Prescribed burns by OUC were conducted to reduce brush buildup that can fuel wildfires
The demonstration allows residents to learn more about their surrounding habitat and the steps OUC takes to protect it.
The utility will burn roughly 70 acres of land following strict guidelines to keep the flames under control—typically no higher than six inches off the ground.
Read: WATCH: Driver crashes off overpass and into interstate median
Annual burns are also essential to the survival of species with low populations. One such species is the Red-cockaded Woodpecker, a threatened bird that lives in Central Florida and other parts of the Southeastern United States.
Read: 5mph adjustment coming to Kissimmee's Downtown speed limit
Prescribed burns recycle nutrients into the soil, nurturing plant growth and supporting environmental growth and sustainability.
The annual burns prioritized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida Division of Forestry and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have provided sustainable and reliable services to our local communities.
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San Francisco Chronicle
4 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
California's newest invaders are beautiful swans. Should hunters kill them?
On an early August morning, it didn't take long to spot the first pair of huge white swans with orange and black bills and graceful, curving necks as they swam in the marsh along the side of a Solano County levee road. They dabbled in the vegetation as a pickup drove through the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area. A short drive later, past a herd of a dozen tule elk, two more swans appeared in the marsh alongside the dirt road. Then four more. A few hundred yards down the road, out in the distance past a thicket of swaying reeds, dozens of swans swam in the water. For casual bird watchers, the sight of all these majestic animals might be a pleasure and bring to mind swan-themed works of literature, such as 'Leda and the Swan' and 'The Ugly Duckling.' But for wetland biologists and others with a stake in the health of the surrounding Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the largest estuary on the West Coast, the birds represent the latest — and an exponentially growing — threat to the few remaining wetlands left in California. These are mute swans, native to Europe and Asia. Weighing up to 30 pounds and with a wingspan of up to eight feet, they're the biggest bird in the marsh, and they're not the least bit shy about throwing their weight around. Fiercely territorial, especially during breeding season, they've been known to drown smaller animals and have killed at least one American kayaker. They've displaced colonies of nesting native birds in other parts of the U.S. they have invaded. Mute swans also feed gluttonously on submerged vegetation, destroying the plant life on which other native wetland species depend. 'They might be a pretty, big, white bird … and they may be charismatic, but they can be pretty nasty,' said Brad Bortner, a retired chief of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's migratory bird management programs in Washington D.C. In 2008, California banned anyone without a special permit from keeping mute swans as pets or from importing them into the state. The hope was to head off yet another destructive invasive species taking hold in the state. It didn't work. The mute swan population exploded in just a few years. In 2022, state waterfowl biologists estimated there were 1,500 of them. This spring, they estimated more than 12,000, nearly double the year before. Most of the mute swans are in the Suisun Marsh, a sprawling complex of public wetlands, agricultural lands and private duck-hunting clubs on the outskirts of the Bay Area near Fairfield. 'We keep watching them climb and climb and climb,' said Melanie Weaver, waterfowl coordinator for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. A measure before the state Legislature aims to allow hunters and landowners to shoot the swans for the next five years to try to bring their numbers down to more manageable levels in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and beyond. The hunting groups supporting Assembly Bill 764 essentially ask: If Californians are OK with spending more than $13 million since 2018 to kill nearly 6,000 nutria, the 20-pound, orange-toothed South American rodents that have invaded the same waterways, why not let hunters and land owners do the same to mute swans — but for free? 'If the population gets too large and out of control, it may be beyond our ability then to really effectively manage them,' Mark Hennelly, a lobbyist for the California Waterfowl Association, told the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee this spring. 'So we want to get ahead of the problem.' Animal welfare groups object That argument has so far been a surprisingly easy sell in the Legislature, despite California's passionate and influential anti-hunting activists. Similar swan-killing proposals have led to protests in other states. The measure easily passed the Assembly without any lawmaker voting against it. It's now pending in the California Senate. No group has opposed the measure so far, according to the CalMatters Digital Democracy database, but that might soon change. Mute swans, unlike nutria, have a dedicated group of supporters, mostly on the East Coast. Nicole Rivard, a spokesperson for Friends of Animals, said she and fellow members of the animal welfare organization believe mute swans shouldn't be treated like vermin. The birds arrived here through no fault of their own, brought by humans, and they don't deserve to be killed for it, she said. Rivard believes the California legislation is motivated by hunters looking for an excuse to have yet another bird to legally shoot. Currently, mute swans can only be killed by landowners if the birds 'are found to be injuring growing crops or property,' according to state regulations. 