Latest news with #RobertNichols
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas State Senator voices concerns over groundwater well permit
TYLER, Texas (KETK) – A Texas State Senator is joining several other Texas officials to voice his concerns about a pending permit that would authorize the drilling of 21 new groundwater wells in Anderson County. East Texas officials express opposition to new high-capacity wells State Senator Robert Nichols of District 3 sent a letter to the Neches and Trinity Valleys Ground Water Conservation District stating his concerns about the authorization of the drilling and how it could impact residents and livestock in Anderson County. 'This kind of large-scale withdrawal poses serious risks to existing water users, particularly rural landowners, farmers and municipalities who rely on stable aquifer conditions to support homes, crops and livestock,' Nichols said. Nichols went on to urge the board to consider the long-term implications this permit would have on the district and the impact it would have on their groundwater resources going forward. 'Denying this permit would be consistent with the District's responsibility to prevent waste and ensure the conservation of groundwater for all stakeholders,' Nichols said. The groundwater production permit application was submitted by Redtown Ranch Holdings LLC for 21 high-capacity groundwater wells that Nichols said could extract 10 billion gallons of water a year from the Carrizo and Wilcox aquifers. 'The proposed wells would reportedly authorize the extraction of over 10 billion gallons of water annually from the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer,' Nichols said. 'Further, 11 additional proposed wells in neighboring Houston County, outside of the District's jurisdiction, could raise the total volume to 15 billion gallons annually. This is a staggering figure, especially considering that none of the water appears to be designated for use by the communities from which it would be drawn.' State Rep. Trent Ashby also expressed his concerns about the potential permit earlier this month, stating the negative impact it could have on private and municipal wells. 'As a lifelong resident of East Texas and a member of the Texas House of Representatives, I have consistently supported responsible groundwater management and local control over water resources,' Ashby said. This proposed project is deeply troubling. 'The sheer volume of water involved, equivalent to the annual usage of more than two million Texans, raises serious concerns about aquifer depletion, potential impacts on surrounding private and municipal wells, and the long-term sustainability of our region's water supply.' Cody Harris, the Chair of the Texas House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources, also expressed his concerns with the permit. 'While we are working rigorously at the state level to propose and enact significant legislation that will help ease the ongoing burdens across the state, I will not stand by while attempts are made to drain my own district,' Harris said. To hear from more public officials and the company behind the application, click here for KETK's previous coverage of the proposed wells. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Middlesbrough tours aim to shed light on town's shared history
A town hit by riots last summer is shining a light on its community in an effort to "strip away people's preconceptions".Hundreds of people confronted police during protests in Middlesbrough in August, with more than £750,000 of damage estimated to have been was one of a number of violent outbreaks across parts of England in the wake of the murders of three girls in week, a series of free tours are being held, focusing on the area around Linthorpe Road where the disorder began, which feature audio recordings of several residents who have shared their memories of the town. Organiser Robert Nichols said the one-hour tours, which are part of Middlesbrough Local History Month, were a chance to "amaze and inspire". "We want to show people the streets where the riots happened and strip away any preconceptions they have, to show them the streets through other people's eyes," he said."The healing started the very next day when the community came out to clean up the streets." 'Healing' after riots Mr Nichols said many people did not know a lot about the town's history."It's all about sharing our heritage with new facts to learn and stories to amaze and inspire," he said."I wanted to talk about the people who have come into the town as there are so many."It was founded in 1830. Everybody came for industry. Before that, it was just a farm."The tour also includes Ayresome Gardens, which sits on top of what was Old Linthorpe Road Cemetery - home to 11,000 graves including 5,000 belonging to children. Khadim Hussain is another of those to have recorded his memories of life in the town over the past 50 or so moved to Middlesbrough in 1975 having initially relocated to Bradford when his family left Pakistan eight years several years working at one of ICI's local chemical plants as a research assistant, Mr Hussain and several family members opened a curry house on Linthorpe Road in later published a book about curries in 2006 and began compiling poetry after taking a creative writing course at Teesside University. "I came here in summer 1975 and have been here ever since," he said."Even though people here might be a different skin colour or religion, we share a culture."Middlesbrough is a friendly town. We know everyone and we're all part of a family even if we have different interests." 