Albany, NY
News
Hudson Valley Among Regions In NY That Have Been 'Infested' By Invasive Insect, Schumer Says Hudson Valley Among Regions In NY That Have Been 'Infested' By Invasive Insect, Schumer Says
Hudson Valley Among Regions In NY That Have Been 'Infested' By Invasive Insect, Schumer Says Parts of New York that have been infested this year with an invasive insect that puts crops at risk, US Sen. Chuck Schumer announced. Schumer said in an announcement on Sunday, Aug. 14, that nearly every region in upstate New York has seen the invasive spotted lanternfly, and the insect could cost the state millions of dollars if it is not contained. He said infestations and sightings have been found across different parts of the state, including the Hudson Valley, the Capital Region, Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier. Schumer urged the United States Depar…

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by Nicole Valinote
Jersey City, NJ
News
Video Captures Spotted Lanternflies Swarming Jersey City Building Video Captures Spotted Lanternflies Swarming Jersey City Building
Video Captures Spotted Lanternflies Swarming Jersey City Building Spotted lanternflies seem to be more prevalent than ever this year in New Jersey.  One Jersey City resident captured the invasive species swarming a Jersey City building, and he fears they could harm the newly-planted trees in a nearby park. "Tens of thousands are on the west side of 333 Grand. They look like they crash into the glass on the upper floors and fall to the sidewalk," Marc Wesson writes in the video.  "We sprayed them with agriculture grade vinegar, and killed most of them. My concern is that they are only a block away from the park, and that kind of infestation woul…

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by Cecilia Levine
Yorktown, NY
News
See Them? Squash Them: NY Officials Encourage Residents To Kill This Invasive Insect See Them? Squash Them: NY Officials Encourage Residents To Kill This Invasive Insect
See Them? Squash Them: NY Officials Encourage Residents To Kill This Invasive Insect If you see them, squash them. That’s the message from the New York State Department of Agriculture, which is warning about an invasive insect known as the spotted lanternfly. Native to Asia, the pink and gray dotted bugs were first spotted in Pennsylvania in 2014 and have been spreading across the Northeast ever since. Spotted lanternflies are not harmful to humans, but can damage crops and certain trees considered critical to agriculture. State agriculture officials urged New Yorkers who encounter the bugs to quickly exterminate them. We need EVERY New Yorker to keep their eyes pee…

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by Michael Mashburn
Ashburn, VA
News
Seen It? Invasive Insect Makes Appearance In New Virginia County Seen It? Invasive Insect Makes Appearance In New Virginia County
Seen It? Invasive Insect Makes Appearance In New Virginia County An invasive insect that has been a point of consternation for farmers for years has been discovered in some parts of Virginia. The spotted lanternfly, which hails from southeast Asia before it made its way stateside in 2014 has reportedly been found in Loudoun County in recent weeks, causing concern for some. Lanternflies target the sap of certain trees, including grapevines, fruit trees, and other plants, devastating them. According to officials, if one spots a lanternfly, they should kill it, then send it to the state officials for evaluation. Officials noted that lanternflies pose no t…

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by Zak Failla
Middletown, NJ
News
Bird Flu Kills Backyard Flock In NJ Bird Flu Kills Backyard Flock In NJ
Bird Flu Kills Backyard Flock In NJ The first case of bird flu killed a backyard flock on the Jersey Shore, NJ Advance Media said.  At least 10 ducks have died and an undisclosed number of chickens got sick as a result of the avian influenza outbreak in Monmouth County, the outlet said.  While the national outbreak has driven up the price of eggs and chicken, properly cooked foul is harmless to humans even when it's infected by the flu, agriculture experts say. Almost 40 million birds have become infected in 338 backyard and commercial flocks in 35 states this year, according to the USDA.  The current bird f…

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by Jon Craig
Glen Burnie, MD
Business
Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine Could Lead To Spikes In These Food Products In Addition To Oil Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine Could Lead To Spikes In These Food Products In Addition To Oil
Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine Could Lead To Spikes In These Food Products In Addition To Oil The Russian invasion of Ukraine is expected to cause a flux in the markets, sending the prices of energy and certain agricultural products through the roof as supply chains are further disrupted. Experts are expecting oil and gas prices to spike due to the European crisis, though some of Russia and Ukraine’s largest exports are expected to impact costs for other products overseas and stateside. Officials said that outside of energy, the price of products such as wheat, barley, corn, copper, and nickel are likely going to be on the rise as supply chains already impacted by the COVID-19 pande…