'We're anti-hunting, so we don't like the idea that (hunting) might be, you know, part of the reasoning behind this,' Rivard said. Arguing that claims of mute swans' environmental damage and aggression are overblown, Friends of Animals and other groups opposed killing them decades ago, after Mid-Atlantic states proposed eradication when their populations began expanding dramatically in the 1990s and early 2000s. The groups protested, filed lawsuits and proposed legislation to try to stop the killing. They had mixed success. Some states began killing the nonnative swans over the animal welfare groups' objections. Notably, Maryland was able to knock the mute swan population down from around 5,000 birds in the early 2000s to around 200 by 2010. 'Continued control and maintenance operations have reduced that number to just a handful of birds today,' said Josh Homyack, the game bird section leader for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. In Maryland, government agency employees raided mute swan nests and destroyed eggs, captured and euthanized swans when they were flightless during their feather-molting season and shot them in carefully coordinated operations, Homyack said. The state also issued a few permits to kill the birds to local landowners. In New York, the mute swan lobby got a law passed that made it harder to kill the birds, requiring state officials to 'fully exhaust non-lethal control measures' such as nest destruction and capturing birds and moving them to wildlife facilities ' prior to any lethal removal.' The mute swan population in New York has stayed steady at around 2,000 to 3,400 birds. Charisma matters with invasive species On the East Coast, mute swans have been around since before the turn of the last century. They were first imported as ornamental livestock for zoos, parks and estates. Some of California's mute swans likely came in the same way. Weaver, the California waterfowl coordinator, said others were likely brought in the past few years to chase away Canada geese that have increasingly become a nuisance at parks and golf courses. 'People were buying these (swans), and they were just throwing them out there,' she said. Weaver noted their owners didn't do the responsible thing and clip their wings to keep them from flying off. That's hardly surprising. It's no easy task to grab a hissing 25-pound swan, big and angry enough to swamp a kayaker. So with nothing to stop them, the birds flew to nearby marshlands and began reproducing. 'Here we are, not very many years down the road, with a population that is really increasing at a rapid rate,' Weaver said. So far, California's wildlife agency hasn't enacted a mute swan eradication plan similar to the one it started almost immediately — and publicly promoted — a few years ago, after nutria first started turning up in the San Joaquin Valley. Nutria are similarly destructive feeders on aquatic plants. The South American swamp rodents also burrow holes in levees, posing a threat to the state's flood-control and water-supply infrastructure. Dave Strayer, a retired invasive species expert with the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York, said he's not surprised state officials haven't been as aggressive with the beautiful mute swans, given the uproar over killing them in other states. He said research has shown that when it comes to invasive animals, charisma matters. The more attractive a problematic non-native species is, the less appetite there is to wipe it out. Stayer gave an example: Few complain about killing common nonnative rats, but you're apt to get death threats at even the suggestion of wiping out ecologically harmful feral cat colonies in the same habitats. He noted that no one has ever complained about efforts to eradicate one of his research subjects, the nonnative zebra mussels that have also invaded California. 'I never had even one person stand up for zebra mussels and say, 'No, these are beautiful, elegant God's creatures' and so forth,' he said. Few wetlands and too many mute swans Supporters of the swan-killing legislation say reducing the number of mute swans should be fairly easy since the giant white birds are easy to spot, identify and kill. Their size and the color and shape of their bills also reduce the risk they'll be confused with other protected bird species, they say. California's native tundra and trumpeter swans would still be protected and illegal to shoot if the bill becomes law. Despite their undeniable beauty, Weaver, the state waterfowl coordinator, sees mute swans similarly to nutria. The swans pose too great a threat to native species reliant on the few wetlands left in California, which has lost at least 90% of the habitats to agriculture and urban sprawl. 'They don't move around the state all that much, and they really like the Delta-Suisun Marsh area, so it's still easy to handle the issue,' Weaver said. 'The longer we wait, it won't be.'
