An Irish fugitive believed to be linked to that country’s feared Kinahan crime family — whose ongoing feud with the rival Hutch family has resulted in 18 deaths since 2015 — has been arrested by authorities on the Spanish island of Lanzarote.
Gary Vickery, 38, was nabbed by the Spanish Civil Guard in the island village of La Asomada on Oct. 20. His last-known address was in the English town of Tamworth.
Vickery was subject to an international arrest warrant issued by the U.K. authorities after he failed to attend a court hearing in there in July, claiming he had failed to get a PCR Covid test done in time. He also failed to surrender to the court again at a hearing in September.
He is accused of conspiring to import shipments of cocaine and hashish with a street value of over 23 million pounds (roughly $32 million), according to the U.K. National Crime Agency, and of laundering money for the notorious Kinahan crime gang.
The Kinahan family and its associates have been involved in an ongoing feud with the Hutch crime family and its associates ever since the murder of 34-year-old armed-robbery convict Gary Hutch in an apartment complex in Marbella, Spain, in September 2015.
The Kinahan crime family is believed to be mainly involved in the drug trade, whereas its rivals are primarily implicated in robberies.
Fugitive Gary Vickery (left) is fingerprinted by Spanish authorities after his recent arrest on the island of Lanzarote, Spain. (Guardia Civil/Zenger)
Most of the 18 deaths linked to the Hutch-Kinahan feud have been perpetrated by the Kinahan gang. However, the most recent death linked to the feud was that of 34-year-old suspected Kinahan gang member Eric Fowler, who was fatally shot in the head in the Dublin suburb of Clonsilla in December 2018.
Vickery’s arrest involved a collaboration between the Spanish Civil Guard and the crime agency, with the latter reportedly informing the former of the suspect’s possible whereabouts.
The agency, in turn, had collaborated with the Garda Siochana, Ireland’s national police service, for four years, investigating the suspected drug-trafficking operation.
The bar terrace on which the suspect was arrested is close to both the house he had been living in since 2017 and the boat rental business he ran with his wife, according to the Spanish Civil Guard.
Vickery, along with two other men (including the gang’s most senior figure, 52-year-old Thomas “Bomber” Kavanagh), had already admitted to the U.K. authorities to conspiring to import drugs and money laundering.
The first charge alone carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, according to the Sentencing Council for England and Wales.
Vickery remains in preventive custody on Lanzarote pending his extradition to the U.K.
A U.S. Army veteran has been arrested for faking being left paraplegic by a bomb blast in Iraq, earning more than $1 million in disability benefits, which he spent on, among other things, a flashy sports car.
William Rich, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, was arrested on Oct. 13, following a federal criminal complaint filed on the previous day.
The U.S. Army veteran stands accused of earning $800,000 in veterans disability benefits and $240,000 in Social Security Administration disability benefits since 2007, totaling more than $1.04 million.
The former soldier, who had served in the U.S. Army since September 1998, was injured in a bomb blast in Baqubah, Iraq, on Aug. 23, 2005.
U.S. Army veteran William Rich faked the loss of his legs and bought a BMW Coupe with monies he earned in disability benefits. (Justice Department/Zenger)
His recovery was monitored annually, and he was deemed able to carry out certain essential everyday activities with “complete” or “modified independence” in late 2006. A 2005 MRI revealed “no [spinal] cord impingement.”
However, Rich faked his paralysis in 2007, convincing a doctor from the Department of Veterans Affairs that he had lost use of his legs, leading him to be rated “one hundred percent disabled due to the “loss of use of both lower extremities.”
The physician who performed the checkup confirmed no X-ray scans were taken at the time, claiming he did not have access to Rich’s complete claims file, and it was not “worth the trauma to him of manipulating him around.” Based on this examination, Rich was granted permanent disability from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
It was only in 2018 that the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General conducted a claims audit and learned the former soldier’s conduct was inconsistent with his professed condition.
The office opened a fraud investigation. Rich was observed carrying out activities without the use of a wheelchair and without any visible limitations in the ensuing years.
The office said the only times its special agents observed the former soldier using a wheelchair was when he had medical appointments with Veterans Affairs.
He even shared videos of himself lifting weights at the gym on his social-media pages. Rich captioned a 2016 gym-mirror selfie “Lol lift or leave.”