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by Zak Failla
Harrison, NY
Business
Maple Syrup Shortage Prompts Canada To Tap Into Half Of Its Strategic Reserve Maple Syrup Shortage Prompts Canada To Tap Into Half Of Its Strategic Reserve
Maple Syrup Shortage Prompts Canada To Tap Into Half Of Its Strategic Reserve Maple syrup producers in Canada are in a sticky situation, as a shortage has forced them to use a significant portion of their strategic reserve.  Quebec Maple Syrup Producers has used almost 50 million pounds of syrup from its reserve, according to a report from Bloomberg.  That accounts for nearly half of the reserve, the news outlet reported. Quebec Maple Syrup Producers reports that it represents 11,300 maple producers and regulates the production of maple syrup in the province. Quebec is the world's largest producer of maple syrup. CNN Business reported that …

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by Nicole Valinote
Pittsfield, MA
News
Invasive Insect Spotted In Massachusetts Invasive Insect Spotted In Massachusetts
Invasive Insect Spotted In Massachusetts A new invasive insect that has been a point of consternation for farmers for years has been discovered in Massachusetts. The spotted lanternfly, which hails from southeast Asia before it made its way stateside in 2014 has reportedly been found in Worcester County in recent weeks, causing concern for some in Worcester County. Lanternflies target the sap of certain trees, including grapevines, fruit trees, and other plants, potentially devastating them. The infestation is currently secluded to a single cluster of three trees in the area, according to the Massachusetts Department of Agricultu…

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by Zak Failla
Mount Pleasant, NY
News
Seen It? Invasive Insect Makes First Appearance In Hudson Valley Seen It? Invasive Insect Makes First Appearance In Hudson Valley
Seen It? Invasive Insect Makes First Appearance In Hudson Valley A new invasive insect that has been a point of consternation for farmers for years has been discovered in the Hudson Valley. The spotted lanternfly, which hails from southeast Asia before it made its way stateside in 2014 has reportedly been found in Orange and Rockland counties in recent weeks, causing concern for some. Lanternflies target the sap of certain trees, including grapevines, fruit trees, and other plants, devastating them. According to officials, if one spots a lanternfly, they should kill it, then send it to the state Department of Environmental Conservation for evaluation. …

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by Zak Failla
Brookfield, CT
Lifestyle
Seen It? Invasive Insect Has Been Found In Fairfield County Seen It? Invasive Insect Has Been Found In Fairfield County
Seen It? Invasive Insect Has Been Found In Fairfield County A new invasive insect that has been a point of consternation for farmers for years has been discovered in parts of Connecticut. The spotted lanternfly, which hails from southeast Asia before it made its way stateside in 2014 has reportedly been found in Fairfield and New Haven counties.  Lanternflies target the sap of certain trees, including grapevines, fruit trees, and other plants, devastating them. According to officials, if one spots a lanternfly, they should kill it, then send it to the state Department of Environmental Conservation for evaluation. Officials noted that lanternf…

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by Zak Failla
Hartford, CT
News
Mysterious Seed Packets Arriving In Mail Could Be A Scam - Don't Plant Them Mysterious Seed Packets Arriving In Mail Could Be A Scam - Don't Plant Them
Mysterious Seed Packets Arriving In Mail Could Be A Scam - Don't Plant Them People who have received mysterious seed packages through the mail are being advised: Do not plant them. Agriculture departments in 30 states are warning people about unsolicited seed deliveries that appear to be coming from China. The USDA is aware that people have been receiving these odd seed packets and is working with Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection to investigate the situation. The USDA urges anyone who receives unsolicited seed packets to hold onto them, as well as their labels and packaging, and contact their state plant regulatory office: Connecticut: (203) 97…

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by Kristin Palpini
Englewood, NJ
Police & Fire
Neighbors: July 4th Partyers Don't Realize Englewood House Is On Fire, Good Samaritan Dials 911 Neighbors: July 4th Partyers Don't Realize Englewood House Is On Fire, Good Samaritan Dials 911
Neighbors: July 4th Partyers Don't Realize Englewood House Is On Fire, Good Samaritan Dials 911 Well over 100 attendees at an Englewood 4th of July party apparently didn't realize the house was on fire until a passerby dialed 911, neighbors said. The good Samaritan said she "happened to be walking my grandson" on West End Avenue when she "saw the left side of the house on fire" around 10:30 p.m. Saturday. "There were a lot of drunk people -- like, 150," a witness said. "Nobody noticed." No serious injuries were reported. Police charged Robert Ferrarelli, 20, with aggravated assault on a police officer, making terroristic threats during a state of emergency, rioting and resisting. …

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by Jerry DeMarco