During Hurricane Helene, nearly 600,000 trout died at the Armstrong State Fish Hatchery in McDowell County due to compromised water quality from landslides and flooding, resulting in the need for extensive repairs and rebuilding. The hatchery is responsible for stocking trout in an 11-county region in Western North Carolina, and the damage is expected to impact future trout stocking. Despite the loss, the flooding caused by the hurricane may lead to a larger spawn of wild trout in the region in the near future.
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Federal judge awards nearly $2M after ruling FBI agent was negligent in fatal shooting of abducted Texas man
A federal judge awarded nearly $2 million in damages to the mother and son of Ulises Valladares, a Texas man killed by an FBI agent during a botched rescue attempt in 2018. The judge determined that the agent, Gavin Lappe, was negligent in shooting Valladares, who was bound and blindfolded, without confirming his target. Despite Lappe being protected by qualified immunity, the judge ruled that he was the sole cause of Valladares' death due to...
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