New York Times
4 days ago
- New York Times
An Easy Homemade Ice Cream Recipe to Make Your Flavor Dreams Come True
Today we have for you: Ice cream A puffy, golden egg foo young Plus, a summer berry buckle that could also be a summer stone fruit buckle Good morning. My ice cream maker's in a closet along with my pasta machine, paella pans, a giant bamboo steamer and an immersion circulator. (In this game, you accumulate a lot of tools.) I haul it out periodically for experiments — creamy mango ice cream, Red Zinger ice cream, Guinness ice cream — that generally work, if not brilliantly. I've never been an ice cream ace. Scott Loitsch is out to change that for me, and perhaps for you. He's come up with a superb new recipe for easy homemade vanilla ice cream (above) that makes a great base for building almost any flavor of ice cream you can imagine. (Sichuan peppercorn, please!) It's eggless, relying instead on cream cheese to provide texture and stability, along with zing and shine. Featured Recipe View Recipe → I might use it for Scott's take on peanut butter pie ice cream. Or his strawberry cheesecake ice cream. I could crumble some Heath bars into one version or use dried cherries soaked in bourbon for another. For the Sichuan peppercorn situation, I'd toast a bunch, crack them, and then steep them in milk before straining them out and heating with cream, sugar, corn syrup and salt to pour over the cream cheese. Here we go! Ice cream's a great dessert after a mess of burgers or brats, after a meal of blackened fish with quick grits, after a big barbecued vegetable salad. That straight vanilla one's perfect scooped over a summer berry buckle or a peach pie. This weekend, we all scream for ice cream. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
If You Answer 'Yes' to Any of These 5 Questions, You Could Be in a Narcissistic Relationship, Says a Psychologist
If You Answer 'Yes' to Any of These 5 Questions, You Could Be in a Narcissistic Relationship, Says a Psychologist originally appeared on Parade. In books and movies, relationships are often portrayed as dreamy, passionate and picture-perfect—full of sweeping romance and flawless communication. But in reality, even the strongest relationships face challenges, missteps and moments of doubt. After all, that's part of being human. Still, if you find yourself repeatedly feeling confused, diminished or emotionally drained, you might start to wonder if it's more than just a rough patch. If you're trying to figure out whether your partner might be a narcissist, there are some key red flags you can watch out for and if you answer 'yes' to any of these five questions, it could help you figure out if you could be in a narcissistic relationship. To help provide more insight to each question, we spoke with (AKA Dr. Z) of The Z Group Private Practice and author of Find Your Calm. She does a deep dive into each question and explains why it can be a warning sign that you're dating someone who could be a narcissist. However, she notes that even if you answer "yes" to every single question below, the only way you can be 100% sure is if your partner is diagnosed by a professional. Keep reading to gain a deeper understanding of what narcissism really is, how it can show up in relationships, and the common behaviors narcissists tend to exhibit with their partners. That way, if you notice a pattern in your answers to the following questions, you'll be better equipped to recognize what's really going on—and start thinking about what's best for your emotional well-being so you can make What Is a Narcissist? If you've heard the word "narcissist" before but you're not sure exactly what it means, Dr. Z tells Parade, "Someone who is a narcissist if they have Narcissistic Personality Disorder. They aren't just someone who is just selfish, self-centered or occasionally difficult."She continues, "A narcissist has a maladaptive interpersonal style across all domains of their life including their relationships. While they may present as kind, loving and charming in pubic, this façade can crack behind closed doors, especially with those closest to them. A narcissist's primary aim is to obtain power, control and dominance over those around them by whatever means necessary, even if their actions cause harm. They feel entitled to have their needs met and will manipulate others to get these needs met, without empathy or accountability for the hurt they've caused others." Though, Dr. Z reveals if you're dating someone who is a narcissist, you may not realize it when you initially meet them. "It's possible that someone in a relationship with a narcissist might not knowthey have a partner who is a narcissist at first," she states. "In the early stages of dating someone with NPD, it is extremely rare that they would be able to identify they are dating a narcissist at that stage in the relationship. This is why education about the red flags of love bombing are so important to be able to help you."Related: If You Answer 'Yes' to Any of These 5 Questions, You Could Be in a Narcissistic Relationship 1. Do You Usually Feel Like You're Walking on Eggshells