Latest news with #Piccolo
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former New College official now facing felonies after indecent exposure accusations
SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — A former New College of Florida official and former spokesperson for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is now facing felony charges after authorities said he exposed himself to multiple people over the course of several months. Fredrick Piccolo Jr.'s charges were upgraded from misdemeanors to felonies this week, according to Sarasota County jail records. He faces three counts of exposure of sexual organs — each of which is considered a third-degree felony due to it being a second or subsequent offense. 'Pure evil': Lakeland man sets house on fire with roommates inside, Judd says The man who once played a prominent role in Florida politics was arrested by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office in April after deputies said he exposed himself to a woman while asking her for directions. He's also accused of exposing himself to multiple people at department stores in the University Town Center Mall in Sarasota. Court records show the incidents occurred between Aug. 22 and Sept. 4 of last year. Piccolo worked as the director of communications for DeSantis' office from August 2020 to December 2021 before he resigned over a controversial social media post. He also held leadership roles with the Florida Speaker of the House and New College in Sarasota. His father, Rick Piccolo, told News Channel 8 that a worsening medical condition has contributed to his son's 'impulsive and compulsive behaviors,' including 'hypersexual activities.' The Piccolo family provided a statement this week saying they have sought medical and mental health services to help him recover. The family's full statement is below. While our family is deeply saddened and surprised by the accusations contained in the arrest reports, our son Fred Jr. was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's disease about ten years ago. As the disease has progressed, he has had various and increasing medications for the affliction. One of the listed side effects of the medications, particularly the dopamine agonists he is taking, is impulsive and compulsive behaviors, including gambling and hypersexuality activities. We are very sorry that any individuals were subjected to any inappropriate conduct, and we have already started the medical and mental health services necessary to return him to the wonderful and caring individual we knew before this decade of doctor prescribed medication. Rick Piccolo Jail records show Piccolo Jr. was booked into jail on the upgraded charges on May 21, but bonded out two days later. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Otago Daily Times
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
‘Pros and cons' to time-limiting St Clair all-day parks
Surfing New Zealand South Island director Jimi Higgins says a Dunedin City Council proposal to turn all-day parking into time-restricted spots could hurt competitions but help recreational surfers keen for a parking spot near the water. PHOTO: GERARD O'BRIEN Proposed parking changes at St Clair Beach present "pros and cons" for surfers, but nearby businesses could benefit from an end to people taking up a parking spot all day at the often bustling Dunedin destination. The Dunedin City Council has proposed a change to a range of parking restrictions in and around the Esplanade at St Clair. In general, all-day parking spaces in the area are earmarked to become either two-hour or four-hour time-restricted spaces along with several five-minute spots. Surfing New Zealand South Island director Jimi Higgins said the proposal "had its pros and cons", benefiting those who wanted to get into the water for an hour or so, or perhaps attend a surfing lesson. But surfing competitions could suffer because visitors relied on the all-day parking spots, often pulling up for a day or two while a competition was on. "I think for recreational surfing it might be quite good because it frees up a lot of parks," Mr Higgins said. "We've been noticing there's a lot of parking issues down there with people parking all day or having to park blocks away to go visit the beach. "But for our competitions it's going to negatively impact that because we have people coming from around Otago, around Dunedin and even around the country who like to get involved. "And they normally park there the whole day or maybe for a couple of days to compete and spectate and they won't be able to do that any more." St Clair played host to about five competitions a year, including the recent South Island Champs over Easter, which is the second biggest event in the country. "We had visitors from the Far North, Taranaki, all across the country coming down in their motorhomes, parking up at St Clair Beach, spending money at all the restaurants and the businesses. "And now they won't be able to do that." Restaurateur Katrina Toovey owns the busy Italian eatery Esplanade and the recently opened wine bar Piccolo and artisan gelato store Sorella Gelato next door. She said at present the parking in the area was "a bit hectic" and the number of cars moving through the beachfront area put people, often unaccompanied children, at risk. Yet, Ms Toovey welcomed an end to all-day parking. "I think it's good for visitors to the area," she said. "It means that the parks will turn as opposed to someone being there sometimes for days and days, to be honest." Council transport group manager Jeanine Benson said the proposed changes aimed to increase parking turnover and availability, and to help better meet the needs of local businesses and the community. The proposal would not result in the removal or loss of any free parking spaces in the area and all parks would still remain free of charge. Parking in the council managed carpark overlooking the Esplanade and ocean would remain unrestricted. Feedback would be taken into consideration before any final decisions were made, she said.
