Latest news with #Wille
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kentucky's Famed Willett Distillery Breaks Tradition With Its First Long-Term Brand Collaboration
Willett Distillery has entered its first-ever long-term brand partnership with Binder's Stash, marking a significant shift for the historically independent bourbon producer. The partnership grants Binder's Stash access to Willett's rare whiskey inventory, including experimental mashbills and aged barrels. Binder's Stash will also benefit from Willett's bottling operations and distribution network, helping elevate the emerging brand's production quality and global iconic, family-owned Willett Distillery has announced its first partnership with another whiskey company, Bardstown Kentucky's Binder's Stash. Willett, founded in 1936, is one of the most sought-after Bourbon producers in the whiskey-collecting world, with its renowned purple-top Family Estate Bourbons ranking among the most coveted (and expensive, particularly in the secondary market) bottles available. In the past, the distillery has engaged in a few one-off partnerships — Kiamichi Whiskey with the Kings of Leon, which now sells for upwards of $500 a bottle, and with Metallica's Blackened Whiskey — but this is the first ongoing, long-term partnership with another bourbon brand. It appears to be a boon for both Willett fans and fans of Binder's Stash, an emerging star among collectible whiskies. Related: This Is the World's Best Bourbon, According to the World Whiskies Awards The partnership gives Binder's Stash exclusive access to Willett's highly sought-after inventory, including experimental mashbills and limited barrels, advancing the brand founder Bill Binder's mission to create deeply expressive, high-end whiskeys with unmatched provenance. The first releases will likely appear this summer, 'with some pretty cool single-barrels,' says Binder. 'They've agreed to sell us some of their really special aged whiskies, which I find kind of hard to believe myself.' 'We are excited to work with Bill and his incredibly bold brand, Binder's Stash,' says Drew Kulsveen, Willett Distillery's master distiller. 'This partnership sets the stage for future opportunities and represents a bold step forward in expanding the boundaries of what's possible in the world of aged whiskey. This limited relationship allows us to support a partner that shares our dedication to quality, innovation, and the future of American Whiskey.' The partnership started out of Kulsveen's offer of advice early on when Binder was starting his brand. 'Then later, we had an issue with our bottling — our wax was never great,' Binder says. 'People who had our whiskies knew you had to pull out a really sharp knife to get the wax off. So Drew said, Come on down here, and I'll show you how we do our wax. Then he said, Wait. I have an even better idea — why don't we just handle this for you?' As a result, Binder's Stash will now benefit from Willett's state-of-the-art bottling operations and extensive distribution platform across domestic and global markets. The first single-barrel Binder's releases using aged Willett spirit will appear this summer. 'This one-of-a-kind partnership with Willett marks a turning point for Binder's Stash,' says Bill Binder. 'We've built our reputation by sourcing and releasing some of the most distinctive American whiskeys in the country, but Willett represents a different level: generational expertise, uncompromising quality, and a legacy that elevates everything it touches. Together, we're setting a new bar for what American whiskey can be.'Willett's 'purple tops' refer to its Family Estate Bottled Bourbon and Rye, ultra-limited single-barrel expressions that are bottled at barrel proof and individually selected for their character. These whiskeys are typically aged 8 to 15 years or more, and the signature purple wax seal has become a visual cue for serious collectors. Each bottle features handwritten details like barrel number, age, and proof — making them unique, unblended, and highly contrast, Willett also produces several house brands and blended whiskeys under names like Rowan's Creek, Noah's Mill, Johnny Drum, and Pure Kentucky. These are generally small-batch, more widely distributed bourbons at lower proof points, and often made from sourced whiskey or blended with Willett-distilled stock. While still respected, these are positioned for broader access — the purple tops are the crown the original article on Food & Wine Sign in to access your portfolio
The South African
24-04-2025
- Health
- The South African
Cape Town cancer patients win landmark court case to reinstate oncologist
A group of cancer patients have achieved a significant legal victory after the Western Cape High Court ruled in their favour in a dispute over the dismissal of their long-time oncologist, Dr Louis Kathan, from Life Vincent Pallotti Hospital in Pinelands. The court ruling, delivered by Judge Eduard Wille, declared that the hospital's actions in terminating Dr Kathan's practising rights were 'heavy-handed, unlawful,' and in direct violation of patients' constitutional rights – particularly their right to make informed decisions about their healthcare. The case followed Life Healthcare Holdings' decision to cut ties with Dr Kathan amid allegations of inappropriate conduct, including offensive comments related to race, gender, and sexual orientation. According to the hospital, these complaints led to resignations within the medical team and the implementation of a chaperone requirement for Kathan. Despite these measures, tensions reportedly remained unresolved. However, the court found that the hospital failed to pursue a fair, proportional, or rehabilitative approach before terminating the oncologist. Judge Wille emphasised that the hospital's decision had a 'direct and harmful effect' on vulnerable patients, some of whom had been under Kathan's care for over a decade. 