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Invasive pest webinar set for February

Invasive pest webinar set for February

Bermudagrass stem maggot, a new invasive pest, has been found across much of the Southeast. First identified in Georgia in 2010, bermudagrass stem maggot is a pest that cattle and forage producers need to learn how to manage.

A webinar,  Biology and Management of Bermudagrass Stem Maggot, will be held at 10 a.m. CST on Wednesday, Feb. 6. This webinar is an excellent opportunity for cattle and forage producers to get an update on the bermudagrass stem maggot.

Drs. William Hudson and Dennis Hancock from the University of Georgia will discuss the status of this new invasive pest and provide research-based information on what is known about its biology and management. Questions for the speakers can be submitted during the webinar via e-mail and will be answered during the webinar.

The webinar will be recorded so it can be viewed at any time after Feb. 6.

Conservation Advisory Board to meet February 9th in Montgomery

Conservation Advisory Board to meet February 9th in Montgomery

The Alabama Conservation Advisory Board will hold its first scheduled meeting of 2013 on Saturday, February 9, in the State Capitol Auditorium in Montgomery, Ala. Registration for those wishing to address the board will be from 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., and the meeting will begin promptly at 9 a.m. Visitors should use the entrance behind the Capitol on North Union Street.
 
The Conservation Advisory Board assists in formulating policies for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), examines all rules and regulations, and makes recommendations for their change or amendment. This includes hunting seasons and bag limits.
 
The board is comprised of 10 members appointed by the governor for alternating terms of six years. Dan Moultrie of Verbena, Ala., currently serves as chairman.

Learn how to manage pests via 'Don't Bug Me' webinar series

Learn how to manage pests via 'Don't Bug Me' webinar series

Got ants?  Tired of ladybug invasions in the fall?  Brought home bed bugs from your last trip?  Alabama Cooperative Extension professionals will moderatre a free webinar series that will take on all of these topics.  In 2013, most of the webinars will be on fire ants and other invasive ant specias.  Other topics for the year include bed bugs and various insects that invade homes each autumn.

Alabama Extension entomologist Dr. Kathy Flanders says these free webinars are designed for homeowners and the general public.

"We will provide them wilth sound, research-based management solutions for these pests from some of the best experts around the country," she says.  "The webinars are specifically for ordinary people wno need answers they can use."

"Participating is as simple as clicking on a web link."

Each webinar will begin at 1 p.m.

Autauga County electronic recycling and paper shredding event coming up

Autauga County electronic recycling and paper shredding event coming up

ELECTRONIC RECYCLING, PAPER SHREDDING & ADEM RECYCLING

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WHAT: Electronic Recycling & Paper Shredding & ADEM Recycling

WHERE: Pratt Plaza Shopping Center, Prattville, AL (opposite Winn Dixie)

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Garbage left out for pickup blown around in storms

Garbage left out for pickup blown around in storms

PRATTVILLE, AL (WSFA) - Some residents in Prattville got a little too anxious about wanting their garbage picked up, but not Charles Welch. 

Welch knew better not to put his garbage bags out Christmas night, a night filled with tornado threats for many, a reality for places like Mobile.

"It would have been all down the street," said Welch who lives in Prattville.

Those who did put it out the night before city sanitation crews came by this morning unknowingly provided the perfect set-up for a clogged drain.

On Adell Street, for example, high winds blew some of the trash down the drain creating a mess in the process. The mess turned out to be flooding but thankfully no one's home got flooded out.

City of Prattville to Recycle Christmas Trees

City of Prattville to Recycle Christmas Trees

For the third year, the City of Prattville will continue our program of recycling Christmas trees through our partnership with Davey Tree Company. 

 

“This service will benefit our community in multiple ways,” said Mayor Bill Gillespie, Jr.  “Not only will citizens be able to dispose of their trees in an eco-friendly way, but it will also serve to decrease the amount of debris hauled to the landfill.  We are very fortunate to have such a great relationship with Alabama Power and Davey Tree Company.”

 

This service is being provided free of charge.  The recycled material will be utilized by our Urban Management Department in mulching our landscaping all over the City during the coming year.

 

Give the gift of healthier indoor air this holiday season

Give the gift of healthier indoor air this holiday season

Looking for a thoughtful and inexpensive gift that saves lives? Why not give the gift of healthier indoor air by buying a radon test kit as a stocking stuffer for family and friends? Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers.

“You can’t see, smell or taste radon, but it could be present at a dangerous level in your home,” cautioned James McNees, director of the Alabama Department of Public Health Office of Radiation Control. “The cold winter months when homes are closed and radon levels are likely to build to their highest concentrations are the perfect time of year to test.”

Radon claims the lives of about 21,000 Americans each year. The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Surgeon General urge all Americans to protect their health by testing their homes, schools and other buildings for radon.