Latest news with #JohnBailey
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Reform UK win Durham County Council Easington and Shotton by-election
Reform UK has won a by-election triggered by the resignation of a councillor due to ill Penders was elected on to Durham County Council as representative for Easington and Shotton on Thursday, increasing the party's by-election had been called when former Reform councillor John Bailey stepped down in June. Reflecting on her win, the new councillor, who has lived in Easington since 2018, said: "A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me with the campaign over the past few weeks." The latest win is another boost for Reform after the party took control of Durham County Council for the first time in secured 1,208 votes, with Angela Surtees of the Labour Party second on 523 and Independent Chris Hood third with 520 new Reform councillor vowed to put the villages within the ward "back on the map in a positive light for all to see", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said: "Next week cannot come quick enough, and we can start getting things done for Easington and Shotton. "One of my biggest priorities is getting youth groups set up for kids and teenagers. At the moment, there is nothing for them to do." The turnout for Thursday's by-election was 21.7%. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Daily Mail
31-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Mother offers new courtroom excuse over death of baby boy with sad eyes
The mother and grandfather of a dead baby boy are attempting to avoid possible criminal responsibility over his death by citing mental health problems. Wendy Pamela Jean Bailey, 23, and her father, John Elton Bailey, pleaded not guilty to domestic violence, abuse of a corpse and aggravated child abuse, claiming 'mental disease or defect'. They were charged after human remains believed to be Bailey's one-year-old son Kahleb Collins were discovered on the family's Alabama property in May. Investigators realized Kahleb was missing after his father, Steven Collins, and his two–year–old sister, Ryleigh, were killed in a car accident in Fayette County on December 8. Bailey was also in the car accident and sustained injuries that landed her in hospital, prompting the police to ask questions about her son's whereabouts. They eventually determined that the baby had last been seen on September 9. Bailey was arrested and charged in connection to her son's death on December 30 last year. Human remains believed to be Kahleb's were found near a burn pile on the family's property in Fayette, according to investigators who have yet to formally provide a positive identification. The baby had been restrained with zip ties at least twice and suspended from the ceiling, according to court documents. A grand jury indictment dated March 19 listed six charges against Bailey, including aggravated child abuse, four counts of first degree domestic violence assault and abuse of corpse. According to the indictment Bailey, 'did torture, willfully abuse, cruelly beat, or otherwise maltreat the said KRC [Khaleb] by acts taking place on more than two occasions'. The grand jury filings detailed how Bailey allegedly 'did cause serious physical injury' by binding or tying Kahleb with zip ties or ligatures to a chair or other object. Kahleb was restrained or suspended from a ceiling, according to the court documents. Kahleb's father allegedly sent pictures to Bailey of their son hanging from a rope with blood on his body, as well as a photo of him lying on the floor with extreme bruising, followed by the messages, 'He want [sic] move,' and 'Im [sic] so sorry,' according to court records obtained by WBRC. Collins then sent a message stating, 'He moving' to which Ms. Bailey responded, 'He just looks wore out and tried [sic] and hurt hopefully that's all,' according to court records. Kahleb's body was placed in a bag and stored outside prior to disposal, according to court documents. Bailey also allegedly told investigators that Collins sent her a text message saying he was going to kill their son. The mother's domestic violence and child abuse charges stem from incidents in July 2024. The abuse of the corpse allegedly happened on September 29, weeks after Kahleb's last confirmed sighting on September 4, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. 'This is a heartbreaking outcome, and our thoughts and prayers are with all those who loved Kahleb,' Sheriff Byron Yerby of the Fayette County Sheriff's Office said. 'While this discovery brings a measure of closure, it is also a solemn reminder of the responsibility we all share in protecting our children. We are committed to continuing the pursuit of justice in this case.'
