Latest news with #Crowther
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Trio set to return for Wire's Cas clash, but two to miss out
WARRINGTON Wolves look set to welcome back some of their experienced campaigners for Friday night's Super League clash with Castleford Tigers – the last game before the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley. Head coach Sam Burgess said scrum-half Marc Sneyd and hooker Sam Powell are in line to play, and he indicated there is a strong chance of a return for second-rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon too. He also said Paul Vaughan and Toby King are 'tracking well' and added: 'Whether I play them or not I'll see.' However, such is life at The Wire at the moment, it is a couple in and a couple out – with neither Oli Leyland or Jordan Crowther in consideration. Both Leyland and Crowther were scheduled to have scans this afternoon. Leyland limped out of the action against Hull KR last Friday after 10 minutes with a knee injury and Crowther succumbed to an ankle issue in the late stages. While ruling both out of contention this week, Burgess remains hopeful that Crowther could regain fitness in time for Wembley. The news does not look good for Leyland though. 'They're both getting scanned this afternoon. With it being a bank holiday Monday, we could only get them in today. 'Jordy's actually pulled up pretty good, so that's good. He won't play this week but depending on what the results say, he's a chance for next week which is good. 'Oli's not looking great, he's not presenting very well, but let's wait and see what the results of the scans say.' More: What Sam Burgess said after George Williams trained today Sneyd and Powell both missed the Round 12 defeat to table toppers Hull KR and Burgess said the decision to leave them out was more than for precautionary measures. 'We had a five-day turnaround from the Wakey game. Sneyd took a bang on the head and it just didn't feel he'd recovered quickly enough,' said Burgess. 'And Sam couldn't quite make it. I reckon if we'd had an eight-day turnaround he'd have played, but it was just too hard on a five-dayer. 'They wouldn't have been able to do a good job and it would probably have injured them further. 'It's a bit of a balancing act. 'But we're getting a couple back now so we'll be a little bit stronger. 'It's nice to get a couple in because we've been really thin the last few weeks. 'We get some senior players back which will be good for the group.'
Scoop
22-05-2025
- General
- Scoop
Tauranga Councillor Optimistic Ōtūmoetai Pool Could Be Saved
The community has 'won the battle' to save the Ōtūmoetai Pool from closing, the suburb's ward councillor Glen Crowther believes. 'Reading between the lines, presumably it will play out this way,' Crowther said. But there was always a chance the council could make a different decision when the report on the pool was brought to them in June, he said. In 2023, the commission governing the council decided to decommission the Ōtūmoetai Pool in 2027 once the revamped Memorial Park aquatic centre was open. Reasons for the pool's closure were its age at 57 years, geotechnical issues, and the 'unsustainable' cost to keep it operating. The community opposed the closure and the Save The Otūmoetai Pool - Project STOP campaign was launched. Crowther said the information he had since received showed the geotechnical issues were not as serious as first thought. 'As the pool got older, it developed some cracks, but they could shore it up.' The council would also have to decide what to spend to keep the pool running and whether they wanted to upgrade it, he said. Crowther believed it was important to keep the pool so the community had somewhere to learn to swim. 'I'd personally like to get a better environment for those littlies learning to [swim], to upgrade it slightly so you can have a warmer section.' There was also the practicality of having the pool close to Ōtūmoetai Intermediate and College. The principals had told Crowther it would cost too much to transport their 3000 students to the Memorial Park aquatic centre. 'The principals are saying it's not likely to happen,' said Crowther. 'The schools and the students would benefit immensely from keeping it open.' Ōtūmoetai did not have other council facilities like a community centre or hall, Crowther said. 'There's basically nothing much here that is council other than just sort of parks and reserves. 'If you take away our only significant facility … we're not getting any benefit and we're losing our one facility we've got of any significance.' Keeping the Ōtūmoetai Pool could work out cheaper for ratepayers because the council could use more development contributions for the Memorial Park facility, he said. Late last year, the council put plans for the $105m Memorial Park aquatic centre revamp on hold to look at other design options. The $105m plan had included a bombing pool, splash pad, toddler pool, eight indoor swimming lanes and two outdoor lanes. It would replace the outdoor pool and the QEII Youth Centre at Memorial Park. Suzie Edmonds, who started Project STOP, said she would be ecstatic if the Ōtūmoetai Pool was saved. 'I'm really thrilled that we've come to this point. People have done a lot of work to get here.' There was a public meeting, a working group with the council was formed, and people did leaflet drops to raise awareness. 'A lot of time and effort and energy and fundraising and all those sorts of things have gone into that pool.' It would be interesting to see how the council voted, but she hoped the pool would be saved. Mayor Mahé Drysdale said it was too early to say if the Ōtūmoetai Pool had been saved. The council was looking at Tauranga's aquatic strategy as well as the network of sports fields and courts, he said. The city had an infrastructure deficit and most of what the council built was 'catch up', he said. If the council was delivering new facilities, then growth could pay for more of those through development contributions, he said. 'One of our principles is growth pays for growth.' Keeping the Ōtūmoetai Pool was one of the options the council was considering that could enable it to use more development contributions toward the Memorial Park aquatic centre, Drysdale said. The council would look at options for the Ōtūmoetai Pool and Memorial Park aquatic centre at a meeting in June.
