Latest news with #Whitehaven
SBS Australia
2 days ago
- Business
- SBS Australia
Protesters rally against 'climate catastrophe' coal mine plan
Protesters have rallied outside a court opposing what is set to be one of Australia's biggest coal mines, saying the multibillion-dollar proposal will contribute to a "climate catastrophe". Several dozen people gathered on Monday to object to Whitehaven's Winchester South open-cut mine, comparing it with a 1960s proposal to dredge up the Great Barrier Reef to produce fertiliser. It came as the Land Court in Brisbane began hearing an objection against the proposal, which would extract 17 million tonnes of coal from the Bowen Basin each year. Who is opposing the mine proposal? Australian Conservation Foundation's Adam Beeson compared the proposed mine with reef dredging and oil drilling, ideas blocked by the courts decades ago as he addressed protesters outside. "What really is the difference between excavating coral and digging up coal, increasing the global temperature which causes coral bleaching and coral death?", Beeson said. He said his foundation along with the Mackay Conservation Group would tell the court the mine's return was "not worth this impact". Mackay Conservation Group climate campaigner Imogen Lindenberg said Winchester South could be the nation's biggest new coal mine. "If this mine goes ahead, it will create more pollution than Australia produces in one year," she said. "We are already living in a time of climate catastrophe. "Many folks' homes have been flooded, there are bushfires - it's not just us, it's all the beautiful threatened species." What has Whitehaven said? Barrister Saul Holt KC, acting for Whitehaven, said in his opening address that the Winchester South project would bring significant economic benefits. He said the mine had widespread community support and would bring $696 million in state royalties and 500 new jobs during construction and operations. "It's the right project, in the right place, by the right miner at the right time," he said. Holt said Winchester would also support manufacturing that was vital for Australia's transition to renewable energy.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Person rescued after being found in the water at Maryport
A person was rescued after being found in the water at Maryport. The Whitehaven and Maryport coastguard rescue teams were called to the scene on Saturday, July 19. Maryport Rescue also launched its emergency rescue boat. The police, coastguard rescue officers, and the Maryport Rescue boat crew entered the water and brought the person back to shore. A spokesperson from the Whitehaven Coastguard Rescue Team said: "After a short stretcher carry off the beach, the casualty was handed into the care of North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust for checking over and any further treatment."
BBC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Haven v Town - rugby league's great outpost derby
When we think of the great derbies in rugby league, our minds head straight for Wigan Warriors versus St Helens or Hull FC against Hull don't tell that to fans of the game in one of its great heartlands in west Cumbria. There it is all about Whitehaven and Workington clubs may be in League 1, rugby league's third tier, but that does not dim the passion or the bragging are up for grabs on Sunday as the pair meet at Whitehaven's Ortus Rec what is it that makes this fixture so special? Situated 10 miles apart along the west Cumbrian coast, Whitehaven and Workington are proper rugby league nearest significant football team, Carlisle United, is an hour up the road so, in sport, it is all about the 13-player isolated from the M62 corridor across the north of England that provides most of the teams, these two towns represent an area where the game has always been popular. Formed within a few years of each other in the 1940s, they tapped into the mining communities and Workington, in particular, made a big reached three Challenge Cup finals in seven seasons, winning it in 1952, while they were Premiership Champions the year too, had special moments including beating a touring Australian side in 1956 and losing in a Challenge Cup semi-final a few months were actually one of the 12 founding clubs of Super League in 1996, but won only two games that season in finishing bottom, were relegated, and have never returned. Fast forward to now and both teams are in the game's third division. Workington are third, well placed to claim one of the top-four places at the end of the season for the Super 8s to battle for three spots in the Championship for 2026 with the four lowest-placed sides in the second are eighth in the 10-team League 1 and will need a spectacular finish to get in the top do that, victory over their old rivals would be just the start. It would also be revenge for the narrow 10-8 defeat in the reverse league fixture on Good Friday at Derwent Park. 'Best rivalry in rugby league' One player who knows all about this fixture is Jamie Doran. Born in Whitehaven, he is now in his second spell at Workington, sandwiched in between two years at his hometown 30-year-old came through the ranks at Wigan as a youngster and made his debut for them in a Super League game at home against has seen the biggest game at close quarters, but the sport's importance to the local area gives Sunday's match extra significance."Walk through both towns and you'll see Super League shirts, NRL club shirts, but you'll always see a Whitehaven or Workington top," he told BBC Sport."The towns are quite small and everybody knows everybody. That makes it a little bit more exciting, especially for whoever wins in the week after the derby, at work, in the streets, when you see your friends. "Obviously both clubs are struggling a little bit now but, for me, it's the best rivalry in rugby league." With a foot in both camps, Doran would love to see both clubs do have spent eight of the past nine seasons in the third tier, while Haven are back at this level after five seasons in the is where Cumbria's other professional club, Barrow Raiders, currently sit Doran believes all three should be aspiring to play in rugby league's middle tier."If you ask me, you want all three Cumbrian clubs in the Championship - Whitehaven, Workington and Barrow," he said. "It makes