Latest news with #RichardSullivan
RNZ News
11-08-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Chronic under-resourcing of cardiac care costing lives
Heart disease is costing the country nearly $14 billion a year in direct costs to the health system and early deaths of one in five New Zealanders. That was the stark analysis from Otago University research, which shows chronic under-resourcing of cardiac care is costing lives. Ruth Hill reports. And for more, Health New Zealand's Chief Clinical Officer, Richard Sullivan spoke to Lisa Owen. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why Divorce Lawyers Say The 'Jumbotron Astronomer' Will Walk Away Untouched
The Coldplay concert scandal that turned a once‑respected CEO into the infamous 'Jumbotron Astronomer' set social media ablaze. However, in the eyes of California law, his alleged affair doesn't mean much. While the internet has passed judgment, family law attorney Richard Sullivan says courts operate under a very different set of rules. What The 'Jumbotron Astronomer' Doesn't Realize About Divorce When the stadium cameras caught for Astronomer CEO, Andy Byron, cozying up to a woman who wasn't his wife, the former data startup executive became an overnight viral sensation. Dubbed the 'Jumbotron Astronomer,' he went from businessman to cautionary tale in seconds. However, while the public was quick to speculate about divorce settlements and custody battles, Richard Sullivan insists the outcome won't be nearly as dramatic. 'People often assume cheating automatically impacts the outcome of a divorce, especially emotionally charged cases like this,' Sullivan explained in an exclusive chat with The Blast. 'But California is a no-fault divorce state. That means the court doesn't care who cheated or why the marriage ended. Infidelity may be morally outrageous, but it doesn't change the financial outcome.' Even though Andy's reputation took a stadium‑sized hit, Sullivan makes it clear that California law doesn't reward betrayed spouses with bigger settlements. California Law Ignores Infidelity For many, the idea that such a public betrayal has no legal consequence might feel shocking. However, Sullivan emphasizes that in California, adultery is not a bargaining chip in divorce. Property division remains equal, and spousal support is based on earnings and lifestyle, not on who embarrassed whom on the Jumbotron. 'Unless community funds were used to support the affair—like expensive travel or gifts—cheating has very little legal consequence,' Sullivan adds. 'It might matter emotionally. But in court, it's irrelevant.' This means that even if the 'Jumbotron Astronomer's' wife decides to end the marriage, the outcome will follow a predictable formula. Viral shame may haunt him socially, but in the courtroom, the scandal is practically invisible. Custody Battles Rarely Hinge On Scandal Perhaps the most sensitive issue in any divorce is custody, but here, too, Sullivan pours cold water on dramatic assumptions. Unless a parent's actions directly endanger children or reflect consistent neglect, family courts are not swayed by headlines. 'Bad judgment during a concert isn't enough to label someone an unfit parent,' Sullivan says. 'Public embarrassment is painful, but family court is about structure and stability.' For the disgraced executive, that means his role as a father likely remains intact, even as his image unravels online. California courts prioritize safety and consistency over public humiliation when deciding custody. In the end, while the 'Jumbotron Astronomer' may have lost face under the bright lights of a Coldplay concert, Richard Sullivan makes one truth clear: in California, adultery may ignite gossip, but it rarely sparks legal fire. What Former Astronomer CEO's Wife Could Gain From A Divorce Following the Coldplay kiss cam scandal, Andy Byron's wife, Megan, changed her last name on Facebook from Byron to Kerrigan, after which she deleted her account on the social media platform. Megan also deleted once‑joyful family photos of Andy with his two sons, including a hiking trip picture and a graduation celebration. Her decision to delete her account came after several people flooded her with comments about Andy's cheating scandal. For now, it remains unknown if Megan will file for divorce from Andy, as she has yet to comment on the scandal publicly. However, if she decides to end their marriage, she could get half of Andy's estimated worth of $20-70 million. Former Astronomer CEO's Wife Spotted For The First Time Since Scandal Amid the Coldplay kiss cam scandal, Megan was reported to be staying away from the spotlight at the family's $2.4 million estate in Maine. Sources told the Daily Mail that Megan has been leaning on close family, including her sister Maura, who quickly traveled to be by her side after viral footage showed her husband cozying up to his HR chief, Kristin Cabot. In the scandal's immediate aftermath, Megan left their $1.4 million residence in Northborough, Massachusetts, and retreated to the Kennebunk property, roughly 106 miles away. Teh 50-year-old Megan serves as Associate Director of Lower School and Hope Graham Program Admissions at Bancroft School. Solve the daily Crossword