NZ Herald
20-05-2025
- General
- NZ Herald
Tauranga councillor optimistic Ōtūmoetai Pool could be saved
Reasons for the pool's closure were its age at 57 years, geotechnical issues, and the 'unsustainable' cost to keep it operating. The community opposed the closure and the Save The Otūmoetai Pool - Project STOP campaign was launched. Crowther said the information he had since received showed the geotechnical issues were not as serious as first thought. 'As the pool got older, it developed some cracks, but they could shore it up.' The council would also have to decide what to spend to keep the pool running and whether they wanted to upgrade it, he said. Crowther believed it was important to keep the pool so the community had somewhere to learn to swim. 'I'd personally like to get a better environment for those littlies learning to [swim], to upgrade it slightly so you can have a warmer section.' There was also the practicality of having the pool close to Ōtūmoetai Intermediate and College. The principals had told Crowther it would cost too much to transport their 3000 students to the Memorial Park aquatic centre. 'The principals are saying it's not likely to happen,' said Crowther. 'The schools and the students would benefit immensely from keeping it open.' Ōtūmoetai did not have other council facilities like a community centre or hall, Crowther said. 'There's basically nothing much here that is council other than just sort of parks and reserves. 'If you take away our only significant facility … we're not getting any benefit and we're losing our one facility we've got of any significance.' Keeping the Ōtūmoetai Pool could work out cheaper for ratepayers because the council could use more development contributions for the Memorial Park facility, he said. Late last year, the council put plans for the $105m Memorial Park aquatic centre revamp on hold to look at other design options. The $105m plan had included a bombing pool, splash pad, toddler pool, eight indoor swimming lanes and two outdoor lanes. It would replace the outdoor pool and the QEII Youth Centre at Memorial Park. Suzie Edmonds, who started Project STOP, said she would be ecstatic if the Ōtūmoetai Pool was saved. 'I'm really thrilled that we've come to this point. People have done a lot of work to get here.' Advertise with NZME. There was a public meeting, a working group with the council was formed, and people did leaflet drops to raise awareness. 'A lot of time and effort and energy and fundraising and all those sorts of things have gone into that pool.' It would be interesting to see how the council voted, but she hoped the pool would be saved. Mayor Mahé Drysdale said it was too early to say if the Ōtūmoetai Pool had been saved. The council was looking at Tauranga's aquatic strategy as well as the network of sports fields and courts, he said. The city had an infrastructure deficit and most of what the council built was 'catch up', he said. If the council was delivering new facilities, then growth could pay for more of those through development contributions, he said. 'One of our principles is growth pays for growth.' Keeping the Ōtūmoetai Pool was one of the options the council was considering that could enable it to use more development contributions toward the Memorial Park aquatic centre, Drysdale said. The council would look at options for the Ōtūmoetai Pool and Memorial Park aquatic centre at a meeting in June.
