Latest news with #MacKay
The Courier
2 days ago
- General
- The Courier
Stirling paedophile 'MarriedFather' had sick chats with police decoy
A Stirling paedophile who engaged in sickening chats with a '14-year-old girl' was posting under the username 'MarriedFather'. David MacKay, 32, believed he was talking to a teenager called Sophie but he was actually being snared by an undercover police officer. He asked the 'girl' for photos of her in her school uniform after telling her 'I'm so turned on'. When police raided his house, officers called the phone number belonging to 'MarriedFather' and MacKay's phone rang. Fiscal depute Sophie Thorburn told Stirling Sheriff Court MacKay initially started messaging the 'girl' on the ChatIW platform. She said: 'About 08.16 hours 'Sophie' was contacted via the platform by another user who was using the username 'MarriedFather'. 'His profile provided that he was a 49-year-old male from the United Kingdom. 'There is a transcript of the engagement that took place on ChatIW, including chat of a sexual nature which continued after Sophie gave her age.' The court heard 'Sophie' said she was 14 and 'only been with a few guys'. MacKay responded: 'Been with any as old as me?' and was told she had met someone in his 40s who took her to the 'car park at M&D's'. MacKay asked: 'Was he rough?' and the decoy answered: 'No he was quite nice.' MacKay then spoke about the size of his genitals and asked inappropriate questions before writing: 'Mmmm f***, I'm so turned on, really want to fk you'. He then asked for a picture on the 'girl' in school uniform. The officer switched the chat to WhatsApp under the promise of sending a picture and sent a 'pre-approved, non-indecent' photo. MacKay responded 'love a uniform'. Police used the WhatsApp details to determine the phone number belonged to MacKay, of Bruce Street. In court, he admitted attempting to communicate indecently with a child at his home address in November last year. Sentence was deferred for reports and MacKay is on the sex offenders register in the interim.
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Birchwood Inn name returns to city hotel after 3 decades away
Read the new name, same as the old name. A hotel in St. James is rebranding as the Birchwood Inn — more than 30 years after abandoning the moniker in favour of the Holiday Inn Winnipeg – Airport West. The rebrand includes a multimillion-dollar renovation that will take place this summer. 'Even as a Holiday Inn people (referred) to us as the Birchwood Inn,' said Bruce MacKay, general manager. 'So it made sense, when we were looking at what we wanted to be called, to go back and take on the name.' BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Hotel manager Bruce MacKay with signage declaring the former Holiday Inn Winnipeg - Airport West is returning to the brand it used from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. Winnipeg-based Ladco Company Ltd. built the 14-storey building at 2520 Portage Ave. in 1976 and still owns it today. The hotel was called the Wandlyn Inn the first few months it was open and renamed the Birchwood Inn in 1977, MacKay said. The name changed again in 1993, when the hotel became a Holiday Inn franchisee. The hotel's license agreement with Holiday Inn ended this spring and Ladco wanted to move in a direction that would give it more freedom when deciding what to offer guests, MacKay said. The hotel signed an agreement with Best Western, making it part of the franchisor's BW Premier Collection. The new arrangement allows the hotel to use BW Premier Collection's reservation platform, MacKay said, while giving management the independence to 'adapt to what our customers are looking for and provide an elevated level of service and look and feel.' The hotel spent $11 million on renovations prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. It's set to spend another $4 million to $5 million in the coming months to upgrade guestrooms, the front entrance and lobby areas. What won't change is the way the approximately 130 employees approach hospitality, MacKay said. 'We'll continue to offer the level of service we've been known to offer.' He added some staff members have worked at the hotel for nearly 45 years and more than two dozen have been with the hotel for more than 20 years. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. 'There's a lot of history with that as well,' MacKay said. 'We're very fortunate in that respect.' The investment Ladco is making in the hotel is exciting, said Michael Juce, Manitoba Hotel Association president and CEO. 'It's always great to see people invest in Manitoba and put their capital to work here,' he said. Located near the Charleswood Bridge, the brown brick building was built for $7.5 million, according to the Winnipeg Architecture Foundation. Today, it includes 229 rooms, a restaurant and lounge and more than 9,000 square feet of banquet space. There are three remaining Holiday Inn franchises in Winnipeg: one on Pembina Highway, another at Polo Park and a third downtown near the University of Winnipeg. Each has different ownership, MacKay said. Aaron EppReporter Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Hamilton Spectator
