News The Orleans Daily

[slavyori]

Safety or Vulnerability?
By Troy Winters


Mass protests erupt across the nation in response to continued US presence in Afghanistan. Despite the Afghanistan government continuing to request support from the US, public support has reached an all time low as casualties continue to amount on both sides. The anti war protests have expanded towards anti-military and policing protests, with leaders of the civil movement declaring America as being controlled by the Military Industrial Complex.

This resulted in an equally large amount of protests aimed as reducing the presence and budget of law enforcement and military. In response, legislation has been passed to reduce military funding with some military leadership listing concerns of having inadequate logistics to rapidly respond to domestic threats and maintain supply routes. Several military officers who made these statements have received disciplinary action. National guard units across the nation have begun to become deactivated, including some Louisiana National Guard units close to New Orleans. The Department of Defence states that the United States Military will continue to be the strongest fighting force in the world.

Similarly, many police departments have received budget cuts due to pressure from the protests, with many citing improper handling of protests and police brutality. Police departments across the nation have begun to receive less military grade gear, with many departments deactivating a large portion of weaponry, including the New Orleans Police Department.

Recent domestic terror attacks across the nation in the past few years have also caused a large movement to push for more firearm regulation, with supply and access to excess amounts of ammunition being a large focus. Firearm dealers have experienced a sharp increase in taxes, especially in ammunition, causing many dealers to have limited stock of ammo. Many critical of firearm regulation have cited the ability of unlawful citizens to create their own improvised weaponry or even ammunition.

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[FactualDonkey]

Green Gators get the Green Light at Upcoming Local Festival
By Joseph Atticus

As Summer rolls on for New Orleans natives, during the 21-23rd of August the French Quarter will be awash in tents throughout the weekend-long GatorFest™. Sponsored by PetLife®, The Louisiana Conservationists Society, ASPCA and local businesses, GatorFest™ is a themed food and drink event intended to entertain attendees while educating them about the importance of Louisiana's wildlife. Attendance will be free, however there will be a $5 charge for alcoholic drink passes.

Food and drink options are expected to include "Gator-canes" (Key lime Hurricanes with colored containers), Fried Alligator Po' boys, Crawfish, Grilled Rattlesnake, Fried Chicken, and more. In addition to a bustling food and drink scene, GatorFest™ will feature a significant number of attractions including pet exhibitions and reptile shows where attendees can get up close and personal with the bayou's inhabitants.

GatorFest™ organizers have recently confirmed that the reptile shows will be hosted by famed Alligator Handler William Haynes. Haynes, best known for his series GatorMan™ on AETV as well as his YouTube Channel of over 374,000 subscribers, will be showcasing a selection of species from his wildlife conservation center and alligator farm "GatorTopia". While the entire selection has yet to be finalized, Haynes confirmed that the 12-foot long, 1100-pound Alligator known as "Missie" will star in his feeding show. "Folks need to realize there's more to these things than mindless killing machines" said Haynes: "Louisiana wouldn't be Louisiana without [them]." Guests will even be able to pose for a photo opportunity with Hayne's 4-foot long, 20-pound Caiman, called "Chuck".

Currently, GatorFest™ has several openings for local artisans and vendors to set up a tent along Decatur St. To register as a vendor, head to www.nolagatorfest.com or contact organizers via E-mail at NOLAGatorFestBusiness@gmail.com.

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[slavyori]

Stachybotrys esuriens found in New Orleans
By Troy Winters


Last Sunday, the Louisiana Department of Health and Center for Disease Control have issued a health hazard warning for New Orleans. Health officials advise for residents to avoid contact with areas suspected to be infested Stachybotrys esuriens, also known as gray mold, as well as any areas with a high rat population.

S. esuriens was discovered in the nation of Trinidad and Tobago by Doctor Miguel Bissoon in 8/11/2018, as a new species of mold related Stachybotrys chartarum, commonly known as Black Mold. Esuriensto stands for "Hungry", and was named such due to it growing on the same areas as black mold, but also rapidly growing on and consuming organic materials, including dead animals and dead plants.

While it has not been found to cause symptoms in healthy people, pathological symptoms have been found in immuno compromised individuals, such as the sick, old, and young children. Symptoms include similar symptoms as Black Mold, such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, nasal congestion, and postnasal drian, but also more seperate and severe symptoms such as extreme fatigue, confusion, and vomiting. Treatment includes common antifungal nasal spray agents, but limited research has been conducted on the long term effects these infections.

Gray mold has also been found frequently on living rodents that eat contaminated meat, acting as a vector to spread. These rats have been shown to exibit more severe symptoms of S. esuriens despite having healthy immune systems, raising concern in the scientific community about the severity of this outbreak. Symptoms exibited by rats include confusion, vomiting, neurological degregration, aggression, and eventually death. Infected rats can be easily identified by patches of gray spores along their bodies and unusual behavior.

Quarantine has been mostly effective at preventing the spread of S. esuriens, as it has only been reported in Trinidad and Tobago, Columbia and New Orleans. Public officials have stated that the increase of rat population in New Orleans is not related to S. esuriens, with authorities claiming the increase is due to lasting effects of Hurricane Katrina. Anyone believing to see an area infested with S. esuriens or possible rat carriers are encouraged to report it to the New Orleans Health Department, and anyone who experiences symptoms of fatigue, confusion and vomiting to seek medical evaluation. There have been no reported cases of S. esuriens contraction in New Orleans as of 10/27/18.

 

[FactualDonkey]

GatorMan Alive and Well After Harrowing Incident
By Joseph Atticus

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Tragedy struck GatorFest on Saturday night when the 1,100-pound American Alligator, Missie, turned and bit handler and famed TV personality William "GatorMan" Haynes on the leg after being agitated by drunken members of the crowd during the finale of the GatorMan Live Show. The incident shattered Haynes' left tibia and destroyed his left calf muscles. Missie was euthanized on-scene by members of the New Orleans Police Department and Haynes was moved to the New Orleans Medical Center Intensive Care Unit.

"I am eternally grateful to the EMT staff on-scene and the medical staff at the NOMC for saving my life that night" said Haynes. "While I am thankful to be alive, I am deeply saddened that it had to be at the expense of our beloved Missie. I raised her ever since she was a juvenile. She was a fan favorite at the Conservation Center."

As of the publishing of this article, Haynes resides in the center's recovery ward following a six-hour surgery and a blood transfusion. Unfortunately, given the severity of his injuries, surgeons had to amputate his left leg below the knee. Haynes stated that, while being discharged at the end of the week, he will be returning the following week to be fitted with a prosthetic.

"These are the dangers that come with my line of work. I'm not gonna sit on my rear. I've got a job to do and by God when I can get standin [sic] again, I'm gonna keep doing it"

The GatorFest organizers are still investigating the incident. Director of Festival Communications, Natalie Bailey, stated that they are looking through festival footage and CCTV to find the exact inciting incident that lead to Missie's outburst.

"We are working with local Law Enforcement to see if A) there's a culprit or culprits and B) if there's substantial grounds for a criminal case" said Bailey. "We understand New Orleans is known for its parties, but messing with the animals during a show is unacceptable. Especially when it brings harm to the animals and their handlers. We must set a precedent that this kind of disorderly behavior will not be tolerated on festival grounds."

The second day of GatorFest saw lowered attendance following Saturday's incident. However, the festival has been successful in raising $15,000 to cover Haynes' medical expenses. It is currently unknown if the incident will affect future festivals.