Latest news with #Orr
Sunday World
34 minutes ago
- Sunday World
Man described as ‘Jekyll and Hyde' character jailed after reckless road rampage
Owen Orr committed a series of offences on St Valentine's Day in 2019 leaving a trail of destruction in his wake A man described as a 'Jekyll and Hyde' character after he drank alcohol has been jailed for eight months and put off the road for five years after going on a rampage in Co Donegal. Owen Orr committed a series of offences on St Valentine's Day in 2019 leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. The father-of-five punched another motorist in the face, assaulted a Garda, damaged his motorbike and then crashed his car into a terrified mother and daughter. Orr, who has 31 previous convictions, appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court where he pleaded guilty to a range of offences which all occurred on the same evening. Judge Roderick Maguire said it was completely unacceptable that Gardai had been put in such danger while doing their duty. He also said members of the public were fortunate not to have suffered more serious and lasting injuries as a result of Orr's actions. The 32-year-old was charged that, at Cullion Road, Letterkenny, he assaulted Garda Michael Kilcoyne, a peace officer, acting in the course of his duty. The charge is contrary to Section 19 (3) of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994, as amended by Section 185 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006. He was charged that he did without lawful excuse damage property, to wit, a Garda Honda motorcycle, belonging to the Chief Superintendent, An Garda Siochana. The charge is contrary to Section 2 (1) of the Criminal Damage Act, 1991. Orr was charged with the unlawful interference with a mechanically propelled vehicle, the property of Charles Bonner, while such vehicle was stationary at Manorcunningham by removing the key from the ignition. The charge is contrary to Section 113 or the Road Traffic Act, 1961, as amended by Section 6 of the Road Traffic Act, 1968 and Section 18 of the Road Traffic Act, 2006. He is also charged with dangerous driving o the N13 on February 14th, 2019 He is further charged that, at Dromore, Letterkenny, on February 14, 2019, that he did without lawful excuse damage property, to wit, a Toyota Corolla belonging to Kathleen Birch intending to damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged. The charge is contrary to Section 2 (1) of the Criminal Damage Act, 1991. He is also charged with failing to report an accident when injury was caused to property or a person at Dromore Lower on February 14th, 2019 being the driver of a vehicle involved in the accident. Other charges were also taken into account by the court. Prosecutor for the State, Ms Fiona Crawford, BL, along with Garda Daire Sheridan outlined the series of events on the day which led to Orr's arrest. He told how another motorist, Charles Bonner, was driving on the dual carriageway into Letterkenny when he saw another car overtaking a series of other vehicles before pulling in front of him. Mr Bonner flashed his lights at the car but the other driver, now known to be Owen Orr, slammed on his brakes forcing the other driver to brake. Mr Bonner stopped and the driver of the other car came over, punched him in the nose, pulled the keys out of his jeep and then threw them into a hedge and drove off with the entire incident being captured on dashcam. At Dromore Lower, some kilometres down the road, Mrs Kathleen Birch and her daughter were traveling towards Letterkenny down Lurgybrack when a car pulled out and smashed into them. Mrs Birch suffered pain in her back and legs and feared her car was going to go on fire as other motorists came to her aid. The driver of the other car fled on foot but left his wallet with bank cards and identification at the scene. Garda motorcyclist Michael Kilcoyne arrived at the scene of the accident and went in search of the driver of the other car and found Owen Orr walking at nearby Cullion Road. He addressed Orr who became aggressive and assaulted the Garda by grabbing him by the neck causing his motorbike to fall to the ground. Owen Orr at Letterkenny Circuit Court. (North West Newspix) News in 90 Seconds - Wednesday, July 30 A scuffle broke out and Orr lashed out at the arresting officer by kicking him before he was taken to Letterkenny Garda Station for questioning. While in the station, Orr refused to give either a blood or urine sample to a registered nurse. The accused man was interviewed four days later when sober and the court was told he was very apologetic about the incident. Barrister for Orr, Mr Ciaran Elders, BL, directed by solicitor Frank Dorrian, said his client was very cooperative during the second interview describing him as a 'Jekyll and Hyde' character when he had alcohol taken. He added that he finds himself in a better place today and has been sober since 2023 after two periods in rehabilitation apart from a small lapse. The