Latest news with #WalterRabon
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Attorney confirms lawsuit for Sapelo Gangway collapse
SAPELO ISLAND, Ga. (WSAV) — The attorney for the families of three people who died in the Sapelo Island gangway collapse told WSAV that they will be filing a lawsuit. The gangway collapse killed seven people and injured several others. All seven people who died were senior citizens celebrating Gullah Geechee culture at a festival earlier that day. Civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump is representing the families of three people who died, and a person critically injured in the incident. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said at least 20 people went into the water when the gangway collapsed. 'It is a structural failure. There should be very, very little maintenance to an aluminum gangway like that, but we'll see what the investigation unfolds,' Georgia DNR Commissioner Walter Rabon said at a news conference in October following the collapse. The gangway was installed in 2021 and according to the Georgia DNR, the last time it was inspected was in December 2023 by Crescent Equipment Company. Stick with WSAV as we learn more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Second case of chronic wasting disease confirmed in Georgia
BERRIN COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) — A second deer has tested position for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Georgia, officials confirmed. The four-and-a-half-year-old male deer was taken in Berrien County around 400 yards from the first CWD-positive deer's harvest location. The first positive case of chronic wasting disease in Georgia was confirmed in late January by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). That sample was taken from a two-and-a-half-year-old male white-tailed deer from private property in Lanier County. The fatal neurological disease has no current treatments or preventative vaccines. CWD affects deer, elk and moose and is caused by infectious, misfolded proteins called prions. DNR established a management area following the first positive case which included Lanier and Berrien counties to determine how far CWD could have spread and what percent of deer in the area are positive. Since the second deer was found in Berrien County, DNR said they will continue to monitor the same management area. The second deer was reportedly taken by a landowner permittee assisting with ongoing sampling as part of DNR's CWD response plan, a DNR press release said. DNR said to keep prevalence low, additional deer are also harvested around each CWD detection since they are most likely to have been in contact with the positive deer. The disease will steadily spread if left unmanaged, DNR reported. 'Our staff continues to work in collaboration with landowners and hunters in the CWD Management Area to sample for the disease. These collaborative efforts will help us manage CWD and ensure Georgia maintains healthy deer herds,' said DNR Commissioner Walter Rabon. While there is no known transmission of CWD to humans, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that hunters harvesting deer, elk or moose from an area where CWD is known to be present have their animal tested. DNR said that the CDC suggests hunters do this before consuming the meat and to not consume the meat if the animal tests positive. Here's what DNR is saying you could do to help slow the spread of CWD: Report sick-appearing deer to the DNR's Game Management Offices at Don't move deer waste carcass parts from one area to another, leave them where the deer was killed or end up in a landfill for household waste. Never import live deer into Georgia. Importing live deer of any species into Georgia is illegal. Report any importation of live deer to DNR's Law Enforcement Division (1-800-241-4113). Debone meat, clean skull plates, remove all soft tissue from skull mounts. Never bring whole deer carcasses or deer heads into Georgia from out of state. It is illegal. If you witness a deer with any of these symptoms, report it to your local office: dramatic weight loss or wasting poor body condition subtle head tremors head and ear dropping excessive drooling For more information on Chronic Wasting Disease, visit Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Second case of ‘zombie deer disease' confirmed in GA
Georgia wildlife officials confirmed a second deer has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease. Channel 2 Action News reported on the first 'zombie deer disease' case in Lanier County back in January. On Tuesday, officials said a 4-and-a-half-year-old buck was taken in Berrien County. Officials said the locations where both deer were found are approximately 400 yards apart. Chronic Wasting Disease, more commonly called 'zombie deer disease,' is deadly to deer, elk, and moose. There are no treatments for the disease. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] While there's no reported case of a human contracting disease from infected deer, like Mad Cow Disease, it can't be completely ruled out. 'I want to assure our hunters that deer hunting will continue to thrive in Georgia, despite this current discovery,' Walter Rabon, Commissioner of the Georgia DNR said in January after the first positive case was discovered. 'Working together with our hunters and all Georgians, we will manage CWD and maintain healthy deer herds.' Health officials warn that people should not eat venison from an infected deer. For more information about Georgia's CWD Response Plan, visit TRENDING STORIES: Veteran Atlanta Country music radio personality 'Cadillac Jack' has died at age 51 Paramedic accused of assaulting patient in ambulance in Cobb County Mother describes horrifying moments as she watched her SUV burst into flames along GA 400 [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
