Latest news with #Hodson
Scoop
2 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Spark sells majority stake in data centre arm
In this newsletter: Spark sells 75 percent of data centre business Motorola releases range of satellite ready handsets RCG wins social impact award One NZ climate goals get international backing Pacific Equity Partners takes majority data centre stake Australian private equity firm Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) has purchased 75 percent of Spark's data centre business. The transaction is made up of $486 million in cash and an additional $98 million if the business meets performance targets by the end of 2027. Spark says it will use the money to pay down debt. The deal values Spark's data centre business at around $700 million. Spark CEO, Jolie Hodson, says, 'Through this partnership we will realise value for our data centre assets in the short term, while also continuing to participate in the growing market through our 25% retained stake – creating further value for our shareholders over the long term.' Standalone data centre business Hodson says Spark's data centre assets and operations will be moved into a new standalone business. Its working title is DC Co. The new firm will have its own board, management team and finance. Private equity firms like PEP rarely hold on to assets long-term. Which suggests it could prepare the business for a future trade sale. For now, DC Co has 11 data centre sites across New Zealand and 23MW of capacity. There are advanced plans for a new development at Dairy Flat on Auckland's North Shore and extensions at the company's Takanini site in South Auckland. New Zealand data centre projects On paper there is a wave of investment in new data centres in New Zealand although some projects appear stalled. AWS formerly promised it would open a major data centre in 2024. It has yet to deliver and there are reports work at the site has halted. Meanwhile DataGrid's planned $2 billion investment in a Southland site along with a new submarine cable is still waiting for its resource consent. For Spark, the deal is an opportunity to reduce the company's $2.7 billion telcos like Spark have struggled to remain profitable in the last two decades. Digital services mean the lucrative parts of the business are hollowed out as customers switch to cheaper alternatives. Meanwhile, regulatory and government pressure to make telecommunications more competitive mean lower margins in mobile and broadband. When Spark first announced it was looking for a data centre partner in February, Spark chair Justine Smyth warned: 'The scale and pace of deterioration in trading conditions we have experienced over the last year has been substantial'. Motorola introduces mobiles with One NZ satellite support motorola edge 60 fusion. One NZ has begun selling four new Motorola mobile phones. All models are 4G and 5G compatible and can work with One's direct to mobile satellite service. The top of the line motorola razr 60 is a $1400 flip phone. Also new this week are Motorola's $800 edge 60 fusion and the $1300 edge 60 pro. The company bills it $430 moto g56 5G as a 'no fuss, durable phone'. Also on sale at One NZ is the $226 moto g05. In 2016 the Motorola brand was picked up by Chinese computer maker Lenovo. Until last year the brand has been invisible in New Zealand although it was once a popular brand with models such as the moto x. One of the features that stands out is the phone's te reo Māori functionality and a fully localised te reo user interface. In other news... Vital presses remaining shareholders to back Tait Communications takeover — BusinessDesk (behind paywall) Finish line in sight for $770M rural connectivity programme — Reseller News Fifa World Cup rights could help TVNZ achieve pay-TV goal — The Post Australian court rules Apple and Google app stores are uncompetitive — Australian Financial Review The end of the line for AOL's dial-up internet service — The Guardian RCG's Ian Hooker, CEO, Steven Waters, Allison Bailie and Caitlin Metz with the Social Impact Award. RCG wins infrastructure social impact award The Rural Connectivity Group won Infrastructure New Zealand's 2025 Social Impact Award. The network-builder earned the award for its work bridging the urban-rural digital divide. Set up by Vodafone (now One NZ), Spark and 2degrees as a joint venture, the RCG has built 563 new mobile towers in rural areas and along regional highways. Its work even extends to the Chatham Islands. The RCG has connected 33,000 homes to modern communications technologies including broadband. In many cases users have a choice of service provider. One NZ climate targets gain global validation Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has verified One NZ's greenhouse gas reduction targets. The SBTi confirms the company's approach aligns with the 1.5°C warming pathway under the Paris Agreement. One is the first New Zealand telco to commit to absolute near-term cuts for Scope 3 emissions. The company says it cut combined Scope 1, 2 and selected Scope 3 emissions by 64 percent in the 2025 financial year. This include a 94 percent drop in electricity-related emissions after switching to renewable electricity. It says AI-powered network optimisation saved 16 gigawatt hours of electricity. One NZ's targets include cutting Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% percent and Scope 3 emissions by 42 percent by 2030. It aims to moving to 100 percent renewable electricity use over the same period. Five years ago: N4L checks school networks before exams New Zealand's NCEA exams moved online as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic and Network for Learning offered to help schools check their internet connections were up to the task. Auckland was in lockdown which meant another data traffic peak on the Chorus network. One year ago: ComCom report charts Starlink impact The Commerce Commission's 2024 Monitoring Report focused on the profound impact SpaceX's Starlink satellite broadband network had on rural communications. Share Download Weekly — Feel free to pass this email on to your colleagues. Have your say. If you're a subscriber, you can comment on any newsletter or story on the website. Just scroll to the bottom of the page. Reader emails are also welcome. The Download Weekly is supported by Chorus New Zealand. Spark sells majority stake in data centre arm was first posted at
