Latest news with #Dech
West Australian
22-04-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Sunday Dech: Guard returns to Perth Wildcats on three-year NBL deal
Olympian and two-time NBL champion Sunday Dech says he can't wait to head 'back home' to Perth, with the Wildcats securing the hard-nosed guard on a three-year deal. Dech was a part of the 'Cats squad for titles in 2013-14 and 2018-19, with the South Sudanese-Australian enjoying success in the west after starting as a development player with his hometown team. Having had stops at Illawarra and Adelaide, and rising to become one of the NBL's best defensive guards, Dech is now back in Wildcats red to help add depth to the club's backcourt amid the exit of Bryce Cotton. 'When you grow up and it's your childhood team and then you end up playing for them, it's always something you dream of, coming in and finishing your career at the team where it all started,' Dech said. 'By no means am I close to finishing my career, but it is something that I'm excited and grateful that it's happened earlier, rather than later in my career. 'I had a really good foundation at the Cats with a lot of good veterans and a lot of people that I looked up to. 'Over my time in Adelaide and Illawarra, I've been able to gain a wealth of knowledge there as well. 'I'm looking forward to coming back and trying to use that to push our team forward as much as I can and I'm excited to be back home in the red and black.' Dech represented South Sudan at last year's Olympics, and was in the starting line-up for 14 games at the 36ers last season to help lead the side into the NBL's play-in tournament. Wildcats general manager Danny Mills described Dech as 'a respected leader throughout the league' who would give Perth's roster a big boost. 'He adds great size and depth on the wing, brings versatility on the defensive end, and his skill set offensively fits well with the core group of players we have returning.' Dech will be reunited with Jesse Wagstaff in Perth after the veteran recommitted for a 17th NBL season, while import duo Kristian Doolittle and Dylan Windler have also been signed up as the Wildcats begin the post-Cotton era.
Perth Now
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Back on Dech! Title-winning Wildcat returns to Perth
Olympian and two-time NBL champion Sunday Dech says he can't wait to head 'back home' to Perth, with the Wildcats securing the hard-nosed guard on a three-year deal. Dech was a part of the 'Cats squad for titles in 2013-14 and 2018-19, with the South Sudanese-Australian enjoying success in the west after starting as a development player with his hometown team. Having had stops at Illawarra and Adelaide, and rising to become one of the NBL's best defensive guards, Dech is now back in Wildcats red to help add depth to the club's backcourt amid the exit of Bryce Cotton. 'When you grow up and it's your childhood team and then you end up playing for them, it's always something you dream of, coming in and finishing your career at the team where it all started,' Dech said. 'By no means am I close to finishing my career, but it is something that I'm excited and grateful that it's happened earlier, rather than later in my career. Dech as a Wildcat in 2019. Credit: Kelly Defina / Getty Images 'I had a really good foundation at the Cats with a lot of good veterans and a lot of people that I looked up to. 'Over my time in Adelaide and Illawarra, I've been able to gain a wealth of knowledge there as well. 'I'm looking forward to coming back and trying to use that to push our team forward as much as I can and I'm excited to be back home in the red and black.' Dech (right) with the Wildcats in 2019. Credit: Paul Kane / Getty Images Dech represented South Sudan at last year's Olympics, and was in the starting line-up for 14 games at the 36ers last season to help lead the side into the NBL's play-in tournament. Wildcats general manager Danny Mills described Dech as 'a respected leader throughout the league' who would give Perth's roster a big boost. 'He adds great size and depth on the wing, brings versatility on the defensive end, and his skill set offensively fits well with the core group of players we have returning.' Dech will be reunited with Jesse Wagstaff in Perth after the veteran recommitted for a 17th NBL season, while import duo Kristian Doolittle and Dylan Windler have also been signed up as the Wildcats begin the post-Cotton era.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Budget gap: Tri-Rail needs $30M or it may cut service, VA hospital extension
