Latest news with #Berry
The Age
3 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Friend of schools boss worked on $600,000 contract before it was approved, ICAC hears
A long-time friend and colleague of former School Infrastructure NSW boss Anthony Manning received millions of dollars in contracts which either 'pushed the boundaries' of, or breached, government procurement rules, the state's anti-corruption watchdog has heard. In one case, Martin Berry, whom the Independent Commission Against Corruption has previously heard had known Manning as a friend and colleague since 2006, appeared to have begun work on a contract worth almost $600,000 about a month before it was approved 'outside normal procurement thresholds'. 'Cart before the horse stuff,' is how Paul Hannan, a senior Department of Education official who appeared before the commission on Friday, described it. 'Rare, super rare stuff,' he said during the second day of his extensive and often tense questioning by counsel assisting Jamie Darams. In total, ICAC has heard that between 2018 and 2022 Berry and his advisory firm, Heathwest, were engaged nine times by School Infrastructure and paid more than $3 million. The two men met in 2006 when Berry gave Manning a job in the Sydney office of consulting firm Turner & Townsend. They socialised together, and Manning organised Berry's buck's party and attended his wedding. They were both members of the 'Tom, Dick and Harry Breakfast Club' along with various other consultants who were also contracted to do work for the school building agency. Berry appeared in the witness stand for the first time on Friday afternoon, and Darams took him through a long history of text messages with Manning dating back to 2015 and early 2016. They boasted about cricket – both men are English, and took pleasure in their Ashes victory at Trent Bridge that year – arranged to catch up for beers on Sydney's northern beaches, and discussed work.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Friend of schools boss worked on $600,000 contract before it was approved, ICAC hears
A long-time friend and colleague of former School Infrastructure NSW boss Anthony Manning received millions of dollars in contracts which either 'pushed the boundaries' of, or breached, government procurement rules, the state's anti-corruption watchdog has heard. In one case, Martin Berry, whom the Independent Commission Against Corruption has previously heard had known Manning as a friend and colleague since 2006, appeared to have begun work on a contract worth almost $600,000 about a month before it was approved 'outside normal procurement thresholds'. 'Cart before the horse stuff,' is how Paul Hannan, a senior Department of Education official who appeared before the commission on Friday, described it. 'Rare, super rare stuff,' he said during the second day of his extensive and often tense questioning by counsel assisting Jamie Darams. In total, ICAC has heard that between 2018 and 2022 Berry and his advisory firm, Heathwest, were engaged nine times by School Infrastructure and paid more than $3 million. The two men met in 2006 when Berry gave Manning a job in the Sydney office of consulting firm Turner & Townsend. They socialised together, and Manning organised Berry's buck's party and attended his wedding. They were both members of the 'Tom, Dick and Harry Breakfast Club' along with various other consultants who were also contracted to do work for the school building agency. Berry appeared in the witness stand for the first time on Friday afternoon, and Darams took him through a long history of text messages with Manning dating back to 2015 and early 2016. They boasted about cricket – both men are English, and took pleasure in their Ashes victory at Trent Bridge that year – arranged to catch up for beers on Sydney's northern beaches, and discussed work.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Driver in blazing car honks for help. Watch as Arizona cop ‘sprang into action'
A driver in Arizona was trapped in a car fully engulfed in flames following a car crash when she began honking for help. Then a police officer 'sprang into action,' according to a May 28 Facebook post by the Goodyear Police Department. On May 25, after running over to the driver's side of the car, officer Dakota Berry 'realized someone was still alive in the vehicle,' he said in a news conference by the police department. That's when he smashed through the driver's side window to pull out the woman as her hair was on fire, the police department said. He used a fire extinguisher to put out the rest of the blaze, and the woman was transported to a local burn center and is expected to survive, police said. Berry said he sustained hand injuries during the rescue. In an 'incredible twist of fate' the woman he rescued turned out to be a Goodyear firefighter's daughter, police said. 'As ironic as that is, I obviously would've done the same thing for anyone else,' Berry said. ' ... I wish prayers for her and her family and for a speedy recovery.' A video accompanying the Facebook post shows Berry rushing to the burning car as the horn repeatedly goes off and he's heard yelling for the woman to 'get out.' This marked Berry's first rescue of this magnitude, he said at the news conference. 'Simply just doing my job,' he said. Goodyear is about a 20-mile drive west from Phoenix.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Murder trial interrupted when two women fight in courthouse bathroom
Maurice Berry's murder trial was interrupted Thursday when two women loudly fought in a nearby bathroom. Berry, 22, of Hammond, is on trial in Lake Superior Court in Crown Point this week for killing a bystander, Javier 'Campa' Olvera, 49, at an East Chicago gas station and wounding Maurice Garrett — the intended target who had dated Berry's longtime on-and-off girlfriend after they broke up. As Det. James Nielsen was wrapping his testimony, a screaming match erupted outside the courtroom. The two women also had children with Berry. One was there to testify for both the prosecution and defense. A man, who said he was her brother, was trying to calm her down for several minutes. The other, who was pregnant, at one point appeared to yell she would fight and 'shoot' the other woman. Later, she apologized. Both women were arrested. They said the other attacked them. Police couldn't see from a video who started the brief fight in the bathroom. Both are expected to be charged with battery. Afterward, Judge Natalie Bokota rejected defense lawyer Susan Severtson's bid for a mistrial. East Chicago Police responded around 8 p.m. March 30, 2024, to a BP gas station, 4502 Indianapolis Blvd. Olvera was lying on the ground, shot multiple times. Surveillance video showed Berry pull up in a black Chevy Trailblazer, then go inside holding a concealed object in his hand. Olvera was already in line. The other man — who was later wounded — walked inside and 'looked at Berry.' On camera, the man and Berry appeared to exchange words. Berry shot at the man. Olvera dropped to the floor 'immediately.' mcolias@
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Murder trial interrupted when two women fight in courthouse bathroom
Maurice Berry's murder trial was interrupted Thursday when two women loudly fought in a nearby bathroom. Berry, 22, of Hammond, is on trial in Lake Superior Court in Crown Point this week for killing a bystander, Javier 'Campa' Olvera, 49, at an East Chicago gas station and wounding Maurice Garrett — the intended target who had dated Berry's longtime on-and-off girlfriend after they broke up. As Det. James Nielsen was wrapping his testimony, a screaming match erupted outside the courtroom. The two women also had children with Berry. One was there to testify for both the prosecution and defense. A man, who said he was her brother, was trying to calm her down for several minutes. The other, who was pregnant, at one point appeared to yell she would fight and 'shoot' the other woman. Later, she apologized. Both women were arrested. They said the other attacked them. Police couldn't see from a video who started the brief fight in the bathroom. Both are expected to be charged with battery. Afterward, Judge Natalie Bokota rejected defense lawyer Susan Severtson's bid for a mistrial. East Chicago Police responded around 8 p.m. March 30, 2024, to a BP gas station, 4502 Indianapolis Blvd. Olvera was lying on the ground, shot multiple times. Surveillance video showed Berry pull up in a black Chevy Trailblazer, then go inside holding a concealed object in his hand. Olvera was already in line. The other man — who was later wounded — walked inside and 'looked at Berry.' On camera, the man and Berry appeared to exchange words. Berry shot at the man. Olvera dropped to the floor 'immediately.' mcolias@
