By VAN QUACKENBUSH
Hot dogs for a quarter? Soft drinks for two bits? You’re kidding!
Nope! That’s what’s awaiting everyone who attends this Saturday’s community celebration of the new library on Cole Grade Road, starting at 11 a.m.
The Depression-priced drinks and hot dogs are courtesy of the Country Junction Deli, which is handing out those same goodies to members of the VC Middle School Band for free—on the house.
There will also be free gifts for the youngsters that day.
Jeff Beck will conduct his Middle School Jazz Band in a concert starting at 2.
A scene from Cinderella will feature students of Ann’s School of Dance after the concert.
Seasonal selections will be sung by the Boulos sisters, accompanied by Sydney Circle.
WAVING over all will be Mike McDonald’s huge American flag.
The celebration, planned by Friends of the Library, follows the official ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday. Other events are planned during the week leading to the Saturday festivities.
Thursday at 11 a.m., Conductor Dave will do his Story Time, lasting about an hour. At 3:30 p.m., a puppet show, The Ginger Bread Boy, will delight the children. Puppeteers are Richard Rivera and Sandra Puccio.
On Friday at 3:30 p.m., professional storyteller Harlynne Geisler will present Tales from the Toy Bag. Her show will last about an hour.
Activities will get under way Saturday around 11 a.m. with a greeting by Friends’ President Gerry Slusser. Dr. Slusser will serve as MC for the events that follow.
TOURS of the library are being conducted by staff and the library manager all four days, so no one in the community need miss seeing this wonderful addition to the Valley Center community, launched by Supervisor Bill Horn with a grant from the County.
If you liked the library decorations, you may thank the Valley Center Garden Club and Bell Gardens Farm.
Friends of the Library are always on the prowl for new members. There will be a table at which new members may volunteer. The best deal in town is the library’s annual member fee for just five bucks.
ALONG with Manager Sandy, branch staff members are: Teresa Sheehey, branch librarian; Yadira Perez, assistant branch manager; Patti Winneguth, library technician, Richard Rivera and Joanna Ruiz.
New additions to the staff include: Marilyn Falsetti, librarian; Robin Isicson, librarian; Sandra Coleman and Jennieann Vaught.
Library hours are:
Tuesday, 10-6
Wednesday, 10-8
Thursday, 10-8
Friday, 10-5
Saturday, 10-5
The library is closed Sunday and Monday.
By DAVID ROSS
Eight VC farmers whose groves were in the core of the Mexfly infestation did not wait for the state and federal governments to round up pesticides and a helicopter. They took matters in their own hands and sprayed on Saturday (see related story this page).
The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and the California Dept. of Food and Agriculture didn’t mind a bit.
“We commend them for it,” said Steve Lyle, spokesman for CDFA.
“We’re thrilled to death,” said Larry Hawkins, spokesman for USDA. “No, they didn’t consult with us, but we didn’t expect that they would.”
County Ag Commissioner Kathleen Thuner did not return The Roadrunner’s request for a comment.
Inaction Prompted Spraying
“The bottom line,” said grower Al Stehly, on whose property the fruit flies were first discovered last week, “They were promising us to spray the core area with a pesticide that they don’t have, with helicopters that they have no contract with.”
He added, “That’s the reason we took it into our own hands. It didn’t look like they were going to get it done anytime in the near future. We kept seeing night after night and day after day of 50 mph winds blowing the fruit flies to who knows where?
“The important thing is we didn’t do this to protect our own corps, we did it to protect our neighbors. Our crops are already infested. We can’t pick until the quarantine is over whether we spray or not.”
The quarantine will probably remain in effect for eight months at least.
If it didn’t stop a quarantine, why do it?
“All we did was knock it down, try to keep it from spreading. Maybe the core won’t get bigger,” said Stehly.
While it may stop the spread of the Mexfly, the farmers’ action won’t alter the fact that VC will undergo a quarantine, probably as early as the end of this week, said Hawkins. But he understands why the growers did it.
“If I was a grower and had neighbors who were looking at me and saying what’s going on? that might be a reason to treat my property,” he said.
