Latest news with #Frear
Otago Daily Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Stampede ready to charge
PHOTO: ODT FILES From friends to foes in less than a week. For the past couple of weeks, nine SkyCity Stampede ice hockey players were team-mates with four West Auckland Admirals players, representing the New Zealand Ice Blacks — under the guidance of Stampede coach Cam Frear — in the IIHF Division 2, Group B world champs in Dunedin. Come tomorrow night in Queenstown, they'll be arch rivals again, with Frear back on the yellow and blue bench in a rematch of last year's NZ Ice Hockey League final series, which Stampede won. While the Admirals have been able to train throughout the world champs, Stampede took a little break due to the number of players and support staff in Dunedin. That said, "I think we're pretty confident any time we play at home [and] the goal is always to win two games". Frear's looking forward to an almost full-strength team coming in to this weekend — Connor Harrison's still out following an injury during the Trans-Tasman Challenge in March, but will hopefully be back in the next month, "which will be huge for us going in to the crunch part of the season". As to progress on imports this season, Frear's coy. "You'll have to wait and see ... there might be some surprises this weekend."
Otago Daily Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Bronze medal ‘bittersweet'
SkyCity Stampede's Colin McIntosh was named player of the tourney for the NZ Ice Blacks following last week's world champs in Dunedin. PHOTO: SUPPLIED While Ice Blacks head coach Queenstowner Cam Frear is stoked his charges secured the bronze medal at last week's IIHF Division 2 Group B champs in Dunedin, he admits it's "a bit bittersweet". "I think all of us went there with the goal of gaining promotion and getting gold, but Georgia and Iceland were both very good teams and they definitely deserved to come away with gold and silver, respectively. "[But] any time you go to worlds and you're able to get a medal, you've got to be pretty happy." The Ice Blacks boasted nine SkyCity Stampede players, including forward Colin McIntosh who was named Ice Blacks' player of the tourney. Across the five games, he scored three goals and assisted in five — overall, he was 12th-equal in goal-scoring leaders, ninth-equal in assists and second in face-off leaders — Stampede's Dylan Devlin was 14th. Frear: "He [McIntosh] was so good for us, in every single game he stepped up and kind of led us, offensively. "He deserved New Zealand player of the tournament." Other Stampede standouts included Lachlan Frear (one goal, one assist), Stefan Amston (one goal, assisted by Jordan Challis), and debutant Axel Ruski-Jones (one assist). As to the atmosphere in Dunedin, Frear says it was "awesome". "Over 1000 people [came for] the last two games that we had, and having big crowds for all of the games isn't something that's normal any other time you go to world champs, anywhere else in the world. "For it to be family and friends and workmates ... was pretty special for the coaches and the players as well."
Otago Daily Times
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Bringing fire to the ice
You can expect nine Queenstowners to help bring fire to the ice in Dunedin over the next 10 days. The New Zealand Ice Blacks, including SkyCity Stampede players Aston Brookes, brothers Lachlan and Mitchell Frear, Stefan Amston, Colin McIntosh, Jordan Challis, Callum Burns, Dylan Devlin and Axel Ruski-Jones, open their campaign in the IIHF Division 2 Group B world champs at the Dunedin ice rink on Sunday night. Head coach Cam Frear — who also coaches the Stampede — says the boys are fizzing represent NZ on "home ice", noting a lot of them either still live in Dunedin, or have during their uni days. And having the ability for their families to be in the crowd is an added bonus. Frear says his charges are also hugely motivated by the Ice Fernz silver medal at the recent IIHF Women's Division 2 Group B world champs, also played in Dunedin — the Fernz came second to Australia, a team they lost to 4-3 in an overtime shoot-out last Saturday night. "They did a great job," he says. "To be so close to gold against an Australian team ... I think NZ, as an ice hockey community, should be super-proud of that. "It gives us inspiration to hopefully go and win this thing." The Ice Blacks will play an exhibition game in Dunedin tonight, ahead of their first game, on Sunday night. Frear says all games are a must-win to guarantee a gold medal, but notes their biggest competition's likely to come from Iceland, which was relegated last year. But, he reckons his side's got a good blend of youth and experience — it boasts four or five players who brought gold home from the under-20 world champs earlier this year, including Ruski-Jones, who'll be on debut for the senior men's national team. He got the