NZ Herald
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Dunedin Welcomes New Wine Bar Piccolo From The Team Behind The Esplanade
Two great new openings bring a taste of Italy to St Clair. St Clair, already home to one of Dunedin's best-regarded restaurants, has just welcomed two new neighbours. Sorella Gelato and Piccolo have opened side-by-side on Forbury Rd, offering a casual yet considered approach to Italian food and drink. Piccolo is a wine and salumi bar with a concise, interesting list of local and Italian bottles, a sharp edit of cocktails, and snack-friendly dishes like pizzette, croquettes and zucchini flowers. Wine is available by the glass or bottle, and takeaway options (including pizza!) — like vermouth — are sold from the fridge near the door. Next door, Sorella is a traditional gelateria led by Marco Adinolfi — ranked among the world's top 100 gelato makers — who prepares a fresh line-up of flavours each day in the onsite lab. The menu spans both gelato and sorbetto, with a focus on seasonal, all-natural ingredients and a generous non-dairy selection. Take-home tubs and gelato cakes are also available. The two new venues are the latest from Katrina Toovey, who also runs neighbouring Italian restaurant The Esplanade, which is a favourite with both locals and visitors, and No 7 Balmac in Maori Hill. 'In Italian cuisine there is a real emphasis on quality and tradition, the art of doing things well. There is also a culture of meandering and strolling through a neighbourhood and really enjoying an environment. These are all things that I know are important to our area, and for us it's about building on this. 'For some locals that might look like dropping into Piccolo for a glass before dinner at The Esplanade, or maybe it's getting a gelato with your kids on an afternoon stroll, and getting yourself a nice bottle to take home afterwards. We're curating quality options to cater to everyone,' says Katrina. The new wine bar and gelateria have been designed by Cheshire Architects, who are also responsible for The Esplanade's excellent interiors. Piccolo is a refreshing break from pared-back hospitality fitouts, with a fun use of colour and lots of art lining the walls. Choose from a cosy leather banquet by the window or sit at a colourful high table on a funky mushroom-like leather stool. 'To me, St Clair feels spacious, bright and open — we wanted to reflect that in what we've built here,' says Katrina. 'It's about offering a few different ways to enjoy the area, whether that's a scoop of gelato after a walk or a glass of wine before dinner.'
Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Horrifying truth about baby food pouches that contain alarming amounts of nasty ingredient
A BBC Panorama investigation found that some popular baby food pouches contain more of certain ingredients than a one-year-old should have in an entire day, as well as lacking essential nutrients Some popular baby food pouches sold in UK supermarkets — including those by Ella's Kitchen — contain more of one unhealthy ingredient than a one-year-old should consume in an entire day, it has been revealed. Government guidelines recommend that infants have as little sugar as possible, with a maximum of 10g per day. However, laboratory testing commissioned by a BBC Panorama investigation found that some products exceeded this, with one pouch from Ella's Kitchen containing a staggering 19.6g of sugar, equivalent to more than four teaspoons — more than is found in many fizzy drinks. The investigation also revealed that most products tested failed to provide sufficient vitamin C or iron, both essential nutrients for infants' growth and development. READ MORE: Boy, 3, dies in scorching hot 31C car after step-mum forgets to take him to nursery Experts described the findings as 'really concerning' and criticised misleading marketing, such as 'no added sugar' claims. While technically true — no sugar is added — the process of pureeing fruit releases free sugars, making them more rapidly absorbable than those in whole fruit. Free sugars include those naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juices, or released during processing — like when fruit is pureed. Unlike eating whole fruit, where sugars are contained within cell walls, pureed fruit can lead to sugar spikes and increased risk of tooth decay and obesity. Dr. Eddie Crouch, chair of the British Dental Association, highlighted the impact on dental health, saying: 'We're seeing children barely out of weaning needing multiple tooth extractions. It's not all down to baby food pouches, but they're clearly contributing to the problem.' Over 250 baby food pouches are currently