Latest news with #MattBailey
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Ten years later: Families remember victims of fiery I-285 plane crash
The Brief Four people were killed in the 2015 crash on I-285 in DeKalb County. Mechanical problems prevented plane from gaining altitude, NTSB says. Family raises $100K scholarship in victims' honor, planning another. DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A decade after a fiery plane crash on I-285 in DeKalb County killed the four people on board and halted traffic, families are still grieving. "It's hard to believe that it's been ten years," Matt Bailey, one the four plane crash victim's brother, said. "That day was really tough. Our world seemed to turn upside down." Jackie Kulzer and her fiancé Christopher Byrd were on the plane with Byrd's father and brother. The four, along with the couple's dog, died when the plane crashed into the interstate and burst into flames. The backstory The Piper PA-32 had just departed DeKalb Peachtree Airport on the morning of May 8, 2015, when it crashed on I-285, killing all four people onboard. The National Transportation Safety Board said a mechanical problem prevented the plane from gaining altitude. Investigators said the pilot, the father of victim Christopher Byrd, had discussed engine performance issues with at least two people before takeoff. Contamination was later found in the plane's fuel manifold, investigators said. Timeline Shortly after takeoff, air traffic control transmissions captured the pilot saying, "I'm having some trouble climbing here, I think that we're going to be down here." Moments later, another transmission confirmed, "5802 Victor crashed on departure, correct." Bailey said afterward, his family received an outpour of support. "I still talk to people often who remember exactly where they were when the accident happened," he said. "[People offered to help] here in the city and really across the country after it happened." What they're saying "You can never take anything for granted," Bailey said. "I mean, you know, every day you go through life just worrying about the things that are happening around you that really don't matter. People's lives can end very quickly. And so cherish the ones that you love, cherish your family and cherish the time that you have on this earth." What you can do Bailey and his wife Maggie have launched the Jackelyn K. & Christopher F. Byrd Memorial Scholarship for Ole Miss students, raising tens of thousands of dollars: They plan to start a second for students of Christ the King primary school in Buckhead, where Jackie was an alumna. The Source This article is based off of original reporting by FOX 5's Rob DiRienzo. Additional information comes from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and previous FOX 5 reporting.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Yahoo
3 Mercer County Robotics teams headed to world championship in Dallas
PRINCETON, WV (WVNS) – The popularity of robotics has taken Mercer County by storm over the past several years. Local organizations commence Operation 'Bag Drag' to assist growing needs in foster care It has grown so much that they now have around 50 different robotics teams within the county. Robotics coaches thank school administrators, as well as their county's excess levy for helping them take these robotics programs to new heights. This growing popularity has even resulted in 4 straight appearances at the world robotics championships by some Mercer County Schools. This year, three Mercer schools will have a team represented in Dallas, Texas for the VEX Robotics World Championship for Elementary and Middle School competitions. 'They get to kind of intermingle and have communication and discussions with people literally all over the world. And so being able to expose them to that kind of culture and those other kind of folks is just like it's invaluable. I think that it's just an opportunity that's just unlike any other,' said Coach Melanie Meachum, of Straley Elementary School. The teams going will be 'Da Jellyfish' – representing Mercer Elementary School, Straley Elementary School's 'Electro Storm', and Montcalm High School's 8th grade team – 'Fire Hydraulics'. Da Jellyfish's coach Matt Bailey explained these programs are all about the kids and their enjoyment of coding and knowledge of robotics. '[My favorite thing is] being able to just build something from scratch and use it to like, do stuff is really fun for me,' said Ethan Wilbur, a 5th grader from Mercer Elementary School. 'Ever since my sister done it and I heard about it, I just loved it,' added Landon Beeman, a 5th grader from Straley Elementary. This will be the second year attending for the team members of Fire Hydraulics. Fire Hydraulics coach William Jennings explained what makes their teams tick. 'Collaboration plays a major role in robotics in general between the kids. The entire competition is about teamwork. I mean, teamwork champions is what you end up being at the end. So collaboration is incredibly important, but it is important between coaches as well. Coaches are improving every year here in Mercer County, and that is just great because it provides a better program for the kids,' said Jennings. Local insurance agent partners with nonprofit to host food and supply drive for cats The emphasis for this year's world competition has been to improve speed for many of the students like Beeman and Wilbur. This competition will take place from May 12 through May 14, 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Excitement as Newcastle fans prepare for cup final
Excitement is building on Tyneside and at Wembley as Newcastle United prepare to take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final. More than 32,000 fans have travelled to London, with many taking over Covent Garden on Saturday. Supporters are hopeful the Magpies will return to St James's Park with their first major trophy since 1969. In Newcastle, people are already lining up outside fan zones and pubs across the city ahead of 16:30 GMT kick off. Listen to the build-up with Matt Bailey on BBC Radio Newcastle live from Wembley Way Lifelong supporter Kevin said he had witnessed the Magpies score only one goal in seven visits to Wembley. "Mostly it's been very disappointing, but great occasions," he said. But when asked by BBC Radio Newcastle if he believed his team could win this time, he said yes. Geordie takeover in Covent Garden #wedontdoquiet — Newcastle United (@NUFC) March 15, 2025 BBC Radio Newcastle's Matt Bailey, who is broadcasting live from Wembley Way, has also heard from fans from around the world, cheering on Eddie Howe's men. Tracey, who is currently in Cyprus, said she was feeling positive because the umbrellas on the local beach were black and white. "If that's not a sign, I don't know what is," Bailey said. The last trophy for the club was in 1969, the old Fairs Cup, but the 1955 FA Cup was the club's last domestic success. Alan Shearer, who captained Newcastle in the 1999 FA Cup final, said he "will be as nervous as any supporter". "I know I am biased but if any set of fans deserves a trophy it is the Newcastle supporters because of their passion, their loyalty and how they have stuck by the team over the years," he wrote for BBC Sport. On Saturday, the iconic Angel of the North statue in Gateshead was draped in a black and white shirt, with crowds of people turning up to take photos. One fan, Steph who brought her family to see it, said: "It just represents so much as well about pride in the city and bringing people together." The Gateshead Millennium Bridge spanning the River Tyne also displayed a banner. Follow BBC Newcastle on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Angel of North gets Newcastle shirt ahead of final 'A ridiculously long wait - but trophy win would change everything' Newcastle United
