Latest news with #Gibbons
Daily Mirror
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
New Liverpool parade images raise questions as cop 'couldn't believe' his eyes
Attendees of Liverpool FC's Premier League victory parade reported chaotic scenes along the 15km route, with vehicles - including heavy goods lorries - sharing roads with dense crowds Concerns are mounting over the organisation of Liverpool FC's Premier League victory parade after a car ploughed into crowds on Water Street, injuring 79 people - including children as young as nine. Roughly one million fans had gathered for the celebration on May 26, and questions are now being asked about various organisational elements beyond the Water Street incident. Attendees reported chaotic scenes along the 15km route, with vehicles - including heavy goods lorries - sharing roads with dense crowds. One father, attending with his five-year-old son, captured images of large vehicles navigating Queens Drive just 20 minutes before the team bus arrived, with children clearly visible in the road. The dad said: "Looking at it now after what had happened, how on earth is a lorry allowed to drive through hundreds of people lined on both sides of the road?" A former Merseyside Police officer was equally concerned about Queens Drive staying open as he joined the parade close to the Jolly Miller pub with his children. He told Liverpool Echo: "As soon as we got to the Jolly Miller I could see that they had closed the inbound carriageway, where the parade bus would come through, but they hadn't closed the other side. "This meant that lots of vehicles, including dozens of Heavy Goods Vehicles, were trying to get along the road among loads of people, who were basically penned in because of how big the crowds were. There were lots of us asking what was going on, why were these vehicles being allowed through when there were so many people in the road? It instilled a bit of fear and anxiety. I couldn't believe they were still allowing traffic through that area." Calls are growing louder for answers about traffic management and crowd safety - and how the celebration ended in disaster. Cllr Alan Gibbons, who leads the Liverpool Community Independents Group, submitted a Right to Know request to Liverpool City Council requesting "urgent clarification and accountability" over safety and planning for the event. In an email to council chief executive Andrew Lewis, Cllr Gibbons said: "It is important to know whether sufficient measures were undertaken to protect the public. Based on footage circulating on social media and mainstream news outlets, a number of critical questions arise surrounding the circumstances of the incident, the preparedness of the authorities, and the overall safeguarding of the public." Clir Gibbons raised several questions about incident details and response, and whether lessons were learned from past events. He specifically asked about risk assessments, identification of vehicle-borne threats, and measures taken to prevent unauthorised vehicle access to parade routes. He added in his email: "Why does footage appear to show no visible police presence in the vicinity at the time of the vehicle entering the area? What was the contingency plan in the event of a vehicle breach, and how was it communicated to officers and stewards on duty?" Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Carl Cashman has also called for a judge-led full independent inquiry into the parade. Speaking about the safety measures taken ahead of the event, Merseyside Police's Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said: "In the lead up to this event we have been working closely with event organisers and a robust traffic management plan was put in place for the parade which included a number of road closures throughout the route and the city centre." Paul Doyle, 53, from Liverpool, appeared in court on Friday charged with various offences connected with the parade crash incident. He was remanded in custody to appear in court next for a plea hearing on August 14.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
ZZ Top's Frank Beard Returns to Band Following Health-Inspired Leave of Absence
ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard has announced his return to the band, more than two months after unspecified 'health issues' necessitated a leave of absence. Beard's return was announced via a statement from the group's management, noting that the drummer will return to his rightful place behind the kit this weekend, and will 'see the tour through to its completion in October.' More from Billboard The Amity Affliction Cover Turnstile's 'Holiday' for 'Like a Version' Mariah Carey Celebrates 20 Years of 'The Emancipation of Mimi': Stream It Now Miley Cyrus' New Album 'Something Beautiful' This Way Comes: Stream It Now 'We're happy that Frank is back with Elwood [Francis, bassist] and yours truly, BFG,' vocalist and guitarist Billy Gibbons explained. 