With the allowance he received, which was intended for “vehicle adaptation,” he purchased a BMW 645ci Coupe worth tens of thousands of dollars.
If found guilty, Rich could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for the crime of wire fraud and up to 10 years in prison for theft of government property.
On the day of his arrest, he appeared before the District Court in Baltimore, where he was provisionally released pending trial.
The Iraq War lasted from 2003 to 2011 and 4,431 United States Armed Forces members killed and 31,994 members wounded in action, according to the U.S. Department of Defense’s website.
MONTENEGRO, Brasil — In Brazil, breast cancer is the second-most-common disease in women, after skin cancer. This illness can cause emotional and psychological harm, as well as physical pain.
To help patients, a space has been created that offers cuts and styling, natural-hair wigs and other hair products. The idea is to boost a woman’s self-esteem during the critical treatment phase, which can include surgeries, chemo and radiation, and often, complete hair loss.
The Association to Support People with Cancer (Aapecan), in Bento Gonçalves, works with the Ministry of Housing, Social Development and Citizenship (SMHAD) in Montenegro, in Vale do Caí, Río Grande do Sul, on this project. The free voluntary service benefits more than 30 women in the town of Montenegro and neighboring areas.
For many cancer patients, the most dreaded physical change is hair loss.
“When you hear the diagnosis, the doctor warns you that hair loss is the most difficult moment. It’s not just hair; it’s a woman’s vanity that is lost. You lose your self-esteem; you don’t feel like the same person, and you seem to lose your identity. Here at the Wig Bank, they took me in, and when I put on a wig, I felt like I was Jucilaine again, with better self-esteem,” said Jucilaine Miguel Lamberte.
Vinícius Nascimento Mieznikowski, communications advisor for Aapecan, said: “In April of this year, we contacted the authorities in the city of Montenegro and sold them the idea of setting up a Wig Bank in the town. Our goal is to expand to even more cities in Río Grande do Sul. Today, Aapecan is in 14 towns and in Bento Gonçalves, in the mountain region.”
Vinícius Mieznikowski has worked with Aapecan for seven years. (Luciano Nagel/Zenger)
Lamberte says she found out five months ago she has cancer in her left breast, called metaplastic carcinoma. Today, she is taking chemotherapy to reduce the size of the tumor.
This type of cancer is rare (fewer than 1 percent of invasive carcinomas), but those who catch it in the early phase and get treated have a good chance of being cured and suffering fewer side effects.
“The cancer has receded, but I still have to undergo a bilateral mastectomy, because it’s a very aggressive tumor and can come back. So, I decided to have both breasts removed,” said Lamberte. A bilateral mastectomy refers to the removal of tissue from both breasts, an aggressive procedure to keep the tumor from growing.
Lamberte says she found the tumor during a self-exam at home with a mirror. “It’s very important to do this exam, which is simple. The sooner you find it, the faster the treatment and the odds of being cured. Women should be aware that this illness does not only affect older people; younger women can also get breast cancer,” said Lamberte, who now wears wigs and turbans from Aapecan in Montenegro.
Jucilaine Lamberte says she found a cancerous tumor in her left breast five months ago. Today, she is wearing her wig. (Luciano Nagel/Zenger)
Cátia da Motta agrees. Two years ago, she was diagnosed with cancer in her right breast. She underwent long chemo sessions and had a mastectomy to remove both breasts. “Since I had the surgery, I’ve been working on my social-media sites to raise awareness and help women with this disease. It’s great to know there is someone who donates part of themselves (a lock of hair for example) to make somebody else happy and save a life,” she said.
The first hair donor
María Isabel Marqués de Oliveira, a retiree, says she is proud to be the first woman in the city of Montenegro to donate her hair. A few months ago, she cut her long locks to make the first donation to the Wig Bank.
“In July, my 50-year-old sister was diagnosed with uterine cancer. I was very scared. That month, she told me that if her hair fell out during the chemo, she didn’t want fake hair. She wanted a wig with natural hair. That’s when I decided to donate, and I found out about the Wig Bank project run by the town of Montenegro, together with Aapecan. I donated my hair to my sister,” she said.
