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Otago Daily Times
10-07-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Radar survey helping to detect unmarked graves
The results from a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey of Cromwell Cemetery have revealed the potential sites of unmarked graves. The survey conducted by Southern Geophysical in May for the Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust used the radar to scan and mark out potential sites to protect them from future repair works to the cemetery and to ensure they got the respect they deserved. Southern Geophysical geophysicist Jack Fleming said the survey did not say with certainty if there were unmarked burials, but was based on GPR signature sites of potential interest for archaeologists. Four sites were marked as likely to be an unmarked burial and 27 were marked as possible unmarked burials. "We'll locate what we believe is relevant, and an archaeologist will also look at it and determine what they think is relevant, and hopefully by the end of everybody getting their data sets together, we can come up with a comprehensive story." Archaeologist Sarah Dugdale is helping to piece together the puzzle of what lies underneath the sites of interest. Ms Dugdale is in the process of writing a report to summarise what they found with the GPR and what it is likely to indicate. The report would be presented to the community, who would discuss further action, she said. In the GPR survey report, likely burial sites and possible burial sites were detected with the suggestion both were treated as if they were graves. "If there's a graveyard and we know that there were quite a few people buried in that part of the cemetery, ... a lot of them would have been unrecorded and pauper," Ms Dugdale said. The difference between likely burial sites and possible burial sites could be put down to the fact the possible burial sites were atypical. "Potentially they're a little bit smaller or a little bit not as deep," she said. Friends of Cromwell Cemetery member Katie Seymour said the GPR survey meant the group could now protect and give the burial sites the respect they deserved. With the new discovery it was hoped a fence could be installed around the burials to protect them from being driven over as well as a monument commemorating the miners and paupers buried in the unmarked sites.
Boston Globe
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
With 2026 Boston Marathon registration opening in September, a major qualifying rule change is coming for 2027
Qualifiers from races featuring 1,500 feet to 2,999 feet of net-downhill elevation change will effectively have five minutes added to their times, while qualifiers from races with from 3,000 to 6,000 feet of net downhill will have 10 minutes added to their times. Advertisement The change comes as the BAA tries to meet ever-increasing demand into the world's oldest marathon, 'We looked at the data over four years, not just a snapshot,' BAA CEO Jack Fleming told the Globe. 'The data analysis told us that there was an advantage for runners who were using the downhill races in terms of their overall performance, and specifically when it came to achieving the qualifying standards for the Boston Marathon.' Advertisement But as demand hits unprecedented highs in the post-COVID running boom, Implementing the new time indexes for 2027, Fleming said, seeks to give runners plenty of time to adjust. 'We wanted to give runners ample, long lead time,' Fleming said. 'We know that runners, marathoners, look way out into the distance — figuratively and literally, I guess — and make their schedules. They think about their schedules, not just from one marathon to another but what they may be doing over the next year or two years. 'So this is the first such adjustment index for net-downhill races. And therefore, in addition to the ample time, we are getting going with it and committing to what these adjustments, the index, will be for two years — with the idea and the intention of continuing to analyze the performances that occur on net-downhill races.' Runners crest Heartbreak Hill at the 2025 Boston Marathon. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Rules governing elevation profiles in the marathon aren't unheard of. The US Olympic Marathon Trials, which brings together the 400 or so best marathoners in the country to select the American team for the Olympics every four years, limits the downhill drop of qualifying courses to the 460 feet or so of net decline you'd find in Boston. But among its World Marathon Major peers, and as the race with the most sought-after entry in the world of serious amateur marathoning, the BAA is taking an unprecedented step to ensure fairness in its qualifying process. With the Boston Marathon's place at the forefront of the industry, there's some pressure to get those big decisions right. Advertisement 'Yes, the simple answer is yes,' Fleming said when asked if the BAA feels that pressure. 'We were really on the one hand, mindful, and on the other hand, respectful of an individual's plan or motivations or attempts to run the Boston Marathon — not just marathoners who were participating and posting performances at downhill races — but we're continuing to see the overall demand increase. So the adjustment, the index, does recognize the overall demand into the Boston Marathon. And even, of course, we have the overall qualifying times standards, which are being adjusted for [2026]. 'But when we consider all of the folks who are wanting to run the Boston Marathon, we wanted to be fair to them, as well. We didn't want there to be an unfair advantage for those who were selecting a net-downhill race specifically for the purpose of running the Boston Marathon.' Amin Touri can be reached at
