Latest news with #KingGeorge
West Australian
17 hours ago
- General
- West Australian
Kununurra volunteer Lincoln Heading honoured with King's Birthday medal
A Kununurra man who spent 34 years volunteering for emergency services has been recognised for his lifetime of community work with a King's Birthday medal. Lincoln Heading, who was the Kununurra SES unit manager for 18 years before taking on the roles of acting district officer of Natural Hazards for the East Kimberley and then Marine Rescue East Kimberley commander has received an Emergency Services Medal for his work. Mr Lincoln said he was, 'humbled by the whole thing.' 'Particularly being recognised by my peers, in that respect it's a different thing,' he said. When Mr Heading first put his hand up to volunteer for the SES in the late 1980s its headquarters was under a gum tree. However, through his leadership the organisation evolved and now has a location unit alongside Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service. Mr Heading was also heavily involved in the establishment of the marine rescue group in Wyndham in the mid-90s, overseeing the development of the headquarters, including the ablutions, kitchen area and exterior upgrades. He was also part of the creation of the Emergency Services Levy, which funds the delivery of critical and life-saving fire and emergency services in the State. Mr Heading said he, like many volunteers, was motivated by a sense of altruism and a desire to give back to the community. 'But over time, it becomes clear that you're actually setting up the true resilience of a community, their ability to bounce back. It's the way the emergency services can actually get together and be the foundation of that resilience. It doesn't matter whether it's a car accident or a fire or rescuing somebody off a cliff. It's all part of it,' he said. After a decades in Kununurra, Mr Heading and his wife Felicity, returned to their native South Australia last year. Now living in Mt Benson, Mr Heading said he missed Kununurra. 'Especially at this time of year, when there's a sub-Antarctic blast coming off the Great Southern Ocean,' he said. 'For the next three months I'll miss Kununurra and the weather deeply but then once it gets to 36C or 38C, I won't miss that heat.' 'I also missed not getting to ride on the new marine recue boat,' he said referring to the $1.1 million, 11m rigid-hull vessel launched in Wyndham in January. However, getting a chance to ride in the new vessel, named King George, and catch up with his former colleagues may be a good excuse to return to the East Kimberley for a holiday. 'It will probably come to that,' he said.
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Kempton Park still at risk of closure as developers have option to build houses on famous track until 2030
KEMPTON PARK is still at risk of being closed and knocked down for housing. The Jockey Club announced in January 2017 they were selling off the racecourse to developers in a bid to raise £100 million. 2 2 But the track was given a reprieve when those plans hit the buffers in the face of opposition from Spelthorne Council and a number of high-profile racing industry figures. So the Jockey Club sold an 'option to purchase' to builders Redrow in September 2018, Sunracing can reveal, meaning they can buy the land for development during a set timeframe whenever they want for a pre-agreed price. The expiry date on the agreement is in 2028, though it can be extended a further two years if Redrow express interest in going ahead with the purchase of the 230-acre site, either in its entirety or part of it. The Jockey Club has not hidden its desire to sell off land at Kempton for housing to raise much needed funds, and in February 2020 they announced revised plans to develop on part of the site which would not involve demolishing the home of the King George. But those plans were also scuppered by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Jockey Club remains in a deep financial hole, with the last set of accounts published last summer showing they have around £54 million of debt. Spelthorne Council said eight years ago the site was unlikely to be considered for housing eight as it was deemed 'strongly performing' green belt land. But the new Labour government has relaxed planning laws to encourage house building, with the aim to build 1.5 million new homes before the next election. The Jockey Club dismissed recent speculation on social media that the racecourse was to be closed at the end of next year, but there is a desperate need for housing in Surrey and Redrow is still interested in developing the site, for all they have yet to trigger their option to buy the land. A Redrow spokesperson said: 'We have an agreement with the Jockey Club to promote Kempton Park for development, lasting until 2030. 'Since this agreement was made, we have been reviewing whether the site, or parts of it, could assist with the delivery of much needed new housing in Surrey.' The Jockey Club said: "Since 2018, Redrow have had the exclusive right to promote Kempton Park as a potential site for residential development, lasting until 2028. "Since the agreement came into effect it has been entirely normal procedure for there to be ongoing discussions to see if the site, or parts of it, could play a part in addressing the need for houses in the local area. "Given the recent changes in wider planning policy, it is no surprise that those discussions are continuing, but in real terms there has been no change in Kempton Park's status.' . Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who:
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lafayette helped Americans turn the tide in their fight for independence – and 50 years later, he helped forge the growing nation's sense of identity
America is nearing the 250th anniversary of its revolutionary birth, the Declaration of Independence. July 4, 2026, will mark a milestone – and a time for reflection. Yet as fascination with America's founding endures, controversy colors how the revolution is taught across the United States. From contested efforts by The New York Times '1619 Project' to put slavery at the center of America's story, to attempts to limit teaching about race and racism, partisanship surrounds the teaching of American history. Anniversaries can inspire public passion, but they can also open old wounds. As an American historian and a naturalized citizen of the United States, I regard the American Revolution with both personal and professional interest. The fact that I grew up in the United Kingdom amuses my students to no end whenever we discuss the Revolutionary War. Sometimes, in my British-accented English, I remind them I did not personally grow up with King George. Teaching history is encouraging students to think critically about the past without dictating what emotions they should feel – patriotic or otherwise. Sadly, in the U.S., the sort of objective historical knowledge once taken for granted now appears to be waning. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, just 13% of eighth graders in 2023 ranked 'proficient' in American history. A 2010 survey found that 26% of adults could not identify from whom America declared its independence, with China, Mexico and France among the responses. America divorcing France would have been news to Gilbert du Motier, better known as the Marquis de Lafayette. His commitment to the new country not only helped secure its independence, but it also helped solidify American identity decades later. A privileged aristocrat who served in both the American and French revolutions, Lafayette went to war at age 19. Commissioning and equipping his own expedition across the Atlantic in 1777, he fought in many battles against the British, including decisive action at Yorktown. Earning George Washington's confidence, Lafayette attained the rank of major general in the Continental Army. Lafayette's enrollment in the U.S. military predated the 1778 alliance between his home country and the United States. Eventually, France's alliance turned the tide against Great Britain on land and at sea. By the war's end, the French had supplied some 12,000 soldiers, 22,000 sailors and dozens of warships to the American cause, plus huge financial resources. When Lafayette volunteered, however, he was one of just a few foreign volunteers – and the most acclaimed. 'Nowadays,' as historian Sarah Vowell conceded, Americans think of Lafayette as 'a place, not a person.' But an abundance of cities, counties and thoroughfares named after the revolutionary hero attest to his former celebrity. During World War I, U.S. troops sailed to France under the slogan 'Lafayette here we come,' promising to repay America's debt of gratitude to France. Older Americans may recall the U.S. bicentennial of 1976, marked with much pageantry and even a state visit by Queen Elizabeth II. America's semicentennial, however – the 50th anniversary of independence – played a far greater role shaping the idea of America in the minds of its citizens. Lafayette starred in the buildup to this 1826 commemoration, the first of its kind at the national level. President James Monroe, a fellow veteran of the War of Independence, invited Lafayette to be 'the guest of America,' honored as the last living major general of the Continental Army. Beginning in July 1824, at the age of 66, Lafayette embarked on a triumphal tour of all 24 states then comprising the union – nearly double the original 13. As Lafayette headed west, borne by horse-drawn carriage, steamboat and canal barge, he journeyed across a changing America. Nowhere was America's economic and demographic growth more evident than Cincinnati, where a crowd of 50,000 welcomed Lafayette in May 1825. Once a small frontier town, Cincinnati was growing faster than any comparably sized city in the nation: Its population increased from around 15,000 to roughly 115,000 in the quarter century following Lafayette's visit. He addressed his audience with emotion: 'The highest reward that can be bestowed on a revolutionary veteran is to welcome him with a sight of the blessings which have issued from our struggle for independence, freedom and equal rights.' Lafayette gave human face to America's national commemoration. He granted citizens of frontier states like Ohio – hitherto excluded from the revolutionary narrative – license to celebrate themselves. High turnouts in western stops such as Cincinnati reflected enthusiasm for grand spectacles. They also reflected the growth of America's print media, which had advertised his visit, and improved transportation in formerly remote regions of the country. Lafayette's tour culminated with a September 1825 state banquet in Washington, D.C., hosted by the new president, John