Latest news with #ChrisMitchell
West Australian
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Shire of Broome Community Development Fund boosts local events and initiatives through 2025-26
Some 26 Broome community-based organisations have been funded to the tune of $356,000 as part of the Shire of Broome's Community Development Fund program to run events through 2025-26. Up to $10,000 was awarded for stream one initiatives and up to $40,000 for stream two initiatives, which include community sporting groups, charity organisations and lifestyle events. Shire president Chris Mitchell said the CDF was a vital tool in helping local organisations bring their ideas to life. 'The CDF supports everything from grassroots youth initiatives to major festivals that attract visitors and build Broome's cultural and economic identity,' he said. 'This year's recipients include a mix of new and returning applicants, delivering projects that support families, young people, local talent and our unique community spirit.' Under stream one the Broome Motocross' Dirt Kart Track Project, the Skill Engineer's 'Second Gear' Project, the Chrissy Carter Fund's feline rescue initiative, the Kyle Andrews Foundation's Camp and Cable Beach Walk will share in more than $94,000 of funding. Broome Barracudas Swimming Club, Judo Broome, Broome Catholic Church, Little Things for Tiny Tots, Broome Historical Society will also share in the funds under stream one. Under stream two CinefestOz Broome, Purple Hands Foundations' Kimberley 9s Carnival and Student Dining Experience, Untamed Music Festival and the 6725 Postcode Event will share in $150,000 of funding. The shire has also committed support to the Kullarri NAIDOC festival, Marrugeku's dance-theatre production Ngurragabu, and Theatre Kimberley Inc. Act Belong Commit Sandfly Circus shows. Cr Mitchell said the CDF continues to reflect Broome's vibrant community and the strong partnerships between local government, community groups and sponsors like EDL. 'Every dollar invested through the CDF strengthens our town's identity, encourages participation and creates lasting value for residents and visitors alike,' he said. 'It's always exciting to see the creative ideas and passion our community groups bring forward — from youth engagement programs and sporting opportunities to big-ticket events that boost tourism and showcase our local talent.' The funds were allocated at the May 22 ordinary council with the CDF program now in its third year.
West Australian
19 hours ago
- West Australian
Residents petition Cable Beach vehicle ramp closure during stage two of redevelopment
Broome residents are petitioning the closure of the Cable Beach vehicle ramp and access to north of the rocks as stage two of the Cable Beach Redevelopment starts construction. Access to the north side of Cable Beach closed on June 3, restricting access for vehicles and sparking outrage from Broome beachgoers on social media. Access is set to be restricted for the duration of stage two of the redevelopment, which is expected to be completed by mid to late 2026. Broome resident Jen Kranendonk launched the petition on Facebook on June 5, and by the next day had garnered 774 signatures. 'Cable Beach sunset drinks and nibblies, carefree hours in the early morning walking the dogs, lazy days in the sun with your own little patch of paradise — gone,' she said. 'This is not a short-term thing — potentially 18 months closure whilst the Cable Beach Foreshore Redevelopment plan starts phase two. 'That is assuming the works are completed by the mid to end of 2026 as forecast. Any local would know how well stage one went, how long it went for and the impact it had on business in the area.' To offset the restriction, the Shire of Broome has extended vehicle access by an extra 500m at Gantheaume Beach. 'We understand the deep connection our community and visitors have with driving on Cable Beach,' shire president Chris Mitchell said while announcing the restricted access in late March. 'While vehicle access will need to adapt during construction, we are doubling coastal access options at Gantheaume Point to ensure everyone can continue enjoying Broome's magnificent coastline.' But residents say the extra space won't meet the demand, especially in peak tourist season. 'The provision of an additional 500m of vehicle access at Gantheaume Point does not adequately replace the 5km plus that is no longer available to access north of the rocks,' petition organisers said on The petition aims to influence the council into implementing a temporary access road to north of the rocks for the remainder of the redevelopment works. 'This temporary provision will ensure our continued connection to the beach, allowing the community and tourists alike to enjoy the unique natural beauty of Cable Beach without interruption,' petition organisers said. 'A temporary road would provide a balanced solution that respects both the progress of development and the community's need for beach access. 'The uninterrupted beauty and accessibility of our beach are essential not only for our personal well-being but also for the prosperity of local businesses reliant on tourism. 'The shire's decision to support a temporary access road will reflect its commitment to the community's needs and the preservation of our lifestyle during these necessary changes.' However according to the shire, Gantheaume Beach already accounts for around 60 per cent of all vehicle movements on Cable Beach and the extension will cater to the public sufficiently. Essential service vehicles, licensed businesses and emergency vehicles are still able to access Cable Beach via the new vehicle ramp closer to the Broome Surf Club. The shire is also enhancing Ranger presence at Gantheaume Beach during peak usage periods to ensure compliance and safety.
