Latest news with #Pickers
Daily Record
27-05-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Wheelie bin lid locks could help tackle West Lothian litter problem
Litter has been much more visible after a winter of violent storms including Eowyn in January upended bins across towns and villages. West Lothian could introduce straps for wheelie bin lids in a bid to control the scourge of windblown litter in communities and the countryside. Litter has been much more visible after a winter of violent storms including Eowyn in January upended bins across towns and villages. It prompted groups including West Lothian Litter Pickers to advocate the use of bin straps as a simple, low cost way to help cut the amount of household rubbish clogging streets and hedges. A meeting of the full council this week backed a motion from Linlithgow SNP councillor Pauline Orr to look at the feasibility of securing bins. Councillor Orr raised the motion in response to concerns from the Litter Pickers, who give up their own time to help keep local streets, parks and countryside clean and safe. The group highlighted how unsecured bins - particularly blue and green bins filled with lightweight waste - are contributing to litter being blown across communities and into the natural environment. A spokesperson for the West Lothian Litter Pickers said the group was ' delighted' at the decision and had provided prototypes to the council. Labour's Tom Conn, who chairs the Environment and Sustainability PDSP had initially proposed an amendment which pointed out the potential costs if the council were to supply bins straps to all householders. The amendment highlighted: 'Recycling and Waste Services collect 157,164 blue and green bins for paper/card and plastics. A typical bin strap may vary in cost from between £4.59 to £7.99. 'If introducing bin clips/straps, the council would need to offer them to all residents. Based on these numbers, this would incur a capital cost of between £720,000 to £1.256 million, for which there is no budget provision.' Councillor Orr said it would be for households to buy them rather than have free of charge, but added the council could make them available through libraries and other council buildings for householders to buy. She also suggested that a standardised model could make use easier for bin crews. Her motion stressed that crews would not be required to re-fasten straps. It also called for the council to work with partners such as the Litter Pickers to agree a suitable strap type and consider options for residents to purchase, and for council to supply straps for resale to residents. Labour supported further investigation into bin straps as a way of controlling windblown litter. Councillor Orr said: 'I'm delighted that my motion on tackling litter through the use of bin straps was agreed at full council. 'This is a practical measure that could make a real difference - and I was proud to bring this forward on behalf of the Litter Pickers, who do outstanding voluntary work across our communities. 'I look forward to the report coming to the Environment PDSP in September and hope it will lead to action that protects our neighbourhoods, countryside, wildlife and livestock.' A spokesperson for the Litter Pickers told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: 'West Lothian Litter Pickers are delighted that the recent motion regarding bin clips has been passed, thanks to Councillor Pauline Orr taking this forward. 'WLLP has been campaigning for a while now to get WLC to agree to a trial of bin clips, funded by WLLP members. During high winds and weather warnings, a significant amount of litter is blown around the county due to the poor design of the bins. "The bins hold lightweight recyclable materials which are not fit for purpose in strong winds. WLC and the public are responsible for looking after and protecting the environment. WLLP is a huge community group of 4,000 members. 'We have a fantastic partnership with WLC, but due to budget and service cuts, it is predominantly WLLP members who go out litter picking after high winds. Other councils, such as Orkney and Fife, use bin clips. 'Two valued members of WLLP, Keith Baylis and Jacques Le Roux, have designed prototypes which have been presented to WLC. Some of the designs are even self-opening, which would not add precious time onto the bin collection routes.' Other local authorities, including Orkney, Highlands and Perth and Kinross Councils, are already using bin straps to limit the amount of litter escaping from bins.
NBC Sports
07-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Cowboys announce George Pickens trade
It's already done. The first news of a looming deal landed early Wednesday. By 9:00 a.m. ET, it was announced by the Cowboys. Steelers receiver George Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Cowboys, for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. Pickers instantly becomes the No. 2 receiver in Dallas. The Steelers instantly become in search of one. We spent most of two hours on Wednesday's PFT Live breaking down all the angles and wrinkles. We'll be posting blurbs through the morning, and likely beyond, regarding the various issue relevant to this trade, for both teams.