CTV News
23-07-2025
- CTV News
Concerns rise over battery safety after fire at Halifax e-bike store
A fire at an e-bike store in Halifax is under investigation. They are quick and convenient part of the daily commute, but a fire at a Halifax e-bike store is raising new concerns about the risks that come with battery-powered travel. Crews were called to BMG E-Bikes just before 9 a.m. Tuesday after multiple residents in the same building reported smelling smoke. 'Around 8:50 residents phoned in from the same building because they can smell smoke,' said assistant chief Philip Thorburn with Halifax Fire. By the time firefighters arrived, the store was already filled with smoke. Crews were able to evacuate the building and extinguish the fire. Capt. Richard Sullivan, executive officer with Halifax Professional Fire Fighters, said the fire took roughly 30 minutes to extinguish – an unusually long time for a fire of that scale. 'The resources required to fight a battery fire in a vehicle are greater than that of a regular combustion engine,' said Sullivan. 'Generally, we are going to need multiple tankers.' The reason, Sullivan explains, is lithium-ion batteries, the kind that power e-bikes, e-scooters and other personal mobility devices. Once a battery ignites, it can go into what's known as thermal runaway, a self-sustaining reaction is difficult to extinguish and can reignite even after the fire appears to be out. 'They require copious amounts of water and a lot of time,' he said. 'It's more water than we have onboard our fire truck.' Lithium-ion batteries are used in phones, tablets, laptops, power tools, and nearly all electric vehicles – and the larger the device, the larger the battery. That means if something goes wrong, the consequences can be more severe. Halifax Fire said the cause of Tuesday's fire is still under investigation. However, Thorburn noted that improper charging is a recurring concern. 'Some of this is attributed to the improper use of a non-OEM chargers,' he said. 'The charger gets damaged and somebody just buys another charger online.' Firefighters say battery-related fires are on the rise in Canada, particularly as more people turn to electric vehicles and devices to get around. With high-density housing becoming more common, Halifax Fire believes the city needs to move quickly to address the growing risks. 'The city has to take a look at our bylaws and what we allow folks to bring into their homes, especially, in multi-unit residential units,' said Sullivan. As battery-powered mobility becomes more embedded in daily life, Halifax firefighters say conversations around battery safety need to be part of public planning. E-bikes E-bikes in Halifax are pictured. (Source: Hafsa Arif/CTV News Atlantic) For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
Scoop
23-07-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Nelson Hospital Review Fails To Hold Leadership To Account
The review of Nelson Hospital released by Health New Zealand today is little more than a 'plan to make a plan' the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists says. The review just restates well-established problems with leadership and severe understaffing at Nelson Hospital which are causing delayed care for hundreds of patients. The Nelson Review was commissioned after Senior Medical Officers spoke to media in March about the poor working conditions. Doctors, fed up with inaction, described massive wait times for first specialist appointments, and repeated refusals from leadership to address staffing shortages across many departments. This prompted Health New Zealand's chief clinical officer Richard Sullivan to commission a review. He said, "I would hope we will have some answers within weeks." "Four months later and all we have is a a plan to make a plan," ASMS executive director Sarah Dalton says." Doctors, nurses and patients want solutions to these ongoing problems, not a bland description of known issues leadership should have addressed years ago. "The review lacks timeframes, holds no leaders to