Latest news with #Goulbourne
Hamilton Spectator
06-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Elmvale Farmers' Market prioritizing ‘made in Simcoe County'
If you're among the ever-growing number of folks who have opted to 'buy Canadian' in the face of the shifting global economy, you may want to consider adding a farmers' market to your regular shopping mix. The Elmvale Farmers' Market, set to start its 15th season on June 12, brings the concept of 'made in Canada' closer than most would imagine — virtually everything that's offered at the market is made in Simcoe County, including flowers, honey, fresh produce and a wide variety of handmade crafts. 'Most people have no idea of how many flowers and plants are imported to this country,' said Katie Goulbourne, owner of Bunker Hill Flower Farm, based in Tiny Township. 'I think it's fantastic that everything in the Elmvale Farmers' Market is local and I think it's making an impact on how people buy.' According to Goulbourne, who's committed to being a part of the market again this season, the 'buy Canadian' movement in the flower sector is almost as strong as it is in the food sector. She said she's noticed more and more brides looking for local flowers for their weddings and they've adopted the same attitude as those who got behind the '100-mile diet,' a philosophy that championed consuming products that were grown within a 100-mile radius ... or 160 kilometres. 'It's called the Slow Flower Movement and it shares the same belief as the slow food or 100-mile diet,' Goulbourne said. 'People are looking for products that are local, sustainable and seasonal.' Beamish Honey producer Kevin Beamish agreed and offered another reason why locally produced foods are gaining traction with consumers — they can get face-to-face with the person who made it. 'When you buy something that's imported, you don't really know where it came from or how it was made or, for that matter, who made it,' he said. 'When you buy local and deal with a local producer, you get to know them, know their product — how it's grown and cared for — and can deal with them one-on-one. 'I know it's important to me and I've seen an increase in its importance to others,' Beamish added. Henri Linde, of Valley Farm Market just outside of Elmvale, has been a vendor at the market since Day 1 and he's committed to being a part of it this season. He said the market has changed over the years, but the one constant is the personal relationships the market facilitates. 'The market gives us the opportunity to directly sell some of our produce and baking to the local community,' he said, adding he's growing crops specifically for the Elmvale market because folks have been asking for them. 'It's a great addition to our own farm market and a great way to promote our business to folks who can't come out to our farm,' Linde said. In an effort to increase the breadth of its offering and add value to the market and increase its appeal, market organizers are always looking to add new vendors. A booth at the market costs $300 for the season — June 12 to Sept. 18 — or $25 for a week and the vendor must live in Simcoe County. All fruits and vegetables must be produced, grown, and processed within Simcoe County or within a 100-kilometre radius of Elmvale and Springwater Township producers will be given priority. All food vendors (packaged, made on-site, produce, etc.) must follow the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit regulations and all arts and crafts items must be 100 per cent original and hand-produced. Last year, organizers moved the Farmers' Market to Thursday nights. This year, the hours are being tweaked, a move organizers hope will increase traffic. 'This year, we're moving to a brand-new time — Thursdays from 3 to 7 p.m.,' Crystal Graveson, president of the Elmvale Business Improvement Area, which organizes the Elmvale Farmers' Market, said in a news release announcing the launch of the farmers' market. 'We believe this change will provide more families and visitors with the chance to enjoy and experience all that our community has to offer.' According to Springwater Coun. Matt Garwood, who sits as the township representative on the Elmvale BIA, the market has become the village's social hub. 'Through countless conversations with local business owners, it's clear that the farmers' market plays a key role in attracting visitors to our downtown core and driving economic growth within Elmvale,' Garwood said in a news release. 'It serves as a lively gathering space for artisans, musicians and community groups.'
