Latest news with #Biggs
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Reigate theatre Raac concrete repairs of £4.5m approved
Plans to spend £4.5m repairing a closed theatre in Surrey have been approved by Theatre in Redhill closed in 2023 after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was discovered at the site, which can pose safety future of the theatre, cinema and community space had hung in the balance Biggs, leader of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, said: "Our priority is to get it open, our priority is to actually get the work commenced." The theatre is expected to be ready to welcome back audiences by funds will allow for the removal of all Raac from within the building and for other essential works that will allow it to reopen at its previous capacity, the council said. The sum approved for repairs falls significantly short of the £10m the council had been considering, which would have included major upgrades to the building, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The council ruled against a quicker fix option that would have kept the Raac in place and required regular safety inspections, opting instead for the longer – but longer lasting – for a second performing arts and culture building in the town were approved earlier in July. The council has been advised to appoint a specialist company to market and seek expressions of interest for the Harlequin Theatre to be run by a third-party operator.
Axios
22-07-2025
- Business
- Axios
Campaign finance reports show early state of governor's race for Hobbs, Robson, Biggs
Gov. Katie Hobbs is sitting on a massive war chest, Karrin Taylor Robson self-funded a multimillion-dollar ad campaign, and Andy Biggs is getting significant outside support, newly filed campaign finance reports in the Arizona governor's race show. Why it matters: Money isn't everything in political campaigns, but it counts for a lot, and the early figures — the primary election is more than a year away — provide a peek under the hood for the three main candidates vying for the governor's office next year. By the numbers: Robson, a Republican, has pulled in the most overall, nearly $2.8 million, but about $2.2 million was her own money. She has a little under $900,000 on hand. Hobbs raised the most from contributors in the second quarter of 2025, collecting about $1.3 million. The Democratic incumbent had about $4.7 million on hand as of the end of June. Biggs, another Republican, raised $429,000 in the second quarter, less than Hobbs or Robson, but he improved on his first-quarter total and his campaign touted it's the most he's raised in a single quarter during his political career, which includes five U.S. House campaigns. Zoom in: Robson's self-funding was nearly identical to what she spent on television, radio and digital ads last quarter. She began her ad campaign around the time President Trump announced his dual endorsement of her and Biggs. Before that, he'd backed only Robson. The intrigue: Robson's media blitz ended around the start of June, and she's been off the air since then. Conventional campaign wisdom holds that candidates shouldn't advertise on TV until they can afford to stay on the air. However, Robson consultant Jeff Glassburner told Axios the point of the ads was to set the tone of the race early and get the message out that she has Trump's endorsement. Flashback: Robson spent $22 million of her own money in her unsuccessful bid for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in 2022. Between the lines: Biggs has already benefited from nearly $459,000 in outside spending by the conservative organization Turning Point's political action committee.