Business Wire
21-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Little Sioux Corn Processors Selects ICM's FOT Oil Recovery™ System for Marcus, Iowa Facility
COLWICH, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ICM has signed a new agreement with Little Sioux Corn Processors (LSCP) to install ICM's proprietary FOT Oil Recovery™ system at the company's 170 million-gallon-per-year ethanol plant in Marcus, Iowa. The project includes engineering, equipment procurement, and construction, with completion targeted for the first quarter of 2026. FOT Oil Recovery™ is ICM's proprietary two-step separation technology that improves solids-liquid separation after distillation. It includes a dedicated solids-washing step that significantly boosts the amount of distillers corn oil available for recovery, ensuring oil remains accessible throughout the process rather than being lost in the wet cake. The system has now been successfully deployed at several ethanol facilities across the U.S., and ICM is proud to see reliable, high-impact results and positive customer feedback. Nick Bowdish, President and CEO of Little Sioux Corn Processors, explained what led the company to select the FOT Oil Recovery™ system for this project. 'We know FOT Oil Recovery™ is a proven technology because our team is already operating it successfully at our Atlantic, IA and Jackson, NE facilities. ICM's execution capability, from design through startup, has been dependable. We also value that this system comes with no ongoing royalty fees. This gave us confidence that FOT Oil Recovery™ is the right fit for our Marcus plant.' Chris Mitchell, President and CEO of ICM, emphasized the collaboration and field-proven results. 'We're excited to support Little Sioux with a solution that continues to meet and exceed performance expectations. FOT Oil Recovery™ helps producers capture more value, and we look forward to seeing this system deliver results for their team.' About ICM, Inc. Established in 1995 and headquartered in Colwich, Kansas, with a regional office in Brazil, ICM provides innovative technologies, solutions, and services to sustain agriculture and to advance renewable energy, including ethanol and feed technologies that will increase the supply of world protein. By providing proprietary process technologies to over 110 facilities globally with a combined annual production of approximately 8.8 billion gallons of ethanol and 25 million tons of distiller grains, ICM has become a world leader in biorefining technologies. For additional information, visit About Little Sioux Corn Processors, LLC Little Sioux Corn Processors, LLC is an ethanol production company located in Marcus, Iowa. The facility has an annual production capacity of 170 million gallons of ethanol and plays a key role in supporting the local agricultural economy. Founded in 2003, LSCP is owned by more than 900 members and has produced in excess of 2.5 billion gallons of ethanol since its inception. For more information, visit
Glasgow Times
19-05-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow residents to pay to clean up 'increase in needles'
In the letter, which was shared with the Glasgow Times, they state that 'following a review', they will now be charging for the 'clean-up of close areas and bin stores of drug paraphernalia'. Email correspondence was also shared with us, where a factoring officer answered a direct question from the resident over whether there had been an increase in needles since The Thistle drug consumption room opened in January. They replied: "Overall, for Calton and Bridgeton, I would certainly say yes —there are a few locations that Thenue deals with where there has been a significant increase." Thenue Housing Association are based on London Road next to Tobago Street, where we reported last week that union bosses threatened to pull cleansing workers from the area over safety fears for staff tasked with cleaning up a drug den there. Chris Mitchell, GMB convener, said an urgent risk assessment needs to be carried out in the area by the local authority, and action needs to be taken to secure the site as 'it's only a matter of time before they discover a dead body'. READ MORE: GMB Union threatens to pull staff over Glasgow drug den safety fears The concerned resident, who shared the letter with the Glasgow Times but wished to remain anonymous, said: 'Thenue sent out a letter saying they're going to start adding charges to our bill for picking up needles. "I enquired a bit more and was told the number of needles had gone up a lot since January, which is when the centre opened. Thenue Housing Association's offices at London Road's junction with Tobago Street (Image: Colin Mearns) "From what I can see, the number of addicts has definitely increased as Hunter Street adds to its services. "There are a lot more addicts sitting outside Morrisons at the cash machine, but as long as they keep being polite, the staff and police are powerless to move them on. "I'm worried about the new Gaelic primary school, which is set to open in the midst of it all. "What if one of these new school children steps on a needle? Or is confronted by drug dealers hanging around outside school?" A discarded syringe on waste ground on Tobago Street, Calton (Image: Colin Mearns) When approached for comment about the letter, a spokesperson for Thenue Housing said: 'We have recently written to all owners – not just those in Calton - whose properties we factor advising them of an increase in charges. 