BBC News
24-03-2025
- BBC News
London firefighters in 'marauding terror attack' training
The Westminster terror attack of 22 March 2017 was one of three incidents in the past 10 years in London that have led to a greater emphasis on training for the capital's emergency services. This week, firefighters, police officers and paramedics have been taking part in an exercise in Colchester, Essex, test their ability to smoke billows from a car while a group of firefighters assess a group of "casualties".It looks very realistic but thankfully they are assessing mannequins and this is only a training exercise. It centres on what is known as a marauding terrorism attack (MTA). Such incidents are defined by factors such as the use of a bladed weapon, a vehicle as a weapon, fire, an improvised explosive device (IED) or a Fire Brigade (LFB) assistant commissioner Patrick Goulbourne says firefighters are always ready to respond to a terrorist attack. "People sometimes forget our work is more than just fighting fires," he says. "Our crews are trained to co-ordinate and carry out complex rescue operations and provide immediate emergency care." Firefighters are issued with special protective clothing for MTA incidents, including helmets and bulletproof Goulbourne says the brigade has been working on how it tackles MTAs since have been three such incidents in the capital since then, at Westminster Bridge, London Bridge and Fishmongers' Hall, and the brigade has also taken on recommendations from the Manchester Arena public inquiry. Incidents involving terrorism often start out as seemingly routine calls that then require the brigade to work fast to adapt to changing circumstances."It's really important that we have the training and equipment to allow us to respond effectively to this type of incident," says LFB group commander Shaun Coltress."It is incredibly important that we work with our blue-light partners... and that the brigade has learned from previous incidents and is better prepared." Mr Coltress adds: "Our staff are really motivated to help Londoners, but the brigade is always keen to learn from previous incidents."
CBS News
21-03-2025
- CBS News
London's Heathrow Airport closed Friday due to "significant power outage" from nearby fire
London's Heathrow Airport — one of the world's busiest — announced it was closed Friday because of a "significant power outage" from a nearby fire. "Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage," it said in a post on X . "To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until (11:59 p.m. Friday local time). Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport." Tracking services showed flights being diverted to London's Gatwick Airport, Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and Ireland's Shannon Airport. FlightRadar 24 said at least 1,350 flights into and out of Heathrow were affected, including several from the U.S. that were canceled. The impact was likely to last several days as passengers attempted to make alternate plans. Britain's National Rail service cancelled service to and from Heathrow for the day . The London Fire Brigade said 10 fire engines and around 70 firefighters were tackling the blaze at a substation near the airport in the west London town of Hayes. It started late Thursday night. "This will be a prolonged incident, with crews remaining on scene throughout the night," the brigade said. At about 8 a.m. local time, the brigade said it was "under control, but we will remain on scene throughout the day." The fire was "producing a significant amount of smoke. Please keep your windows and doors closed and avoid the area where possible," the brigade urged. The power outage was "affecting a large number of homes and local businesses, and we are working closely with our partners to minimise disruption," Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said in a statement in which he described the fire as "highly visible and significant." Goulbourne said firefighters had led 29 people to safety from nearby properties, and around 150 people evacuated. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks said in a post on X that the power outage affected more than 16,300 homes. It wasn't immediately known what sparked the flames but British energy minister Ed Miliband told LBC Radio there was no suggestion of foul play, the Reuters news service reported. The latest numbers from travel data provider OAG Aviation show Heathrow is the fifth busiest airport in the world. It is Britain's busiest. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
Fire-induced power outage shutters London's Heathrow Airport
March 21 (UPI) -- London's Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest in the world, closed on Friday due to a "significant power outage," it said. "To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March," it said in a statement early Friday. "Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and should contact their airline for further information. We apologize for the inconvenience." Air traffic monitor Flightradar24 reported that 120 aircraft were diverted to alternate airports. The closure, it said, would affect at least 1,351 flights. The airport, which serves more than 82 million people a year, was submerged in darkness early Friday due to a fire at an electrical substation that supplies the British transport hub. According to the London Fire Brigade, 10 fire engines and some 70 firefighters were dispatched to an electrical substation on Nestle Avenue in Hayes, a town in West London, where a fire had erupted late Thursday. "Good progress" fighting the blaze has been achieved, but the fire remained uncontained Friday morning, it said in a statement. The power outage not only affected the airport, but also a number of nearby homes and businesses, only some of which had regained power. A more-than-600-foot cordon was established near the substation, resulting in around 150 people being evacuated, the fire brigade said. Twenty-nine people were escorted from neighbouring properties by firefighters. Area residents are being advised to keep windows and doors closed "due to the significant amount of smoke," Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said. "This will be a prolonged incident, with crews remaining on scene throughout the night," Goulbourne said in a late Thursday statement. "As we head into the morning, disruption is expected to increase, and we urge people to avoid the area wherever possible. The cause of the fire was unknown. It was reported to the authorities at 11:23 p.m. local time.
