Latest news with #Mansell
West Australian
12 hours ago
- West Australian
Horrific rail crossing crash near Albany ignites calls for improved level crossing safety
Level crossing safety has been thrust into the spotlight after a mother of three was killed in a crash between a four-wheel-drive and a grain train at a rail crossing near Albany. Cailee Mansell, 29, died on Wednesday, July 16, after the Mitsubishi Triton her family were driving in was hit by a CBH Group train at a a level crossing in Redmond. Ms Mansell, who was a passenger, suffered critical injuries and died at the scene. Her heartbroken family have launched a fundraiser to support her husband and children left behind. In a post on fundraising site GoFundMe, organisers said Ms Mansell was 'a light upon this earth' who was taken far too soon. 'Her sudden passing has left an unimaginable void in the hearts of all who knew her,' the post read. 'She leaves behind her heartbroken husband, Haydn and their three young children, who now face life without their mum's warmth, love and guidance.' The donations — which amounted to more than $92,000 on Tuesday — will go to funeral and memorial expenses, child care and schooling needs, and daily living costs. Redmond residents living near the rail line have joined the calls for improved level crossings, with Carly Pateman-Baker — who lives 50m from the train line — telling ABC that 'no one stops' at the crossing. 'To find out this has happened right at our doorstep . . . is pretty scary,' she said. 'Normal train lines either have warning lights . . . or a barrier that comes down before a train is close to the railway line.' WA currently has 960 public road level crossings on operational rail lines, about half of which are fitted with flashing lights or boom gates. A State Government review conducted in 2023 deemed 13 of the passive crossings on State roads should be upgraded with active controls, but Countryman understands the Redmond crossing falls under the City of Albany. The accident occurred just weeks after a trio of WA families marked the 25-year anniversary of a fatal level crossing accident at Jennacubbine in the Wheatbelt. There were renewed calls for improved level crossing safety and mandatory lighting on trains. Each of these families — the Jensen, Broad and Smith families — are part of a national campaign called Improve Level Crossing Safety and Train Lighting, which includes nine other families from across Australia. Campaign spokeswoman Lara Jensen said the families' hearts 'broke all over again' when they heard about the Redmond crash — for Ms Mansell's family, as well as the two train drivers and emergency personnel involved. 'Australia's Rail Safety National Law states that the regulator, Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator must facilitate safe rail operations, yet in the last four years we have seen ONRSR ignore three train lighting reports it commissioned that all found additional lighting improves train visibility,' she said. 'It is deeply concerning that the rail industry is still not being made to comply with the findings of its own research. 'Rail companies operate businesses that create serious risks and so they have a responsibility to mitigate these risks by doing all they can to ensure their locomotives and rolling stock are clearly illuminated at all times for rural road users that interact with them at more than 18,000 regional crossings without lights or boom gates around Australia. 'Improving level crossings safety requires multiple actions, and fitting auxiliary lighting to locomotives and rolling stock (hazard, side, front and beacon lighting) is one such affordable corrective action that would improve safety and reduce preventable crashes and fatalities at regional railway crossings.' Central Wheatbelt MP Lachlan Hunter also doubled down on his calls for flashing lights to be made mandatory on trains. 'People will argue that this accident happened during the day,' he said. 'I know many farmers in my electorate who have farm machinery and they have to have lighting on their header or tractor as they move from farm-to-farm. This is not something I think is unreasonable. 'If you look at this crossing, it is a peculiar crossing . . . there is just one stop sign..' A statement from freight train operator Aurizon on Thursday confirmed the fatal collision, saying it, along with CBH, would assist police with the investigation. 'Tragically, a passenger in the vehicle lost her life in the incident and we extend our condolences to her family and friends,' the statement read. 'This incident will be felt deeply by the local community, including our train drivers and employees who live and work locally.' A CBH Group spokesman said the farmer-owned co-operative was 'deeply saddened'. 'We are deeply saddened to hear of the fatality at Redmond,' he said. 'Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to the family of the deceased, and everyone affected by this tragedy. 'CBH and our rail services provider, Aurizon, are assisting the relevant authorities with their investigation.' It is understood the Australian Transport Safety Bureau will conduct an independent investigation, while major crash is also investigating the accident. Ms Mansell's death is one of 120 so far this year on WA roads, in a horror toll putting the State on track for its worst 12 months for fatalities in more than a decade.
