Iowa amusement park's former owner settles lawsuit over 11-year-old's drowning
A company that previously owned Adventureland park in the Des Moines suburb of Altoona, along with its former CEO and three managers, reached a settlement with the family of Michael Jaramillo on Sunday. Jury selection had been scheduled to start Monday for a trial over the lawsuit brought by the family. The settlement terms are confidential.
Michael Jaramillo, his parents, two brothers and another family member were strapped into a 1,700-pound (770-kilogram) raft on the Raging River ride on July 3, 2021, when it flipped over. All six hit their heads on the surface under the water, but Michael Jaramillo and one of his brothers could not get out of their seatbelts and were trapped, head-down, underwater for about 10 minutes, according to the family.
The lawsuit alleged that for years, Adventureland failed to properly maintain and repair its rides, including the Raging River. It also said the park continued to operate the water ride on the day of the accident despite reports of serious problems.
The park's former owner, Adventure Lands of America, former CEO Michael Krantz, and the three managers, denied that the ride had been operated improperly or insufficiently supervised. But Fred Dorr, an attorney for the family, said Tuesday that their lawyers believe they built a strong case that the park and its employees were responsible.
'Imagine the terror going on in those kids' minds,' Dorr said. 'And then you turn to the jury and say, 'What's that worth, to watch your child die like that?'
An attorney for Adventure Lands of America did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment Tuesday. However, in answering the lawsuit, the defendants said the accident resulted from 'a series of unexpected and intended factors' and that, in the 38 years the ride operated before the accident, no raft had overturned.
Krantz is a member of a Des Moines-area family that began operating Adventureland in the 1970s and sold it and other affiliated assets months after the accident to the subsidiary of an international amusement park company based in Spain.
In March, Herschend, a company based in the Atlanta area, purchased the Spanish company's U.S. properties, including Adventureland. Herschend operates the Dollywood theme park in Tennessee and Silver Dollar City near Branson, Missouri.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hill
8 hours ago
- The Hill
Trump tariffs: A grocery shopper's guide
President Trump's tariffs could raise the cost of some of the most popular imports in American grocery aisles, from coffee and olive oil to wine, matcha and spices. After the 'Liberation Day' tariffs kicked in worldwide in early August, businesses and consumers alike are watching closely for when — and how much — prices tick up. Inflation data released Tuesday did not show an overall increase in food prices, but economists say that's likely to change as businesses pass more costs on to consumers. Wholesale prices surged 0.9 percent last month, the biggest monthly jump since June 2022 and a sign that inflation may not be cooling off just yet. 'Many of us anticipated ahead of time that you might see some faster movement in groceries, partly because you can't stockpile stuff right in the same way,' said Martha Gimbel, the Budget Lab at Yale's executive director. 'You can't stockpile a year's worth of avocados. That being said, the price increases that we've seen in food so far are pretty muted, so we'll just have to see what happens,' she said. Here are six iconic imported grocery products that could be impacted by Trump's tariffs. Coffee Coffee prices were already up before a 50 percent tariff on Brazil, the top coffee importer to the U.S., went into effect last week. Coffee prices sharply rose 25 percent over the past three months, according to inflation data released Tuesday. Reuters reported Tuesday that Brazilian coffee exports have started seeing postponements to their U.S. shipments. How hard your morning habit gets hit varies between brand, shop and choice of bean. Nespresso pods, for instance, are entirely produced in Switzerland, which is subject to a 40 percent tariff. Colombia, the second-largest importer of coffee to the U.S., only pays Trump's 10 percent baseline duty. 'Some importers might shift sourcing toward countries with exemptions, but in many cases the increased costs will all be passed on to you, the coffee lover,' Todd Carmichael, the co-founder of La Colombe, wrote in The Washington Post earlier this week. 'Surely, coffee is too essential and too global to put at the center of a geopolitical chess match.' Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said Wednesday he would introduce a bill with bipartisan support to repeal tariffs on coffee. Olive oil Trump's tariffs have only added to the uncertainty facing olive oil producers, who are grappling with climate shocks. Extended droughts in Spain in 2022 slashed production, and other top production regions like Sicily and Greece have also confronted record-high temperatures. Allen Dushi, a co-founder of olive oil brand Graza, said the company has held off on increasing prices, adding that any uptick in import costs could take at least three to four months to reflect on grocery shelves. Many retailers or distributors require 60 to 90 days notice for a change, he said. The company uses Spanish olives, and production and bottling are all based in Spain. That limits the extent to which the company can keep stocks in the U.S., which would have to be finished bottles. 'We are not trying to stockpile inventory, because our priority number one is always the quality of what's inside the bottle,' Dushi said. 'That's not something we really compromise on.' Switching to American production wouldn't help, Dushi added; the company would still have to pay tariffs on Spanish olives, as American olive production doesn't meet the same standard. 'So as long as you're buying the oil, and importing the oil, you're going to be paying the tariff on that,' he said. Spain and Italy accounted for two-thirds of U.S. olive oil imports in 2024. Both are subject to the 15 percent tariff under the trade deal struck between the European Union and the U.S. in July. Other top producers are still subject to tariffs, such as Tunisia (25 percent), Turkey (15 percent) and Argentina (10 percent). Wine The July U.S.-E.U. trade deal was seen as a starting point. As negotiations have continued, the beverage industry and European officials have pushed for an exemption for wine and spirits, The Wall Street Journal reported. A group of nearly 60 associations representing wine, beer and liquor interests warned last week that the industry could face nearly $2 billion in lost sales and have to cut more than 25,000 jobs in the U.S. as a result of the tariff. The coalition, Toasts not Tariffs, pointed to products like cognac that have to be produced in a specific region and cannot be switched to a tariff-free alternative. Eric Foret is a wine buyer at Le French Wine Club, which operates several locations in New York City and Washington, D.C., alongside an online shop. He said that he had to increase his prices, although they were fairly gradual. 'It's a dollar here, a dollar there, a dollar here, a dollar there and then at the end, you spend ten dollars more on the bottle of wine, you don't even notice it,' he said. In addition to France, which accounted for more than one-third of U.S. wine imports last year, the EU tariff impacts shipments from Italy (33 percent of imports) and Spain (6 percent). Matcha A 15 percent tariff on Japan could impact the price of a matcha latte — already a pricey product before tax, tip and oat milk. While U.S. trade data does not specifically track matcha, Japan generally accounts for about half of American green tea imports by value each year, and Japanese origin is a selling point for many specialty matcha shops. The industry is also grappling with the impacts of record heat waves in Japan last summer that curbed harvests of tencha, the tea leaves dried and ground into matcha. Demand for the vibrant green beverage has also soared in recent years, driven by young enthusiasts and social media. David Cooper runs Spot of Tea, a Washington, D.C.-based shop with three locations selling matcha and other tea drinks. He considers himself lucky to have bought his 2025 stockpile before the tariffs and shortages hit. Now, however, 'we're looking at how much stock we have in our warehouse and then how much we're going through per month and doing the math and trying to push the suppliers to finalize the order as quickly as possible,' he said. 'It's definitely a little anxiety-inducing.' The uncertainty for the drink industry even extends to things like cups, Cooper said, which his shop sources from South Korea. 'I think on the day I was about to put the deposit down, Trump announced 25 percent tariffs for Korea. And so our supplier was basically, like, we cannot absorb all this cost,' he said. 'It's just so hard to tell at this point what percentage tariff is actually going to be applied.' Chocolate Switzerland, home to many famous chocolate brands, is facing a 39 percent duty, one of the highest in the world. Some of the country's larger manufacturers will be able to escape some tariff impacts because they already have production sites in the U.S. Lindt & Sprüngli, for example, produces the 'vast majority' of its products for the American market in New Hampshire, a company spokesperson said. That plant will still have to factor in tariff effects on raw materials like cocoa, imported from countries like Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Indonesia and Malaysia. Other companies, however, have made their brand on manufacturing in Switzerland. That's the case for Läderach, which is now figuring out how to manage 'massive additional costs,' its CEO said this week. 