'We missed him and are looking forward to turning it up and rocking out with him as has been the case for the last few hundred or so decades. His complete recovery is cause for celebration and that's just what we intend to do on an open-ended basis. Welcome back, pardner!' Beard himself was far more concise, simply telling fans, 'It's good to be back. See you out there.' The 75-year-old drummer's leave of absence was announced on March 15, with a social media post from the group explaining that Beard had 'temporarily stepped away from the current tour to attend a health issue requiring his focus in the near term.' During Beard's time away from the band, 'longtime tech member, percussionist and drummer' John Douglas stepped in. Douglas had previously served as Beard's replacement during a Paris performance in October 2002 when he underwent an emergency appendectomy. Though no specifics were revealed at the time, ZZ Top's recent statement has detailed that Beard was suffering from foot and ankle issues which have since been resolved. ZZ Top are set to return to the stage on Saturday (June 1) to resume the North American leg of their ongoing Elevation tour, which currently features 51 dates between June and October. Beard has been the drummer of ZZ Top since 1969, when he took over from co-founder Dan Mitchell. Alongside Gibbons, Mitchell and bassist Lanier Greig had founded the band that same year. Following Grieg's replacement by Billy Ethridge, Dusty Hill assumed the role of bassist in 1970, with their lineup remaining unchanged for 51 years until Hill's death at 72 in 2021. Elwood Francis has since served as the group's bassist. The group have not released a studio album since 2012's La Futura, though Gibbons has claimed a new record featuring contributions from the late Hill is in the works. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Hamilton Spectator
20-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Ontarians urge Ford government to scrap US nuclear deal for Canadian renewable energy
A new province-wide poll shows 80 per cent of Ontarians want the Ford government to cancel a major US nuclear deal in favour of Canadian renewable energy alternatives. Ford signed contracts in 2021 with US-based GE Hitachi for small modular reactors (SMRs) at the Darlington site and for enriched uranium imports — as the province moves ahead with its $20.9 billion plan to build four of the first SMRs in Canada. The first reactor is scheduled to be completed by 2029 and connected to the grid by 2030, supplying power to approximately 300,000 homes. The province says the project, once complete, will deliver 1,200 megawatts — enough electricity for 1.2 million homes. Despite the scale of the investment, it remains unclear how much of the $20.9 billion will go to GE Hitachi or other US-based suppliers. According to Ontario Power Generation (OPG), GE Hitachi is the technology developer for the Darlington SMRs — responsible for the design, procurement of major components, and engineering support for the project. Earlier this year, in response to new US tariffs, Ontario barred American firms from its electricity procurement process, urging utilities to 'buy Canadian' and seek domestic alternatives. The poll of 1,200 Ontarians, conducted by Oraclepoll Research for the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, found overwhelming support for clean energy alternatives: 88 per cent support expanding the grid to import water, wind, and solar from Quebec, Manitoba and the Maritimes; 70 per cent prefer wind and solar over US nuclear technology; 66 per cent back offshore wind projects in the Great Lakes; and 72 per cent support zero-interest utility programs for heat pumps to reduce gas use. Ontario Energy Minister Stephen Lecce defended the SMR project, calling it a 'nation-building' initiative. It will create 18,000 Canadian jobs, inject $500 million annually into the economy, and 80 per cent of project spending will remain in Ontario, he added. The construction 'will be led by Canadian workers using Canadian steel, concrete and materials to help deliver the extraordinary amount of reliable and clean power we will need to deliver on our ambitious plan to protect Ontario and unleash our economy,' Lecce said in a news release . But Jack Gibbons, chair of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, says the project increases Ontario's dependence on foreign suppliers at a time when trade tensions with the US are escalating. According to the alliance, the new reactors will rely on enriched uranium Canada cannot produce due to international non-proliferation agreements — meaning the fuel must be imported from the United States. 'It just doesn't make sense to build new, high-cost US nuclear reactors that will drive up our electricity bills, increase our dependence on the United States, and jeopardize our national security,' Gibbons said. 'We have safer and much cheaper alternatives: wind and solar combined with storage and stronger east-west energy cooperation.' Gibbons told Canada's National Observer the timing of this nuclear investment is particularly concerning, as Ontario is urging utilities to cut reliance on American suppliers. 