Volunteers remove ‘eyesore' boat beached on Beer Can Island in Hudson
Calling it an 'eyesore,' Dave Jarvis, of St. Croix River Cruises in Hudson, worked with three other men to get the boat, the Sweet Destiny, towed off the island on Friday.
'We were all kind of sick of looking at it,' he said. 'If we didn't do it, who would've done it?'
The city, Jarvis said, had been looking into possible funding to have the boat removed, but it might have been an even longer wait. So Jarvis called the city and asked permission to tow the boat.
'They didn't hire us,' Jarvis said of the city. 'We just did it.'
As of December, the owner of the boat had racked up more than $44,000 in fines, according to Police Chief Geoff Willems. It is unclear how much the owner, Grayson McNew, owes now.
He did not return emails for comment on Friday night.
A crew of four spent all day Friday removing the beached boat.
Jarvis and his father, Gordy, worked with Wayne Prokosch and Josh Stokes from River City Welding in Red Wing, beginning at 8 a.m. and finishing up with the boat settled in for the night at Jarvis's dock at 5 p.m.
Getting the boat off the island was the 'right thing to do,' Jarvis said. 'Let me put it this way, it's been a sour topic in our community for quite some time and honestly, an eyesore. Everybody has been wanting that boat off of there. There are safety issues and environmental hazards. It was time. It was time for somebody to do something and we have the knowledge, ability and experience.'
Jarvis said the boat will be towed to Red Wing on Monday where it is possible someone might buy it for next to nothing.
'It might be scrapped or refurbished. It is really a wreck. Everything would have to be replaced,' Jarvis said, noting the boat would need a lot of work including a new engine and electrical system.
McNew apparently bought the 1981 Bluewater Intercoastal in 2024. The boat, which was beached on the sand, apparently had a hole in its hull and sank halfway, Willems said. It also had its rudder ripped off, he said.
'He thought he got a good deal and that he could fix it up and do something with it,' Willems said. 'Then life happened, and he didn't have the money or time to fix it up.'
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In August 2024, Hudson officials contacted McNew, of Afton, and told him he had until Oct. 1 to remove the boat or he would be charged for the removal and towing of the boat. McNew 'stated he understood,' according to police reports.
But the boat remained marooned on the island until Friday.
McNew, who has twice run unsuccessfully for the Minnesota House, first came to the attention of Hudson officials in July when he docked the cruiser at the city's new boat launch in Lakefront Park, Willems said.
'It was parked there for, like, a week, and we started getting complaints about it,' Willems said. 'So we called him and said, 'Hey, the boat's got to move.' He moved it out to (Beer Can) Island and then just left it there.'
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Fox News
28-06-2025
- Fox News
Diver who freed sharks gets Trump pardon after felony conviction stuns him: 'My heart sank'
A Florida-based diver thought he was doing the right thing when he freed a group of sharks—but instead, it led to a felony charge and, years later, a presidential pardon from Donald Trump. On May 28, Tanner Mansell and John Moore Jr. were two of the sixteen recipients of Trump's full pardons after the pair were convicted in 2020 of theft of property within special maritime jurisdiction. Mansell, 31, of Jupiter, Fla., reflected on the fateful day leading to his conviction and the eventual unexpected pardon from the White House. In April 2020, Mansell and Moore took a group, which included the Kansas City police chief and a SWAT officer, and encountered a buoy connected to a longline over a dive site. A longline is a type of deep-sea fishing gear with baited hooks to catch fish. "It was just another ordinary day on the water," Mansell said. "I had been running trips there for years and never had anything like this happen. I spotted something red in the distance thinking that, you know, maybe it was trash or a diver," he said. "We saw that it was a buoy connected to a line, which is when we started calling law enforcement." Unaware that the longline belonged to a legally sanctioned National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shark research operation, Mansell and his team acted swiftly and cut the line. They released 19 sharks back into the ocean. "I had no idea that