accused man had a total of €2,000 in compensation to offer including a sum to replace the €500 key for Mr Bonner's jeep, another €750 for the damage to his glasses and €750 to be given to a charity of Garda Kilcoyne's choice. A further €500 was also available to Mrs Birch while the court was also told that civil proceedings are also ongoing arising from the collision. Mr Elders added that his client was now trying to put his life back together and was a man with a high IQ with five children, the oldest of which were also academically gifted and wanted to attend college. Judge Roderick Maguire addressed the accused and asked him how his family were now keeping and how his life was now that he is trying to remain sober. Orr said that he was attending AA meetings four times a week. Mr Elders added that now that it appears that Orr has been rehabilitated and has also come a long way since this incident in 2019, he was not sure how a custodial sentence could benefit Orr or society at large. Passing sentence, Judge Maguire outlined all the events of the night saying he had considered all matters. He outlined a headline sentence but then said he had to consider mitigation before passing a final sentence. He said Gardai had noted that Orr was very easy to deal with when sober, he had not come to Garda attention since, had entered an early plea and was in a much better place today. The Judge also noted his probation report, the fact that he has five children and also considered the management of his alcohol abuse and that he is now attending alcoholics anonymous four times a week. He also noted that compensation had been offered to those caught up in Orr's rampage which he said were concrete expressions or remorse of the accused. Taking all these matters into account, Judge Maguire reduced the headline sentence to one of sixteen months with the last eight months suspended and banned Orr from holding a driving license for five years. He also ordered him to enter a bond to keep the peace for a period of two years upon his release from prison.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ravens defense earns elite praise from one of its best players
The Baltimore Ravens defense earns an elite stamp from one of its own. Some lead by example. Some are more vocal. Rare treasures blend both qualities. Baltimore Ravens fans are spoiled in the latter regard. Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and Terrell Suggs each gave this city and organization a decade-plus of blood, sweat, and tears. They worked together for ten years. Wouldn't you know it? Though the NFL is, more often than not, largely obsessed with offense, for much of the Ravens' history, it's the guys on defense who are the faces of this franchise. Don't get us wrong. This is Lamar Jackson's team now. There is hope he plays for as long as his body will let him, but at M&T Bank Stadium, no one has lost their appreciation for a dominant defense. Mike Macdonald began building something special before leaving to lead the Seattle Seahawks. His replacement, Zach Orr, took over. Things got off to a rougher start than desired, but his unit improved all season until the time ran out in Baltimore's most recent AFC Divisional Round game. Now, in his second season, more pieces have been added to Orr's unit, and excitement is building about how good his team can be. Fans and the media aren't just expressing that excitement. It has sent shockwaves through the locker room where one of Baltimore's best players has an announcement for the rest of the NFL. Roquan Smith offers elite praise for the Ravens' defense A Ravens defense that featured five of Baltimore's 11 Pro Bowlers returns every single one of them during the 2025-26 NFL season. Three of those defenders were also named as All-Pros, including a first-team selection, Roquan Smith. He recently offered his teammates some praise. "This is probably the most talented defense that I've been on." Short, simple, and to the point... Those were the words of one of the Ravens' best defenders as he spoke with media members after the first practice of training camp. His teammate, fellow First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowler Marlon Humphrey, intends to keep using Baltimore's earlier-than-desired playoff exits as fuel. Their defensive coordinator, Coach Orr, recently offered a similar theory. "We want to be the most feared unit in the league, and it's time for us to get back to people being scared of playing us, and that's what we want to feel when we're out there. Obviously, (Marlon Humphrey) is out there. We trust him. He feels that way. I feel that way, too, so that's one of our goals this year, to be the most dominant, feared defense in the National Football League. So, let's go do it. It is not just going to happen by us talking about it, we've got to come out here and put the work in, and then when Sunday or gameday comes, we've got to go do it." The message is loud and clear, Coach. And, you're right! Go out and get it done.