María Isabel Marqués de Oliveira was the first woman in the city of Montenegro who donated her hair. (Luciano Nagel/Zenger)
Marqués de Oliveira remembers her sister was very depressed when she first wore the wig, but little by little, she came to accept it and faced her illness. “She was hesitant at first, especially with hair that wasn’t hers, But with all the care and support from the Aapecan team, my sister began to accept it. I’m so happy I could help her, and I’m looking for more hair for women who need it,” said Marqués de Oliveira.
Caring for the wigs
Claudovico da Silva works with wigs and is an “ambassador” with the brand Mix Use, which specializes in cosmetics for beauty salons. He is one of the volunteers who help patients with their look, aiding women in their search for the wig that best compliments their faces. He treats and styles the wigs with vegan oils, to give them better color and shine.
“Hair is important to women; it’s like a frame for their face. Losing hair to illness can affect the patient psychologically,” he said.
The director of Social Assistance of the SMHAD, Calinae Pinheiro, says the city’s new Wig Bank “strengthens” women who are going through a difficult time in their lives. “Here, we also offer psychological treatment and all the support they need to feel good,” she said.
The municipal minister of SMHAD Montenegro, Luis Fernando Ferreira, says it is important for women to participate in hair donation. “This simple act can help save lives, and this project will definitely cross boundaries,” he said.
The Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA), which works with the Ministry of Health, estimates 66,280 new breast cancer cases in Brazil for this year, which represents 43.7 cases per 100,000 women.
Data from INCA show that breast cancer is rare in young women, with more cases in women over 40. Most cases are in women over 50. Men can also get breast cancer, but it is estimated they comprise only 1 percent of cases.
Translated by Melanie Slone. Edited by Melanie Slone and Fern Siegel
Australian zookeepers just removed an alligator called Kanye from the lagoon it shares with 54 others after it grew aggressive during the mating season.
The reptile started acting aggressively when the warm weather kicked in and mating season began. Males roar to attract females and to keep other males away. Mating usually occurs in early May.
“However, Kanye has come out of hibernation explosive, therefore, a danger to himself, to the other alligators and staff,” said park director Tim Faulkner. Kanye weighs around 881 pounds and is nearly 13 feet long.
It took a skilled team of more than 12 keepers to locate and catch Kanye in the lagoon. “He was then transported to an isolation area, where he will spend a month or so calming down,” the Australian Reptile Park said.
The alligator named Kanye was removed from a lagoon at the Australian Reptile Park, due to his aggressive behavior. (Australian Reptile Park/Zenger)
Twenty new alligators were introduced to the park in March, already home to 45 adult alligators. However, Kanye had recently started to charge at zookeepers, according to the park.
“Ours is normally a very quiet lagoon, with no major altercations taking place. We even saw this earlier this year, when we added the 20 males to our lagoon,” said Faulkner.
“Kanye has made the other alligators very tense,” the park said. “He’s a young bloke, full of testosterone, and he’s raising havoc right now. So the best thing to do is to send him to the naughty corner for some quiet time out.
“American alligators have one of the strongest jaw pressures of any animal and one bite can be life-threatening, so our amazing team had to take extreme care during the removal. It’s hoped that Kanye will return to the lagoon once the peak breeding season has ceased, and his hormone levels have returned to normal.”
Now that the park has reopened following COVID-19 restrictions, it encourages visitors to view the alligators “being fed in all their prehistoric glory during the spectacular alligator feedings that take place on weekends.”
Alligators have between 74 and 80 teeth in their mouth at a time and their strong jaws can crack a turtle shell.
The team assembles to subdue Kanye, the alligator removed from a lagoon and placed into an isolated area at the Australian Reptile Park. (Australian Reptile Park/Zenger)
The American alligator is native to the southeastern United States and is bigger than the only other alligator species, the Chinese alligator.
After mating in May, around late June and early July, the female lays 35 to 50 eggs, which hatch after a 65-day incubation period. The temperature of the nest determines the sex of the young, according to the Smithsonian National Zoo.
American alligators live about 50 years in the wild.
In a matter of seconds, a former Marine who was a customer inside a gas station convenience store disarmed and took down a man who entered wielding a gun.
Though the man was pointing the gun at someone else, the Marine’s response was quick. A second man who entered at the same time as the man with the gun fled out the door.