this could be possible, you know, that you could have a permit to kill all these sharks," he said, noting that they had called the Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC) and NOAA's hotline before making the decision. "In our mind, the entire time, we thought we were uncovering a crime rather than committing a crime," he said. That belief quickly unraveled. Days later, Mansell said he received a call while out to dinner. "I just felt like my world came to a stop, my heart sank," he said. "We called [law enforcement], we did everything that we could." Despite their outreach to law enforcement, both divers were charged and convicted. While they avoided prison time, they were ordered to pay $3,343.72 in restitution, and the felony convictions prevented them from voting, owning firearms and traveling freely. "The judge made a comment, and he commended us for our dedication to [the] environment," he said. "He gave out what my lawyer said was probably the lowest sentence ever." Looking back, Mansell said he would have acted differently if he had known the law surrounding legal shark killings. "Knowing what I know now, I absolutely would do things completely differently," he said. "But if I didn't know that there were permits for this, I don't think that I would change anything… when you think you're doing the right thing, you think you're doing the right thing." "We were really surprised to get the pardon," he added. "It wasn't really discussed by my lawyers because it was so far down the line." A turning point came when the case went to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit and Judge Barbara Lagoa confirmed what Mansell believed throughout the legal process. "She basically said … this should've never gone forward … she's never come across a criminal that has called enforcement to report what they're doing in real time," he said. Publicity from that opinion reached the libertarian Cato Institute, which published an article that eventually caught the attention of the White House. "The White House actually called our lawyers and said that they were looking into this and asked for more information," he said. "That was really cool because our lawyer called us that the White House had it in front of them and were looking into it." Mansell learned of his pardon while boarding a plane, sharing he was left "speechless" from the news. "I was getting a call from my lawyer and I answered, and he says, 'Well, I've got good news for you. You just got a full presidential pardon.' I was speechless. I couldn't even say thank you. I just soaked it in." Mansell profusely thanked the White House and Trump for the pardon. "All I can say is thank you. And I hope that, you know, maybe in the name of sharks, we can all take a look at what's happening and say that [legal killings of sharks] shouldn't be happening in Florida." "I'm just so grateful. I have said thank you every step of the way. Words can't explain it," he said. "I know that the White House took a look at this and they decided it was worth it. And I got President Trump's signature." Though the felony remains technically on record, Mansell said the practical implications of the pardon allow him to continue his work. "The felony is fully forgiven so now I can vote, and I can own a firearm from what I understand," he said. "And most importantly, it expedites getting travel visas for my work in conservation." Asked how his view of government and justice had evolved, Mansell admitted, "At first, I was like, I lost a lot of faith in it. I felt like it was just unfair, but now I'm thankful for the due process." "I've learned so much through this process," he said. "I've always considered myself a law-abiding citizen, somebody that doesn't break the law and I respect law enforcement and commercial fisherman." "I got through into this political battle between commercial fisheries and shark diving tourism and it's tough, but now I'm on the other side," he said. "At first I lost a lot of faith in the criminal justice system and now, a bit of that faith in the justice system is restored. There are a lot of checks and balances for a reason." Mansell remains committed to shark conservation and hopeful his case will raise awareness. "This case never should have been filed," Mansell's attorney, Ian Goldstein, said in a statement. "These gentlemen made an honest mistake and were trying to save sharks from what they believed to be an illegal longline fishing setup. I can't think of two individuals more deserving of a Presidential Pardon."
