Latest news with #WSU
The Citizen
5 hours ago
- The Citizen
Top 10 stories of the day: R27k found in WSU deputy VC's car
Here's your daily news update for Friday, 20 June 2025: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. News today includes a large sum of money was discovered in the vehicle of a Walter Sisulu University (WSU) senior staff member who was fatally shot, while Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane raised alarm over the continued violence at the institution. Meanwhile, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has urged pupils to play a role in combating bullying by reporting incidents to the authorities. Furthermore, the KwaZulu-Natal department of transport is assembling a legal team to navigate the R6.5 billion lawsuit filed by Toyota insurer Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance in the Durban High Court over the 2022 floods. Weather tomorrow: 21 June 2025 Saws warns of rough seas in parts of the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal. Damaging winds are also expected in parts of the Eastern Cape, while areas in the Northern Cape face high fire danger conditions. Full weather forecast here. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way. R27k in cash found in Walter Sisulu University vice-chancellor's car after fatal shooting A large sum of money was discovered in the vehicle of a Walter Sisulu University (WSU) senior staff member who was fatally shot, while Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane raised alarm over the continued violence at the institution. WSU's deputy vice-chancellor for institutional support and development, Sinethemba Mpambane, was killed at the university's Mthatha campus on Thursday. Walter Sisulu University gate at Butterworth Campus in East London on 22 January 2020. Picture: Gallo Images / Sino Majangaza He was reportedly shot multiple times while seated in his vehicle near the entrance of the Nkululekweni facility. CONTINUE READING: R27k in cash found in Walter Sisulu University vice-chancellor's car after fatal shooting Does South Africa need a political party led by Floyd Shivambu? Launching a new political party may not be the best move for Floyd Shivambu, the former secretary-general of uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, according to a political analyst. On Thursday, Shivambu told reporters that he plans to consult various sectors of society about forming a new political party. Former MK party secretary-general Floyd Shivambu. Picture: Nigel Sibanda This follows his public fallouts with the founder of the MK party, Jacob Zuma and his daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla. CONTINUE READING: Does South Africa need a political party led by Floyd Shivambu? Education MEC blames management of Pretoria school for pupil's stabbing Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has urged pupils to play a role in combating bullying by reporting incidents to the authorities. Chiloane was speaking on Friday morning at the Lesedi Secondary School in Lethabong informal settlement in Donkerhoek, Pretoria, where Lethabo Mokonyane, 19, a Grade 11 pupil, was stabbed to death, allegedly by a Grade 12 pupil on Tuesday. Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane speaks to pupils at the Lesedi Secondary School in Lethabong informal settlement, Pretoria, on Friday after a Grade 11 student was stabbed earlier in the week. Picture: Supplied/Gauteng Education It is alleged that the Grade 12 pupil had not attended school that day but arrived after classes had ended, just as pupils were boarding their scholar transports. He then proceeded to stab Mokonyane just outside the schoolyard. CONTINUE READING: Education MEC blames management of Pretoria school for pupil's stabbing 'Engineered dysfunction': City of Tshwane disconnects its own water reservoir for non-payment The DA has accused the City of Tshwane of not having its house in order after it switched off power to its own reservoir as part of a campaign to collect outstanding debt. DA Tshwane Spokesperson for Finance Jacqui Uys said the DA was outraged after the city disconnected its own water reservoir due to non-payment of accounts. Picture: iStock 'On Wednesday, the city's credit control department, furnished with an official disconnection notice, cut power to the pump stations of one of its own reservoirs. City teams meant business as they proceeded to rip the breaker out of the Suiderberg Reservoir, to prevent power from being switched back,' she said. CONTINUE READING: 'Engineered dysfunction': City of Tshwane disconnects its own water reservoir for non-payment Sued for R6.5 billion by Toyota insurer, KZN transport builds legal team The KwaZulu-Natal department of transport is assembling a legal team to navigate the R6.5 billion lawsuit filed by Toyota insurer Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance in the Durban High Court over the 2022 floods. The floods caused significant damage at the Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) vehicle assembly plant in Prospecton, Durban. Damage caused by the 2022 floods in Durban. Picture: X/Hein_The_Slayer Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance is claiming that the damage caused by the floods was due to negligence of the infrastructure. For this, the insurer is suing KZN transport, eThekwini municipality and Transnet SOC Limited. CONTINUE READING: Sued for R6.5 billion by Toyota insurer, KZN transport builds legal team Here are five more stories of the day: Yesterday's News recap READ HERE: Shivambu sticks with MK | Idle Gauteng police vehicles | Malema banned in the UK
