Latest news with #Evans
Rhyl Journal
3 hours ago
- General
- Rhyl Journal
'Very weak excuse' to scrap Llanerch Bridge says expert
At a cabinet meeting this week, Denbighshire Council voted to abandon plans to replace Llanerch Bridge, which was destroyed during Storm Christoph in 2021 when the River Clwyd burst its banks. Council officers warned cabinet members that drilling into the riverbed could contaminate a water supply to 85,000 homes and that if the council persisted with the bridge, the authority could be liable for millions of pounds. The decision caused controversy in the chamber as the council had promised residents the bridge, which would reconnect Trefnant and Tremeirchion, before Welsh Water raised concerns about the contamination of a freshwater aquifer. The council spent £1.5m of Welsh Government funds designing the new bridge. Now, retired civil engineer David Evans, from Caersws, says he doesn't believe the council is correct in cancelling its plans to build a new bridge. Mr Evans said he worked in a number of different roles in piling in civil engineering, including the design, management, and tendering processes, working with several notable specialist companies such as Cementation and Expanded Piling Ltd. 'I am a retired civil engineer, now living in mid-Wales, and in all my 35 years within the piling industry, working with major piling contractors covering the UK, with experience of many types of bored piling for bridges, multi-storey buildings etc, this is a very weak excuse for not building a much-needed bridge,' he said. 'Contamination of an aquifer has never been a discussion point in the industry, and given bored piles founded in sandstone, migration of water will just not happen, as the piles are concreted almost immediately. 'Most modern bridges require piled foundations to take out the sheer forces from breaking, but also provide a fixing in more competent strata to avoid erosion and improve scour protection from flooding.' He added: 'The county council would be well advised to approach piling contractors and competent geotechnical engineering companies to confirm my views, providing them with the site investigation report.' Mr Evans' opinion mirrors that of Cllr James Elson. Cllr Elson told council officers at the cabinet meeting that local contractors, who'd worked on the A55, maintained a temporary bridge lasting 10 years could be built. Tremeirchion councillor Chris Evans told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he was 'disappointed' in the cabinet decision. Cllr Evans speculated what might happen if other bridges, such as Pont y Cambwll or an A55 flyover bridge at St Asaph or Rhuallt, were compromised or needed foundation repairs. 'If Pont y Cambwll was taken (by bad weather or flooding), are we going to be in the same predicament?' he said. 'Residents have come to me and said bridges over the A55 are over that aquifer. 'What would happen if one of those bridges were damaged or the footings needed addressing? 'I'm disappointed by it. I understand Denbighshire's concerns. 'But we need a positive outcome of this for the residents. They have known about the aquifer from day dot, so why have we persisted with £1.5m of public money. I think audit and governance need to look at this. That's a lot of money.' A Denbighshire Council spokesperson said: 'Denbighshire County Council has worked through an entire optioneering and design consultation phase with Balfour Beatty over several years which included comprehensive ground surveys, geological studies of the location, erosive flow of the river, and physical constraints of the area. 'It was always the desire and intention of the Council to replace the bridge and as such £1.5m of direct Welsh Government funding was spent to ensure a robust process could be conducted to outline options and fully assess these options against the associated risks and issues from a design and construction perspective. 'Unfortunately, no design option could be found that completely eliminated the risk of damage to the freshwater aquifer and the drinking water supply to 85,000 properties in the North Wales area both during and after construction activity. 'Any form of bridge design whether temporary or permanent required foundations installed to a minimum depth in order to support the structure during periods of flooding or heavier river flow. 'Failure to install such foundations would present a risk of the structure collapsing and potentially presents a danger to life if it were to collapse during such times. 'As such, in cooperation with Dŵr Cymru, it was agreed to recommend ceasing the bridge building project in order to safeguard this water supply, a decision that was ratified by Cabinet this week. 'The Council is unable to comment on the views of external third parties who have not been involved in the design process. 'It is intended that DCC representatives will hold a public meeting with the local community groups to fully explain this decision and discuss their concerns.'
