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Outdoor Safety

Police & Fire
Man Killed By Falling Tree Branch On Rail Trail In Hudson Valley Man Killed By Falling Tree Branch On Rail Trail In Hudson Valley
Man Killed By Falling Tree Branch On Rail Trail In Hudson Valley A 62-year-old Westchester County man died after being struck by a falling tree branch while walking on the Putnam Trailway.  The incident happened on Monday, Nov. 17, when troopers responded to the Trailway near mile marker 53 just before 1:20 p.m. after receiving reports of an unconscious man on the trail, Trooper Krystal Paolicelli of the New York State Police said on Tuesday, Nov. 18.  An investigation found that the man, identified as David R. Valdivia, age 62, of Purdys, had been hit on the head by a falling tree branch while walking on the trail, Paolicelli said. Valdivia w…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Kissing Bugs Spreading Deadly Chagas Disease In 29 States, Creeping North Kissing Bugs Spreading Deadly Chagas Disease In 29 States, Creeping North
Kissing Bugs Spreading Deadly Chagas Disease In 29 States, Creeping North They bite at night and leave more than an itch.  Kissing bugs capable of spreading the parasite behind Chagas disease have been found in 29 states, and the often-silent infection can turn deadly years later. Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and is primarily spread by triatomine “kissing” bugs.  Most infections in the United States were acquired in Latin America, but local transmission does occur in the US, particularly in the South and Southwest where the insects are more common.  The CDC estimates about 280,000 people in the United States are livi…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Dangerous Alpha-Gal Syndrome Can Be Triggered By Tick Bites Dangerous Alpha-Gal Syndrome Can Be Triggered By Tick Bites
Dangerous Alpha-Gal Syndrome Can Be Triggered By Tick Bites A tiny tick bite could trigger a lifelong change to your menu. Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is a potentially life-threatening allergy linked to certain ticks — most notably the lone star tick in the United States.  The culprit is a sugar molecule called alpha-gal, found in most mammals but not in humans or primates.  When a tick carrying alpha-gal bites a person, the immune system may respond by producing antibodies that set off allergic reactions to red meat and other products derived from mammals. These reactions can hit hours after eating beef, pork, lamb, venison, or foods and m…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Clone-Creating Tick Invades Another East Coast State: Public Health Officials Sound Alarm Clone-Creating Tick Invades Another East Coast State: Public Health Officials Sound Alarm
Clone-Creating Tick Invades Another East Coast State: Public Health Officials Sound Alarm Connecticut researchers have confirmed the presence of a fast-spreading invasive tick that could pose serious health risks to people and pets across the state. The longhorned tick, originally from eastern Asia, was recently detected during local field studies by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in partnership with the USDA. This marks another step in the tick's rapid expansion through the eastern United States. Since first being found in America in 2017, the longhorned tick has spread to at least 21 states.  “The tick will be a nuisance, and it is spreading,” Kevin Lahm…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Dehydrated 20-Year-Old Hiker Rescued From State Park In Hudson Valley Dehydrated 20-Year-Old Hiker Rescued From State Park In Hudson Valley
Dehydrated 20-Year-Old Hiker Rescued From State Park In Hudson Valley A 20-year-old hiker had to be rescued from a trail in Putnam County earlier this week after suffering severe cramps and becoming unable to continue on her own.   The incident happened on the afternoon of Monday, May 26, in Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve near the Village of Cold Spring, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced.  Around 3 p.m., park staff requested assistance from Forest Rangers after locating the Peekskill woman, who was experiencing debilitating body cramps and could not continue hiking.  By 4:30 p.m., Forest Rangers h…

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by Ben Crnic
News
NY Cyclist Bitten By Venomous Snake On Bike Path After Getting Too Close NY Cyclist Bitten By Venomous Snake On Bike Path After Getting Too Close
NY Cyclist Bitten By Venomous Snake On Bike Path After Getting Too Close He meant to save the snake — instead, it nearly cost him his hand. Dan Geiger was cycling on the path along the Palisades cliffs that stretches from Fort Lee into Englewood Cliffs and Alpine, when he spotted a small snake on the path near the cliffs. Geiger, a writer from New York City, didn’t want it to get crushed by a bike or car. When the snake wouldn’t move after he nudged it with a water bottle, he reached out with his hand — and that’s when the snake struck him with "precision and speed," he said in an interview with Fox News. “I knew something was wrong immediately,” Dan said. Ble…

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by Cecilia Levine