News24
a day ago
- News24
Walter Sisulu University employee shot dead at campus gate
A staff member of Walter Sisulu University (WSU) was shot dead on the Mthatha campus on Thursday evening. Eastern Cape police said the employee was discovered inside a stationary vehicle, near the Nkululekweni entrance gate adjacent to the N2 highway, just before 18:00. 'Preliminary forensic analysis confirms the victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds while seated in the driver's [seat]. The motive remains unknown,' said Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana. 'The identity of the deceased will be formally released once next-of-kin notification is complete, as per SAPS (South African Police Service) protocol. Forensic experts and detectives are actively processing the secured crime scene.' Mthatha residents were on Thursday participating in a day of mourning at the nearby King Sabata Dalindyebo TVET College, following devastating floods last week that left at least 92 dead and over 4 000 households destroyed. READ | Walter Sisulu University student remembered as caring and protective at memorial service Acting provincial police commissioner Major General Thandiswa Kupiso said they had mobilised maximum resources to pursue all leads in the staff member's murder. 'Public speculation must be avoided to preserve the integrity of the investigation,' said Kupiso. This is the second reported shooting at the campus in recent months. On 15 April, WSU Bachelor of Education student Sisonke Mbolekwa was shot dead, allegedly by the university's residence manager, Manelisi Mampane. Mampane, who was arrested on charges including murder and attempted murder, is currently out on R10 000 bail.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Science
- ABC News
Vine-covered car parks helping to cool Western Sydney's urban heat islands
A new approach to providing shade at notoriously hot car parks has been shown to slash surface temperatures by up to half on summer days in Western Sydney. Surface temperatures at a busy car park in Merrylands are being reduced by as much as 35 degrees Celsius by vine-covered trellises which were installed and planted two years ago. On the hottest days, surface temperatures were shown to drop from 70C to 35C when in shade. Results from a study by Western Sydney University (WSU) and Cumberland City Council also show a reduction in air temperatures by up to 2.5C under the shading vines. The trellises are part of what the study described as Australia's first cool car park. Fast-growing vines grow over the top of metal supporting structures and then spread over a stainless steel mesh roof. Cumberland Mayor Ola Hamed said the project was promising for the area where temperatures in summer heatwaves have reached 45C. "Merrylands and Granville top some of those suburbs as well in terms of urban heat," Ms Hamed said. Ms Hamed said the shading structures at council-run car park Holroyd Gardens did not reduce car parking spaces. The initiative was funded by a grant from the NSW government to foster green infrastructure. WSU's Professor Sebastian Pfautsch, who has been studying the vine-covered trellises' impact for the past three years, said the vines were expected to grow completely over the metal wire mesh in two years. "We demonstrate with our solution that you can do it in a way so that you don't even lose valuable car parking space." Professor Pfautsch said the trellises were made of a wire mesh that birds could not rest on, so residents did not find their cars defecated on, and used vines that did not grow fruit that could drop on parked vehicles. Professor Pfautsch said more than 6 square kilometres of Western Sydney were dark-surfaced car parks, and only 1 per cent of that was effectively shaded. Cumberland council's area includes 1 square kilometre of uncovered car park. He said these car parks could have surface temperatures greater than 70C on a hot day. "It's always those unshaded car parks that come out as micro heat islands," Professor Pfautsch said. A WSU report presenting the findings from the car park shades said the issue was pointed in Sydney's west where there was a greater dependence on cars because of a lack of public transport alternatives. Urban heat islands are particularly harsh in Western Sydney where temperatures can reach above 40 degrees during summer heatwaves. Extreme heat has killed 300 people and hospitalised more than 7,000 across the country over the past decade, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Professor Pfautsch said Western Sydney also experienced hotter temperatures in summer due to the geographical bowl that traps heat in, and increased development replacing green environments. "That bowl means once you have hot air in it, it's very difficult to blow it out," Professor Pfautsch said. Another cool car park structure has been set up at a commuter car park in Wentworthville, also in the Cumberland council area. Ms Hamed hoped more of them could be set up at car parks in the area, including at public and privately owned car parks. "We're looking at other places around the LGA where we can replicate this as well," she said.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How a new bus service illustrates the Cougar Collective's role at WSU in the wake of the House settlement
