Category Archives: Sealand

A woman has reported seeing an animal "a bit bigger than a Dalmatian" sat on the side of a rural Cheshire road.

She was travelling as a passenger in a car when she spotted the 'big cat' at around 12.30pm on Sunday, August 21.

What is thought to have been a brown lynx was sat at the side of the A550 Welsh Road at its junction with Ledsham Hall Lane near Little Sutton.

READ MORE: Possible 'big cat' sighting in Chester as commuter spots black animal running across road

Izzy told Puma Watch North Wales: I was a passenger in a car and as we turned onto the Welsh Road I saw the big cat sat in the road against the bushes. I held my view for about 5 seconds and the animal looked just a bit bigger than a Dalmatian. It was brown with hints of black and pointy ears. It was sat about 15 meters away from any cars.

The latest sighting comes two months after a 'fairly large, black' animal was reported near Blacon, just outside Chester. A commuter reported seeing a 'streamlined' animal on Sealand Road, near to the Texaco garage. The commuter, Davidson, was driving home from their place of work in Chester at around 12.30am last Saturday (June 18). They reported that the animal ran across the road and into the fields nearby.

In 2021, no fewer than 20 sightings of a 'big cat' or a 'puma' were reported to Puma Watch North Wales from the Cheshire area. These sightings included footage of an alleged puma stalking through fields in Frodsham, a big cat on the Chester meadows, and another pouncing in front of a car on the Tarvin roundabout.

In February, the UK Government set out the steps it takes to investigate such reports, after the Welsh Government announced that reports of wild big cats are "taken seriously and investigated thoroughly."

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), said: "If Natural England (NE) were presented with credible information to suggest there was a big cat living wild and posing a threat to agriculture (such as predating livestock), it would work with Defra to take appropriate action. Evidence would be assessed on a case by case basis. Natural England would analyse any evidence presented to them, at first internally, and take expert external advice as and when its needed.

"Likewise, if NE were presented with credible information to suggest there was a big cat living wild and posing a threat to public health and safety, it would report the matter to the local police. Rare cases of escapees, such as a Lynx from Dartmoor Zoo in July 2016, tend to involve the local authority as the escape is likely to have resulted from a breach of the keepers Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 Licence or Zoo Licence.

"In all cases reported to Natural England in recent years, there has been no credible evidence supplied that would justify any action by Defra/Home Office/police."

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Cheshire 'big cat' sighting as animal 'bigger than Dalmation' sat on roadside - Cheshire Live

A VISITOR to SeaWorld recalled the terrifying moment she went to take a photo of an orca only to see a dead trainer in its mouth.

Dawn Brancheau was attacked by notorious killer whale Tilikum after the huge creature dragged her into the water by her hair and brutally battered her to death.

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The 40-year-old died from drowning with her spinal cord severed and was scalped by the "psychotic orca, which killed two other people during its 30 years in captivity.

Haunting video taken in the minutes leading up to her death shows Dawn performing with the massive Tilikum - who weighed six tons and was 22ft long - in front of the crowd at SeaWorld.

Dawn's death led to major changes at the parks - and now trainers do not get in the tanks with the orcas.

One of those watching was Susanne De Wit, a tourist from the Netherlands, who witnessed what unfolded and gave a statement to investigators.

After lunch at around 1.30pm she said went to a viewing area where she was told Tilikum would come to a viewing window for photo.

De Wit says she attended the Lunch with Shamu event referring to the stage name given by SeaWorld to multiple orcas.

On the day she visited, the show was performed by Tilikum but she refers to him as Shamu in the statement given to the Orange County Sheriff's Office, which The Sun Online has seen.

"We saw Shamu at the window straight up," she said.

They told us he was playing with the trainer. Suddenly I saw Shamu grabbing the trainer by the shoulder and pulling her down in the water near the window.

It did not look normal. It was scary. He was very wild with the trainer still in the whales mouth. The whales tail was very wild in the water.

