Latest news with #Dart
The Guardian
35 minutes ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Devon campaigners call for ‘right to riverbank' after finding Dart has 108 owners
Campaigners in Devon are calling for a right to the riverbank after finding their local river, the Dart, has 108 separate owners, with an eighth of it owned via offshore companies. Locals used site visits, angling maps, Companies House records and Land Registry data to find out who owns the River Dart. The government in its election manifesto last year promised to implement nine new 'river walks' in England to extend public access to the countryside, after it U-turned on a previous policy to enshrine a right to roam in law. No plans have yet been laid out for the river walks, neither where they will be nor how the government proposes to implement them. Ministers would have to work with local landowners to gain permission for the riverbanks to be used by the public, and the research by Devon campaigners shows how difficult this can be. Aristocrats own large swathes of the Dart. The Duchy of Cornwall owns the largest slice of riverbank at 28 miles (45km). The Dart is 47 miles long, so has nearly 100 miles of bank altogether. The next largest owner, the Spitchwick estate, owns 12 miles, and the Duke of Somerset has about 1.25 miles. The research also found that 11.6 miles is owned via offshore companies. Right to roam campaigners have long asked for aristocrats to open up their land for the public to walk across. In 2022, dozens of campaigners descended upon the Duke of Somerset's estate to picnic and play music, ignoring the 'keep out' signs. In Scotland, there is a right to walk across the entirety of the countryside as long as ramblers are respectful and leave no trace behind. Research by British Canoeing has previously found that fewer than 4% of English rivers are open to the public. A patchwork of landowners have rights over tiny lengths of river, which makes it almost impossible to create routes for swimming and boating without land reform, campaigners have said. Lewis Winks, who compiled the River Dart research, said: 'The River Dart is rightly a much-celebrated part of the Devon landscape, yet the rights to the river – and those who own them – largely remain a mystery. The more time I spend with the Dart, the more urgent the question becomes: who gets to decide whether we are able to know and love this river?' He said he embarked on the daunting task of mapping land ownership along the Dart 'to understand who holds power over access here'. He added that 'what quickly became clear was how little transparency exists – even those working closely with the river often don't know who owns the banks'. The Dart rises high on Dartmoor and flows to the sea at Dartmouth. Though it is a significant river in the area, it is relatively short compared with others in the UK. For example, the Severn is 220 miles long, and the Thames is 215 miles long. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion Winks said: 'The situation along other, longer rivers is likely to be even more complex. Achieving increased access to rivers based on a permissive approach would present a logistical nightmare. Each stretch would require time-consuming negotiations with dozens – if not hundreds – of large landowners and corporate bodies, many of whom are difficult to identify. 'That's why we're calling for a rights-based approach to river access – similar to the system in Scotland, where the public has the right to responsibly walk, swim, paddle and canoe along most rivers and lochs, with sensible exceptions.' A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: 'Britain is a proud nation of nature lovers, and this government is committed to turning the tide on its decline after years of neglect. We are progressing plans to designate nine new national river walks, one in each region of England.'
USA Today
19 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
New York Giants' Jameis Winston hilariously compares Jaxson Dart to Taysom Hill
This version of the New York Giants is unlike the ones that we've seen over the past decade or so. This is a diverse group of talents and personalities that are ushering in a much-needed breath of fresh air. Perhaps the most colorful character of the bunch so far has been the veteran quarterback Jameis Winston. Entering his 11th season in the NFL, Winston, a former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall NFL draft selection, has a huge catalog of experience to draw on from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. Winston is the perfect blend of experience and attitude for rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart to be fostered under, and he knows what to do and what not to do as a professional football player. Winston has essentially seen it all since coming into the NFL with Tampa Bay in 2015. He's been a franchise quarterback, a backup, and a reclamation project at different points in his career. "It's fun learning a new offense because it keeps you in the curious mode," he told reporters on Sunday. "You're asking consistent questions, you're asking, 'Hey, what does this look like?' You're asking for clips like, 'How does this look vs. this coverage?' I love that, and it just brings out the little kid in me again. "Sometimes when you get continuity, you're always thinking about the next step and you don't get to focus on just the basics, especially when you're installing. Now, as (Mike) Kafka is installing, I get to learn the basics, and as camp prolongs, I will continue to learn, 'Okay, now this is why we're making this transition. This is why we're adding this look, route to specific concepts.'" With the Giants, Winston is here for depth and is under no illusions about his status and his role. He is behind Russell Wilson on the depth chart and next to Dart, for the moment, but he knows what the future holds. He's been here before. When Winston was with the New Orleans Saints, he would drive the team the length of the field only to be replaced in the red zone by the versatile tight ned/quarterback/fullback Taysom Hill. These days, Winston is being asked to step aside for Dart, not for Dart to run, but in general. It happened to close out practice on Sunday. "Man, you know I'm used to it. If you remember in New Orleans, Taysom Hill -- I used to drive the team all the way the field and then Taysom Hill used to come in and run quarterback power and score a touchdown, so I was like, 'Hey, Jaxson is Tayson Hill,'" Winston said. "Tayson's from Idaho but Jaxson's from Utah. I was like, 'It's that Utah connection.' Every time I have a good drive, they're going to take me out and put a kid from Utah in to come score a touchdown. No, but he needs those reps. He needs those red zone reps. I've been in the red zone a lot and that was a good drive. I knew I was going to end up in the end zone, so it allowed me to visualize myself being in the end zone again." The Giants knew what they were doing by bringing in Winston. He is a positive influence in the quarterback room, the locker room, the huddle, and the sidelines. His demeanor and experience are taking the pressure off both Wilson and Dart while giving the Giants another option under center if needed.