'There was no rational basis not to pursue a rehabilitation process,' Wille stated. 'The removal of Dr Kathan without offering viable alternatives or assessing the clinical impact obstructed access to medical care and violated both hospital policy and constitutional protections.' While acknowledging the seriousness of the complaints, the judge noted that the allegations lacked sufficient evidence to prove discriminatory intent. Dr Kathan, who identifies as a gay man of colour, denied any hateful motivation behind his comments. The court's focus ultimately turned to the rights of the patients rather than the character of the doctor. 'This case is not about vindicating Dr Kathan,' Wille clarified. 'It is about protecting the rights of patients to continuity of care.' The judgment has sent shockwaves through the South African medical community, highlighting the need for improved protocols and transparency in private healthcare institutions when dealing with internal conflicts involving medical professionals. Health law experts say the ruling could set a precedent, reinforcing the legal obligation of private hospitals to uphold patient rights, even amid complex personnel disputes. Life Healthcare Holdings has yet to comment on whether it will appeal the decision. Meanwhile, Dr Kathan is expected to resume treating his patients at the hospital in the coming weeks, pending administrative formalities. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Health official highlights emergency preparedness after bird flu found in county
EFFINGHAM — Five people were exposed when a hawk tested positive for the bird flu in Effingham County last month, but they showed no signs of the virus, according to the Effingham County Health Department. 'Everybody is doing great,' said the department's public health nursing director, Lyn Waller, during the Effingham County Health and Insurance Committee Tuesday. Waller said the policy for exposure is to monitor them for 10 days. The health department received notice Feb. 14 that a hawk collected in the county tested positive for avian influenza. The bird was collected Feb. 11 and submitted for testing at the University of Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Lab. Waller said the department cannot divulge where the hawk was collected in the county per state policy. With the bird flu outbreak at the forefront nationwide, Amber Wille, emergency preparedness director for the Effingham County Health Department, took Tuesday to provide committee members a brief overview of the health department's Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Medical Reserve Corp programs. Wille noted public health response is always evolving, and it seems there's always something going on, from Ebola to COVID to now bird flu. She said public health is always behind the scenes, trying to build its capacity to respond to any type of emergency regardless of what it is. Since taking over the emergency preparedness program in June, Wille said one of the areas she noticed was a little lacking was internal support. 'I know when the previous coordinator was in place, she was in the role for a very long time. She did a lot of things on her own. It's hard to keep track of everything, so when you have a turnover from someone who's been there for so long, trying to make sure that the policies and procedures are in writing and clear and can be transferred among many people,' she said. Wille said the department has been working on building its incident command team to involve more health department employees and distribute it across as many people as possible in case someone is not available or there is a turnover. So, all are familiar with the plans and policies and what they should do. 'It takes so many people and everybody's individualized knowledge to be able to work together,' she said. 'We've started that, but we do have a lot of work to follow through to make sure we fill all those positions and start training together as health department staff.' Another program Wille is focused on is the department's Medical Reserve Corp, which consists of both medical and non-medical volunteers who support the health department and can be used for actual response like they were with the COVID and vaccination clinics. They can also be utilized for public health outreach initiatives in the community. The department currently has 18 volunteers. 'That's something we're trying to focus on, and build our volunteer base, and to utilize them a little bit more efficiently, and integrate them into different opportunities in the community,' she said. The program allows the department to have volunteers who have been vetted rather than spontaneous. 'It's great if you want to help out when we realize there's something occurring or an incident, but it's really hard to keep track of them and verify their credentials quickly or verify who they are, what they're able to do,' she explained. 'I think MRC has been a little underutilized in the past with what the group of volunteers is capable of doing, and a lot of MRCs are successful now in that they bring the volunteers on board and they tap into what their volunteers are passionate about, and then they can explore those passions and make a difference in the community through an organized group. 'So that's something we're definitely going to be working on the next several months to try to build that up a little bit more,' she said.
