Latest news with #JohnCrawford
Belfast Telegraph
29-05-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Popular steakhouse set to open Portrush restaurant following £350k investment
NI's much loved food brand Top Blade is bringing its bold flavour and sizzling reputation to Portrush. Opening this summer, the new restaurant will be serving up steaks just in time for the busy tourism season and the return of The Open to Royal Portrush in July. Director, Aaron Taggart said: 'We've been keen to expand to the north coast for some time but were waiting for the right location. 'Now the timing feels right and the premises are ideal, it's been a stroke of luck that we are coinciding with such a busy summer season and we're looking forward to welcoming so many visitors to this wonderful part of the world. 'This site gives us the opportunity to create something really special, not just in terms of food, but also in setting. 'A seafront restaurant with uninterrupted views of the Atlantic isn't something you come by often! We'll be retaining Koko's existing staff where possible and building a strong new team to deliver the Top Blade experience.' The new venue will be located in the prominent seafront premises currently home to Koko's, which is set to undergo a full transformation to become Top Blade's third restaurant. Backed by a £350,000 investment, the project will create 20 new jobs in the local hospitality sector. Top Blade, already a firm favourite in Belfast and Portadown, is known for its vibrant atmosphere, locally sourced steaks, and no-fuss food done well, (but not well done!). Currently the chain serves up the widest variety of steaks with a staggering 15 options on the extensive menu, the new Portrush site will offer seating for 70 diners to enjoy the unrivalled ocean view, delivering a standout new dining destination right in the heart of the town. Fellow Director John Crawford added: 'This is a big move for us, and we're ambitious about it. With this new opening, we're aiming to serve up to 100,000 steaks a year across our three locations. 'We're proud of our ethos, great steaks, sides and sauces, served with simplicity and flair, and we're confident it'll be a welcome addition to the Portrush dining scene. Watch: AVA Festival returns to Belfast "The timing couldn't be better. With thousands set to descend on the town for The Open and a number of new hospitality businesses already open or opening, it feels like the area is really coming into its own. Top Blade will certainly be a major player on the North Coast food scene. 'Bookings have not yet been released, but tables are set to fill up fast as soon as they do.'
Business Wire
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Paysafe to Participate in the RBC Financial Technology Conference on June 10
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Paysafe Limited (NYSE: PSFE), a global payments platform, today announced that Chief Financial Officer, John Crawford, will participate in a fireside chat at the RBC Capital Markets Financial Technology Conference on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 in New York, NY. The discussion will begin at 2:40 p.m. Eastern Time. Management will also participate in investor meetings throughout the day. A live webcast of the fireside chat will be available on the Paysafe Investor Relations website at under the 'Events' section and archived for a limited time. About Paysafe Paysafe is a leading payments platform with an extensive track record of serving merchants and consumers in the global entertainment sectors. Its core purpose is to enable businesses and consumers to connect and transact seamlessly through industry-leading capabilities in payment processing, digital wallet, and online cash solutions. With 29 years of online payment experience, an annualized transactional volume of $152 billion in 2024, and approximately 3,000 employees located in 12+ countries, Paysafe connects businesses and consumers across 260 payment types in 48 currencies around the world. Delivered through an integrated platform, Paysafe solutions are geared toward mobile-initiated transactions, real-time analytics and the convergence between brick-and-mortar and online payments. Further information is available at
Business Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
How milk got its mojo back
MILK is back. Cow's milk that is. It's been a tough couple of decades for the liquid white stuff. Under fire from climate activists, animal rights groups and diet gurus concerned about fat content, US dairy milk consumption has halved since the 1970s. Soy milk, and then almond and oat products, elbowed their way on to cafe menus and supermarket shelves. Plant-based milks make up more than 12 per cent of refrigerated milk sales. Now the dairy industry is getting its mojo back. Traditional milk sales are up 3.5 per cent for the year to May in dollar terms, according to Nielsen IQ, and 2024 saw the first real increase in US dairy milk consumption since 2009. Meanwhile, sales of plant-based milks have declined 8.4 per cent for the two years to May, and shares in Oatly, one of the best known makers, are down 98 per cent from their 2021 highs. 'Milk is winning fair and square in the marketplace, which implies there could be legs to this,' says an ebullient Alan Bjerga of the National Milk Producers' Federation. A similar trend is showing up in meat, with animal product sales up by double digits and alternatives down even further. Milk's change in fortunes holds lessons for other traditional industries that are trying to fend off trendy new challengers. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up After years of complaining, and a so far unsuccessful campaign to prevent rivals from using the word milk, the dairy industry has buckled down and started to meet Americans where they are. US dairy companies are investing more than US$10 billion in dairy processing plants between 2023 and 2027, bolstering their ability to offer the milk products that customers actually want. Faced with concerns about animal welfare and global warming, the industry responded with net-zero carbon promises and humanely raised and organic options. (Their cause was also helped by climate change backlash and broader eco-fatigue.) Dairy producers also leaned into changing attitudes about what constitutes healthy food. Two decades ago, the industry suffered mightily when diet gurus such as the authors of Skinny Bitch took aim at dairy's fat content. But fat fears have receded and today's health concerns tend to be focused on getting more protein and avoiding ultra-processed foods. Older customers also want calcium and vitamin D. All of these play to dairy's advantage. Plant-based drinks are lower in protein and often rely on sweeteners, emulsifiers and stabilisers, while milk has naturally occurring calcium and has been fortified with vitamin D for generations. 'Dairy milk has a very clean label while plant milk is more complex,' says John Crawford, milk expert at market research company Circana. In other words, consumers are returning to the notion that milk, as the old US adverts used to say, does a body good. The dairy industry has also adapted to overcome one of its biggest weak points: a large share of the US population, particularly people with Asian and Hispanic heritage, cannot digest lactose, so ordinary dairy products make them feel physically ill. US dairy producers are now wooing these shoppers with a wide variety of lactose-free and reduced milks that have the protein benefits of dairy with an added enzyme that breaks down the lactose. It is the fastest growing milk segment, up 15.5 per cent in the past year. Total American sales just climbed past the entire plant-milk category. But there are dark clouds looming on the horizon. Ageing dairy herds and bird flu are weighing on production, leading to potential shortages that could easily erode traditional milk's current 10 per cent price advantage over its plant-based competition. At the same time, the Trump administration has been making swingeing cuts to the federal agencies that have a role in food safety. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has paused a quality control programme for milk testing, the Department of Agriculture shut down two food safety committees, and the Justice Department disbanded the unit that prosecutes food safety violations. It does not help that Donald Trump's health and human services secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, has repeatedly touted the benefits of raw milk, which can harbour salmonella and E coli and has been linked to tuberculosis. The FDA says its quality control programme will eventually resume, and that testing of food samples continues at other labs. But the chances of a nasty outbreak of food-borne illness are rising. Milk producers have invested a lot to bolster dairy's aura of purity and health. They need to be alert to the risks that short-sighted government cuts could rain on their triumphal parade. FINANCIAL TIMES
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bristol secures $1 million for new skate park
BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) – Skaters in Bristol will soon have a new place to go as the city secured $1 million in state funding for a new skate park. Representative John Crawford played an integral part in securing the funding. He released a statement Friday announcing the investment marks a step forward in the city's efforts to enhance youth recreational opportunities. 'I'm proud to help deliver this critical investment for our community,' Crawford said. 'Thenew skate park will offer a safe, modern space for recreation and improve the quality oflife in Bristol.' Rep. John Crawford, (R) Bristol Bristol Parks and Recreation director Mike Mains said he appreciates representatives working to improve the region. 'We're very blessed to have such great support from the state of Tennessee and Senator Crawford, and him pushing this project for us and then all of our state representatives, really, Mr. Harshbarger too,' Mains said. 'So, for the city, it's a big win. And we've had several of those as of late, getting ready to build a new baseball stadium for our high school team and then also the state liners of the Appalachian League. So things are moving along really well, very happy that things are working out the way they are.' Kingsport Parks and Recreation to host 'School's (Almost) Out Skatepark Day' Timmy Carrick, a native of Bristol, said he has always had to travel to find a good skate park. 'There not being a lot of skate parks around here, when they built the new one in Kingsport, I was traveling to it and it was pretty rad,' Carrick said. 'But, I think it would really be nice not having to travel 30 minutes just to go skate at a nice park. 'I think it's really going to draw a lot of attention and really bring the community together.' Mains said the skateboarding community has pushed for a new park for years and has had to be patient. 'Their patience through this process, along with the support we've had from City Council, has been unbelievable,' Mains said. 