The former Marine is not identified.
The Oct. 20 incident, which went viral, was captured on the closed-circuit TV at a store in Yuma, Arizona.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of an armed robbery at about 4:30 a.m., the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office said.
“Upon arrival, deputies learned of three suspects entering the Chevron [store], one of them armed with a handgun. The armed suspect walked next to a store customer while pointing the weapon toward the cashier when the customer acted immediately and disarmed him.
“The other two suspects fled the area when they witnessed their fellow criminal stopped. The customer was able to detain the suspect he disarmed until law enforcement arrived.
“The suspect detained during the incident was a juvenile and was booked into the Yuma County Juvenile Justice Center for one count of armed robbery and one count of aggravated assault. The other two suspects are still currently outstanding,” the sheriff’s office said.
Store surveillance video captures the moment the former Marine disarms and takes down a robber at a gas station in Yuma, Arizona, on Oct. 20 (Yuma County Sheriff’s Office/Zenger)
No injuries were reported by any of the victims, the sheriff’s office said.
“When deputies contacted the customer, who previously served in the United States Marine Corps, and asked how he was able to take control of the situation, he stated, ‘The Marine Corps taught me not to [mess] around,’” the sheriff’s office said.
The CCTV footage shows the former Marine, a customer, waiting inside the store. The door opens and two robbers, one armed with a gun, enter. A third suspect can be seen lingering by the door outside.
The armed robber has his weapon raised when, after a second or two, the former Marine knocks the gun away and takes down the suspect.
The video was posted on Facebook by the sheriff’s office and has gone viral there and on other social media platforms.
The sheriff’s office asked that anyone with information regarding the case to contact the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office by phone or to submit a tip anonymously at www.yumacountysheriff.org.
Yuma’s crime rate for 2018 was 510.81 per 100,000 population, a 0.62 percent decline from 2017, according to macrotrends.net. The crime rate for 2017 was 514.02 per 100,000 population, a 6.57 percent increase from 2015.
A longtime physician who reached a turning point after alleged harassment by her department chairman decided to reassess both her life and the career she has so carefully nurtured.
Theresa Buckson, an obstetrics and gynecology physician in South Miami, Florida, spent 15 years building a successful practice after completing her residency at Maryland General Hospital in Baltimore in 2001. She then became the first African American female physician to join one of the area’s largest multi-specialty practice groups.
Already a volunteer in a number of women’s groups, she made the life-altering decision to devote more of her time and energy to helping those less fortunate than herself, in the wake of what she perceived as a hostile work environment at her place of employment in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
As a volunteer with Women at Real Risk, Dr. Theresa Buckson (right) treats children, parents and grandparents who often have limited access to quality medical care. (Courtesy Dr. Theresa Buckson)
“I decided then that I really needed to live up to a greater standard of service to others,” said Buckson. “I was overworked and exhausted, and decided that if I was going to be exhausted, I wanted to be exhausted from helping those who could not help themselves instead of working endless hours and lining the pockets of a hospital that seemed more interested in maintaining its façade of greatness than helping patients.”
Since joining the OB-GYN emergency room staff at South Miami Hospital in January 2020, the Sunshine State has become Buckson’s new launch pad for her commitment to volunteerism, particularly providing medical care to people of African descent.
“Service is the rent we pay”
With breast cancer as a top health priority for her, Buckson works with Women at Real Risk, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization engaged in the fight against breast cancer. As part of the organization’s outreach, Buckson and other health care professionals travel to Jamaica on an annual medical mission.
“We travel to the most rural areas and to communities where the residents don’t have easy access to medical care,” said Buckson. “The patients are so gracious and so kind, and they really give back more than I could ever give them.”
Dr. Theresa Buckson is an obstetrics and gynecology physician in South Miami, Florida. (Courtesy Dr. Theresa Buckson)
Buckson is also a member of The Links, a nonprofit volunteer service organization established in 1946. Globally, the organization has adopted schools, partnered with Colgate to provide thousands of dental exams, and donated supplies and equipment to under-resourced schools and hospitals. Buckson is co-chair of The Links’ international trends and services and its health and human services, both of which aim to improve the quality of life for people of color around the world.
