Latest news with #Gantt
New York Times
4 days ago
- Health
- New York Times
How National Park Rangers Protect Themselves From Bugs (and How You Can Too)
Clothing that offers plenty of coverage should be your first line of defense against buzzing, biting pests. The less skin you leave exposed, the fewer bites you'll endure, so if you're venturing into buggy territory, wear long sleeves, long pants, tall socks, and closed-toe shoes. 'That might seem counterintuitive when it's super hot out, but being dressed correctly for the environment that you're going into really can make or break your day,' said Gantt. Park rangers recommend wearing long sleeves and long pants if you plan to explore a buggy area. Everglades National Park for NYT Wirecutter Loose clothing is more effective at preventing bug bites than anything form-fitting, Gantt added. Tight clothes, like workout leggings, lie right against your body and offer only a thin barrier between a mosquito and your skin. Loose-fitting clothes that hang off your body create more distance, so even if a mosquito were to land on you, it would have a harder time finding your skin. A lightweight, long-sleeved shirt is a good option if you're headed to a warm, humid climate. Something made of UPF fabric will help protect you from the sun, as well as any bugs that come your way. Consider the Bluesmiths Kanaha Hydrophopic Shirt or the Patagonia RØ, which Wirecutter's outdoor experts recommend in our guide to beach gear. As with shirts, pants that are loose and lightweight are an ideal choice. Consider Marmot PreCip Eco Pants, Wirecutter's pick for rain pants. They're made of nylon ripstop fabric, a thick material that bugs aren't as likely to pierce. Yet they're breathable enough that you won't feel sweaty or clammy after walking around. Pair your long pants with some tall socks, like these extra-long Farm to Feet Damascus Light Targeted Cushion Crew socks from our guide to hiking socks. 'It's very easy to take preventative measures' when you're visiting an area that's teeming with ticks, explained Pollock. In addition to 'trying to stay away from tall vegetation,' she said she recommends tucking pant legs into a pair of socks to prevent ticks from crawling up your legs. According to Wirecutter's outdoor experts, the Farm to Feet socks offer more coverage and protection than shorter socks. Plus, it's a lot easier to tuck your pants into them. Gantt said her favorite piece of gear to put on when she's surrounded by buzzing pests is an NPS-issued jacket. It's made of layers of tightly hatched mesh that mosquitoes and other small biting bugs, like no-see-ums, can't infiltrate. Though we can't all get kitted out by the NPS, we asked our staff if they owned anything similar. Wirecutter staff writer Evan Dent said he wore The Original: Bug Shirt when he worked in wooded areas as a canoe-trip guide in northern Ontario, and this long-sleeved hoodie is made from densely woven material that bugs can't bite through. Plus, the mesh sleeves and side cut-outs allow cooling breezes to pass through, and the sleeves and waist have drawstring closers that seal the garment from biting pests. It also has a zippered hood, which includes a netted face mesh covering and can fit over a baseball cap. Gantt said that many Everglades rangers and visitors wear headnets when mosquitoes are especially active. Writer Trey French likes to pull on his Sea to Summit Mosquito Head Net when 'things get biblical' on his hikes through the Sierra Nevada mountains. The soft polyester mesh fabric net effectively blocks bugs, keeping them out of your face and, maybe more critically, your mouth. It's treated with an odorless repellent that's effective through 40 washes, and it has an elasticized draw cord that creates a seal to keep bugs out. A head net that fits over a hat can help keep mosquitoes, flies, and other small flying insects out of your face. Everglades National Park for NYT Wirecutter
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Motorcyclist killed in single-vehicle crash, ALEA says
ALEX CITY, Ala. () — The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's Highway Patrol Division is currently investigating a single-vehicle crash that claimed the life of a Tallassee man. Police say on May 14, William Gantt, 21, was fatally injured when the 2007 Buell Blast motorcycle he was driving left the roadway and hit a tree. Gantt was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash happened on Lovelady Road near Sulphur Springs Road in Tallapoosa County. No other information is available. ALEA troopers will continue to investigate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Charlotte's Black mayors reveal hopes for Charlotte's future — and issue a challenge
Advancing long-awaited transit plans and promoting private investment in the Black community are key to making Charlotte's economy equitable, current and former mayors said Tuesday. Mayor Vi Lyles joined former mayors Harvey Gantt and Patrick Cannon at the Sarah Stevenson Tuesday Forum as part of its Black History Month series. Former Mayor Anthony Foxx also appeared via video call, which brought together every African American mayor in the city's history. The group discussed their personal journeys and hopes for Charlotte's future. The city 'has been moving the needle' on growing wealth in the African American community, said Gantt, elected in 1983 as Charlotte's first Black mayor. But he would've liked more 'progress' in the decades since he left public office. 'In many ways, I see y'all doing the same thing we were trying to do, the city that is, 30-some years ago. That's not progress to me,' Gantt said. Lyles told attendees many of the city's ongoing initiatives, including efforts to overhaul the region's transportation system, will spur economic growth in communities of color and citywide, making Charlotte 'one of the stars across this country.' Lyles, first elected in 2017 and now in her fourth term as mayor, advocated for the crowd to support the city's transportation plans. If the General Assembly approves a bill crafted by local officials last year, voters will decide the fate of a ballot referendum to raise Mecklenburg County's sales tax to pay for transportation needs. The money would go towards expansion of train and bus services as well as road projects. 'There is a plan. There is a strategy,' Lyles told Tuesday's audience. '... I hope at some point I'll be able to say 'thank you for your support.'' Lyles said public transit is an integral part of the city's economic development strategy that can help more residents access high-quality jobs, education and health care. 'If we can actually have trains, perhaps we can build houses next to trains, and people don't have to spend $5,000 to buy a new car,' she said. Gantt said Tuesday he wants to see more focus in the African American community on the private sector, not local government, driving economic growth. 'I think we should have gotten to the point where the city is not the major instrument by which we see economic improvement in our people,' he said. The former mayor said he's proud to see Charlotte's Black population grow and more Black business leaders accumulate wealth. But he also wants to see those leaders investing more in their communities, both monetarily and with mentorship. 'What we need is an economy that, in fact, goes full force with an engine of private sector involvement by richer Black people in this community who are joining their resources to build solid businesses,' he said. Cannon said the city needs to be 'more intentional to create some upward mobility.' The former mayor, who resigned in 2014 after he was arrested on public corruption charges, noted that he focused on bringing back manufacturing jobs when in office. Charlotte's transition from a blue collar community to more white collar jobs created an economic 'imbalance,' he said. Cannon called for current leaders to consider getting more involved again in job training programs and advocate to bring back events that have left Charlotte, such as the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association's basketball tournaments. 'Not in all things, but sometimes we should consider going backwards in order to go forward,' he said.