Quincy Adams. Adams – the son of America's second president, John Adams – praised 'that tie of love, stronger than death,' connecting Lafayette 'for the endless ages of time, with the name of Washington.' The enthusiasm that welcomed Lafayette 200 years ago was authentic. But like all good history lessons, Lafayette's legacy is open to interpretation. His grand tour cemented the myth of 'the Era of Good Feelings': a golden age of American political harmony. In reality, the seeds of America's civil war were already evident. Missouri's 1820 admission to the union threatened the country's precarious balance between states that opposed slavery and states that allowed it – a crisis Thomas Jefferson warned was 'a fire bell in the night.' Likewise, Lafayette's lionization in the western United States coincided with the ongoing forced removal of Indigenous people. Ohio, for example, forcibly removed its last Native American tribe in 1843. Despite the uses and abuses of historical memory and the aversion of modern historians toward hero-worship, Lafayette remains a charismatic figure – a 'citizen of two worlds' who championed both abolitionism and women's rights. I believe his fading public memory indicates a troubling amnesia. America's anniversary offers the opportunity to reconsider his legacy, alongside revolutionary stories of Americans from all walks of life. As Lafayette wrote home following the British army's surrender in 1781: 'Humanity has won its battle. Liberty now has a country.' This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Matthew Smith, Miami University Read more: During the American Revolution, Brits weren't just facing off against white Protestant Christians − US patriots are diverse and have been since Day 1 How Jefferson and Madison's partnership – a friendship told in letters – shaped America's separation of church and state Revisiting Middletown, Ohio – the Midwestern town at the heart of JD Vance's 'Hillbilly Elegy' Matthew Smith does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Powys County Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Goliath regains winning thread with La Coupe strike
Last season's King George hero Goliath made the most of having his sights lowered with a comprehensive victory in the La Coupe at ParisLongchamp. Francis-Henri Graffard's charge was a brilliant winner of Ascot's midsummer highlight in 2024, but returned to home soil with a point to prove having since failed to make his presence felt in either the Japan Cup in November or Hong Kong's QEII Cup in April. Dropping down to Group Three level, the five-year-old was sent straight to the lead by Christophe Soumillon and while Grand Stars briefly loomed up as a threat early in the home straight, Goliath picked up again once challenged and was well on top at the line. On the front-running tactics, Graffard told Sky Sports Racing: 'We decided with Christophe that his two best races were when he jumped and not to fight with him. We decided to let him roll along on his own and let him be very comfortable and when he's like that he's a very good horse. 'Off any pace he can quicken, he has this ability, he just needs to be relaxed. He's a horse that can be very tense, that's why he ran so poorly in Hong Kong. I'm very happy because I was unsure how he was going to behave mentally and this race will do him good, so we can restart the season with him.' On whether a defence of his King George crown could be on the agenda, the trainer added: 'I have to discuss it with the entourage. We'll see how he comes back and what Christophe says, but obviously he will target the big races again.' Maranoa Charlie stamped his class on the Group Three Prix Paul de Moussac. An impressive winner of the Prix Djebel on his seasonal reappearance, Christopher Head's charge was subsequently beaten into fourth place when dropped back to six furlongs in the Prix Texanita. The free-going three-year-old was unable to get to adopt his customary pacesetting tactics that day, but was soon out in front in this seven-furlong contest and confirmed his superiority over Djebel runner-up Silius with a clear-cut victory. Head said: 'He's really a beast! I can't wait to see him in the Group One Prix Jean Prat as his next race. That is why we were here today and I'm happy he has shown he has the capacity to win over 1400 metres (seven furlongs). 'It was important (to run in the Prix Texanita) because if he could have been a sprinter he could have been to Royal Ascot and everything, but he's showing that's he's not a sprinter and he's not a miler, he's in between and he's doing it very well. 'This horse keeps on surprising us and we just can't wait to see his next race.' Ed Walker's British raider Troia claimed Listed honours in the Prix Volterra. Winner of two of her previous four starts and third in Listed company at York last month, the daughter of Kingman knuckled down to go a couple of places better under Kieran Shoemark. 'She broke cleanly from the gates and we were able to get a beautiful position and we weren't going overly quick on the front end,' said Shoemark. 'We were able to save and save and she stays this trip really well. It actually surprised me as it just took her a few strides to hit top gear, but when she found it I felt she was comfortable at the line. 'She's a pretty straightforward filly and she wants to do it, which is the main thing.'