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
Hearing set June 12 in CARD Clinic seizure; sheriff's sale set for July 2
Jun. 6—A federal judge in Missoula will hear arguments next week dealing with BNSF's attempts to seize the assets of Libby's CARD Clinic. The hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Thursday, May 12, in the Russell Smith Federal Courthouse. Judge Dana L. Christensen will hear the case. Also, Lincoln County Sheriff Darren Short signed a notice Thursday, June 5, giving notice to a sheriff's sale July 2 to the highest bidder to satisfy the judgment for the plaintiff, BNSF, with interest and costs. While the date is subject to change pending an order from the court, the sale is currently set for 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 2. According to Montana code, the sheriff's office has 120 days from the day it received the writ to conduct the sale. The sale will include the real property as well as office equipment, furnishings, and other machinery, fixtures and equipment. For more information, contact the sheriff's office at 406-293-4112, ext. 1232. The non-profit clinic, which has served thousands of patients afflicted with asbestosis and other deadly ailments, has been closed since May 7 when the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office served a Writ of Execution on the Center for Asbestos Related Disease, Inc. to satisfy a $3.1 million judgment. A writ of execution is a court order directing a sheriff to seize and sell property to satisfy a judgment. The judgment stems from a lawsuit won in 2023 by Texas-based BNSF, owned by billionaire Warren Buffett, that accused the clinic of filing hundreds of fraudulent claims over several years. Federal jurors ruled two years ago that the clinic made or presented false claims 337 times, including 91 violations after November 2015. CARD filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2023, allowing it to continue operations. But the United States intervened in the bankruptcy proceeding and determined that the judgment should not be paid, so the bankruptcy was settled and dismissed in spring 2024. In September 2024, CARD lost an appeal to a jury's 2023 judgment. In the meantime, CARD officials recently found another location to serve its patients. It is located at 118 West 3rd Street. It will be open the same hours as the clinic, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. "We are still receiving grant money and we have a mission to fulfill so we're pleased we can still offer some services," McNew said. "Patients are welcome to stop in and we'll work to answer their questions." McNew said they are able to answer emails from patients and send test results to patients. She also hopes that they will be able to continue outreach education. Another hope is that the new location will have working phones next week. McNew said since the seizure of the clinic, BNSF has taken at least $100,000 from the clinic's operating account. In a May 9 court filing, Billings-based Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Smith and Lynsey Ross filed a motion in Lincoln County District Court to quash the court's writ on the CARD Clinic. In the motion, the attorneys said it contacted BNSF attorney Cole Anderson and requested the company withdraw the application. But the company declined and objected to the motion. "In 2023, a Montana jury found that the CARD clinic had submitted false asbestos claims costing taxpayers millions of dollars. The judge determined the amount of damages to be repaid, and the process for recovery is set by law," said Kendall Sloan, BNSF Director of External Communicatons. According to a declaration by CARD Executive Director Tracy McNew filed with the motion to quash, she reported that all CARD employees were compelled to vacate the clinic May 7 following the seizure and the sheriff's office replaced all of the locks. Thursday, May 8, following a request, certain CARD employees were allowed to enter the clinic to access the CARD Quickbooks accounting program. McNew said sheriff's office officers monitored CARD employees activities and once they were done using the accounting program, they left the office and haven't returned. In a May 20 filing in federal court in Missoula, CARD's attorney, James A. Patten of Patten, Peterman, Bekkedahl and Green, a Billings firm, sought to join the federal motion to quash the writ and sought a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order. CARD argues that the railway's writ violates bankruptcy proceedings and applicable law. It is seeking the injunction and restraining order to prevent further harm upon CARD and the wrongful interference with the clinic due to its status as a federal grant recipient. In 2011, CARD was chosen by the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry for a four-year grant for a screening program for environmental health hazards, including asbestosis, pleural thickening and pleural plaques, caused by exposure to hazardous substances at Libby's Superfund sites. The federal grants continued with the most recent reward in September 2024. It will run through August 2029. The argument also includes the harm the clinic will suffer because it cannot screen patients, provide education, monitor diagnosed patients and provide follow up of testing results and respond to patient requests. In another declaration by McNew, she said the clinic had to cancel about 50 appointments per week since the May 7 closure. It also said the clinic's pulmonary function testing equipment, the only of its kind in Lincoln County, has sat unused as a result of BNSF's seizure. "CARD has on several