NZ Herald
8 hours ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Treasury releases minutes of meeting Adrian Orr had with Nicola Willis before he resigned as Reserve Bank governor
The minutes say Reserve Bank board chairman Neil Quigley then said the board's view of the amount of funding required was closer to that of the Treasury than the Reserve Bank's management. They say Quigley clarified the board had a 'positive relationship and good communication with the Treasury'. Treasury reconsiders releasing information Last week, the Treasury released an email Quigley sent to a principal Treasury adviser, apologising on the Reserve Bank's behalf for Orr's behaviour during another meeting on February 20. 'I am sorry Adrian lost his cool with you this afternoon. Your question was not surprising, and [he] should have been able to give you a more dispassionate answer,' Quigley told the adviser. The Treasury released copies of the email and the meeting minutes after receiving inquiries about an allegation that there was an element of Orr being pushed to resign. The official line from Quigley was that Orr chose to resign because he disagreed with the board over the amount of government funding to pitch for. Indeed, Orr explained his concerns over funding in an email he sent to the board on February 14. He noted the tension between submitting a funding proposal that the Government wanted to hear, versus one that supported the bank's goals. 'The importance and clarity of operational independence for central banks is judged by global financial markets now and in the future. Not by any current Government,' Orr said. The point of contention is that Quigley didn't provide a reason for Orr's departure on the day he resigned, saying it was a 'personal decision'. This was despite the Herald specifically asking whether the problem was a disagreement over funding. It took until June for the bank to release a statement with an explanation for the resignation. The Reserve Bank also made a limited stack of documents public, rather than responding to individual Official Information Act (OIA) requests for information related to Orr's resignation. The Treasury has since conceded that copies of the email and minutes were in scope of the OIA request the Herald made on March 6. 'Although this material had previously been withheld under the OIA, the Treasury have reassessed the withholding and have determined that with the passage of time, the public interest in release outweighs the public interest in withholding the information,' the Treasury said. The Treasury told the Herald it would provide a fuller response to its March 6 request 'in due course'. The Reserve Bank last week said its legal obligations were different to those of the Treasury, and it stood by the information it released. It noted the Ombudsman was investigating complaints over its handling of information requests. Quigley awaits Ombudsman's ruling The situation has prompted the likes of the Taxpayers' Union and Geof Mortlock – a consultant who used to work at the Reserve Bank – to call for Quigley to resign. Mortlock questioned Quigley's credibility in recommending who Willis appoints as governor. On Monday, Willis said she had confidence in Quigley, saying he had the right skills and experience for the job. 'The Reserve Bank has been through a number of significant changes. It is in the midst of appointing a new governor. At this critical juncture, I think stability is helpful,' Willis said. However, she expressed her disappointment over the handling of Orr's resignation to the Reserve Bank board at a meeting on Thursday last week. Speaking to the Herald after that meeting, Quigley said the board also confirmed it had confidence in him. He expected to hear back from the Ombudsman soon. '[I] feel that I've done the right thing up to this point, and based on the advice that I've had,' Quigley said. 'But if that advice changes, or there's new information that comes in, then obviously I'll need to rethink how the bank proceeds. 'For now, to say I'm comfortable wouldn't be quite right, but I think, from my end, I feel like I've been well advised … and we've done our best.' Asked whether cumulatively he believed Orr's behaviour was problematic, Quigley recognised his role required him to give Orr feedback on his performance. 'I stand by the fact that the board did that. But I don't feel it's appropriate to move into the territory where I'm elaborating on the details of my, or the board's, managing of that relationship in the public domain because it's just not what I'd ever do with someone who worked with me or for me.' Orr hasn't spoken publicly about his resignation. Jenée Tibshraeny is the Herald's Wellington business editor, based in the parliamentary press gallery. She specialises in government and Reserve Bank policymaking, economics and banking.
