Latest news with #Flipper
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
This Charter Captain Shot Dolphins with School Kids Onboard. Now He's Going to Jail
Most people rank dolphins right up there with puppies and baby chimps in terms of lovable animals. They're cute, playful, and highly intelligent, so I get odd looks when I tell folks I've never been a huge fan of 'Flipper.' I'll watch dolphins jump through rings at SeaWorld with my kids all day, but if you spend a lot of time fishing in saltwater, you'll learn that their impressive IQ can make them a nuisance to anglers. Dolphins will surround the school of bait you're on and drive away the tuna or stripers you were catching. They can be so adept at taking hooked fish off your line that you'll never get a catch to the boat. I've experienced this several times, including in the Amazon with pink freshwater dolphins. They were so aggressive that you genuinely felt bad hooking another peacock bass because doing so was a death sentence for the fish 95 percent of the time. Bigger predators screwing up your fishing, however, is just part of the game from time to time. And freshwater anglers aren't immune. Pike and muskies routinely snatch bass and perch off the line. Snapping turtles get to your cut bait before the fish. In just about every stitch of saltwater that touches the U.S. — especially Florida — having a shark wallop a grouper or snapper as you're reeling it in is incredibly common. Losing fish to sharks happens so often, in fact, that it's referred to as 'paying the taxman.' Head up to New England and seals might swarm your boat to attack every porgy, seabass, or bluefish you're trying to put in the cooler. Fish the bayous of the Mississippi Delta and a gator might grab your redfish. We get frustrated or moan and groan about it at the bar, but the average angler just lives with these occasional problems. Of course, sometimes people get so frustrated over losing fish they take things too far, which was recently the case in Florida. Though I've heard stories about charter captains going medieval on protected sharks and getting in trouble for it, I've never heard something as egregious as the violation that led Captain Zackery Barfield to jail time and a fine north of $50,000. Barfield plead guilty to three counts of killing bottlenose dolphins, according to USA Today. Bottlenose dolphins are highly protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (as every saltwater angler should know). The incidents occurred between 2022 and 2023, but he was just recently sentenced to 30 days in jail plus a $51,000 fine, followed by a one-year term of supervised release. Barfield claims to have gotten frustrated by dolphins taking red snapper off his clients' lines during the short recreational season in the Gulf of Mexico. As a countermeasure, he began lacing baitfish with methomyl, a highly toxic pesticide harmful to humans and wildlife, and feeding them to the dolphins around his boat. Beyond violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act, using this poison also violated the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, which accounted for the heftier sentence. Methomyl is restricted by the Environmental Protection Agency and is only supposed to be used in non-residential settings to control flies, though Barfield fed the poisoned baits to an estimated 24 to 70 dolphins over the course of several months. If that wasn't bad enough, Barfield also used a 12-gauge shotgun to shoot dolphins that were after clients' fish, including during one trip with elementary school-aged children onboard. It was confirmed that Barfield killed at least one dolphin with a shotgun between December 2022 and summer 2023, though he shot at least five more that did not immediately die near the boat. Beyond the atrocious act of killing protected marine mammals, carrying a bucket of poison and firing a shotgun on a boat full of customers shows a complete lack of disregard for safety. And, of course, doing all these things in the presence of clients just shows a complete lack of rational thought. I can't imagine Barfield was surprised that he got caught, because, according to the story, special agents from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had been investigating him for two years following a tip that he was killing dolphins. The article doesn't specify where the tip came from, but I wouldn't be shocked to learn it was from a charter customer. If I'd witnessed behavior like this, I'd have made that call, too. It's also ridiculous to think that these actions would really do anything to quell the dolphin problem in the grand scheme of things. In the end, this story begs the question: How much is a fish worth? My answer is that there is no fish on the planet worth risking your safety or the safety of others or facing jail time, fines, and irreparable damage to your reputation. Read Next: Great White Shark Tales from Cape Cod's Charter Boat Captains Though I can understand Barfield's frustration, captains have no more control over the behavior of the dolphins than they do the weather or a lack of a bite, which clients need to understand. You either deal it and sacrifice some fish, or you move and hope the dolphins don't follow you. The bottom line is that we're all stewards on the water and the critters who live there, which extends far beyond how we treat the fish we're trying to catch.