The tour guide pulled us out and there was a full alarm. We then saw them throw a net into the water.

The whale was underneath. We didnt see the trainer at this point.

De Wit was also interviewed by a detective from the Sheriffs office and the grisly details also formed part of their report into Branchaeus death.

Susanne De Wit saw Tilikum swimming down holding the trainer in his mouth, says the report about Dawn's death in February 2010.

Tilikum was holding the trainer by her shoulder and neck. Susanne DeWit could see the trainers legs.

"Tilikum was shaking the trainer and moving extremely fast.

A timeline of events using video taken by another visitor shows that Brancheaus lifeless body was seen in Tilikums mouth at around 1.43pm.

The time of death given on the Sheriffs department report is "approximately" 1.37pm.

Dawn was an experienced trainer seen as a 'poster girl' for SeaWorld and her shocking death ignited heated debates around whales in captivity and spurred changes to SeaWorld's safety practices.

Her sister Debbie told The Sun Online animal lover Dawn was devoted to the whales she worked with and she is still trying to process her death.

Tilikum was torn away from his family in waters off the coast of Iceland in 1983 and put into a concrete holding tank at Hafnarfjrdur Marine Zoo near Reykjavk.

After months spent swimming in circles, the orca was shipped off to Sealand of the Pacific in 1984.

In 1991, Tilikum was still cooped up at the Sealand park in Canada when a young part-time worker slipped and plunged into the pool.

Onlookers watched on in terror as Tilikum and his two tankmates repeatedly dragged marine biology student Keltie Byrne underwater.

He ferociously dragged her around the pool and stopping her from surfacing as the 21-year-old was heard saying I dont want to die.

Staff frantically tried to throw her a life ring but she was unable to reach it as the whales treated her like a "plaything".

In a terrifying 10-minute ordeal, Keltie managed to reach the surface twice as her haunting screams echoed around the pool.

When she came up for the third time, she had tragically drowned.

Eight years later, Tilikum struck again.

On the morning of July 6, 1999, horrified trainers found the body of a 27-year-old man over Tilikum's back.

Daniel Dukes had visited SeaWorld the day before and stayed after the park closed - somehow escaping the watching eyes of security.

He entered Tilikum's tank unclothed and by the next morning had been mauled to death.

SeaWorld said in a statement: "That tragic situation happened more than 12 years ago.

"Trainers have not been in the water training with killer whales for many years.

"We have extensive protocols and training in place to protect the safety of our trainers and animals.

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I went to take a photo of an orca at SeaWorld but it had a DEAD trainer in its mouth when it came to the... - The US Sun

A handful of orcas frolicked and fished along the coast, and were spotted near Oak Bay Marina through to McNeill Bay over a handful of hours Sunday evening.

Many captured videos in the latest trend of land-based whale watching. Several boats were also in the area.

Reports are frequent from both ship and shore this time of year. By noon Monday (Aug. 29), the Pacific Whale Watch Association operators had already spotted six different groups of Biggs killer whales throughout the Salish Sea.

READ ALSO: Watch 14 clips of a grey whale at play near Victoria

The area has been home to injured and captive orca in the past.

In 1977, the saltwater pool at the original Oak Bay Beach Hotel was briefly home to an injured young orca from Nanaimo. Dubbed Miracle, it stayed six months before being relocated to nearby Sealand of the Pacific at what is now Oak Bay Marina.

Sealand was most famous for its killer whales and the controversy of whales in captivity, including the 1991 death of trainer Keltie Byrne in the whale tank.

Miracle died in captivity in the early 1980s and the Oak Bay attraction closed in 1992.

Now, the wild whales keep active through the Salish Sea. Earlier this year, Greater Victoria scored a new record with 72 whales spotted in one day.

Those at sea in B.C. are reminded to stay at least 100 metres from humpbacks, gray whales, and minke whales and 200 metres from whales if they appear to be resting or have a calf. Boaters must remain 400 metres from all killer whales between Campbell River and Ucluelet.

