Latest news with #AndyKing
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Surrey parents celebrate after axed bus services replaced
Campaigning parents whose children were told to use torches to walk across unlit heathland by Surrey County Council (SCC) are celebrating after it was announced that an axed school bus service would be this year, SCC said it was saving money and cancelling the free bus service between Molesey and Esher High School, advising children to walk through dark alleyways and across countryside parents started a petition to put on an extra 814 bus service to accommodate the children with part of the £12bn transport funding granted to SCC by the Kate Maxwell said: "I'm thrilled they've seen sense but it could have been handled so much differently. "This whole process has been so stressful on everyone involved, the parents, children, and schools, and for what?"In a letter to parents, Esher High School headteacher Andy King said the school was pleased to share that an additional 814 bus would be running as a trial from September, following "strong and sustained advocacy from our school and parent community".The council said the extra bus would run for the first half-term of the 2025/26 academic year, according to the Local Democracy Reporting that, demand will be analysed to see if the service continues, said Furniss, cabinet member for highways, transport and economic growth at SCC, said: "We're very aware of the challenges raised by parents and carers and have worked with Falcon to address these."As with all bus services, we need to ensure they are used to make them viable, so I encourage parents and carers to take up this new provision. "This additional bus is being provided by Falcon at no cost to Surrey County Council."
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Could a tiny home village help solve homelessness in Peoria? Here are the arguments
During a sweeping policy discussion on how to tackle homelessness, the Peoria City Council moved forward Tuesday night on exploring a tiny home village in the city and providing another $64,000 to continue housing homeless people at a local motel. The council took made no official votes during its special policy meeting, but it did signal approval to allow city staff to continue exploring a plan to build a tiny home village somewhere in Peoria that would house some of the city's homeless population. Those tiny homes — which would be operated by the Dream Center Peoria — would be roughly 70-square-feet and have heating, air conditioning and on-site laundry, showers and bathrooms. The homes would primarily be for single adults and targeted at individuals who are not suited for a congregate shelter setting. It would cost an estimated $900,000 to build a tiny home village of 32 homes in Peoria and another $300,000 annually to operate the village, Dream Center Executive Director Andy King told the council. More: Juneteenth event replaces fireworks as new summer celebration at Glen Oak Park No official decision has been made on the tiny home village, and at this stage the City Council has only given a signal of approval to city staff to move forward with exploring options for tiny homes and find potential codes and ordinances that would need to be rewritten. Where a village would be built — if the proposal is ever given a full stamp of approval by the council — figures to be one of the more contentious questions the city will have to weigh. The Dream Center told the council it hopes to create a hub for homelessness services, and, ideally, the tiny home village would be near its main facility in Downtown Peoria. Mayor Rita Ali, while supportive of the tiny home concept, said she was adamantly opposed to seeing the tiny home village built in Downtown Peoria. Ali said that Downtown Peoria, which already features a litany of homeless shelters and housing, cannot become the "destination" for all of the city's homelessness services, saying the tiny home village could hurt the "safety conditions and perceptions" of downtown. Councilmembers John Kelly and Mike Vespa agreed with Ali's sentiment that a tiny home village would not be best suited for Downtown Peoria. Vespa said he supported the concept of a tiny home village in Peoria, making note it should be on a bus line, saying it gave people a "door to lock behind them." Councilmember Tim Riggenbach was the first on the council to champion tiny homes, and on Tuesday night, he applauded the progress Peoria has made in reducing homelessness but said it was "critical" that the council give staff direction to move forward with exploring the concept of tiny homes. Riggenbach urged caution, however, when it came to the council ruling out locations for the tiny home village this early in conversations. No one on the council seemed to be generally opposed to the concept of a tiny home village, but at-large councilmember Denis Cyr raised concerns about how and where the city would find funding for the village. City leaders on Tuesday night also heard progress updates from many of the region's homelessness providers, including the United Way's Continuum of Care, the Dream Center Peoria and Carle Health's Trillium. Those presenters painted a picture of a city that has made progress in reducing homelessness but still faced key barriers in shelter capacity and availability of housing. Housing projects like Phoenix Manor in Downtown Peoria, which will provide 55 units of permanent housing for families experiencing homelessness, and the expansion of the Salvation Army's Downtown Peoria shelter, are viewed as success stories in expanding shelter and housing options in Peoria. But more is still needed as homeless numbers continue to rise in Peoria and the nation, Continuum of Care's Kate Green told the council. In a January 2024 census, the United Way — which serves Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford and Fulton counties — counted 635 people experiencing homelessness. That number is up from 201 people in 2021 and 451 in 2015. Green told the council that there has been a "serious escalation in homelessness" since the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, data presented by Green showed that those experiencing homelessness have reported a rise in mental health issues and substance abuse problems. The City Council took no formal vote to provide the homelessness outreach group LULA with another $64,000 in funding for its revolutionary hotel project, in which they've housed dozens of homeless individuals in a local hotel. But all council members who spoke about the project on Tuesday night applauded its successes in not just allowing the city to clear the controversial and prominent homeless encampments in the city but also in connecting homeless individuals with services. The kicker of the program's success, however, is it relies on city funding. If no new funding is approved by the city, the program will end, and its participants could end up back on the streets. More: Heartbreak to resilience: Untold perspectives of Caterpillar's HQ move from Peoria In March, the City Council moved to provide LULA with roughly $204,000 in funding that would allow for it to operate its hotel program through the end of June. The end of June is closing in, and at its meeting on June 24 the council will weigh a measure to give LULA another $64,000 to keep the program operational. More than 100 people have participated in the hotel program. Fifty-one have been put into permanent housing programs, while 29 others have housing applications or appointments in place. Further complicating matters as Peoria tries to find permanent solutions to homelessness are expected cuts coming to the federal budget that city officials fear will cause more housing insecurity in