“None of those treatments will have any negative impact and any time the growers undertake some action, which they have a legal right to do, we’re happy to see it. That’s the case here.”
“Why Don’t You Spray?”
On Saturday about 15 growers met at Stehly’s property. They wanted to pressure the state, USDA and County to move faster.
Stehly told the state and federal representatives what he and the other growers planned. He was told “Why don’t you go ahead and spray?”
The meeting to pressure the government turned into an announcement that an action was about to be taken. Only the organic growers affected declined to take part.
According to Stehly, the authorities were prevented from acting quickly because no helicopters that meet their specifications were available in the state.
“They sent requests to Hummingbird and Pacific Rotors, but they couldn’t comply with the contract, which requires three helicopters, instrument ratings and a pilot and co-pilot in each helicopter,” he said.
Within hours of the growers’ meeting Bob Hoag of Hummingbird was supervising as his helicopter hovered over 400 acres, spraying malathion over the treetops. The operation took about three hours and cost growers $16 an acre.
They eat it and die
Treetop spraying of nutrients and thrip killer is common for VC growers, although not the spraying of malathion itself.
The spray contains minimum amounts of malathion, an insecticide, and a sweet protein nutrient that attracts the flies. They eat the bait and die.
The growers used malathion, said, Stehly, “Because that’s the only thing available.” What’s more, the VC growers cornered the market, grabbing up all of the available chemical in the County.
Watching while they sprayed was Mike Hennesey, the USDA’s man in charge of the VC infestation, and an unnamed county or state employee.
The question remains, why didn’t the government agencies involved spray as soon as the infestation was found?
The Roadrunner asked Hawkins if federal protocols for treating fruit fly infestations prevented them from addressing the problem sooner?
“I don’t believe it has a timeframe attached to it,” said Hawkins. “The treatments we do are based on a couple of factors, including whether the flies are larvae or adult flies, and also on the weather. The County entomologist will look at the situation and say ‘We do it now.’ ”
Did the VC growers’ action disrupt that process?
“The only concern that would recommend against treatment, is that it does create a problem for trapping,” said Hawkins. “When you try to find where the flies are and you lay down a pesticide application, it kills the flies and you won’t find them in your traps. It could blind you, but I don’t think that’s the case here, now that we’ve had a week to monitor the trapping.”
What about the farmers’ charge that authorities could be acting faster?
“We are moving as fast as we can.”
“There was some concern among growers that we could move faster. We are moving as fast as we can,” said Hawkins. “We have an overall strategy.”
Lyle agrees: “We are still trying to ascertain the limits of the infestation. We are using ground treatment of malathion bait in some areas, where there are mated females or larval sites.”
Al Stehly is concerned that perhaps the County might be dragging its feet.
“The County is starting to give us the impression that they oppose pesticides. I think we are being given a line,” he said.
According to Sunday’s Union Tribune, the State has had another, less toxic pesticide than malathion, spinosed, available for a situation such as this, but neglected to register it for use in California.
The Roadrunner asked Steve Lyle of CDFA about that.
“We are not the agency that’s involved in that activity,” he said. “But we are working with them to try to arrange for the registration for organic spinosed for broader treatment.”
An organic version of spinosed is available without the additive that’s unacceptable for organic production, said Lyle.
“We could commit to using spinosed right now but we’d rather use its organic version. We hope to have answers on the quarantine and the broader treatment later this week,” he said.
“The quarantine areas are still being looked at. We are, contrary to reports, moving aggressively to do what we do. While we’re methodical, yes, we had people working on the weekend on delimitation. We’re committed to moving on our broader program as soon as possible.”
Farmer helping Farmer
Initially, some people were worried that the eight farmers were behaving as “vigilantes.” That’s just what they wanted to avoid, said Stehly.
“We’re doing what the protocol says should be done. We asked permission, we got permission. Hopefully the State will pick up their responsibility and do it a second time. But if we have to do it again, we will.”
Meanwhile, farmers are pulling together to battle the Mexfly threat.
Growers have been showing up with their crews at the infested groves to help pick fruit.