New York Post
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Jaxson Dart looks more at home in best Giants training camp day yet
Jaxson Dart looked the part. The rookie first-round quarterback had his best day on an NFL field so far Sunday as he was accurate and aggressive down the field — a noticeable change from holding the ball too long when he wasn't getting off short, quick passes. 'I can definitely feel a difference in the first day [last Wednesday] to even today,' Dart said. 'Just that the game's starting to slow down a little bit the more that I get comfortable with the plays and the system.' Dart is adjusting to running first-time plays and mixing in with different receivers — all of whom require different timing. 'I felt confident in the different installs that we had [Sunday], and I felt at the same time the coaches gave me a lot of freedom,' Dart said. 'So I was able to make some checks that I wanted to, and I feel like that just allowed me to play just faster and be able to make quicker decisions.' Dart led a 12-play move-the-field drive that included a third-down completion and a couple of designed quarterback runs. Perhaps most significantly, he used a hard count — after clapping his hands to get the ball at Ole Miss — to draw the defense offside. 3 Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) looks to throw during Training Camp at the Quest Diagnostics center, Sunday, July 27, 2025, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST 'I don't want to play like a robot,' Dart said. 'I think that's just my play style. When I'm on the field, I'm going to be aggressive in any situation. A quote that we go by in the quarterback room is, 'Being aggressive but not reckless.' So, when you have opportunities to put the dagger in, that's what you have to do. And, at the same time, you can't be reckless.' Dart's philosophy during training camp is to get the mistakes out on the practice field and don't make the same error twice. It sounds like an extension of head coach Brian Daboll's philosophy. 3 Jaxson Dart (6) looks on during Training Camp at the Quest Diagnostics center, Sunday, July 27, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST 'Just trying to take advantage of the opportunities that I get. Trying to study late as much as I can,' Dart said. 'I'm learning every second.' John Michael Schmitz's trio of errant snaps in Friday's practice were a red flag. His best chance to atone comes Monday, when linemen put on pads for the first time. 3 Michael Schmitz Jr. (61) on the field during training camp. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Go behind the scenes with Big Blue Sign up for Inside the Giants by Paul Schwartz, a weekly Sports+ exclusive. Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters 'We don't want to have those high snaps, no question,' Daboll said. 'John Michael has been a good leader for us.' Daboll lauded Brian Burns for his chase-the-ball hustle on the play that led to a collision with Wan'Dale Robinson in Friday's practice. Burns only participated in limited drills Sunday while dealing with soreness. 'He's had a number of those this camp,' Daboll said. 'His effort has been outstanding.'
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Giants' Daboll: Jaxson Dart's camp 'much like all the rookies'
The New York Giants have one of the deeper and more intriguing quarterback rooms in the NFL, but coach Brian Daboll is firm in his stance that Russell Wilson is the team's starter. The Giants signed veteran Jameis Winston, selected Jaxson Dart in the first round and also have Tommy DeVito entering his third NFL season. But Wilson has continued to validate why Daboll put any quarterback controversy to rest by naming him the starter last week. "He's done this for a long time. He's had a really good camp since he's been here. And then the other three guys have done a great job too," Daboll said. "I like our quarterback room. They're working hard, they're going out every day. They're doing the things they need to do. It's a good group to be around." Dart was selected with the 25th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Ole Miss, but is not yet ready to threaten Wilson, the 10-time Pro Bowl selection who signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract in March. Dart is still learning the ropes of the NFL as he goes through his first training camp. "Much like all the rookies, first training camp, some good, some things to improve on, but he's got the right mindset," Daboll said. "He's here real late. He works. It's good to see him kind of finish a drive two days ago, throwing it where he needs to throw it, keep working with him." With three veterans along with Dart, one of the biggest challenges is splitting practice snaps. The Giants need to get Winston prepared as Wilson's likely backup to begin the season, but Daboll also needs to develop Dart. That leads to situations like in Friday's practice where Winston gave way to Dart during a late offensive drive. "I think Kaf (Mike Kafka) and Shane (Bowen) have done a nice job of divvying up the reps the way we need to divvy them up," Daboll said. "Sometimes they don't even know when they're going in or the offensive coaches don't know when I'm switching them either. "That was a situation there at the end where Jameis was taking a rack and I just threw Dart in there. Try to keep the coaches on their toes and the quarterbacks so they can practice numerous situations." Daboll isn't committing to Winston as the primary backup just four days into training camp, but he did note the former No. 1 overall pick's confidence in his arm and fearlessness in pushing the ball downfield. Winston has thrown 111 career interceptions to go with 154 touchdowns, but is known