'And that's the key thing is when you look at your local government officials here locally, such as our council and our city manager, it is to see how much they support recreation. Our community is a wonderful thing. Because it's all about the quality of life for our citizens.' He hopes it will benefit not only Bristol but the region as a whole. 'We see this as a destination. But first and foremost, we want to serve our citizens,' Mains said. 'But next is, you know, regionally, you know, we hope people will come to our community, spend some dollars here, go to our restaurants, go to downtown, enjoy the music atmosphere that we have. And so when you combine recreation with that, it's a great win for your local economy. And that's really going to pay off for us.' Mains told News Channel 11 the city hasn't settled on an exact location but will reach out to the community about the best place for the park and what they would like to see in it. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
TN lawmaker files bill to require DNA collection for all felony offense arrests
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A bill from an East Tennessee Republican would require law enforcement to collect a DNA sample for all those arrested for felony offenses in the state. State Rep. John Crawford (R-Bristol-Kingsport) filed House Bill 473, which would establish procedures for DNA collection and the management of biological samples by law enforcement. If passed, anyone arrested for a felony offense in Tennessee would have a biological specimen collected before being released from custody. The arresting agency would use a buccal swab—a swab from the inside of the cheek—to collect the DNA. Then, that DNA would be sent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) for analysis. The DNA information would be 'securely stored,' according to a release from the representative's office, and 'could aid in criminal investigations.' 'Our criminal justice system depends on having a strong forensic infrastructure so that we can increase efficiency and expedite justice for victims,' Crawford said of the bill. 'This bill will help us solve cold cases but also prevent extremely dangerous individuals from committing more crimes.' According to Crawford, the inspiration for the bill comes from a Kingsport mother who was sexually assaulted and whose 17-year-old son, James Huston, was stabbed to death in 1997. At the time of Huston's death and his mother's assault, DNA was collected when the scene was processed, but analysis technology wasn't readily available. Nearly 30 years later, the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office was able to reexamine the case in such a way that resulted in the indictment of George Scott Robinson on three counts of first-degree murder in 2024 thanks to genetic DNA testing. 'For 27 years, a man got away with murder and rape,' Crawford said. 'This legislation provides a critical tool that equips Tennessee's criminal justice system with the ability to get violent people off our streets.' The bill stipulates the TBI will establish formal procedures for the DNA collection, which law enforcement agencies must follow. If a defendant is granted bond or released on their own recognizance, providing a DNA sample will be a condition of release. TN Supreme Court: Personalized license plates are 'government speech' Further, the bill requires the TBI to destroy the DNA samples and related records if charges are dismissed or a defendant is acquitted, provided there are no other charges or warrants pending. According to Crawford's office, all 50 states collect DNA samples from certain people convicted of crimes; at least 27 states collect DNA samples when an individual is arrested for a felony or a subset of felony crimes. If passed, Crawford's bill is estimated to cost the state more than $3 million annually, with $3.3 million required in the first fiscal year. The fiscal note on the bill from the Tennessee General Assembly Fiscal Review Committee states the bill would require nine additional positions be staffed in order to comply with the proposed law. DNA sample testing done by the TBI takes place at the TBI Jackson Lab, according to the fiscal note. The cost of each collection kit is $9.14. The cost of running the analysis on the collection kit is $25.41/sample. Estimates from the Fiscal Review Committee show the number of samples collected would increase by an average of 60,000 annually. Additionally, RapidDNA verification is estimated to cost $22,500 per 15,000 samples, per the fiscal note. That increase in costs is estimated to be $2,163,000, according to the Fiscal Review Committee. ⏩ Additionally, the committee said the bill would lead to an increase in the incarcerated population in the state, which would also increase state costs. 'Increasing DNA sample testing will result in an increase in the total number of individuals incarcerated in state and local facilities, as well as the length of time an individual is housed within a state or local facility,' the note reads. 'The extent and timing of any increases in state or local expenditures cannot reasonably be determined with any certainty, but could be significant.' Crawford's bill is set for discussion in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 12. The Senate companion legislation was recommended to the Senate Judiciary Committee in late February, though it does not yet have a date set. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