Glasgow Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Thirty years on and Bin Suroor will never forget Lammtarra
Saeed bin Suroor had not held a licence for long when he saddled the chestnut on that first Saturday in June. In fact, he did not even train Lammtarra when the flashy colt made a winning debut in a Listed race in August 1994, his only run at two. That honour went to Alex Scott, who was tragically shot dead by a groom at his stud in Newmarket just a month later. Lammtarra was transferred to the care of the little known at the time Bin Suroor and the rest, as they say, is history. In a classy renewal, Walter Swinburn delivered his inexperienced partner late to deny Tamure and a certain Frankie Dettori, who would go on to have a long and successful partnership with Bin Suroor. The history of the Turf is long and illustrious. But there have been few careers like that of Lammtarra. In just four lifetime starts he won the Derby, the King George and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the three most prestigious mile-and-a-half races in Europe. Lammtarra went on to win the King George at Ascot (above) and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (PA) Bin Suroor has since been champion trainer four times and trained 12 further Classic winners – but he knows he owes a massive debt to Lammtarra. His string is much smaller these days, but he proved when Mawj won the 1000 Guineas just two years ago that given the right ammunition he is still capable of winning the biggest races. He had runners in both the 1000 and 2000 Guineas this year, in Elwateen and Tornado Alert respectively, and both outran their big odds to finish fourth. Tornado Alert now tries to win him a second Derby. 'It is 30 years since Lammtarra which seems a long time, it would be great to win it again, it's the biggest race so it makes me want to win it more,' said Bin Suroor. 'The reason it is so special is because it is very hard to win, only one horse can win it every year. 'I remember Lammtarra well. We got him at the end of his two-year-old season and we obviously knew he was good as he won a Listed race on his debut. 'We took him out to Dubai to train and he was working very well. He was not a big horse, he was quite small, but he had a big engine with a big heart and a good turn of foot. 'He used to work with all our good horses and I never saw him lose a gallop.' Of course one of the quirks of the racing and breeding industries is the more successful a colt is on the track at three, the less chance there is of them racing on at four as they become so valuable, and that was the case with Lammtarra. Saeed bin Suroor won the Derby with his first runner in the race (John Walton/PA) 'Once he had won the Derby we felt we only wanted him to run in the biggest races,' Bin Suroor went on. 'We took him to the King George and the Arc, the toughest races, but every time he held his form. 'He was a rare horse because what he showed you in the morning he also showed you on the track, they don't always. He was so special.' Bin Suroor went on to train Dubai Millennium, who failed to stay when tried in the 1999 Derby won by Oath. But that was his only defeat in 10 races, being at his best over a mile and 10 furlongs. 'Lammtarra was the best I trained over a mile and a half. Dubai Millennium didn't stay in the Derby, but we had to try. Over 10 furlongs Dubai Millennium would have been the best,' he said. 'To win the Derby, the King George and the Arc, the three biggest mile-and-a-half races tells you he was the best at that distance – on any ground, too, as he won the Derby on fast ground and the Arc on heavy. 'I owe him a lot, he came early in my career and achieved so much. 'The Derby is the best race in the world, it is so hard to win, for me to win it not long after starting meant so much. The winner is the best and to win it is very special for the horse, the owner and the trainer. 'I would love to win a Derby for Sheikh Mohammed and Godolphin now.'