Chicago Tribune
19-07-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Chesterton sent email invitation for council meeting, but commissioner says he didn't get it
Chesterton Town Council President Sharon Darnell, D-4th, produced an email she sent July 3 that invited Porter County Commissioner Jim Biggs to attend the July 14 council meeting to discuss concerns he raised about the performance of the Chesterton/Porter police dispatch. The Town of Chesterton on its Facebook page posted Darnell's invitation email, sent on behalf of all five council members, as a rebuttal to a statement from Biggs made to the Post-Tribune on Monday that he 'was never formally invited through email, phone call or written letter to attend this meeting.' But Biggs, R-North, said that he never received the email from Darnell. He said he had the county's IT Department review the email account for July 3 and posted screenshots on his Facebook page, which did not show an email from Darnell. Among the things the council wanted to discuss with Biggs was his call for the Chesterton/Porter dispatch center to join the Porter County E911 system on June 18, about 75 minutes after Chesterton's police-involved shooting. An officer was wounded and Joseph Gerber, 45, died from a self-inflicted gunshot after being hit several times during a gunfire exchange in front of the Hilton Garden Inn on Gateway Boulevard. The Indiana State Police are investigating. In addition, the Chesterton Town Council, with the support of Porter's town council, has called for the resignation of Debby Gunn, the director of the county E911 system, for her remarks about the performance of the Chesterton/Porter dispatch center. The county has contended that it took nearly five minutes to call an ambulance to the shooting scene at the Hilton Inn, which Chesterton and Porter denied. A possible explanation for why Biggs didn't receive the email is Darnell sent it to Biggs at a address, which was listed as the contact information on the county website, said Kevin Nevers, Chesterton's spokesman. The county changed its email domain name during the past year. The website now lists the email for Biggs with the correct address. However, Biggs said that even if an email was sent to the old address, he should have received it. Biggs said after he learned that the old email address was on his commissioner page website, he called and had it changed this week. Darnell's email invitation called upon Biggs to come to the meeting 'to openly discuss the concerns and topics you raised during your July 1 press conference.' 'As you rightly stated, this is not about any one individual or group – it is about our residents and the broader community. With that in mind, we believe that any meaningful discussion regarding public safety, inter-agency communication, and improving collaboration between the town and the county should be held in a transparent and public forum.' 'Your presence would provide an opportunity for both the Council and our community members to engage directly with you, ask questions, and work together toward shared solutions. Please let us know at your earliest convenience if you are available to attend. We hope that you will take the opportunity to join us in fostering open, constructive dialogue on issues that affect us all,' the invitation email states. When asked if he would have attended the July 14 meeting if he had received and read the email, Biggs replied: 'Had I received it, I would have taken that as an olive branch of sorts.' Biggs, who lives in Chesterton, said he would have followed up with a phone call to Darnell, whom he has known for years. He said he would want to know exactly what was going to be discussed to determine if he would have come to the July 14 meeting. At this point, Biggs said he didn't want to get into an 'argument' or an 'inquisition.' He said he would be open to meeting with Darnell. The Post-Tribune contacted Darnell via email, and she didn't reply. Darnell during the meeting Monday stated her disappointment that Biggs wasn't there. 'I am not a person who likes to meet anywhere but in a public forum,' Darnell said. 'Maybe we'll figure something else out, but that's the only way we're going to figure this whole thing out. We're not going to do it in a closed room.' Porter County has reached out to Chesterton Police Chief Tim Richardson, along with new Porter Police Chief Dan Dickey, to discuss ways that the E911 system could improve the working relationship with the Chesterton/Porter Police dispatch, Biggs said. Biggs said that Chesterton and Porter certainly can keep their dispatch center, and he doesn't fault the performance of the Porter Police dispatcher the morning of June 18. He said that the local dispatch, though, doesn't have the capabilities of the E911 system. He said the problem is when Chesterton or Porter police need an ambulance, they have to call the E911 dispatch and there can be a delay. On the morning of June 18, an E911 dispatcher happened to hear the radio transmission of the officer being shot and immediately dispatched an ambulance. The financial realities posed by Senate Bill 1, in which town governments are projected to lose revenue, could cause a reconsideration by Chesterton and Porter in the coming years, Biggs said. The E911 system already handles 911 calls, fire and ambulance dispatch for the two communities. Councilwoman Erin Collins, D-2nd, who with Darnell briefly met with Biggs after his July 1 news conference, said that the intent of inviting Biggs to the Town Council meeting 'was not an ambush.' 'He has concerns, we want to hear them in a public setting,' Collins said.