Al Jazeera
28-01-2025
- Health
- Al Jazeera
‘Five babies in incubator': HRW on danger to pregnant women, babies in Gaza
Israel's 15-month war on Gaza, as well as severe restrictions it imposed on the flow of humanitarian aid and Israeli forces' attacks on health facilities and targeting of healthcare workers, have led to 'life-threatening danger' for pregnant women and babies, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said in a new report. Despite the ongoing ceasefire, the precarious conditions under which women in Gaza are giving birth are unlikely to improve, the group noted in the report published on Tuesday, as Israeli legislation targeting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and taking effect this week is expected to severely limit the delivery of humanitarian relief to the devastated territory. The group found that women in Gaza have been rushed out of overcrowded hospitals, sometimes within hours of giving birth, in order to make room for war casualties. Newborn care has also been severely impacted, with one doctor at al-Helal al-Emirati Maternity Hospital in Rafah saying that the facility had so few incubators and so many preterm babies that doctors there were forced to put 'four or five babies in one incubator'. 'Most of them don't survive,' the doctor added. Several babies have died from the lack of shelter amid freezing temperatures. In the 56-page report, HRW concluded that Israel — as the occupying power in Gaza — has violated the rights of pregnant women and girls, including the right to dignified care in pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, as well as the right to newborn care. The group also stressed that two pieces of legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset last year and taking effect on Tuesday threaten to 'further exacerbate the harm to maternal and newborn health'. The bills, which bar UNRWA from operating in Israel and occupied East Jerusalem and the Israeli government from contact with the agency, effectively make it impossible for UNRWA to get permits for its staff and to deliver much-needed aid to Gaza. Belkis Wille, HRW's associate crisis, conflict and arms director, told Al Jazeera that 'despite the fact that the ceasefire could provide an opportunity for the healthcare system in Gaza to begin to be restored, because of the laws coming into effect, banning the operations of UNRWA, the reality is that these coming weeks may lead to pregnant women and newborns suffering even more than they already have'. 'The provisions of the ceasefire don't really address any of the significant needs that are outlined in the report,' Wille added. According to the report, as of this month, emergency obstetric and newborn care is only available at seven out of 18 partially functioning hospitals across Gaza, four out of 11 field hospitals, and one community health centre. All medical facilities operating in Gaza face 'unsanitary and overcrowded conditions' and serious shortages of essential healthcare supplies, including medicine and vaccines. And medical workers, 'hungry, overworked and at times under military attack', are scrambling to tend to victims of attacks while also addressing countless cases of waterborne and other communicable diseases, the report adds. HRW conducted interviews with women who were pregnant while living in Gaza during the war, medical workers from Gaza, and international medical staff working with international humanitarian organisations and agencies operating teams in Gaza. The interviews paint a horrific picture of the war's impact on access to basic care during pregnancy and birth. Little information is available on the survival rate of newborns or the number of women experiencing serious complications or dying during pregnancy, birth, or postpartum, HRW notes. But the group points to testimony by maternity health experts who reported that the rate of miscarriage in Gaza had increased by up to 300 percent since war began on October 7, 2023. It also pointed to UN reports that at least eight infants and newborns have died from hypothermia due to lack of basic shelter. Israel's war has led to an unprecedented displacement of some 90 percent of Gaza's residents, many of whom were displaced multiple times. That has made it impossible for pregnant women to safely access health services, the report found, noting that mothers and newborns have had almost no access to postnatal care. Late last year, Human Rights Watch concluded in a different report that Israel was committing ' acts of genocide ' by denying clean water to Palestinians in Gaza. It also found that Israel's use of ' starvation as a method of warfare ' led to severe food insecurity. Pregnant women have been particularly impacted by lack of access to food and water, with critical consequences for their own health and for fetal development. Many pregnant women have reported dehydration or being unable to wash themselves, the report added. 'Israeli authorities' blatant and repeated violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law in Gaza have had a particular and acute impact on pregnant women and girls and newborns,' Wille said. 'The ceasefire alone won't end these horrific conditions. Governments should press Israel to urgently ensure that the needs of pregnant women and girls, newborns, and others requiring health care are met.'
