Latest news with #CentralCoast
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Victory hope third time's a charm after latest GF loss
Melbourne Victory will pick up the pieces from a second consecutive A-League Men grand final defeat and hope they can keep most of their players around to make another charge. A year on from a heartbreaking extra-time loss to Central Coast, Victory suffered a 1-0 defeat to Melbourne City in Saturday night's grand final at AAMI Park. Coach Arthur Diles was pragmatic about how to move on without carrying the scars of this year. "Next year's a new season," he said. "We don't look back. We look forward." But goalkeeper Jack Duncan underlined the emotion a talented Victory group with nothing to show for multiple big finals would experience. "We also lost the Australia Cup as well. So it's a really tough one to take," Duncan said. "All the boys had so much belief going into this game with how we've gone over the last few weeks, with the results we've been able to pick up and to put ourselves in this position. So it's never easy. "I still think about the 2018 grand final that we lost to Melbourne Victory at Newcastle. "So these moments stay with you forever, because this is what your whole career is for - to win trophies. "And it will be tough, but I guess we have to take stock in the fact that as a group, we were very close. We had a really good season to be here on the final day, and unfortunately we just fell short." Daniel Arzani and Bruno Fornaroli are the biggest names out of contract, with the former keen to test himself in Europe. Contracted guns Ryan Teague, the injured Nishan Velupillay and Jordi Valadon could also attract attention. "Fortunately for us, I think the majority will still be here," Diles said. "I'd be surprised if we didn't have 70 to 80 per cent of the squad still next season. "That's also pending what happens in off-season in terms of transfers and things like that. "We've had a great season. When you have a successful season like that, there's normally interest in a lot of your players, whether they're off-contract or on-contract. So we'll deal with that over the next month. "We'll look at our recruitment as well for next season and make sure that we fill the voids that we have and and try and strengthen this playing group as much as we can to come back even better next year." After originally joining on a one-year deal, Duncan is yet to confirm whether he will stick around for next season, which would likely mean playing deputy to Mitch Langerak. Duncan started the season as No.1, knowing Langerak was coming in. He said being dropped was a "real low point" before regaining his spot via the former Socceroo's foot injury. "I triggered an extension through the number of games I played," he said. "So yeah, we'll see how the off season unfolds. I've loved every minute of my time at the club." Melbourne Victory will pick up the pieces from a second consecutive A-League Men grand final defeat and hope they can keep most of their players around to make another charge. A year on from a heartbreaking extra-time loss to Central Coast, Victory suffered a 1-0 defeat to Melbourne City in Saturday night's grand final at AAMI Park. Coach Arthur Diles was pragmatic about how to move on without carrying the scars of this year. "Next year's a new season," he said. "We don't look back. We look forward." But goalkeeper Jack Duncan underlined the emotion a talented Victory group with nothing to show for multiple big finals would experience. "We also lost the Australia Cup as well. So it's a really tough one to take," Duncan said. "All the boys had so much belief going into this game with how we've gone over the last few weeks, with the results we've been able to pick up and to put ourselves in this position. So it's never easy. "I still think about the 2018 grand final that we lost to Melbourne Victory at Newcastle. "So these moments stay with you forever, because this is what your whole career is for - to win trophies. "And it will be tough, but I guess we have to take stock in the fact that as a group, we were very close. We had a really good season to be here on the final day, and unfortunately we just fell short." Daniel Arzani and Bruno Fornaroli are the biggest names out of contract, with the former keen to test himself in Europe. Contracted guns Ryan Teague, the injured Nishan Velupillay and Jordi Valadon could also attract attention. "Fortunately for us, I think the majority will still be here," Diles said. "I'd be surprised if we didn't have 70 to 80 per cent of the squad still next season. "That's also pending what happens in off-season in terms of transfers and things like that. "We've had a great season. When you have a successful season like that, there's normally interest in a lot of your players, whether they're off-contract or on-contract. So we'll deal with that over the next month. "We'll look at our recruitment as well for next season and make sure that we fill the voids that we have and and try and strengthen this playing group as much as we can to come back even better next year." After originally joining on a one-year deal, Duncan is yet to confirm whether he will stick around for next season, which would likely mean playing deputy to Mitch Langerak. Duncan started the season as No.1, knowing Langerak was coming in. He said being dropped was a "real low point" before regaining his spot via the former Socceroo's foot injury. "I triggered an extension through the number of games I played," he said. "So yeah, we'll see how the off season unfolds. I've loved every minute of my time at the club." Melbourne Victory will pick up the pieces from a second consecutive A-League Men grand final defeat and hope they can keep most of their players around to make another charge. A year on from a heartbreaking extra-time loss to Central Coast, Victory suffered a 1-0 defeat to Melbourne City in Saturday night's