Latest news with #Douglas
Scoop
21 hours ago
- Automotive
- Scoop
Jacob Douglas Targets Big Results At Road America After Dominant Test Pace
New Zealand's Jacob Douglas heads to Road America this weekend for what could be a pivotal round in the USF Pro 2000 Championship presented by Continental Tires, coming oƯ a dominant performance in pre-event testing. Driving for Pabst Racing, Douglas topped three of the six sessions and finished second in the others, becoming one of only two drivers to break the 2:01 barrier around the iconic 4.01-mile (6.45km), 14-turn circuit. Currently sitting fifth in the championship standings, Douglas has been one of the standout performers of 2025, with a maiden series victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a podium finish in St. Petersburg, and a string of top-five and top-ten finishes that have kept him within striking distance of the title contenders. With teammate Max Garcia leading the standings on 231 points, Douglas trails by 90 — but with 98 points on oƯer this weekend alone, the New Zealander is focused on closing the gap. 'We've made big gains all season in pace, consistency, and execution,' said Douglas. 'Now it's about putting that together. We know Road America suits us, and if we qualify well, we'll be right in the mix for the podium.' Douglas describes Road America as one of the best tracks in North America. 'It's fast, flowing, and super technical. It rewards confidence and commitment, and after how strong we were in testing, I'm coming into the weekend with a really positive mindset. 'This is one of those tracks where if you're in the zone, you can make big things happen.' The Wisconsin circuit holds special significance for Douglas, who scored his first-ever USF 2000 top-ten at the track in 2022 and returned in 2023 to take his maiden podium while debuting with Pabst Racing. 'I've always enjoyed racing here,' he added. 'There's just something about this place that clicks with me. The atmosphere, the challenge — it brings out the best in drivers. I've had some great memories here already, and now I want to add to them.' With just four race weekends remaining — all running on the support bill of the NTT IndyCar Series — Douglas and his team are pushing hard on all fronts, both on the track and oƯ it. While much of the season's backing is already in place, a final push is now critical to ensure the campaign can be completed in full. 'We've had amazing support so far, and I'm incredibly grateful for everyone who's been part of the journey,' said Douglas. 'But to be completely transparent, we still need to secure one or two key partners to see out the rest of the season.' 'These last events are high-profile, high-stakes rounds — perfect for brands wanting to make an impact with a fast-rising driver and a championship-winning team. The opportunity is right here, right now, and we need to make it happen.' This weekend's action at Road America begins with a pair of test sessions on Thursday local time, before two qualifying sessions on Friday at 11.20 am and 1.35 pm CST (Saturday 4.20 am & 6.35 am NZST). Saturday sees the first two races at 8.00 am and 4.25 pm CST (Sunday 1.00 am & 9.25 am NZST) before Sunday's finale at 7.55 am (Monday 12.55 am NZST). Fans can watch all the action live on the USF Pro Championships YouTube channel, while Douglas shares real-time updates and behind-the-scenes content across his social media platforms. About Jacob Douglas: Jacob Douglas is a 19-year-old racecar driver from New Zealand. He is a multiple-time national champion in karting and was the 2023 USF YACademy Champion. He took 11 podiums, including seven wins, in USF 2000 machinery in the United States in 2023, before making two GB3 cameos in 2024. He is a member of New Zealand's prestigious Elite Motorsport Academy, winning the renowned Bruce McLaren and Ian Snellgrove trophies among the Class of 2024 In 2025, he returns to North America to compete his rookie season in the USF Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Continental Tires. Where to watch: The USF Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Continental Tires can be viewed live on the USF Pro Championships YouTube channel.
