Latest news with #Whipple
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Ship captain convicted of poaching lobsters, crabs and mussels
A Vietnamese national and captain of a 400-foot cargo ship docked in Newington was arrested last week by Fish and Game officers after receiving a tip about illegal lobster trapping. Bui Cong Doai, 44, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors for lobster and crab fishing without a license and illegal possession of someone else's lobster gear, as well as five other violations. He had a Vietnamese passport and United States visa, according to Conservation Officer Justin Whipple. In all, he paid $1,269 as part of the conviction. Mussels Bui Cong Doai, 44, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors for lobster and crab fishing without a license and illegal possession of someone else's lobster gear, as well as five other violations. The cargo ship, Franbo Lohas, which sails under the Panama flag, had been docked on the Piscataqua River in Newington. Fish and Game noticed multiple ropes extending from the ship with traps belonging to a licensed New Hampshire commercial fisherman. 'There were four lines total off of the ship, two large and two small,' Whipple said. 'The two large each had a trap they were actively using to fish.' Officers found lobsters, crabs and bags of blue mussels. A female egg-bearing lobster was found in an undersized cage just to keep it alive. The investigation started after Whipple received a tip from a local lobsterman who had his gear tangled in lines coming from the cargo ship. 'When he retrieved his gear, he pulled up what was clearly an illegal lobster pot,' he said. 'He took some photos, gave me a call and reported it.' Fish and Game needed to get permission from the Coast Guard and the pier operator SubCom to board the ship. Based on information provided to Fish and Game, this is the first time the ship docked in New Hampshire. Bui Cong Doai, 44, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors for lobster and crab fishing without a license and illegal possession of someone else's lobster gear, as well as five other violations. 'We had probable cause based on the photos to do the investigation with the blessing of the Coast Guard,' Whipple said. 'We wanted to do it quickly because we weren't sure when the ship would be leaving.' The violations include illegal trap construction, possession of a short egg-bearing lobster, unlawful possession of crabs, unlawful possession of blue mussels and an egg-bearing Jonah crab. Fish and Game was able to work with the courts for an expedited arraignment, which led to the conviction. The egg-bearing lobster likely had never been caught before because it did not have a 'v-notch' marking, which fishermen use to mark breeding lobster. 'Hopefully, it will encourage people to keep giving us calls if they see anything skeptical and know that we are willing to get out there and do the investigation and the legwork,' Whipple said. He's glad the case was able to be settled before the ship left port.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Man sentenced in 2023 crash that killed ex-NBA player's daughter
GROTON, Conn. (WTNH) — A man was sentenced on Wednesday in the 2023 crash that killed former NBA player Tyson Wheeler's daughter. Scott Whipple, 26, of Mashantucket, was sentenced to 10 years, suspended after six years and five years' probation. Man arrested for Groton crash that killed dirt bike passenger In March, Whipple pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the second degree and reckless driving. This comes after a 24-year-old passenger, Tiara Wheeler, was killed in a dirt bike crash in August 2023. Police said around 9:26 p.m., they responded to a crash at the intersection of Long Hill Road and Meridian Street Extension. An investigation revealed that a 2010 Audi Q7 was traveling south on Long Hill Road and had a green left turn light at the intersection of Meridian Street Extension. As the Audi began to turn, several dirt bikes and ATVs were also traveling north on Long Hill Road and into the intersection. One of the dirt bikes with two riders on it, Whipple and Wheeler, entered the intersection and struck the right rear passenger section of the Audi, police said. Whipple also faced injuries in the crash, police said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Los Angeles Times