NZ Herald
23-07-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Reserve Bank chairman Neil Quigley responds to allegations around Adrian Orr's resignation
When Newstalk ZB asked Quigley about the alleged 'Statement of Concerns' on Tuesday night, he said, 'I can't go into that'. When it asked Quigley about the swearing allegation, he responded, 'I can't comment on that. That's a matter of privacy that I don't think I should discuss.' On the day Orr resigned, Quigley refused to elaborate on what led to the surprise decision, hurriedly announced the day before the Reserve Bank hosted an international economics conference. Quigley said it was a 'personal decision' that Orr made. Then in June, the Reserve Bank issued a more detailed statement saying Orr resigned because he disagreed with the board over the amount of government funding the bank should pitch for. However, Reddell's source suggests there was an element of Orr being pushed to resign. When Newstalk ZB quizzed Quigley on Tuesday over his explanations for Orr's resignation, he made the point that Orr did not have to resign over the funding disagreement. 'There was nothing about that, that required Adrian to resign. He chose to make it a personal decision that he would resign at that point,' Quigley said. A Reserve Bank spokesman told the Herald the bank didn't plan to release any more information about Orr's resignation in addition to its June statement and accompanying documents released under the Official Information Act (OIA). 'The Reserve Bank believes that we have provided what information we can within our legal obligations, noting that the Ombudsman is investigating a complaint related to our handling of these information requests,' the spokesman said. Orr declined the Herald's request for comment. Willis prepped to answer questions about raised voices Reddell – who is often critical of the Reserve Bank – said, in his Croaking Cassandra blog post, he did not know the identity of his source and could not independently verify their claims. However, he believed the source's tone and the way their claims aligned with material in the public domain, gave them credibility. For example, it is known that Willis' press secretary warned her journalists might ask about Orr's conduct. A document released to the Herald under the OIA in April shows that on the morning of Orr's resignation, the press secretary jotted down several answers Willis could use in response to questions she might be asked be journalists. One question he suggested Willis might be asked was: 'Did you ever have disagreements with Adrian Orr?' The press secretary advised Willis to respond: 'I'm not going to discuss what happens in meetings that discuss confidential and sensitive matters.' He suggested a follow-up question could be: 'Did the Governor ever raise his voice with you?' Willis was advised to respond: 'As I've said, my relationship with Adrian Orr was professional. It's not appropriate for me to comment further on meetings that discussed sensitive and confidential matters.' When the Herald asked Willis on Tuesday whether Orr raised his voice with her during the meeting they had on February 24, she said, 'As I've said previously – not that I recall.' Put to her that she surely did remember what happened, Willis said Orr did not raise his voice with her. She distanced herself from the issue, saying it was an employment matter between Orr and the Reserve Bank board. The Herald has asked Treasury to comment on the allegation Orr lost his cool during the February 21 meeting. A copy of the meeting minutes has also been requested. Reserve Bank chairman Neil Quigley says he can't comment on allegations around what led to Adrian Orr's resignation. Photo / Mark Mitchell February 27 board meeting pivotal The Reserve Bank, in its official June explanation for Orr's resignation, said that by the time the board met on February 27, it was clear that it and Willis were willing to agree to a 'considerably lesser amount' of funding for the bank than Orr deemed necessary. 'This caused distress to Mr Orr and the impasse risked damaging necessary working relationships, and led to Mr Orr's personal decision that he had achieved all he could as Governor of the Reserve Bank and could not continue in that role with sufficiently less funding than he thought was viable for the organisation,' the Reserve Bank said. Secretary to the Treasury Iain Rennie texted Willis during the evening of February 27 to say he had spoken to Quigley. Details of the exchange were redacted, but Willis responded, 'Thanks for the update.' February 27 is also the day Reddell's source alleges Quigley sent Orr a 'Statement of Concerns'. The Reserve Bank said that following the board meeting, Orr and Quigley 'entered discussions, which led to Mr Orr's decision to resign. Both parties engaged senior counsel to negotiate an appropriate exit agreement.' Quigley involved in appointment of new Governor Orr hasn't spoken publicly about his resignation. His concerns over funding for the bank are detailed in an email, released under the OIA, which he sent board members on February 14. He noted the tension between submitting a funding proposal the Government wanted to hear, versus one that supported the bank's goals. 'The importance and clarity of operational independence for central banks is judged by global financial markets now and in the future. Not by any current Government,' Orr told the board. Since Orr's departure, the Reserve Bank has embarked on a major restructure that has involved several executives leaving and senior roles being cut. The board is in the process of finding someone it will recommend Willis appoints as Governor. In the meantime, Orr's former deputy, Christian Hawkesby, is acting Governor. When in Opposition, Willis was unhappy Quigley recommended Orr be reappointed Governor for a second term. However, last year, she reappointed Quigley chairman until June 2026. Jenée Tibshraeny is the Herald's Wellington business editor, based in the Parliamentary Press Gallery. She specialises in government and Reserve Bank policymaking, economics and banking.
