Latest news with #Bachmann
NZ Herald
18-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Rising butter and grocery prices hit Rotorua bakery, food rescue
Guidough's Bakery in Rotorua makes everything from fresh bread to doughnuts, hot pies to sweet pastries, but owner Mel Bachmann has had to adapt to surging butter prices. 'We use butter for everything, all of our sweet baking, also in our savoury, and there's no replacement,' she said. Bachmann told the Rotorua Daily Post that butter prices were 'crazy' – once $4 per block, some prices were up to $12. 'The best price we can get at the moment is about $9, but it will go up. 'We're not going to compromise on flavour and quality, so we're not, and we will not use substitutes because it's going to ruin the quality.' She said the margins were a lot slimmer than people imagined. 'If we do put prices up, it's not because we're making a tonne of money from it, it's just simply to cover the costs of all these crazy increases. 'Most people do understand, but there are still some that will be outraged that things have gone up and keep going up, but I don't think that's targeted towards us.' Bachmann said Guidoughs had put prices up slightly to reflect higher ingredient costs. 'It's hard for everyone and people are already struggling so much with the cost of living, so we don't want bakery food to be something that people can't afford any more. 'We want this to be for everybody so they can have a special treat, and we're very mindful of people's tight budgets.' Westpac economist Paul Clark told the NZ Herald in early May that retail prices for butter generally moved in line with export prices and it was likely prices would 'ratchet higher in coming months'. The Rotorua Daily Post looked at the cheapest options for some common grocery foods at three Rotorua supermarkets. At the time of writing, Pak'nSave Rotorua sold a 500g of Pams Pure Butter for $8.29. The same product retailed for $8.79 at New World Westend. Woolworths Rotorua retailed a 500g Woolworths Salted Butter for $8.49. A 2-litre Pam's Milk from Pak'nSave Rotorua was $4.40, it was $4.48 at New World Westend and at Woolworths Rotorua, a 2-litre Woolworths standard bottle was $4.43. The price of a standard loaf of white bread was similar across the board. Pams Value White Toast Fresh Sliced Bread retailed for $1.39 at Pak'nSave, $1.49 at New World and Woolworths sold its Essentials Sliced Bread White for $1.49. Pam's 1kg of Edam cheese, retailing for $12.29 at Pak'nSave, was $13.29 at New World and at Woolworths, a 1kg block of Everyday cheddar cheese retailed for $12.49. Foodstuffs, which operates Pak'nSave and New World, reported a 2.8% year-on-year rise in retail prices for goods in its food price inflation basket. Foodstuffs said the business was 'very aware' of the pressure food prices placed on households. 'We're committed to continuing to support our customers and communities through what remains a challenging time for many.' Woolworths New Zealand said it was working 'even harder' to give customers good value and a 'fantastic' shopping experience. 'Customers are facing continued cost-of-living pressures, and delivering value is a top priority of ours.' A non-profit food rescue service was also struggling to source enough food to meet demand. Julie King, manager at Love Soup Rotorua, told the Rotorua Daily Post she wished it could do more, but could not provide for all because of limited resources. 'Higher food prices mean more people are turning to Love Soup for support, while at the same time it's getting harder for us to source food,' King said. 'We're seeing growing demand at our community pop-ups, especially from families struggling to keep up with rising grocery costs.' Each pop-up attracted 100 to 400 people. King said the food items most in demand or hardest to supply were meat and non-perishables. 'We have a walk-in freezer, but it's full of frozen bread and vegetables; we're blessed to have those. 'We're having to do more with less, but we're committed to making sure no good food goes to waste and no one goes hungry.' She said people were sharing their experiences and how they were going without. 'It's a struggle for them and us, and it can be disheartening to see how real the struggle is out there.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Mosquito season is officially upon us
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Mosquito season is officially upon us, and as you make your way outside, there are some things you can do avoid being harassed by those pesky insects. The weather is nice and some people are out enjoying time at parks, but some park goers have also have had to deal with some unwanted guests a little earlier than usual. Brookings breaks ground on Aldi, Target development The recent warm temperatures have people like Lisa Parry spending some time outdoors, but unfortunately for her, bugs are also out and about. 'Well, as somebody who likes to be outside with the dogs a lot, it kind of drives me crazy,' Parry said. Entomologist Amanda Bachmann says she typically starts seeing the mosquito population ramp up in June, but that isn't the case this year. 'They didn't have a harsh winter to deal with, so we've had a lot of early insect activity already,' Bachmann said. Bachmann says the high temperatures aren't slowing mosquitoes down. 'Sometimes, people think, 'Oh, we're in a drought. That means that mosquitoes can't survive.' That is incorrect, unfortunately. Mosquitoes do not need a lot of water to develop,' Bachmann said. There are two classes of mosquitoes that Bachmann focuses on. You have nuisance mosquitoes that do not spread diseases, but the ones you should be more wary of are vector mosquitoes because they can carry the West Nile virus. 'Those vector species tend to be more active at dusk and dawn, so if you're getting bitten by a mosquito during the day, that's not great. You get an itchy mosquito bite, not fantastic, but those are generally not our vector species,' Bachmann said. But mosquitoes won't stop people like Parry from enjoying the great outdoors. 'There's too few months in South Dakota where you can really enjoy the outdoors, so they are definitely not going to keep me inside,' Parry said. Bachmann says if you have water in things like your gutters or even a pet dish, mosquitoes can use those for a habitat. To prevent bites, she recommends you wear long sleeves and long pants, avoid being outside at dusk and dawn and of course carry bug spray. She also says you can be on the lookout for more grasshoppers and ticks this summer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
