Latest news with #Swiger
Metro
4 days ago
- Health
- Metro
What is New World Screwworm and could it spread to humans?
A flesh-eating parasite known as New World Screwworm is moving closer and closer to the US border in Texas. The devastating parasite eats cattle and other animals alive and has travelled north from Central America to Mexico. In response to the spread within 700 miles of the Texas border, Washington halted cattle imports from Mexico in May. But what is New World Screwworm and can it spread to humans? Screwworms are parasitic flies whose females lay eggs in wounds on any warm-blooded animal. Once they do this, the eggs hatch and hundreds of screwworm larvae burrow through living flesh using their sharp mouths. This helps them to feed on and make the wound bigger, which eventually kills the host if left untreated. It means that when screwworms infect a cow, something like a tiny scrape, a recent brand or a healing ear tag can quickly become a gaping wound. Screwworms were eradicated from the US in the 1960s after researchers released massive numbers of sterilised male screwworm flies that mate with wild female screwworms to produce infertile eggs. New World Screwworm typically impacts livestock but it can also affect humans. Dr Sonja Swiger, entomologist at Texas A&M University, told Metro: 'While it is rare for humans to get an infestation of NWS, it is not impossible. 'The flies are known to lay their eggs on any warm-blooded animal, but prefer livestock and wildlife over birds and humans, with dogs being another known target. 'One main reason humans are on the rare side is that most will keep their wounds clean or follow hygiene practices that might exclude them.' Dr Timothy Goldsmith, a veterinary medicine professor at the University of Minnesota, said homeless people are especially vulnerable to infestation. This is because they sleep outside and have less access to hygiene products and medical care. Dr Swiger recommended that if people are travelling to areas dealing with an outbreak or endemic for NWS, they should protect themselves and animals they may bring with them from attacks. This includes doing checks on animals before entry/re-entry into countries that are not endemic for NWS. 'The fly can only travel 10-20 km on its own, so animal movement or humans moving with infestations is of concern,' she said. Countries where NWS is endemic include Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and countries in South America, with cases spreading north to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and Mexico. Dr Swiger said that it is not yet clear what is behind the drive north, though animal movement is a major concern. A factory designed to breed and sterilise screwworms in Panama is releasing 100 million sterile flies every week, but the flies have already passed through the narrowest stretches of land in Panama and Mexico. Screwworms cannot fly more than 12 miles on their own, but they can cover large distances while burrowed inside their hosts. The spread to the US would cause problems with livestock population and economic concerns. More Trending 'The largest impact would be to the livestock and wildlife industries if NWS were to return to the United States,' Dr Swiger said. 'That is currently being estimated in the multi-billions of dollars. With an estimated impact of up to $2 billion for livestock and $9 billion for wildlife.' It was announced by the US Department of Agriculture on Tuesday that it would invest $21million (£15.6million) to convert a fruit fly factory in Mexico to produce sterile screwworms. It said the border would likely reopen to cattle imports by the end of the year. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Mum finds 'more than 100 maggots' in tin of tuna she bought for toddler's lunch MORE: Warning after 250,000,000 bees escape when lorry crashes MORE: I couldn't train my deaf puppy so I taught him sign language
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Roofing company repairs Winter Haven army vet's lanai for free
POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — An 81-year Army Vet is getting the roof repaired on his lanai. When things hit a standstill, he contacted 8 On Your Side. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Roger Swiger's lanai had been rotting and sloping. Once we started asking questions, APEX Roofing and Restoration stepped in to help this Army Vet. 'Thanks to 8 On Your Side, Brittany, and APEX, my lanai is being fixed,' Swiger said. 'It took over 4 years.' Grandmother who paid $3K for Lion King tickets offered 1 ticket hours before show APEX Roofing & Restoration installed a new roof on his Winter haven home in 2021, but Swiger had long questioned why that did not include his lanai. 'Two different agents once telling me they paid them for the lanai and the other one told me they did not because it wouldn't be covered because it wasn't part of the original roof,' said Swiger. After visiting the Army Vets home last month, we asked APEX. The company had told us it was the insurance company that determined the lanai roof should be excluded, and they never received any funds for any work on the lanai. Swiger hasn't heard back from his insurance company. 'APEX picked it up and ran good with it,' Swiger said. APEX ended up installing Swiger's lanai's roof free of charge. 'Mr. Swiger is an 81-year-old vet who served our country for so long, and it's nice to be able to serve him,' said Todd Speciale, APEX Roofing and Restoration Chief Sales and his wife are thankful APEX stepped up, even though the company said it wasn't their responsibility.'APEX, the president, the owner called me directly about an hour directly after Brittany was here and told me he would step up and take care of everything no cost to me!' Swiger said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mosquitoes & more: Big Country workshop focuses on disease-carrying pests
