samhexum

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority has decided to part ways with Tesla, ordering 64 Supercharges to be removed from the super highway connecting northern and southern New Jersey. The authority has decided to use a sole third-party provider for its electric vehicle charging, which is why it didn’t renew a contract to keep Tesla Superchargers on the toll road, Tesla said on social media on Friday. “We have been preparing for three years for this potential outcome by building 116 stalls off the New Jersey Turnpike, ensuring no interruption for our customers,” the Tesla statement said. “The New Jersey Turnpike Authority has requested that Tesla decommission all 64 Supercharger stalls on the major highway,“ The New Jersey Turnpike Authority ("NJTA") has chosen a sole third-party charging provider to serve the New Jersey Turnpike and is not allowing us to co-locate. As a result, NJTA requested 64 existing Supercharger stalls on the New Jersey Turnpike to not be renewed and be decommissioned. We have been preparing for 3 years for this potential outcome by building 116 stalls off the New Jersey Turnpike, ensuring no interruption for our customers. The map below outlines the existing replacement Superchargers, and Trip Planner will adjust automatically. Service areas on the New Jersey Turnpike will begin transitioning fully to Universal Open Access EV chargers on June 6, according to a statement issued May 30 by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. The chargers, which will be provided by Applegreen Electric, are compatible with all makes and models of electric vehicles, the statement said. Tesla said it offered the NJTA above-market commercial terms, including offering to build Superchargers at all New Jersey service plaza and with equipment upgrades, such as screens and NACS with CCS1 “magic docks”. Tesla called the decision to eliminate the charging stations a setback for EV users on the highway. “Tesla always advocates for more infrastructure and co-location with additional third-party charging providers. This drives down costs through optionality, and accelerates EV adoption by having sufficient capacity to shoulder peaks,” the statement said. Tesla also said that NJTA’s decision to remove, rather than add, critical charging infrastructure is a setback for New Jersey’s electric vehicle adoption goals of 100% Zero-Emission New Car Sales by 2035. It removes Turnpike access to the most reliable (99.9% uptime), least congested (<1% waiters) and cost-effective (~30% lower $/kWh) charging. The universal chargers will be available as of June 6 at the Vince Lombardi, Woodrow Wilson, Richard Stockton, James Fenimore Cooper, Joyce Kilmer, and Walt Whitman Service Areas. The NJTA said it is working with Applegreen to get the universal chargers online soon at three other Turnpike locations. The chargers are expected to be operational in the Molly Pitcher Service Area in July and the Clara Barton and John Fenwick Service Areas this fall. Tesla said in the statement it is hopeful the NJTA or Gov. Phil Murphy might change their minds about the charging stations. “We are still willing to invest in New Jersey Turnpike sites if the New Jersey Turnpike or Murphy want to reverse this decision. Otherwise, we will continue to build out the best possible infrastructure off the Turnpike to serve Tesla owners and the electric vehicle drivers of New Jersey.”

THAT'S A LOT OF DOUGH.

Your avatar got married! Hailee Steinfeld Marries Josh Allen in California

Helen Mirren delightfully stunned her fellow leading ladies by declaring that "none of us are beauties" in a recent roundtable about their craft. The star, an Emmy contender for her work on MobLand, convened with the lovely Kathy Bates, Parker Posey, Niecy Nash-Betts, Cristin Milioti, and Keri Russell for The Hollywood Reporter's drama actress roundtable, where they waxed poetic about beauty and some of the worst career advice they've received, including being told to lose weight ("I went home and ate a cookie" instead, quipped Nash-Betts) or get plastic surgery. Mirren's unexpected remark to her peers came after she revealed that she was told to get a nose job in her 20s. "Someone said, 'You’ll never get work if you don’t have a nose job,'" Mirren recalled. "I said no. I didn’t want to be a pretty actress anyway. I elected to be not so pretty." When Bates remarked that an artist's "amazing performance" makes them "beautiful," Mirren said, "Looking at our faces around this table, none of us are beautiful." Bates quipped in response, "Oh, get out of town! I feel more beautiful than I have in my entire life." But Mirren doubled down. "We’re not. None of us are beauties," the Oscar winner said. "We all have really different faces, very interesting faces." "Kathy’s like, 'Speak for yourself,'" Russell quipped in response, laughing. Bates, who has since spoken out about her health struggles, also recounted an agent advising her to keep her ovarian cancer diagnosis private back in 2003 in fear of her becoming the "poster child for ovarian cancer.” The cancer survivor told the roundtable, "I think if I had come out at that point, maybe it would have helped some people." The Matlock star recently spoke about struggling to book roles because she did not always have typical Hollywood star looks, telling Vanity Fair in an interview published earlier this week that the late Garry Marshall declined to cast her in 1991's Frankie and Johnny because he couldn't envision her as a love interest. (The film is an adaptation of the stage play Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune; Bates originated the role of Frankie.) "He couldn’t make the leap that people would see me onscreen kissing someone,” Bates said. “Me actually kissing a man onscreen — that would not be romantic.” The full roundtable discussion premieres Sunday.

