Archive for January 19th, 2009
Scammers looking for suckers
(CNS): If you get email from a friend saying they are in trouble and need you to send funds to Nigeria, it’s a scam. This is one of two new scams targeting Cayman Islands residents that the Financial Crimes Unit of the RCIPS is warning residents to be on their guard against, the other purporting to be from the Canada Revenue Agency.
The first scam involves people receiving an email claiming to be from their email account provider, such as yahoo. The email claims to come from the customer care department and requests information such as their username, account password, date of birth, country of residence and occupation, to ensure continued email service. Once this information has been given, an email is sent from the account to all contacts claiming to be from the account holder and stating that the person is in trouble overseas and requires money to be sent to an account in Nigeria as a matter of urgency. Needless to say, after receiving the log-in information for the account and some personal details the scammers access the account and send a bogus email requesting cash.
“This is a hoax email. No legitimate email provider would ever ask you for your personal information such as password and date of birth,” said Detective Constable Adrian Neblett of the FCU. “If anyone receives an unsolicited email asking for personal details or claiming that you have won money in a competition a red flag should go up immediately.”
Another email scam that has been reported involves a message claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency. The email states that the recipient is entitled to a tax refund and asks that the lucky winner fills out an online form which asks for personal details.
“It can be hard to tell genuine communication from non-genuine,” said DC Neblett. “If you receive any communication that is from a stranger, informs you that you have won money or a prize in a competition you have never heard of or asks for personal information be very wary indeed. Chances are this is a scam which could result in you losing out financially. The best way to deal with these emails is to delete then and not give them another thought.”
Anyone with information about crime taking place in the Cayman Islands should contact their local police station or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS). All persons calling Crime Stoppers remain anonymous, and are eligible for a reward of up to $1000, should their information lead to an arrest or recovery of property/drugs.
Robbery in George Town, guns in Bodden Town
(CNS): Three men have been arrested following a robbery in George Town this morning in which a male victim received a wound to his forehead and was robbed of his wallet. In a separate incident, two men were seen running out of one of an apartment on Shamrock Road on Saturday morning carrying what appeared to be handguns.
Police report that detectives in George Town have arrested three men and seized a car following a robbery which occurred in the early hours of Monday, 19 January. The 911 Emergency Communications Centre received a call at approximately 12:20am from a member of the public reporting that a man had been robbed near in the car park between the Marquee Plaza and Triple Crown. Police and medics responded and found that a 44-year-old man received a wound to his forehead and was robbed of his wallet.
Following investigations by George Town CID, the three men were arrested on suspicion of robbery. They remain in police custody at this time. Detective Sergeant Colin Oremule is investigating the case and would like to hear from anyone who was in the area who may have seen something to come forward. DS Oremule can be contacted on 516-8746.
Detectives are also investigating an incident which occurred on Saturday morning in Bodden Town. The 911 Emergency Communications Centre received a call from a member of the public reporting that two men had run out ofone of the units at Chester’s Apartments on Shamrock Road carrying what appeared to be handguns. The member of the public reported that he was following the suspects and stayed on the line to inform 911 of their movements until operators advised that, for his safety, he should cease to follow the car.
Police responded and an area search for the vehicle proved negative. Officers from Bodden Town Criminal Investigation Department are conducting enquiries and have learnt that two men entered an apartment in the complex and demanded cash from the male and female occupant. Neither party was hurt in the incident. Detectives have traced a number of people who were in the area at the time; however believe that there are more witnesses who have yet to come forward. Anyone who can help police with their investigation should contact Detective Sergeant Joseph Wright or Detective Constable Gary Edwards on 947-2220.
Anyone with information about crime taking place in the Cayman Islands should contact their local police station or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS). All persons calling Crime Stoppers remain anonymous, and are eligible for a reward of up to $1000, should their information lead to an arrest or recovery of property/drugs.
Peanut butter products salmonella scare
(CNS): Five days after the Kellogg Co. announced it was recommending that consumers not eat its peanut butter crackers because they may be tainted with salmonella, the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) is alerting the Cayman public to the danger. According to CNN, six deaths in the US may have been connected to this salmonella outbreak and 474 people in 43 states have become sick. Voluntary Food Recalls have been issued for such brands as Keebler cookies, Austin Cookies, and Famous Amos Cookies.
Food and Drug Administration officials said Saturday that peanut butter and peanut paste made from ground roasted peanuts, manufactured in Peanut Corp.’s Blakely, Georgia, plant were found to contain the bacteria, although a direct link to the strain has not been found.
Because identification of products subject to recall is continuing, the FDA urges consumers to postpone eating commercially-prepared or manufactured peanut butter-containing products and institutionally-served peanut butter until further information becomes available about which products may be affected. Efforts to specifically identify those products are ongoing.