Chicago Tribune
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Commissioner Jim Biggs doesn't show at council meeting as controversy continues over dispatch
Porter County Commissioner Jim Biggs was placed on the agenda to speak at Monday's Chesterton Town Council meeting, but didn't show to the disappointment of council members. Chesterton town council members said that Biggs twice was publicly invited in particular to discuss his statements about the Chesterton/Porter joint dispatch center after the June 18 officer-involved shooting in front of the Hilton Inn on Gateway Boulevard. Joseph P. Gerber, 45, died from a self-inflicted wound after exchanging several gunshots with two Chesterton police officers, wounding one of them. But Biggs said in a statement issued to the Post-Tribune that he 'was never formally invited through email, phone call, or written letter to attend this meeting.' 'Furthermore, no town official has approached me with an invitation to attend this meeting. It was only through a newspaper article, and a Facebook post did I learn that I had been added to the agenda. Lastly, it does our public and the concern for officer safety an injustice to attend and be subjected to more petty personal attacks in order to deflect from the real issue at hand,' Biggs said. Council President Sharon Darnell, D-4th, said that she and Councilwoman Erin Collins, D-2nd, had attended a news conference Biggs held on July 1 and spoke to him afterward. She said that Biggs stated his most pointed issue was to be able to discuss 'freely and openly' the county E911 center and the Chesterton/Porter joint dispatch. 'I am not a person who likes to meet anywhere but in a public forum,' Darnell said. 'Maybe we'll figure something else out, but that's the only way we're going to figure this whole thing out. We're not going to do it in a closed room.' Collins said that Biggs was invited twice by the council to appear. 'I think it was an opportunity for Commissioner Biggs to address the very people that he was elected to represent and serve. His absence tonight is a disservice to them and to the spirit of transparency and accountability in local government,' Collins said. Biggs lives in Chesterton and is the commissioner who represents northern Porter County. He is the president of that board. Collins said that at some point, the town and the county should have a meeting. 'They must take place in public. Not behind closed doors, not through political press conferences and certainly not by exploiting a tragedy to advance a narrative.' Collins said. Collins said the council stands firm in its call for the resignation of Debby Gunn as the E-911 administrator 'for repeated unprofessional conduct and false and misleading public statements.' Gunn contended there was a nearly five-minute delay in the request for an ambulance to the officer, an allegation that was staunchly denied by the town of Chesterton. On the morning of the shooting, Biggs contacted the Post-Tribune and noted that it was time for the Chesterton/Porter dispatch to join the county's E-911 system and that an increase in the county law enforcement tax was needed to cover it. Councilman James Ton, R-1st, said that Chesterton adheres to the standards of the Shared Ethics Advisory Commission and should a meeting occur, the town is committed to 'civility and transparency'. 'I haven't witnessed this in some discussions of this in the past,' Ton said. Biggs, in his statement to the Post-Tribune Monday, said as a resident, some might have the same questions about why Chesterton and Porter would continue to want to have a separate dispatch center. The commissioner listed several questions which included: why in a police emergency is a caller required to speak to two different dispatchers in two location; if the E911 center handles all medical and fire calls, aren't they good enough to handle police calls; if the E911 center is good enough to dispatch police for every other municipality, why isn't it good enough for Chesterton and Porter; and do the residents receive any money outside of Chesterton and Porter taxpayers' dollars to fund the separate dispatch center. 'If the residents of Chesterton and Porter have more questions concerning this issue, I, as their commissioner, would be happy to facilitate a forum of non-biased public safety officials to provide answers,' Biggs said. 'It is true that Chesterton and Porter are under no obligation to consolidate now or ever. This is also true from the county's perspective. As things now stand, this will continue to be the financial responsibility and public safety liability for the governing bodies and law enforcement leadership of both towns.' Chesterton Police Chief Tim Richardson said he did receive an email from Gunn two days ago, asking if he and Porter Police Chief Dan Dickey would want to sit down with her to speak about how to make the operation between the two dispatch centers more efficient. Richardson said that if the meeting occurs, he wants to have his council liaison, who is Ton, attend. Jennifer Klug, a Porter resident, said that she believes the towns should keep their joint dispatch center. 'I don't appreciate Mr. Biggs or Ms. Gunn saying some of the things they did in public. I think that it's not only unprofessional, but I think in a situation like that, people have to stand together and work on something,' Klug said.
