Latest news with #DavidLowe
Agriland
27-05-2025
- Health
- Agriland
HSENI inspectors to visit food production premises
The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) has announced a new programme of focused advisory and inspection visits across the agri-food sector as part of its healthier workplaces campaign. David Lowe, acting principal inspector of HSENI's Agriculture and Food Group, said that inspectors will be visiting food production premises 'to help ensure business are protecting their workforce from long-term health problems'. 'Employers have a duty to make sure their workers are safe and healthy, especially when dealing with substances that can damage their lungs, including chemicals and grain or flour dust,' he said. HSENI Over the next year, HSNI inspectors will be visiting agriculture and food production premises in Northern Ireland to ensure hazardous substances are being handled properly and that appropriate safety measures are in place. 'They will focus on how employers manage hazardous substances in the workplace and comply with their legal duties under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (NI) Regulations 2003 (COSHH). 'They will also be looking more specifically at those substances which have been assigned a workplace exposure limit (WEL), which cause known health effects and where health surveillance may be required,' Lowe added. HSENI confirmed that there will be a mixture of announced and unannounced inspections. Duty holders are reminded that they have very specific responsibilities under COSHH, and they must ensure they are familiar with the regulations and complying with them fully. 'Occupational respiratory diseases are all too common, but they are also preventable. No one should develop ill health simply because of the job they do. 'If anyone has concerns about their lung health they should speak to their GP,' Lowe said. Occupational lung disease symptoms include a persistent cough, as well as severe difficulties in breathing, chest tightness and coughing up blood. Symptoms can often be painful and debilitating, affecting the person's way of life and in severe cases can prevent sufferers from leading a normal lifestyle. To help businesses prepare for visits, HSENI has created a checklist that outlines what inspectors will be looking for, which is available on the executive's website.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Texas lawmaker's bill would set the bar for splitting school districts much higher
Update: This piece has been updated to include statements received from the author of the bill. A bill introduced in the Texas House of Representatives on March 10 aims to make splitting school districts like the one proposed for Keller ISD much harder to pull off. The bill presented by state Rep. David Lowe, a North Richland Hills Republican, would radically change how the Texas Education Code regulates the creation of a new school district by detachment of a section of an existing district. But it may not arrive in time to stop the Keller school board's plans to split the district down the middle, which has received vehement opposition from residents in recent months. The bill would take effect on Sept. 1. Lowe, whose district includes parts of Keller ISD that are not in Keller, said this public outcry inspired him to author the bill. His constituents 'expressed concerns about the lack of transparency in the process and the fear that they would be compelled to leave KISD without their voices being heard,' he said in an emailed statement. Disagreement over how the Education Code should be interpreted has led to heated debate over whether the Keller school board can split the district in two without allowing residents to vote on the proposal. Proponents of the split have argued that the board can bypass an election by initiating the process by adopting a resolution. Opponents and education lawyers say that the Education Code requires a vote no matter which route the board chooses to start the detachment process. Lowe's bill aims to cut out the resolution pathway altogether, leaving a petition brought by registered voters in the district as the only option for initiating detachment. The law currently requires 10% of registered voters to sign such a petition. The bill would raise that threshold to 20%. A vote to split a district would require participation of at least 25% of registered voters in the district. The bill would also cut out the county commissioners court from the detachment process altogether, transferring its role of approving the school board's decision to split to the Texas Board of Education. The Board of Education would be responsible for allocating the original district's debt and personal property equitably between the two new ones, as well. The Board of Education, the Tarrant County Commissioners Court and Keller school district did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lowe's bill definitely helps 'clean up' issues caused by what has been seen as vague language in the Education Code, according to Lewisville-based school lawyer Steven Dubner. 'It certainly takes away any reading that somehow the school district on its own could do it without going to the voters,' he said. While it may not enter into force in time to disrupt the Keller school board's plans to split, the bill appears meant to prevent the process from playing out the same way in other districts in the future, Dubner said. Lowe said he hopes the bill will 'give taxpayers the ultimate authority to decide on the detachment of a school district.' Dennis Eichelbaum, an education lawyer based in Plano, approved of the bill's raising the petition threshold to 20%, saying it would help ensure that a small group of people would not be able to force an election on such an important issue to district residents. 'Elections cost money, and they should be justified,' he said. But Eichelbaum questioned the move to shift responsibilities from county commissioners courts to the State Board of Education. The bill text does not make clear any reasons for the change, he said. It could be 'because something locally has happened where you don't like the system locally, and now you're trying to change it statewide,' he said. Lowe said he chose the State Board of Education because 'they are the elected body specifically tasked with overseeing education, and decisions in this area inherently have educational implications.' Both Eichelbaum and Dubner felt there is no ambiguity in the way the Education Code is written, saying it clearly requires a vote on a split no matter what. Dubner told the Star-Telegram in January that reading the code any other way would be 'chaos.' Local officials have asked Attorney General Ken Paxton to weigh in on how the Education Code should be interpreted. Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney Phil Sorrells sent Paxton a letter asking for clarification in February. Later that month, Fort Worth City Attorney Leann Guzman wrote Paxton asking him to side in favor of a vote.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
County commissioners oppose elimination of countywide polling