North Wales Live
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
Wynne Evans dropped by BBC after 'inappropriate language' on Strictly tour
Wynne Evans has said he has been dropped by the BBC, following an apology saying that he used 'inappropriate language' during the launch of the Strictly Come Dancing tour. The Welsh opera singer, 53, will no longer be a BBC Radio Wales presenter, he announced yesterday. A spokesperson for the BBC said: 'Wynne Evans is not under contract with the BBC. He is not returning to the mid-morning show on BBC Radio Wales and there are currently no plans to work with him.' Evans, known for the insurance advertisements, revealed in January he would be taking some time out from both his radio show and the Strictly tour to prioritise his wellbeing. Earlier this month he claimed in an interview with the Sun on Sunday that he had not seen the statement apologising for the remark - an assertion that is believed to have been dismissed by the BBC. On Instagram on Friday, he wrote: 'My beloved Wynners, From the very depths of my heart - thank you. These past few months, your love has been the light in my darkest days. "Every message, every word of encouragement, every moment you stood by me has carried me through more than you could ever know. It breaks my heart to say the BBC has decided not to renew my contract so I won't be returning to my radio show. "I'm gutted. That show wasn't just work - it was home. It was us. We laughed, we cried, we sang like nobody was listening. And somehow, through the airwaves, we became a family.' Evans thanked his fans, and said he would have an online programme called The Wynne Evans Show, which he called 'terrifying'. 'This is our next adventure. And I need you more than ever,' he added. 'We will have great music, my question of the day, the mystery voice, your soundtrack stories and so much more, because we have each other again. We have a new home. I'm bringing more presenters soon and I am sure you'll recognise a few of the faces.' Evans added that he was 'full of nerves. Full of hope. Full of love. Because when we show up for each other - like we always have - anything is possible'. Earlier this year, he apologised for language that he called 'inappropriate and unacceptable' after The Mail On Sunday reported that Evans was heard making a remark to a woman in a video filmed during the Strictly launch event. It is understood he was given a warning over the remark by tour producers. In January, he said: 'I've agreed with the BBC that I'll take some time out from my radio show and the Strictly Live tour, as well as my other public commitments, to prioritise my wellbeing. 'I am deeply sorry for the pain my inappropriate actions have caused, and plan to take this time for self-reflection. Apologies to those I won't get to see at the remaining performances and I'm grateful to my fellow tour gang for all the amazing support they have given me.' The singer, who performed in the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Of The Opera and also won 2023's Celebrity MasterChef, told the Sun on Sunday earlier this month that the Strictly comment was not sexual or directed at one of the female cast but was a nickname for fellow contestant, EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick. He told the paper: 'I didn't see the statement, Old Spit-roast Boy was a nickname for Jamie Borthwick. I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a misogynist, I'm not any of these things.' Evans added: 'And so I went, 'I'm so sorry'. And that was taken as a formal apology, so the press team issued a statement. I didn't see it. 'When I read the apology within the context of the story as it had been written, I was absolutely horrified.' It is understood any statement issued on Evans' behalf by the BBC was fully approved by him, and the singer also posted his own statement on Instagram in which he apologised. During his time on Strictly, there was controversy over a clip on the show of him placing his hand on his professional partner Katya Jones' waist, which she moved. They both apologised claiming it had been a 'joke'. During January and February this year, Evans' six-part travel programme, Wynne & Joanna: All At Sea - with Welsh actress and Gavin And Stacey star Joanna Page - aired on BBC One.