ABILENE, Texas () – The Taylor County Agricultural Extension Office hosted a seminar on pest control to educate participants about pesticides and the insects that spread disease. The agriculture industry is facing many challenges. While weather and the lack of moisture play a large factor in those challenges right now, farmers and ranchers' concerns also encompass pest insects and their effect on the wellness of their crops and livestock. Because of this, the Taylor County Ag Extension Office hosted experts from around the state to give a Vector Control Workshop. Big Country cotton industry faces closures amid shrinking profits, labor shortages + more 'Vector control' describes a strategy to eradicate pest animals or insects to prevent the spread of the diseases they carry. City officials, forest service workers, and even private individuals came from across the state to learn the ins and outs of pest population control, and Professor of Extension Entomologist at Texas A&M University, Dr. Sonja Swiger, spoke about this workshop's main focus. 'We want them to be knowledgeable when it comes to using their pesticides, and that's why they're here, mostly so that they can be trained properly in that. But we also want them to be educated in what they're trying to approach with the pesticide usage,' Swiger shared. 'We try to make sure that they're aware of why they're doing their job, why they're out there controlling those mosquitoes, and why that's important.' While the workshop discusses a wide variety of pest insects, such as fleas, ticks, and certain fly species, the participants say their main concerns are mosquitoes, and Swiger highlights the key diseases they are most concerned with. 'West Nile is always our issue. That is an annual thing. Since it arrived, it's been every year, but we also watch other viruses. The Dengue virus is one that comes up through the tropics. That can be a concern in the United States. A couple of years ago, Malaria was a concern as well. So, we watch all of them, but West Nile is our main focus,' Swiger explained. Big Country mosquito season: Why you might get fewer bites this year The workshop also provides certification for individuals in the use of specific pesticides to combat these insects. Representatives from various city municipalities attended, and the hours spent in these classes contribute to maintaining their certifications for handling these pesticides. However, these certifications are not solely for those who operate within a large organization or governing agency. Monty Moeller is a farmer in the northern region of Big Country who utilizes this class as a cost-saving strategy. Moeller explains that due to the drought conditions faced by farmers in recent years, they have been struggling to cover expenses, such as hiring third-party services to apply specialized pesticides in their fields. To counter these rising costs, Moeller has obtained the necessary certifications to use certain pesticides himself, eliminating the need to outsource this task at a higher price. 'I have a private applicators license where I can apply chemicals that are restricted use to the farm and ranch. It's been tough. It's been really tough. So, they have to cut corners where they can. So, if they can apply their own chemicals, that saves them some money,' Moeller said. Noticing more mosquitoes? Abilene expert explains how to keep them away Due to those same drought conditions, the Big Country will likely see a delay in the mosquito season, but Swiger went on to say that when it does eventually hit, measures like spraying pesticides will still need to be taken in order to fight the risks these disease-carrying insects can spread throughout our area. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
01-04-2025
- General
- Axios
St. Pete Beach's Secret Garden reborn after Hurricane Helene's devastation
Residents of Envoy Point Condominiums in St. Pete Beach returned home after Hurricane Helene to utter chaos: sand everywhere, a washed-up mattress blocking the entrance, flooded cars in the parking lot. And then there was the sliver of beach behind the complex, a lush, tropical paradise known as the Secret Garden. Helene's monstrous storm surge had wiped it out, flattening the site of weddings, engagements and quiet moments with loved ones into a sandy, debris-laden mess. Why it matters: Six months later, the sliver of Upham Beach is teeming with life again, thanks to the hard work of the Envoy residents who are putting it back together. "It's a labor of love," said Laurie Swiger, whose late father, J. Luther Cook, started the garden in the 1990s. The big picture: It may be called the Secret Garden, but the secret has long been out. It's accessible from the beach, nestled on the northern tip of Upham, where a jetty marks the mouth of Blind Pass. Locals know it as a perfect setting for photos, hangouts and dates. Snowbirds and tourists seek it out during their stays. It even has a moniker on Google Maps. State of play: Taking in the devastation was brutal, residents said. Statues, trellises and mementos added over the years for loved ones