ABC News
11-05-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Grieving family reflects on 'beautiful' tribute from former Liverpool player
Tasmanian Ken Fleming is a passionate Liverpool FC fan, but there's a piece of memorabilia in his footy collection that evokes bittersweet memories. On the wall of his home gym in Tranmere near Hobart is a signed edition of former Liverpool footballer Adam Lallana's playing shirt, framed with a letter penned by the footballer in honour of Mr Fleming's son Jack, who died aged 21 of an incurable brain tumour. Jack was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in 2016, after complaining of a headache and experiencing a seizure. He died 22 months later. Lallana's letter and signed shirt were in response to an email Jack had partially written to the player, his father's idol, before his death in 2018. Mr Fleming discovered it after his son had died and posted it to Lallana with his own letter to honour his son's wishes. "When I got onto his computer after he died, I found this very poorly written letter to Adam Lallana just saying that my father's doing so much for me," Mr Fleming told ABC Hobart. Jack had been studying commerce/law at the University of Tasmania when he was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive and deadly form of brain cancer. In his letter to Lallana, Jack asks the football player for some signed memorabilia for his father, who, he writes "has been helping me tremendously since I got diagnosed". "I can honestly say that the only reason I have survived over 12 months is because of him." He told Lallana the memorabilia would be a surprise for his dad, though Mr Fleming learned later that his wife and brothers knew about it. "Jack was an extremely bright kid at uni and doing extremely well. But towards the end as the cancer took over, it scrambled his brain," Mr Fleming said. "The letter was very poorly constructed. But clearly, I could see the set-up and what he was trying to do. "I sent it to Adam, added my context and Adam sent back the shirt which I've since framed with the most beautiful letter saying that he would keep the letter in his locker, you know, just to remind him he had two boys, and he knew what I was going through. "So it meant a lot." In his return letter, Lallana tells Mr Fleming how deeply Jack's letter had affected him and promises "to keep Jack's letter in my locker at the training ground for the entire season". "I am a father of two young boys — so my immediate thoughts are those of a fellow parent," he writes. "His inspirational words will provide me with an ongoing reminder of his courage, but also the responsibility we have as professional footballers to give everything always, because of the love and support of people like your Jack. "With love and compassion, You'll Never Walk Alone." Mr Fleming said he was moved to tears by Lallana's words. "I didn't know if I would get a response, but I wanted to honour Jack's wishes. Then Adam wrote back with this beautiful letter; it was a very cathartic moment." In the months following his son's death, Mr Fleming reached out to other public figures including former US president Joe Biden whose son Beau had died of a glioblastoma brain tumour a few years earlier, and US senator John McCain before he likewise died in 2018 from the disease. He also shared his son and family's experience in the book, Jack's Story: The life and death of Jack Fleming, and has advocated for new brain cancer treatments and research. "Both Joe Biden and senator John McCain wrote back to me," Mr Fleming said. "It's about connecting with like souls and understanding their grief and pain. It's about trying to find sanity in a world that's gone mad. "I never thought this would happen to any of my children. Our life changed; there were no more rules after Jack died." On June 5, 2018, Senator McCain thanked Mr Fleming for sending him a copy of Jack's Story, and in December that year Joe Biden also replied. "As you know glioblastoma cancer has touched my life and those that I love dearly," Mr Biden wrote. "Our sons gave us so much more than they knew, so much for us to cherish." Senator McCain said he appreciated "the bravery it took to write this book about what it is really like inside a life with a glioblastoma multiforme". Also known as GBM, glioblastoma multiforme is the deadliest form of brain cancer; it is fast growing and can strike at any age. Former Australian of the Year Richard Scolyer was diagnosed with an aggressive glioblastoma in 2023 and took part in experimental immunotherapy treatment, but recently revealed his brain cancer had returned and he had only months to live. Mr Fleming said the correspondence he had with others affected by GBM, including Adam Lallana, provide some solace during moments of intense grief, "when all hell breaks out". "That was the outcome [of connecting with Lallana], that beautiful shirt and beautiful memories," he said.