A budget gap of tens of millions of dollars threatens South Florida's publicly funded passenger train, Tri-Rail, and its plans to add a long sought-after station in northern Palm Beach County. Tri-Rail is asking Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties for a combined $30 million yearly or it could mean service cuts to the commuter service that hundreds of thousands of people ride each month, train officials have told county administrators and commissioners for the three South Florida counties. COVID-19 relief money from the Biden administration's American Rescue Plan in 2021 has been bolstering Tri-Rail's budget, but will run out by the end of 2026, the executive director of the rail service's governing board, David Dech, has said. "We have some reserves, but it's time to have that conversation ... and see what, if anything, we want to do (moving) forward," Dech said at the Feb. 28 joint meeting of the South Florida and Treasure Coast Regional planning councils, which included top administrators and elected officials from across Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Dech has been meeting for the past month and a half with officials for the three counties, discussing ways to plug the coming gap. Ideas Dech and Tri-Rail have pitched mainly consist of higher taxes, such as property taxes and sales tax, amounting to $10 million from each of the three counties. Those tax increases would have to be approved by the counties' voters or state lawmakers. "Tri-Rail is a major component of getting working people from one county to another," Palm Beach County Administrator Verdenia Baker said at the Feb. 28 joint planning council meeting. But, she told Dech, "to tell me that you may be looking for $10 million (from Palm Beach County) in the next fiscal year, I don't know how we're going to handle that." ' That will be a very heavy lift and a big stretch,' Broward County Administrator Monica Cepero said, adding that Tri-Rail is "critical and essential" to South Florida. Tri-Rail passenger fares cover 10% of the train's nearly $124 million in operating expenses, rail officials reported at the Jan. 28 meeting of Tri-Rail's governing board, the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority. The rest comes mainly from state and county agencies. Without the $30 million, Tri-Rail would have to cut back on projects such as station rehabilitation and upgrades, and would have to consider cutting service, spokesman Victor Garcia said. About 4.4 million people in 2024 rode the 74-mile commuter train, including more than 1.5 million in Palm Beach County. 'The question is going to be ... what should be our fair share" to pay for Tri-Rail? said Palm Beach County Commissioner Marci Woodward at the Jan 28. Palm Beach County Commissioner Gregg Weiss, whose district includes Tri-Rail's downtown West Palm Beach station, warns that losing the commuter rail service would mean more frustration for drivers. "We gotta keep keep this operating or else we're going to flood the roadways with trips," he said, but has not yet decided on a funding plan he would support. Tri-Rail officials will meet again March 28 to discuss developments on funding plans. Without a regular source of money to make up for the end of the COVID money, one Florida transportation official has said, the state is unlikely to supplement Tri-Rail's efforts to build a station at the VA Medical Center in western Riviera Beach, at Military Trail and Blue Heron Boulevard. County and transit officials have discussed this station for more than a quarter-century. The Tri-Rail governing board's members voted on Jan. 28 to ask the state Transportation Department for $7.5 million to help design and build it. The Florida Department of Transportation's representative on Tri-Rail's governing board, Stacy Miller, told them that the department would likely reject the Tri-Rail request if the rail service lacks a dedicated funding source to keep the trains running. She voted to approve making the request only after it was changed so that the request was contingent on having such a revenue source. Tri-Rail runs 54 trains each weekday, and 30 each on Saturday and Sunday, between Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties. It includes stops in or near downtown West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and all three major commercial airports across South Florida: Palm Beach International, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International and Miami International. Round-trip fares for non-disabled adults range from $5 to $17.50, depending on how far one wants to go. Tri-Rail has grown ridership back to pre-pandemic levels partly due to providing special services to big events. It will run trains as late as 1 a.m. from Miami March 29 and March 30 for revelers attending Ultra Music Festival. Tri-Rail ran special late night trains in October from its Golden Glades station in Miami for Taylor Swift fans attending her Eras Tour concert at the nearby Hard Rock Stadium. Tri-Rail also covers $5 on Uber, Lyft and taxi fares to and from its stations, except for trips between its West Palm Beach station and Palm Beach International Airport, where the discount is $15. Chris Persaud covers transportation in Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post. Send story tips and ideas to cpersaud@ This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tri-Rail needs $30M or it may cut service, VA hospital extension
