Month: April 2022

The U.S. poultry industry is battling a surge of the contagious bird flu which has already killed millions of chickens and turkeys this year.  With Easter just weeks away, the supply of eggs has vastly dwindled, causing increased prices for consumers.

According to a report released Monday from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 22.8 million birds have been affected by the bird flu.  Highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza are sweeping through 24 states, including Wyoming, Maine and in particular, Iowa. Counties in Iowa which produce over 1 billion eggs annually have declared disaster in light of the outbreak. About 5.3 million birds in Iowa’s Buena Vista County have caught avian flu.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the bird flu isn’t known to cause major health concerns in humans. The CDC announced in March that the current strains lack the changes seen in previous strains that put humans at greater risk for infection and severe illness.

Officials at the state level are urging owners of commercial and backyard flocks to keep their birds indoors. The bird flu’s deadly impacts are hurting the poultry industry and the seasonal demand for the Easter and Passover holidays.

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Dallas Police have confirmed that at least 11 people were shot and one person was killed in a Saturday night shooting during a trail ride and concert in southern Dallas.

Police said they responded to a shooting call at 5050 Cleveland Road in southern Dallas at approximately 12:13 a.m. on Sunday, and upon arriving at the scene, found a 26-year-old man identified as Kealon Dejuane Gilmore lying near a stage with a gunshot wound to his head. Police said Gilmore was pronounced dead at the scene, and described Gilmore’s death as a homicide.  An additional 11 victims of the shooting — including three juveniles — were transported to an area hospital by either ambulance or private vehicle. One of those victims was in critical condition as of late Sunday morning, while the remaining victims were in stable condition.

As many as 2,000 people were in attendance at the open-air event, which was billed as the Second Annual Epic Easter Bike Out & Field Party. The event was to be headlined by Memphis rapper Big Boogie, but according to a post on the performer’s Instagram page, the shooting occurred before he arrived at the venue.  According to witnesses, the situation arose from a fight that broke out on the scene, and some also believed that there were multiple shooters. Police confirmed that their preliminary investigation determined one unknown individual at the event fired a gun into the air, followed by another unknown individual firing a gun in the direction of the crowds.

Police said their investigation into the shooting, its motive and the circumstances surrounding Gilmore’s death are still under investigation.  As of press time, no arrests relating to the shooting have yet been made.

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Police confirmed in a statement that six people died and at least 12 others were injured from a shooting in downtown Sacramento, Calif., early Sunday morning. As of press time, no suspects are in custody, and it wasn’t known whether the victims were targeted.  Officials didn’t identify victims but said they were in their 20s and 30s.

The incident occurred just after 2 a.m. on Sunday. At least one firearm was recovered from the scene, and several areas downtown were closed. Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester told reporters: “We are asking for the public’s help. If anyone saw anything, has video or can provide any information to the police department, we are asking for their assistance.”

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg tweeted:  “Words can’t express my shock & sadness this morning  The numbers of dead and wounded are difficult to comprehend. We await more information about exactly what transpired in this tragic incident.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement: “What we do know at this point is that another mass casualty shooting has occurred, leaving families with lost loved ones, multiple individuals injured and a community in grief. The scourge of gun violence continues to be a crisis in our country, and we must resolve to bring an end to this carnage.”

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