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ABC News
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
What to watch in July, from 1880s homestead reality series Back to the Frontier to Washington Black
What happens when you take a bunch of technology-dependent teenagers and force them to swap their 21st-century lives for an 1880s homestead? This is the premise of new reality series Back to the Frontier, which sees three families stripped of their creature comforts and hauled off to spend a summer in the wilderness. Each hopes that trying something this big will change the way they not only relate to each other, but to the world around them. Also new this month, we have a whirlwind adaptation of Canadian author Esi Edugyan's Booker-nominated novel Washington Black, as well as a reality show that looks at what it takes to write a number one song. But that's not all — there's also a fresh nature documentary led by the ABC's resident nature journalist, Ann Jones, and a powerful queer Pasifika story set in Western Sydney. Reality series Back to the Frontier opens as the extremely particular Hanna-Riggs, the incredibly emotional Halls, and the frankly very capable Loper families are dropped at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains of western North America with little more than the clothes on their backs and three scarcely habitable cabins to call home. They have one objective: to prove they can work the land. Just like the real-life 1880s homesteaders, they will be judged on their ability to build a secure, comfortable home, farm the land and fill their pantries with enough meat, vegetables, baked goods and dairy to survive an entire winter. Don't go into this show expecting things to get that tough: the fact this series focuses on families should be enough to tell you HBO was never going to let these people struggle like the contestants on hit survival competition Alone. But, unlike the competitors on Alone, these people have little to no skills. And while they presumably went into this fully aware they wouldn't have makeup or any technology whatsoever, let alone electricity or running water, they can't handle it. There is a lot of crying — and not just from the kids. This is a show that wants you to lean into peak voyeurism. But it also provides a surprising amount of information about the original homesteaders, with experts including historians and modern homesteaders dropping in along the way. The result is a series that's quietly heartfelt, and which features some wholesome conversations around confidence and the importance of community. Not everyone is into it, though — some conservative Christians in the US are furious a gay couple was cast. Make of that what you will. For fans of: Colonial House, Alone When 11-year-old George Washington "Wash" Black (Eddie Karanja) escapes the 19th century Barbados sugar cane plantation where he was born at the beginning of this series, it feels like an against-all-odds miracle, never to be repeated. But then he hitches a ride away from the Caribbean in a bizarre flying machine with his white saviour/scientific mentor Titch (Tom Ellis) and takes up with a band of pirates. The adult version of Wash (played by Ernest Kingsley Jr) goes on to find not only freedom, but love, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Executive produced by Sterling K Brown (who also stars in the series as Wash's friend, Medwin) Washington Black isn't your typical narrative about the horrors of slavery. Told from the perspective of a sensitive and brilliant young boy, this eight-part series is a story about daring to dream, despite the circumstances. You'll frequently have to suspend your disbelief to enjoy this odyssey; adapting a fantastical story like this for the screen is immensely difficult. But this series has just as much to say on white guilt, romance across class lines, and the notion of freedom as the book that inspired it. For fans of: Kindred, Belle Netflix's latest unscripted series is for everyone who's ever looked at the songwriting credits of a hit song like Sabrina Carpenter's Espresso and wondered how it took so many people to come up with the lyrics "Say you can't sleep, baby, I know / That's that me espresso". Hitmakers offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create a number one song. The show follows 12 hit writers and producers from the US as they compete against each other for the privilege of writing new tracks for John Legend, Shaboozey and Lisa of Blackpink/The White Lotus season three. Over six episodes, the creatives behind the likes of BTS' Butter, Ariana Grande's Thank U, Next and Beyoncé's Cuff It attend three different songwriting camps, where they have just six hours to come up with a hit. Hitmakers isn't sure whether it wants to be a documentary or a reality show. It has the tension and pacing of a reality show and goes out of its way to confect drama, and yet it treats the craft of songwriting as a docuseries would. The famous musicians almost feel like an afterthought, dropping in at odd moments. Who knows if there will be a Hitmakers season two? The idea that this may never be repeated somehow makes the first season more compelling. For fans of: Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE, Formula 1: Drive to Survive When Moni (Chris Alosio) returns to Western Sydney for his baby sister's wedding after 10 years in London, he doesn't expect to see his dead mother Tina (Tina Leaitua) there. She has no idea she's dead and he has no idea how she's returned — or why he's the only one who can see her. Then Moni is reminded of the Samoan proverb, "Teu le Va", which roughly translates to, "tend to your sacred spaces". To achieve this, one must live a life of truth. Moni reluctantly comes to the realisation his mother's apparition has to do with their avoidance of two very different things. If she has any hope of passing