Latest news with #Middlebury
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
River Mill Trail opens in Middlebury
MIDDLEBURY — The Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the town of Middlebury celebrated the opening of the River Mill Trail Thursday. 'At DNR, outdoor recreation is core to our mission,' said Dale Brier, DNR deputy director of community grants and trails. 'We're proud to support Middlebury with the new River Mill Trail that makes important connections between existing trails, the regional Pumpkinvine Trail, and other local businesses.' More than one mile of asphalt multi-use trail was constructed by the town of Middlebury's Parks and Recreation Department with help from a $717,370 grant administered by the DNR. The River Mill Trail links existing park trails in the town of Middlebury to a 9-mile section of the regional Pumpkinvine Trail. The new trail also connects Middlebury residents to several businesses along the trail corridor. 'The funds from the DNR grant provided the bulk of the money to launch the town of Middlebury's newest trail,' said Tom Enright, park superintendent. 'The River Mill Trail connects two of the town's parks to the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail and allows residents on the east side of the town to access the Pumpkinvine without needing to cross Ind. 13. 'The River Mill Trail is already being used on a regular basis by providing more opportunities for safe recreation, exercise and transportation.' DNR has led the largest infusion of trails funding in state history, with $180 million in dedicated trail funding administered through DNR that facilitates critical trail connections within and between Hoosier communities. A total of 45 of the 89 projects are complete, with another 21 under construction. With this opening, more than 134 miles of trail have been built since the program's inception.
National Post
07-07-2025
- Business
- National Post
Forest River Marine and Margaritaville Introduce 'Chill Series' Pontoons
Article content Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos. Article content MIDDLEBURY, Ind. — Forest River Marine, a division of Forest River, Inc. and one of the nation's leading pontoon manufacturers, is proud to announce a vibrant collaboration with Margaritaville. Together, the companies are introducing the Chill Series – a line of pontoon boats designed to bring the easygoing spirit of Margaritaville to the water. Article content Blending Forest River Marine's trusted craftsmanship with Margaritaville's signature vibe, the Chill Series will offer boaters a one-of-a-kind escape – whether it's a slow cruise at sunset or a weekend of good times with friends. Each model in the series will feature custom Margaritaville-inspired design elements, premium sound systems, and comfort-first layouts made for maximum relaxation. Article content 'We're thrilled to bring this partnership to life,' said Philip Podgorny, General Manager of Forest River Marine. 'Our teams share a love for the water, good times, and memorable experiences. The Chill Series was created to deliver those moments effortlessly, with comfort and fun at the forefront.' Article content 'Margaritaville has always been deeply connected to the water, so the Chill Series pontoons are a natural addition to our lifestyle portfolio,' added Tamara Baldanza-Dekker, Chief Marketing Officer of Margaritaville. 'The Chill Series pontoons' thoughtful design perfectly captures Margaritaville's signature fun and escapism, making every offshore trip feel like a vacation.' Article content The Chill Series is expected to make waves nationwide, appealing to everyone from first-time boaters to lifelong Margaritaville fans. These pontoons are available to order now through Forest River Marine's network of authorized dealers and trusted brands – Berkshire, South Bay, and Trifecta – with a starting MSRP of $45,169. To learn more or locate a dealer near you, visit or About Margaritaville Margaritaville, a state of mind since 1977, is a global lifestyle brand inspired by Jimmy Buffett, whose songs evoke a passion for tropical escape and relaxation. Article content Margaritaville features over 40 lodging locations and over 20 additional projects in the pipeline positioned across a variety of full-service and boutique hotel and resort brands, branded real estate, and gaming properties, all complemented by an extensive suite of food and beverage concepts, including Margaritaville Restaurant, award-winning JWB Prime Steak and Seafood, 5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill, and LandShark Bar & Grill. Article content Hotel brands include Margaritaville Hotels & Resorts, Compass by Margaritaville, Margaritaville Beach House, and the all-inclusive product, Margaritaville Island Reserve®. Further elevating experiences, Margaritaville's branded real estate includes Latitude Margaritaville, '55 and better' active adult brand; Margaritaville Cottages, Villas and Residences; One Particular Harbour Margaritaville; and Margaritaville Vacation Club. Article content The newest brand additions to Margaritaville properties include the rapidly-growing Camp Margaritaville Resorts and Margaritaville at Sea. Additionally, consumers can escape every day through a collection of lifestyle products, including apparel, footwear, frozen concoction makers, home décor, a SiriusXM radio station, License to Chill: The Margaritaville Podcast, and more. Article content More than 20 million travelers and consumers every year change their latitude and attitude with Margaritaville. For more information, visit and follow Margaritaville on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Article content Article content
Boston Globe
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
A lacrosse champion five times over, from Dover-Sherborn to Middlebury, Hope Shue reflects on a legacy of winning