'Best-kept secret' Dominic Nelson-Ashley came to Middlesbrough from London in 1995 to take up a job as a careers later founded a social enterprise to help disadvantaged people gain work skills via creative arts and then launched a record label. He said he was shocked by last summer's riots and believes Middlesbrough and the wider North East have much to offer."That was not a true reflection of what I know this area is. It's one of the country's best-kept secrets," he said."Everything you could possibly want is in this area if you care to look for it."He highlighted how easy it was to access the seaside in nearby Saltburn and the countryside in Osmotherley, on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors."If you walk down Linthorpe Road, you can experience all the cultures of the world on one high street. That's fantastic," he said."People from outside Middlesbrough might say, 'Oh, that's the place with parmos', but there's so much more."The tours are free and start at 14:00 BST from the Dorman Museum, but people are asked to book a place. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Scotsman
23-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Scottish homes increase by almost £10K in a year
Scottish homeowners were among the big winners following the latest House Price Index - with properties rising by almost £10,000 over the last year. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Property as a whole in the nation saw a 5% increase which added £8,553 to the price of a house. The average cost of a property in the UK's second most populated country now stands at £185,939. Glasgow, Scotland's biggest city, saw properties rise by more than £16,500 and Edinburgh, the nation's capital, surpassed that with gains of £17,000. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The analysis by online estate agents Purplebricks can reveal the exact places where property values have increased this month and also year-on-year. Property as a whole in Scotland saw a 5% increase The price rise in Scotland comes amid a UK property price boom with the average owner seeing £16,000 added to the value of their home, according to Wednesday's report. The value of UK homes increased by 6.4% in the 12 months from March 2024 to March 2025, making the average home valued at £271,000. Data shows the majority of UK regions have gone up in price, with hotspots including Sevenoaks in Kent and Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The average UK homes also saw a small monthly increase of 1.1%, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) report. Robert Nichols, managing director of Purplebricks Mortgages, believes that many Brits will be buoyed by the increase in UK house prices In particular, first-time buyers could benefit with Mr Nichols believing they will 'have more opportunities to get a first foot on the ladder'. House prices in England saw an annual change of 6.7%, making the average property worth £295,645. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Welsh homes continue to go from strength-to-strength with another strong showing as the Welsh capital gears up to host the European Champions Cup final. The average property price in Cymru increased to £208,093, a 3.6% rise year on year. Tom Evans, sales director at Purplebricks Estate Agency said: 'House prices continuing to rise is great news for UK homeowners. 'While the stamp duty changes that came into force from April 1 may not be felt quite yet, the prospect of more Bank of England base rate cuts will likely fuel demand and push up prices further this year - suggesting 2025 will be a strong year for the UK housing market.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Robert Nichols, managing director of Purplebricks Mortgages said: 'Rising house values coupled with falling mortgage rates is a big win for homeowners and would-be homeowners alike. 'The bump in property prices should boost confidence in the benefits of investing in bricks and mortar while repeated Bank of England base rate cuts will spur both existing and prospective owners into making a move. 'The downward trend in mortgage rates will fuel further interest in the market, meaning more for sale signs and more opportunities for that first foot on the ladder - making 2025 a great year for first-time buyers.'
