Latest news with #MarkCostello
ABC News
07-05-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
Water gushed for weeks before McCrae landslide destroyed a home, injured a council worker, inquiry told
Excess water gushed through the streets of a wealthy Mornington Peninsula neighbourhood for weeks before a disastrous landslide destroyed a luxury holiday home, an inquiry has heard. Alongside the collapse of the multimillion-dollar house, the January 14 disaster seriously injured a council worker and prompted several evacuations amid serious questions about the viability of neighbouring homes. Residents in eight of the hillside homes still have not been cleared to return. Aerial photos of McCrae reveal the damage from the 2025 landslide. ( Supplied ) Geotechnical experts, residents and local authorities are set to give evidence in an inquiry that began in Melbourne today. In an opening address, counsel assisting Mark Costello revealed one avenue of enquiry was whether a potentially significant water leak could have saturated the escarpment beneath the homes. "In the months before the landslide, approximately from mid-November, local residents observed excess water in the streets uphill of Penny Lane [where the home was destroyed]," he said. "The water, we have been told, roared in the stormwater drainage system. "It emerged through the roads. It pushed up and cracked the asphalt. "It created potholes. It flowed down the streets. It saturated nature strips. And it leaked into the curbs." A "constant flow" of water was also observed emerging from a section of escarpment affected by a smaller landslide about a week before the one that toppled the home, he said. The inquiry will look at whether a burst main that saw water gushing down McCrae streets caused the landslide. ( ABC News: Danielle Bonica ) When two residents looked into the issue, their investigations led them to a water main that seemed to have saturated the surrounding area before it was repaired at about the start of the year, Mr Costello said. He told the inquiry the residents sought more information from the Mornington Peninsula Shire council and water authority South East Water, but did not receive what he called "substantive responses". Five avenues of enquiry to be probed The so-called "burst water main theory" is one of five avenues of enquiry to be probed as the Board of Inquiry looks into what caused the January disaster and how to prevent a repeat. The adequacy of the area's stormwater infrastructure as well as its natural underground springs were flagged as two other water-related potential causes. A week before the January landslide, a smaller slip also badly damaged the home that was later destroyed. ( ABC News: Danielle Bonica ) Then there was the role of building works, like the installation of a retaining wall at an uphill property, as well as vegetation removal, which the property owners said was limited to the removal of dead plants and some trimmings at the request of a neighbour. "We have formed no view as to whether any of these matters contributed to the landslide," Mr Costello said. "But both matters are at least capable of having contributed to the landslide in that they could assist in creating the conditions necessary for a landslide to occur, even if they were not causal." In 1952, eight homes were destroyed in a landslide triggered by significant rainfall about two kilometres from the McCrae site, the inquiry heard. The three-storey house impacted at least two other houses when it slid down the hill. ( Supplied ) About 80 millimetres of rain — the most recorded in single day in more than a decade — fell before two smaller landslides occurred near the site in November 2022, prompting the evacuation of three homes. A week before January's disastrous landslide, a smaller event also badly damaged the home that was later destroyed while two people were home, the inquiry heard. Despite this history, the inquiry heard the relevant area was not subject to an erosion management overlay, a planning tool that can place stricter regulations on development on affected lands. Led by senior lawyer Renee Enbom, the inquiry has summoned troves of documents and pored over more than 30 submissions, as well as visited the affected region and its residents. Ms Enbom vowed to deliver her findings as quickly as possible. "It is time to find the answers to the important questions being asked by the McCrae community," she said. "I'm determined to make recommendations as quickly as possible as to the measures that need to be taken to prevent or mitigate the risk of another landslide." The hearing will continue over the coming weeks.
Newsweek
01-05-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Iowa Could Ban Trans Care Under Medicaid
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Republican-backed budget bill advancing through the Iowa Senate could stop Medicaid and other taxpayer-funded programs from covering gender-affirming care for transgender residents. The legislation follows years of attempts by Iowa lawmakers to restrict such care, though the latest effort comes amid significant changes to the state's civil rights protections. Newsweek has contacted Republican state senator Mark Costello, who chairs the Senate's health and human services appropriations subcommittee, for comment outside of regular working hours. A protestor holds a transgender pride flag near the Washington State Capitol building in February. A protestor holds a transgender pride flag near the Washington State Capitol building in February. Lindsey Wasson/AP Why It Matters President Donald Trump has taken multiple steps to unravel protections for transgender people since returning to the White House. Following his inauguration on January 20, Trump issued an executive order stating that it is "the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female." He has targeted gender-affirming care for transgender youths, banned trans people from serving in the military, and excluded trans women from competing in female sports. What To Know The proposal is part of the Iowa Senate's Health and Human Services budget bill. The language specifically bars the use of general fund money for "sex reassignment surgery or treatment related to an individual's gender dysphoria diagnosis." That could include surgeries, hormone therapy, and mental health services. If passed, the measure would block transgender Iowans on Medicaid from receiving medically recognized care for gender dysphoria. Critics argue this could harm some of Iowa's most vulnerable residents. Democratic state senator Janet Petersen said, according to Des Moines Register: "I believe it's unconstitutional. Of course, I'm not an attorney so maybe you'd need to ask an attorney, but that would be my opinion." The Iowa House introduced its own budget measure on April 30 that does not include restrictions on gender-affirming care. Republican representative Ann Meyer said House Republicans may favor excluding taxpayer dollars from surgeries and hormones, but said mental health services should remain covered. The bill comes after a major shift in state law. Earlier this year, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed legislation removing gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act, eliminating specific state protections for transgender people against discrimination. What People Are Saying Max Mowitz, executive director of the LGBTQ equality organization One Iowa, told a Senate subcommittee hearing, according to Des Moines Register: "Gender dysphoria, if it goes untreated causes anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation. It would put additional strain on other systems that would need to support these folks that can't access the care that they need. And I don't know why we would be removing access to care that is medically necessary that we know folks need to be able to have." He added: "You can't actually access most gender affirming care without mental health care, and a lot of mental health care is used in the treatment of gender dysphoria. So even if you object to the idea of someone accessing surgery or hormones, mental health care is still necessary to provide that care." What Happens Next The bill has passed a Senate subcommittee on a 2-1 vote, and can now progress to review by the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
South Bend school board will hold public meeting Jan. 30, selecting board attorney
SOUTH BEND — The South Bend Community School Corp. (SBCSC) board will hold a Special Public Meeting on Thursday, Jan. 30, to approve an attorney to serve as board counsel. The meeting will take place Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Brown Administration Building, 737 Beale St. The meeting agenda on BoardDocs only lists one action item — approval of the selection of attorney to serve as board counsel — but there will still be an opportunity for attendees to address the board before a vote is taken. This follows a unanimous board vote taken on Jan. 23 to approve the hiring of an attorney. According to board bylaw 0172, the board can annually appoint a legal council to advise the board, the district superintendent and others designated by the superintendent, as well as represent the board when necessary. The bylaw also states that on a "periodic basis," the position of district attorney or law firm will "be opened to a search process." During the meeting on Jan. 23, board President Jeanette McCullough said she was bringing the item to a vote during an open meeting to foster transparency with the public, and trustee Mark Costello said the new attorney would be for the board specifically, not the district as a whole. This does not put Kendra Key, SBCSC's legal counsel, at risk of losing her job, Costello said. Email South Bend Tribune education reporter Rayleigh Deaton at rdeaton@ This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend school board holding meeting Jan. 30, voting on attorney