Related : A two-time NESCAC Player of the Year and three-time IWLCA First Team All-American, she earned NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors for the third time this year. Middlebury coach Kate Livesay called Shue a once-in-a-lifetime player. 'She brings an incredible work ethic and intensity to everything she does,' she said. 'She chases greatness with a competitive spirit and deep love for her teammates.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Added fellow Middlebury senior Maggie Coughlin, a Notre Dame (Hingham) graduate from Hanover, 'As a teammate, Hope is able to balance competitive fire with positivity and fun.' Advertisement She joined NFL quarterback, and North Dakota State alum Carson Wentz, as the only NCAA student-athletes to win at least four national championships and three Elite 90 awards — given to the athlete with the top GPA at each of the NCAA's final championship sites. We chatted with Shue to learn about her lacrosse journey. How did you first discover lacrosse, and what drew you to the sport? I think I started lacrosse around fourth grade, maybe a little bit earlier in the backyard. A lot of my family played lacrosse. My older sister played, my mom played. It was just something I felt like I was going to try. I think lacrosse is particularly difficult for young girls to get into, especially back then, because it's so hard to catch and throw with the sticks back then and the eye-hand coordination of a 9-year-old. I was initially more Advertisement Hope Shue initially hoped to play Division 1 women's lacrosse, but it all worked out with four national championships at Middlebury. Courtesy Sideline Media How did your experience at Dover-Sherborn prepare you for college, and what are some of your favorite memories? It was a really epic run at D-S. My coach, Erin Massimi, was my club coach all through middle school. I was really excited when she got the job when I was going into ninth grade. We really were kind of a Cinderella story over the course of the four years. We got pretty beat up by a lot of teams the first year. We only had a 13-person roster, so we had basically one sub on the sidelines . . . By our senior year, we were one of the strongest teams in the entire state, regardless of division, and had a really amazing run to a state championship. Some of my fondest memories in sports are that spring season, playing with my best friends for the town that you were born in and grew up in. In 2021, Hope Shue (left) won a Division 2 girls' lacrosse championship with fellow senior captains Amelia Novitch (center) and Lily Thompson. Trevor Hass What was your recruiting experience like, and what led you to Middlebury? I was really gunning for Division 1. I played on one of the top club teams in the country on Mass Elite. Most of the other girls on my team were committing to Division 1 schools, and I felt like that was the path I wanted to take. But I was a really small player (5 feet, 4 inches) and, quite frankly, not one of the best people on my club team. Because of that, I definitely wasn't getting the Division 1 looks that I wanted . . . I started talking to Middlebury around November of my junior year and went up for a clinic in January. I started to realize that all of the things I thought about, Middlebury could offer. By July 1, when I committed, I was really excited about the opportunity to play at the best Division 3 program in the country. At the same time, I didn't know much about it, so I feel really lucky that it worked out the way it did. But it definitely wasn't where I intended to be when I was an eighth or ninth-grader starting the recruiting process. Related : Advertisement What's some adversity you've overcome that people may not know about? It definitely has been difficult over the years not placing too much expectation on yourself. I personally like being in an underdog position. I think most people would. It's been difficult to frame each season and each game so that I don't feel the expectations. Then the academic side, my GPA became pretty public by sophomore year. So just trying to tune out the awards, the expectations, and really focus on not striving for perfection. Hope Shue won a national championship in all four of her seasons at Middlebury, after winning a Division 2 title at Dover-Sherborn. Courtesy Sideline Media Winning four straight national championships is insane. Can you speak to the consistency of the group and how you were able to do that? Advertisement I think it speaks volumes to the culture that goes top-down from my coaches. They set such a high bar for us, because they really believe that we're capable of that. Then bottom-up, with all the players on our team really committing to coming to practice every day ready to compete at that level. We don't speak too much about national championships, conference championships, or even our record at all . . . I think the secret ingredient for the past four years is that we're really a different team by the end of the season. It's been really fun to see that transformation four years in a row. Related : You have a job lined up at a small biotech financial advisory firm. How do you think lacrosse will translate to the real world? It's a small financial advisory firm called Related : You've embraced the underdog role since you were young. What would 10-year-old you say if she could see you now? I would definitely be incredibly proud of myself. I really put a lot of work in along the way, from being 10 years old, and just hitting a ball against the bounce-back every day, over and over again, the repetition every day throughout the years. I definitely never imagined that this would be where I was after four years at Middlebury. I'm just incredibly grateful for everything that Middlebury's given me. I definitely still feel like the underdog entering the real world here. I'm back to the bottom of the totem pole. Advertisement Hope Shue won a national championship in all four of her seasons at Middlebury, after winning a Division 2 title at Dover-Sherborn. Courtesy Sideline Media Trevor Hass can be reached at
Daily Mail
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Indiana teacher resigns over t-shirt she wore to White House