who had frequented the garden were either washed away or buried in four to five feet of sand. "We lost everything, even our tools," Swiger told Axios. She cried for a week, she said. Then she got to work, creating a GoFundMe to collect donations and a Facebook group to share updates. Money and memories poured in — more than Swiger ever expected. Out at the garden, she and a core group of Envoy residents who had helped maintain it over the years began the long process of digging out what was left of the pots, plants and memories. Zoom out: About 80 miles away in Winter Haven, Jillian Manns was fretting over what had become of the mosaic bench she'd made in honor of her son, Timmy. In 2022, the 29-year-old was murdered in Illinois. Flashback: He'd discovered the Secret Garden while living in St. Petersburg, and it was one of his favorite spots to relax, his mom said. She put her hobby of making mosaic garden and pool accessories to use for her son, creating a bench depicting the Gulf at sunset, Timmy's favorite time of day. She drove it to the Secret Garden, where it sat among the greenery — until Helene. Manns heard from a volunteer that it had vanished in the storm. Yes, but: Soon, she got another call: They'd found the bench. Manns headed to the beach to help dig it out of the sand and was amazed to discover it had virtually no damage. "Timmy wrapped his wings around it," she said. The latest: These days, the garden is growing tall with new palm trees, bordered by new storage sheds and trellises built by one of the volunteers, and dotted with color from bromeliads, hibiscus plants and, of course, Timmy's bench. Stories like Manns' are "why we do this," said volunteer Joe Borgia. "It's still beautiful. It's still the Secret Garden," he said. "It's just different." 👋 Kathryn here. I asked members of Swiger's Secret Garden Facebook group to share their favorite memories. Here's what they said: Eileen Frank, whose husband is Swiger's nephew: "We were blessed enough to get married in the garden. It was a breathtaking backdrop for a wedding." Oanh Loi-Powell:"Our family's favorite morning hangout space … 25 years [vacationing] here." Michelle Levy Ferretti:"My hubby and I watching the sunset waiting to light my yahrzeit memorial candle to honor my mother." Ashley Ketner, Swiger's niece: "My husband and I got married in the garden in 2020." Judy Cook Frank, Swiger's sister: Swiger "has poured her heart and determination into bringing back the garden to what it once was …. Our Dad would be so proud of her. I know I am!"
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Winter Haven Army vet left with unrepaired, rotting lanai roof for years
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WFLA) — An 81-year Army Vet said it's been four years with no repairs to his lanai's roof. When things hit a standstill, he contacted 8 On Your Side. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'Over in this area, it's sloping way down,' homeowner Roger Swiger said. 'APEX came by and said the roof looked like it was damaged. Could they go inspect it?'That was in 2020. A year later, APEX Roofing & Restoration completed the job. Man says social security benefits terminated without warning or explanation 'And they did not do my lanai,' Swiger said. Ever since, he has questioned why. His insurance, Security First, was billed a little more than $1,300 and a $1,300 lien was placed against his property. He said since then the lanai's roof has rotten wood, and he's had to place garbage cans out to catch any leaking water.'Two different agents once telling me they paid them for the lanai, and the other one told me they did not because it wouldn't be covered because it wasn't part of the original roof, but it's connected to the house,' said no direct answer, 8 On Your Side asked APEX Roofing, which shared this statement. Apex routinely puts customer satisfaction, above all, as our highest priority. We have reviewed the contract and scope of work for this homeowner. Apex performed all services as outlined and paid for by Mr. Swiger's insurance provider. The local municipal code inspector passed the roof after final inspection, indicating that the work met inspection standards and was signed off by the local government. The back lanai was never part of the insurance carrier's scope of work and the customer did not contract with us to replace its roof. Because the lanai was not part of the scope of work, Apex never received any funds for any work on the lanai. APEX Roofing Swiger contacted his insurance company.'I told Security First you have no problem raising my rate, but you don't want to repair my damages,' he said. 'You just gave me an $800 increase per year, and yet four years later, you're still got me with a messed-up lanai.' APEX said it was the insurance company that determined the lanai roof should be excluded. 8 On Your Side reached out to Security First and we are waiting for a response. In the meantime, good news came as a surprise for the Army Vet when APEX said: 'Because we value this community and we know that our individual customers' situations are complex, and that navigating insurance coverage is cumbersome, we would like to go the extra mile for this homeowner and give him a positive resolution. We have offered to gift this additional repair to him free of charge. Apex Roofing is always committed to ensuring that our clients are happy and satisfied, with a positive resolution to any issue they face.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