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
More than 80,000 seedlings to be planted for Downton Lake wildfire recovery
In 2023, a wildfire ripped through the Downton Lake area of the Upper Bridge River Valley(BRV), destroying more than 40 homes, threatening some 270 properties and consuming an area of about 9,600 hectares before being put out. Now, a partnership between the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD), Cariboo Carbon Solutions (CCS) and Tree Canada is looking to plant 80,000 seedlings on private lands in Electoral Area A in 2026 at no cost to participating landowners. The SLRD has asked interested residents to sign up by June 30 to give organizers time to develop site-specific planting plans. As of May 26, 40 landowners had already signed up. The SLRD calls the reforestation plan 'a major step forward in recovery and climate resiliency in the Upper BRV,' supporting 'ecological restoration on fire-affected private properties.' 'The 2023 wildfires left a lasting impact on the Gun Lake area, and recovery has been a shared community effort,' said SLRD board chair Jen Ford in a release. 'This tree replanting project is a powerful example of what we can achieve through collaboration across local government, industry partners, residents, non-profits and the Province.' The replanting initiative is part of a broader recovery effort led by the Land-Based Recovery Table , which ensures local representation as ecological restoration in the BRV moves forward. The group includes community leaders, Indigenous partners, the SLRD, provincial ministries, industry partners like CCS and local organizations including the Gun Lake Ratepayers Association. 'Thanks to Tree Canada's National Greening Program, we're able to work with landowners and create customized plans that strive to support long-term forest health,' said MacKendrick Hallworth, project manager at Cariboo Carbon Solutions, in a release. 'This initiative is about more than trees—it's about helping people recover and re-imagine what's next for their land,' he added. The seedlings, currently being cultivated at Arbutus Grove Nursery , are a mix of Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, hybrid spruce and western larch. Trembling aspen seeds are also being collected this spring to plant alongside the conifers. These seedlings are genetically suited to the local climate and will therefore not require watering, according to an information sheet from CCS . 'The community response has been heartening, as we know the replanting of trees is vitally important in the recovery and long-term resilience of regions impacted by fire,' said Colin Little, Tree Canada's national greening program manager. 'At Tree Canada, our mission is to inspire, educate and enable Canadians to plant and nurture trees in order to improve lives and address climate change. We're committed to helping communities across Canada recover from wildfires and restore their natural landscapes.' Eligible properties should have at least one hectare of plantable area, but exceptions can be made for smaller properties near other eligible sites. Residents interested in the program can apply by sending a completed CCS Private Landowner Intake Form to info@ . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
BBC News
a day ago
- Politics
- BBC News
By-elections to take place for two Isle of Man local authorities
Voters will go to the polls in two local authority districts next contests have been confirmed in Port Erin in the south of the Isle of Man and Ramsey's South Ward in the north on 17 closure of nominations on Wednesday saw a vacancy in the Central Ward in Douglas filled uncontested, but seats in two other areas must be re-advertised after failing to attract enough saw only person come forward for two vacancies in the parish, while nobody declared an intention to stand for election to the single seat available in Ballaugh. The latest call for nominations came about following April's all-island election, which saw five local authorities fail to draw enough interest to fill all the seat the Manx capital, where a single seat was available, Arwid Hall has become the new representative, joining Mark Wheeler and Natalie Allanson has joined the board in Jurby, alongside April's elected members Darren Hope, Yasmin Cowell and Phillip Corkill, with one seat still unfilled. Nominated candidates Port Erin (two vacancies): James Cubbon, Karl Drinkwater and Fenella GrayRamsey South Ward (one vacancy): Gillian Corlett, Christopher Martin and John PowellThe polls will be open in both areas from 8:00 until 20:00 BST on 17 July. Additional reporting by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
California redwoods park set for rebuilding after devastating fires
Nearly five years after a massive fire burned California's oldest state park, Big Basin Redwoods, blackening groves of famous ancient redwoods and destroying all the campgrounds, the visitor center and other facilities, state parks officials have finalized a plan to rebuild. The new plan for the beloved Santa Cruz Mountains destination, which opened in 1902 and received roughly 1 million visitors a year during its heyday before the fire, has just been released after more than a year of public meetings and studies. The plan calls for shifting the visitors center, most campsites and much of the original parking out of the old growth forest core of the park. Those facilities had been nestled for nearly a century next to trees more than 250 feet tall and more than 1,500 years old. Instead they will be located in other areas of the park, and a shuttle bus will be operated on weekends from a new parking lot on the park's eastern edge. 'This is a big deal,' said Chris Spohrer, superintendent of the Santa Cruz District of State Parks. 'It's the culmination of a lot of effort and studies and input from the public. I know five years is a long time. But it is a tremendous amount of work to rebuild a park of this complexity. We feel good about the direction we are heading in.' The park was devastated by theCZU Lightning Complex Fire in August 2020. That blaze started with lightning strikes and burned 86,509 acres in rural Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties. Flames destroyed 1,490 structures, mostly homes around the town of Boulder Creek. One man was killed. The fire burned 97% of Big Basin's 18,000 acres. It wiped out campgrounds, the park store, the headquarters, ranger housing, bridges, the amphitheater and all the park's utilities. The good news, Spohrer said, is that the redwoods are continuing to recover remarkably. Fewer than 5% of the old-growth redwoods died, he said. 'There's tremendous growth,' he said. 