24-05-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Whipple's Disease: Rare but Treatable Systemic Infection
Whipple's disease is a rare but serious systemic infection caused by the bacterium Tropheryma whipplei. It's found in the environment and even in asymptomatic carriers but targets middle-aged white men and can affect multiple organ systems—especially the small intestine. Because its early symptoms mimic more common conditions, diagnosis often requires a combination of clinical suspicion and specific laboratory testing. Tropheryma whipplei is a gram-positive bacterium first identified in 1907 and later linked to a chronic, relapsing multisystem illness. It's found in soil and sewage and can colonize healthy individuals without causing symptoms. But a small group—usually those with underlying immune system dysfunction—may develop full blown disease [1], [3]. Most patients with Whipple's disease are middle-aged Caucasian men, so what about genetic susceptibility and hormonal influence [4], [11]? Although the bacteria can live harmlessly in some, defects in cellular immunity likely allow it to multiply unchecked and cause multisystemic illness [10]. One of the weirdest things about Whipple's disease is how slowly and subtly it can unfold. Many patients first present with joint pain or arthropathy which may appear years before gastrointestinal symptoms. Unlike inflammatory arthritis, this joint pain often has no redness or swelling so it's hard to diagnose. Once gastrointestinal symptoms start, they usually include chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain and significant weight loss—hallmarks of malabsorption due to damage to the gastrointestinal tract, especially the small intestine [2], [6], [8]. Whipple's isn't limited to the gut. The disease can take many forms depending on which organs are involved. Some patients have cardiac symptoms like endocarditis, while others may have neurological symptoms. Some have symptoms of which are neurological symptoms. Some have isolated CNS symptoms—known as isolated Whipple's disease—without any gut symptoms at all. Children can also be affected, although this is less common. In pediatric cases, the disease often mimics acute infections with fever and lymphadenopathy [3]. Scientists are still figuring out how T. whipplei causes disease. What's clear is that it hijacks the host's immune system. The bacterium has been shown to replicate in host cells using interleukin 16 and induce cell death via apoptosis [3]. A subtle deficiency in the patient's T-cell mediated immunity may be the reason why only some carriers develop disease [4], [2]. This impaired immunity prevents the body from clearing the bacterium properly, allowing it to invade the small intestine's lining and spread through lymphatic and blood vessels to distant organs [9]. Diagnosing Whipple's disease can be tricky because of its many manifestations. The diagnostic gold standard is a small bowel biopsy—usually of the duodenum—with periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) staining which highlights the characteristic foamy macrophages filled with T. whipplei [2], [6]. For confirmation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA gene of T. whipplei is widely used. Immunohistochemistry and DNA sequencing can provide additional molecular confirmation especially in cases without classic gastrointestinal symptoms [12]. Whipple's disease is one of the few systemic infections where antibiotic treatment can potentially cure the disease. But treatment must be prolonged and monitored closely because of the risk of relapse [5]. A common approach is to start with intravenous ceftriaxone for two weeks and then long term oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for at least one year [7]. For patients who cannot tolerate this regimen, a combination of hydroxychloroquine and doxycycline has been used successfully [7]. Since the disease can affect the CNS, some experts recommend regimens that can cross the blood brain barrier. Relapses, especially of the brain, can occur years later so long term follow up is