” City Manager Greg Veliz said.While the parks and beaches will be reopened, playgrounds and water features will still remain off limits to the public.The city says their next step will be to open up some nonessential businesses but that timeline will be entirely based on Florida’s stay-at-home order being lifted.
Almost 16,000 boys and girls received golf coaching in the year to the end of March, thanks to an investment of nearly £90,000 by England Golf.Of those, just over 2000 youngsters have gone on to become junior members of golf clubs.The total of £87,900 was paid as Junior Development Grants to GolfMark clubs and stand-alone driving ranges which hold the RangeMark accreditation. Altogether, 293 facilities each received grants of £300, which they matched.The money was spent on a range of opportunities for members and non-members – one-off tasters, structured courses and regular coaching sessions – and encouraged 15,891 juniors to take part in golf.Almost a quarter of the youngsters taking part were girls (24%) and most of those involved were not club members (68%). The under-14 age group accounted for 76% per cent of the total. Almost 1000 juniors (6%) came from ethnic groups other than white British, while 365 (2%) had a disability.This year, England Golf has launched a new ‘Play More Golf’ fund, offering grants of between £500 and £1500 for projects which encourage people of all ages to play the game more often and which promote club membership.The grants are available to all affiliated clubs and to driving ranges which have been awarded RangeMark. The closing date for applications is 30 May 2014.The money must be spent on activities, coaching programmes or offers which encourage regular participation and lead to club membership. These must take place between 1 July 2014 and 31 December 2014 and should include follow-on opportunities. Activities supported by the fund should be focused on one or more of the following areas:• Supporting new adult players or returners to golf to play regularly• Sessions to attract women and girls, with emphasis on the social aspect of golf• Regular, structured coaching, playing and competitive opportunities within clubs for juniors, both members and non-members• Sessions to encourage disabled people to play golfImage © Leaderboard Photography 22 May 2014 Grants encourage 16,000 youngsters to get into golf 
Clouds hang over PNC Park during a rain delay before a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Oakland Athletics in Pittsburgh Tuesday, July 9, 2013. The Athletics won 2-1. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) by Will GravesAP Sports WriterPITTSBURGH (AP) – Dan Straily pitched two-hit ball into the seventh inning, Brandon Moss hit a two-run homer and the Oakland Athletics beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 on Tuesday night.Straily (6-2) struck out seven and walked three in 6 1-3 innings for his second straight strong outing. Grant Balfour worked the ninth to remain perfect in 24 save chances this season. The A’s have won 10 of 13.Gerrit Cole (4-2) lost his second consecutive decision despite working seven innings for the first time in his four-week major league career. Cole allowed five hits, struck out four and walked two. Andrew McCutchen strikes out against Oakland Athletics closer pitcher Grant Balfour during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh Tuesday, July 9, 2013. The Athletics won 2-1. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)After the start was delayed 1 hour, 42 minutes, Pedro Alvarez hit his 23rd home run but Pittsburgh matched a season high with its fourth straight loss.Straily has struggled starting on four days’ rest during his brief major league career, coming in 0-3 with a 7.16 ERA when not given at least five days between starts.Yet the rookie had no issues dealing with Pittsburgh’s suddenly punchless offense. The Pirates have scored just six runs during a 2-6 slump that has dropped them behind first-place St. Louis in the heated NL Central race.Alvarez provided Pittsburgh’s lone run with a 448-foot drive to the bushes in center leading off the second. The home run made him just the third player in team history to reach 23 homers before the All-Star break, joining Ralph Kiner and Willie Stargell.In a way, Alvarez is having the type of season the franchise once envisioned for Moss. The first baseman spent parts of three seasons with the Pirates between 2008-10, with Pittsburgh hoping his raw left-handed power would help him pound balls off – or over – the Clemente Wall in right field.It never really happened. Moss hit all of 13 homers in 195 games for the Pirates before eventually making his way to Oakland, where he’s become a key cog in one of baseball’s biggest surprises.Moss provided a glimpse of what could have been in Pittsburgh in the fourth when Cole wobbled for