'This is exactly the time for Ontario to look for alternative, clean-energy sources within Canada,' he said. In an emailed response to concerns raised by the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, OPG said building wind, solar, and battery storage to match the Darlington new nuclear project's power output would be more expensive. OPG also said the renewable alternative would require far more land, new transmission lines and face supply chain risks, according to an analysis by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO). In contrast, the power company says the Darlington plan uses existing infrastructure, carries fewer risks, and is in a strategic location. Based on these findings, the IESO recommended going ahead with the project. The agency said the project is overwhelmingly Ontario-made. While the reactor design originates in the US, OPG says 80 per cent of the project's sourcing is from Ontario, with only five per cent coming from US suppliers. On the issue of fuel supply, the utility says it has established a diversified supply chain to minimize risks. Gibbons called on Premier Ford to collaborate with Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has pledged to make Canada a global clean-energy leader. According to the IESO, demand in Ontario is expected to rise 75 per cent by 2050. A recent report by the Ontario Clean Air Alliance estimates that electricity from new nuclear power would cost 3.6 times more than onshore wind, three times more than solar, and 1.7 times more than offshore wind. The alliance report also highlights Ontario's untapped renewable potential — especially wind energy from the Great Lakes, which could supply more than enough clean electricity to meet future demand.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FAMU's next president could get a salary of up to $750,000, per search committee's range
Florida A&M University's next leader could be looking at a total salary of over half a million dollars once they become the 13th FAMU president. A salary proposal ranging from $600,000 to $750,000 – which would include a base salary and other incentives – was approved by FAMU's presidential search committee during a virtual meeting May 13. But a high-end salary recommendation ranging from nearly $900,000 to over a million dollars was initially suggested by the university's hired search firm Myers McRae, which garnered the full support of some committee members – including Florida Board of Governors Vice Chair Alan Levine and FAMU Board of Trustees Vice Chair Deveron Gibbons. At the same time, the approval came after much discussion with some saying the university does not have enough funds to afford the salary range, which exceeds former President Larry Robinson's total salary of $591,669 before resigning last year. "We need to look at the numbers and look at where we are today,' FAMU alumnus and Tallahassee Urban League president and CEO Curtis Taylor said during the May 13 meeting. 'We simply do not have the funding to do this.' The salary range was approved by the committee to assist the Board of Trustees when they formulate a compensation package for their chosen presidential finalist. The final candidates in FAMU's presidential search are University of Maryland Eastern Shore Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Rondall Allen, University of Central Florida Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance Gerald Hector, Charter Communications' Group Vice President of State Government Affairs Marva Johnson and FAMU's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Donald Palm. While Allen and Hector asked for salaries ranging from $400,000 to $450,000 in their presidential applications, Palm indicated being negotiable. But Johnson, an ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis who has drawn criticism from many in the university community, requested a salary of $750,000 if she gets the job. A protest of Johnson's candidacy is scheduled at the Will Packer Amphitheater on May 13, which is timed to occur after her interview with the Board of Trustees. There has been broad speculation about premature salary negotiations and that Gibbons insisted on adding Johnson to what was initially a list of three final candidates committee members voted on during closed sessions. Other committee members who vocally supported the suggestion of having a high-end presidential salary besides Levine and Gibbons were FAMU trustee and Faculty Senate President Jamal Brown, FAMU trustee John Crossman and Raphael Vazquez, owner and operator of J.V. & Sons, Inc. 'Generally speaking, HBCU (historically Black college and university) presidents are paid less, and I don't subscribe to continuing that trend,' Levine said. 'I think if we want a great president, we should compare to other great institutions and not continue the pattern. The president of FAMU ought to be compensated in a manner that is requisite to the hard job and should not be treated differently because it's an HBCU." But FAMU alumna and former ABC News President Kim Godwin said while HBCU presidents make less, it's important to consider that HBCUs are widely underfunded compared to other state universities. 'We should not forget how we got here,' Godwin said. 'We're touting us as the number one public HBCU, which we are, and the number 81 university in the country. Well, that was done with a president who made $450,000 and understood exactly what we needed to do and considered it a very fair salary.' According to the search firm's executive summary of presidential compensations, market trends show that university presidents in Florida who earn an average total salary of about $557,834 fall under the 25th percentile while $899,644 falls under the 50th percentile and $1,090,561 falls under the 75th percentile. In addition, the market trends analysis revealed that Florida universities are compensating their presidents 'above HBCUs and comparative R2 institutions,' which are schools with Carnegie classification of High Research Activity. The search firm made its recommendation in efforts of having FAMU's president salary fall between the 50th and 75th percentile, taking into consideration the university's longtime goal of reaching a Carnegie R1 classification (Very High Research Activity) by 2030 from its R2 spot. 