for his ability to shake off mistakes. Daboll called it a "no fear mentality," but also said the coaching staff continues to work on Winston's footwork, timing and overall grasp of the offense. Not all that much different than Dart, who Daboll will continue to be creative with in how he develops during camp. "Whether it's a situation or putting him in after a bad play or giving him a pressure that he might have not seen. You try to give him as much as you can give him so that each day you can learn from it," Daboll said. "If there's a good play that you have, you go ahead and give him positive reinforcement. And when there's a play that maybe wasn't executed the exact right way, you try to get another look at that sometime down the line and keep (tabs) on where they're at. "We do that with all the quarterbacks, but certainly with Jaxson." --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2025 - All Rights Reserved
Fox Sports
5 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Giants Roll With Russell Wilson As QB1 Amid Jaxson Dart Spotlight
The New York spotlight is focused on Jaxson Dart, and he is what the New York Giants hope will be their quarterback of the future. The future is not here yet. For all the attention Dart is getting as a first-round draft pick, coach Brian Daboll made it clear when training camp opened Wednesday that the plan is still for Russell Wilson to be the guy at football's most important position. "These guys will be out here competing, but Russ is our starter," Daboll said. Wilson took all the first-team snaps in the first practice of camp, with Dart and journeyman Jameis Winston alternating going second and third. Dart threw an interception in his first throw of 11-on-11 team drills. Wilson told his younger teammate to focus on the next play and the rookie's subsequent throw went for a touchdown. "I think they're working well together," veteran defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence said. "Russ is a great leader, Jameis is a great leader and I see them talking to him a lot. Russ handles his business really well, so for (Dart) to learn from that and them to be unselfish to teach that to him, it's only on an up trajectory." There's little direction to go but up for the Giants, who tied for the worst record in the NFL last season at 3-14. That is one reason fourth-year general manager Joe Schoen turned over the quarterback part of the roster almost completely — with local cult hero Tommy DeVito the lone holdover. Wilson, at age 36, received a contract for this season worth up to $21 million with $10.5 million guaranteed. And New York traded a second-round pick and two third-rounders to move up to take Dart 25th, several weeks after signing Winston. Scouting Dart from afar at Mississippi and watching him up close in offseason workouts, the Giants like what they're witnessing so far. "You saw leadership, you saw arm talent, you saw athleticism, and he's a rookie," Schoen said. "He's got a long way to go, and he's got a really good supporting cast in there to help. We've got a really good coaching staff as well, so he's in a good spot right now." That spot is in reserve, though Daboll would not say if the backup job is up for grabs between Dart and Winston. Only that when the season starts on Sept. 7 at NFC East rival Washington, Wilson will be under center if healthy. Asked about that certainty, Wilson said he's "always just focused on being the best version of myself every day." A teammate two seasons ago in Denver, tight end Chris Manhertz believes Wilson is qualified to handle this situation thanks to "all the traits of a good quarterback." "Attention to detail, great leader and that kind of leadership kind of permeates throughout the whole offense, the whole team," Manhertz said. "He's been in this league for a while, and he's had a lot of success in this league and it's not an accident. A lot of the things that he has as a quarterback, like getting everybody on the same page, leading the charge, leading by example — all of those things are kind of contagious." Malik Nabers' toe saga The toe injury that kept standout receiver Malik Nabers off the field this spring has healed enough that he was full go for the start of his second pro training camp. But Nabers said he does not know if it will eventually go away or even if surgery might be needed. "(There has been) talk about it, just never really came to a complete thought in mind for me to do it," Nabers said. "But I've been managing it well, been running around feeling pretty good. Everything has been going good with the rehab, so my toe's feeling better. I'm just happy to be out there with my guys." Nabers, in his impressive rookie year, ranked fifth in the league with 109 catches and seventh with 1,204 yards. With big expectations on him, he said the toe ailment will be watched and handled throughout camp. "It's something that I've got to take up with Dabes and the guys upstairs and the training staff, but I think we've got a great plan," Nabers said. Andrew Thomas by Week 1? While Nabers and Lawrence, among others, receiving no injury designation to start camp was good news on the health front, starting left tackle Andrew Thomas landed on the physically unable to perform list as he works back from surgery in October to repair a Lisfranc injury in his right foot. Schoen said Thomas "should be ready for the opener" but left the door open for a longer recovery period. "Things change: You can never be 100%, but we're going to take it day by day with him," Schoen said. "When he is ready, he'll be out there, but we anticipate him to be ready for the opener." Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the New York Giants Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