“Del Rey Avocados sent a crew for three days,” said Stehly. “Bill Grant brought a crew from Pauma Valley. Shuster Oil of Escondido brought a check to the Farm Bureau and said ‘Use it in the fight!’
“I got a half a dozen calls this morning asking if I needed more help.
“These guys understand that it’s the duty of the State to do this so it’s our duty to take it in our hands to do it and worry about the cost later.”
160 Growers Sign Agreements
Personnel of the Cooperative Mexican Fruit Fly Eradication Project worked throughout the holiday weekend.
They confirmed a total of 56 adult flies and three larval sites identified to date. All were within about 2.5 miles of each other, northwest of Valley Center.
Officials are drafting boundaries of the regulated areas.
So far, no quarantine is in effect, although one probably will be by the end of the week.
So far 160 growers within the likely regulation area have signed compliance agreements with the state and federal governments. These agreements specify pre-harvest and post-harvest treatments allowing commodities to move in commerce.
Hold notices have been placed on properties where adult flies or larvae have been found to prevent the spread of the fly.
Residents with questions may call the information hotline at 800-491-1899.
* * *
In related development, The Roadrunner has learned that the California Secretary of Agriculture will be visiting Valley Center personally within the next week or so to inspect the fruit fly damage.
The Valley Center Road Subcommittee of the VC Planning Group wants your input regarding the potential impacts of a landscaped median along VC Road.
The subcommittee is getting a survey to most commercial and residential property owners along the road, but according to the committee’s secretary Jon Vick, also wants to get input from other residents of Valley Center.
Residents are invited to answer the following questions and submit them by Friday, Dec. 6 to Sandy Smith or Andy Washburn or send them to POB 1966, Valley Center, CA 92082.
__ We favor landscaped medians along Valley Center Road.
__ We oppose landscaped medians along Valley Center Road.
According to Vick, the most important part of the survey is respondents’ reasons for their answers to the above questions. So, readers are asked to “Please give some reasons for your views.”
People responding to the survey are also asked to include their name, organization (if appropriate) and phone number or email address.
The latest word from the County Dept. of Public Works is that Phase 2 of the VC Road Widening will begin in the summer of 2004. Phase 2 takes the road widening from Woods Valley Road to Cole Grade Road.
Phase 1, which will widen “The Luge” from Woods Valley Road to Escondido city limits, is due to begin construction next year.
Landscaped medians are called for in the Valley Center Design Review Guidelines, which were approved by the Board of Supervisors a dozen years ago.
The VC Road Subcommittee, chaired by Sandy Smith, was tasked in May to work with DPW to plan a more aesthetically pleasing and safer version of the road than had been initially planned.
The subcommittee was told not to do anything that would delay the road widening or create additional expense.
According to Vick, “Safety concerns need to be balanced with convenience for our businesses, their customers, residents and drivers. Data presented to us indicates that medians do not harm local businesses while improving traffic flow and reducing crashes by 25%.”
Some members of the business community along VC Road are not so sure.
In a recent Roadrunner article, Leon Schwartz, owner of the Valley Building, said he would lose tenants if the current median plan, which includes most of the 3.5 miles between Woods Valley Road and Cole Grade, is adopted.
Bank manager Nicky Lovejoy also expressed concerns about access.
However, Steve Flynn, chairman of the VC Country Town Property Owners, the group of southern Country Town merchants, thinks most merchant like the idea of medians.
“It’s mixed, but I’d say the majority are in favor of it,” he says.
Results of the survey will be distributed first to members of the subcommittee and then to the VC planning group.
Members of the subcommittee include planning group members Sandy Smith, Andy Washburn, Todd Ruth and Bruce Johnson, and public members Jon Vick, Mary Meade, Brian Bates and Steve Flynn.
By JOE NAIMAN
The Board of Supervisors Nov. 26 approved a Proclamation of Local Emergency as a result of the Mexican Fruit Fly infestation (see related story this page).
The supervisors' declaration of a local emergency during a Nov. 26 special meeting ratified the administrative declaration which was signed by the County’s Director of Emergency Services on Nov. 22 and was good for seven days.