The FDA says that, at this time, there is no indication that any national name brand jars of peanut butter sold in retail stores are linked to the PCA recall. As the investigation continues over the weekend, and into next week, the FDA will be able to update the advice based on new sampling and distribution information.
The officials in the Food Safety section of the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) are currently investigating for the presence of the all affected products in all local supermarkets and distributors, both here and the Sister Islands. If any affected products are found, they will be removed immediately from supermarket shelves.
Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children; frail or elderly people; and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhoea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances the organism may get into the bloodstream, producing more severe illnesses such as infected aneurysms, endocarditis, and arthritis. If you have eaten any peanut based products and are experiencing any of these symptoms, please contact your medical provider immediately.
For further information concerning local efforts, contact the DEH at 949-6696. For more details and a full list of products impacted, visit the FDA website.
Below is a list of some of the products being voluntarily recalled by the FDA:
Austin® Quality Foods Cheese Crackers with Peanut Butter – all sizes
Austin® Quality Foods Cheese & Peanut ButterSandwich Crackers – all sizes
Austin® Quality Foods Mega Stuffed Cheese Crackers with Peanut Butter – all sizes
Austin® Quality Foods PB & J Cracker Sandwiches – all sizes
Austin® Quality Foods Super Snack Pack Sandwich Crackers
Austin® Quality Foods Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers – all sizes
Austin® Quality Foods Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter – all sizes
Austin® Quality Foods Reduced Fat Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
Austin® Quality Foods Reduced Fat Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers
Austin® Quality Foods Cookie/Cracker Pack
Austin® Quality Foods Variety Pack
Keebler® Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers – all sizes
Keebler® Toast & PB’n J Flavoured Sandwich Crackers – all sizes
Keebler® Toast & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers – all sizes
Famous Amos® Peanut Butter Cookies (2- and 3-ounce)
Keebler® Soft Batch Home-style Peanut Butter Cookies (2.5-ounce
Perry’s Premium Peanut Butter Cup Craze Ice Cream 1/2 Pint
Perry’s Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream 1.5 QT, 1.75 QT AND 3 GL
Perry’s Peanut Butter Chip Frozen Yogurt 1.5 QT, 1.75 QT and 3 GL
Perry’s Peanut Butter Sundae Crunch Ice Cream Bar Bulk 24 pack
Perry’s Premium Peanut Butter Fudge Ice Cream 1.5 QT and 1.75 QT
Perry’s Perfectly Churned Light Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream 1.5 QT and 1.75 QT
Perry’s Light Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream 1.75 QT
Shurfine Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream 1.75 QT
Wegmans Chocolate Nutty Cone Ice Cream 1.75 QT
Wegmans Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream 1.75 QT and Pint
Wegmans Peanut Butter Swirl Ice Cream 1.75 QT
Wegmans Peanut Butter Sundae Ice Cream 1.75 QT
Wegmans Peanut Butter Pretzel Ice Cream 1.75 QT
Wegmans Peanut Butter Crunch Ice Cream Bar 6 pack
Wegmans Peanut Butter Candy Sundae Cup Ice Cream 4 pack
Wegmans Peanut Butter Sundae Cup Ice Cream 4 pack
Little Debbie® Peanut Butter Toasty sandwich crackers — all sizes.
Little Debbie® Peanut Butter Cheese sandwich crackers — all sizes.
No other Little Debbie® products are involved in this recall.
Candy impacted by the recall are all sold under The South Bend Chocolate Company brand name and were produced on or after July 1, 2008. The candies under recall including:
Assorted chocolates in 5 ounce (Product 121), 8 ounce (Product 122), 12 ounce (Product 123) and 26 ounce (Product 124) boxes [Note the sugar free assorted chocolates are not affected, and are not part of the recall]
Hoosiers in 5 ounce (Product 010, UPC# 4482300011) and 3.5 ounce (Product o11, UPC# 4482300010)
Valentine Heart, 14 ounces (Product 1020)
The following products are also under recall and are sold to retail stores in bulk for sales of smaller quantities to their customers:
4.5lb Peanut Butter Fudge, Product 228
4 lb. Hoosiers, Product 410
5 lb. Peanut Butter Meltaway, Milk Chocolate, Product 204
5 lb. Peanut Butter Meltaways-Dark Chocolate, Product 204D
4.5lb Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge, Product 229
Source: US Food and Drug Administration; www.fda.com.
Off to see the President
(CNS): Two local students will be among the millions witnessing the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama. Brendon Lyons II, UCCI alumnus and undergraduate at Kings College, and Victor Crumbley, currently studying at the University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI), will join the millions of people that are expected to descend on Washington DC for this monumental event in United States history.