Scoop
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
The Jesus Lizard Returning To New Zealand This October
Press Release – Jesus Lizard The quintessential punk band of the 90's – the Jesus Lizard, returns to New Zealand shores for the first time in 27 years this October! Playing two exclusive shows only at Auckland's Tuning Fork and San Fran in Wellington on the 11th and 12th respectively. After initially calling it a day in 1999, the Jesus Lizard officially return full time to save us from the current state of musical mediocrity with their latest album, Rack. A blistering resurgence of the so-called 'noise rock' they helped define alongside contemporaries Big Black, Flipper, The Birthday Party, with their previous and most noted albums Head, Goat and Liar. For those of us who live in fear of the reunion album and subsequent tour, the Jesus Lizard thankfully display not only the same chaotic and dark nihilism of their earlier careers but also the maturity and seasoning of a band riding a wave of renewed and reinvigorated form. Once slated by famed engineer Steve Albini as 'the greatest band I've ever seen' the Jesus Lizard not only lived up to this lofty praise in their prime but continue to do so in their advancing years. David Yow still leads the charge as the maniacally possessed frontman entering crowds with reckless abandon and a stamina that much younger vocalists would kill for. The original rhythm section of David Wm Sims and Mac McNeilly further continue to prove why they were and are the best bass & drum combo since Jones and Bonham, anchoring the ship as Captain Yow and first mate Denison navigate the wild seas of their songs. And while he may not always feature (as he rightly should) on many modern music journalists 'best guitarists lists', Duane Denison could perhaps be the most innovative and idiosyncratic punk rock guitarist EVER. However, each member is a sum of their parts but combined they are as Albini also once said 'the purest melding of the sublime and profane.' Whether you are a longtime disciple of the Jesus Lizard, seeing them when last here in '98, or perhaps your fandom is more recent and have only seen videos of their legendary live performances, you will know that these shows are not to be missed. Tickets go on sale through on Friday 8th May. But get in quick, these shows will sell out fast!!!! Saturday 11th October 2025 – The Tuning Fork, Auckland (All ages)
Scoop
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
The Jesus Lizard Returning To New Zealand This October
The quintessential punk band of the 90's - the Jesus Lizard, returns to New Zealand shores for the first time in 27 years this October! Playing two exclusive shows only at Auckland's Tuning Fork and San Fran in Wellington on the 11th and 12th respectively. After initially calling it a day in 1999, the Jesus Lizard officially return full time to save us from the current state of musical mediocrity with their latest album, Rack. A blistering resurgence of the so-called 'noise rock' they helped define alongside contemporaries Big Black, Flipper, The Birthday Party, with their previous and most noted albums Head, Goat and Liar. For those of us who live in fear of the reunion album and subsequent tour, the Jesus Lizard thankfully display not only the same chaotic and dark nihilism of their earlier careers but also the maturity and seasoning of a band riding a wave of renewed and reinvigorated form. Once slated by famed engineer Steve Albini as 'the greatest band I've ever seen' the Jesus Lizard not only lived up to this lofty praise in their prime but continue to do so in their advancing years. David Yow still leads the charge as the maniacally possessed frontman entering crowds with reckless abandon and a stamina that much younger vocalists would kill for. The original rhythm section of David Wm Sims and Mac McNeilly further continue to prove why they were and are the best bass & drum combo since Jones and Bonham, anchoring the ship as Captain Yow and first mate Denison navigate the wild seas of their songs. And while he may not always feature (as he rightly should) on many modern music journalists 'best guitarists lists', Duane Denison could perhaps be the most innovative and idiosyncratic punk rock guitarist EVER. However, each member is a sum of their parts but combined they are as Albini also once said 'the purest melding of the sublime and profane.' Whether you are a longtime disciple of the Jesus Lizard, seeing them when last here in '98, or perhaps your fandom is more recent and have only seen videos of their legendary live performances, you will know that these shows are not to be missed. Tickets go on sale through on Friday 8th May. But get in quick, these shows will sell out fast!!!! Saturday 11th October 2025 - The Tuning Fork, Auckland (All ages)
Miami Herald
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Remember Jimbo's? Let's celebrate the beloved Miami fish shack in a few ways
Every year around his birthday on April 6, James 'Jimbo' Luznar threw a party at his famous fish shack Jimbo's Place on Virginia Key, where everyone and anyone could drink beer, eat fish dip and revel in being part of a Miami tradition. From 1954 to 2012, when it was shut down by the city of Miami, Jimbo's was the place Miamians in the know gathered to hang out, play bocce and drink. The annual party drew thousands, from bikers to models to regulars and a famous face from time to time. The spot also became a backdrop for TV shows, including 'Flipper,' 'Gentle Ben,' 'Miami Vice' and 'Dexter,' and even made it to the big screen in movies like 'Porky's.' A former Merchant Marine who worked the shrimp boats, Luzner died in 2016. But a new Virginia Key watering hole is committed to celebrating for his legacy. From noon until 10 p.m. April 13, Gramps Getaway, sister bar to Gramps in Wynwood and located in the old Whiskey Joe's space next to the Rusty Pelican, will be honoring Jimbo and his legacy with a day-long free party. Expect live music from the Jack Shealy Band, a Jimbo's look-alike contest and limited editions Jimbo's hats and shirts from @sunandsons. You can eat your weight in fish dip and remember the good times, even if you weren't around to live them. Let's go through the Miami Herald photo archives to see what Jimbo's looked like through the years:
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jessica Alba's kidnapping case: What we know about the 1996 ordeal
Jessica Alba's alleged kidnapping is gaining traction online again, following a series of TikTok videos about the matter. The Fantastic Four actress got her start in acting as a teenager and appeared in movies such as Camp Nowhere, in 1994, and TV series The Secret World of Alex Mack a year later. The alleged kidnapping – which Alba, now 43, has never discussed – is said to have taken place in 1996 while the then-teenager was filming the TV drama Flipper. According to reports published over the years, the incident took place while California-born Alba was in Australia shooting the TV show, in which she played Maya Graham for two seasons. Alba is said to have been kidnapped from the set in the spring of 1996. Her family and the production team embarked on a search, which lasted 14 hours, until she was discovered bound and gagged in the boot of a car miles from the set. According to reports at the time, Alba had been receiving disturbing phone calls in the lead-up to the kidnapping, which some have theorised may have been connected to the crime. Police reportedly struggled to find evidence pointing to who was responsible and the case was left unsolved. Alba continued to pursue a career in acting and went on to land roles in other notable TV shows, such as Beverly Hills 90210, and a break-our role as the lead in sci-fi drama Dark Angel. On the big screen, she starred in the 1999 romantic comedy Never Been Kissed, which also featured Drew Barrymore, David Arquette and Chicago's John C Reilly, and got her big break in 2003's Honey. She met future husband Cash Warren on the set of Fantastic Four in 2004. They married four years later and welcomed three children together, before announcing their split in January 2025.