grand final at AAMI Park. Coach Arthur Diles was pragmatic about how to move on without carrying the scars of this year. "Next year's a new season," he said. "We don't look back. We look forward." But goalkeeper Jack Duncan underlined the emotion a talented Victory group with nothing to show for multiple big finals would experience. "We also lost the Australia Cup as well. So it's a really tough one to take," Duncan said. "All the boys had so much belief going into this game with how we've gone over the last few weeks, with the results we've been able to pick up and to put ourselves in this position. So it's never easy. "I still think about the 2018 grand final that we lost to Melbourne Victory at Newcastle. "So these moments stay with you forever, because this is what your whole career is for - to win trophies. "And it will be tough, but I guess we have to take stock in the fact that as a group, we were very close. We had a really good season to be here on the final day, and unfortunately we just fell short." Daniel Arzani and Bruno Fornaroli are the biggest names out of contract, with the former keen to test himself in Europe. Contracted guns Ryan Teague, the injured Nishan Velupillay and Jordi Valadon could also attract attention. "Fortunately for us, I think the majority will still be here," Diles said. "I'd be surprised if we didn't have 70 to 80 per cent of the squad still next season. "That's also pending what happens in off-season in terms of transfers and things like that. "We've had a great season. When you have a successful season like that, there's normally interest in a lot of your players, whether they're off-contract or on-contract. So we'll deal with that over the next month. "We'll look at our recruitment as well for next season and make sure that we fill the voids that we have and and try and strengthen this playing group as much as we can to come back even better next year." After originally joining on a one-year deal, Duncan is yet to confirm whether he will stick around for next season, which would likely mean playing deputy to Mitch Langerak. Duncan started the season as No.1, knowing Langerak was coming in. He said being dropped was a "real low point" before regaining his spot via the former Socceroo's foot injury. "I triggered an extension through the number of games I played," he said. "So yeah, we'll see how the off season unfolds. I've loved every minute of my time at the club."
ABC News
2 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Family uses artificial intelligence for meal plans to cut grocery bill
Brooke Ferrier admittedly never paid much attention to her weekly grocery bill. But sticking to a budget became a reality for the New South Wales Central Coast mother of two when she and her husband both lost their jobs. "There was a lot going on in my personal life and I really didn't have the capacity to think about what to cook," Ms Ferrier recalled. "I thought I'd turn to AI [artificial intelligence] and see if it could help me out in terms of creating a bit of a meal plan on a budget." She asked ChatGPT for a low-cost meal plan for two adults and two toddlers and followed up with extra instructions (known as prompts in the AI world) to fine-tune the result, including a request for hidden vegetables, low-carb options and no lentils, to meet the family's preferences. The AI also compared supermarket prices and created a categorised shopping list with specific quantities. The result was a week's worth of breakfasts, dinners and snacks coming in at a total of $140. It was a drastic difference to the way Ms Ferrier used to shop. "[Previously] I'd get a range of different meats, a whole bunch of veggies and fruit and our pantry and our fridge were stocked but I was spending $400 or $500 every four or five days," she said. "Each night I was making what came to mind looking into the fridge, no thought or planning to what we were eating. "I was always over cooking and always throwing out waste. The family's weekly meal plans include spaghetti bolognese with hidden veggies, chicken and veg stir-fry, beef and vegetable meatballs and homemade snacks. Ms Ferrier said she was now making meals go further. "I had been one to buy things out of ease, to feed the kids, things like processed snacks," she said. "[But] when I cook there are always leftovers … a lot of the meals can serve as snacks later … [things like] fritters, pancakes, sausage rolls. "One week, I typed in that we'd been feeling sick and wanted foods that are meant to boost immunity." She has also asked AI for recipes to use up pantry items that have been in the cupboard for a long time, like tinned tomatoes and coconut milk. Food and nutrition scientist Emma Beckett said there was almost no downside to using AI for meal planning, but warned it was important to get specific about what you wanted. "I would add some prompts around things like making sure I had enough fibre according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines," Dr Beckett advised. "To make sure we're not just eating frugally but we're also eating well and nourishing ourselves." Dr Beckett said one of the reasons an AI meal plan or shopping list could save money was because it removed human emotion. "It means you don't need to make those decisions because we are emotional in the supermarket, and the supermarkets rely on that." Ms Ferrier agreed that AI helped ensure she was only buying what she needed. "We've gone from a fridge full of food all the time, to the bare minimum," she said. "In the past, we were constantly throwing out quite a bit … we always had a lot of waste." Ms Ferrier and her husband have both found new jobs but plan to continue using AI to help keep the budget in check. As for the weekly savings? "That will probably go back into the kids somehow on clothes or toys," Ms Ferrier said. "But we're also planning to renovate so we're looking to tighten our budget however we can."