the briefest of moments. The right-hander had retired nine straight when John Jaso stepped to the plate. The Pirates swung the defense to the right only to have Jaso smack a double down the left-field line. The ball would have been playable if Alvarez was in his normal position at third base. Instead, he was 40 feet away as the ball rolled into the outfield.One pitch later, Moss gave the A’s the lead, sending a changeup into the second row in right to give Straily all the backing he needed.The Pirates didn’t get a runner to third base over the final six innings. Their best chance to tie the game came in the seventh when Alvarez led off with a walk and moved to second on Russell Martin’s sacrifice bunt. Oakland reliever Sean Doolittle replaced Straily and struck out pinch-hitter Gaby Sanchez before getting Jordy Mercer to pop up to first.Jose Tabata led off the ninth with a single off Balfour, but Andrew McCutchen and Alvarez struck out before Martin grounded out meekly to first as Balfour extended his club record for consecutive save chances converted to 42, dating to last season.NOTES: The start of the game was pushed back due to the potential of inclement weather. While lightning flashed several times during the 1:42 delay, it never actually rained. … Oakland LF Yoenis Cespedes was selected to the American League team for the Home Run Derby next Monday night in New York. Cespedes, who has 15 home runs this season, is the first A’s player to be chosen for the Home Run Derby since Jason Giambi in 2001. … McCutchen went 0 for 3, ending his 10-game hitting streak. … The series wraps up on Wednesday when Pittsburgh LHP Francisco Liriano (8-3, 2.20 ERA) faces Oakland LHP Tommy Milone (8-7, 4.11). … Hall of Fame golfer Arnold Palmer, who grew up in Latrobe, about 45 minutes east of Pittsburgh, was in attendance.
Stephen A. Smith (File Photo)NEW YORK (AP) — ESPN has suspended outspoken sportscaster Stephen A. Smith for a week because of his comments about domestic abuse suggesting women should make sure that they don’t do anything to provoke an attack.Smith’s commentary occurred during a discussion on ESPN2’s “First Take” last Friday about the NFL’s two-game suspension of Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice following charges he assaulted his now-wife. The remarks attracted widespread attention, including a stinging rebuke online from a fellow ESPN personality.Smith issued an on-air apology Monday, saying it was the most egregious mistake of his career.A day later, ESPN took action. The network’s chief executive, John Skipper, told ESPN’s staff in a memo it was done after a “thoughtful discussion” about appropriate actions with men and women in his company.“I believe his apology was sincere and that he and we have learned from what we’ve collectively experienced,” Skipper said.Smith will not appear on “First Take” or ESPN radio until Aug. 6, the network said.During the Rice discussion, Smith alluded to women in abuse cases when he said, “Let’s make sure we don’t do anything to provoke wrong action … we got to also make sure that you can do your part to do whatever you can do to make, to try to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”Shortly after Smith’s remarks, colleague Michelle Beadle responded on Twitter that “I was just forced to watch this morning’s First Take. A) I’ll never feel clean again B) I’m not aware that I can provoke my own beating.”Beadle, host of ESPN2’s “SportsNation,” continued with a series of tweets. She said that “Violence isn’t the victim’s issue. It’s the abuser’s. To insinuate otherwise is irresponsible and disgusting.”Smith, during his apology, said it wasn’t his intention to say that women could be responsible for their own abuse. “It was not what I was trying to say,” he said. “Yet the failure to clearly articulate something different lies squarely on my shoulder.”Smith didn’t explain the point that he was trying to make.ESPN frowns upon its personalities attacking each other on social media or other forums. But in this case, the network said it has decided not to discipline Beadle.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.ESPN says it has suspended sportscaster Stephen A. Smith for a week because of comments about domestic abuse suggesting women should make sure they don’t provoke attacks.Smith has apologized for the comments, made last Friday during an on-air discussion about NFL running back Ray Rice’s suspension for assaulting his fiancee. But ESPN said Tuesday that Smith would not appear on the ESPN2 show, “First Take,” or on ESPN radio, until next Wednesday.ESPN chief executive John Skipper said in a memo to the sports network’s staff members that the Smith’s comments don’t reflect the company’s viewpoint or values.ESPN said it was not disciplining another network host, Michelle Beadle, who pointedly criticized Smith on Twitter.