Peoria. Propsed cuts to the federal budget, which is still being worked on by the U.S. Senate, will impact the number of Section 8 housing vouchers available those who need financial subsidies in order to afford housing. Continuum of Care funding would also be moved to states under the cuts. Emergency solutions grants, community block grant development funds and HOME grants would also be cut under the budget. Peoria Community Development Director Joe Dulin told the council these cuts could lead to an additional 1,000 people in Peoria to experience housing insecurity, calling the cuts to the Section 8 voucher system "pretty significant." Dulin told the council that the city would either have to use general fund dollars to support those programs or potentially go without some of those services. Ali said councilmembers and everyone else in the area should contact their congressional representative and encourage them to not vote for a federal budget that includes these moves. Ali said the cuts would be "detrimental" to the work the city has done in combatting homelessness. This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria looks at tiny home village as possible homelessness solution
Leader Live
14-06-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Red Arrows make history with sustainable fuel flypast for King's birthday
Jets from the world-famous aerobatic display team were powered by a blend of sustainable aviation fuel, and used the vegetable oil to produce their trademark vapour trails. It follows groundbreaking trials by RAF engineers and logisticians. All nine of the team's British-built Hawk fast-jets were topped up with a high-ratio blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at the team's home base of RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, before they set off, in what is thought to be a world's first. The flypast is also thought to be the first time a renewable biofuel – known as hydrotreated vegetable oil – has been used to produce vapour trails. Charles has been championing sustainability and climate action since before he ascended the throne. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said the King was not involved in the decision but was 'delighted' because he has been encouraging use of the fuel on royal flights where practical and hopes the example will lead to wider use across the aviation sector. Squadron leader Andy King, the Red Arrows' senior engineering officer who led the project, said: 'Ever since the Red Arrows' first display in 1965, the team has aimed to inspire future generations and represent the best of British. Using this technology is the latest example of our relentless pursuit of excellence. 'The flypast for His Majesty The King is the perfect opportunity to showcase this innovation. 'The vibrant vapour trails that we generate is what sets the Red Arrows apart and so to be the first aerobatic team in the world to move to a fully sustainable option is really exciting.' Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard, said: 'The iconic Red Arrows are one of the world's premier aerobatic display teams and by adopting a more environmentally friendly sustainable aviation fuel, the Royal Air Force is blazing a trail as part of our work to combat climate change.' The Red Arrows' 2025 season runs until October, with 60 shows planned across the UK and mainland Europe.
North Wales Chronicle
14-06-2025
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
Red Arrows make history with sustainable fuel flypast for King's birthday
Jets from the world-famous aerobatic display team were powered by a blend of sustainable aviation fuel, and used the vegetable oil to produce their trademark vapour trails. It follows groundbreaking trials by RAF engineers and logisticians. All nine of the team's British-built Hawk fast-jets were topped up with a high-ratio blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at the team's home base of RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, before they set off, in what is thought to be a world's first. The flypast is also thought to be the first time a renewable biofuel – known as hydrotreated vegetable oil – has been used to produce vapour trails. Charles has been championing sustainability and climate action since before he ascended the throne. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said the King was not involved in the decision but was 'delighted' because he has been encouraging use of the fuel on royal flights where practical and hopes the example will lead to wider use across the aviation sector. Squadron leader Andy King, the Red Arrows' senior engineering officer who led the project, said: 'Ever since the Red Arrows' first display in 1965, the team has aimed to inspire future generations and represent the best of British. Using this technology is the latest example of our relentless pursuit of excellence. 'The flypast for His Majesty The King is the perfect opportunity to showcase this innovation. 'The vibrant vapour trails that we generate is what sets the Red Arrows apart and so to be the first aerobatic team in the world to move to a fully sustainable option is really exciting.' Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard, said: 'The iconic Red Arrows are one of the world's premier aerobatic display teams and by adopting a more environmentally friendly sustainable aviation fuel, the Royal Air Force is blazing a trail as part of our work to combat climate change.' The Red Arrows' 2025 season runs until October, with 60 shows planned across the UK and mainland Europe.
Rhyl Journal
14-06-2025
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
Red Arrows make history with sustainable fuel flypast for King's birthday
Jets from the world-famous aerobatic display team were powered by a blend of sustainable aviation fuel, and used the vegetable oil to produce their trademark vapour trails. It follows groundbreaking trials by RAF engineers and logisticians. All nine of the team's British-built Hawk fast-jets were topped up with a high-ratio blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at the team's home base of RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, before they set off, in what is thought to be a world's first. The flypast is also thought to be the first time a renewable biofuel – known as hydrotreated vegetable oil – has been used to produce vapour trails. Charles has been championing sustainability and climate action since before he ascended the throne. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said the King was not involved in the decision but was 'delighted' because he has been encouraging use of the fuel on royal flights where practical and hopes the example will lead to wider use across the aviation sector. Squadron leader Andy King, the Red Arrows' senior engineering officer who led the project, said: 'Ever since the Red Arrows' first display in 1965, the team has aimed to inspire future generations and represent the best of British. Using this technology is the latest example of our relentless pursuit of excellence. 'The flypast for His Majesty The King is the perfect opportunity to showcase this innovation. 'The vibrant vapour trails that we generate is what sets the Red Arrows apart and so to be the first aerobatic team in the world to move to a fully sustainable option is really exciting.' Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard, said: 'The iconic Red Arrows are one of the world's premier aerobatic display teams and by adopting a more environmentally friendly sustainable aviation fuel, the Royal Air Force is blazing a trail as part of our work to combat climate change.' The Red Arrows' 2025 season runs until October, with 60 shows planned across the UK and mainland Europe.