'I cannot change the tariffs. It is only human to get angry about them, enquire on who's guilt they are or be discouraged,' Johannes Läderach wrote in a LinkedIn post. 'But none of these options change anything, so I better pray for serenity to accept it.' Swiss leaders have attempted to negotiate with Washington on the tariff, which also impacts cheese and other exports. Swiss officials are now reportedly weighing whether to cancel an order for American F-35 fighter jets. Spices Trump shocked many observers by raising tariffs on India to 50 percent last week, citing its purchase of Russian oil. India is the top U.S. importer for spices like nutmeg, cardamom, anise, fennel, coriander, and cumin. Indonesia, another key producer, is subject to a 19 percent duty after negotiating with the White House. The American Spice Trade Association said in a Tuesday letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer that many of its products could not be cultivated in the U.S.. 'The importation of spices directly supports approximately 50,000 U.S. jobs across processing, quality assurance, distribution, and product development,' the association said. Spice producer McCormick said in late June that tariffs could cost it as much as $90 million a year and that it was planning to raise some prices by the end of the year.


New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Drone allows Mayor Adams real time, bird's eye view of NYC emergencies
He's watching over Gotham. Mayor Adams has been tapping into NYPD drone footage to get an immediate assessment during the city's most critical emergencies, officials told The Post. 'I can send him a link upon his request to be able to see in real time what's happening on the ground,' Deputy Mayor of Public Safety Kaz Daughtry said of Adams, the first NYC mayor to have this access. 'Remember, he was a police officer. He doesn't want to get updates on the phone. He wants to get them in real time.' 6 Mayor Adams got a link to live feed from the shooting at 345 Park Avenue in Midtown while he was in his car. Andrew Schwartz / The mayor was watching the NYPD's response to 345 Park Ave., after gunman Shane Tamura, 27, walked across the outdoor plaza wielding an AR-15-style rifle and murdered four people inside before killing himself, Daughtry said. When he saw how dire the situation was, he got there as fast as he could, Daughtry said. 'I spoke to him several times during that whole incident,' Daughtry said, explaining he told the mayor the NYPD called a level three mobilization. 6 Deputy Mayor Kaz Daughtry sends teh mayor a link when there's a large incident or event he needs to know about. Leonardo Munoz 'We're calling for resources from all over the city to respond because this is an active shooter situation,' Daughtry said, explaining the level three. 'We immediately deployed the drone. They're part of that mobilization.' Adams watched the video from his car and saw people running out of the building with their hands up. 'He was like, 'I can't believe this is happening in our city,'' Daughtry recalled. 6 The mayor tapped into the drone feed to monitor a recent large protest in Manhattan. Michael Nigro 'Now, as NYPD officers are running into a building you've got folks running out with their hands up. I think that made him respond to the scene faster.' In April, the mayor watched rescue efforts from above after a helicopter carrying a Spanish family on a sightseeing tour plummeted into the Hudson River. 'Immediately he says 'Is everyone OK?' Daughtry recalled. 'Do we have our drones up yet can you please send me a link?'' 6 Shooter Shane Tamura killed four people inside the building before fatally shooting himself. AP Adams watched as the family of five and pilot were being pulled out of the water, saw efforts to resuscitate them with CPR, and rushed to the scene. 'I told him, 'We're pulling out victims now and it's not looking good,'' Daughtry recalled. 'If he wants to see the drones, he can look real time and he can make decisions from his vehicle,' Daughtry said. 