Latest news with #Simonet
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Obituary: Col. Thomas Simonet helped lead I35W bridge collapse response — and umpire vintage ‘base ball'
U.S. Air Force retired Col. Thomas Simonet lived a life of service on a global, national and local level. During his 36-year tenure in the Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves, Simonet served in places like Korea, England, Germany and Turkey. As the state's emergency preparedness liaison officer for the Air Force, Simonet spent a decade supporting Homeland Security efforts during major natural disasters or events including the Interstate 35W bridge collapse, Hurricane Katrina, the 2008 Republican National Convention and the flooding of the Red River. Simonet, of Stillwater, also helped out close to home, serving on the boards of the Washington County Historical Society, the Minnesota Air National Guard Historical Foundation, Knights of Columbus Council 1632 and the Stillwater Veterans Memorial. Simonet died May 29, 2025, of complications related to pancreatic cancer at his house in the Croixwood neighborhood — the home where he grew up. He was 70. Simonet, who served as treasurer of the Washington County Historical Society, was instrumental in the society's efforts to create the Washington County Heritage Center, which opened in 2021, said Ryan Collins, who serves as the society's vice president. Simonet 'did a lot of the behind-the-scenes work to get Heritage Center ready to go,' said Collins, who also serves on the Stillwater City Council. 'There's no doubt in my mind that without Tom, it would not have happened.' Simonet, who spent 34 years with Norwest/Wells Fargo Bank before retiring in 2017 as a vice president for Institutional Retirement Trust Services, had a 'unique ability to negotiate without negotiating,' said Brent Peterson, the society's executive director. 'He was a guy who could steer a conversation in the right direction that would make everything good for everyone,' Peterson said. 'If it wasn't for Tom's financial leadership, the Washington County Heritage Center would not exist. The citizens of Washington County owe him a lot because of that. He truly was one of the finest people I've ever known.' Simonet was born and raised in Stillwater and graduated in 1972 from Stillwater High School, where he competed on the school's ski, cross-country and track teams. That same year, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, following in the footsteps of his older brother Jack, who was a a mechanic on C-124 Globemaster. 'He travelled the world,' Tom Simonet wrote in a self-published memoir. 'I received letters from Jack telling me of his adventures from Southeast Asia to Europe. He was stationed at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii. To me, Hawaii was a distant and exotic land. … The draft was still in effect, and I wanted to go my direction and not have the government decide for me. I saw it as a good avenue to learn about myself and to learn a trade.' Woodbury City Council announces new city administrator Canadian wildfire smoke causes 'very unhealthy' conditions in American Midwest and reaches Europe Ramsey County Board gets feedback on projects to be funded by Riverview Corridor money Ground is broken for next phase projects at St. Paul's Highland Bridge New Bush Foundation Fellows include amputee, journalist, architect, more After being released from active service in 1976, he served in the Minnesota Air National Guard, 133rd Airlift Wing, in St. Paul, where he served as an aircraft mechanic and advanced in rank and positions of Flight Squadron, Wing Inspector General, and Group Commander with the Minnesota Air National Guard until 2004. In 1977, he married Susan Duden; she died in 2018. The couple had two daughters. In 2022, he married Sharon McNamara. Simonet received a bachelor's degree in business from Metropolitan State University in 1983. He later received a master's degree in business administration from American Military University in 2014. Simonet finished his military career in 2014 as the state's emergency preparedness liaison officer, coordinating with local and state emergency managers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Defense to aid local communities when their resources become overwhelmed. One of his proudest accomplishments was helping coordinate the dive crews searching for victims after the I-35W bridge collapsed in the Mississippi River on Aug. 1, 2007, said Lisa Sjogren, his oldest daughter. A few hours before the collapse, Simonet found himself stopped in traffic on the bridge as he drove from Roseville to meet former work colleagues in Minneapolis. 'Traffic was limited to a single lane as major construction occurred on the bridge deck,' he wrote in his memoir. 'I remember stopping in the southbound traffic lane, waiting to move forward. I felt the car bouncing as the northbound traffic was moving. I was relieved to get off that bridge.' Simonet and Sjogren were at Simonet's brother's house in St. Paul when they got the news. 'His phone just went insane,' said Sjogren, of Elk River. 'He literally set up a command where we were. He was calling saying, 'I need divers, I need this, I need these people. Do we have medical support? Where are we sending them to? We have trauma, right? What can we provide?' All this stuff that an emergency comes with.' Simonet helped coordinate the National Guard and Reserve flying units 'to offload the diver's equipment and transport it to a staging area near the fallen bridge,' he wrote. 