Scotsman
22-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Edinburgh homes soar by £17,000 in a year
The Scottish capital continues to flourish in the property market, surpassing the UK average price increase according to the latest House Price Index figures. From gorgeous Georgian town houses to jaw-dropping penthouses, converted campervans to bargain boltholes. Take a peek at the finest homes across the UK. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Edinburgh experienced a 6% increase from March 2024 to March of this year adding £17,013 to the price of property across the city. The city, which is home to the world famous Fringe festival in August, has seen record investment over the last number of years as it becomes one of Europe's most-visited cities. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With a stunning blend of history and modern comfort, it is no surprise that Edinburgh continues to see prices rise. Properties in Scotland are now worth on average £185,939 The analysis by online estate agents Purplebricks can reveal the exact places where property values have increased this month and also year-on-year. The price rise in the Scottish capital comes amid a UK property price boom with the average owner seeing £16,000 added to the value of their home, according to Wednesday's report. Properties in Scotland also witnessed an increase of 4.6% annually, which meant that the average home is now worth £185,939. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The value of UK homes increased by 6.4% in the 12 months from March 2024 to March 2025, making the average home valued at £271,000. Data shows the majority of UK regions have gone up in price, with hotspots including Sevenoaks in Kent and Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire. The average UK homes also saw a small monthly increase of 1.1%, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) report. Robert Nichols, managing director of Purplebricks Mortgages, believes that many Brits will be buoyed by the increase in UK house prices Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In particular, first-time buyers could benefit with Mr Nichols believing they will 'have more opportunities to get a first foot on the ladder'. House prices in England saw an annual change of 6.7%, making the average property worth £295,645. Welsh homes continue to go from strength-to-strength with another strong showing as the Welsh capital gears up to host the European Champions Cup final. The average property price in Cymru increased to £208,093, a 3.6% rise year on year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tom Evans, sales director at Purplebricks Estate Agency said: 'House prices continuing to rise is great news for UK homeowners. 'While the stamp duty changes that came into force from April 1 may not be felt quite yet, the prospect of more Bank of England base rate cuts will likely fuel demand and push up prices further this year - suggesting 2025 will be a strong year for the UK housing market.' Robert Nichols, managing director of Purplebricks Mortgages said:'Rising house values coupled with falling mortgage rates is a big win for homeowners and would-be homeowners alike. 'The bump in property prices should boost confidence in the benefits of investing in bricks and mortar while repeated Bank of England base rate cuts will spur both existing and prospective owners into making a move. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The downward trend in mortgage rates will fuel further interest in the market, meaning more for sale signs and more opportunities for that first foot on the ladder - making 2025 a great year for first-time buyers.'
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Texas Senate passes sweeping bill targeting out-of-state abortion pill providers
Although abortion is banned beginning at fertilization in Texas, abortion-inducing drugs continue to flow in from out-of-state prescribers and manufacturers, allowing thousands of Texans to end their pregnancies each year. With Senate Bill 2880, Republican state lawmakers want to send a message: If you think we'll continue to let that happen, you're wrong. The sweeping proposal — considered the most wide-ranging abortion pill crackdown in the country — passed from the state Senate in a party-line vote Wednesday night, with Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, the only GOP member to abstain. SB 2880 now heads to the lower chamber, where 38 of 88 House Republicans have signed onto its companion bill, House Bill 5510. If enacted, the legislation would allow private citizens to sue out-of-state pill prescribers, manufacturers and distributors for $100,000 or more per violation, an unprecedented expansion of Texans' power to enforce state laws outside of Texas' bounds. Internet websites and payment processors like Venmo and PayPal, too, would face liability if they facilitate the distribution of abortion pills to Texans. SB 2880 also makes it a felony to pay for another person's abortion or to destroy evidence of one. As is the case for current Texas laws on abortion, women who terminate their own pregnancies cannot be held liable, and there is an exception for physicians who perform abortions to save a patient's life. More: Abortion pills by mail surge despite Texas' bans. How long can it last? | Opinion Furthermore, the bill would explicitly authorize Texas' attorney general to enforce the state's criminal abortion laws — including a ban originating in 1857 — by suing violators on behalf of "unborn children of the residents of this state." The bill's author, Republican state Sen. Bryan Hughes of Mineola, said the proposal 'protects women from abortion pills." 