account for these failures. Just last month Nelson Hospital was again in the news for booking "ghost clinics" in what appears to be an attempt to game the system in regard to first specialists' appointments numbers. "There is a worrying trend of poor management and poor leadership at Nelson Hospital which the review fails to address."ASMS is disappointed there has been little engagement with hospital staff - and no consultation as to the review's findings and recommendations. "We understand regional deputy chief executive Martin Keogh and National Chief Clinical Officer Dame Helen Stokes-Lampard presented the report to just a handful of senior staff and gave other staff just 24 hours' notice to a 30-minute briefing. "This is a wasted opportunity to make positive change," Dalton says the real finding from the review is that the issues at Nelson are present in other hospitals around the motu. "The review uses comparative data that paints the dire picture of medical staffing gaps in similar sized hospitals across the country too. This aligns with our own findings. We simply need more doctors," she says. "Short staffing and increased acute patient demand, coupled with a lack of accountability from our health leaders that allow hospitals to be so poorly staffed has bred a culture of getting by instead of getting ahead." Additional information ASMS has been working with senior doctors and managers to conduct in job-sizing activities independent of the Nelson Hospital Review. The following are findings from these activities: - ASMS has completed 17 service reviews (job sizing) across the Nelson Marlborough district since are nine further services still to assess. - Our findings so far - which Nelson Hospital management has accepted - show these departments are short a total of 48.7 senior medical officers. - Only 14.7 vacant SMO roles, identified in job sizing, are currently budgeted to be replaced. - Nelson and Wairau hospital district do not provide recruitment or retention allowances, or "public-only" allowances to senior medical and dental staff. This measure would help fill vacancies. - Senior doctors are routinely working beyond their contracted FTE with large amounts of unpaid overtime being gifted to the hospital to fill staffing gaps. Leadership is aware of this. - Senior doctors are not being allocated their non-clinical time (this is non-patient facing work, including teaching, planning, audit, research, and the like) due to the acute patient load and short staffing. - Nelson district has been in breach of its obligation to have formal recovery time arrangements since 2020. This measure allows senior medical staff to safely recover after working overnight calls. The district has been in breach of this SECA clause since 2020 with most departments having no formal arrangements in place. - All reviewed services are currently understaffed Services we've reviewed to date (job-sized): Nelson anaesthesia , Child and adolescent mental health services, Cardiology Nelson general surgery, Nelson ED, Wairau ED, endocrinology, Nelson general medicine, Wairau general medicine, Nelson pediatrics, Wairau pediatrics, respiratory, Nelson O&G, Wairau O&G, older persons' health, vascular surgery, neurology
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Yahoo
Teen girl hit, killed by commuter rail train in Worcester
A 14-year-old girl was hit and killed by an MBTA Commuter Rail train in Worcester Thursday night, MBTA Transit Police said. The girl was part of a group of kids trespassing on the right-of-way of the Framingham/Worcester line around 8 p.m. Thursday near the 100 block of Atlas Street in Worcester. Investigators determined the girl was "positioned within the [gauge] of the right of way" and hit by a commuter rail train, Transit Police Superintendent Richard Sullivan wrote in an email. The girl was pronounced dead of her injuries. Police did not immediately identify her Friday morning. "On behalf of the Transit Police and the entire MBTA organization we offer our most heartfelt condolences to the decedent's family and friends," Sullivan wrote. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this most unimaginable difficult and profound tragedy.' Fenway Park, MGM employees prepare for strike 'at any time' Mass. AG Campbell vows to fight on after Supreme Court hands Trump birthright citizenship win Iconic rock drummer hasn't spoken with brother in 6 years: 'Think about him all the time' Healey slams Trump for canceling $45M to protect farms, forests and wetlands in WMass and beyond Officials ID Worcester man who died in Route 9 motorcycle crash Read the original article on MassLive.