on, they must both accept their truths. For Moni, this means embracing his sexuality and learning how to be part of his Samoan community as his full self. For Tina, it's about admitting her failures as a parent. This genre-bending, queer, Pasifika-led series packs a lot into its six 10-minute episodes — from explorations of the varying lived experiences of queer Samoan-Australians, to the importance of remembering the cultural lessons of one's parents. Moni could have used a hell of a lot more funding (it's part of the SBS Digital Originals initiative, which supports new Australian stories), but the messages at the heart of this layered and intimate series will stay with you, regardless. For fans of: White Fever, Swift Street Nature journalist Ann Jones joins scientists trying to gain a deeper understanding of some of the world's most reclusive — and dangerous — animals in this moreish six-part docuseries. Starting with bull sharks on the Great Barrier Reef, each episode offers an intimate look at one animal. The deadly sea snakes of the Pilbara in WA are next, followed by the orangutans of Borneo, three different species of turtle in the Dampier Archipelago region of WA, and the dugongs of Queensland's Moreton Bay region. Last up: the elusive pangolins, again of Borneo. As the ABC's beloved "nature nerd", Ann brings a contagious blend of enthusiasm and curiosity to this immersive series. In less than 30 minutes, she'll have you reconsidering your understanding of each of these creatures. Bull sharks, for example, are more than just opportunistic killers. And did you know there's a breed of sea snake that hatches its eggs internally? For fans of: The Kimberley, Australia's Wild Odyssey
RNZ News
22-06-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Manawatū family linked to All Blacks gives old homestead new lease on life
Romney Lane homestead is down a long driveway with extensive gardens. Photo: Brad Hanson A Manawatū family with links to rugby royalty has given their century old homestead a new lease on life. Constructed of native totara it's called Romney Lane and is the home where sheep and beef farmer Ian Strahan grew up with his All Black playing dad Sam Strahan. Lock Sam was Manawatu's 14th All Black, regularly turning out alongside Colin Meads. And like many players from his generation, training was in the paddock. Ian said the home at Kiwitea, near Feilding, lends itself nicely to agritourism due to its quiet and accessible location. There was plenty of hard graft to get there with a new kitchen installed. What Ian hadn't done was shy away from his father's legacy as a formidable lock. A collection of rare rugby books, photos and even a jersey from Sam's international career are in the homestead. He played from 1967 to 1973 which included 17 international test matches. Sam Strahan putting his lineout skills to good work against England at Twickenham in 1967. Photo: Ian said he also wanted to maintain the grand old home to a high standard. "My parents have passed on and we have a house at the other end of the farm" Ian Strahan said. "It's a beautiful old homestead tucked away in a lovely garden and setting well off the road. "We're keen to tell a story about what we do in the country and bridge that gap." The Strahan family on their sheep and beef farm at Kiwitea with their border terrier Bear. Photo: supplied Steph Strahan, who manages Romney Lane, said it had been a steep learning curve taking on visitors. She had joined an agribusiness group to pick up tips and share ideas. As a chef, she's keen to expand the catering potential and to add experiences like a farm walk and biking. Romney sheep were once the backbone of the farming operation. Photo: Brad Hanson "We're just starting out and I can see the potential for it to grow," Steph Strahan said. Visitors tell her they adore the homestead amidst the secluded garden. And recently an Australian film crew visited the property for an undisclosed project. "I'm hoping to do a little bit more in-house catering, I've been a private chef before. If we get some more international guests I'm hoping to get into that space." Steph said it was a thrill to read the guestbook and felt the enjoyment of people who came to enjoy their slice of country. And a quick dash for snacks wasn't out of the question for visitors. The local dairy is six kilometres away at Cheltenham, with cafes and a store around a 10 minute drive away at Kimbolton. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Trustees reopen William Cullen Bryant Homestead in Cummington for tours
CUMMINGTON — The Trustees of Reservations will reopen the William Cullen Bryant Homestead for tours this summer for the first time since 2019. The tour, 'Literary Legacy: A Guided Tour of the William Cullen Bryant Homestead,' will be offered at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. on June 28, July 19, Aug. 16, and Sept. 28. The tours require prior registration and tickets. Tickets are $5 for Trustees of Reservations' members and $10 for nonmembers. To become a member, go to The property, at 207 Bryant Road, was the country estate of the prominent 19th century poet, journalist and conservationist William Cullen Bryant. Bryant, editor and publisher of the New York Evening Post, returned every summer to the homestead starting in 1865 until his death in 1878. Visitors also can walk the trails on the 195-acre property, including the Rivulet Trail, which hugs the Rivulet, a trickling stream immortalized by Bryant's 1823 poem of the same name. The property also features the Pine Loop, with pine trees that reach the heights of 150 feet, among the tallest in the Northeast. Westfield fatal fire traced to smoking materials on living room couch Supreme Judicial Court upholds 2018 murder conviction in Latin King case Markey wants answers from Verizon over lead in old phone lines Read the original article on MassLive.