'The Hennepin County Sheriff requested a group of specialized U.S. Navy divers. He had told the Secretary of Transportation that his divers were going into areas beyond their capabilities, and a group of professional deep water divers was needed to continue the search. They were still looking for the missing 13 victims. 'As I look back on that day, I always think of the school bus full of children that ended up just behind the semi-trailer where the driver lost his life,' he wrote. 'When the bridge collapsed, the school bus dropped. Once it was safe, all the children climbed over the guardrail. … They ended up during this disaster at the perfect spot. I am thankful they were not one second further in their travels. In my firm belief, the mighty hand of God helped on that terrible day.' Simonet received the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star and Meritorious Service Medal, among many other commendations. In 2024, he was recognized for his service and contributions by the Minnesota Air National Guard at the Flight of Honor Ceremony honoring those who have 'demonstrated outstanding professional achievement, service and heroism and have left a lasting impact on the organization.' March 25, 2025, was declared 'Tom Simonet Day' in Stillwater in recognition of his 'lifetime of community service.' One of Simonet's great joys was serving as the umpire for the St. Croix Base Ball Club, which plays by 1860 rules, Sjogren said. The 19th-century rules include: no wearing of gloves; no balls or strikes called by the umpire; foul balls are not considered strikes; and base runners can be tagged out if they overrun first base. As umpire, it was Simonet's job to start each inning by calling 'Striker to the line!' to bid the striker (batter) to the line – a line drawn through the center of the home base. 'He loved saying 'Striker to the line,' even when he got sick,' Sjogren said. 'When he couldn't be out at the base ball games, I took the phone and stuck the phone by the players, and then my dad just yelled into the phone, 'Striker to the line!'' Simonet also loved playing cribbage, boating on the St. Croix River and outsmarting claw machines. Woodbury City Council announces new city administrator 'Felt as though they were going to kill me,' Mahtomedi man beaten and robbed of casino winnings says in court New Bush Foundation Fellows include amputee, journalist, architect, more Air quality alert extended to noon Wednesday throughout Minnesota New MN measles cases confirmed, including Dakota County child who had not traveled 'He was the master of the claw machine that you would see at places like Perkins restaurants,' said Sarah Sederstrom, his youngest daughter. 'He had master-level precision, and he always won. Anytime he did win, he'd give the prize to a kid nearby.' 'I am convinced he was a surgeon in a previous life because of his precision with those things,' Sjogren said. In addition to his wife and daughters, Simonet is survived by two grandsons, a stepdaughter and two step-grandchildren. Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Stillwater, with visitation from 4-8 p.m. Sunday at Simonet Funeral Home in Stillwater.
RTÉ News
28-05-2025
- RTÉ News
Bread making, Druid knowledge and more in Ireland's Ancient East
Under the din of ringing church bells, in a graveyard dotted with purple herb robert flowers, Cynthia Simonet was telling us that yew trees never die. She had just walked us through half of Trim in Co Meath, painting a picture of medieval life in the town, peppered with her own memories of growing up exploring its streets. In one breath, she'd point out the ancient well where locals would draw their water and gossip; in another, she'd point out Church Street, which led to St. Patrick's Cathedral and was, ironically, the place to go for a smooch as teenagers in her day. Coming to stop at the cathedral, Simonet - a tour guide with Trim Tourism - explained why yew trees are often planted in graveyards. "The Druids always made their laws within a grove of yew trees", she said. "The Druids believed in reincarnation, and then the Christian church believed in resurrection. It's said that a yew tree can't die, its roots grow out. The roots will incorporate the corpse as it decomposes, it will feed on that, and it's a way of coming back." Regeneration would turn out to be a theme of this trip to Ireland's Ancient East, which I'd been invited on as part of Fáilte Ireland's Keep Discovering campaign. Over the course of the two days, my boyfriend and I explored Meath and Louth, where numerous producers, makers and destinations are celebrating a return to their roots. We had luck on our side with the weather, but even nicer was the relative peace and quiet before the summer season kicks off in earnest. We began our trip by meeting Simonet at the cannon outside Trim Castle, which she wasted no time in telling us the history of. Dating back to the Crimean War, the 2,200kg cannon was gifted to the town in thanks for its support during the war. From there, we visited the Sheep Gate, one of the five gates in the wall into medieval Trim that kept the Irish out and the French-speaking townspeople in. Simonet