Int'l Business Times
21-07-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
At The 50-Yard Line, Kenneth Orr Makes A Play For Moderation
Kenneth Orr and Family Kenneth Orr has built his career by spotting undervalued assets. Now, the activist investor, and former Tufts University defensive lineman, is betting that America's political center is one of them. This summer, Orr unveiled Meet Me at the Fifty , a nonprofit dedicated to facilitating purposeful conversation. The football-inspired name, suggested by his sister Jackie Orr, anchors the group's key proposition: if rival teams can shake hands at midfield, United States citizens ought to be able to do the same on life's 50-yard line. "Maybe the answer isn't about teaching people something new," Orr says. "Maybe it's reminding people of what they already know but have lost sight of in all of the outrage." The organization plans to fund a series of initiatives it will call "Dialogue Drills." They will launch digital ad campaigns to cool partisan hotspots on social media, host campus forums where college students across the political spectrum can engage in open dialogue, and lead small-group listening sessions that pair Republicans and Democrats alike. In these sessions, participants will earn points by accurately restating an opposing viewpoint before offering their own — a practice meant to reward understanding before rebuttal. "Specific locations and dates for the Dialogue Drills are still being finalized" says Orr. He also envisions deploying a mobile recording booth to capture short conversations for a future podcast and video series. This project traces back to P.S. 28 Wright Brothers, the Harlem elementary school where Orr's mother Barbara taught art and coached basketball. "She instilled in me that education is a great equalizer," Orr recalls. The doctrine "equal opportunity, not equal outcome" would later inform his philanthropy and investment ethos. His family places importance on generosity, a value that has followed him into his business career. In 2014, Orr founded KORR Acquisitions Group and has since led activist campaigns at small-cap firms across industries from telecom to energy. Orr has built a reputation for polite but firm shareholder letters that shun the verbal flamethrowers preferred by some in the activist crowd. Team sports taught him the importance of working together for a common good or goal. "Call strikes and balls the way you see them," he jokes. "Just make sure you're seeing clearly." Meet Me at the Fifty will measure its progress in decibels rather than legislation. The organization's stated mission is to normalize moderation and create a public space where centrist voices are not drowned by the extremes. "If two people who voted opposite ways can finish a meal without walking out on each other, that is progress," Orr said. Through ad campaigns, local events, and educational content, the group aims to restore the art of listening and create a space for reflection, not reaction. The group has no partisan affiliation and will not endorse candidates, Orr says. Its messaging will be intentionally nonpolitical, focused on behavioral norms like patience, listening, and curiosity. The idea is to build trust before taking sides. Formal nonprofit paperwork is being prepared for filing in New York, according to Orr. He expects 501(c)(3) status to follow next year and says that political affiliations will not be a factor in his board selection. Early funding will come from his family foundation and personal resources, with the goal of inviting outside donors once the group secures 501(c)(3) status in New York. "People think in binaries: left or right, black or white," he says. "But most of us agree on more than we think. We just need help seeing it." Critics may dismiss the middle ground as watered-down centrism, but Orr argues that it can be "the strongest turf on the field when it focuses on principles first." He points to recent public-opinion research suggesting that many Americans still view their opposing side as fundamentally decent. "We're living in a land of hypocrisy and divide," he said. "Take the blinders off, and you will find that most Americans actually can agree on most things." Whether that principle can scale beyond a slogan depends on funding and reach, but Orr plans to combine digital outreach with volunteer-led Dialogue Drills moderated by trained facilitators. Orr expects early challenges. He admits that "moderation isn't popular" and that viral content often favors outrage. But he believes a growing exhaustion with extremism opens a door for what he calls "compassionate centrism." While he doesn't expect Meet Me at the Fiftyto solve polarization overnight, he hopes it can build small bridges that add up over time. For the time being, the former football player is satisfied with moving the ball a few yards at a time. Like the classroom where his mother once taught, Meet Me at the Fifty is a space where every voice matters and where the real lesson is learning how to listen. "Meet me at the fifty" Orr states. "Let's start talking."