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Travel + Leisure
14-06-2025
- Travel + Leisure
This Ultra-remote Destination in Chile Has Stunning Vistas—With Snow-covered Peaks, Fjords, and Lush Forests
After Germán Genskowski and his family decided to set up a homestead on the island of Tierra del Fuego in 1985, it took him four years to build a cabin using hand-sawn timber from the surrounding mountains. He brought tools and appliances into the area bit by bit, traveling two days by boat from the port city of Punta Arenas, on the mainland, to the jetty at Caleta María, where his father, an immigrant from Poland, had worked as a logger in the 1940s. From there, Genskowski would lug materials another full day east along the Azopardo River, nearly to the border with Argentina. From the cabin, the nearest settlement was a three-day horseback ride away. His wife and children would return to Punta Arenas each winter, but Genskowski would remain at the cabin, often cut off from the world by several feet of snow. Today, he is considered one of the last settlers on the sparsely inhabited Chilean side of the island, part of the rain-lashed archipelago where the South American continent ends. I met Genskowski, now 80, on a weeklong trip across Tierra del Fuego led by Explora, a company that leads expeditions throughout South America. He told me how, when a gravel road finally reached his property in 2004, he met the change with a shrug. 'I didn't like it much,' he said. 'I was happy with things as they were.' From left: Germán Genskowski at his home in Tierra del Fuego; the port city of Punta Arenas. From left: Explora; Matthew Williams-Ellis/Alamy Things have gotten easier in this isolated part of the island, certainly—a welcome development for Genskowski since a riding accident a decade ago left him unable to mount a horse—but ease was never the point. Our expedition leader, Nicolás Vigil, summed it up when he recited an old Chilean saying before we embarked on our journey: Quien se apura en la Patagonia, pierde su tiempo —'who rushes in Patagonia, wastes their time.' On the first night in Punta Arenas, at Hotel La Yegua Loca, our group of four travelers gathered around a map of the area while the Explora team discussed what the upcoming days would hold: crossing the Strait of Magellan (which separates Tierra del Fuego from the rest of the continent) on a small ferry, a long drive through open pampas, a ride on a fishing boat into the fjords off Admiralty Sound, and hikes up snow-covered peaks and through sprawling forests in Karukinka Natural Park. The latter is a 735,000-acre conservation area that receives just 900 visitors each year. Each excursion would take us deeper into the scarcely touched landscapes in this part of the world. Explora opened its first lodge 30 years ago in Torres del Paine National Park, in Chilean Patagonia, and has since expanded into northern Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, and Rapa Nui, often called Easter Island. The company quickly gained a reputation for nature-forward design and a commitment to ecological conservation. In 2023, it launched Explora Expeditions, which aims to take small groups into some of the world's least-populated environments. The Tierra del Fuego itinerary was the first of this kind to launch; Sebastián Navarro, an expedition manager with the brand, worked on it for more than a year. Gnarled trees above Lake Fagnano, near Germán Genskowski's home. Early the next morning, we took a ferry two hours east to the fishing town of Porvenir, the principal settlement on the Chilean side of Tierra del Fuego (the other half is part of Argentina). We then drove south through austere countryside, where llama-like guanacos grazed in grassland beside the slate-gray water. I saw tortured ñires, a native shrub, bent over sideways, as if pushed into place by the wind. Before long, colors bloomed across the landscape; it felt like stepping out of a dark room into obliterating sun. Forests of lenga beeches blazed in auburn and ocher—it was autumn in the Southern Hemisphere—and wisps of lichen, draped over their branches like gauze, glowed celadon green. Just below one rocky summit, Roberto de la Cerda, one of Explora's guides, showed us how to read the mountainsides as open ledgers of geologic time. Twilight lasted hours. Even the grayscale of distant fog seemed luminous. As the landscape came into focus, so too did its contrasts—between the ageless and the ephemeral, an ancient topography and a changeable climate. The green clover, purple lupine, and bone-white yarrow that grew along the roadside, Vigil explained, had been introduced by sheep farmers in the 19th century. Within decades, the settlers' brutal expansionism had decimated the Indigenous Selk'nam, who'd arrived some 10,000 years before. Guanacos grazing in Karukinka Natural Park. We arrived at Genskowski's property and settled into one of the three cozy timber cabins he had built by hand, which Explora staffer Ariel Ramirez had spruced up with sheets, towels, and toiletries from one of the brand's lodges. Over the course of three nights, Emanuel Mellado, chef at Explora's lodge in the Atacama Desert, prepared decadent meals of seared guanaco steaks and snow-crab pasta. The next morning, in the slow inky hours before dawn, we boarded a repurposed fishing boat, the Alakush, and sailed west against the wind into Admiralty Sound and down into Parry Bay, both lined with snowcapped peaks that looked as if they had been thrust up from the water's edge. The sky, miraculously clear all morning, clouded over as we veered into a narrow fjord where frigid winds gusted off the barricade glaciers at its southern end. Stepping ashore, we followed the banks of a rushing river, opaque with minerals and sediment, until we reached its glacial source; I could see the ice calving into a metal-gray lagoon. Back on the Alakush, I stood on deck with Danilo Bahamonde, who assists on chartered excursions from spring through fall. When he first came to this area as a teenager some 40 years ago, the glacier extended as far as the fjord, about half a mile away. 