call-up to replace fellow Stampede player Connor Harrison, who's been ruled out with injury, while fellow U20 player, Auckland's Markus MacDonald, was called in to replace Jackson Fontaine, also of Auckland, who's also pulled out due to injury. The Ice Blacks open their campaign in the IIHF Division 2 Group B world champs, being played at Dunedin Ice Stadium, on Sunday when they face Chinese Taipei. They'll then face Georgia on Monday, Thailand on Wednesday, Bulgaria on Friday and Iceland next Saturday. Puck drop for all games is 8pm — all will be livestreamed via Meantime, the Queenstown players, some of whom have personal sponsors, are also hugely grateful to all those who purchased raffle tickets to help fund their world championship campaign — in all, the raffle raised about $6800.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tesco reopens final former Shoprite store
The last of nine new Tesco stores has opened on the Isle of Man following the supermarket chain's takeover of Shoprite. The new Express store on Victoria Road replaces the Winerite Neighbourhood Food Store on the site. Area Manager Richard Frear said the takeover had seen a "herculean effort" across the firm, from hiring and training new staff to transporting equipment and stock. The latest opening completes the conversion of those supermarket sites into five superstores and four express stores over the past 12 months. In October 2023, Shoprite announced it had sold all of its stores to the retail giant after 50 years of trading. Mr Frear said the firm was "super proud to complete the journey" of opening all nine new stores, which had created about 120 new jobs. The supermarket chain now wanted to "continue to have a positive impact in the local community" through its Stronger Starts and food donation programmes, he said. As with the other eight stores, the latest official opening is coupled with a £1,000 donation to a Manx charity, with the latest to benefit being Cruse Bereavement. Mr Frear said while the firm already stocked the goods of 11 local suppliers, it hoped to increase the number on offer in the island's stores to "be Manx wherever we possibly can", he added. The rebranding of the nine former Shoprite stores began in Castletown with the chain's Arbory Street site, which reopened in February 2024. Along with the existing Tesco superstore on Lake Road, which opened in 2000, it means the retailer now has 10 shops on the island. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X. Tesco store opens on island after Shoprite takeover Tesco takeover to create 100 new jobs, bosses say Manx farmers 'alarmed' over Tesco Shoprite takeover Manx food producers fear impact of Tesco takeover Tesco purchases Manx supermarket chain Tesco
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Yahoo
Scammers prey on senior citizens, Windber police chief says
WINDBER, Pa. – Senior citizens are being warned of what is called 'grandparent scams' after an 89-year-old Windber grandmother was scammed out of $8,400, authorities said. Windber police Chief Andrew Frear told The Tribune-Democrat that seniors are being targeted by sophisticated fraudsters. 'This is going on daily, hourly,' Frear said. 'We've had multiple people fall for the scams.' In the most recently incident, an 89-year-old grandmother was phoned by who she thought was her grandson. The 'grandson' said he had been in a two-vehicle crash in Johnstown and needed $8,400 for cash bail. The woman withdrew the money from the bank and gave the cash to a man who came to the door. 'In essence the money is gone,' Frear said. 'There's not much chance of recovery.' One person has been arrested in the case and the investigation is continuing. Another woman withdrew money from the bank to buy Visa gift cards after being contacted by who she thought was Publishers Clearing House promising her $18 million and a new car. The woman sent the scammer the gift card numbers, he said. 'In these instances the people lost most of the money they had,' Frear said. Publishers Clearing House does not telephone prize winners. Seniors are often contacted via landline phones. Many seniors still rely heavily on landlines, making them an accessible target for fraudsters. They can fall prey to the 'grandparent' scam, those impersonating relatives and legitimate organizations such as the Social Security Administration, the IRS, Medicare, charities and financial institutions. Scammers speak with a sense urgency. Seniors are encouraged to hang up if the caller is pressuring them to act immediately. Residents need to talk with elderly family members about scam calls. They should also monitor parents' and grandparents' phone calls and use call blocking. Seniors receiving unwanted phone calls should hang up and call a family member or police. 'Call 911 and have the police come and talk to you,' Frear said. 'I just don't want to see people get scammed anymore.'