Daily Mirror
05-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Inside Ronnie Biggs' prison escape more daring than audacious £2.4m robbery
The Great Train Robbery convict's best friend lifts the lid on Ronnie Biggs' incredible life as the world's most famous fugitive It was one of the most audacious crimes in British history. But nearly two years after the Great Train Robbery shocked and fascinated the country, an equally daring escape turned the least significant member of the gang into the world 's most famous fugitive. Ronnie Biggs played only a minor part in the 1963 robbery of the Glasgow-to-London mail train. Recruited late, he didn't handle any of the loot and only earned a relatively small share of the record £2.4m haul. Caught three weeks later - after his fingerprints were found on a tomato sauce bottle - the petty criminal seemed destined to be little more than a footnote in the story of an infamous heist. But 60 years ago on Monday, Ronnie, then 36, pulled off something even more extraordinary than the robbery itself, 15 months after he was jailed for 30 years - by escaping. By the end of the summer of 1965, and during the ensuing years, as he fled around the world, eventually settling in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, everyone would know his name. Biggs was sent to Wandsworth Prison, south west London, in April 1964, after losing his appeal, with the judge slamming the robbery as 'an act of organised banditry touching new depths of lawlessness'. A high security jail housing some of Britain's most dangerous criminals - that didn't stop Biggs from smuggling in cans of lobster and crab meat, or listening to pop music on a small illegal radio. Biggs, who died in 2013, later wrote in his autobiography how a hit song by The Seekers became the 'inspiration' for his escape. He wrote: 'It contained the line, 'There's a new world somewhere, they call it the promised land'.' Biggs, helped by two fellow inmates, started to meticulously plan what would become Wandsworth's most brazen escape. And he later told Chris Pickard, his best friend in Rio, who ghostwrote Biggs' books, how he managed it. Chris says: 'He and another prisoner, Paul Seabourne, came up with some crazy plans. One idea was a helicopter, which they decided would be too dangerous. 'Every afternoon they were allowed to walk around the yard for an hour. Ron and Paul worked out that the wall of that courtyard was the outside wall of the prison. Then Ron managed to count the bricks in the wall, which is hard to do as you're walking around. Because he was a builder and knew the size of a brick, he worked out the escape height of the wall, 25ft. 'That was higher than a removal van, but if you put an extension on the top of the van it could reach the top.' Seabourne was released in April 1965 and began to coordinate the jail break from the outside. He would get information to Biggs through the bent lawyers of another prisoner, Eric Flower, who was due to be sentenced for armed robbery and planned to escape with him. Another two inmates agreed to grab the prison officers as soon as Seabourne threw a rope ladder over the wall. 'They knew they'd get into trouble, but they said they'd look after that for the honour of helping Ron,' Chris says. Prisoners were normally chosen at random for one of the two walkabouts at different times in the day, so the conspirators devised a plan to get out of being picked for the first one, which included feigning illness or running out of twine for sewing the mail bags. In the countdown to the planned breakout, Biggs became more anxious. 'He was very nervous, he knew there was so much that could go wrong,' says Chris. 'He also realised that if you're going to climb up a basic rope ladder at that height, you have to be pretty fit. So he was having to be pretty discreet in his prison cell, doing press ups and sit ups without making it obvious. 'He said that several of the guards made comments, like 'good to see you're keeping in shape, Ron,' and he had to joke about why he was doing it, but they didn't catch on.' The escape was set for 3.05 on July 7, 1965 - but just before they were due to walk around the yard it started to lightly rain and the session was cancelled. Chris says: 'Luckily for them, Paul Seabourne, who was driving to Wandsworth in the removals van, also realised they wouldn't be let out in the rain, so turned back. They had agreed that if anything happened the escape would be put back a day.' The next day, Seabourne returned - but first went round every red telephone box in the vicinity and unscrewed the mouthpieces, so no-one would be able to call the police. Biggs' wife, Charmian, who was also in on the plan and who had provided the money to pay for the escape, had gone to Whipsnade Zoo for a day out, so she had an alibi and couldn't be implicated. This time, everything worked perfectly. 