Geek Vibes Nation
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
'Swimming To Cambodia' Blu-Ray Review - Jonathan Demme Captures An Electrifying Performance
Noted playwright, novelist and monologuist Spalding Gray spent eight weeks in Asia as an actor in Roland Joffé's Academy Award Winning historical drama The Killing Fields, chronicling the history of the Khmer Rouge regime. In his famed one man show, Swimming to Cambodia, Gray laid bare his experiences on set and contextualizes his anecdotes with the stark history of the region. Directed for the screen by Jonathan Demme (Stop Making Sense), rendering Gray's heartfelt, often very funny, monologue cinematic with the help of collaborators like cinematographer John Bailey (Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters), editor Carol Littleton (Beloved), and multidisciplinary artist Laurie Anderson, who is responsible for the film's evocative score. Cinématographe is proud to bring one of the great performance films, and an oft-overlooked entry in Jonathan Demme's career, to blu-ray for the first time in the world in a 2K new restoration from its original camera negative. For thoughts on Swimming to Cambodia, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: Video Quality This new Blu-Ray debut from Cinématographe gives Swimming to Cambodia an AVC-encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 derived from a 2K restoration from the 35mm Original Camera Negative. The fact that this title has been missing on the format for so long is unfortunate, so it is greatly appreciated that the label rectified the situation. This is a gorgeous transfer that all but eliminates any blemishes to the print including any white specks, tiny cuts or other potential blemishes. The transfer maintains impeccable film grain support throughout with nothing looking unnatural and no major instances of spiking. When you consider the age of the film and the source material, it is pleasing to see the footage looking so strong. There does not appear to be any issues with compression artifacts or any other such digital anomalies. The frame shows off some fine detail in the clothing of Gray and in some of the background elements of the stage. Colors present with a nice vividness that livens up the screen. This presentation does a stellar job of giving life to the performance. Audio Quality This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track that captures every word spoken by Spalding Gray with the utmost clarity. These stories are balanced perfectly with the light amount of manufactured environmental effects. There is not much in the way of music featured in this movie, but anything that comes up has great clarity and fidelity. This track shows no signs of age-related wear and tear such as hissing, humming, or popping. Cinématographe delivered the goods with this remastered audio track. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included for the feature film. Special Features The Limited Edition version of Swimming to Cambodia comes beautifully packaged in a hard outer slipcase that opens up to a MediaBook that includes a bound booklet featuring new essays by film critics Marya E. Gates, Chris Shields, Keith Uhlich and David M. Stewart, author of There's No Going Back: The Life and Work of Jonathan Demme, plus select archival photo reproductions. These essays delve into the film from multiple angles and provide a great analysis in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows: Audio Commentary: Film critic Scout Tafoya provides a commentary track that in no way comments directly on the film as it plays and instead gives a thorough cradle-to-grave overview of the life of Spalding Gray. Interview with Director Jonathan Demme: A nearly 17-minute archival interview with the iconic filmmaker in which he discusses Spalding Gray, his reasons for wanting to direct the film, developing the style for the film, collaborating with Gray, opening up the subject, and more. Interview with Director of The Killing Fields Roland Joffé: A new 21-minute interview with the filmmaker who directed Gray in the film featured in Swimming to Cambodia in which he discusses The Killing Fields , how he got involved with the film, shooting in Thailand, pushing his performers, and more. Interview with Executive Producer Ira Deutchman: A new nearly 13-minute interview with the producer in which he discusses the murky role of a producing credit, working with Demme, the competition for the rights to film the production, distributing the film, and more. Interview with Producer Edward Saxon: A new nearly 14-minute interview with the associate producer in which he discusses his partnership with Jonathan Demme, his thoughts on Spalding Gray, and more. Pure Nonfiction Podcast: Two episodes of the podcast that interviews documentary filmmakers featuring conversations with Jonathan Demme. Jonathan Demme's Characters (1:04:20) Jonathan Demme and Renée Shafransky on Spalding Gray (29:08) Theatrical Trailer (0:50) Final Thoughts Swimming to Cambodia is not the first movie you consider when evaluating the career of Jonathan Demme, yet it stands as a strong example of his uncanny command over the camera. The impassioned performance from Spalding Gray is captivating in its own right, but it is how it is captured by Demme that gives it a degree of execution suitable for the big screen experience. Even if you have never seen The Killing Fields, this one-man show will stir something in you with the intrigue and wit of the stories. The art of storytelling has rarely been so deftly translated to screen. Cinématographe has provided a Blu-Ray that features a spectacular A/V presentation and a great assortment of supplemental features. Recommended Swimming to Cambodia is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray. Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray. Disclaimer: Cinématographe has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