occasions identified patients in need of emergency care and/or serious treatment for previously undiagnosed malignancies as part of our routine screenings," McNew wrote. BNSF replied to the clinic's filings in a 53-page document filed May 30 in federal court. Among its arguments, railway attorneys Knight Nicastro MacKay maintain because the federal government didn't intervene in the original lawsuit, it doesn't have a right to stop BNSF from recovering money from the judgment. "The Government begins by claiming that litigation in which the United States is a party is reserved to the officers of the Department of Justice, under the direction of the Attorney General, citing U.S. statute. But BNSF attorneys say federal attorneys left out a relevant portion of the statue which directly applies. It reads, "Except as otherwise authorized by law, the conduct of litigation in which the United States, an agency, or officer thereof is a party, or is interested, and securing evidence therefor, is reserved to officers of the Department of Justice, under the direction of the Attorney General." They also say because CARD has mixed its grant income with non-grant income that it must prove its bank accounts and property represent only grant money. During the 2023 trial, a number of donations from plaintiff attorneys were revealed. From 2012 to 2017, the clinic received $81,000 from attorneys and $30,000 for a mortality study. Dr. Brad Black, CARD's former medical director, testified to $116,000 in donations from Montana plaintiff attorneys. The list didn't include two $10,0000 donations from a national plaintiffs' law firm or a $24,381.94 donation for the clinic's new parking lot. BNSF also believes CARD has received its most significant non-grant income in the form of Medicare payments for treating its patients. "This is the equivalent of personal income for CARD and the amount of this income what property it was used to buy is still unknown to BNSF," the attorneys argued. Railway attorneys also said they do not intend to use grant funds to satisfy the judgment or ask to liquidate CARD assets pending the federal court's review of whether grant funds were mixed with non-grant funds to secure the assets. Gold miners discovered vermiculite in Libby in 1881. In the 1920s, the Zonolite Company formed and began mining the vermiculite. In 1963, W.R. Grace bought the Zonolite mining operations. The mine closed in 1990. In 2002, the Environmental Protection Agency placed the site on the Superfund program's National Priorities List and cleanup work continues to this day. Fibers from the asbestos tied to vermiculite mining that began in the 1920s can embed in lung tissue and cause fatal lung disease. No one knows how many people in the region have died from the effects of asbestosis, mesothelioma or other cancers linked to exposure to asbestos-containing vermiculite mined, processed and shipped from Lincoln County and Libby. BNSF's involvement relates to asbestos-contaminated vermiculite in the rail yard that a 2024 federal jury said was a considerable factor in the negligent deaths of former Libby residents Thomas Wells and Joyce Walder. Both Wells and Walder lived near the railyard and were both diagnosed with mesothelioma and died in 2020. Hundreds of people died and more than 3,000 were sickened from asbestos exposure in the Libby area, according to researchers and health officials. BNSF faces accusations of negligence and wrongful death for failing to control clouds of contaminated dust that used to swirl from the rail yard and settle across Libby's neighborhoods. The vermiculite was shipped by rail from Libby for use as insulation in homes and businesses across the U.S.
CBS News
03-06-2025
- CBS News
Trump pardons 2 divers who freed 19 sharks caught in fisherman's line off Florida but were charged with theft
Miami — Two South Florida shark divers convicted of theft for freeing 19 sharks and a giant grouper from a fisherman's longline several miles from shore have been pardoned by President Trump. Pardons for Tanner Mansell and John Moore Jr. were signed Wednesday. They had been convicted in 2022 of theft of property within special maritime jurisdiction. The two men avoided prison time but were ordered to pay $3,343.72 in restitution, and the felony convictions prevented them from voting in Florida, owning firearms and traveling freely outside the U.S. "We never stopped fighting, and justice has finally prevailed," Moore's attorney, Marc Seitles, said in a statement. "We are thrilled the White House considered our arguments and determined this was an unjust prosecution. We could not be happier for John and Tanner." Moore, who was captain of a shark-diving charter boat, and Mansell, a crew member, spotted the longline about 3 miles off the Jupiter Inlet in August 2020, according to court records. Believing it was an illegal fishing line, the men freed the sharks and grouper, reported it to state wildlife officials and brought the line back to shore. Federal prosecutors later charged the men with theft. Officials said the line actually belonged to a fisherman licensed by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration to catch sharks for research. Mansell and Moore were convicted by a jury, and their appeals were later denied. The full and unconditional pardons signed by Mr. Trump erase those convictions. "This case never should have been filed," Mansell's attorney, Ian Goldstein, said in a statement. "These gentlemen made an honest mistake and were trying to save sharks from what they believed to be an illegal longline fishing setup. I can't think of two individuals more deserving of a Presidential Pardon."