'Ron said that, as they walked around the yard they could hear the old removal truck pulling up outside. Then a head appeared over the wall with the traditional stockings over the face, and the rope ladders came down. Ron and Eric made a beeline for it, while these two other guys rugby-tackled the guards. 'They went up and over the wall, followed by two other men who decided they wanted to escape too. They jumped onto a mattress in the van, then all piled into the back of a waiting green Ford Zephyr and drove off. 'Ron told me they passed some police cars with their sirens on going in the other direction, but nobody followed them. 'Paul had assumed they would be chased by the police, so the plan was for them to turn into a cul-de-sac, run down a pathway and get into another waiting car. In fact, they weren't being followed at all, so didn't have to do anything in a rush.' After dropping off the others at Tube stations, Biggs and Flower went back with Seabourne to his flat in Dulwich, south east London, where they toasted their success with champagne. The two escapees were later taken to a safe house in Bermondsey, south east London. The next day, the front page of the Daily Mirror called Biggs' jail break 'the great escape' and quoted a Scotland Yard spokesman warning that the gang may be armed and that the public should not approach them. Chris says: 'In fact, Biggs was offered a gun, but he refused to take it. But it was all over the news, and for the next weeks everyone was spotting Ron everywhere. 'On July 14 police swooped on Heathrow airport, believing Ron was hiding in a crate, which caused chaos, but he wasn't there, he was just sitting in the safe house.' Even Madame Tussauds created waxwork figures of Biggs, as well as Charlie Wilson, another train robber who had escaped from Birmingham's Winson Green Prison a year earlier. By August, the two fugitives were getting fed up of staring at the walls of the London flat, so a house was rented for them in Bognor Regis, where they were finally united with their wives. In October 1965, Biggs and Flower made their way to Paris where their faces were changed by plastic surgery. Under the name 'Terence Furminger', Biggs settled in Adelaide in Australia, joined by Charmian and their children. Eric Flower lived in Sydney until he was captured in 1969 and sent back to Wandsworth to finish his 12-year sentence. With the police closing in on him, in 1970 Biggs flew to Brazil on a false passport, later divorcing Charmian. Under a new name, Michael Haynes, he began to build a new life for himself in Rio. Having a son, Michael, with his Brazilian lover Raimunda de Castro, also won him immunity from extradition under Brazilian law. Chris, who was working as a journalist in the South American city, became a close friend. He says: 'We would spend a lot of time together, sometimes at his house or over food at restaurants, just chatting. Eventually, he asked if I could help write his book because he wanted to set the record straight.' Chris says that it was always his escape from Wandsworth, and not the train robbery, which Biggs talked about most. 'It was his plan, his work, whereas he had nothing to do with the Great Train Robbery. And it was because of that, and not the actual robbery, that he became infamous. 'Although he'd spent all the money by the time he arrived in Rio, it was his fame that allowed him to have such a good life there. 'I'd go round to his house and you never knew who you'd find, a famous celebrity, a journalist or singer. He even had the Sex Pistols round and ended up writing and recording one of their biggest hits. It was an extraordinary life.' Biggs suffered his first stroke in 1998, although he recovered to throw a 70th birthday party. However, second and third strokes followed, permanently ending his days of beaches and parties. In 2001, after evading capture for 36 years, Biggs was arrested and sent to London's high-security Belmarsh prison, where he once again became Prisoner 002731, the same number he was given in April 1964 when he entered Wandsworth. In July 2007 he was moved to a unit for elderly inmates at Norwich Prison, and granted compassionate release from his prison sentence on August 6 2009, just two days before his 80th birthday. Finally free and no longer a fugitive, but imprisoned by his own ailments and unable to eat, speak or walk, he died four years later.