To Avoid Upsetting Your Partner? This constant state of tension isn't normal—it's emotionally exhausting and can wear down your sense of self over time. It often signals that you're in a relationship where you're being conditioned to fear conflict, rather than feel safe expressing your needs."Walking on eggshells is a control tactic by a narcissist in a relationship," Dr. Z explains. "The intermittent nature of narcissistic abuse (never knowing when/how/why the abuse will occur) leads the other person in the relationship to be overly vigilant of the narcissists behaviors, tone and mood. By keeping their partner on constant high alert, they gain increasingly more control and access to the persons thoughts, emotions and behaviors."Related: 35 Phrases to Disarm a Narcissist 2. Does Your Partner Disregard Your Need to Cancel Plans Because You're Sick? Usually when you're dating someone, if one of you feels ill and has to cancel a date night, the other person understands and shows empathy by saying you can make plans once you're feeling better. But Dr. Z says a narcissist won't do that. Instead, she warns they will often make you feel guilty for it—turning the situation around to focus on how you ruined their plans or disappointed them, rather than caring about your wellbeing. It's less about empathy and more about control."They will minimize your request to cancel and make you feel guilty by saying something like, 'Oh come on you're not that sick. I was so excited to see you.'"She adds that they will usually then react in one of two ways after you continue to say you aren't able to meet them. "They will either cut off contact completely with you, or they will react selfishly by showing up to your home with soup and a movie, unannounced, despite knowing you aren't feeling good and wanted to be home alone. All of these responses demonstrate a clear lack of boundaries and disregard for your needs."Related: 3. Did They Aggressively Try To Make Future Plans With You Soon After Meeting? While this may sound like something out of a fairytale and mimic some romantic comedies, Dr. Z says in reality, that isn't a normal behavior of love and can actually be a sign that who you're with is a narcissist."Obviously, there are some relationships that move quickly and are not unhealthy," she states. "However, the majority of relationships where a person is suggesting moving in, getting engaged and having children prematurely in a new relationship is a red flag." She continues explaining, adding, "Narcissists make you feel safe, vulnerable and trusting of them. They convince you that, with them, you will be safe. And because of this 'crazy' connection the two of you appear to have, these future promises sound very appealing." However, she says this tactic is known as love bombing."Their love bombing not only makes a person feel unbelievably special and loved, but it blinds them to the potential dangers these extreme dating behaviors carry," Dr. Z 4. Does Their Personality Change When You Do Something They Have No Control Over? Dr. Z points out that if your partner acts extremely charming in public but then when you do something that they can't have any control of, they disappear or change their entire personality, this could be a sign you should look out for."Narcissist's crave control and dominance over others. They also perceive even the slightest bit of criticism as an attack on their entire sense of self," Dr. Z says. "For example, going out with your girlfriends on a Saturday afternoon—something a narcissist would have no control over—would be triggering for them."She tells Parade that as a result, they would act out. "To regain power and control in this context, they may suddenly cease all communication with you, start an argument over something unrelated or claim to need you for an emergency of sorts. The purpose of of these behaviors is the same—to gain access to, and control over, your thoughts and emotions through guilt, shame and confusion."Related: 5. Does Your Partner Rarely Take Responsibility for Their Mistakes and Instead Blames Others? In healthy relationships, both partners are able to own up to their mistakes and work through conflicts together. But in a narcissistic relationship, accountability is often one-sided—and it's usually not theirs. Instead of taking responsibility, they twist the narrative to make you feel like the problem."One of the hallmark behaviors of a narcissist is lack of accountability for their behaviors and the impact their behaviors have on others," Dr. Z shares. "They don't see (or care) about the wrong in their behaviors. Because of this, they deflect blame onto others, which often puts the person on the defensive and purposely steers the conversation away from the real issue at hand." Up Next:Source: Dr. Jaime Zuckerman (AKA Dr. Z) of The Z Group Private Practice and author of Find Your Calm If You Answer 'Yes' to Any of These 5 Questions, You Could Be in a Narcissistic Relationship, Says a Psychologist first appeared on Parade on Aug 14, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 14, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