Facebook5Tweet0Pin0Submitted by Adopt-A-PetMeet Busco! At Adopt-A-Pet, volunteers call him a charmer. Just look at those soulful eyes! We are especially proud of his improving leash manners and social skills. Busco adores people, yard play, and walks. He would do best in an active family who has Bully Breed experience, with no cats or other dogs where he can be provided loving leadership, a fenced yard, and regular exercise.Busco is looking for an active family who enjoys giving belly rubs. Photo courtesy: Adopt-A-PetToday, while the weather was nice, he rolled around on his back and multi-tasked the following skills: back scratches, leg kicks, opposing stretches, all-at-once acceptance of belly rubs, and enjoyed the sunshine. Because Busco is a solid 73-pounder, children in his forever family should be older (12-years-old and up) and dog-savvy. Busco is an excellent companion dog and is eager to learn new skills. If you would like to meet Busco, please contact the Adopt-A-Pet Adoption staff. Emails are preferred.Adopt-A-Pet has many great dogs and always need volunteers. To see all our current dogs, visit the Adopt-A-Pet website, our Facebook page or at the shelter on Jensen Road in Shelton. For more information, email thedoghouse3091@hotmail.com or call 360-432-3091.
Image Courtesy: zeenews/plog.runAdvertisement bn64jNBA Finals | Brooklyn Vs4i30Wingsuit rodeo📽Sindre E77qz7( IG: @_aubreyfisher @imraino ) 6wpoWould you ever consider trying this?😱7ildCan your students do this? 🌚15iuewRoller skating! Powered by Firework Plogging: the idea of Jogging and picking up litter on the way, is the newest fitness craze around the globe, and India has caught up on the fever as well. The government has announced to organise a plogging run in an attempt to make the streets cleaner, and what day could be better than 2nd October?Advertisement Image Courtesy: zeenews/plog.runPlogging was first organised in Sweden in 2016, and slowly made its way into other countries. Plog runs were already organised by individual communities in several Indian cities, and now the government has decided to conduct an official ‘Fit India Plog Run’ moment, to be organised a part of the Fit India movement, recently launched by PM Narendra Modi on 29th August.Back in 2014, the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ was launched on the same day, to see a cleaner nation along the length and breadth of the country. And as presently, the young generation are catching up to the Plog run movement, so it is a brilliant concept to bring the two seperate movements together.Advertisement #PloggingRun has been going viral on social media, as Union minister Kiren Rijiju is urging more and more people to become a part of the cause. Bhaichung Bhutia, Bajrang Punia and Shilpa Shetty are also coming forward in support of the movement.Social media platform TikTok has also urged its users to be a part of the movement with the #IAMLessPlastic campaign.Advertisement Advertisement
By John BurtonSEA BRIGHT – The closing of part of Ocean Avenue for the better part of four days late last week has the mayor worried it could have exposed a potentially serious – and expensive – problem for the borough.With last weekend’s nor’easter bringing heavy rain and high winds, state and local law enforcement and local emergency management decided to close the northern portion of Ocean Avenue/ state Highway 36 when it flooded and created a potentially hazardous condition.North shore of Sea Bright.Ocean Avenue, from the entrance of the Capt. Azzolina Memorial Bridge in the north to Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge at the Route 520 intersection, was closed until Monday afternoon.Flooding has been a chronic problem for the small town running between the Atlantic Ocean and the Shrewsbury River. But what seems most troubling about this occurrence is that the road flooding appears to have been caused by breaches in the sea wall, running the length of highway.Last weekend’s storm coincided with higher than normal tides, and that stretch of sea wall is lower than it is in other parts of the town. “Basically, we had waves breaking on the highway for four days,” Mayor Dina Long said.The ocean “was coming through the sea wall, over the top of the sea wall, under the sea wall,” she said.It appears Super Storm Sandy in October caused several breaches in that stretch of sea wall, and its impact became even more apparent with the latest storm.Long was in contact with state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bob Martin, who assigned a deputy commissioner “to expeditiously analyze the situation and come back with some recommendations,” interim borough administrator Joseph Verruni said.DEP engineers were on site Monday, Long said, along with state Department of Transportation (DOT) work crews that cleared debris and a considerable amount of sand that washed onto the roadway.DEP spokesman Bob Considine said Wednesday that the department was “still assessing” the situation.Long said that given the beating that section of wall took from Sandy, “it’s undermined in a couple of places.”The mayor said she would have to wait for the engineers’ report because knowing the extent of the damage and what that means for the long term.