Yvonne Clarke, who has worked with Buckson as a Links member and Women at Real Risk volunteer, said she admires the work-life balance Buckson has achieved through her volunteerism.
“When I was president of our Links chapter, she would follow me around, like a lot of people do when you’re the president of a large organization,” said Clarke. “But rather than seeing someone seeking an opportunity for themselves, I saw a person who truly wanted to serve without the accolades or kudos. She really wanted to serve the underserved. She is amazingly blessed with the gift of hospitality that she puts into action every day.”
“Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on the earth,” Buckson said, quoting the late congresswoman.
Career ups and downs
The daughter of a licensed practical nurse, Buckson started her career trajectory as an undergrad at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., before transferring to nearby University of Maryland on a full scholarship.
“I hated Maryland,” she said. “My heart was at Georgetown, although my classes were at College Park [Maryland]. I still bleed blue and gray, and I’m a Hoya at heart.”
The tough transition, however, did not deter Buckson from jump-starting the campus’ Phi Sigma Biological Sciences Honor Society. She was also inducted into the Mortar Board Senior Honor Society, which recognizes seniors for excellence in scholarship, leadership and service.
After graduating from Maryland in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in biology, Buckson spent three years researching the prevention of preterm labor at Cornell University Medical College. She received her doctor of medicine from the Medical College of Virginia in 1997.
After her residency and a brief stint at a small women’s clinic in Annapolis, Maryland, Buckson joined a multi-specialty practice associated with the Anne Arundel Medical Center in 2006. It was there, she said, that she found an environment hostile toward her and other black women doctors.
Despite the less-than-favorable work conditions, she remained with the practice until December 2019.
“The years of harassment … always made me want to leave,” Buckson said. “I thought it best to try to stay, and create a change in the culture.”
But, with the resignation of another disgruntled black female physician in 2017, she was left to manage a short-staffed practice, which created a whole other set of challenges.
“After attempting to manage this for two years, I decided that I needed to seek employment elsewhere because I no longer had any time to devote to myself, my family or my volunteer work.”
On the advice of a colleague, Buckson left Maryland for her current position in Florida, where she continues her brand of compassionate care for her patients.
“Theresa is family; she is one of the closest people I have in my life,” said Dr. Meera Nasir, medical director in the OB-GYN emergency room. “She gives 200 percent. She’s very passionate and willing to do anything for you. And she’s the same way with her patients.
“She is willing to go the extra mile, always doing right by the patient. She has a true moral compass.”
Jamel Herring has allowed Shakur Stevenson to do all the talking leading up to their title fight on Saturday night. Herring, who is 23-2 with 11 knockouts, defends his WBO super featherweight title against 2016 Olympic U.S. silver medalist Stevenson (16-0 with eight knockouts) on Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia.
Herring was team captain of America’s 2012 Olympics boxing squad and also served in the U.S. Marines, with whom he was deployed on two different occasions to Iraq: once in 2005 and again in 2007. As a result, he’s earned the respect of his peers for his willingness to represent the United States in the ring and in the corps.
However, he still has to get a measure of respect from Stevenson, who has been dismissive of Herring since the fight was announced. Herring also enters the fight as a slight underdog, a rare stance for a defending champion, but a role he gladly accepts. “Semper Fi,” as Herring is known due to his service in the Marines, is making the fourth defense of his WBO title.
Herring gave Zenger the scoop on how this friends-turned-foes fight came about, explains why he didn’t let Stevenson pull him out of character and talks all things Herring-Stevenson.
Percy Crawford interviewed Jamel Herring for Zenger.
Zenger: Saturday night, you will be putting your WBO super featherweight title on the line against Shakur Stevenson. How has preparation been?
Herring: I feel good going into this fight. I had a good camp. No postponements, unlike my last two fights. I feel like we covered everything we needed to cover. So, I’m confident.
Zenger: This is not a bad thing because we have watched fighters like Floyd Mayweather benefit from it. But you seem to remain dangerously close to your fight weight. How do you find a balance to make sure you’re not overtraining?
Percy Crawford interviewed Jamel Herring for Zenger. (Heidi Malone/Zenger)
Herring: It’s crazy, P… if it wasn’t for my trainers, I probably would be overtraining. I have no stop button. Once I hit the ground running, then I’m running. Luckily, I have a great team. They know how to pull me back. They tell me when enough is enough and when to relax.