M23 rebels ‘execute' children in assault on major DRC city
M23 rebels shot dead three children when they stormed into the city of Bukavu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations has said. The Rwanda-backed group captured the eastern city over the weekend, leaving bodies in the streets and looting as they went, sources on the ground told The Telegraph, warning of an escalating humanitarian crisis. Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the UN's human rights office (UNHCR), said the three boys were killed in Bukavu's Latin Quarter after refusing to put down guns they had collected from an abandoned army camp. 'Our office has confirmed cases of summary execution of children by M23 after they entered the city of Bukavu last week. We are also aware that children were in possession of weapons,' she said. According to the UN agency, the three boys, aged 11 to 15, were found wearing discarded combat uniforms. The assault on Bukavu, a critical trade hub with a population of 1.3 million, comes two weeks after the rebels seized the major city of Goma in a four-day siege that left at least 3,000 people dead and displaced 350,000 others. The intensification in the fighting has created a fresh crisis for the country's overwhelmed network of displacement camps and health facilities, at a time when it is already dealing with major infectious disease outbreaks including a more aggressive strain of mpox known as Clade 1b, as well as malaria, measles, and cholera. The first M23 troops entered the city on Friday, creating an atmosphere of 'unimaginable terror and fear,' said Marcus Bachmann, head of programmes for South Kivu at Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Thousands of residents fled in anticipation of the rebel assault, among them critical healthcare workers. The health system is now 'dysfunctional' because of a lack of staff, said Mr Bachmann, harming efforts to contain the infectious diseases already plaguing the eastern DRC. M23 reportedly faced little resistance from the Congolese army, which had been ordered to retreat days earlier to avoid another bloody urban battle like the one seen in Goma. Although no major armed confrontations occurred between the army and M23, MSF reported 'widespread looting and shootings'. On Saturday, civilians looted abandoned army warehouses, resulting in the 'enormous proliferation of weapons' in the city, said MSF's Mr Bachmann. 'There were enormous shootings in town all over Saturday, and those partially were minors who got hold of weapons and started to use them in the city. There were also clashes with retreating [Congolese army] combatants,' said Mr Bachmann. Both the UN and several NGOs have also accused both the M23 and the FARDC of recruiting child soldiers. Volunteers from the Congolese Red Cross said they recovered more than 20 bodies from the streets of Bukavu. Four MSF-supported hospitals have been treating war casualties in the city, with injuries split roughly 50/50 between gunshot wounds and shrapnel, according to Mr Bachmann. So far, they have treated 58 civilians, including 11 children and 26 women. A World Food Programme depot in Bukavu holding 6,800 metric tons of food was also looted on Saturday. The agency had already suspended its activities for weeks due to the deteriorating security situation. Separately, more than 1,500 prisoners escaped from Kabare and Bukavu central prisons in a mass jailbreak on Friday as the first of the rebels entered the city. The UN reported receiving protection requests from victims and witnesses who fear retaliation from the escapees, some of whom had been involved in high-profile trials for serious crimes. Several of the prisoners were convicted of grave violations and abuses, including international crimes, the UNHCR said. Meanwhile, Goma has continued to suffer the after-effects of the devastating siege last month. Ndosho hospital, the best-equipped in the city, has been forced to convert the facility's car park and canteen into triage centers to treat the 1,500 people who have been admitted since January, Eleanor Asomani, a spokesperson for the International Red Cross, told The Telegraph. 'We've had to organise the car park as a triage zone and then do colour-coding depending on the injuries,' she said. The fighting in Goma has forced more than 100 patients in isolation with mpox centers to flee and re-enter the general population, sparking fears that transmission will be reignited in the area. The M23 offensive in the Eastern DRC began in December, with the rebels vowing to march towards Kinshasa, the capital, over 1,600 miles away. Led by Tutsis, the same ethnic group targeted during the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the rebels claim they are fighting to protect the ethnic minority in the DRC. However, both the Congolese government and the United Nations accuse the rebels, along with the Rwandan government, of exploiting the conflict to plunder trillions of dollars of the DRC's mineral resources like gold and coltan that are critical to global electronics production. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
19-02-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
M23 rebels ‘execute' children in assault on major DRC city