'Simply said, an effective compensation strategy for university presidents is crucial in attracting top talent while ensuring fiscal responsibility,' Myers McRae's Chief Operating Officer Joseph Barry Hasenkopf said during the meeting. 'We probably could get a candidate under that 50th percentile for the total remuneration, but is that going to sustain that candidate once they start growing and making a difference? If they're good, other institutions are obviously going to look at that.' While the state contributes a compensation amount of $250,000 to the total salary of its university presidents, according to Levine, it is up to the universities to come up with the rest of the money for their institution leader. FAMU Foundation Board Chair Lisa LaBoo explained how the university's Foundation – which also contributes to the president's salary – began helping to fund a new athletics coach's compensation not too long ago, as well as two other positions that were recently authorized by the board. 'With that being said, that's a lot,' LaBoo said, referring to an increased presidential salary. While the $600,000 to $750,000 salary range was being discussed, Jeuanne Pitter – an assistant professor at FAMU's School of Nursing – said the recommendation was 'questionable' when considering that none of the finalists have prior experience of serving as a university president. Also, Robinson's last salary figure of about $591,000 came after his seven-year tenure in the role, which included pay increases along the way. 'This would be their first presidency, so they're unproven in this arena,' Godwin said, referring to the presidential search finalists. Following campus visits taking place this week for the campus community and others to engage with the finalists, the university's trustees will meet May 16 and will discuss the presidential range of compensation. They will also vote to select a sole finalist for president, with their selection being subject to an interview and confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors. Tarah Jean is a reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at tjean@ Follow her on X: @tarahjean_. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: New Florida A&M president could make $750,000, search committee rules
RTÉ News
07-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Enterprise Ireland invested €27.6m in 157 start-ups in 2024
Enterprise Ireland invested €27.6m in start-ups last year, up 15% compared to the amount invested in 2023. The money was spread across 157 companies - one more than in the previous year. Enterprise Ireland said 63 of the companies it invested in are based outside of Dublin, 45 are women-led, while 25 were spun out of third level institutions. There was also a mix in terms of the start-up stage of the companies in question. "Those start-ups are a mixture of pre-seed start-ups, early stage - up to €100,000 invested by Enterprise Ireland," said Carol Gibbons, Enterprise Ireland spokesperson for entrepreneurship. "Over 90 of them are our high-potential start-ups, these are the innovative start-ups gaining in global markets. Among the areas that the 'Class of 2024' start-ups focused on were areas like food and nutrition, as well as sustainability and the circular economy/ However artificial intelligence was one of the most significant trends in the year. "Aideen Bodkin's company - StyleAI - for example, which is a company that is bringing more revenue back to the retail market - particularly for apparel," said Ms Gibbons. "Also Nexus AI - that's a company that looks at an AI-technology platform which is scientifically backed and based, and it's to do with nutrition and performance for athletes in particular. "That company is incredibly successful... last week they announced a contract with the IRFU for existing players and pathway players. And we expect to see more announcements from them." Global investment in AI has risen considerably in recent years, with start-ups and major companies all trying to gain an edge in the space. That has made it fast-moving and extremely competitive, despite the uses cases for some of the technology still being unclear. But Ms Gibbons said Ireland is well-placed for these new ideas to grow. "We've seen a lot of investment into start-ups over the last number of years and we're looking at those companies that can be competitive internationally," she said. "When we look at our new strategy, we want to create 1,000 new start-ups by 2029 - those companies need to be internationally-focused and have that ambition." Enterprise Ireland aims to help Irish companies to grow internationally, however the global trade environment has changed dramatically in recent weeks - meaning the prospects facing these companies today are very different to the ones that existed when the investments were made. Ms Gibbons said its advice to companies has been to focus on what they can control. "We're doubling down on our efforts, we've stood up a new team in terms of trade and tariffs, we're working one-to-one with our companies in-market," she said. "We've seven US offices, we've 34 staff on the ground - and what we say to companies is to see what's in your control. "Look at your contracts, look at the detail within those contracts. Talk to your clients, talk to your customers, and in particular look at your supply chain. Every single aspect of your supply chain; look at it and know where it's coming from."