for six great games a season - your fanbase picks up, the quality of the squad improves, more money off the RFL [Rugby Football League]."We want three established Championship clubs. Super League is probably out of the reach at the minute, but the Championship isn't. "There's nothing that can't stop us from doing that. Backing is important but Barrow seem to be doing that right now." Whitehaven were relegated to League 1 at the end of last season after a tumultuous were beset by financial problems with players going unpaid, board members resigning and the club's very future being under St Helens player and television pundit Kyle Amor came in for the last six games, but he could not prevent he knows that making sure the Marras are still playing this season was an effort in itself."My own ego wanted us to stay up but we were unable to do that given the challenges that were presented," he said."In hindsight, it was probably the best thing for the club as it allowed for a reset and to do what they are doing now. "I don't think they are out of the woods by any stretch, but I put my hands up to do that role to make sure the club carried on."There was a very real and serious threat the RFL was going to pull the licence away and rugby league would no longer exist in that town. "That's how serious it was." Stronger together? One Cumbria team? A proud son of Whitehaven, Amor had to leave his county to make it to the top of the game as a Super League and Challenge Cup winner at is a situation faced by all promising players in the area, with current St Helens and England forward Morgan Knowles the latest example of a fine Cumbrian export. Amor loves the derby, but he wonders if two, or even three, of Whitehaven, Workington and Barrow could merge into one Cumbrian team to allow rugby league to survive and thrive in the region. "They are talking about expanding Super League to a 14-team competition and yet again we look past a hotbed of the game which is west Cumbria," he said. "I don't believe rugby league can afford and sustain 36 professional clubs. "Central funding to League 1 has been cut and I genuinely believe there will come a point where one or both of those west Cumbria clubs will struggle to exist, unless they pull themselves together and try to move forward that way. "I think the game would welcome that. There is the old thing that Whitehaven and Workington will never merge and I get that."But if you put top-flight rugby in Cumbria, people will come and watch it regardless of which town it's in."
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Memphis-based Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare to cut 161 jobs as part of restructuring
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare has announced plans to reduce staff as part of a restructuring plan. Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare said its Planning, Alignment, Transformation and High (PATH) performance initiative will streamline the health network's staff and patient services. With the operational change, Methodist said 161 employees will be affected, approximately 1% of the company's workforce. Staff impacted by the layoffs who cannot find new roles within Methodist's healthcare network will be offered severance pay and career transition support, according to a news release. 'As part of our mission to serve the entire community, we regularly examine our service offerings and processes to ensure that they align with community needs and follow best clinical practices in a rapidly changing healthcare environment,' Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare CEO and President Michael Ugwueke said in a statement. BUSINESS NEWS: FedEx to cut 480+ jobs, close facilities as part of Network 2.0 restructuring On Aug. 1, Methodist will consolidate its obstetric service wing (labor and delivery) at Methodist South Hospital, located at 1300 Wesley Drive in Whitehaven, with existing operations at Methodist Le Bonheur's Germantown and Olive Branch hospitals. 'These changes align with our goal of maintaining long-term strength and high-quality services,' Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Monica Wharton said in a statement. Neil Strebig is a journalist with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at 901-426-0679 or via X/Twitter: @neilStrebig. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare announces layoffs and restructuring Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Supermarket building being sold for £1.5million ahead of new store opening
A SUPERMARKET building has gone on the market for £1.5million ahead of a new store opening next year. Aldi has put its current supermarket in Whitehaven up for sale as building works get under way for its improved store on land at Preston Street, which was previously used as a temporary car park. The new supermarket will replace the existing store built 30 years ago. The company had explored a number of options to deliver an improved experience at the existing site and extended the building in 2007. However, the site's constraints had limited further opportunities to extend. The relocated Aldi food store will 'provide a much-improved shopping experience' for residents including wider aisles, customer toilets and self-check-out till options. Existing staff will be relocated to the new store and the scheme will create 10 new jobs. The current Aldi store, is being marketed by Lamb & Swift Commercial in Bolton, and is looking for offers in excess of £1.5million. The building is described as benefiting from an 'extremely prominent main road position' on the edge of the town centre, with 118 Shared car parking spaces. A spokesperson from Aldi said: 'As we work to deliver an improved store in Whitehaven, we're now marketing our existing store for use by another operator, with occupancy offered during Q1 2026, to tie in with the completion of our new store on Preston Street.' Aldi is also building a new store on land at East Road, in Egremont, which was formerly occupied by a petrol station, workshop and car dealership. The Whitehaven store is expected to be open by the beginning of next year and the Egremont store should be complete by mid-2026. Aldi estimates the new stores will generate £14 million for the local economy and create a total of 50 new jobs across both sites.