Jun. 12—PULLMAN — Justin Mills had just about seen enough. A 2018 graduate of Washington State, Mills knew what it was like to experience WSU football gamedays at their best, RVs flooding the town and a packed Martin Stadium roaring and empty Fireball shooters scattered around the stands by nightfall. But now, with the Cougars' attendance dropping as their conference affiliation shook the entire university, he understood one thing. He couldn't sit on his hands. So one day in late March, he fired up his X app and sent a direct message to Hurley Media Group's Brian Hurley, who had put out a call for WSU supporters willing to help set up a new bus service to games. Brian put Mills in touch with his wife and fellow media expert Cassie, who was leading the charge on that front. A project manager based in Spokane, Mills had a background in organizing efforts like these, so things came together relatively smoothly. In order to make it easier for fans in Spokane and the Tri-Cities to attend WSU games — Pullman hotels drive up prices for game weekends so much that would-be attendees are forced to stay in the surrounding areas, or not come to games at all — he connected with a bus operation called Starline, which has a branch in Spokane. The Starline representative, a woman named Tracy, stayed in touch with Cassie and Justin via group chat. Tracy and Starline eventually agreed to help Mills, Hurley and the entire Cougar Collective arrange a series of bus trips to and from each of WSU's six home games this fall, with one route via Spokane and the other via Kennewick, Pasco and Richland. "I'm gonna give him props, too, because he stayed on me," Cassie said of Justin. "He was like, 'Hey, any updates? Any updates?' " "I wanted to help out any way I could," Justin said. "I wanted the experience for other people to be how I had it at WSU, so I want them to have the same experience I did." The best part: It came at a reasonable cost for the collective, which would get 10% of the proceeds, which would then go on to benefit WSU athletes, a crucial development as coaches try to fend off poachers from other schools. But the part that may excite WSU fans most has to do with what can happen on the bus trips. Thanks to a series of $15 permits Mills worked to acquire, bus riders can drink alcohol on their way to the games. Riders get their ID checked upon boarding, which allows them to drink any alcohol they bring. "I've seen other people, like students, saying, 'I wanna make a trip to Spokane just to take the bus back down to Pullman,' " Mills said. "So, you know, it sounds like very positive feedback." With all of that complete, only a few loose ends had to be tied up. Ol' Crimson Booster Club coordinator CJ McCoy, who is also responsible for setting up people to fly the WSU flag at College Gameday, helped coin the name Ol Crimson's Back Home Bus. Cassie and Mills also worked with a travel service called Wanderlie to put the $65 tickets online for purchase, and the Hurley Media Group produced a promotional video for the new bus operation. "Everything we do is for the love of WSU. It's a passion project," Casse said. "For us, it started back with the Pac-12 collapse, because we're like, 'We're getting left behind, and it really, truly hurts our hearts.' We love WSU, and it's so special, and we want everybody to know how special it is. It's a Coug thing, and we all know how special it is." It's a compelling story about WSU alumni working together to resurrect the bus service (the first iteration died around the time of the coronavirus pandemic) and give nearby fans easier ways to attend football games, a longtime struggle because of small-town Pullman's lodging limitations. But it fits into the bigger picture of WSU's main NIL group, the Cougar Collective, which is finding ways to adapt to a system that changed forever last week. Last Friday, a judge gave final approval to the House vs. NCAA settlement, paving the way for athletic departments to begin directly paying athletes via an annual revenue-sharing pool, which will be capped at $20.5 million in the first year, which begins on July 1, the same start date as WSU's fiscal year 2026. The settlement comes with two other meaningful impacts. It requires the NCAA and its Power Five members (WSU could remain under that umbrella in a legal sense) to pay some $2.8 billion in damages, or "back pay," to compensate athletes for the denial of NIL opportunities under prior eligibility rules. It has also prompted NIL collectives around the country to rethink their approaches now that institutional NIL will be the norm. In January, Colorado shuttered its collective in anticipation of the House settlement's effect. Louisville's will be turned into a marketing agency of the university. Ohio State is merging its two prior collectives into one broader one, which will be associated with the school. "But we're certainly not gonna go anywhere," said Tim Brandle, the Cougar Collective's treasurer and legal