DONE...

Local regulators should immediately stop Elon Musk’s supercomputer project from operating in South Memphis because it’s out of compliance with environmental rules, the NAACP wrote in a letter sent Thursday to Shelby County officials. The civil rights group addressed the request to Dr. Michelle Taylor, director of the Shelby County Health Department, and to the commissioners of Memphis Light Gas and Water. The health department is responsible for implementing federal air regulations in Shelby County, which encompasses Memphis. “Being the world’s richest man doesn’t give you the right to pollute Black communities and jeopardize the health of its residents,” NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement to NBC News. “We urge the health department to step in immediately.” When contacted, a spokesperson for Memphis Light Gas and Water said it had not received the NAACP letter and could not comment on it. Neither the health department nor xAI immediately responded to questions about the letter, which was also signed by the presidents of the Tennessee and Memphis chapters of the NAACP. In a previous statement to NBC News, xAI said its “operations comply with all applicable laws” and that it “works collaboratively with County and City officials, EPA personnel, and community leaders regarding all things that affect Memphis.” xAI has come under scrutiny in recent months for operating methane gas turbines at its Memphis facility to meet the electricity needs of the supercomputer Colossus. The turbines emit pollutants, including nitrogen oxides and formaldehyde, according to their manufacturer. Environmental groups and the NAACP believe the turbines required permits under the Clean Air Act; the city’s health department, the mayor and the Chamber of Commerce have said permits were not required for the turbines’ first year of use. xAI, which is now seeking a permit for 15 permanent turbines, said those would be equipped with pollution controls and only be used as backup once other energy options are available. Earlier this month, NBC News reported on a South Memphis neighborhood called Boxtown, about two miles from xAI’s facility, where residents are concerned that Musk’s project will harm the area’s already poor air quality. “They got money. And they can do what they want to do, you know, without consulting us,” said Easter Knox, who has lived in the area since 1977. Knox told NBC News she and her husband both struggle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which can be exacerbated by pollution. Health department officials have been limited in their comments about the project. On Friday, news broke that Taylor, the department head, would be leaving Shelby County to oversee the Baltimore City Health Department. Colossus, which xAI calls the world’s largest supercomputer, came online in September 2024 to train Grok, the company’s chatbot. But critics say the project’s potential economic benefit to the community is outweighed by environmental concerns. “While we applaud research and innovation,” the NAACP letter states, “there must be limits that ensure that communities are healthy and alive to enjoy the benefits of any potential innovation.” Shelby County health officials are expected to make a decision on xAI’s application in the coming weeks. Memphis Mayor Paul Young previously told NBC’s “Nightly News” that the city plans to work with a researcher to implement air monitoring in the months ahead.

yes... you need a proofreader.

