Latest news with #DavidWheeler
Otago Daily Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Late Feds leader Rural Hero of Year finalist
A Mid Canterbury farmer who died after a farm accident is in the running for major recognition at the Primary Industries New Zealand Awards. The late Federated Farmers leader Chris Allen is a finalist, along with Waikato-Hauraki-Coromandel Rural Support Trust co-founder Neil Bateup and Taranaki rescue helicopter fundraiser Ian Jury, for the Rural Hero of the Year award. Mr Allen, 62, died after he was electrocuted while fixing a garage door last December. His sheep and beef property in Ashburton Forks was one of several farms badly damaged in the floods which hit the region in 2021. A Federated Farmers board member for eight years, he hosted then prime minister Jacinda Ardern at his property to show the damage and appeal for government support. His balanced approach on environmental and water issues earned the respect of farmers and those with opposing views. Mr Bateup became founding chairman of the NZ Rural Support Trust in 2017 and has given many hours supporting farmers and rural families facing hard times, while 85-year-old Mr Jury has collected batteries for recycling for 20 years in his fundraising for the rescue helicopter service. The awards are part of the two-day PINZ Summit taking place at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre from June 24 to 25. Another widely known central South Island farmer — Molesworth Station manager Jim Ward — is a finalist with senior AgResearch scientists Dr Robyn Dynes and David Wheeler for the Champion Award. For nearly 20 years he has been on the Federated Farmers high-country committee and served the Wilding Pine Network New Zealand. Often behind the scenes, he has worked for change, shaped policies and driven improvements for high-country farmers. Since taking on the Molesworth farm manager role in 2001, he has faced many challenges to ensure the station remains economically viable. For more than two decades he has balanced pastoral farming, conservation and recreation values under the scrutiny of the public eye. Mr Wheeler has helped shape and improve the farm management tool Overseer, while Dr Dynes is a principal scientist and farmer engagement specialist at AgResearch focusing on farming systems between forage science and animal science. Federated Farmers chief executive Terry Copeland said the awards celebrated primary leaders at a time when leadership was needed during an international tariff "tit-for-tat" sparking disruption and uncertainty in export markets. PRIMARY INDUSTRIES NEW ZEALAND AWARD FINALISTS • Emerging Leader Award: Bridie Virbickas, Federated Farmers Bay of Plenty sharemilker chairwoman. Imogen Brankin, Silver Fern Farms on-farm sustainability adviser. Kazi Talaska, Onions NZ general manager. Lucy Brown, The Whole Story agricultural sustainability coach. • Champion Award: David Wheeler, AgResearch senior scientist. James (Jim) Ward, Molesworth Station manager. Dr Robyn Dynes, AgResearch principal scientist and farmer engagement specialist. • Team and Collaboration Award nProve for Beef — online genetics tool, Beef + Lamb New Zealand. Food system integrity team, AgResearch, led by Dr Gale Brightwell. An open data-sharing ecosystem: Fonterra, Ballance, Ravensdown and LIC. • Technology Innovation Award TEO for Ovitage, the world's most complete collagen. FAR for Combine Workshops — increasing productivity on arable farms. Alliance Group for Meat Eating Quality (MEQ) technology. • Food, Beverage and Fibre Producer Award Chia Sisters. Kiwi Econet, Grant Lightfoot founder. New Image International. • Guardianship & Conservation/Kaitiakitanga Award Pāua Dashboard — Pāua Industry Council. The eDNA for water quality team led by Dr Adrian Cookson. Pacificvet, co-founder Kent Deitemeyer. • Rural Hero of the Year Chris Allen (posthumous), farmer and Federated Farmers leader. Neil Bateup, Rural Support Trust founder. Ian Jury, Taranaki grassroots good sort. •Outstanding Contribution to Primary Industries NZ Award Winner to be announced on the night.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legislature grants investigative committee expanded oversight
Sen. David Wheeler, R-Huron, speaks on the South Dakota Senate floor on March 4, 2025. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) PIERRE — After a tumultuous year of government corruption scandals, legislation expanding the authority of the South Dakota Legislature's investigative oversight committee is headed to the governor's desk. The Government Operations and Audit Committee, known by the acronym GOAC, is tasked with investigating potential fraud and abuses in state government. The committee issued subpoenas last year and earlier this year ordering state department leaders to answer questions about alleged crimes by former state employees, after a string of corruption cases announced by the Attorney General's Office last year. Under current law, the subpoenas required an extra sign-off from the Legislature's Executive Board before they could be issued. The legislation would remove that extra sign-off requirement and allow the committee to conduct investigations outside of its public meetings. Yankton Republican Rep. Julie Auch, who introduced House Bill 1204, said that for most of its history GOAC could make subpoena requests without the Executive Board's blessing. Rep. Tim Reisch, R-Howard, spoke against the bill on the House floor. CONTACT US '1204 feels like a power grab to me,' Reisch said, adding that more lawmakers involved in the investigative process and deciding to issue a subpoena is beneficial. Senate President Pro Tempore Chris Karr, R-Sioux Falls, told lawmakers during the bill's Senate State Affairs hearing that the investigative committee 'is the most important thing the Legislature has created.' He added that he doesn't have concerns about the committee abusing subpoena powers, because it's a joint committee of the House and Senate that inherently requires consensus among members of both bodies. Huron Republican Sen. David Wheeler agreed. 'I think GOAC recently has shown that it is responsible with that authority,' he said. The bill passed the House in a 36-34 vote but was tabled in the Senate because the concept was amended into Senate Bill 176, which passed both chambers. Senate Bill 176, introduced by Wheeler, would expand the authority of GOAC to conduct investigations before the committee meets or have a third party conduct the investigation and issue a report to the committee. Currently, the committee has to meet to conduct any interviews or investigations. 