For instance, my last fight, with all the postponements, going into the [Carl] Frampton fight, they actually had to tell me to take at least a week off, and go home for the holiday season. They wanted me to enjoy life a bit because I was so focused on that fight and really into my training.
Zenger: Speaking of that team, since joining co-trainer Brian “BoMac” McIntyre, we have watched you not only elevate your game but become a world champion as well. How comfortable are you with that team of “BoMac” and co-trainer Red Spikes now?
Herring: We are all on the same tune. Going into this fight, and I know this is a really tough fight, but I’m so confident in my team because we’re on the same page, I don’t have any worries. I don’t have any doubts floating in my mind. When I started with them to now, they have never led me in the wrong direction. With that being said, that eases my mind in a major way. I always feel great going into battle with these guys.
Zenger: Does watching a fighter like Mikey Garcia get upset by Sandor Martin put you on alert more in terms of going that extra mile in the gym?
Herring: Definitely! When I see fights like that, Mikey Garcia being the most recent one, it just gives me another sense of motivation and a lesson on what to do and what not to do. I’m not saying Mikey took his opponent lightly, but the narrative going into that fight was, people didn’t know who that guy was, it was a tune-up.
Somebody said it best: there is no such thing as a tune-up in boxing. What you may feel like is a tune-up may be your opponent’s lottery ticket. When I see things like that, it gives me a boost and a sense of urgency. It shows you that anything is possible in the sport of boxing. It’s never a 100 percent clear-cut result until the fight is over, as we are starting to see.
Zenger: Many feel like Shakur is … if not taking you lightly, being very dismissive of you. Do you sense him being dismissive or him putting on for the media?
Herring: I get a sense of both. At times I feel like he’s just trying to write me off and think it’s going to be easy work, and I’m a nobody. But there are times that I feel like he’s saying it for the media because he knows the team that I have. He’s worked alongside my team for his last fight. He knows the work that we put in to get these victories.
I find it kind of silly when he says certain things. But at times. I really hope that he’s overlooking [me]. He’s going to be in for a surprise, so it doesn’t bother me. One thing for sure, I’m not overlooking anyone. I never have. You have known that since you’ve met me. I don’t take anyone lightly, and I’m definitely not taking this fight lightly as well.
Zenger: You have always been the cool, calm and collected guy. Has Shakur pushed those limits because he has been talking this fight up and saying a lot of things? Has it been tough remaining calm?
Herring: It’s who I am. For example, you and I are both fathers; I have a teenage daughter. These kids see everything on social media. I remember my daughter coming to me when I was home, before I even got to training camp, and she said, “Dad, what’s up with this dude? I thought ya’ll were cool, and he’s saying a lot of crazy stuff.” I’m telling her, “It’s just fight talk. That’s how some fighters build up a fight.” And she looked at me and said, “Dad, no matter what, will you please continue being who you are and never jump out of character?”
When I went to the press conference, I had that in mind, so that’s why I stayed cool and calm. When we were face to face, I really wasn’t playing into what he had to say because I didn’t really care. At the end of the day, the contracts had been signed, and we had a date. We will have our opportunity to settle the score.
Zenger: It’s odd for any champion to be the underdog going into a fight where he’s defending his title, but here we are. There is a thin line between being the underdog and being disrespected. Where do you feel you stand?
Herring: I believe I sit on both sides at times. You know me, the underdog role never bothered me. It seems like I’ve been the underdog [the] majority of my career anyway. If anything, it’s the disrespect that I don’t take lightly. I know how to cope with it. I don’t go out there and lash out. No one can point out where I went on social media or did an interview and lashed out at anyone, even when I feel like I’m being disrespected. I never fight fire with fire. I go my own way and use that disrespect as motivation to get me to where I’m at now.
Jamel Herring shows off his WBO super featherweight title belt. (Courtesy of Jamel Herring)
Zenger: That’s the out-of-the-ring stuff. In the ring, we’ll have two talented brothers, both southpaws, with experience on your side. Youth is on his. Given all that, what type of fight are you expecting?