'Those little unborn babies and those moms who've been lied to, who haven't been told the truth, who are scared and alone dealing with these pills — in most cases, they need someone to protect themselves when they can't,' Hughes told his colleagues on the Senate floor Tuesday evening. 'That's what the bill does.' Austin Democratic state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt vehemently disagreed that the proposal protects women, calling it a "bounty hunter bonanza." "I don't feel protected, I feel attacked," Eckhardt said before the final vote Wednesday. "These bills are designed to isolate women, threatening the family, friends, doctors, organizations, lawyers and judges they might turn to for help." Hughes put Texas at the forefront of anti-abortion legislation in 2021 with SB 8. That law used a private civil enforcement mechanism to circumvent Roe v. Wade's federal abortion protections, effectively outlawing the procedure in Texas nine months before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion in its Dobbs decision. SB 2880 uses that same mechanism. Hughes also authored SB 31, clarifying medical exceptions in the state's abortion bans, which unanimously passed Tuesday. More: Texas Senate unanimously passes abortion ban clarification bill Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson questioned Hughes for nearly an hour about the bill's unusual provisions on judicial standing and jurisprudence. SB 2880 significantly limits how it can be challenged in court, holding that state district judges can be held liable for at least $100,000 in penalties if they block its enforcement. 'Can (the bill) tell the courts you can't review a law for constitutionality, or is this a flagrant transgression of the principle of separation and powers on which this country and state was founded?' Johnson, an attorney from Dallas, asked Hughes. 'No, sir, we make the rules,' Hughes responded. 'We set the jurisdiction.' 'So I suppose on every single law we pass, from now on, we can put a provision in there prohibiting any state court from reviewing what we do for constitutionality?' Johnson asked. Hughes said the Legislature would have to decide 'whether that was a good policy on a given bill' and said the laws can still be challenged in federal court. The U.S. Supreme Court, part of the federal court system, is the final arbiter of questions on the U.S. Constitution. Johnson also noted the bill allows lawsuits to be brought against an abortion provider up to six years after an alleged violation. Johnson said he had never seen a tort law with such a long statute of limitations, and Hughes acknowledged the typical limit is two years. On Wednesday, ahead of a vote for final passage, Johnson warned the bill would have far-reaching consequences. "There will come a day when different people are in power who do not share your agenda, social or otherwise, and at that moment, you are going to wish that you hadn't torn down the walls of government in order to get your way," he said. "That's what this bill does." In response, Hughes went back to his intent for the legislation. "There is a person who is most affected by this bill, and no one, none of our learned friends, said a word about her," Hughes said Wednesday night. "And I'm speaking about that little unborn baby growing inside her mother's womb... I cannot, we cannot, forget about her." The version of SB 2880 that passed out of the Senate is around 6,600 words long, about 30% shorter than the draft proposal Hughes introduced — and substantially different. The introduced version would have allowed private citizens to sue people who help pregnant Texans travel out-of-state for abortions, and it would have authorized Texas' attorney general to seek criminal charges against abortion providers if a local district attorney declines to pursue them. Those provisions are no longer included in the approved proposal. The House version of the bill was the subject of passionate testimony Friday before the House State Affairs Committee. Texans submitted 230 pages' worth of public comments on HB 5510 by Republican state Rep. Jeff Leach. One Texan testified that she was raped as a child and said the bill would have criminalized her mother, who helped her terminate the pregnancy when she was 8 years old. Texas' abortion laws do not have exceptions for rape, incest or fatal fetal anomalies. 'There are many survivors of childhood sexual assault, like myself, who have (sought) an abortion,' said Yaneth Flores, who testified on behalf of AVOW Texas, an abortion rights advocacy group. 'Rep. Leach, I am concerned that you are more interested in prosecuting my mother in that instance than my rapist.' Flores called the bill a 'complete overreach.' 'Texas' abortion ban has not made the need (for abortions) go away,' she said. 'It has only made accessing care a difficult endeavor.' More: Texans share emotional testimony on bills to further restrict abortion pills, travel This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Senate passes sweeping abortion pill crackdown bill