“It’s always an issue of who owns the sea wall,” and who is responsible when situations like this arise, Long said.In the past the state contributed most of the cost for repairing it. During the early 1990’s storm damage came with a substantial price tag attached, though Long did not know the cost. When the state took the lead on the repairs, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – which is conducting a beach replenishment project here – took the position it wasn’t its responsibility, Long said.That hasn’t prevented Sea Bright from applying to the corps’ Civil Works Program for assistance in repairing the wall following Sandy. Borough officials also have sought assistance for this and other projects from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).She said, “We’re not having much luck with FEMA,” with the borough council decision last week to drop out of the agency’s Sheltering and Temporary Electric Power (STEP) program for resident assistance, contending it was overly complicated and the agency was slow to act.The sea wall was erected during the 1940s and ran parallel to tracks for the Central Jersey Railroad, which operated a commuter line through the area, Long said her research showed. The cost of the original construction was a three-way split among federal, state and local.The impacted section of Ocean Avenue is structurally sound. “We don’t foresee any issue with the roadway itself,” said DOT spokesman Tim Greeley.Now it’s a matter of waiting for the final analysis and determining how to address it – and hope for clear weather in the interim, Long said.“Obviously, I’m a little nervous about that,” she said.
Story by John Burton – Photos by Tina ColellaFlooding from Tuesday’s nor’easter that hit all the shore communities in Monmouth County was what those who live and travel through the area have come to know all too well: portions of roads were closed and you proceed through the water at your own and your vehicles’ risk.Sea Bright of course, had the most damage.Nearby Rumson, Oceanport, Monmouth Beach and Long Branch also suffered extreme flooding in some areas, re-routing traffic and rescuing drivers in flooded vehicles.Sea Bright Office of Emergency Management Director C. Read Murphy said of this storm, “This was a little bit stronger than a lot of the nor’easters but a short duration.”And during that brief but heavy storm, some of the borough streets prone to flooding, had as much as two-to-four feet of standing water on them for parts of Tuesday and into late Wednesday morning, he said, extending through three high tides.The areas that had the deepest flooding were some side streets on the borough’s very northern and southern end facing the Shrewsbury River and a portion of Ocean Avenue/state Highway 36, according to Murphy.Oceanport – Monmouth Boulevard“We had some significant flooding in low lying areas similar to other municipalities,” said Borough Administrator/Clerk Thomas Rogers. “The low lying areas are in the south of the borough and requires us to close roadways and detour traffic during the high tides.”“When the tides receded, the roads cleared,” he said. “Today (Wednesday) there was some ponding on some properties. It’s a normal occurrence during a soaking rain.”Oceanport had some significant flooding in the marine area and Monmouth Beach had some flooding on both the Shrewsbury River west end of the borough and some along Ocean Avenue as well.“We had some flooding throughout the town but no major catastrophes,” John O. Bennett III, Oceanport Borough Administrator.The borough closed the usual streets that usually flood Oceanport Ave., Arnold St., and Bridgewaters Drive.“The old borough hall was shown to be unacceptable again,” he said referring to the former borough hall that floods just about during every storm.He confirmed again it would be a problem to retain the existing building,Once the waters receded by 11:30 a.m. Tuesday “everything worked out fine,” Bennett said.Susan Howard, mayor of Monmouth Beach, said, “the water was really high especially along Oceanport Avenue.”“The water was almost level with the tops of the bulkheads,” she said. “But all of us who live here know which way to drive out.”No homes were reported flooded, however, she said.A couple of days prior to Monday night’s and Tuesday’s storm had strong northeast winds, which Murphy said, “exacerbated the water situation,” contributing to the flooding.This is a common occurrence during high tides and storms and borough residents have come to adapt to it, he noted. However, “The biggest problem were people driving thorough the water,” he observed, “and cars breaking down.”That happened to four vehicles, requiring borough employees to haul them out in Sea Bright alone.