Do you have a story tip? Email: vnc.editorial@blackpress.ca.

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Orcas at play keep residents watching waters off Oak Bay - vancouverislandfreedaily.com

CINCINNATI Nearly two months after a jury convicted former Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld of public corruption, attorneys are still fighting over potential juror misconduct, raising the specter of a possible mistrial.

At issue is a female juror, who is known as Juror X, who made multiple posts on Facebook during the high-profile trial, including during jury selection and on the night before the verdict was announced.

Sittenfelds legal team has been pushing for a forensic exam of her electronic devices, to see what else she may have posted. That issue is now before the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The investigation into juror misconduct has been shrouded from public view. Most court filings that mention specifics of what jurors are accused of doing or saying, are either heavily redacted or under seal. And U.S. District Court Judge Douglas Cole has apparently held three hearings on the matter behind closed doors including two on the day the verdict was announced, July 8, and another on Aug. 17.

It gives a perception of unfairness, said Darren Ford, an attorney for WCPO. It gives a perception that proceedings of such grave importance as this are taking place behind closed doors, without affording the press and the public an opportunity to monitor whats going on.

Sketch by: Marlene Steele

On Monday attorneys for WCPO and The Cincinnati Enquirer sent a joint letter to Cole asking for more access. The media outlets want all future hearings in the Sittenfeld case to be placed on the courts public docket, allowing them a chance to object if a hearing is expected to be closed.

Defense attorneys filed a motion on July 22 demanding an inquiryinto Juror Xs electronic devices.

Unbeknowst to the media, Cole denied that motion for a forensic exam on Aug. 3. The judge kept the order under seal until last week, allowing time for Sittenfelds attorneys to conduct a closed-door hearing to further question two jurors, according to court filings.

If the juror examination did occur, our clients were deprived of the opportunity to be heard on the issue of their exclusion from that hearing, as they had no advance knowledge that it was to occur, and when, Ford wrote.

After a three-week trial, jurors convicted Sittenfeld of bribery and attempted extortion. He accepted $40,000 in campaign donations from FBI agents who were posing as developers and wanted his help on their Convention Place Mall project downtown.

Sittenfeld was the third council member the FBI arrested in 2020 on public corruption charges as a result of a massive sting at City Hall involving at least three undercover FBI agents and multiple informants who secretly recorded numerous elected leaders.

Marlene Steele

The Sittenfeld case has been, and continues to be, of great interest to the greater Cincinnati public the role of the press in bringing information on the post-trial proceedings into alleged juror misconduct to the public is no less important than the role it played during the conduct of the trial itself, Ford wrote.

Media outlets are also petitioning the appeals court to release transcripts of the secret hearings about juror misconduct and juror questionnaires. WCPO asked the appeals court to unseal Coles order on the forensic exam, but he has since unsealed it.

The court will allow Sittenfeld to designate two other jurors for further questioning to be conducted in an in camera (closed) hearing, Cole wrote in an Aug. 3 order. The court will seal this opinion pending completion of the juror testimony the courts concern is that making this decision public in advance of the contemplated juror testimony may result in tainting that testimony in some manner.

Secret ruling made in PG Sittenfeld efforts for new trial

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Nearly two months after conviction, possible juror misconduct still hangs over P.G. Sittenfeld trial - WCPO 9 Cincinnati

Although leopard seals are some of Antarcticas apex predators, their solitary habits and lethal reputation, combined with their habitats extreme climate, make them one of the most difficult top predators to study on Earth. However, a research team led by Baylor University has now attempted to shed more light on these fascinating creatures activities and behavioral patterns by studying 22 leopard seals off the Western Antarctica Peninsula, a region rapidly warming.

By weighing and measuring each seal and tracking their activities and diving patterns using satellite data and GPS tags, the scientists managed to document the flexible behaviors and traits which may offer leopard seals the necessary resilience to cope to Antarcticas warming climate and environmental stresses.