BBC News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Reform UK-led Durham County Council to hold second by-election
A second by-election is to be held at a newly led Reform UK council, just a month after the party swept to secured a landslide victory in May, winning 65 seats across County Durham to take control of the county and Shotton councillor John Bailey has announced his resignation due to ill comes after former Benfieldside member Andrew Kilburn was forced to resign for failing to declare he was employed by the local authority. A by-election will be held there on 3 July. National legislation means council employees are disqualified from standing as councillors simultaneously. Confirmation of Bailey's resignation was delivered on Monday, as his councillor profile page was removed from Durham County Council's won all three of the available seats within the East Durham ward during May's ballot. Bailey came top with 1,849 votes ahead of party colleagues Howard Brown and Louise Taylor.A party spokesman said: "We are deeply saddened to learn of Mr Bailey's resignation as a result of a serious health issue."We are immensely grateful for him stepping forward to make a difference in his community."We wish John and his family the very best during this difficult time."Bailey previously represented the Liberal Democrats but resigned from the party in 2009 due to "irreconcilable differences" and later represented the former Crook North ward as an Independent.A by-election is expected to be held for the vacancy later this summer, the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Questions remain after remains of 1-year-old Kahleb Collins believed to be found
FAYETTE, Ala. (WIAT) – Human remains believed to be that of 1-year-old Kahleb Rowan Collins were sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences almost two months ago. 'I hope that's what they tell (investigators),' Charles Hodges said. 'It is his body.' Hodges is a Glenn Allen resident, a small town in Fayette County that has gained a lot of attention. 'It goes on everywhere, but you never think it's going to happen where you live,' Hodges said. Hodges drives through the intersection of U.S. 129 and Fayette County Road 73 daily. Sitting on the corner of that intersection is a single-family home. Since December, residents like Hodges pass through. At times, the house was marked off by crime tape and swarming with law enforcement. It's the home of John Bailey. Bailey is being held at the Fayette County Jail on the following charges: One count of aggravated child abuse Four counts of first-degree domestic violence One count of abuse of corpse One count of first-degree hindering prosecution John Bailey is the grandfather of Collins. The child's mother Pam Bailey is also being held at the Fayette County Jail on the following charges: One count of aggravated child abuse Four counts of first-degree domestic violence One count of abuse of a corpse On the outside, that Glenn Allen house looks like a quiet and quaint family home, but court documents allege horrific things happened inside. Photos and text messages exchanged between Pam Bailey and the child's father Steven Collins, who died in a fatal crash weeks after his son disappeared, reveal Collins was physically assaulted and hung by rope. His body was allegedly placed in a bag. 'She deserves everything she's going to get — both of them,' Hodges said. Michael Davis found guilty of capital murder in deadly 2023 shooting involving former Alabama basketball player Darius Miles Hodges is a father and grandfather. The idea that someone would hurt their family is hard to comprehend, which is why Hodges said he hopes the remains are Kahleb's. 'He deserves that,' Hodges said. 'That kid didn't deserve what he got.' For months, the Fayette County Sheriff's Office said it has not found Collins. That changed Thursday. 'While this discovery brings a measure of closure, it is also a solemn reminder of the responsibility we all share in protecting our children,' Fayette County Sheriff Byron Yerby said in a statement. It was a long process of sifting through almost a barrel of ash, Yerby said. The sheriff said law enforcement found human remains the size of a quarter well before it was shared with the public. 'It's a big deal,' Yerby said. 'They were actually found several weeks ago, but we were waiting on confirmation.' They needed confirmation that it was in fact human remains. Now, the FCSO is awaiting confirmation they are Collins' remains. 'About six weeks ago, we sent the remains to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences,' Yerby said. Given the time gap between when Collins went missing and when law enforcement found out, there was skepticism among some residents on whether or not he or his body would ever be found. 'I just didn't think he'd be in that burn pit,' Hodges said. That's where remains were found, however, in a burn pile outside of the grandfather's house. 'We never gave up,' Yerby said. 'Our number one goal was to find Kahleb.' The ADFS did not tell the FCSO when it could expect forensic results to come in. As of right now, the investigators are still waiting for confirmation, and Hodges feels there is a lot more to the story than anyone knows. 'This has been a long investigation, and a lot of stuff has gone on,' Hodges said. 'Still a lot to be answered.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