The Cherokee County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a resolution opposing proposed bills that would eliminate countywide polling and certain electronic devices. House Bill 2990, authored by Rep. David Lowe (R-91), and Senate Bill 76, authored by Sen. Bob Hall (R-2) seek to end the countywide polling place program. H.B. 1001 by Steve Toth (R-15) and S.B. 77, by Hall, would discontinue use of certain electronic equipment such as ballot marking devices and poll books. Cherokee County Elections Administrator Kandace Herring presented the resolution to commissioners at Tuesday's meeting. The resolution expresses the county's reasons for opposing the discontinuance of both countywide polling, which allows a registered voter to cast a ballot at any polling location within the county, and would disallow use of certain electronic devices at the polls. The resolution recognizes the distance residents must travel between home and work and the convenience provided by the countywide polling program, reports an increased voter turnout since Cherokee County implemented the program in 2022, and notes the increased accessibility electronic ballot marking devices provide to people living with disabilities, among other reasons for opposing the proposed bills. 'This is something that election administrators across Texas have been doing, coming forward with these resolutions, getting the support of their commissioners and their county judge and then sending this to our representatives in the House and the Senate saying we're opposed to this elimination,' Herring said. 'It would increase hardship, not only on the county, but the voters themselves.' Angelina, Rusk and Smith Counties, which border Cherokee County, also use the countywide polling program. Angelina County has passed its own resolution similar to Cherokee County. A resolution is on the March 5 agenda for Rusk County, according to Lisa Sanders of the Rusk County Elections Office, and Smith County Election Administrator Michelle Allcon said there were discussions regarding a resolution but nothing has developed. Other neighboring counties – Anderson, Houston and Nacogdoches – do not use the countywide voting system. In an unsolicited email from Common Cause Texas, Policy Director Emily Eby French is quoted as saying, 'Texans have been crystal clear: they like countywide polling. If these legislatures really want to make it 'easy to vote, hard to cheat,' as they say, they should lay off their attacks on this secure and beloved program. As many local election officials have already said, the only thing ending this program would do is make our elections far more expensive and far less accessible.' Herring said those with whom she had discussed the possible end of countywide polling had no valid reason for doing so, at least none that made sense to her. 'I really wish that someone who was against this and supported the elimination of the program could communicate with me their concerns, because it could just be a lack of knowledge on how things work,' Herring said. 'I would love to have a valid argument, or discussion, with someone about why they think this should be eliminated.' Emails sent to individuals in the offices of Lowe and Hall garnered no response before press time. A call to Lowe's office resulted in a redirection to Hall's office. Charlotte Lannon, who answered the phone at Hall's office provided some internal notes. 'This is what we share with other offices curious about the legislative intent of the bill,' she said. Reading from the notes, Lannon said, 'Computers and software have increased the opportunities and frequency of error and fraud in elections in ways never before contemplated and at a level more difficult to detect than ever before. Some election workers have expressed concern that countywide voting creates unique vulnerabilities in election security and, importantly, frustrates chain of custody measures.' The notes, as read by Lannon, also indicated polling locations in countywide polling are often further from people's homes than in precinct-only voting. A bill proposed by Jose Menendez (D-26) and others, H.B. 1001, would eliminate a single point in the election code, essentially expanding the program. Section 43.007 (I), which the proposed bill would remove, reads, 'The secretary of state may only select to participate in the program six counties with a population of 100,000 or more and four counties with a population of less than 100,000.' Cherokee County residents who wish to express their opinions, regarding these or other proposed bills, to their elected representatives, should contact Senator Robert Nichols, District 3, and Representative Cody Harris, District 8. To contact Nichols' office in Austin call 512-463-0103. To reach his Jacksonville office, located at 329 Neches St., call 903-589-3003. To contact one of Harris' offices, dial 512-463-0730 (Austin) or 903-731-4005 (Palestine).
BBC News
24-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Rovers hope to appoint new boss this week
Blackburn Rovers' search for a new head coach has reached the stage of face-to-face interviews, following on from phone and video hoped that an appointment will be made, if at all possible, before Rovers play Norwich at Ewood Park on Saturday (12:30 GMT).Long-serving David Lowe has taken on the role of interim head coach, assisted by Damien Johnson, since the departure of John Eustace to Derby began with back-to-back 2-0 wins over West Bromwich Albion and Plymouth, however Rovers slipped to sixth in the Championship table after a 3-0 defeat at Swansea on than 100 expressions of interest in the job have been considered by the Blackburn board before being whittled down to a more manageable number. Former Watford, West Brom and Barnsley boss Valerien Ismael is the favourite with bookmakers ahead of former Huddersfield and Norwich coach David Wagner, while Gary O'Neil and Aitor Karanka have also been linked with the post.
BBC News
19-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Rovers interim boss Lowe 'enjoying' time in charge
Blackburn Rovers interim boss David Lowe has said he is enjoying his time in temporary charge of the 59-year-old took over as caretaker manager following John Eustace's departure to Derby County and has picked up two wins from his opening two matches at the helm."I've been surrounded by some fantastic people, fantastic players and my family's been very supportive so I've really enjoyed it," Lowe told BBC Radio over 16 years since Lowe was last a caretaker boss - his one-match spell as Derby interim boss saw the Rams beat Manchester United 1-0 in the League Cup semi-final first-leg in January Lowe has been impressed by his current squad's efforts so far as they attempt to hold on to a place in the Championship play-offs."They've all respected the staff that have come in to help them out and they've been a credit to the profession. I've got nothing but respect for them," he also confirmed that central defender Danny Batth remains unavailable for Rovers' trip to Swansea City on Saturday with a hamstring injury.
