JAPANESE BEETLES INVADE BOND COUNTY
Last year, many residents in Bond County noticed a rise in the Japanese Beetle population. Well…they're back. According to Lynn Weis with the Extension Office, there were sightings earlier in the month. The Japanese Beetles will feed off on 267 different types of plants. They are especially attracted to fruit trees and anything in the rose family. The Japanese Beetles live 10 months out of the year as grubs under the soil. The adult beetles, that you see now, will be laying eggs soon. Around the middle of August you will see the grubs in your soil.
Weis explains that if you have a heavy infestation for two or three years in a row, something needs to be done to to control the growth numbers in your area. Residents can use chemicals, but none of them are going to be 100% foolproof. She also says that if you use a Japanese Beetle trap, make sure to place it in a larger land space, as it will actually attract male beetles up to ¾ of a mile away. If you place it in a garden, you may be helping a neighbor, but not necessarily yourself.
FOLLOW-UP TO VACANT HOUSE FIRE IN RENO
In a follow-up to a story reported by WGEL last Thursday, June 21st, a fire in a vacant house at 1601 Well Road in Reno was caused by burning trash. The fire spread to the vacant house and then ignited a wheat stubble field, owned by Charlie Renfro, South of the vacant house. The wheat field stubble fire burned 1-2 acres of the field before being brought under control and extinguished. The fire also damaged a house owned by James and Ruth Blackburn at 1603 Well Road. Vinyl siding on the Blackburn house was melted due to heat from the trash fire.
Greenville firemen responded initially, and then called the Pocahontas fire department for mutual aid with a brush truck and the Shoal Creek department to provide two additional tanker trucks. Firemen from all three departments were on the scene for a little over 2 hours.
Greenville firemen were called again Thursday night, at 8:52 PM, to the same location, at 1603 Well Road, to a report of downed power lines. A tree had fallen on the lines and Southwestern Electric was called to take care of the downed power lines. Greenville firemen stayed on the scene for a little over two hours while the power lines were repaired, to make sure no additional fires resulted.
TUNE INTO WGEL FOR
NASCAR TICKET GIVEAWAY
8 Tickets, 2 Races, 1 Winner, it is the WGEL NASCAR Giveaway, and it’s your chance to win four tickets to the NASCAR race on July 14 and July 15th at Chicagoland speedway in Joliet Illinois. 1 lucky winner will win all 8 tickets, and you can register to win, no purchase necessary, at McDonald’s restaurant in Greenville and Highland, Chubby Chassis and Scott’s Package Store. And listen to NASCAR Today Monday through Friday at 5:15PM for more chances to register. You can register until June 29th and we’ll draw the winner the week of July 2nd.