'This place changes every year,' he said, stoic about the obvious impact of climate change but still unmistakably awed by a landscape he's known most of his life. 'You get used to seeing things disappear.' That evening back at the cabin, Genskowski told us about a time, not so long ago, when it wasn't uncommon for heavy winter snows to begin in April; that April, autumn foliage had just started to emerge. An autumn landscape in Karukinka Natural Park. Not all change means loss. In recent years, new national parks have opened in the archipelago. In September 2023, the remaining descendants of the Selk'nam finally won formal recognition as one of Chile's 11 First Peoples, a profound reversal of the narrative. That gravel road near the Genskowskis' property is still advancing, albeit at barely 3,000 feet per year. He fears the influx of tourism it might eventually bring. Still, on our final night, gathered around the fire where he had spent the better of the day spit-roasting a lamb culled from his flock, that future seemed mercifully remote. The next morning, we headed back north, crossing the winding mountain passes that separate the Genskowskis from the rest of the world, past the rocky summit where, the day before, we'd climbed through fresh, ankle-deep snow under a blazing sun and bright blue sky. Back down in the pampas, we boarded a turboprop to return to Punta Arenas. During our brief 40 minutes in the air, I kept my forehead pressed to the window, watching the mountains as they dissolved into grassland. The hours and days that had dilated so spectacularly on the ground snapped into metronomic order—too fast, too rushed, each second a lost opportunity to look more closely. Below, rivers so blue they were almost black meandered across the pampas: a reminder, perhaps, that the long way is always more beautiful. A version of this story first appeared in the July 2025 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline "Living on the Edge."
CBS News
06-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Texas leaders strike a deal on property tax relief for homeowners and businesses
Texas lawmakers have reached a deal on property tax relief that includes increasing homestead exemptions for homeowners and expanding exemptions for businesses, though concerns remain about a potential shift in the tax burden to homeowners. Plano homeowner welcomes property tax relief Kaleb White of Plano said with a young family, he welcomes any additional relief on his property taxes. "I think it sounds great," said White. "Got two little kids. We're talking about growing our family even more. Anything like that is a huge help." On Monday night, the office for Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, posted on the platform "X" that he and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, R-Texas, and Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, spent the day hammering out details on property tax relief for homeowners and businesses this session. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Morgan Meyer, R-University Park. and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, announced a deal hours earlier Monday during their respective meetings. "That means we've got home and business property tax relief on the way at the Texas legislature and that's a happy day," Bettencourt said. The property tax relief deal Under the deal, House Republicans will approve the Senate's bill that raises the homestead exemption on school property taxes from $100,000 to $140,000 this year. Those over 65 and the disabled would receive an additional $60,000 this year, up from $10,000. The state would continue replacing billions of dollars in property taxes with other state revenues to pay for public schools. Also under the deal, Senate Republicans will approve the House's bill that will increase exemptions for business property taxes from $2,500 to $125,000 starting next year. Various business groups gave a thumbs-up to the deal. Jeff Burdett, the Texas Director of the National Federation of Independent Business, told the Senate committee that property tax is the number one issue he hears about. "This is the number one issue that I hear from my small business owners when I talk to them around the state. Year after year, they get taxed on these things they already own and so this is really good, we appreciate it." Glenn Hamer, the President & CEO of the Texas Association of Business, said, "The $125,000 level is a fair level, it is a meaningful level, as you stated, it probably will reduce business property taxes by $2,500." The negative impact of property tax relief? But, the Budget Manager for the city of Fort Worth, Brady Kirk, testified this week that reducing business property taxes will impact homeowners. "The commercial part of the tax base, because of the exemption,n reduces their value, they become a smaller proportion of the tax base overall," said Kirk. "And in that way, shifts the tax burden." When asked if that is over to homeowners, Kirk said, "Correct." He also said it could affect the city's revenues and lead to the city raising its property taxes. "We would have the authority to go to a higher tax rate, if that's what our leaders wanted," Kirk said. Still, during testimony before Representative Meyer's committee, the Policy Director of the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation pointed to the state's nearly $24 billion budget surplus. "If I have one plea to the body today though, it is this: do more. Both because it's needed and it's possible." The deal on property tax relief avoids an extended fight that took place two years ago between the House and Senate. Watch Eye On Politics on CBS News Texas at 7:30 a.m. Sunday on air and streaming