Herring: I gotta be a dog, man. I feel like if I let it be too much of a “chess match,” it plays right into his hands. If you allow Shakur to do what he wants, he’s going to try and pick you apart, and do the bare minimum to steal the rounds. He’s fine with that. I gotta go out there and be dominant from start to finish. I gotta push myself. I gotta jump out of my own comfort zone.
My team and I have worked so hard in camp doing these things, I feel comfortable doing it. I don’t feel like I’m going in there second-guessing anything. I won’t be out of my element. I think of these things every day going into this fight. I always give him his credit. If you sit back and look too long and wait, and let him do what he wants to do, he’s going to get you.
Zenger: Are you and Shakur Stevenson cool?
Herring: You know me, P. I don’t hold any animosity towards anyone. That’s really a question you would have to ask him. I have no problem shaking his hand and showing love from the end of the fight on out, but out of nowhere he has a lot of disdain for me for whatever reason. I get it, we’re fighting for a world title, we’re competing, and we’re competitors.
But at the same time, I don’t get where some of the animosity that he has showed toward me comes from. At the end of the day, I don’t pay that any mind. I’m not the one out here saying that the mutual friends that we have must choose a side. That doesn’t bother me. If we’re cool with the same person, but I know that you rocked with him longer, I have no problem if you’re siding with him. I’m not going to get out there and say, “You being a snake.” It just is what it is.
I feel like he has a lot of growing up to do on his end. You see it now, he goes out there and puts this character on, but then gets upset when the people show him that they’re not feeling what he’s doing. It’s like, man, this is what you’re promoting, this is what you’re doing, you can’t have it both ways. You can’t be out here playing the villain, but then you want to be treated like a hero.
I’m going to be the same me, regardless. I show everybody love at the end of the day. I give him credit even though he’s called me a B-level fighter in the media; he’s said that I’m not that good. Even when he had an underwhelming performance, I never went out there and bashed him. I didn’t have to do that. I was at the fight, and they interviewed me. I could have said that the fight was this or that, but I didn’t do that. I did me and went from there.
Jamel Herring displays his ripped physique during preparations for his title defense on Oct. 23. (Courtesy of Jamel Herring)
Zenger: I thought ESPN and Top Rank did an amazing job with the “Blood, Sweat and Tears” documentary, pre-fight build up show. Have you been able to treat this like a normal fight given the hype and enormity of it, or do you not want it to feel like a normal fight and invite this stage and all that comes with it?
Herring: It’s great how they are promoting and pushing this fight, but once I’m done watching it, I’m back to business. When you hit me up, I was getting my stuff out to go for a run. I don’t get caught up into it like that. I still … I’m like you, P. At the end of the day, I just want to do what I gotta do and go home to my family and continue being a husband and a father.
I don’t really care for much of the spotlight. I appreciate it and I’m grateful that I’m finally getting my shine. You know the long road I had to come through, but at the same time, it doesn’t change who I am. When you hit me up, I was happy.
You and I have had conversations where you have been dealing with guys, and then they’re telling you, “Call my man, and we can hook something up,” and you’re texting with the fighter. You’re answering my text, but I have to call your boy to set up an interview? Nah, man. We’re going to chop it up, and that’s just me.
When it’s all said and done, people are going to remember you for your character, not how much money you made, or how much press you were getting. I give everybody the same love that I would want in return. I’m motivated, I’m excited for this fight because it’s a big fight and a steppingstone for my career that I never thought I would have seen five or six years ago. I’m just grateful to be here. At the end of the day, when I leave that ring, I’m happy with just going home, sitting down and just chillin’.
Police in Texas have arrested a woman involved in kidnapping a toddler and are searching for two suspected accomplices.
“Garland investigators seek the public’s assistance in locating two suspects who kidnapped a 20-month-old infant boy on Sunday, Oct. 17,” the Garland Police Department said.
The baby boy and his mother were in a motel room when the mother heard a knock at the door, police said. “Investigators believe the mother opened the door thinking it was a friend. Three women rushed inside the room and immediately overpowered the mother and took her child.
“Officers retrieved surveillance video that showed the three women arriving at the motel in a black SUV. The video shows the SUV parking in the back parking lot of the motel and the three women exiting. The women are seen waiting at the back door until it is opened from inside.