'They have green needles and big green canopies. You can see scarred trunks when you start looking around, but it looks very different than right after the fire. It's remarkable how resilient they are.' The park reopened to visitors in 2022 after downed power lines, burned power poles, charred cars and dangerously leaning Douglas firs and other trees were removed. Since then more than 150,000 visitors have returned. Half-a-dozen walk-in campsites at Rancho del Oso, on the park's ocean edge near Waddell Beach, are back. And crews have reopened 14 miles of trails and 25 miles of fire roads to hikers, bicyclists and horse riders. Gov. Gavin Newsom included visited the park after the fire, and included $186 million in the 2021 state budget to pay for repairs. But some of the recovery has been slow going. PG&E is still rebuilding its electrical system, burying all the power lines. That work won't be finished until next March, Spohrer said. The park's water system and sewage system can't be rebuilt until there is permanent electricity. And constructing the new facilities will happen after that, probably starting in 2027, he added. The new plan will be the subject of a public webinar from 6 pm to 7:30 pm on July 10. For more information, go to A centerpiece of the new plan is to use a property called Saddle Mountain, along Highway 236, on the park's eastern edge, as the new hub for visitors arriving at the park, with a new visitors center gift shop, parking lot and shuttle bus stop. Near that is Little Basin, a 534-expanse which was a former campground used by tech pioneers Bill Hewlett and David Packard for company retreats. In 2007, Hewlett-Packard sold it to the Peninsula Open Space Trust, a Palo Alto environmental group, which transferred it to state parks. The new plan calls for public campsites there and cabins, along with an area for tribal ceremonies and a tribal cultural center. Although the amphitheater will be rebuilt in the original location, some campsites near the park's old-growth center before the fire, such as Bloom's Creek and Jay, will not be rebuilt and will be replaced as picnic areas. New campsites will be built in other parts of the park about 1 mile north and east of the old growth core in areas known as Sky Meadow and Huckleberry. Overall, there were 277 campsites before the fire. The new plan calls for 278. One area cut significantly is parking. Before the fire there were 380 parking spaces around the former headquarters and along Highway 236 near the old-growth core of the park. Under the new plan there will be 225 spaces — 75 in the old-growth core of the park and 150 at the Saddle Mountain area — a 40% reduction. Although some residents who live near the Saddle Mountain area have complained about facilities being moved there, longtime parks advocates say they are pleased. 'There's a lot to like in this plan' said Sara Barth, executive director of the Sempervirens Fund, a nonprofit group in Los Altos whose members helped convince state lawmakers to save the park in 1902. 'I think they have struck a really good balance.' Propane tanks, wood shake roofs and other human additions made the fire burn hotter near the old headquarters area, said Paul Ringgold, chief program officer of Save the Redwoods League, an environmental group. Asphalt and buildings constructed back to the 1920s and 1930s compressed soil around redwood tree roots and changed water flow around the spectacular trees. 'The focus back then was getting as many people into these areas to increase the awareness of protecting the groves,' he said. 'But with time we've grown to understand we can accomplish that without having to adversely impact the ecosystem.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Options for Isle of Man Family Library future to be explored
Options for the future running of services at a community library under threat of closure over funding are set to be brought forward in directors of the Isle of Man's Family Library have said the facility will shut on 31 July due to expected annual losses of £100,000, as a result of rising costs and declining response, Tynwald members supported Treasury Minister Alex Allinson's proposal for the Council of Ministers to work with the directors to understand its financial situation, and explore options to save told politicians an urgent meeting with the library's directors had been scheduled for 30 June. Welcoming the move, a spokesman for the facility said he had been "encouraged by the growing recognition among local politicians of the library's value and the urgent need for a sustainable funding model".However, he said it would be "irresponsible for us to continue beyond 31 July without being able to guarantee the necessary funding to operate for the following 12 months".With government funding for the facility, which has being provided on a sliding scale since 2021, is set to end in of the community facility have backed volunteer group the Friends of the Family Library in its campaign to protect the services, which has raised about £6,000. Based on Westmoreland Road in Douglas, the Family Library offers activities to young people, schools and adults as well as operating a mobile library in rural areas and a home service for those who are service has been run as an independent charity since full funding was pulled by the Department of Education in 2011 in response to a reduction in the island's VAT income. 'Rare institution' At the June sitting of the Manx parliament, Joney Faragher MHK asked politicians to support taking "urgent steps to prevent the closure" and develop a "sustainable funding proposal to secure its long-term future".She described the the Family Library as "one of those rare institutions that prevents larger costlier social problems down the line", a sentiment that was supported by several other Kate Lord-Brennan MHK argued "definite questions" should be asked about how the service had been run, and said there was a danger of a "precedent being set" on government support for organisations that operated "on a charitable level".During the debate Lawrie Hooper MHK argued Allinson's amendment did not provide "any certainty that we are going to end up with something that solves the problem".But members ultimately supported the treasury minister's proposal for the Council of Ministers to work with the charity to consider available options, after getting an understanding its financial position.A library spokesman said "all aspects of our operation, from a financial and organisational perspective, are fully transparent and in the public domain".He said he hoped the information would aim politicians "to better understand" the charity's directors would support the process "in any way we can", he added. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