This study greatly increases our understanding of leopard seals life history, spatial patterns, and diving behavior, said study lead author Sarah Kienle, an assistant professor of Biology at Baylor. We show that these leopard seals have high variability (or, flexibility) in these different traits. Across the animal kingdom, variability is vital for animals adapting and responding to changes in their environment, so were excited to see high variability in this Antarctic predator.

The analyses revealed that adult female leopard seals are 1.5 larger and longer than their male counterparts, an unusual phenomenon among marine mammals. According to the researchers, larger females may be better at defending feeding areas, and stealing prey from smaller seals. Moreover, they consume bigger, energy-rich prey, such as fur seals or penguins, while smaller females and males frequently eat smaller prey, like krill or fish.

Females also spend more time hauled-out on ice than males. For instance, two females spent two weeks hauled-out on ice in the middle of the ocean, without getting into the water or eating. The scientists argue that this two-week period is when female seals give birth and nurse their pups. Soon after, they wean their offspring and return to their usual activities.

Another interesting finding is that female and male leopard seals are capable of swimming both short and long distances in coastal, as well as open-ocean habitats. For example, one seal travelled only 46 kilometers from where the research team was located, while another one travelled 1,700 kilometers during the same period.

Finally, leopard seals of both sexes appear to be short, shallow divers, reaching an average of 30 meters deep during three-minute-long dives. However, there are exceptions too, with a male diving to 1,256 meters for 25 minutes.

Its interesting to see such variation [in movements and dive behavior] in a relatively small number of animals. To me, this means that leopard seals are highly flexible in their movement patterns, and thats a really good thing in terms of adapting to changes in your environment, Professor Kienle said.

In future research, the scientists aim to compare these leopard seals with other population across the Southern Ocean. I have so many more questions, and Im excited to continue learning about leopard seals for years to come. Theres so much more to discover about this incredible Antarctic predator, Kienle concluded.

The study is published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Research.

By Andrei Ionescu, Earth.com Staff Writer

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Scientists reveal new features of the elusive leopard seal - Earth.com

By some metrics, Chinese major BYD has already usurped Tesla as the worlds largest seller of electric cars. That of course comes with the caveat of including plug-in hybrid vehicles that BYD sells. It already has a big portfolio of electric cars but now this year it could be launching a premium EV in the US that could cost as much as $145,000.

The plan for BYD is to increase the cost of its high-end electric cars by over 1 million yuan which is around $145,000. Already the starting point for its premium EVs is $116,000. As per only EV sales are concerned, BYD was only beaten by SAIC in China as it sold 320,000 battery electric vehicles.

Already BYD has sold more than half a million cars in China despite lockdowns and a re-emergence of COVID, it continues to expand aggressively. It will be launching in the Japanese market with models like the Dolphin, Seal, and ATTO 3. It has already closed a partnership with European auto dealer Hedin Mobility - fuelling growth in the European market with deliveries starting in Germany and Sweden later in the year.

Currently, the only model that BYD has is the Denza D9 which has been developed thanks to a co-development deal with Mercedes Benz. That car costs $96,000, so this could be something new.

The rest is here:

BYD Could Launch A Luxury EV In The US - carandbike

Luckily, there's a solution for that.

A mum has taken to her Instagram page, @brunchwithbabs, to share a tip that will dry your dishes in five minutes.

"Has this ever happened to you? You're ready to unload the dishwasher, and guess what!? Everything is still wet," says Babs.

"Don't hand dry - do this instead."

She explains, "Take a terry cloth dish towel, open the door, lay it right over. Just close the door. Wait five minutes. You'll have dry dishes."

Watch the video here.

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Many people thanked Babs for the great tip and confirmed that it really does work.

Have been doing it since I first saw it here, said one commenter.

