Latest news with #JohnHolland
BBC News
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Bereaved man, 70, helped to find love again and 'conquer loneliness'
A bereaved 70-year-old man has found love again after "conquering loneliness" with the help of a friendly group of strangersJohn Holland first went to Talkin' Tables loneliness support group back in 2023, three years after his wife had he arrived at the session at St Laurence's Church in Chorley, he said: "90 percent of the people there were women, and they all wanted to know my name; I was beaming".That day the 70-year-old walked out with the phone number of his future wife Tina Astley, who said she had also been "in a dark place" before she started going to the group. "I was scared and nervous when I first went to Talkin' Tables, but when a friendly smiley face like John comes to greet you it puts you at ease," Tina told BBC Radio Tables was set up in 2021in Lancashire with the sole goal of combatting isolation by bringing people together. John returned to the meetings each day after his initial visit, and it was not long before romance began to said: "I rang her [Tina] up one night and we were on the phone for two hours. I couldn't see her on the phone but I loved listening to her."We talked about our backgrounds, and eventually started meeting at the local pub where we would spend hours just laughing our heads off."John proposed to Tina, now 49, during a trip to Whitley Bay last year, before they married on her birthday on 5 June at Park Hall Hotel. 'Together' "We couldn't believe we were just so alike and loved each other so much. From the very first moment it has been phenomenal," John Tables founder Marjorie Hayward watched their romance unfold and said the pair had "conquered their loneliness together.""Bringing people together is what we're about, because I know that when you do, they will do the rest themselves," Marjorie said."It's a confession to admit you're in a sad state and admit your loneliness, but Talkin' Tables was designed for this."I thought it would last six weeks and here we are four years later."Talkin' Tables now has 100 tables around the UK meeting every week, and three in Cyprus. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
CBS News
02-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
3 men arrested during prostitution sting in Denton County, officials say
Three men were arrested following a prostitution sting in Denton County, officials announced Monday. The Denton County Sheriff's Office said its "Prostitution Demand Suppression Operation" took place on May 29. During the operation, deputies arrested John Holland, of Alvord, Texas; Nicholas Matt, of Denton; and Patrick Smith, of Dallas. According to the sheriff's office, Holland faces a charge of online solicitation of a minor, and Matt and Smith both face charges of solicitation of prostitution. Deputies arrested John Holland, of Alvord, Texas; Nicholas Matt, of Denton; and Patrick Smith, of Dallas. Smith also faces an additional charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon. "This operation aimed to reduce prostitution in our community by arresting individuals attempting to purchase sexual favors for money," the sheriff's office said in a news release. Officials said leads on other people engaging in prostitution were identified too and are currently being investigated by the Denton County Sheriff's Office Human Trafficking Unit.
Sydney Morning Herald
17-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Consortium set to get $9 billion to build part of rail loop, operate trains
A $9 billion contract for building part of the Suburban Rail Loop and operating the train line is set to be awarded to a consortium including construction giant John Holland, in what would be the largest deal of its kind for the project yet. Two sources told The Age that TransitLinX – a group of companies comprising John Holland, RATP Dev, Alstom, KBR and WSP – is the preferred bidder for the 'linewide' contract of the SRL East, a $34.5 billion underground rail line between Cheltenham and Box Hill. The contract, under which the companies will be tasked with building the trains used on the line, operating and maintaining the network and fitting out the tunnels, is expected to be worth at least $8 billion to $9 billion. TransitLinX will now begin the process of negotiating and finalising the details of the contract with the Allan government. The contract is to be signed by the end of this year. The second group that was shortlisted in the process, UrbanLeap, included companies Gamuda Engineering, Keolis Downer, Siemens, AECOM, GHD, Hyundai Rotem and Downer Rail. Two tunnelling contracts for the project have already been signed and are valued at $3.6 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively. Another two contracts to build stations along the railway line have not been awarded. Moving ahead with the biggest contract on the project to date will reaffirm Premier Jacinta Allan's commitment to the project, despite opposition calls for her government to cancel, and uncertainty over whether new taxes and Commonwealth funding will be enough to pay for two-thirds of the project as expected.
The Age
17-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Consortium set to get $9 billion to build part of rail loop, operate trains
A $9 billion contract for building part of the Suburban Rail Loop and operating the train line is set to be awarded to a consortium including construction giant John Holland, in what would be the largest deal of its kind for the project yet. Two sources told The Age that TransitLinX – a group of companies comprising John Holland, RATP Dev, Alstom, KBR and WSP – is the preferred bidder for the 'linewide' contract of the SRL East, a $34.5 billion underground rail line between Cheltenham and Box Hill. The contract, under which the companies will be tasked with building the trains used on the line, operating and maintaining the network and fitting out the tunnels, is expected to be worth at least $8 billion to $9 billion. TransitLinX will now begin the process of negotiating and finalising the details of the contract with the Allan government. The contract is to be signed by the end of this year. The second group that was shortlisted in the process, UrbanLeap, included companies Gamuda Engineering, Keolis Downer, Siemens, AECOM, GHD, Hyundai Rotem and Downer Rail. Two tunnelling contracts for the project have already been signed and are valued at $3.6 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively. Another two contracts to build stations along the railway line have not been awarded. Moving ahead with the biggest contract on the project to date will reaffirm Premier Jacinta Allan's commitment to the project, despite opposition calls for her government to cancel, and uncertainty over whether new taxes and Commonwealth funding will be enough to pay for two-thirds of the project as expected. After the federal election, Allan sought to tie the Suburban Rail Loop to Labor's success in Victoria and insisted the project had community support.
Sydney Morning Herald
02-05-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
The law changes demanded as Sydney tunnel workers face death
Companies responsible for exposing tunnel workers to dangerous levels of deadly silica dust would face an extended window to be prosecuted under reforms demanded by unions, as a parliamentary inquiry hears concerns Australia is facing a 'full-blown occupational disease crisis'. The NSW upper house inquiry into silica heard a failure of leadership on multibillion-dollar Sydney infrastructure projects was undermining worker safety, and one occupational safety expert said contracting companies had been prioritising cost over staff wellbeing. Thousands of tunnelling workers on Sydney's mega-transport and motorway projects have been frequently exposed to deadly levels of silica dust, including 208 times the legal level. Fears of a latent public health crisis were compounded after previously confidential documents detailed how 13 staff on the M6 Stage 1 roadway had been diagnosed with silicosis, an incurable lung disease. The revelations have intensified anger with the regulator, SafeWork NSW, for failing to hold contractors to account despite companies repeatedly breaching the legal limit for deadly dust on tunnelling sites. A 2023 investigation by the Herald, The Age and 60 Minutes exposed serious health risks for tradespeople working with engineered stone, prompting bans on manufactured stone benchtops, panels and slabs containing at least 1 per cent silica. Loading The Dust Disease inquiry hearing on Friday called representatives of the nation's largest contractors, John Holland and CPB, senior bureaucrats from SafeWork and Transport for NSW, the Australian Workers Union (AWU), and occupational hygienist Kate Cole. While John Holland and CPB acknowledged errors had occurred in the past, both argued occupational protections for workers were sufficient, saying times when silica dust exceeded legal limits were caused by 'failures' or the 'absence' of safety controls. But AWU assistant national secretary Chris Donovan said tens of thousands of documents to the parliament demonstrated these companies had repeatedly failed to protect workers from silica dust, including knowing protective face masks were an insufficient protection given they needed to be removed to communicate.