The Socrates School at Oak Hill Academy willbe “an alternative high school for curious students that uses a personalizedapproach to education,” said Joseph A. Pacelli, headmaster of Oak Hill. “It’s going to be a shift from traditionalschooling as we know it and different than anything else offered in our area,”said Pacelli. “We’ve taken a hard look at where our schools are now and thedirection they should be going.” In its inaugural year the school could featurea class of 10 students. Annual tuition may be priced around $18,000 a year,said Pacelli. Oak Hill’s current enrollment is 292 studentspre-K through eighth grade, with an annual tuition rate of $20,100, accordingto the school’s website. Oak Hill Academy is hosting a May 14 informational meeting with a question-and-answer session at the school’s technology center at 7 p.m. To register for the meeting visit the Socrates School page at oakhillacademy.com. Academic days at the new high school will bedivided into blocks, beginning with the Socratic Block, a humanities-basedcurriculum focusing on social studies and English/language arts that wouldincorporate lesson plans from both the Big History Project and the Great BooksFoundation. The Laurel Springs School offers students aone-on-one relationship with teachers, and allows students, should they chooseto do so, an opportunity to advance as far beyond the mandatory graduationrequirements as they would like. To help aid that progression up the academicladder, Pacelli said each student will be developing an e-portfolio, aneasy-to-navigate and easily digestible online record supplied to admissionsofficers that will display each student’s growth and progression over theirfour years at The Socrates School. “We hope to identify books over a particularperiod of time and integrate them into our Big History Project,” Pacelli said.“Everything will be connected and working toward our ultimate goal.” Oak Hill wants to invest in a program thatwill create passion among its students by not pigeonholing their academic path,but providing structure with room to explore any interest they may have, saidPacelli. “Our world has evolved. Our technology hasevolved. Why hasn’t our education system?” Pacelli asked. “Quite frankly, thesame old methods are boring. Teachers are teaching the same way as it’s alwaysbeen done. Information is being distributed the same way it always has been. Itshouldn’t be. There are new ways, and it’s time for the kids to take morecontrol.” Students would round out their days with anElective Block that focuses on an area of study of their choosing, and a FlexBlock for physical education, community service-based efforts and anapprenticeship during their senior year, for which Pacelli hopes to forgepartnerships with Bell Works, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, the Count Basie Centerfor the Arts and countless other organizations in the area.
Outside of Catholic schools, Ranney School inTinton Falls is the only other independent, co-educational high school inMonmouth County. Now more than ever, creative secondary education offerings arein demand by local families, said Erin Avery, founder of Avery EducationalResources in Fair Haven, a school consulting and test prep firm. The writing intensive program will feature at least one-quarter of instruction time in an online setting and tap into state-of-the-art educational tools like the The Big History Project, an ongoing, unified global initiative founded by Bill Gates and David Christian to gain a better understanding about the history of the cosmos, Earth, life and humanity. The course covers history from the Big Bang through present day with interdisciplinary methods. Next would be the Academic Block, a math,science and foreign language curriculum provided by the Laurel Springs School,an accredited online private school that would allow educators to hone in oneach individual student’s learning level and instruct that student at anappropriate pace. “This is something we’ve been considering foryears, but we wanted to do it right and not duplicate what’s already outthere,” Pacelli said. “It eats at us when we hear from our graduates that whenthey left Oak Hill, they were hoping to find something more to bridge the gapbetween high school and college. We want to use the resources we have to offerthat to them.” Pacelli also pointed to the Great BooksFoundation, another potential program for The Socrates School that publishesgreat literary works in an online database and uses them to promote reading anddiscussion programs as a means for critical and reflective thinking activities,as well as social engagement between students. Pacelli said that goal is to provide afour-year educational experience that leads to better prepared students as theytake the next step in their academic careers, whether it be a four-yearuniversity, a community college or a trade school. This article was first published in the April 11-17, 2019 print edition of The Two River Times. The Socrates School will begin with an initialfreshman class, and offer an additional higher grade of study each year throughthe 2023 school year, establishing a four-year high school program. “I applaud Oak Hill’s courage to move into the secondary school space and offer a hybrid model that allows students the flexibility to enjoy both in-person and virtual learning options, which is already taking place at the college level.” MIDDLETOWN – Oak Hill Academy, currently aprivate school in Lincroft educating students through eighth grade, is hopingto launch a new high school in the fall of 2020. 