M23 rebels shot dead three children when they stormed into the city of Bukavu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations has said. The Rwanda-backed group captured the eastern city over the weekend, leaving bodies in the streets and looting as they went, sources on the ground told The Telegraph, warning of an escalating humanitarian crisis. Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the UN's human rights office (UNHCR), said the three boys were killed in Bukavu's Latin Quarter after refusing to put down guns they had collected from an abandoned army camp. 'Our office has confirmed cases of summary execution of children by M23 after they entered the city of Bukavu last week. We are also aware that children were in possession of weapons,' she said. According to the UN agency, the three boys, aged 11 to 15, were found wearing discarded combat uniforms. The assault on Bukavu, a critical trade hub with a population of 1.3 million, comes two weeks after the rebels seized the major city of Goma in a four-day siege that left at least 3,000 people dead and displaced 350,000 others. The intensification in the fighting has created a fresh crisis for the country's overwhelmed network of displacement camps and health facilities, at a time when it is already dealing with major infectious disease outbreaks including a more aggressive strain of mpox known as Clade 1b, as well as malaria, measles, and cholera. The first M23 troops entered the city on Friday, creating an atmosphere of 'unimaginable terror and fear,' said Marcus Bachmann, head of programmes for South Kivu at Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Thousands of residents fled in anticipation of the rebel assault, among them critical healthcare workers. The health system is now 'dysfunctional' because of a lack of staff, said Mr Bachmann, harming efforts to contain the infectious diseases already plaguing the eastern DRC. M23 reportedly faced little resistance from the Congolese army, which had been ordered to retreat days earlier to avoid another bloody urban battle like the one seen in Goma. Although no major armed confrontations occurred between the army and M23, MSF reported 'widespread looting and shootings'. On Saturday, civilians looted abandoned army warehouses, resulting in the 'enormous proliferation of weapons' in the city, said MSF's Mr Bachmann. 'There were enormous shootings in town all over Saturday, and those partially were minors who got hold of weapons and started to use them in the city. There were also clashes with retreating [Congolese army] combatants,' said Mr Bachmann. Both the UN and several NGOs have also accused both the M23 and the FARDC of recruiting child soldiers. Volunteers from the Congolese Red Cross said they recovered more than 20 bodies from the streets of Bukavu. Four MSF-supported hospitals have been treating war casualties in the city, with injuries split roughly 50/50 between gunshot wounds and shrapnel, according to Mr Bachmann. So far, they have treated 58 civilians, including 11 children and 26 women. A World Food Programme depot in Bukavu holding 6,800 metric tons of food was also looted on Saturday. The agency had already suspended its activities for weeks due to the deteriorating security situation. Separately, more than 1,500 prisoners escaped from Kabare and Bukavu central prisons in a mass jailbreak on Friday as the first of the rebels entered the city. The UN reported receiving protection requests from victims and witnesses who fear retaliation from the escapees, some of whom had been involved in high-profile trials for serious crimes. Several of the prisoners were convicted of grave violations and abuses, including international crimes, the UNHCR said. Meanwhile, Goma has continued to suffer the after-effects of the devastating siege last month. Ndosho hospital, the best-equipped in the city, has been forced to convert the facility's car park and canteen into triage centers to treat the 1,500 people who have been admitted since January, Eleanor Asomani, a spokesperson for the International Red Cross, told The Telegraph. 'We've had to organise the car park as a triage zone and then do colour-coding depending on the injuries,' she said. The fighting in Goma has forced more than 100 patients in isolation with mpox centers to flee and re-enter the general population, sparking fears that transmission will be reignited in the area. The M23 offensive in the Eastern DRC began in December, with the rebels vowing to march towards Kinshasa, the capital, over 1,600 miles away. Led by Tutsis, the same ethnic group targeted during the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the rebels claim they are fighting to protect the ethnic minority in the DRC. However, both the Congolese government and the United Nations accuse the rebels, along with the Rwandan government, of exploiting the conflict to plunder trillions of dollars of the DRC's mineral resources like gold and coltan that are critical to global electronics production.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oregon Coast Humane Society slated to acquire shuttered veterinary hospital
PORTLAND, Ore. () — The Oregon Coast Humane Society plans to take over a veterinary facility that formerly announced its closure. The Florence-based animal shelter it is inching toward a contract to acquire Oceanside Veterinary Hospital. The hospital had already shut down on Dec. 31, after its lead veterinarian and owner John Bachmann retired early for health-related reasons. $10 million in Oregon Lottery bonds could go toward James Beard Public Market According to the , the facility was unable to find another potential owner wanting to relocate to the coastal city. 'Dr. Bachmann and the staff have loved giving care to all of our pets and fur-babies in the area,' the hospital wrote on Facebook. 'We thank you for your business, your support, and love for all these years. Please understand we don't come to this decision lightly…Please be respectful to our staff as you get your records. We are all grieving and struggling through this process.' Florence was left with just one animal clinic following the closure. The Oregon Coast Humane Society is now hoping to finalize the contract agreement for the merger on March 13, if regulators approve inspections and appraisals. Portland transportation officials ready road salt, plows ahead of potential snowfall The organization said the takeover will help staff continue to serve the dogs and cats held in the shelter, but the facility likely wouldn't be open to other animals until 2026 'at the earliest.' The humane society reported it is 'actively recruiting' veterinarians, certified veterinary technicians and practice managers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