Global News
13 hours ago
- Business
- Global News
Paying mortgage into retirement? Here's how you could plan your finances
A generation ago, it would have been unthinkable for many Canadians to carry the mortgage on their home into retirement. But for many on the cusp of retirement now, that's no longer the case. A survey of 1,626 Canadians conducted by real estate firm Royal LePage in May found that two per cent of Canadians expect to retire in 2025 and three per cent in 2026. Of these, around one-third (29 per cent) say they will continue to pay down their mortgage into their retirement years. 'Canadians today are much more inclined to carry debt because either working later into their lives or they've got some more disposable income that they can utilize to pay these things off down the road. But they're not just saying, 'I want to have my home paid off,'' said Shawn Zigelstein of Royal LePage. Canadians are also buying their homes a lot later in life, one financial planner said. Story continues below advertisement 'People are buying homes later and now they also have the option for a 30-year amortization. That pushes mortgage payments further into what used to be the traditional retirement years,' said Jason Evans, whose firm offers financial planning advice for retirement. Bloom Financial works exclusively with Canadians aged 55 or over and CEO Ben McCabe said a large part of his clientele is now retirees looking for options on how to pay down their mortgage. 'For 80 per cent of the clients that we speak to at Bloom, that is a situation that they're in,' he said. 2:06 Missed debt payments reach highest level since 2009: Equifax How can you plan? 'Retiring with a mortgage is possible, but there are some pitfalls to watch out for,' Evans said. Story continues below advertisement Evans recommends waiting until you're 70 to start drawing Canada Pension Plan benefits. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'The first is the temptation to start CPP benefits early. While this can help with cash flow, it means smaller CPP payments for life. For many people, waiting until age 70 leads to higher monthly income and would provide them with the most value from the program,' he said. He said some older Canadians might want to dip into investments to pay off mortgages, but they need to watch the markets carefully. 'A mortgage also means higher monthly expenses in retirement. To cover those costs, retirees may need to take out more from their investments. That can work when markets are strong, but during a downturn, it might force them to sell at a loss just to pay the bills,' he said. McCabe said the problem some Baby Boomers face is that there is a huge gap between how much their home is worth and the amount of liquid cash they hold. 'They've never earned more than $30,000 or $40,000 a year in their career, but they're sitting on a $2-million home because they happened to buy a house in Little Portugal (in Toronto) in the '70s,' he said. 'There's this disproportionate amount of real estate wealth versus liquid wealth or income,' he said. Story continues below advertisement An option that some homeowners can exercise to get some cash in hand is a HELOC – a home equity line of credit. As the name suggests, a HELOC is a form of credit that you can take out on your home. However, McCabe said it might not be for you if you're already well into your retirement. 'It's a better solution for younger people who have employment income and can service the interest payment that's required on that HELOC,' he said. 5:49 Creating a Financial Plan for Retirement How do reverse mortgages work? A financing option available almost exclusively for Canadians over 55 is a reverse mortgage. Story continues below advertisement 'A reverse mortgage is a loan against one's home. It's only available if you're a senior,' McCabe said. The key difference between a reverse mortgage and any other kind of financing option is that there are no monthly payments. 'The loan isn't due until you pass away or until you sell your home. So effectively, until you no longer occupy that home as your principal residence,' he said. He said many older Canadians use their reverse mortgage to replace the primary mortgage on their homes. 'Effectively, you'd be replacing a mortgage that has monthly payment obligation with a mortgage that doesn't have one,' he said. He gave the example of a retiree with a household income of $4,000 a month, with $1,500 going to the bank every month for a mortgage payment. 'Now all of a sudden, you have that full $4,000 of income in your net income that you can apply towards your living expenses and living well retirement,' he said. 2:05 Business Matters: Canadian home sales fell in February amid tariff uncertainty Downsizing According to the Royal LePage report, 47 per cent said they don't plan to downsize within two years of retiring, while 44 per cent said they do. The rest were not sure. Story continues below advertisement The most popular downsized dwelling was a standard condominium, with 43 per cent saying they would prefer to downsize to a condo and a quarter (25 per cent) preferring to downsize to a senior living community. Only 16 per cent said they would live in a detached home and 11 per cent said they would prefer live in an attached home. The rest were undecided. Condominium prices have been dropping rapidly in some of Canada's hottest housing markets. According to one report, condo prices will have dropped by 15 to 20 per cent in the Greater Toronto Area by the end of the year, compared to a 2023 high. 'Downsizing can be a good option for some. However, it can sometimes be challenging to find a suitable next home at a lower price point,' Evans said. 'Moving to a new area is often required to free up a meaningful amount of equity. If downsizing is part of a person's retirement plan, it's important to keep an eye on the real estate market and consider a few different housing options,' he said.