BBC News
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Farmer blames parking chaos for pregnant sheep's death
A farmer who was blocked from saving a pregnant ewe by illegally-parked cars near a popular beauty spot has said the situation has become "ridiculous". Angela Crowther, who farms by Dovestone Reservoir in Saddleworth, Oldham, could not access the fields where her sheep were lambing on Easter Sunday due to cars left strewn across the entrance. She said she discovered one of her flock had died the next day and called on local authorities to do more to tackle the Council, which runs a car park by the reservoir, has been contacted for comment. Ms Crowther said the reservoir was becoming increasingly busy during school holidays and on sunny weekends, with cars regularly spilling out of the designated car park. She said she "couldn't get anywhere near" her fields and had to give up trying until the next day."Cars were parked right outside the gate and all the way down the road," she said."There's too many people and only a tiny car park, so people are bound to park where they can."Security guards and a traffic warden are employed by the council to manage the situation, but Ms Crowther said a fine would not have solved her problems of gaining said: "It happens every weekend, as soon as the sun comes out we're blocked out of our own fields, it's just ridiculous."We have people walking through leaving gates open, letting sheep out, we had lambs run over, lambs stolen, it's shocking, nearly every weekend now through till the summer, it'll be the same."The farmer has called on Oldham Council, United Utilities and the RSPB to find a bigger car park for the area. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lokavant Releases Sophisticated, AI-Powered Clinical Trial Forecasting Solution to Dispel Uncertainty in Study Feasibility
Spectrum v15 reduces 5 weeks of manual work to 5 minutes, provides study sponsors and CROs a fast way to navigate the path to successful enrollment NEW YORK, April 23, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lokavant, the clinical trial intelligence company, today released Spectrum v15, the most sophisticated, AI-powered clinical trial forecasting solution. Spectrum uses machine learning, generative AI, and causal AI models powered by its historical data set from 500,000 trials to dispel uncertainty about the probability of achieving key last-patient-in milestones. Teams can dynamically model study feasibility based on different site and country combinations and other inputs prior to study start and continuously for iterative analyses and mid-study course correction. Manual work to set up forecasting comparators that required at least five weeks now takes five minutes with Spectrum, driving forecasts with 80+% confidence. Recent industry volatility, compounded by increased trial complexity, timelines, and costs, is not sustainable. To gain control, study teams need a way to predict key success factors and understand how changes, such as different site activations, could impact timelines and budgets. Traditionally, study teams spend weeks painstakingly analyzing study feasibility data, manually searching for past trials that simulate their own. The results are often inaccurate and do not take into consideration unique interdependencies between data and changes that happen during a clinical trial, such as protocol amendments or participant discontinuation. Spectrum accounts for these fluctuating dynamics and constantly re-adjusts its forecasts in kind. "In an industry grappling with increasing complexity and volatility, we must move beyond static feasibility assumptions toward dynamic, data-driven adaptability. Solutions like Spectrum exemplify the next generation of intelligent trial design," said Jonathan Crowther, Pfizer Head of Predictive Analytics. "This isn't just operational efficiency, it's strategic foresight." Crowther continued, "The ability to continuously model feasibility and scenario-plan with real-time responsiveness enables R&D organizations to make confident, early-stage decisions that de-risk timelines, optimize budget allocations, and accelerate portfolio value realization. It brings us closer to a future where clinical development is not reactive, but anticipatory and resilient." Spectrum now delivers the following key advantages: Granular forecasting at all levels – In pre-study and mid-study analysis, study teams can enter site, country, region, and study-level forecasting inputs across enrollment, discontinuation, and screen failure, while accounting for non-enrolling sites. Get detailed projections for each site, country, region – and at the study level. Adaptive trial design forecasting – Configure forecasts based on adaptive trial designs with the flexibility to define multiple enrollment-driven interim analyses and other study pauses. Set and achieve screening goals – In pre-study and mid-study analysis, model participant screening volumes at site, country, region, or study level required to achieve study-level enrollment goals based on screen failure, discontinuation, and enrollment rates at each of these geographic levels. Real-time continuous (re)forecasting – With real-time integration of live study data, study teams can continuously track ongoing study startup and enrollment and generate alternative study scenarios to ensure enrollment success. Spectrum is powered by Lokavant's Clinical Intelligence Platform, built with deep, historical trial data with integrated timelines for country approval, site startup, and enrollment rates, derived from more than 500,000 historical studies. The platform enables sponsors and CROs to forecast clinical trial enrollment success and accurately see real-time trial performance to optimize decision-making in minutes. The solution is already providing accurate study feasibility forecasting for global biotechnology sponsors. "As an industry experiencing unprecedented volatility, there is a great need to quantify uncertainty while identifying reliable paths to study enrollment success," said Rohit Nambisan, Lokavant CEO and Founder. "Spectrum analyzes country approval timelines, site activations, indication, and enrollment rates, leveraging the most advanced models to quantify levels of uncertainty with each forecast and each new variable. Like weather forecasting, predicting enrollment empowers teams to make better decisions." Learn more about Spectrum v15 at DIA 2025 – request a meeting at contact@ About Lokavant Lokavant is the trailblazer in AI for Study Forecasting, transforming how clinical trials are planned and executed by delivering clarity in an uncertain industry. Its flagship solution, Spectrum, enables clinical teams to independently forecast enrollment timelines and assess operational risks – both before and during study execution. Powered by historical data from over 500,000 trials and advanced AI models, including generative AI, machine learning, and causal AI, Lokavant delivers real-time forecasts with over 80% confidence in minutes. Sponsors and CROs use Spectrum to reduce non-conformance events by 70%, improve forecasting accuracy by 70x, and cut study timelines and costs. Learn more at View source version on Contacts Media Contact: Lisa Barbadora, Big Valley for Lokavant+1 (610) 420-3413lbarbadora@ / lbarbadora@