counsel. The Cougar Collective is here to stay, not vanishing with the House settlement's approval. The team will still enter into NIL contracts with players, same as it has for the past couple of seasons, and those agreements will come with the same stipulations that Brandle and the team began installing recently. If an athlete hits the transfer portal or leaves WSU early, they're responsible for paying back those funds, a buyout provision to protect the collective from players breaking their contracts haphazardly. But plenty is also changing for Brandle and the Collective. The House settlement requires that deals more than $600 must be reported to a new clearinghouse called NIL Go, run by accounting firm Deloitte, which will in turn attempt to determine if those agreements are "fair market value" — an arbitrary threshold not entirely based on athletic ability — and if they aren't, they can get sent to arbitration or scuttled entirely. But that only applies to contracts signed after the settlement's approval, meaning many of the Cougars' newcomers — the team signed 13 transfers in the spring window and will welcome 26 incoming freshmen this summer — may not be subject to those restrictions. That's a key reason why many schools around the country, WSU included to a lesser extent, prioritized signing transfers this spring. They could avoid the incoming limitations and combine with institutional NIL to maximize player profits. This is where WSU might benefit in a subtle way, though. The Cougar Collective has made strides in recent months — last winter, the group put together an NIL package of around $1 million to try and retain quarterback John Mateer, who turned it down and transferred to Oklahoma — but the organization isn't always in a position to offer deals that would get flagged as above fair market value anyway. Even if those offers did, the Cougars' program may not face the same type of scrutiny than that of other Power Four operations, which are much better equipped to dole out the types of contracts that would warrant investigation. If a player from another school were to have their deal rejected and their university files a lawsuit, it might stand to reason that development would occupy more of Deloitte's resources than something happening at WSU. That isn't to say the Cougars would be getting away with illegal deals — "I would turn them over, upload them," Brandle said, "be like, here you go, check this out" — but rather a reflection of WSU's position in the bigger picture of college athletics, in the traditional Pac-12 and outside it. The Cougs have always been in the business of doing more with less. For those reasons, Brandle and the collective team remain focused on the same things they were focused on before the House settlement was finalized — recruiting new members to their 1890 Club, a nod to WSU's founding year that asks patrons to donate $18.90 per month, and getting creative with new ways to raise money. One of the more significant developments helped the collective secure the name for its new bus service. The Ol' Crimson brand has allowed the collective to use its trademark, which led to the Ol Crimson's Back Home Bus branding, as well as the coffee and beer products that bear the Ol Crimson branding. It's not clear how much the collective will augment WSU's institutional NIL. The Cougars are expected to commit around $4.5 million in revenue-sharing dollars to the football team this year, athletic director Anne McCoy said in January, but she also indicated that number includes scholarships and stipends, making it unclear how much true revenue-sharing money will go toward the program. Whatever the number , the Cougar Collective will remain a part of the NIL picture at WSU. In fact, Brandle said, the team is more aligned now with the university than it has been before. It's the new world of college athletics, where dollar signs play a more prominent role, forcing collectives and administrations to figure things out on the fly. "All that is to say our modus operandi is not just asking people for money," Brandle said. "It's providing value and showing people that we have a coffee, we have a beer. "Soon, we're gonna have several other different products that we're rolling out."
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wright State alum takes home Tony Award for Best Actress-Musical
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — A Wright State alum claimed one of theater's biggest prizes Sunday night. Nicole Scherzinger, who studied at WSU from 1996-99, took home the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical award at Sunday's ceremony for her starring role as Norma Desmond in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Sunset Boulevard.' The Tony is the latest in a string of honors for Scherzinger. She won an Olivier Award last year for the London production of the musical before it relocated to New York City's Broadway. In April 2025, she was named as one of Time Magazine's most influential people. 'If there's anyone out there who feels like they don't belong, or your time hasn't come, don't give up,' she said in her acceptance speech Sunday. 'Just keep on giving and giving because the world needs your love and your light now more than ever.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