'That's only for high profile incidents. There's got to be something that rises to the magnitude where we're notifying the mayor in real time.' 6 The mayor is able to access the drone feed during large incidents. Leonardo Munoz Daughtry has been a staunch cheerleader for the NYPD's drone program since it started in 2019. The department uses the unmanned aerial vehicles for everything from crimefighting, to search and rescue and disaster response. The NYPD has about 100 drones at its command and an equal number of police officers who are certified by the Federal Aviation Administration to fly them. In 2024, the NYPD started its Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program, which deploys the unmanned aerial vehicles on 911 calls to get an overview of the scene and improve situational awareness for cops. 6 The mayor also got a link to watch rescue efforts after a helicopter crahed into the Hudson River in April. Bruce Wall The department also uses drones to locate and rescue swimmers in distress off the city's beaches — along with the FDNY — and detect illegal activities, such as subway surfing. Civil libertarians have cried foul, arguing the video surveillance violates privacy rights. 'The drones are a force multiplier and they just add a real time sense of what's going on,' he said. 'People said it would not work and it is working here.' The Adams administration pointed out that shootings and shooting victims are at historic lows in the city because of efforts to take guns off the street, gang takedowns and precision policing. 'As technology evolves, we are evolving with it — and drones have become a critical crime-fighting tool that helps our officers do exactly that,' Adams said in a statement. 'Real-time camera access for our senior leadership during emergencies or mass protests allows us to keep communities safe and respond to active incidents faster.'

Time Business News
a day ago
- Time Business News
Bitget Review 2025 – Is This Crypto Exchange Safe, Legit, and Worth It?
What is Bitget? Understanding the Platform's Purpose and Position Bitget is a rapidly expanding cryptocurrency exchange that offers multiple services such as spot trading, futures trading, staking, and sophisticated copy trading. It was introduced in 2018, and since then, it has become a serious rival to exchanges like Binance and Bybit in both Asian and Western markets. This Bitget Review will explore the platform's unique features and its growing popularity. While Bitget can sometimes be mistakenly referred to in variations such as 'bitgate,' 'bitgetr,' 'biget,' or even 'bidget,' it remains a reliable platform. Platforms like Wellcrypto provide comparisons to help users make informed decisions in this competitive landscape. Bitget has over 20 million users worldwide, boasts deep liquidity, a beautiful user interface, and supports hundreds of cryptocurrencies. Bitget Reputation and User Opinions The reputation of Bitget in the international cryptocurrency community is good. The reviews of the Bitcoin exchange in such platforms as Trustpilot, Reddit, and crypto communities note the stability of the infrastructure, quick trade execution, and the proficiency of customer service. Though certain users have reported minor issue with the UI, or delays with KYC procedures, it is not uncommon to exchanges of the mentioned scale. There is high traffic of Spanish-speaking users searching using the terms such as bitget exchange opiniones, indicating an increase in the number of users across Latin America and Europe. French reviewers labeled as avis bitget echo the same feelings especially concerning the UI which had some room to improve. On automated trading network reviews (Trustpilot), Bitget has a satisfactory score on customer satisfaction along with its performance stability on its network (uptime). Is Bitget Safe and Legit? Security, Licensing, and Compliance The legitimacy and security of a crypto exchange are some of the most urgent questions that should be answered prior to making a choice. So, is Bitget legit or not? Yes. Bitget is regulated exchange that has multi country operational issued license like Canada, Lithuania and Australia. It does not have a US license yet, but its international model is compliance- and visibility-oriented. Is Bitget safe? Bitget has cold wallet storage, 2fa security and anti-phishing codes. They also have a protection fund which is 300 million and that is what will insure the users in the event of security breaching. To sum it up, Bitget can be considered solid in terms of legitimacy and security it provides at an international scale. Bitget in the USA: Legal Standing and Availability The question of whether Bitget is legal in the USA arises regularly among the prospective users. The twist is that Bitget does not have a license in the US, which is why it is not available in the country to a very large extent. Nevertheless, it is not forbidden as well. Is it possible to use Bitget in the US? Technically true but users are advised to be cautious and check on local regulations so that they are not in violation. Technically true but users