Otago Daily Times
01-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Cemetery project makes grave discovery
At least three probable unmarked graves were discovered using ground-penetrating radar at Cromwell Cemetery and it is very likely more will be discovered in the coming weeks as the data is analysed. Southern Geophysical geophysicist Jack Fleming said during the mapping process his team found sites with a few surface depressions that align with unmarked graves during their time at Cromwell Cemetery yesterday. "They show all the signatures of an unmarked burial." The data will be analysed properly over the next few weeks when it is hoped the probable graves as well as others would be confirmed. Mr Fleming said it was surprising to find three probable unmarked graves while out on the site. The Southern Geophysical team (from left) George Dart, Jack Fleming and Jess MacFarquhar scan the southeast corner of Cromwell Cemetery with ground-penetrating radar. PHOTOS: ELLA JENKINS "It's not always the case that it shows up that clearly in what we call the raw data. "We usually have to do a bit of processing and analysis but yeah, no, that was certainly nice." The Christchurch-based company had offered the service for more than 15 years all over New Zealand, he said. Mr Fleming said the mapping process involved pushing a trolley with a 350 MHz hyper-stacking antenna which was one of the leading ground-penetrating radars in the world. Also on the trolley was a GPS antenna which allows Mr Fleming and his colleagues to correlate the data collected and get it to within 2cm accuracy in real time. Jack Fleming discusses the mapping process with Friends of Cromwell Cemetery member Katie Seymour. The radar collects the data, stores it and then displays it on a screen. "Our team of geophysicists will assess the data, make our picks, we call it, and we will map out the unmarked graves or features that are indicative of unmarked graves," he said. Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust treasurer and project manager Odette Hopgood said the work was part of the trust's heritage sites review. With the help of the Central Lakes Trust, Pub Charities, donations and funds raised from events, the trust was able to call in Southern Geophysical to map the cemetery's northeast corner. Ms Hopgood said the mapping would ensure no unmarked graves would be encroached on during repair works.
Otago Daily Times
30-04-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Possible unmarked graves discovered in cemetery
At least three probable unmarked graves were discovered using ground-penetrating radar at Cromwell Cemetery and it is very likely more will be discovered in the coming weeks as the data is analysed. Southern Geophysical geophysicist Jack Fleming said during the mapping process his team found sites with a few surface depressions that align with unmarked graves during their time at Cromwell Cemetery yesterday. "They show all the signatures of an unmarked burial." The data will be analysed properly over the next few weeks when it is hoped the probable graves as well as others would be confirmed. Mr Fleming said it was surprising to find three probable unmarked graves while out on the site. The Southern Geophysical team (from left) George Dart, Jack Fleming and Jess MacFarquhar scan the southeast corner of Cromwell Cemetery with ground-penetrating radar. PHOTOS: ELLA JENKINS "It's not always the case that it shows up that clearly in what we call the raw data. "We usually have to do a bit of processing and analysis but yeah, no, that was certainly nice." The Christchurch-based company had offered the service for more than 15 years all over New Zealand, he said. Mr Fleming said the mapping process involved pushing a trolley with a 350 MHz hyper-stacking antenna which was one of the leading ground-penetrating radars in the world. Also on the trolley was a GPS antenna which allows Mr Fleming and his colleagues to correlate the data collected and get it to within 2cm accuracy in real time. Jack Fleming discusses the mapping process with Friends of Cromwell Cemetery member Katie Seymour. The radar collects the data, stores it and then displays it on a screen. "Our team of geophysicists will assess the data, make our picks, we call it, and we will map out the unmarked graves or features that are indicative of unmarked graves," he said. Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust treasurer and project manager Odette Hopgood said the work was part of the trust's heritage sites review. With the help of the Central Lakes Trust, Pub Charities, donations and funds raised from events, the trust was able to call in Southern Geophysical to map the cemetery's northeast corner. Ms Hopgood said the mapping would ensure no unmarked graves would be encroached on during repair works.