An Indiana teacher is under fire after she wore a t-shirt calling for Donald Trump's assassination on a school trip to the White House. Tonja Luken posted a now deleted Facebook photo of her and a colleague smiling in front of the Washington DC landmark while on a trip with Middlebury Community Schools. At first glance, the photo is seemingly innocent. However, eagle-eyed social media stalkers noticed the number '8647' printed on Luken's (left) flowery blue t-shirt. To '86' something means to eject, stop or kill it. The term originated in the restaurant scene of New York in the 1930s, according to The Independent. In this context, many people believe the number '47' refers to the United States' 47th president, Trump . The number '8647' is being used on social media by far left leaning individuals who are unhappy with the country's current administration. Protestors also carried signs reading '8645' during Trump's previous term. Most recently, Former FBI Chief James Comey found himself in hot water after posting a photo on Instagram of seashells arranged in the numerical code. Comey was then reprimanded by conservatives and the Secret Service. Luken was placed under an investigation by the school district following the June 4 stunt, but resigned in disgrace before its conclusion. In a statement, Middlebury Community Schools publicly condemned Luken's decision to openly express her political affiliation at a school event. 'Middlebury Community Schools owns policies that require teachers to refrain from using their position to promote partisan political views. 'This prohibition applies to all teachers regardless of their political leanings, and to every political message regardless of its content,' they wrote. 'Earlier this week, Middlebury Community Schools' administration learned of a social media post made by a teacher while serving as a chaperone on a student trip to our nation's capital, Washington, D.C. In the posted photograph, the teacher is wearing a T-shirt possessing a partisan political message while supervising students.' 'School administrators are actively investigating the situation. 'The student trip only returned to Middlebury on Wednesday, June 4, which unfortunately slowed the investigation process.' But just a day later, the district announced Luken's departure. 'Earlier today, Middlebury Community Schools completed its investigation into circumstances surrounding a teacher's social media post. 'After the conclusion of the school corporation's interview, when informed the school corporation would be commencing the cancellation of her contract, the teacher submitted her immediate resignation,' they said. 'The teacher is no longer employed by the school corporation' Luken, who is a married mother of five, has since archived all public social media profiles and has made no public statement about the incident or her exit. Daily Mail reached out to Luken and Middlebury Community Schools for comment.
Daily Mail
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Indiana teacher resigns in disgrace over 'dangerous' t-shirt she wore to White House on class trip
An Indiana teacher is under fire after she wore a t-shirt calling for Donald Trump's assassination on a school trip to the White House. Tonja Luken posted a now deleted Facebook photo of her and a colleague smiling in front of the Washington DC landmark while on a trip with Middlebury Community Schools. At first glance, the photo is seemingly innocent. However, eagle-eyed social media stalkers noticed the number '8647' printed on Luken's flowery blue t-shirt. To '86' something means to eject, stop or kill it. The term originated in the restaurant scene of New York in the 1930s, according to The Independent. In this context, many people believe the number '47' refers to the United States' 47th president, Trump. The number '8647' is being used on social media by far left leaning individuals who are unhappy with the country's current administration. Protestors also carried signs reading '8645' during Trump's previous term. Most recently, Former FBI Chief James Comey found himself in hot water after posting a photo on Instagram of seashells arranged in the numerical code. Comey was then reprimanded by conservatives and the Secret Service. Luken was placed under an investigation by the school district following the June 4 stunt, but resigned in disgrace before its conclusion. In a statement, Middlebury Community Schools publicly condemned Luken's decision to openly express her political affiliation at a school event Luken (pictured) was placed under an investigation by the school district following the June 4 stunt, but resigned in disgrace before its conclusion In a statement, Middlebury Community Schools publicly condemned Luken's decision to openly express her political affiliation at a school event. 'Middlebury Community Schools owns policies that require teachers to refrain from using their position to promote partisan political views. 'This prohibition applies to all teachers regardless of their political leanings, and to every political message regardless of its content,' they wrote. 'Earlier this week, Middlebury Community Schools' administration learned of a social media post made by a teacher while serving as a chaperone on a student trip to our nation's capital, Washington, D.C. In the posted photograph, the teacher is wearing a T-shirt possessing a partisan political message while supervising students.' 'School administrators are actively investigating the situation. 'The student trip only returned to Middlebury on Wednesday, June 4, which unfortunately slowed the investigation process.' But just a day later, the district announced Luken's departure. 'Earlier today, Middlebury Community Schools completed its investigation into circumstances surrounding a teacher's social media post. 'After the conclusion of the school corporation's interview, when informed the school corporation would be commencing the cancellation of her contract, the teacher submitted her immediate resignation,' they said. 'The teacher is no longer employed by the school corporation' Luken, who is a married mother of five, has since archived all public social media profiles and has made no public statement about the incident or her exit.