'It's hard to do that at one time with 10 people there,' Wheeler told lawmakers. The bill passed unanimously out of the Senate and 58-12 from the House. Rep. Will Mortenson, R-Fort Pierre, was one of the dozen lawmakers to challenge the expansion. He called the bill unnecessary in a text message to South Dakota Searchlight after the vote. 'I don't like the trend of turning our interim Legislature into the 'gotcha politics' and constant witch hunts that they do in Congress,' Mortenson said. 'GOAC has an important role, but I worry that we may be getting a little carried away.' If signed by Gov. Larry Rhoden, the bills will become law on July 1. Attorney General Marty Jackley filed at least five cases against former state employees last year, for allegations ranging from faked food-service health inspections to $1.8 million of embezzlement from a state department. In response, Jackley supported a package of four bills that would expand the investigatory authority of the state auditor, strengthen the Board of Internal Controls, institute mandatory reporting requirements for state employees and penalties for failing to report, and establish protections for whistleblowers. All of the bills have been delivered to the governor for his consideration. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Artists submit work ahead of Warren art show next weekend
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) – Artwork has been submitted for next week's 'Touch on Park' art show in Warren. On Sunday, many dropped off pieces of their work that they wished to submit. Artwork can be immobile or interactive, as well as traditional or inventive. Artists were able to submit up to three pieces of work. The theme of the event is 'artwork you can touch.' Manager of Art on Park David Wheeler says his favorite part of these events is seeing the first-timers. 'Art on Park is typically, very commonly, artists' very first venture into hanging [art] on the walls of a public gallery and that excites me,' he said. The Touch on Park art show will take place Saturday, March 1 at Art on Park, located on N. Park Avenue. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Executive Council blocks contract over vaccine policy
Feb. 5—The Executive Council blocked a $25,000 contract until Dartmouth Health proved to state prosecutors that it's complying with the Patient Bill of Rights and not denying treatment based on someone's vaccination status. Executive Councilor David Wheeler, R-Milford, said the item should not go forward until Dartmouth Health executives demonstrate to Attorney General John Formella that no vaccine requirements are in place for all surgical procedures at the state's largest health provider. "We have a state law; they weren't in compliance with it on one individual aspect. Now we want to make sure across the board that patient views are being respected," Wheeler said during an interview. Gilford's Shannon Buttermore said she was the patient who prompted the change in policy. She said she's been dealing with kidney issues since birth and had her first transplant at 16. In December, she found out her kidney function was very low. Dartmouth officials gave her a list of requirements to get on its transplant list, which included the COVID-19 vaccine and various other immunizations. Buttermore had received one COVID shot, but did not want another one as she had safety concerns. After first receiving complaints about the matter, Formella reached out to Dartmouth Health executives, who announced they were no longer requiring COVID vaccines to do any kidney transplants. Response expected by Friday Formella said he's reached back out to Dartmouth to make certain there are no vaccine requirements for any medical work done on patients. "We have been told they will get back to us by this Friday," Formella said. "I'm not expecting there to be any other existing requirements, but I am awaiting that confirmation." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends COVID vaccinations for people with weakened immune systems, whatever the cause. Dartmouth Health officials said they based their earlier policy on "scientific data." "We know that vaccination against COVID-19 is proven highly effective at reducing the transmission of acute illness and hospitalization caused by COVID-19, and we continue to strongly recommend that transplant candidates and all other eligible people get vaccinated," Audra Burns, a spokesperson for the health system, said in a statement at that time. Former state Rep. Melissa Blasek, a Merrimack Republican, was one of the prime authors along with former Rep. Leah Cushman, R-Weare, of the vaccination status update to the Patient Bill of Rights that lawmakers adopted in 2022. Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Weaver did not oppose tabling the contract, but said she was looking forward to the matter being resolved. After the meeting, Gov. Kelly Ayotte said she respects the council's wish to get these assurances. Prior to serving as a U.S. senator, Ayotte was the first female attorney general, appointed by both Democratic and Republican governors. klandrigan@
BBC News
05-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Fantastic servant' Wheeler leaves Wycombe
Wycombe Wanders midfielder David Wheeler has left the League One club by mutual consent after five and a half years at Adams 34-year-old and the club agreed to cancel his contract on Monday with the player keen to "pursue new opportunities elsewhere".Wheeler helped the Chairboys win promotion to the Championship for the first time in the club's history in 2019-20 when they beat Oxford United in the League One play-off final at total he made 209 appearances for Wycombe and scored 19 goals. 'An incredible team-mate' "David has been a fantastic servant to Wycombe Wanderers throughout his time here and can absolutely leave the club with his head held high after making so many valuable contributions on and off the pitch," chief football officer Dan Rice told the club website., external"He will always be welcome back as a friendly face around Adams Park and we hope he will be able to return soon to receive a deserved fond farewell from the supporters."Wheeler made five league appearances this season in Wycombe's challenge for promotion back to the second tier, with his final one in a 4-1 win at Shrewsbury in mid-December. His introduction as a late substitute in the FA Cup win over Portsmouth last month was his final game in a Wycombe captain Jack Grimmer called Wheeler an "incredible team-mate and a fantastic ambassador" and added he will "go down in history" as an important part of the side that reached the Championship for the first time.
