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Bat disease could allow insects to destroy crops
A deadly disease to bats could become a major financial headache for agriculture, costing Ohio farmers as much as $1.7 billion a year.
A new study is the first to tie a dollar value to the millions of crop-damaging insects that bats routinely devour each year. Now, the night-flying hunters face the threat of a fungal disease that kills most of the bats it infects.
White-nose syndrome, named for the fungus that spreads over bats while they hibernate, has killed at least 1 million bats in 15 states and Canada since it was discovered in New York in 2006.
On March 30, Ohio officials announced that they found the disease among bats hibernating in an abandoned limestone mine in the Wayne National Forest. They fear it will march through Ohio as it has Read more…
Massive Severe Outbreak Coming Next Week
It appears the onslaught of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms that have claimed dozens of lives and left communities in ruins from the Plains into the East over the past few weeks is going to continue right into next week.
Next up is another severe outbreak set to hit areas from Oklahoma to Ohio Friday afternoon and night.
After that, AccuWeather.com severe weather experts are already greatly concerned about the tornado potential with a series of storm systems set to track across the hard-hit Plains, Midwest and Southeast throughout next week.
“This could be more widespread than anything we’ve seen this season,” said AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Dan Kottlowski.
“We’re going to see multiple outbreaks of severe weather Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week from the Ohio Valley to the southern Plains and into the southeastern U.S.,” Kottlowski explained. “The orientation of upper-level winds with this setup look to favor a high risk of tornado development.”
“People should review tornado safety guidelines and take any [severe thunderstorm or tornado] watches and warnings very seriously,” Kottlowski stressed.
While severe thunderstorms with this outbreak could get under way as early as late Sunday, the main threat will evolve Monday Read more…
Ohio panel OKs measure to limit collective bargaining rights for 350,000 public workers
Democrats and union leaders blasted the latest Republican changes to Senate Bill 5 today, including those that would allow workers to decline to pay union dues, even if they are covered by a union contract, and allowing government employers to refuse to deduct union payments that are directed to political action committees.
“They’ve clearly made a horrible bill even worse,” said William Leibensperger, vice-president of the Ohio Education Association.
Under many negotiated contracts, workers who do not want to join a union, but are still covered by terms of the union contract, must still pay dues known as “fair share.” The bill would no longer allow a fair-share requirement in union contracts.
“That kind of amendment really shines the light on what this bill is all about, which is silencing the voice of people who collectively bargain on behalf of their members, and, in our case, on behalf of the children we work with,” Liebensperger said.
Republicans have argued that workers who do not want to join the local union should not have Read more…
FEMA orders”$1 Billion “in dehydrated food,Terror threats rising
Terror threats appear to be on the rise as FEMA has rushed a $1 Billion order of dehydrated food in the event of attacks on domestic targets in the US.
This is also coming on the heels of one of the largest terror drills performed by the US Navy on American soil, as Operation Solid Curtain is taking place this week.
In an article Tuesday from the Beaufort Observer, many of the largest suppliers of dehydrated foods in the country are dropping their distributors and customers to dedicate their resources to supplying a billion dollar FEMA request and purchase.
One of the nation’s largest suppliers of dehydrated food has cut loose 99% of their dealers and distributors. And it’s not because of the poor economy. It’s because this particular industry leader can no longer supply their regular distribution channels. Why not? Because they’re using every bit of manufacturing capacity they have to fulfill massive Read more…
Flooding Risk Raised for Midwest, Northeast, Neighboring Canada
Concerns for flooding continue through next week as two storms roll through the Midwest and the Northeast and adjoining areas of southern Canada.
First Storm
The storm coming today into Friday traveling from the Midwest to the Northeast U.S. will be the colder of the two storms.
What this means is that snow or a wintry mix will fall from around the central and lower Great Lakes through the northern mid-Atlantic and into New England. Rain will fall over the Ohio Valley through most of the balance of the mid-Atlantic and into southeastern New England and Nova Scotia.
Up north and well inland of the coast the snow and wintry mix will add to the water equivalent of the existing snowpack or will reduce that snowpack by very little.
According to Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams, “Farther south and along the coast, heavy rain or the combination of rain and melting snow and ice will lead to urban flooding problems and perhaps some rises on streams and rivers.”
With the ground still frozen in some areas, the water will run off crossing roads, collect in fields, backyards and city streets.
According to Senior Meteorologist and Indiana native Jim Andrews, “In the Ohio and Tennessee valleys into Friday, enough rain can fall without the aid of melting snow to lead to rises on rivers and small stream flooding.” Read more…
Loud booms reported in southwestern Ohio and Indiana
Many people this morning were awakened to the sound of a loud boom and shaking of their homes across southwestern Ohio and parts of Indiana. Several reports were made to the Darke County Sheriff’s office, and others have commented that it was heard and felt in Xenia, Beavercreek, and Fairborn. The sounds reported vary from around midnight to around 7:30 am, many people saying that it felt and sounded as though something had hit their house.
According to the DCS, earthquakes, blown transformers, gas explosions, and sonic booms from jets have all been ruled out, and they are coordinating with the Ohio Emergency Management to try to find an explanation for the boom. Geological experts in Columbus, along with various departments in Indiana, are working hard as well to get to the bottom of this mystery.
There has also been one report of a bright blue flash being seen going across the sky from Arcanum at approximately 4:45 am. Are the two related? I think so. Read more…
“FEMA Requests Millions of Rations For ‘Catastrophic Disaster In New Madrid Fault System’”
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