essential. Whipple's disease is a rare and fascinating illness that challenges clinicians with its many manifestations and slow progression. It often starts with vague joint pain or chronic digestive issues and can eventually affect almost every organ system—including the heart and brain. But with the right diagnostic tools and long term antibiotic treatment many patients can recover significantly. Research into the immunological mechanisms of susceptibility may one day lead to more targeted treatments or even prevention. For now awareness and early recognition are the best tools to fight this elusive disease. [1] Marth T. (2016). Whipple's disease. Acta clinica Belgica, 71(6), 373–378. [2] El-Abassi, R., Soliman, M. Y., Williams, F., & England, J. D. (2017). Whipple's disease. Journal of the neurological sciences, 377, 197–206. [3] Puéchal X. (2013). Whipple's disease. Annals of the rheumatic diseases, 72(6), 797–803. [4] Marth, T., & Raoult, D. (2003). Whipple's disease. Lancet (London, England), 361(9353), 239–246. [5] Schwartzman, S., & Schwartzman, M. (2013). Whipple's disease. Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America, 39(2), 313–321. [6] Ratnaike R. N. (2000). Whipple's disease. Postgraduate medical journal, 76(902), 760–766. [7] Biagi, F., Biagi, G. L., & Corazza, G. R. (2017). What is the best therapy for Whipple's disease? Our point of view. Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology, 52(4), 465–466. [8] Mönkemüller, K., Fry, L. C., Rickes, S., & Malfertheiner, P. (2006). Whipple's Disease. Current infectious disease reports, 8(2), 96–102. [9] Ramaiah, C., & Boynton, R. F. (1998). Whipple's disease. Gastroenterology clinics of North America, 27(3), 683–vii. [10] Marth, T., & Strober, W. (1996). Whipple's disease. Seminars in gastrointestinal disease, 7(1), 41–48. [11] Bai, J. C., Mazure, R. M., Vazquez, H., Niveloni, S. I., Smecuol, E., Pedreira, S., & Mauriño, E. (2004). Whipple's disease. Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association, 2(10), 849–860. [12] Fantry, G. T., & James, S. P. (1995). Whipple's disease. Digestive diseases (Basel, Switzerland), 13(2), 108–118.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Central Texas ‘stuck' in middle-income affordability crisis: National Association of Realtors
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A report published May 15 by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) claims that Texas' major metros face a 'significant shortage of homes' available for middle-income families. The NAR said that in order to meet demand, the US must build two homes that list below $260,000 for each home above $680,000. Unless that happens, 'homeownership will remain blocked for millions of Americans who are otherwise financially ready to buy,' the NAR said. 'Middle-income buyers – those who are supposed to form the backbone of the homebuying market – are making progress, but they're still shut out of more than half of the homes for sale today,' the NAR wrote. Austin leads the nation in affordable multi-family construction, but has the 10th lowest homeownership rate. Austin's housing market: How quickly are homes selling, and for how much? Austin Habitat for Humanity's Chief Impact Officer Billy Whipple spoke with KXAN about the report. 'Even as homes are coming online, the asking prices are higher than a lot of our wage earners. If you look at the median incomes, they're not able to afford the product coming online,' Whipple said. 'We've experienced a lot of growth here in Austin, and with that has come a lot more homes, a lot more units. I think we've all seen the construction.' Whipple said that while Habitat is 'stepping in' to meet demand, support from the local and state governments is necessary to help builders. 'Delivering homes affordably, where more people across our entire economic spectrum can get into home ownership, does require support, subsidy and speed,' he said. 'The longer it takes to go through zoning, permitting, construction, the more uncertainty is entered into the equation. And that always equates to more cost to deliver.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The EPA is designing a plan to clean Cedarburg's former Amcast site. Here's what to know.