BBC News
16-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Newcastle United fans at Wembley hoping for Carabao Cup final win
Excitement is building on Tyneside and at Wembley as Newcastle United prepare to take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup than 32,000 fans have travelled to London, with many taking over Covent Garden on are hopeful the Magpies will return to St James's Park with their first major trophy since Newcastle, people are already lining up outside fan zones and pubs across the city ahead of 16:30 GMT kick off. Listen to the build-up with Matt Bailey on BBC Radio Newcastle live from Wembley Way Lifelong supporter Kevin said he had witnessed the Magpies score only one goal in seven visits to Wembley."Mostly it's been very disappointing, but great occasions," he when asked by BBC Radio Newcastle if he believed his team could win this time, he said yes. The last trophy for the club was in 1969, the old Fairs Cup, but the 1955 FA Cup was the club's last domestic Shearer, who captained Newcastle in the 1999 FA Cup final, said he "will be as nervous as any supporter"."I know I am biased but if any set of fans deserves a trophy it is the Newcastle supporters because of their passion, their loyalty and how they have stuck by the team over the years," he wrote for BBC Sport. On Saturday, the iconic Angel of the North statue in Gateshead was draped in a black and white shirt, with crowds of people turning up to take fan, Steph who brought her family to see it, said: "It just represents so much as well about pride in the city and bringing people together."The Gateshead Millennium Bridge spanning the River Tyne also displayed a banner. Follow BBC Newcastle on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.
Khaleej Times
04-02-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
UAE: No plastic please! This cricket team shows us how to build a better future
At a time when the United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order to get his country out of the Paris climate agreement, an international treaty between 200 countries who agreed to fight the menace called global warming, a UAE-based cricket team is a setting the benchmark for sustainability initiatives through their visionary programmes. The Desert Vipers, one of the six franchise teams in ILT20, the UAE's IPL-style T20 league, have eliminated plastic bottles for players and introduced player jerseys made from recycled material. 'We became the first sports organisation in Dubai to sign up to the United Nations Sports for Climate Actions Framework, which binds us to report annually on our emissions,' Matt Bailey, Head of Strategy, the Desert Vipers, told the Khaleej Times. 'It also binds us to certain targets, so the Desert Vipers must reduce their carbon emission by 50 per cent by 2030 and we are bound to work towards net zero by 2040. So now we have targets to work towards and we need to look at our own operations and think about what we can do to reduce our emission.' The Vipers' team of strategists have already taken some groundbreaking initiatives to help make a difference. 'We use water dispensers, individual water bottles in matches and in training, you will not see a Desert Vipers player drinking water out of a plastic bottle because we have eliminated plastic bottles,' Bailey said. 'We have actually eliminated 14,400 water bottles through this initiative. We have also introduced the world's first professional sports team's recycled kit. So everything our players are wearing is made of recycled material. And the players are absolutely loving this kit, we have got this done from a local UAE company. 'Also, we collected plastics and turned that into fan jerseys. So we are also distributing fan jerseys that are made from recycled plastic bottles that we collected from last season's sustainability match. 'We want to do our best to be part of the solution. We want to take our fans, our community and other sports teams on our journey. 'And we measure our carbon footprint and we are the first cricket team in the world to publish a document on that. All these documents are online on our sustainability microsite.' The Vipers are doing all that and more while also introducing cricket at Arab schools in the UAE, hoping to produce the first professional Emirati cricketer in the next few years. Jack Luffman, Development Lead, Desert Vipers, has visited four Arab schools in the UAE where he spent hours teaching the local kids the art of playing cricket. 'The franchise decided to go to the sustainability roots and as part of that, we did a schools programme, it was an introduction to cricket, much like the all-star cricket programme in England. So we did that through our sustainability lenses,' Luffman told the Khaleej Times. 'As part of the schools programme, we went to some of the Arab schools in the UAE, where we showed kids how to bowl and bat and after the cricket sessions, we sat down with them and spoke to them about how we can all play a part in saving our beautiful world.' Some of the school students are too young to comprehend the significance of sustainability initiatives, but Luffman says cricket was a good tool in finding the balance. 'It (cricket) is a bit untapped sport in a lot of these Arab schools. I think kids in those schools follow the Premier League (football) and Ronaldo and Messi and a bit of basketball as well,' he said. 'But the response from them was very encouraging when we went there to introduce cricket. Once they realized that cricket is fun, they enjoyed playing, they bowled, they batted and they really enjoyed taking catches. It was a great fun activity for them and for us it gave us a great opportunity to talk to them also about what we are trying to do to build a better world for the future.' Sport, Bailey says, is also a great platform to inspire children from all backgrounds to become responsible global citizens. 'Climate change is an existential threat for us. Sports and cricket in general have an amazing capacity to act as a catalyst to change. It's a fantastic platform though which to communicate with people,' said Bailey. 'I was reading a very interesting study the other day by an American University and they were looking at what type of people have been most influential in the world today. The study shows that more than 50 per cent of the world's influential people are the sports people or entertainers. 'So sports icons can inspire people to change their behaviour and we (Desert Vipers) want to do our best to be part of the solution.'