Tucked away from Queens’ more bustling corridors, a quiet stretch of Corona Avenue offers a rich, often-overlooked trove of hidden gems for food enthusiasts willing to venture off the beaten path. Between Broadway and Junction Boulevard, this unassuming portion in Corona stands as a vibrant microcosm of the borough’s global food culture. Despite its location in a relative transit desert—roughly a 15-minute walk from the nearest 7 train station and the buzz of Roosevelt Avenue—the corridor delivers an impressive array of international flavors. From Dominican eateries and Peruvian kitchens to Bangladeshi cafes and creative fusion pizzerias, the area showcases the authentic, multicultural identity that has made Queens the “World’s Borough.” Mom-and-pop restaurants dominate the stretch, many of them offering home-style cooking in intimate settings that evoke a strong sense of cultural pride and community. Some businesses have been part of the neighborhood for decades, serving generations of families, while others represent new ventures by local entrepreneurs pursuing the American Dream. Among the newer additions is Five Dreams Pizzeria y Antojitos, a Mexican-inspired pizzeria that opened earlier this year at 94-66B Corona Ave. Owners German and Norma, a local couple who began selling pizza from street corners, officially acquired their storefront in late December. Since then, they’ve attracted attention with their inventive approach to pizza, combining traditional offerings like plain cheese and pepperoni with bold, culturally-infused creations such as mole pizza and a tricolor pie featuring chorizo, onions and jalapeños. Located just down the street from Five Dreams at 94-60A Corona Ave. is El Gauchito, an Argentinian neighborhood staple that is the polar opposite of the newly opened pizzeria. El Gauchito, an Argentinian grill and butcher shop, has lined Corona Avenue for 47 years, providing local residents with delicious home-style meals that could well have been served in an Argentinian home. However, restaurant owners along Corona Avenue believe the area’s location can hamper business, with the nearest subway station located more than a 15-minute walk away. As a result, outsiders are less likely to journey to this stretch of Corona Avenue and sample the many flavors that it has to offer. Bin Li, who recently opened Mr. Q’s BBQ at 90-58 Corona Ave., offering a range of Chinese barbecue street food, said businesses have been slowly picking up since he opened earlier in the year. Li added that it would be a big boost if more people traveled to Corona Avenue to sample the area’s offerings. “I think it’s a little far for people to just walk down this block right here (unprompted from the subway),” Li said. “I think more exposure would be good for us.” George Landin, the owner of specialty clothing and sneaker store All The Right at 91-30 Corona Ave., has called this neighborhood home since early childhood and believes Corona Avenue boasts “hidden secrets” that out-of-towners are missing out on. “They’re missing out on a lot of gems,” Landin said. Landin, who has done business in the area for decades, said some restaurants in the area miss out because of presentation, stating that underwhelming storefronts sometimes fail to entice customers to come in. He encouraged customers to “take that one extra step” and check out what the restaurants have to offer. “Everybody’s looking for an experience,” Landin said. “But little do they know, they have these amazing home-cooked meals right in their backyard. They just gotta take that one extra step, which is going inside, opening up the door and looking at the menu.” This stretch of Corona Avenue is certainly worth promoting. Whether you’re looking for Ecuadorian-style cooking at El Guayaquileno, Bangladeshi food at Mezban House, Dominican staples at Yolanda’s, or freshly baked goods at popular neighborhood bakeries such as K&E Café or El Artesano, Corona Avenue has something for everyone. The area also features $1 pizza slices exclusively for students at the newly opened Asian Halal Kitchen, located at 90-02 Corona Ave. While the special pricing is reserved for students, slices remain affordably priced for all customers.

BEN NEEDS A JOB. WANNA GIVE HIM ONE? The Rays intend to designate catcher Ben Rortvedt for assignment, reports Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times. That will clear an active roster spot for new backup catcher Matt Thaiss, who was acquired from the White Sox this afternoon. Topkin notes that Rortvedt was bidding emotional farewells to his teammates after tonight’s loss to Minnesota.

That's her maiden name. She got married & now hyphenates: Ida Slapter-Silly.

Tampa's Junior Caminero is supposed to be their next star. Every time I see his name in a boxscore, this plays in my head:

Delays, closures and ID checks now in effect at NYC airports Air travelers are urged to prepare for significant changes and ongoing construction impacting access to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport, according to a new travel advisory issued by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Tuesday, May 27. As of this month, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) no longer accepts state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant at airport security checkpoints. All airline passengers age 18 and older must present either a REAL ID-compliant license or an acceptable alternative form of identification, such as a valid passport or Global Entry card. Travelers without a compliant ID should be prepared for additional screening procedures. A full list of acceptable IDs is available on the TSA website. With high demand expected through the summer travel season, the Port Authority strongly encourages travelers heading to JFK, LaGuardia, or Newark Liberty International Airport to use mass transit whenever possible. Drivers planning to park at the airports are advised to pre-book parking spaces at least 24 hours in advance. Those who do not pre-book may face a peak period drive-up surcharge and could be turned away due to limited availability. Due to the $19 billion redevelopment project at JFK, travelers should anticipate extensive roadway detours, terminal access changes and for-hire vehicle pickup relocations. Van Wyck Expressway Closures May 27–28 (5 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) and May 28–29 (11:59 p.m. to 5 a.m.): Exit C (southbound Van Wyck) closed. Detour signage is in place via Exit B. Motorists should allow an additional 10 minutes of travel time. Terminal 1 Until further notice, the JFK Expressway is closed for customers traveling to/from Terminal 1. Drivers will be detoured via on-airport roads. Allow 10–15 minutes of extra travel time. Terminal 4 For-hire vehicle pickups have been relocated to Lot 66. A free shuttle service runs every 1–2 minutes from Terminal 4’s arrivals level. Ramp access from both JFK Expressway and Van Wyck Expressway to Terminal 4 is modified; drivers should follow signage and expect delays. Terminal 5 For-hire vehicle pickups now occur at the Howard Beach Ride App & Car Services Lot. Passengers must take the AirTrain JFK to reach the lot. The taxi stand has moved to the ground level of the Terminal 5 Yellow Parking Garage, accessible via the fifth-floor skywalk. Level 1 of the Yellow Parking Lot is now designated for individuals with special needs. All other vehicles must park on levels 2–6. Terminals 7 & 8 For-hire vehicle pickups for both terminals have also moved to the Howard Beach lot. Free AirTrain service is available from the terminals. Ramp from inbound Van Wyck Expressway to Terminals 7 and 8 is closed; motorists should follow detour signs via JFK Expressway and allow 10–15 additional minutes. The Terminal 7 taxi stand has been relocated to the departures level. Travelers are urged to check airport updates and use the free drop-off and pickup lot at the Lefferts Boulevard AirTrain station whenever possible. LaGuardia Airport: Free bus service to encourage mass transit To reduce roadway congestion and encourage public transit use, the Q70 LaGuardia Link bus remains fare-free year-round. The bus provides direct service between LaGuardia and major subway and Long Island Rail Road hubs in Queens. For more information on using public transit to travel to LaGuardia Airport, visit the MTA’s dedicated airport travel page. Travelers are advised to plan ahead, allow for extra travel time, and stay updated on airport changes to avoid delays and missed flights.

Utopia Bagels opens in Long Island City with free bagels and long lines

Any early Matlock scoop? Showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman is on a mission to guest-cast the real-life loves of at least two cast members. “Obviously I want Melanie Lynskey (Jason Ritter’s wife and a Yellowjackets star) to come on and play a fun character, and I want Edwin Hodge (Skye P. Marshall’s husband and very recently of FBI: Most Wanted) to come on and play a fun character…,” she shared with me. “I’ve got a lot of plans!”