27-05-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Belle River Stop Part of Veteran's 800-KM Walk to Raise Awareness for Homeless Heroes
Ken MacKay, a retired military man from Port Dover, is walking more than 800 kilometres from Windsor to Ottawa to raise awareness and funds for homeless veterans across Canada—and his trek included a meaningful stop in Belle River. MacKay's journey, called 'Trek4Vets,' is in support of Homes for Heroes, a nonprofit that builds tiny home villages and provides support services for veterans in need. 'This is a partnership with an organization named Homes for Heroes,' explained MacKay. 'They build villages with tiny homes and offer wraparound support for military veterans. I'm raising funds and awareness for our homeless veterans.' Estimates suggest that between 2,500 and 10,000 Canadian veterans are currently homeless—a number MacKay believes could be higher. 'Veterans are proud. Many won't ask for help. A lot of them are couch-surfing, living in vehicles or worse,' he said. 'If I don't speak up, who will?' At 65 years old, MacKay is no stranger to long-distance treks—he's completed two pilgrimages in Europe—but this journey will be his longest yet. The walk is expected to take 42 days, with MacKay traveling six days a week and taking one day for rest and laundry. While passing through Belle River, MacKay was hosted by local Legion president Richard Brooks. Support from Legions along the route has been crucial. 'There's a Legion every 25 kilometres or so. That's made it all possible,' said MacKay. MacKay's military career began at 18 with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. He later served nine years as a reservist with the 48th Highlanders and now acts as Sergeant-at-Arms for his local Legion in Port Dover, where a community BBQ helped raise $10,000 before his departure. So far, MacKay has raised nearly $40,000 and has received donations—and hospitality—from people all across the province. 'Last week I stopped at a cheese factory outside of Kitchener,' he laughed. 'The people were so kind. They gave me some of their products, though I could only carry a small amount in my pack.' Despite unpredictable weather and physical toll, MacKay remains optimistic and committed. 'I like walking solo,' he said. 'It's meditative. It gives me time to reflect and focus on what this journey is really about.' Homes for Heroes currently operates in Calgary, Edmonton, and Kingston, with plans to expand to Winnipeg and London, Ont. Anyone wishing to support MacKay's cause can donate at:
Hamilton Spectator
26-05-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Trek for Vets: MacKay Walks Through Tilbury on 800-KM Journey to Support Homeless Veterans
A retired military man has taken up the cause to assist fellow homeless veterans. Ken MacKay, of Port Dover is walking over 800 kms from Windsor to Ottawa as part of his 'Trek 4 Vets' project. He is hoping to raise funds to assist those in need. 'This is a partnership with an organization named Homes for Heroes, a nonprofit that builds villages with tiny homes and support services for military veterans,' he explained. 'So, I'm raising funds and awareness for our homeless veterans. MacKay estimates that there are anywhere from 2,500 to 10,000 homeless veterans across Canada. 'There could be more because veterans are very proud and they don't want to ask for help,' MacKay said. 'So, a lot of them couch surf and go from place to place. It takes them a lot to ask for help.' MacKay, 65, joined Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry when he was 18 and served for three years. Later, he spent nine years as a reservist with the 48th Highlanders. Homes for Heroes has established villages in Calgary, Edmonton, and Kingston, Ont., with expansion planned for Winnipeg and London. 'Through relationships I've established with other vets I've seen first- hand many suffering from PTSD and struggling with addiction and trauma because of the sacrifices they made,' he added. 'Those who did go overseas and were in combat or have seen horrible things. They're affected. Many are living on the streets, and I don't think our government is doing enough to help them. They sacrificed a lot and some of them are being forgotten.' The journey required plenty of strategic planning and says with the help of legions and members across the province have been paramount to the success of the trip. According to his plan the trek will take 42 days. 'With the help of his support team, we were able to figure out that there are legions approximately every 25 kms along the route,' he said. 