USA Today
21-03-2025
- USA Today
Heathrow Airport in London closed after electrical substation fire cuts power
Heathrow Airport in London closed after electrical substation fire cuts power Show Caption Hide Caption Multiple recent US plane crashes investigated by NTSB The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating multiple deadly plane crashes, including ones in Alaska, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Fox - Seattle Heathrow Airport in London, one of the world's busiest airports, announced it will be closed Friday after a large fire at a nearby electrical substation caused a power outage. "Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage," Heathrow Airport said in a statement on X. "To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March." Travelers were warned to stay away from the airport and to contact their airline for further information. A Heathrow Airport spokesperson told USA TODAY that fire crews responded to the incident but there is no clarity on when power may be reliably restored. The spokesperson added that the airport expects significant disruption over the coming days. "We will provide an update when more information on the resumption of operations is available," Heathrow said in a statement. "We know this will be disappointing for passengers and we want to reassure that we are working as hard as possible to resolve the situation." 'Power outage affecting a large number of homes and local businesses' London Fire Brigade said a transformer within an electrical substation in Hayes in west London was alight. Fire crews responded to the scene at about 11:23 p.m. local time on Thursday and are working to extinguish the fire through the night. By 4:08 a.m. local time Friday, the London Fire Brigade said half of the transformer remained alight. Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters were responding to the incident. Videos shared on social media showed orange flames and smoke rising into the sky. About 150 people near the fire have been evacuated and authorities have set up a 200-meter cordon as a precaution, Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said in the statement. Goulbourne added that firefighters have already led 29 people to safety from nearby properties and control officers have handled over 200 calls. Goulbourne advised residents to keep their windows and doors closed due to the "significant amount of smoke." The cause of the fire was not immediately known. "The fire has caused a power outage affecting a large number of homes and local businesses, and we are working closely with our partners to minimize disruption," Goulbourne said. "This will be a prolonged incident, with crews remaining on scene throughout the night. As we head into the morning, disruption is expected to increase, and we urge people to avoid the area wherever possible." Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, a utility company, said on its website that emergency personnel were responding to a fire at the North Hyde substation and that the site had been evacuated. According to the company's power outage tracker, the unplanned outage affected more than 16,000 homes. Heathrow Airport closure causes massive travel disruption Eurocontrol, which manages air traffic control operations across Europe, said on its operations website that no arrivals were allowed at Heathrow due to the power outage and that diversion plans for flights were in place. Heathrow is one of the busiest two-runway airports in the world with about 1,300 combined take-offs and landings a day, according to its website. "Heathrow is one of the major hubs of the world," Ian Petchenik, a spokesperson for flight tracking website FlightRadar24, told Reuters. "This is going to disrupt airlines' operations around the world." According to FlightRadar24, scores of flights were already being diverted to other airports, such as Qantas Airways sending its flight from Perth to Paris and a United Airlines New York flight heading to Shannon, Ireland. Some flights from the U.S. were turning around mid-air and returning to their point of departure. FlightRadar24 also reported that at least 120 flights bound for Heathrow had to be diverted to other airports when the closure was announced. Contributing: Reuters (This story was updated to add new information.)