Cedarburg residents might soon see some crews and hefty equipment sampling the former Amcast Industrial Corp. properties again in their city. Preliminary plans are coming together for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to clean up the former automotive aluminum die-casting facility, making way for hopes of residential redevelopment by the site's owner. The facility, which operated for 65 years, has contaminated the nearby area with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other hazardous chemicals in the two decades since it closed in 2005. Amcast went bankrupt, and the EPA placed the former site on its national priority list for cleanup using Superfund money in 2009. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), which is working with the EPA to design a cleanup plan, is preparing to collect and test samples at and around the site, USACE Project Manager Rich Whipple said at an open house event held May 5 at city hall to inform the public about the status of the cleanup. This will help identify the exact spots where cleanup is needed and the methods it would use to do so, he said. The Army Corps is currently surveying the site and will start taking samples in mid-July, which will likely take two months tops, Whipple said. The presence of PCBs was identified by the EPA during its initial investigation of the site between 2009 and 2015. The substance is a carcinogenic chemical previously used in many industrial and consumer products because of its fire-resistant and insulating properties until it was banned in manufacturing in 1979. Full cleanup is still at least a few years away, and its fate depends on federal funding and the EPA's ability to prioritize the project. There are around 1,300 Superfund sites across the nation, "and we're competing against them," Whipple said. The current cleanup planning process, known as remedial design, is expected to be completed in 2026. Actual cleanup would start once additional funding has been obtained for that stage of remediation, since each stage of cleanup is funded separately, Phil Gurley, U.S. EPA Community Involvement Coordinator. Since the Amcast site has no responsible party that the EPA can hold liable for the cleanup, the costs associated with each stage of the process must come out of the EPA's Superfund Trust Fund, which must be approved by the federal government, Gurley said. The EPA's headquarters office weighs all the proposed cleanup plans for contaminated sites across the country and chooses which sites will be prioritized that year. The agency will also choose whether to continue contracting with the Army Corps for cleanup. The fate of the project also hinges on how much money Congress and the president appropriate towards the Superfund program as part of the federal budget, which will affect the number of cleanups the EPA can fund. According to reporting from Bloomberg Law, President Donald Trump has been supportive of the Superfund program and using federal funding to cleanup blighted sites, though attorneys warn his cuts to the EPA may hamper progress. If the site isn't chosen for cleanup funding though, the EPA still has a responsibility to clean up the site, meaning it would continue to apply for that funding in future cycles, Gurley said. It's not just the 8.5-acre factory site at N37 W5684 Hamilton Road that needs to be sampled for remediation. Hazardous chemicals were also dumped in the surrounding area, including the quarry pond in Zeunert Park, Wilshire Pond and some nearby residential properties. The variety of stakeholders involved with the contaminated areas, including homeowners and public park users, is, in part, why Whipple is hopeful the site will be selected for clean-up funds soon. Eventually, the EPA will also seek testing on nearby storm sewers and groundwater wells, which are less of a priority, since they're not used for drinking water, Gurley said. Amcast's plant released PCBs into nearby Cedar Creek via storm sewers, according to the EPA's website. The former factory also released harmful chemicals into the nearby Cedar Creek via storm sewers, according to the EPA's website, as did the former Mercury Marine Plant 2 factory, another site the EPA helped clean up in 2013 The site's owner Daniel Burns has plans to redevelop the site for residential use but must wait until remediation is finished. In 2017, Cedarburg officials agreed to spend around $3 million in tax incremental financing for preliminary cleaning of the site ahead of remediation, which has already been completed. In the meantime, Burns is locked in a legal dispute with the city about the site's current use. On Aug. 2, 2024 the City of Cedarburg send a cease use and vacate property order to Burns for storing items in the former Amcast facility structure, as first reported by the Cedarburg News Graphic. In July, city officials found a vehicle, motorcycles, construction equipment and other small, miscellaneous items stored in the building while conducting a walk-through to evaluate the safety and security of the facility, according to court records. City Administrator Mikko Hilvo told the Cedarburg News Graphic that the city had been asking Burns since November 2023 to not store items in the building, since it has not been up to fire and occupancy code for years. Burns, through his entity Oliver Fiontar, LLC, appealed the order and took legal action against the city in the Circuit Courts, per the Cedarburg News Graphic. Particularly, he filed a notice of breach of development against the city, claiming it didn't pay him for razing and removing buildings on the property on Oct. 25, 2024, according to court records. On Nov. 11, 2024, the city took its own legal action, filing a petition in Ozaukee County Circuit Court to have Burns remove the items on the property and raze the remaining structures. A court trial scheduled for May 2 was postponed, giving both parties more time to discuss issues at the property and potentially come to a resolution, Burns' attorney Jacques Condon told the Journal Sentinel. City Administrator Mikko Hilvo and City Attorney Johnathan Woodward could not be reached for comment on May 8 or 9. Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@ Follow her on X at @levensc13. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Here's the status on the EPA plans to clean Cedarburg's Amcast site