'I've been very fortunate to find plenty of people willing to assist and put me up for the night.' While in Belle River, he stayed with Legion president Richard Brooks. MacKay now serves as sergeant at arms at his local legion in Port Dover, where the organization held a BBQ to send him on his way and raising $10,000. With a solid pair of walking shoes and a backpack containing only the essentials, he took the train to Windsor on April 26 Upon Leaving Windsor, he made stops in Belle River, Tilbury and Chatham Kent. MacKay is no stranger to long treks, but he admits this will be the longest walk he's ever attempted. MacKay says that he has done two 'Caminos' – mountain pilgrimages in Spain and Portugal that are hundreds of kilometres long. The walk will be no easy feat, given the unpredictable weather. He will walk six days out of the week, allowing one day to do laundry and rest his body. 'I like walking solo…it's a form of meditation for me, I like having not to think about anything in particular,' he laughed. He is halfway to his goal when the Lakeshore News caught up with him just outside of Toronto last week. 'Things have been going really well,' MacKay said. 'The weather has been co operating and I've met some great people along the way.' To date, he has raised just under $40,000. 'Last week, I stopped at a cheese factory outside of Kitchener, the people were so nice…they gave me a bunch of their product, however I was only to keep a small bit as it would go bad…along the way people have been so generous.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
‘Please Lord, help us'; Benton County residents start pickup after Monday's severe weather
BENTON COUNTY, Mo. — 'It was a shock,' Barbara Livingston says, standing on her lawn, surrounding by debris. Livingston was home Monday night when a severe storm passed through her subdivision, Red Bud South, pummeling the neighborhood. 'I walked out and I said, 'oh my gosh', you know, I've never seen this before other than on the news somewhere, but to see it physically, emotionally, it was devastating,' Livingston said. 'Neighbors were walking around here checking on everybody.' Livingston says the sound of the storm pushed her to pray. 'I could hear the banging and I was like 'Please, Lord, help us,' you know, just praying, and when I came out, I was like, 'okay, the house is here'. I can get through the house because I thought going up the stairs, what would I find? I came out, found all kinds of limbs in my yard and the tree almost on top of the car, but that can be replaced,' Livingston said. As a mother of many children, her maternal instincts took over, because even though her neighborhood was under a tornado warning Monday night, and mother nature was wreaking havoc on her neighborhood … she was reaching out to her kids to make sure they were fine. 'I'm worried about my kids in Kansas City, Pittsburg, and Springfield and checking with them, but they can't reach us because we have no power, no satellite. I sent them texts and they got him this morning and they were like, oh my gosh, are you okay?' Livingston said. Just down the road, Mark MacKay, who doesn't live in the neighborhood year-round, saw damage to his car port and part of his garage. 'Last night, a tornado rolled through here. We weren't here. We live in Lee's Summit, but we came down here and heard about it from all my friends down here. Unfortunately, we had a little tree fall on the carport, not much left of it, squished a Sea-Doo or two, but getting it cleaned up and moving on,' MacKay said. MacKay says this isn't the first time a severe storm has impacted his home. 'There was another big tornado like this happened back in 2004. We've had this cabin was built in 1980. So it's been around and survived two of these tornadoes now. So, we're lucky as far as that goes,' MacKay said. 'Hopefully we're done with tornadoes for another 20 years or so.' Jessica Mayfield, the Director of Benton County's Office of Emergency Management and 911 center says this was a storm — a storm with no injuries or deaths reports — that she's never seen before. 'As far as seeing physical damage, this is the first time that I've been out to actually lay eyes on what has been done in the county,' Mayfield said. 'The amount of damage that has been done, a lot of debris down, but many houses were spared.' Mayfield says the City of Warsaw is encouraging people to drop off debris. 'The City of Warsaw has graciously agreed to allow residents in Benton County to take their storm debris, trees, limbs, brush all of that to the compost in Warsaw, off of Industrial Drive in the Industrial Park, and they will be open today until June 6, seven days a week, and they're doing 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for anybody that wants to drop their debris off there,' Mayfield said. For MacKay and Livingston in their neighborhood, they've noticed residents helping out, but according to people Ozarks First spoke with, that's just the Benton County way. 'Definitely the Benton County Way, where community comes together. It's community first, definitely Benton County,' Mayfield said. 'I'm just grateful for this neighborhood. We are here for each other,' Livingston said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