brought us on a brusque walking tour of the town, doling out facts about Boann, the goddess of the Boyne, alongside modern-day updates to the town like the new protective enclosures for the sand martins that fly across the river. Filled up with mythology and local gossip, we set off for our next destination in Carlingford, Co. Louth, where we met Garrett Mallon, a goldsmith with over 30 years of experience who has created a country-spanning network of makers and producers in his studio. Located up one of the town's winding streets, Mallon's shop is a treasure trove of artisanal designs. The Tyrone native opened the space in 2014 with 40 makers represented on the shelves. Ten years later and that number has soared to 105, with creators from all across the island. Every nook and cranny is filled with handmade pieces, from knitwear by Edmund McNulty based in Termonfeckin and Donal Sweeney in Kilcar, Donegal, to pottery by Alison Hanvey in Co Down. Each display features a label noting the name and location of the creator, hammering home the sense of the studio being a pan-Ireland celebration of craft. "It's all about the maker", Mallon said. "Me being a maker myself, it's all about your hands and what you make." Tucked into the heart of the shop is Mallon's own workshop: long benches filled with glittering pendants, rings and more, lined up with their order papers. The team used to host hen parties and workshops in this space, but these have been paused while they gear up for a renovation. Mallon's commissions, meanwhile, haven't slowed. He said his favourite part of the job is being trusted to create something timeless and sentimental, especially when there's a special meaning attached to a piece. He told us about a recent wedding band commission for a man whose father had passed away. Inspired by the power of jewellery to connect people, Mallon offered to create the band from the man's father's own wedding band, and even made his mother a pendant from the leftover gold. With a few additions to my Christmas wishlist made, we set off for our next stop: picking up bikes and hitting the Carlingford to Omeath greenway. Carlingford Greenway Bikes supplied us with not only sleek and comfortable peddle assist bikes, but excellent sandwiches from their onsite food truck, Wildwood - a crispy chicken sambo with cheese, pickles and a cup of ranch for dunking. A section of "The Great Eastern Greenway" currently being developed along the east of Ireland coastline, the Carlingford to Omeath greenway is built on the old Dundalk Newry and Greenore Railway, and is a handy 7km long. The trail is entered down by the marina and hugs the coastline beautifully for the rest of the way, offering breathtaking views of the Mourne Mountains and Carlingford Lough. Sunkissed, windswept and happily tired, we dropped off our bikes and made the short trek to our accommodation for the night. Located down a turn-off from the main road into Carlingford, down a hedge-hemmed drive and in view of the sea, Ghan House is a distinctly different kind of hotel. Built in 1727, this Georgian manor was converted into a guesthouse 31 years ago and is now run by Paul Carroll, who took over the business from his mother Joyce (who still handmakes many of the delicious treats you'll find served at breakfast). This isn't your usual reimagined manor house hotel, however. With just 11 bedrooms, a surprisingly understated breakfast room, lived-in but ornate furniture and a stately restaurant complete with a piano, spending the night there felt like stepping back in time to visit a wealthy friend. Our room had an enormous bed, a crystal chandelier, long windows, opulent wallpaper and a view of the mountains and a graveyard, which some might find morbid, but I found extremely cinematic. One of the many joys of being in Carlingford is how walkable it is, so our dinner at The Bay Tree restaurant was only a short walk away. We both opted for the natural Carlingford oysters, which were sweet and briny and came with a classic mignonette sauce, Tabasco and an excellent soy and ponzu sauce. For mains, we had the pan-fried salmon and steak, and for dessert, we went with the white chocolate and raspberry tiramisu and the lemon pot with summer berries. The next morning, we visited Skypark, an impressive series of aerial obstacle courses located outside of the town (€30 per person, for children aged 9+). We were swiftly trained on how to safely navigate the courses and got stuck into tackling the yellow course, the easiest of the three. With zip lines, balancing challenges and plenty of opportunities to tease your boyfriend, a thrilling day out for kids and big kids alike. An appetite firmly worked up, we headed back toward Navan for a bread-making workshop - with a difference. Founded by Chris Brownlow, Bread with Benefits is a new venture striving to teach people about the connection between food and wellbeing, using sourdough as a way in. Originally a potato farmer, Brownlow was bitten by the sourdough bug like many of us and became fascinated by the power of fermented foods. He and his wife, Sarah, a local GP, decided to create a space in their home for immersive, hands-on workshops, celebrating the "soil to slice" journey of sourdough bread. A full-day bread-making course starts at €154. Leavened bread, he explained, likely existed in ancient Ireland, and noted that