are advised to be cautious and check on local regulations so that they are not in violation. Does Bitget operate in USA? Yes, they might not be able to access all the things especially derivatives by the customers in the US. Yes, they might not be able to access all the things especially derivatives by the customers in the US. Popular keywords like Bitget in USA, Bitget US customers and Bitget US indicate the increasing need of the American customers to find alternatives to Coinbase and Binance US. Bitget Malaysia and Global Presence The growth of Bitget to Southeast Asia is interesting as well. Bitget has established strategic partnerships in Malaysia to have a better regional presence and attract the interests of both institutional investors and tech-savvy individuals. As highlighted in this Bitget Review, it has a global vision with operations across Asia, Europe, Latin America, and even in sections of North America due to its multilingual interface and global staff. This will make Bitget a great platform where users seek regions to be served together with external liquidity. Bitget Copy Trading Review: Features and Performance Bitget is, perhaps, best known for its copy trading feature that gives users the opportunity to copy the trades of market-leading professionals. New users are also allowed to see metrics such as ROI, trade history, and drawdown before copying any trader. are also allowed to see metrics such as ROI, trade history, and drawdown before copying any trader. Professional traders will have the opportunity to receive a passive income by letting other traders follow them. When it comes to Bitget copy trading, one of the main factors highlighted by the users in all the various Bitget copy trading review is that the platform reduces asymmetries of knowledge and publishes a more secure method of trading to the novices who do not want to risk their holdings with the do-it-yourself approach. Bitget vs. Other Exchanges: Binance, Bybit, and More Let's compare Bitget with some of the industry's big players: Feature Bitget Binance Bybit Copy Trading ✅ ❌ ✅ Futures Trading ✅ ✅ ✅ Regulation ✅ (multiple regions) ✅ ✅ US Access ⚠️ Limited ⚠️ Limited ❌ UI/UX Sleek Advanced Sleek While Binance vs Bitget shows Binance leading in ecosystem size, Bitget excels in copy trading and simplicity. Similarly, Bybit vs Bitget is neck and neck, though Bitget wins in regulatory transparency and regional licensing. For those considering Bitget Pro or Bitget Fit, these branded service tiers offer tools tailored to high-frequency traders and fitness-related token initiatives respectively, though these are still in the early stages of user adoption. Bitget Logo, Branding, and User Interface Creating what can be described as an aggressive, progressive brand image is the Bitget logo. It has the right branding that goes along with its mission, being professional, secured and innovative. The UI/UX is clear and responsive and can be used on desktops and mobile applications. Trading is easy to navigate, and all users, both new to crypto and established traders, will be satisfied with well-designed charts and special orders. Common Scams and Imitators to Avoid Be careful with sites such as it is not the same place as Bitget, and it was mentioned in scam warnings. Never use URLs without verification and private keys and passwords should never be shared. Well, the question is, is legit? The reply is that definitely not. Remain on the tried and tested website: Final Thoughts: Is Bitget a Good Exchange for You? So, is Bitget a good exchange? Bitget is an excellent alternative to the mainstream giants and especially to those users that are not living in the US. It also combines rich functionalities such as copy trading with the high level of security, regulatory clarity, and user-friendliness. Although it is not even close to Binance in terms of volume or Coinbase in terms of regulation yet (at least in the US), Bitget is rapidly en route to becoming one of the most reliable in the medium tier in the world. FAQs About Bitget 1. Is Bitget a legitimate exchange? Yes, Bitget is licensed in several jurisdictions and the structure of operation is transparent. 2. Can I use Bitget in the United States? The access is restricted in US. The US users may also not have access to some of these features because of regulations. 3. What makes Bitget stand out from Binance and Bybit? It has the best aspect of copy trading, as well as simple and clear regulatory pathway. 4. Is Bitget secure? Yes. Bitget has a security level that is characterized by enhanced mechanisms, cold storage, and a security shield. 5. Is Bitget good for beginners? Absolutely. The firm provides both the entry level and advanced appliances thus anyone can utilize it. TIME BUSINESS NEWS