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Heroin addict who killed mother with pot plant learns fate
A heroin addict who killed his elderly mother by throwing a pot plant at her head before leaving her lifeless body inside her Central Coast home so he could pawn her TV for drug money has been jailed for a maximum of 21 years. David Andrew Mapp was on Thursday sentenced in the NSW Supreme Court after he murdered his mother Colleen Wilson, 82, on July 28, 2022. Ms Wilson had been dead for hours before Mapp, 59, called triple-0 at about 5.15pm, with police finding her body in a pool of blood and covered by a blanket, which he had placed on her. During the call to triple-0, Mapp told the operator that he had a 'big argument', 'things got pretty bad' and she 'fell down and I tried to revive her'. 'I, um, threw the pot plant at her and, ah, there was no response after that,' Mapp said Mapp offered to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. However, that was rejected by the Crown prosecution and the jury ultimately found him guilty of murder after he threw a 15kg pot plant at her head. Mapp had claimed to the triple-0 operator that he had 'been waiting all day … trying to revive her'; however, he was contradicted by CCTV that showed Mapp arriving at the Long Jetty Pawnbrokers at 9.36am. He was seen on CCTV selling a Homelite whipper snipper and 55-inch Hisense TV that he had taken from his mother's home. The store clerk took his identification and details, filled out the paperwork before handing over four $50 notes, which Mapp used to buy heroin. When police arrived at his mother's home, bodyworn footage captured him telling officers that he was previously on methadone but had stopped about a month prior. He said that he 'came in and she had her back to me at the table … doing, sweeping the floorboards … and she came at me again with the knife'. He then claimed that he 'protected' himself and 'she just kept trying to plunge, lunge at me with the knife'. 'Uh, I guess when I threw the plant, I guess. She hit her head on the way down,' he said before backtracking on the claim moments later. He then said he 'sort of lunged at her with the plant' before moments later claiming 'I didn't lunge'. He then changed his story once again when he told police: 'Well … before she could turn around and pick the knife up … Um, and I just, I didn't know how hard I was throwing it.' Justice Ian Harrison on Friday sentenced Mapp to a maximum of 21 years in prison. He will be eligible for release on parole in July 2037 after serving 15 years.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Drug addict's vile act after senseless murder of mum
When heroin addict David Mapp killed his elderly mother inside her Central Coast home by throwing a pot plant at her head, leaving her in a pool of blood, he refused to call triple-0 immediately and instead stole her TV that he hocked so he could score more drugs. Mapp will on Thursday learn in the NSW Supreme Court how many years he will spend in prison after he murdered his mother Colleen Wilson, 82, with an act of brutal, senseless violence on July 28, 2022. Videos played to a jury showed his bizarre attempts to explain his actions, including his claim that he spent hours trying to revive his dead mother when he in fact went to a pawn store to sell off items he had stolen from her Tumbi Umbi home. The court was told the 59-year-old, who had been a heroin user since he was 16, called triple-0 just after 5.15pm. By the time paramedics and police arrived, Ms Wilson had been dead for hours. Her body was found on the dining room floor underneath a blanket that Mapp had placed over her. During the call to triple-0 he told the operator that he had a 'big argument', 'things got pretty bad' and she 'fell down and I tried to revive her'. He said that while at his mother's house, she asked him to go outside to get a pot plant so she could water it. He claimed that his mother was 'chasing me around the house' with a knife and to 'protect' himself he hit her with the pot plant. 'I, um, threw the pot plant at her and, ah, there was no response after that,' Mapp said. He told the operator that Ms Wilson was bleeding heavily from the head. Mapp further claimed that he had been attempting CPR on her all day 'hoping she'd come to'. THE PAWN STORE During a trial earlier this year, Mapp offered to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. However, that was rejected by the Crown prosecution and the jury ultimately found him guilty of murder. He had claimed to the triple-0 operator that he had 'been waiting all day … trying to revive her (Ms Wilson)'. However, he was contradicted by CCTV that showed Mapp arriving at the Long Jetty Pawnbrokers at 9.36am – nearly eight hours before he called authorities. He was seen getting out of a red Toyota Corolla with a Homelite whipper snipper and 55-inch Hisense TV that he had taken from his mother's home. The store clerk took his identification and details, filled out the paperwork before handing over four $50 notes, which he used to buy heroin. 'I THREW THE PLANT, I GUESS' When police arrived at his mother's home, bodyworn footage captured him telling officers that he was previously on methadone but had stopped about a month prior. 'Thought I'd be OK. Uh, not realising the effect that it would have if you just stop completely,' he said. The vision also captured his rambling, often confusing explanations about the incident. Mapp said he 'came in and she had her back to me at the table … doing, sweeping the floorboards … and she came at me again with the knife'. He then claimed that he 'protected' himself and 'she just kept trying to plunge, lunge at me with the knife'. Police: 'OK. So what happened then when she tried to plunge the knife into you?' Mapp: 'Uh, she fell down … I stood there for a minute. Uh … blood sort of.' Police: 'How did she get blood on her head, David?' Mapp: 'Uh, I guess when I threw the plant, I guess. She hit her head on the way down.' However, he soon backtracked, telling the officers: 'I didn't throw it. I didn't throw it at her.' He then said he 'sort of lunged at her with the plant' before moments later claiming 'I didn't lunge'. He then changed his story again when he told police: 'Well … before she could turn around and pick the knife up … Um, and I just, I didn't know how hard I was throwing it.' Police: 'And where did you hit your mum when you threw it at her?' Mapp: 'Uh, in the back, back of the head.' Police: 'In the back of the head?' Mapp: 'She was facing towards the room, sweeping the floor.'