Another added: "Such a great tip! Mine are never dry at the end of the cycle. I'm definitely going to try this.

Others cautioned Babs viewers with a warning.

"It can/will compromise dishwasher seal and locking mechanism, causing costly repairs or early replacement," someone warned.

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Turn the heat up:if you run run out of dishwasher tablets or detergent, turning the temperature up and running a cycle with plain water may work.

Don't rinse: dishwashers are perfectly capable of cleaning your dishes without you pre-rinsing them. That said, you should take the time to scrape as much food off your dishes as possible before popping them in your dishwasher. Otherwise, the food will accumulate in your dishwasher.

Clean your dishwasher once a month: remove soap build-up and odours using vinegar. Pour around 1 cup (250ml) of vinegar into the bottom of the unit or into a bowl on the top or bottom rack, then run the machine through a complete cycle with no dishes or detergents. Make sure you check your manual first, though. Some manufacturers warn against using vinegar in dishwashers.

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How to dry dishes faster - Better Homes and Gardens

The drive through Port Stephens should be a little less bumpy with thousands of potholes having been filled since July.

More than 8,000 potholes have been filled thanks to a run of sunshine and dry weather after the flood events last month. Theres still around 900 left on the list for Council workers to fill and that list is usually only around 50.

Mayor Ryan Palmer said the repair and maintenance of the roads is one of the communitys biggest priorities.

The most recent damage to our roads has impacted residents, business and visitors alike, Mayor Palmer said.

Council has a road network that covers more than 800kms. Our teams are out fixing potholes as quickly as they can but its been a huge task, he added.

Many of our roads were designed decades ago, on old infrastructure in low lying locations where water takes a long time to dry out. Water gets under the road pavement or through cracks in the surface and without very much effort at all, the road opens up and creates potholes.

Mayor Ryan Palmer said Council is excited to launch a series of educational videos,answering some key FAQs to help thecommunity understand how we build and maintain roads and manage our potholes in Port Stephens.

The information outlines what roads Council is responsible for, how we determine which road we repair next and our process for pothole repairs,

The videos found on Councils website explain the difference between a wet seal and dry seal, why we often have to repair the same pothole more than once and why we rehabilitate roads that look like they dont need it, he added.

See the article here:

Thousands of potholes filled in Port Stephens - 2hd

A wide-ranging economic development bill thats been floating in legislative limbo for weeks on Beacon Hill includes millions for local projects, tax relief provisions, and one-time tax rebates.

But also buried in the thousands of lines of text is an extension and funding request for a commission tasked with recommending a new Massachusetts seal and motto. The groups mandate is set to expire on Dec. 31, a timeline that offers only four more months to solidify their ideas.

At a Tuesday meeting, Co-Chair Brian Boyles said the group is facing a challenging situation after requesting an extension for good reason.

Theres quite an ample amount of work ahead of us, Boyles said. ... At this point, we are speaking with some legislators, but really I think waiting, as they are, to find out if that economic development bill will be resurrected, and/or if either of these requests needs to be broken out into their own separate requests of the Legislature over the next couple of months.

Lawmakers in both branches approved separate versions of a $4 billion economic development bill earlier this year, sending it to a six-member panel of lawmakers tasked with working out a compromise version. But as the end of formal lawmaking for the 2021-2022 session came and went in July, the bill sat languishing.

The sudden rise of a 1986 tax revenue cap law threw a wrench into lawmakers plans for offering about $1 billion in one-time tax rebates and tax relief in the bill. And since the July 31 end of formal sessions, top legislative leaders have struggled to find a compromise and move the legislation forward.

The Seal and Motto Commission was originally tasked with submitting recommendations by Oct. 1, 2021. Lawmakers extended that to July 31, 2022, in a COVID-19 recovery bill signed into law in December 2021. The deadline was extended again to Dec. 31, 2022, in the fiscal year 2022 state budget.