According to the UCCILyons was invited to attend the prestigious University Presidential Inaugural Conference, along with other outstanding university students from around the world. Lyons was selected based on his past attendance and performance at the Global Young Leaders Conference run by the same organisation.
UCCI is sponsoring Lyons with partial coverage of the cost for the conference tuition. In addition to witnessing the ceremonies and parade, participants will also experience other conference events, including meeting members of Congress, White House officials, presidential historians and political leaders, such as former Vice President Al Gore. Participants will also have the opportunity to visit historic sites and attend a black-tie gala inaugural ball.
UCCI representative Leigh Smellie said, “This is a truly wonderful opportunity that will allow for a deeper understanding of the history of the electoral process in the US and to have discourse with students from different countries. It will, no doubt, be a source of inspiration and UCCI is pleased to lend its support.”
Crumbley decided to seize his opportunity to attend the ceremony and has made his own plans to travel to the nation’s capital. Crumbley grew up in the US but, having missed the opportunity to participate in the elections there this year, he knew that he wanted to be a part of this incredible milestone to show his support for the new president.
Reflecting on his decision, Crumbley said, “I wrestled with missing classes and the week away but, after getting feedback from others, lecturers included, the positive response made it clearer that I should go. It’s one day of my life, but a day that will be forever immortalized throughout the pages of history books”. Crumbley also expressed his desire to share his experience with students upon his return.
Police nab George Town drunk drivers
(CNS): A few party goers this weekend found that drinking and driving mean trouble with the law as police in George Town cracked down on DUI offences. Police in the district made a number of arrests over the weekend, including a number of people for driving under the influence of alcohol. Overnight Friday, 16 January, into Saturday, 17 January, five men aged 41, 26, 60,48 and 33 were arrested for driving over the legal limit.
Other arrests made over the weekend in George Town include a 30-year-year old man on suspicion of disorderly conduct, a 47-year-old man on suspicion of damage to property, a 42-year-old man on suspicion of assault and a 48-year-old man on suspicion of driving while disqualified and driving without any insurance.
“It’s disappointing to see drivers risking their safety and the safety of others by driving after having a drink,” said Inspector Frank Owens, shift Inspector for the nights in question. “Just one drink can affect your ability to drive. If you are drinking, have a designated driver or call a taxi. It’s not worth taking the risk.”
Anyone with information about crime taking place in the Cayman Islands should contact their local police station or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS). All persons calling crime stoppers remain anonymous, and are eligible for a reward of up to $1000, should their information lead to an arrest or recovery of property/drugs.
Fortis leads after day one of Commodores Cup
(CNS): Seven boats participated in the first J22 racing of the New Year, vying for the Commodores Cup and a place in the KPMG International regatta to be held in Cayman at the end of February. The Commodores Cup is run over two days with the second day of racing to be held a week later. The Cayman Islands Sailing Club said the day commenced with winds from the north east of 15 knots gusting higher but as the racing progressed the winds calmed to about 12 knots with a massive shift to the south east requiring the crews to concentrate on the wind and to adapt to new conditions.
Five races were held on the first day of racing, each being approximately half an hour in length and following the classic windward-leeward course. The starts of the races were fiercely contested with several boats in different races being too aggressive and being on the wrong side of the start line at the start, requiring them to return and start again. However, in the last race, Compass Marine had not realised they were over the start line early and led round the course only to find there was no finishing signal for them.
The youth team on Fortis was helmed by 15 year old Marina Maffesanti with crew members Stuart Jennings, Mike Delaney and Hugo McErlean. They showed maturity and calmness beyond their years as they won two of the five races with second places in the remaining three races. Fortis goes into the second day of racing as event leader and will be difficult to beat. In second place is Compass Marine helmed by Mike Farrington who raced strongly but had one poor start. Jane Moon in third place showed great skills after poor starts arising from aggressive tactics, each time being able to gain numerous places during the course of the short races, and she will need to be watched by the boats in front of her.
The skippers will be watching the weather reports over the next few days to see what conditions will be like this coming Sunday and hoping that they will be favoured by fair winds.
Photo: Compass Marine helmed by Mike Farrington chasing Ciao helmed by Jane Moon on the downwind leg.
The importance of fish
(ScienceDaily): New research reveals the major influence of fish on maintaining the delicate pH balance of our oceans, vital for the health of coral reefs and other marine life. The discovery, made by a team of scientists from the UK, US and Canada, could help solve a mystery that has puzzled marine chemists for decades. Published 16 January 2009 in Science, the study provides new insights into the marine carbon cycle, which is undergoing rapid change as a result of global CO2 emissions. Go to article