there was even an ancient Irish word for sourdough: descaid, mentioned in A Social History of Ancient Ireland by P W Joyce, a book published in 1907 and proudly displayed in Brownlow's workshop. Rather than a faddish pastime, a hangover from pandemic times, Brownlow's classes show how ancient ways of baking are coming back into fashion thanks to our renewed appreciation for food and wellness. With Groove Armada playing in the background and some fruity kombucha to sip on, we got stuck into making our own loaves while Brownlow finished off some bread he'd made earlier. The result of our work, a crisp and golden loaf topped with seeds and an incredibly bouncy structure, was one of the best loaves of bread I've ever tasted, especially when slathered with the cultured butter Brownlow showed us how to make in less than five minutes. As with any memorable trip, it's the unexpected conversations, tidbits and stories that stay with you, and this part of the country is overflowing with places to find them. Whether that's stopping into the Moorland Cafe in Drogheda for pastries after a walking tour of the historic town, or taking part in an art class, such as the one by Lucia Errity, who holds needle felt painting courses at her countryside gallery that are inspired by the ancient beauty of the Boyne Valley landscape. Details We were invited by Fáilte Ireland to visit Meath and Louth for the purpose of review. Prices for one night accommodation at Ghan House start at €210 for B&B for two people sharing from June. Dinner and breakfast was provided by Fáilte Ireland.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Popular fast food chain on chopping block
Taco Bell is set to be sold off by its Australian operator, leaving the popular fast food franchise's future in the country uncertain. Collins Foods - the ASX-listed operator of KFC in Australia and Europe and Taco Bell - says it will sell the Mexican-themed chain, citing challenges competing against the much larger Guzman y Gomez brand. Collins Foods managing director and chief executive Xavier Simonet confirmed they would be exiting their position in the Mexican-themed chain. 'In a challenging economic environment, the customer remains at the heart of our business,' he said. 'We will continue to deliver high-quality food at accessible prices, leveraging the heritage of the KFC brand at a time when consumer trust has never been more important.' Collins Foods, which operates 27 Taco Bells in Australia, said it is in discussions with the American parent company about an exit next year. According to figures released to the ASX in December, the fast food restaurant operators posted a 2 per cent drop in revenue from Taco Bell for the first half of the financial year. Collins Foods' review will also see the business push for aggressive growth in Germany, with plans to expand its KFC chain with 40 to 70 new restaurants in the next five years, and closing restaurants in the Netherlands at a cost of $32.7m. Mr Simonet said several initiatives - including the sale of Taco Bell - would provide strategic clarity and renewed purpose. 'We remain laser-focused on delivering operational excellence in our core market, Australia, where we continue to successfully adapt to a dynamic consumer landscape,' he said. 'We maintain a disciplined approach to capital deployment and operational excellence, optimising our existing network with carefully targeted expansion to ensure ongoing value for customers, partners, and shareholders.'
CBS News
24-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Minnesota protesters rally against Trump's USPS privatization plans
Privatizing the USPS could dramatically change the way Americans receive online purchases and prescription drugs by mail. It is something President Donald Trump has voiced support for. A rally held at the state capitol Sunday, was one of many recent rallies across the country, in the fight to keep the USPS from becoming privatized. "If the postal service is privatized and prices are raised enormously, there will be a rise for inflation across the entire economy," said Tyler Vasseur, shop steward for Branch 9 of the National Association of Letter Carriers. Last month, the Washington Post reported President Trump's plans to dissolve USPS leadership and absorb the agency into his administration, moves considered possible first steps toward privatization. Trump has said he wants a post office that works and doesn't lose a lot of money. The USPS suffered a $9.5 billion loss in the most recent fiscal year . "The richest and most powerful men in this country are trying to tear our government apart, including the post office, and we won't let them," said U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, D - Minnesota. Current law requires the postal service deliver to all addresses. Some of those would be too costly for a private business to serve and turn a profit. Privatizing could mean the end of guaranteed mail service to every address. "There's a lot of public support for this issue," said Jaci Simonet from Richfield. Simonet said Sunday's crowd just goes to show the level of support for anti-privatization. "Privatization would increase costs to consumers. I think right now the USPS is a public service and it's really meant to serve the public and allow for communications throughout every corner of America," said Simonet.