The Senates version of the economic development expanded the commissions life to March 31, 2023, and set aside $100,000 for staffing and administrative expenses. Boyles said the funding request would help facilitate more public input on the seal and motto design and an educational program on the history and meaning of the seal and motto.

At Tuesdays meeting, commission member Micah Whitson asked whether the funding could be used to execute some level of this work from, lets say, an illustration standpoint? Boyles said the money could be used for an initial design.

When weve talked about an [request for proposal], and then how we might respond to anybody who has a good proposal, we knew that we needed money, even for an initial design. Clearly, there may be more funds that are needed to actually finish the job, he said. Theres quite a lot of expenses we could consider, but that funding request was, yes, to do some of the design work in response to an RFP, to do some public input, and do some work on the education side.

As far as progress updates on the economic development bill are concerned, Senate President Karen Spilka said last week that her proposed solutions were all refused. House Speaker Ronald Mariano said the legislation is a long way from being finalized.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Gov. Charlie Baker said the bill is important for those populations who would benefit from it, most of which are hard-working, low-income populations who could absolutely, positively use the relief for all kinds of reasons.

August is a tough time with respect to the Legislature, he said at an unrelated press conference. They just finished their session on the 31st of July. But there is ongoing conversation between them and us about the tax pieces and about some of the other elements of the eco dev bill that have a certain amount of what I would call urgency.

Theres agreement on the importance of the bill, but little public progress has been made in the weeks since formal sessions have ended for the year. Legislative leaders have expressed an appetite to move some parts forward during informal sessions, where any one lawmaker can object to proceedings.

In the meantime, the commission set out a rough timeline for work that can be accomplished through the end of the year.

Slides presented at the Tuesday meeting show the commission confirming their recommendations, symbols and elements for a new design, and a proposed education program in December, while a meeting in September could see members decide whether human figures should be among possible symbols.

This is, I think, the bones of a plan, Boyles said. Last thing I would say is it does have a Dec. 31 deadline in mind, just in case. There is an option in there that might cost us money but I tried to put this together in a way that assumes that neither of those requests is acted on. I hope that we get better news than that. But I think its probably smart to look at this scenario, given the short amount of time we currently have.

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An extension request for a group studying a new state seal and motto is stuck in legislative limbo as a Decem - MassLive.com

If youre unsure what your Bank Holiday weekend looks like, we have some inspiration for your plans.

To take the guessing work out of whats happening in and around Chester, weve put together a list of some of theeventsand activities to keep you occupied.

You can also take a look at Chester Standards Local Events listings to stay in the loop.

Heres a round up of some of the events happening near Chester between Friday, August 26 and Bank Holiday Monday on August 29.

Summer Maze at Bolesworth

Date: August 20 September 4

Location: Bolesworth Castle, Tattenhall, Cheshire, CH3 9HQ

If youre up for a challenge this bank holiday, navigating yourself through the maze could be the ideal activity for you.

Youll also be able to pick your own sunflowers, taking home a souvenir from your Bolesworth Castle trip.

Find out more about the event via the Visit Cheshire website.

Tatton Park

Date: July 26 - August 26

Location: Tatton Park, Knutsford, WA16 6SG

Enjoy activities on the farm with the family including milking demos, sheep racing, storytelling and more.

If this sounds like the perfect way to spend part of the bank holiday weekend, you can go to the Visit Cheshire website to find out more.

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Chester Zoo

Location:Moston Road, Upton, Chester, CH2 1EU

This bank holiday, you can spend a day at Chester Zoo with your loved ones.

To book tickets for your day out, you can visit the Chester Zoo website.

Chester FC vs Fylde

Date: August 27

Location: Deva Stadium, Bumper's Lane, Sealand Industrial Estate, Chester, CH1 4LT

Football fans can head to Deva Stadium to cheer Chester on as they take on Fylde at 3pm.

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August Bank Holiday 2022: 4 things to do near Chester | Chester and District Standard - Chester and District Standard