The Proclamation of Local Emergency allows the County’s Chief Administrative Officer to take preventative measures necessary to protect and preserve public health and safety, gives public employees and the county legal immunities for emergency actions taken, and enables the county and local growers to request available state and Federal assistance. The proclamation and a request for state and Federal proclamations will be forwarded to Governor Davis.
The supervisors were not scheduled to meet until Dec 3, so the CAO’s proclamation would have expired had the special meeting not been called. The CAO is empowered to proclaim a local emergency when the Board of Supervisors is not in session, but such a proclamation must be ratified by the supervisors within seven days.
All five supervisors attended the emergency meeting, and the proclamation had unanimous support following a presentation by agricultural commissioner Kathleen Thuner.
“This gives Kathleen the urgency powers that she needs to go ahead and help eradicate this pest,” noted Supervisor Bill Horn.
Larvae of a Mexican Fruit Fly was found in Valley Center on Nov. 21.
By law the agricultural commissioner must request the imposition of a quarantine. The find also spurred intensified trapping in the 81 square mile area surrounding the find, and by the time of the emergency meeting 45 finds had been discovered.
“This is among the world’s most destructive pests,” Thuner remarked.
The Mexican Fruit Fly attacks a wide range of hosts; the female lays her eggs within the ripening fruit she has attacked. Females have naturally long lives and a female may produce thousands of eggs in her lifetime.
Female Mexican Fruit Flies do not respond to any sex attractant, so trapping efforts must rely on food attractants, specifically protein baits. Any produce attacked by the Mexican Fruit Fly is rendered unmarketable.
The exact boundaries of the quarantine will not be determined until the team comprised of county, state, and federal officials determines if any additional fruit flies are in the area. In addition to covering much of Valley Center, the quarantine will also likely affect parts of Pauma Valley, Pala, and southeastern Fallbrook and may extend into Bonsall and Hidden Meadows.
The quarantine is expected to affect about 1000 growers, including 99 certified organic growers, and about 6,400 agricultural acres. The preliminary estimate is that $33 million of crops will be affected, although the value may be as high as $75 million.
Although Mexican Fruit Fly quarantines have been imposed in the past, most notably after a find in Fallbrook in 1999 but more commonly in more urban areas in the southern part of the county, the larvae in Valley Center is the first Mexican Fruit Fly larvae found in San Diego County since 1954.
“I'm glad we caught this," Horn said. “If we weren't trapping, none of this would be happening.”
Horn owns an avocado, Valencia orange, and tangelo grove in Valley Center which is subject to the quarantine, but he notes that if the trapping hadn’t detected the fruit flies in time the infestation would likely have spread to all of San Diego County and Riverside County.
The quarantine will prohibit the movement of fresh host fruit material unless treated or processed. The quarantine also prohibits movement of plant soil and other articles of conveyance. Commodities leaving the quarantine area must be treated by approved methods for that particular crop.
Treatment options are limited. Pre-harvest bait treatment requires repeated applications and may extend over a 130-day period, delaying harvest until April 2003. Post-harvest treatment options include cold treatment and high-temperature forced air, although no local certified facilities currently exist for cold or heat treatment, and fumigation, which is not an option for avocados because tests conducted during the Fallbrook quarantine showed that fumigation is not 100 percent efficient in killing Mexican Fruit Flies. Post-harvest processing such as juice or guacamole reduces the value of the crop, and approved juicing facilities are not available in San Diego County.
Thuner is in the process of working with agricultural commissioners of other counties to authorize the movement of fruit to juicing facilities elsewhere.
Open-air fruit and vegetable stands must provide protective coverings, and temporary modifications to packing houses and other storage structures are required to meet state and federal quarantine regulations. The proclamation of emergency exempts those temporary modifications from code enforcement.
Some orchards with larval finds may have to pick and bury the fruit.
Horn lamented that the state refused to reimburse the county for the costs of traps set in agricultural areas, but he is optimistic that the emergency measures will be successful in eradicating the fly. “I think we can seal this off and eradicate this pest.”
The Valley Roadrunner
P.O.B. 1529, Valley Center, CA 92082
Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688
Website: www.valleycenter.com
Email: editor@valleycenter.com
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