Otago Daily Times
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Wānaka win as Plimmer scores two on the road
Photo: file Alex Plimmer came off the bench to score twice and propel Wānaka to a win on the road. It took them to a 2-1 victory over Universites of Canterbury at English Park, in the men's Southern Football League on Saturday. Plimmer gave Wānaka a 42nd-minute lead when they played the ball out from their penalty box. A long ball forward saw Wānaka press the home team — forcing a turnover with Plimmer collecting the loose ball on the edge of the box. He took one touch and gave keeper Matthew Aitchison no chance. Wānaka nearly doubled their lead just after the hour mark, when Ed Belingher broke free in his own half and collected Plimmer's return pass with his shot striking the post. It was 2-0 a couple of minutes later when Ben Sippola showed some tidy footwork to beat six players as he dribbled into the box. He was finally tackled, but the ball fell kindly to Plimmer, who rifled his shot home from 12 yards out. UC pulled one back with eight minutes to go through Ashton Lay, but Wānaka held on to claim three points and the double over UC. It was the only game involving a southern team on Saturday as fog at Dunedin Airport prevented teams from flying to their games. That impacted both the men's and women's Dunedin City Royals teams, as well as the Roslyn Wakari women's team. Yesterday's women's Southern League game between Otago University and Cashmere Technical was also postponed due to a flight cancellation. Christchurch United remain in top spot of the men's league, thanks to Travis Graham's injury time goal in the 92nd minute to secure a 1-1 draw with Nomads. Cashmere Tech moved into third spot with a routine 6-0 victory over Selwyn and Ferrymead Bays are fourth thanks to goalkeeper Evan Ovendale's late penalty save after Liam Stanton's 54th minute goal in a close 1-0 win over Nelson Suburbs. In the men's Southern Premiership, Northern completed the first round with 100% record after a closely-fought 2-1 victory over their nearest challengers University. Northern's strike force of Rory Hibbert and Toby Orchiston were combining well, as were the students pairing of Ashton Hodson and Simba Muwunganirwa, testing the keepers with some early shots. The game burst into life in the 42nd minute, and Hodson finished on a diving header a few minutes later to finish past Eli Urwin — his third attempt after Urwin had denied Hodson twice. However, with time up on the clock a slip in the University defence left space for the ball to be played across the Orchiston. He tapped in from close range to make it 1-1 at halftime. The second half was a tight affair, before the game burst into life again late in the half. Urwin reacted well to deny University the lead in the 86th minute, before Hibbert finished at the other end a minute later, allowing Northern to escape with the win. Mosgiel moved into second with a 5-2 comeback win over Northern Hearts, while Roslyn Wakari beat Old Boys 4-2 at Ellis Park, also coming from behind. The Dunedin City Royals were too strong for Green Island in a 4-0 win. By Neville Watson
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Remembering David Hodson: Knoxville veteran who led 150 Marines to Iraq and back dies at 76
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The top sergeant who took 150 Marines from Delta Company in Knoxville to Iraq in 1990 has passed away. Retired Sergeant Major David Hodson spoke with 6 News three years ago for Veterans Voices. Hodson lived the US Marine Corps motto, Semper Fidelis, all his adult life. After 26 years, he retired from the Marine Reserves as a sergeant major, the highest non-commissioned officer rank. He joined the US Marines out of high school in 1968 and served two tours in Vietnam. Laurel County sheriff gives list of locations providing resources for tornado victims Assigned to the 1st Marine Division in his first tour, the regiment saw combat. Three Hodson brothers served in the Marines. David returned to Vietnam for a second tour. He was told not to wear his Marine uniform home in 1970, at the height of the anti-war movement. He wore it anyway. Hodson remained in the Marine Corps Reserve and served in another war: Desert Storm. The headline in December 1990 said, 'Knox Marine reservists ship out for training, await Mideast call' – it caught everyone's attention. Then, First Sgt. Hodson assembled his 150 Marines from Company D, 4th Combat Engineers in Knoxville and made a vow. 'I said, if you will pray every single day for us. I said I will promise you, we will go before our lord every single day. And I know if we do that, we will come back home together,' Hodson told Dare in 2022. 4-year-old rescued after standoff in Sevier County, SCSO said Keeping his word, Company D cut a chapel in the Iraqi sand, and unit preachers led the services. 'Even during the war, we took 15 minutes out. We knew that was the time to ask God to protect us. He did. He sure did; he brought us back home,' said Hodson. Every member of Company D returned to East Tennessee in late spring 1991. 'It was the greatest welcome I ever had. I'll go to my grave thanking everybody for taking the time to come out and welcome me home that day,' said Hodson. His family and the Marine family mourn his passing. Hodson was 76 years old. Services for Hodson were conducted at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery last week. Veterans Voices: Hear the stories of those who served Before he passed away from brain cancer, some of Hodson's former Marine buddies came from across the country to say 'Thank you,' and told him they loved him. Many colleagues from the Knox County courthouse also visited him, who had most recently been a court bailiff. He is survived by his wife, Brenda, two children, seven grandchildren, her brother, and his sisters. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
18-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
Trump's wine tariffs spark panic — but Virginia sees opportunity