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Perth Now
Family pays tribute to loving mum killed in WA train crash
The heartbroken family of a mother-of-three killed when her car was hit by a train in WA's Great Southern have launched a fundraiser to support her husband and children now left behind. Cailee Mansell, 29, died on Wednesday after the Mitsubishi Triton her family were driving in near Albany was hit by a train at a level crossing in Redmond. Ms Mansell, who was a passenger, suffered critical injuries and died at the scene. Police said the Mitsubishi was driving east on Redmond-Hay River Road and that the CBH grain train was travelling north. Ms Mansell's family — including her husband and three children, and who live in the region — all received minor injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment. Two men on the train were not injured, but were treated for shock. In a post on fundraising site GoFundMe, organisers said Ms Mansell was 'a light upon this earth' who was taken far too soon. 'Her sudden passing has left an unimaginable void in the hearts of all who knew her,' the post read. 'She leaves behind her heartbroken husband, Haydn and their three young children, who now face life without their mum's warmth, love, and guidance. Cailee Mansell leaves behind her heartbroken husband and their three young children. Credit: GoFund me 'Haydn is now navigating the difficult road ahead as a single parent, trying to provide emotional stability and practical care for his children during a time of deep grief. She also leaves behind her loving mother and best friend, Odette, who is grieving the unimaginable loss of her daughter. 'No amount can ever replace the love and presence of their mother, but with your help, we can ensure that this grieving family has the support and security they need in this incredibly difficult time.' The donations — which already amount to more than $50,000 — will go to funeral and memorial expenses, childcare and schooling needs and daily living costs. The crash closed road and rail around the site for more the 24 hours last week. Major crash officers on Thursday combed the scene as they began an investigation into how the tragic incident happened. A statement from freight train operator Aurizon on Thursday confirmed the fatal collision, saying it, along with CBH, would assist police with the investigation. 'Tragically, a passenger in the vehicle lost her life in the incident and we extend our condolences to her family and friends,' the statement read. 'This incident will be felt deeply by the local community, including our train drivers and employees who live and work locally.' It is understood the Australian Transport Safety Bureau will conduct an independent investigation. Ms Mansell's death is one of 120 so far this year on WA roads, in a horror toll putting the State on track for its worst 12 months for fatalities in more than a decade. The figure includes 62 metropolitan fatalities — a sharp rise on the historic trend for the year to date — and 58 on regional roads.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
'I think Texas A&M makes the playoff': SEC football analyst predicts Aggie CFP bid
While many media members at the Southeastern Conference's media days predicted Texas A&M to finish in the middle of the pack in league play this season, one college football analyst made a bold prediction for the Aggies to reach this year's College Football Playoff. Rusty Mansell, co-owner and publisher of DawgsHQ, joined Michael Bratton (SEC Mike) on "That SEC Podcast" to talk SEC football following a packed week in Atlanta, Georgia. With the league's annual preseason meetings concluding and fall camp set to kick off shortly, SEC Mike asked Mansell to provide the boldest take heading into the 2025 campaign. Mansell's response? He believes that the Aggies are primed for a CFP bid this season, which would mark the program's first playoff appearance if those hopes come to fruition. Here is the full clip from "That SEC Podcast" where Mansell and SEC Mike discussed Texas A&M's potential heading into the second year under head coach Mike Elko: Whether the Aggies will reach the CFP will be determined by how the program handles one of the toughest schedules in the country. Ranked as the No. 9 slate by ESPN metrics, Texas A&M will have road tests against Notre Dame, LSU and Texas, all of which will have massive postseason implications. Having a talented gunslinger at the helm will help the Aggies stay on course, however. Marcel Reed enters his sophomore year in College Station after throwing for 1,864 yards and 15 touchdowns in 11 games played last season. The two-time SEC Freshman of the Week honoree (Sep. 16 and Oct. 28) also recorded 547 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. With experience under his belt and targets like former ACC Freshman Offensive Player of the Year KC Concepcion surrounding him, Reed has all the pieces to complete the puzzle and lead the Aggies to the CFP in 2025. While the Texas A&M secondary has been a weak spot of the defensive unit for a long time, that could soon change as well with the return of Will Lee III and the addition of transfer standouts Julian Humphrey (Georgia) and Jordan Shaw (Washington), rounding out the Aggie secondary this season. Can the Aggies defy the odds and reach the 2025-2026 CFP? The Maroon and White faithful will have to wait just 41 more days before those answers begin to unfold on the gridiron at Kyle Field. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo.