“Moments later, the women are seen exiting the same door carrying the infant and running to the SUV. The mother chased after them and was able to remove the front license plate from the kidnappers’ vehicle before they were able to flee the parking lot.”
Lashonda Price is charged with kidnapping in the case of a 20-month-old boy who was abducted from a motel room in Garland, Texas, on Oct. 17. (Garland Police Department/Zenger)
In a statement posted on Facebook on Oct. 19, police said: “The responding officers identified the SUV as a black Jeep Renegade from the license plate the mother obtained. Officers immediately began checking the area and one Garland officer observed the SUV driving on Northwest Highway near LBJ Freeway just inside Dallas.
“Officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and observed that it was occupied by a woman driver, an 11-year-old juvenile, and the kidnapped infant. The infant was unharmed and safely returned to his mother.”
Lashonda Price, 34, of Seagoville was arrested on Oct. 19 and taken to Dallas County Jail. Bond was set at $20,000. It was not known at the time of this report whether she met bail.
Neither the relationship of the 11-year-old to the suspect nor the juvenile’s identity was reported.
Texas police are searching for a suspect identified as 28-year-old Romeisha Brown in connection with the child’s kidnapping. (Garland Police Department/Zenger)
“Detectives identified one of the other women as 28-year-old Romeisha Brown but have not identified the third. An arrest warrant for kidnapping has been obtained for Brown,” said police, who released a photo of Brown. “The third suspect is described as a white female.
“Investigators believe this to be an isolated-targeted incident where the involved suspects knew the victim. This is still an active investigation.”
Detectives are asking if anyone has information on the whereabouts of Brown, and the identity of the third woman, to call the Garland Police Department or to anonymously call CrimeStoppers.
Three rare Ural owls have found a new home at a Swiss zoo, which is reintroducing the nocturnal birds to Austria, where they have been considered extinct for decades.
There has been a 10-year effort to secure this goal. The Zurich Zoo in Switzerland says it “is stepping up its commitment to protecting the species.”
The zoo said: “The owl embodies the fascinating characteristics of many owl species in its behavior, anatomy and biology.”
The owls are nocturnal hunters and “by shifting their phases of activity primarily to twilight and night, owls have gotten rid of their food competition that was active during the day.”
Their main prey are voles, shrews, mice and rats, which are grabbed with large claws.
One of the three Ural owls at the Zurich Zoo. They are nocturnal hunters and fly silently. (Zoo Zurich, Enzo Franchini/Zenger)
Many of the Ural owls’ physical characteristics are adapted for a nighttime hunt.
Owls have excellent ears, even asymmetrical ear openings, to locate the prey animals through their noises. Their broad head and a face veil supports sound perception.
“Owls’ eyes are forward-facing, which enables binocular vision. Although the eyes themselves are immobile, owls can turn their head with 14 cervical vertebrae by up to 270 degrees, which greatly increases their field of vision,” said the zoo.
Ural owls are silent hunters, and their flight is almost noiseless.
“The feathers of the owls are velvety and fine and the edges of the hand feathers are frayed. Together with the ability to fly slowly, this ensures the air around the feathers is little swirled.”
The zoo said: “The Ural owl has a continuous distribution from Northern Europe via Russia to Japan. While there are still populations of Ural owls in Eastern Europe, they have become extinct in our neighboring countries, Austria and Germany. Ural owls were never native to Switzerland.”
One of the three new Ural owls at the Zurich Zoo in Switzerland. The species is monogamous and often has duets with mates during courtship. (Zoo Zurich, Nicole Schnyder/Zenger)
Males claim territories by singing from different perches, and during courtship can conduct duets with their mates. Ural owls mate for life and maintain the same territory for years.
The zoo hopes the three new Ural owls will produce babies.
“A reintroduction project has been attempting since 2009 to re-establish a stable population. However, this requires many young birds,” the Zurich Zoo said.
“Forty-nine breeding pairs are currently breeding in 32 zoos and breeding stations for these releases. By September 2019, 428 birds had already been released in the Vienna Woods Biosphere Park and in the Duerrenstein wilderness area.”
The most successful breeding year so far was 2017, with 18 proven pairs. The young birds from the Zurich Zoo will expand the local population and contribute to the long-term survival of the species.