National Post
4 days ago
- Business
- National Post
AECOM awarded a more than $80 million environmental remediation contract for Vandenberg Space Force Base in California
Article content DALLAS — AECOM (NYSE: ACM), the trusted global infrastructure leader, today announced that it has been awarded an Optimized Remediation Contract (ORC) by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Los Angeles District to provide environmental remediation services at Vandenberg Space Force Base on California's Central Coast. The 10-year, $81.3-million single award is one of the largest optimized remediation contracts awarded by the USACE Los Angeles District, reinforcing AECOM's position as a trusted partner in delivering mission-critical solutions. Article content Article content 'We are honored to expand our long-standing relationship with the Department of Defense and lead this critical work at Vandenberg Space Force Base,' said Frank Sweet, chief executive of AECOM's global Environment business. 'Through innovative, sustainable remediation solutions, we're helping to restore natural systems and deliver impactful environmental outcomes that align with our clients' long-term goals.' The contract includes a range of remediation and management activities at 60 sites throughout the base. Additionally, state-of-the-art digital tools will be utilized to enhance data collection, analysis, and reporting, resulting in an optimized approach to site remediation. Article content 'As the sole contractor for this project, our team's deep experience delivering complex environmental solutions across California and for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers uniquely positions us to support this mission,' said Matt Crane, Chief Executive of AECOM's U.S. West Region. 'By leveraging the principles of our Sustainable Legacies strategy and applying cutting-edge digital innovations, we are accelerating progress toward lasting restoration at Vandenberg Space Force Base.' Article content About AECOM AECOM (NYSE: ACM) is the global infrastructure leader, committed to delivering a better world. As a trusted professional services firm powered by deep technical abilities, we solve our clients' complex challenges in water, environment, energy, transportation and buildings. Our teams partner with public- and private-sector clients to create innovative, sustainable and resilient solutions throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm that had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2024. Learn more at Article content Forward Looking Statements All statements in this communication other than statements of historical fact are 'forward-looking statements' for purposes of federal and state securities laws, including any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives for future operations, profitability, strategic value creation, capital allocation strategy including stock repurchases, risk profile and investment strategies, and any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance, and the expected financial and operational results of AECOM. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ materially from those projected or assumed in any of our forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results, performance and achievements, or industry results to differ materially from estimates or projections contained in our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following: our business is cyclical and vulnerable to economic downturns and client spending reductions; potential government shutdowns, changes in administration or other funding directives and circumstances that may cause governmental agencies to modify, curtail or terminate our contracts; losses under fixed-price contracts; limited control over operations that run through our joint venture entities; liability for misconduct by our employees or consultants; changes in government laws, regulations and policies, including failure to comply with laws or regulations applicable to our business; maintaining adequate surety and financial capacity; potential high leverage and inability to service our debt and guarantees; ability to continue payment of dividends; exposure to political and economic risks in different countries, including tariffs and trade policies, geopolitical events, and conflicts; inflation, currency exchange rates and interest rate fluctuations; changes in capital markets and stock market volatility; retaining and recruiting key technical and management personnel; legal claims and litigation; inadequate insurance coverage; environmental law compliance and adequate nuclear indemnification; unexpected adjustments and cancellations related to our backlog; partners and third parties who may fail to satisfy their legal obligations; managing pension costs; AECOM Capital real estate development projects; cybersecurity issues, IT outages and data privacy; risks associated with the benefits and costs of the sale of our Management Services and self-perform at-risk civil infrastructure, power construction and oil and gas businesses, including the risk that any purchase adjustments from those transactions could be unfavorable and result in any future proceeds owed to us as part of the transactions could be lower than we expect; as well as other additional risks and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements set forth in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof. We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update any forward-looking statement. Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Media Contact: Brendan Ranson-Walsh Senior Vice President, Global Communications 213-996-2367 Article content Article content Article content