President Trump's tariffs are seeding panic and uncertainty in the wine world, but in Virginia, some makers see the glass half-full. Why it matters: Virginia wine has long fought for space at the table alongside more established regions in Europe and the U.S. — and with tariff disruptions, some are seizing a chance to edge in. The big picture: The wine industry went uncorked when Trump emptily threatened 200% tariffs on European imports, which some called a " financial death sentence" for many in the industry. But even with the current 10% tariff on foreign wines — and potentially raised fees after Trump's 90-day grace period — experts predict higher prices and narrower choices as winemakers pull out of the U.S. Plus, big-export domestic regions like California could be strained by retaliatory tariffs or bans from Canada, China and beyond. State of play: "Uncertain" is the word du jour, especially since it's early. "Where we are in our industry is bated curiosity mixed with fear, and trying to figure out an opportunity," George Hodson, president of the Virginia Wineries Association, tells Axios. Hodson, who owns Veritas Vineyard & Winery in Afton, is spearheading a "tariff response team" among the state's 300-odd vineyards. He likens it to a "unifying moment" in the COVID pandemic, when wineries came together, shared information and got creative with sales. Their plan now: Push Virginia wine to distributors, restaurants and everyday sippers at a time when other regions are pulling back, unavailable or more expensive. What they're saying: "In Sonoma, the whole restaurant industry and consumers are about Sonoma wine. We have yet to have that buy-in, and we're going to try and leverage the moment," says Hodson. "We want to get people to see Virginia wine country as their wine country." Zoom in: The group is in the process of creating resources and events — everything from cards diners can leave at restaurants asking for Virginia wines to trade tastings, like one coming to D.C. next month with 30 producers. Hodson says they're targeting distributors and restaurants looking for substitutes for European bottles, noting his region's evolution and progress. "Some people checked in 15 years ago and haven't checked back." The intrigue: Virginia is known for Bordeaux-style grapes, thanks in part to its parallel climate and oenophile Thomas Jefferson, an early cultivator who planted vines at Monticello and staked out Virginia as " the birthplace of American wine." "We're much more French than California," says Hodson, "more Old World than New World. We're a more relevant substitution for a Burgundian red than a Napa cab." Reality check: Sliding into France's seat isn't that easy. Virginia winemakers worry tariffs will raise their production costs, and Virginia's problem is that the wine has always been expensive. Especially compared to places where viticulture is government-subsidized, like Argentina (hence your $10 Malbecs). Land here is pricey and not overly abundant, plus the weather is finicky, so farming costs are higher to grow and protect grapes. "I can't tell you how many times I bring my rosé to a D.C. restaurant, and they're looking for a $6 to $7 bottle. You can't even get that by the glass in the United States," says Kirk Wiles, CEO of Paradise Springs Winery, a bicoastal operation in Clifton, Virginia, and Santa Barbara, California. Between the vines: Wiles says the hands-on approach of Virginia wineries — no mechanical harvesting — leads to higher quality but also higher prices. And that's made the wholesale and restaurant business tough, especially when the market is flooded with cheap imports that line distributors' pockets. "We need more distributors to believe in Virginia wine so we can get to that next level," Wiles tells Axios. He says visitors to his California winery will taste his Virginia wine and love it but then can't find it. "As that bottom shelf starts to come up, Virginia wine looks more attractive." The other side: Not all winemakers are optimistic. Jim Law of Linden Vineyards, often called "the godfather" of Virginia wine, tells Axios: "We're going to have to hunker down. The key here is the uncertainty — nobody knows the impact, including the man who's making it all happen." Law says three crucial production elements could be impacted by tariffs: custom French oak barrels, European-made corks — derived from trees that don't grow in the U.S. — and Chilean glass bottles, which are both "environmentally friendly and stylish." Each element is meticulously sourced in the art of Law's winemaking, and either won't or can't be substituted. "We just don't know what the final invoices will look like," says Law. Like other Virginia winemakers, Law is well-stocked and heading into bottling season. Price hikes won't impact this round. But he sees no cause to celebrate in the tight-knit ecosystem of winemaking.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Drug dealer caught by mobile phone records jailed
A drug dealer has been jailed for eight years after mobile phone records showed he was involved in a drugs line which supplied crack cocaine and heroin valued at about £82,000. Police searched the Sheffield home of 25-year-old Brandon Hodson in March 2024 and found drugs paraphernalia and a mobile phone. Analysis of his calls showed he had been involved in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin for almost a year, a court heard. Hodson, of Blackstock Road, was jailed at Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to a charge of being concerned with the supply of crack cocaine and heroin. South Yorkshire Police said analysis of mobile phone records revealed Hodson was involved in a drugs line from April 2023 until March 2024, days before his arrest on 12 March. He was charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin, holding a person in slavery or solitude and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence. Hodson was found not guilty of holding a person in slavery or solitude and possession of a firearm. The police said an application would be made under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover the money Hodson made from the drugs line. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North HM Courts and Tribunals Service South Yorkshire Police