Perth Now
4 days ago
- General
- Perth Now
Stories in the stars shared at science festival
Theresa Sainty can't imagine looking up at the night sky and not seeing the stars. The Pakana woman says looking up at the night skies above lutruwita (Tasmania) she can see the creation stories of her people. "It's important, culturally, for us to be able to continue that," she said. "It is a part of culture and it is part of caring for Country." Ms Sainty, a scholar at the University of Tasmania, will share stories of Wurangkili Liwari Nipaluna (the night sky of Hobart) with visitors to the city's Beaker Street Festival. Drawing on her work in language revitalisation and traditional knowledge systems, Ms Sainty will talk about the connection between the sky, land, culture and people. The session, held on kunanyi (Mt Wellington), is not about becoming an expert in Palawa creation stories and astronomy, Ms Sainty said, but gaining an understanding of the ways culture has endured for thousands of years. "It's about continuing the Palawa story, which is a story of survival and initiative and adaptability," she said. "We were the first astronomers, we were the first scientists and I think it's really important that the wider community ... know that we have survived and we continue with culture that has miraculously continued uninterrupted irrespective of colonisation." At nearby Piyura Kitina (Risdon Cove) Kitana Mansell will be telling stories of Palawa people and celebrating their knowledge and strength through food. The event, ningina Palawa kipli piyura kitina-ta, which means to give, to get, to bring Palawa food, was more than a shared meal, she said. "It's a journey into the heart of what Aboriginal food is and our culture and telling those stories of Country and tradition," Ms Mansell said. "Piyura Kitina is a perfect example of how we've been able to do that with the land given back to our community since 1995, showing how we as Aboriginal people can take care of Country in our own way, and not having rules and regulations around practising our culture." There's a dark history at Risdon Cove, as the site of first impacts of colonisation in Tasmania. But Ms Mansell said she hopes to showcase the native flavours of the area, and the stories that stretch far beyond colonisation. "For over 150 years Aboriginal people were not allowed to eat our traditional foods, or practice our cultural harvesting," she said. "To be able to have the responsibility as a proud Palawa woman to showcase that we're reconnecting back to our food and our history, it's a great opportunity." Beaker Street Festival will be held on August 12-19.
West Australian
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Sesame Street: Why ‘engaging' kids TV shows are more vital than ever
On Monday the 55th season of Sesame Street will hit Aussie TV screens. According to Sesame Workshop, the global non-profit organisation behind the award-winning series, the latest season will focus on emotional wellbeing, 'helping children learn accessible strategies to comprehend and cope with big feelings through fun, light-hearted, relatable, and engaging stories.' Clinical child psychologist and founder of WA start-up Tedology, Dr Louise Mansell, thinks this emphasis is more vital than ever. 'Shows like Sesame Street are so important for children,' Dr Mansell said. 'But I'm particularly struck by how important they are for Australia, because there are a limited number of shows that support emotional development for children. 'We've got Bluey now, but Sesame Street does it in a much more direct way — they will openly talk about emotions and cover topics that might otherwise be difficult to talk about.' You could argue this kind of quiet reassurance is more important than ever — especially for our little ones. But earlier this year Sesame Street's future seemed uncertain after its broadcast partner, HBO, did not renew its deal with the show. Netflix came to the rescue, ensuring the 50-plus year-old series will continue to be available not only to American children via the publicly-funded PBS Network, but also internationally via its enormous streaming service — episodes will continue to air on ABC in Australia. 'ABC and Sesame Workshop enjoy a longstanding partnership spanning 50 years and we look forward to continuing our collaboration,' a spokesperson for the network told The Sunday Times. 'Whether it's taking a volcano breath when angry, learning to give yourself a hug when frustrated, or wiggling it out when disappointed, we're empowering children with the strategies to help build resiliency and the foundational skills for emotional well-being,' he said. Helping children to navigate all this are the show's stable of much-loved characters. This season will see Elmo learn how to do 'volcano breaths' after he feels angry; puppet Abby learns what it means to be kind to yourself to overcome frustration, and Cookie Monster admits to feeling nervous about going to a new cooking school, enlisting his friends to help him prepare. 'That 'don't worry be happy' kind of motto is in so many shows, but you won't find that in Sesame Street,' Dr Mansell said. 'As a child psychologist, you are often trying to help children who don't believe that some emotions are OK... 'If they can see Big Bird have them, and Elmo is often saying how he feels, it just normalises the whole process and makes them realise that emotions happen on a daily basis in response to something else, and that's OK.' Helping the puppets to get the message across this season are special guests including actress and singer Renee Rapp, actor Michael B. Jordan, pop star SZA, and Queer Eye's Jonathan Van Ness. 'We are in this society that is really focused on children becoming addicted to screens,' Dr Mansell said. 'What they are really becoming addicted to is the dopamine and the high arousal they get from shows and screen time. It's quick, it's fast, and I hear that when I listen to my boys watching YouTube. 'Sesame Street doesn't do that: it's slow, it's calming, and there is predictability about it; you always know what is going to happen on the show at the beginning and end. 'That's so important for children, and for adults.'