Geri Jewell knows for a fact which episode was her favorite. The actress, 68, starred as Blair Warner’s cousin, Geri Tyler, on the iconic ’80s sitcom “Facts of Life,” and she still looks back at her time on the show with the fondest of memories. “Out of all the episodes I did, my favorite one was the first one,” Jewell exclusively told The Post during the Jonathan Foundation Fundraiser last Saturday. “The very first one that I did,” expressed the comedian, whose first episode was Season 2, Episode 5, titled “Cousin Geri.” “It was written for me. It was tailored for me.” Jewell, who has cerebral palsy, a condition that affects movement and posture, brought awareness to those with disabilities by being the first disabled actress to have a recurring role on a primetime television show. The actress, who starred in the hit TV series alongside Lisa Whelchel, Mindy Cohn, Kim Fields, Nancy McKeon and Charlotte Rae, landed the role thanks to one of the show’s executive producers, Norman Lear. “Norman Lear had seen me perform, and he came up to me after the show to introduce himself. In fact, Charlotte Rae was in the audience that night,” she recounted to The Post. “And he introduced himself and said, ‘You know, you’re really funny, kid, but you’re way before your time.’ And I said, ‘So? So wait a couple months!’ He couldn’t believe my response, and two months later, he asked me on ‘Facts.'” She appeared on “Facts of Life” for twelve episodes from 1980 until 1984. “I have been blessed with so many people who have been there for me and guided me,” Jewell gushed. “Norman Lear, David Milch. How lucky can you get?” While her “Facts of Life” days are behind her, she’s still tight with one cast member. The stand-up comic revealed she’s still in touch with Whelchel, 61, who played Blair Warner in the series, adding that they are “very close.” “I meet people all the time, and they say, ‘I saw you on ‘Facts of Life,’ and you really changed my life,” Jewell recalled. “I think I created a sensitivity about people with disabilities that wasn’t quite there before — and humor. That was very rare back then. And now there are so many comedians with cerebral palsy!” Jewell has had to adjust how she takes care of her body, explaining she soothes herself through “pain management.” “And I get two vials of Botox injected in my neck, shoulders and back every three months for chronic pain,” Jewell added. “I’ve been on Botox since ’99. I have the neck of a 12-year-old!” Jewell has gotten candid in the past about her titanium neck, sharing on Steve Kmetko’s “Still Here Hollywood” podcast that she deals with the challenges by having “a sense of humor.” “It’s challenging because now I have other issues with aging. Walking isn’t as easy as it used to be,” Jewell detailed in March. “I’ve had a certain gait, but my balance is not near as good. My hearing is impaired even more, and I get very, very frustrated.” She broke her neck in 1999, which required emergency surgery. “My neck is now 45% titanium, and it’s pretty strong. But this cerebral palsy still wants to move my head all over the place,” the trailblazer confessed, “and my neck is going, ‘No. I can’t do that.’” “I have dystonia, which I always had, but I never realized it,” Jewell said about the muscle disorder — which creates involuntary contractions. It also causes her “neck [to be] pulled to one side.” “I have a titanium neck. I know when the Botox is wearing off because it’s pulling even farther,” said Jewell. “So I have a lot of issues, but so does everybody else when they age.” Despite the hurdles, the Hollywood vet noted: “I’m very blessed.” “All the challenges that I’ve had — that everybody has in life — it’s a sense of humor that’s gonna get us through it,” she continued. “Because if I couldn’t laugh once a while I’d be in a loony bin. I have to laugh. You have to.” “Facts of Life” followed a group of girls at the prestigious Eastland School for Young Women and was one of NBC’s highest-rated shows in the 1980s. Despite rumors of a reboot swirling in the decades since, Cohn, 59, alleged last year that any plans they had fell through due to a “greedy bitch.” “We were all very, very disappointed that it didn’t work,” Whelchel confessed to Closer Weekly in April. Although the person in question has remained unnamed, the “Collector’s Call” alum added, “We’d been trying to find a way to work together in some capacity for probably the last 10 years.” “So, when it looked like this was going to happen, we were all really excited. The contracts were signed and then the writers’ strike happened, the actors’ strike happened, and then, unfortunately, Pa [Charlotte Rae] and Norman Lear passed. After that, it just kind of dissolved.” Whelchel pressed, “We were all quite disappointed.” Rae, who starred as housemother Mrs. Garrett, died at age 92 in 2018, five years before Lear passed away in 2023 at 101. In 2001, the actresses came together in “The Facts of Life Reunion,” which saw their characters reunite in Peekskill, NY, for Thanksgiving with Mrs. Garrett. Even though a reboot might never come to fruition, the actors still manage to stay close in real life. Last summer, Jewell and Whelchel posed together for a sweet shot on social media. “We aren’t technically family but since we played one on TV (Cousin Geri) and we’ve known each other for almost a half a century, it sure feels like it!” Whelchel captioned the Instagram photo. “So good to catch up with the funny and wise and deep and talented, Geri Jewell!”

That's NASTY!

Jasson Dominguez is the first player in history to hit three homers in a game, homer from both sides of the plate in one contest, mash a grand slam, and drill a walk-off homer all in the same month. Not a bad May, all things considered.

I KNEW you were just a bitter old boytoy, angry because he dumped you.

Season two will be 18 episodes

Not sure... Is this...?

He's been doing well as an emergency fill-in in CF for SD, which had him playing in the minors. Then, tonight, guess who made his pitching debut in a blowout loss? He retired the first batter he faced, walked the second, then gave up a double and a single before he got the last two outs. I don't foresee a permanent position change in his future.

I'm sure everyone has been posting about this all day, but the world mourns the loss of Michael B. Tretow. He, of course, was ABBA's sound engineer.