USA Today
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
'American Pickers' star Frank Fritz's father contests son's will
'American Pickers' star Frank Fritz's father contests son's will Show Caption Hide Caption American Pickers in Dickson: Mike Wolfe interview An episode of History Channel's show American Pickers was filmed at Nicks Hardware in downtown Dickson on Wednesday. Mike Wolfe, show star and creator, and partner Frank Fritz negotiated with Sammy Nicks over items in his family's hardware store. Chris Gadd/The Herald Nearly five months after the death of "American Pickers" star Frank Fritz, his biological father is contesting his will. William Fritz, who lives in Texas, filed a petition earlier this month to set aside son Frank Fritz's last testament and have a jury determine what should be done with his son's estate. The probate case, including the will, has been sealed by an Iowa judge, meaning details of Fritz's assets haven't been made public. But some estimates value his estate at nearly $6 million. Defendants in the case, some of Fritz's closest companions and caretakers, have retained lawyers "to protect his last wishes," a close friend to Frank told the Des Moines Register. American Pickers' Mike Wolfe: 'I probably wouldn't have the show if it wasn't for Nashville' At issue is, first, whether Fritz was in sufficient command of his faculties to understand and sign a will after he had a stroke — one which was debilitating enough that he was placed into guardianship by the court. And, second, who was closest to Fritz and would have understood his final desires best: his father or his best friends? Was Frank Fritz competent to write a last will? Fritz — known for his dark beard, quick smile and deep passion for vintage motorcycles — rocketed to fame with his friend Mike Wolfe, when their antique-hunting show "American Pickers" premiered on the History Channel in 2010. Their folksy chemistry created reality show gold, securing celebrity status for the two friends and making "Pickers" both a ratings and rerun juggernaut. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic, a nagging back injury forced Fritz to leave the show. His exit marked the beginning of a series of medical issues that would eventually lead to his death at age 60 in September. In July 2022, Fritz was found unresponsive on the floor of his Davenport, Iowa, home and later determined to have had a stroke. While Fritz recuperated, a guardian was "necessary to avoid immediate harm," a petition for emergency guardianship filed in August 2022 argued. "Because of his stroke, Mr. Fritz's decision-making capacity is so impaired that he is unable to care for his own safety, or to provide for necessities such as food, shelter, clothing or medical care," the petition stated. A judge granted the guardianship, citing a letter from Fritz's doctor "indicating he is unable to make decisions for himself." Many documents in the guardianship case, including the doctor's letter, are sealed. However, a public care plan filed a few weeks later indicated that Fritz did not have a living will. About two years later, Fritz was listed as having a will in his guardian's final report. The judge's finding that Fritz "does not have the capacity to execute any legal documents on his own behalf" is key evidence that the will — which was executed in 2023, about eight months after guardianship went into place — should be set aside, or legally invalidated, William Fritz's lawyer, Cory Gourley, told the Des Moines Register, part of the USA TODAY Network. Gourley also argues that the will is neither properly signed or witnessed. Two of Fritz's friends deny those claims. On Memorial Day weekend in 2023, Fritz was well enough to enjoy a visit from Wolfe ― the pair's first meetup in about three years, his former co-star says. And around the winter holidays, Fritz spent two evenings out with friends. "He was definitely in his right mind" when he finished the will, one of his friends told the Register. "He was able to make his own decisions, and he made them up until probably the last weeks of his life. But at that point, there were no decisions to be made." The fact that the will was already accepted by the courts is proof the document is valid, the friends said. Were Bill and Frank Fritz estranged? William Fritz, who goes by Bill, moved away when Frank was very young and had little contact with his son, the friend told the Register. He reportedly only visited Fritz once when he was recuperating from his stroke, a recovery that would last more than two years before Frank's death in September. Through his lawyer, Bill said he had a great relationship with his son. They went on vacation together and Frank visited Bill in Texas. But when the guardianship was put into place, the defendants "cut off all access to Frank," Gourley said. The defendants dispute that they impeded any relationship between Frank and Bill. Outside of his mother, who died in 2013, Fritz didn't have consistent or strong relationships with anyone connected to his biological family, the friend said. Court documents filed in his guardianship case echo that he had "no living relatives he maintains contact with." Instead, Fritz's life was allegedly populated instead by many deep friendships, including acquaintances who took on the roles of caretakers after his stroke. They were "in disbelief" when they heard about the lawsuit, the friend said, revealing they were planning and looking forward to a spring celebration of life. Now, they're preparing to go to court. "Let us have his celebration of life. Let us do what he wanted, his wishes. Let the poor man rest," the friend told the Register. "Here we are looking forward to honoring his memory and all of that can't happen now until this is over with."