'This letter referred to such things as the clean-up of close areas and bin stores of drug paraphernalia, the cleaning-up of graffiti, bin replacements an additional rubbish uplift. The factors went on to deny the increase since January to us, despite confirming it with the resident, they said: "This is based on long-term behaviours and not from any recent events. Drug paraphernalia in wooden areas off Tobago Street (Image: Newsquest/Colin Mearns) 'With regard to claims of increased drug paraphernalia and needles and reckless discarding of such items, we do not specifically monitor this in the wider community, though we strongly condemn this behaviour and the risks it presents. 'The wellbeing and safety of our tenants, factored owners and our housing staff is incredibly important to Thenue, and we will always strive to ensure our communities are safe and well maintained.' READ NEXT: Glasgow locals say area 'dumping ground' due to drug consumption room READ NEXT: 'There's no hope' says Glasgow addict over Thistle drug room We previously told how furious residents in Calton said the area has become a 'dumping ground' after the opening nearby of Glasgow's first drug consumption room. Dozens gathered at a community meeting last week to call on First Minister John Swinney to take action, visit and 'admit there's a problem'. Their plea comes after The Thistle Centre opened on Hunter Street in January. Glasgow residents to pay to clean up 'increase in needles' (Image: Colin Mearns) The controversial facility allows users to bring and take illegal substances, with officials hoping that providing a safe space, clean equipment, and medical supervision would lead to fewer drug-related deaths in the city. Colin McGowan from charity Blameless brought a box along to the event at Saint Luke's, which contained 50 used needles he claimed he collected 'in one minute' on Tobago Street, just around the corner from Thenue's offices. The anonymous resident added: "The people in Calton may not all be from privileged backgrounds, but they are decent, kind, intelligent, and hardworking. "It is a very special community because so many of the locals were both born here and raised families here. Some of the families go back generations. "They're a lot more streetwise than the policy makers running the project, that's for sure. "They're not daft and they don't like being talked down to.'
Glasgow Times
17-05-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
GMB questions Glasgow City Council's job re-evaluation
Glasgow City Council has been undertaking a comprehensive re-evaluation of its pay and grading structure to address long-standing equal pay claims and to ensure fairer compensation for all employees. It has been engaging with trade unions, like the GMB, to resolve the matter of equal pay and replace its current workforce pay and benefits system. GMB cleansing convenor, Chris Mitchell, has explained that every council employee's job is being re-evaluated and staff have been asked to provide details on their role and what it entails. Chris said: 'Over 25,000 people are going to get their job evaluated in Glasgow but for us we need to make sure that there is protection on potential grades and protection for people's wages. READ MORE: Social care worker struck off after stealing bank card and pocketing £5k 'We have been engaging with the council at a very high level as staff have been asked to go to an interview to give into details on what their role is and what it entails. 'This is a big exercise that the trade unions have been involved in. Staff can volunteer to go for an interview but it is beneficial to them to go and speak about their job. 'Not everyone was comfortable going to interviews but the majority of them have been carried out now.' Chris says he has concerns that the re-evaluation of the pay grade system will have a negative outcome for workers. He and fellow GMB members have been standing outside cleansing depots with a new banner to campaign for a better future at work for each person. The banner reads: 'JOB EVALYOUATION, YOUR ROLE, YOUR PAY, YOUR FUTURE, MAKE WORK BETTER.' READ MORE: Man broke into Glasgow flat and stole cash, bank card, Apple watch and Audi keys Chris added: 'We don't want to see our staff losing any money or potentially going down a grade. We want to see people going up a grade, or staying where they should be just now. 'That is why we have created this banner as I think there is potential for cleansing workers' jobs to be evaluated, go up a grade and earn more money. 'We will circulate the banner around schools to get everyone from cooking and catering involved too as everyone in the council is going to get their job evaluated in some shape or form. 'Audit Scotland wants the process to be carried out quickly but we have told the council that this process cannot be rushed.' Glasgow City Council says the job evaluation process is one that has been agreed with the unions who have been involved at every stage and that the detailed impact on any role won't be known until the work is completed. A spokesman said: 'Trades unions are fully involved in the job evaluation process.'