Metro
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Metro
Man Utd star retires from football to become third major summer departure
Manchester United defender Jonny Evans has retired from football, becoming the club's third major departure of the summer. Evans played for the last time in United red on Friday as part of the club's post-season tour of Asia with Ruben Amorim's side coming from behind to beat the Hong Kong national team. United journalist Andy Miten confirmed the 37-year-old is now set to hang up his boots rather than find another club. The former Northern Ireland international has been a dedicated servant across two spells at Old Trafford. The centre-half broke into the first-team under Sir Alex Ferguson in the 2007-08 season, alongside Gerard Pique. With Pique returning to Barcelona, Evans took on the role as chief understudy to Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, filling in for both men and enjoying a breakout campaign in 2010-11 while Ferdinand was out injured. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. Highly-regarded by Ferguson, Evans won three Premier League titles, two League Cups and the Champions League with United – having also won the Championship under Roy Keane while on loan at Sunderland. But after the Scot's departure in 2013, Evans would soon follow. Deemed surplus to requirements by Louis van Gaal who also sold another academy graduate in Danny Welbeck, Evans joined West Brom in 2015, spending three seasons at the Hawthorns before joining Leicester City in 2018. After being released by the Foxes in the summer of 2023, Evans returned to United to train with the club over the summer but was quickly offered a short-term deal. Various injury problems across the United backline have seen him earn plenty of game time, starting in the FA Cup final last year against Manchester City to lift the trophy for the first time. 'He has been a great professional. Whenever he has been fit, he has trained well with very high standards,' Amorim said of Evans. 'He has also proven on the pitch that he is a very good player. The level that he has in training, you can see the standards he had in his prime and why they won so many titles. When he was fit to train the level was really high. I also want Evans to help the young kids beside him.' Evans made 241 appearances during his two spells with United, scoring eight goals and registering seven assists. He is the third high profile departure at Old Trafford with Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof also on their way. Both players have reached the end of their respective contracts. More Trending Eriksen, who scored a penalty on his final appearance at Old Trafford, wrote an emotional farewell message on Friday which read: 'A huge thank you to all the fans who supported me through the last three ears as a Manchester United player. 'Thank you to all the kind and hardworking people at the club who has made me and my family feel so welcomed since day one. And a big thank you to my teammates, it's been a pleasure sharing the changing room and pitch together. 'It's been an amazing time and I've made some incredible memories that I will keep forever.' MORE: Barcelona considering shock move for key Arsenal star in summer transfer window MORE: Bruno Fernandes' classy gesture for 'fuming' Man Utd squad in Asia revealed MORE: Is Jeremie Frimpong Liverpool's ready-made replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold?
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
High Point fire station finds resources to reopen after closure
HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) — A fire station in High Point was temporarily without a working engine or rescue unit on Friday morning. The firefighter's union in High Point said staffing shortages were to blame, and in a release, they claim changes were only made after FOX8 started asking questions. FOX8 learned both Engine 13 and Rescue 1 were out of service. Both are located at Station 13. FOX8 stopped by Station 13 on Ambassador Court around 10 a.m. and got no response. At that time, Engine 5, from another fire station, responded to a nearby call. Typically, that call would've been handled by Engine 13. Around 1 p.m., the station was officially marked back in service. IAFF Local 673 High Point Professional Firefighters Association President Robert Templeton said he heard from several firefighters about why the trucks were offline. 'So what we have learned today, due to our staffing levels being so low, whenever we have individuals calling out sick or vacations that come through, we're having to hire overtime to fill those spots,' Templeton said. Templeton said scheduled training pulled even more crews from other stations, making things worse. 'Station 7 had a training that they were going to go to with Truck 7 and Engine 7, and then the rescue was actually taken out of service for a training class due to personnel. They called out sick … Even with the amount of people that we hired overtime, we still had to take Engine 13 out of service,' Templeton said. Templeton said the turning point came once FOX8 showed up at the fire station. 'Luckily, someone notified the media that our trucks were out of service and we had an empty station. That prompted the on-duty battalion chief to notify admin. The fire chief was notified, and he suspended all training for the rest of the day, and the companies were asked to report back to their stations and backfill these companies that were missing,' Templeton said. High Point Fire Chief Brian Evans said it wasn't a staffing crisis but a routine adjustment due to training and leave. 'I think there's a wrong narrative being pushed out right now. Station 13 is not closing due to staffing. We had training that was going on today. We also had some normal … members on leave, vacation … sick leave. So we did have a unit out of service … In that case, we kind of revert back to whatever our normal staffing levels are,' Evans said. Evans acknowledged that the City of High Point Fire Department does not meet NFPA 1710, which is the national standard for staffing and deployment of fire service personnel. He said that's not new for the city, but he hopes they will be able to reach those staffing levels. 'We haven't met the national standard in 30 years. It's not a problem that happened overnight, and it's not going to be fixed overnight,' Evans said. The release posted by the High Point Professional Firefighters Association listed these concerns: • The HPFD is consistently understaffed. • On Friday, the department had to rehire seven firefighters on overtime, but needed ten. • There are no new firefighter positions included in the proposed fiscal year 2025/2026 city budget. • fire department administration officials have repeatedly applied for a federal SAFER grant to hire 16 additional firefighters, despite claiming publicly that there is no staffing issue. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