on sale in the UK, favoured by parents for their convenience and long shelf life. As part of the investigation, the BBC tested fruit, yoghurt, and savoury pouches from six leading brands and supermarkets: Ella's Kitchen, Heinz, Piccolo, Little Freddie, Aldi, and Lidl. Little Freddie and Piccolo both defended the accuracy of their labelling, while Ella's Kitchen said it "would never use misleading claims." Heinz declined to respond to questions about marketing. The BBC also found 'halo marketing' was widespread - branding products with phrases like 'Good for Brains' or 'as nutritionally good as homemade' despite questionable nutritional value. When it came to savoury pouches — often used by parents as a main meal — all tested products failed to meet iron requirements. An infant needs 7.8mg of iron daily, but the highest level found in any pouch was just 1mg, with some meat-based options delivering as little as 0.1mg. Vitamin C levels were also alarmingly low. In one case, Piccolo's Pure Mango pouch retained less than 0.1mg of vitamin C — compared to 18.2mg found in the same quantity of fresh mango. This is far below the recommended 25mg daily intake for infants. Although Public Health England drafted voluntary baby food guidelines in 2020, they have yet to be published under either the current Labour-led or previous Conservative governments. The Department of Health and Social Care responded by stating that food safety laws already ensure baby food claims must be clear and accurate, and reiterated its commitment to improving children's health and tackling obesity through its broader Plan for Change.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Baby food pouches fail to give infants the nutrients they need, experts reveal
Baby food pouches from six leading brands fail to meet children's key nutritional needs, researchers found. Brightly packaged products made by Ella's Kitchen, Heinz, Piccolo, Little Freddie, Aldi and Lidl were tested for their nutritional value and found to be lacking. As well as being low in iron, which is vital for an infant's development, some contained more sugar than a one-year-old should consume in a day – despite being marked as containing 'no added sugar'. The BBC Panorama investigation also found that nearly all the vitamin C in one fruit pouch had been lost during the manufacturing process. Dr Alison Tedstone, a former government chief nutritionist, said the nutritional claims of baby food pouches were 'misleading', adding: 'You think as a parent it is a healthy product, and it just isn't.' Dental experts also warned against feeding babies through the plastic spout on pouches, as this may cause tooth decay. Eddie Crouch, of the British Dental Association, said: 'Parents of infants are still being marketed products more sugary than Coke. Voluntary action has failed. We need government to step up and force industry to do the right thing.' Children who were 'barely out of weaning' were going to hospital for multiple tooth extractions, Mr Crouch told the BBC. 'It's obviously not all down to these pouches,' he added. 'But clearly, regular use and feeding with these pouches with such high levels of sugar cause serious problems to the general health of children as they're growing up.' Pouches that do not contain added sugar may contain up to four teaspoons of 'free sugars' created when fruit is blended. Last year, an international study found more than 200 branded food products aimed at UK babies and toddlers failed to meet World Health Organisation nutrition and marketing standards, with excessive sugar, salt or calories. Experts say big brands surround their products with healthy-sounding words and phrases – known as 'halo marketing' – to trick parents. Ella's Kitchen, for example, describes savoury products as 'perfectly balanced for growing babies', while Piccolo claims many pouches are 'packed with goodness'. Some Little Freddie pouches are branded as 'Good for Brains' and Heinz claims some of its fruit products are 'as nutritionally good as homemade'. Market leader Ella's Kitchen agreed its products should be used sparingly, were not replacements for homemade meals and could cause health problems if used as children's main source of nutrition. The firm added that it would 'never, ever' put profit above the health of children. Lidl said it welcomed clear government guidelines, Little Freddie said it actively participated in policy consultations and Piccolo said it developed 'recipes that combine fruits with vegetables' to reduce sugar levels. Aldi said it would relabel its fruit pouches to reflect NHS guidance that babies should not be given solid food until the age of six months.
