LOCAL BRIEFS:Governor directs flags to be flown at half-staff - Goshen News

Posted: 19 Mar 2021 01:18 PM PDT

Governor directs flags to be flown at half-staff

INDIANAPOLIS — Gov. Eric J. Holcomb is directing flags across the state to be flown at half-staff in honor and remembrance of the victims of the shooting in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area.

Per order of the president of the United States, flags should be flown at half-staff until sunset on Monday.

Gov. Holcomb also asks businesses and residents to lower their flags to half-staff.

Purdue Extension looking for advisory board members

GOSHEN — Purdue Extension is reaching out to Elkhart County residents to organize a Health and Human Sciences Advisory Board. They are looking for key leaders in the community, as well as those who live in the community who want to improve the quality of life of individuals and families by educating on topics such as health, food, money and family. HHSAB aims to have one individual from each township to contribute a small portion of their time to the advisory board.

Members of HHSAB will:

• Serve as a liaison for Purdue Extension in addressing and improving issues that the community faces

• Be leaders in selecting and organizing relevant, high-impact educational programs that will transform the lives and livelihoods of individuals within their community

• Aid in program promotion/marketing

• Attend two to three meetings a year

Anyone can attend. A meeting will take place virtually via Zoom April 22 at 11:30 a.m. Register at http://bit.ly/3eQDdVE, call 574-533-0554 or email fink24@purdue.edu.

Learn how to purge paper piles

GOSHEN — Purdue Extension will host a free, educational program on purging paper files March 30 at 10 a.m. and again at 1 p.m. at the Purdue Extension Elkhart County office, located on the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds.

The program will be presented by Virginia Aparicio, Purdue University Extension Educator in Health & Human Sciences in Elkhart County.

Those who would like to join the program should register in advance by calling the Extension office at 574-533-0554 or emailing fink24@purdue.edu. Masks will be required to be worn inside the building and social distancing will be in place.

Those who need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program should contact Aparicio at 574-533-0554 or vaparici@purdue.edu two weeks prior to the program.

Aquarium owners: Check moss balls for zebra mussels

Zebra mussels, which are an aquatic invasive species, have been found in Marimo moss balls, a product sold at many aquarium and pet supply stores.

According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, zebra mussels have the potential to harm Indiana's aquatic environment. They are identifiable by the light and dark stripes on their shells, which look like the stripes on a zebra.

These mussels can be tiny and are easily overlooked, according to information provided by the DNR. Those who have purchased Marimo moss balls from any aquarium or pet supply store this year should destroy the moss balls, dispose of them in the trash and clean their aquarium. Complete instructions are at fws.gov/fisheries/ANS/zebra-mussel-disposal.html.

In addition, email AIS@dnr.IN.gov with the source of the moss balls, the approximate date of purchase, and photographs of zebra mussels on the moss balls.

DNR officials said they are working with aquarium and pet supply stores to remove and properly destroy all affected inventory.

Zebra mussels found in moss balls at pet stores - Brookings Register

Posted: 19 Mar 2021 08:33 AM PDT

PIERRE – Recently, natural resource agencies were notified zebra mussels were present in moss balls (a type of algae sold in association with betas and other aquarium fish) sold at local pet stores throughout the state and on a national level.

The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) wants customers and store owners to properly dispose of moss balls by placing them in a bag, freezing them, and discarding the contents into the trash.

"The department requests that customers and store owners do not dispose of moss balls down the drain, toilet or other water sources as this could allow zebra mussel to spread further," stated Tanner Davis, GFP's statewide aquatic invasive species coordinator. "South Dakota pet stores and known distributors have been made aware of the situation and have removed all moss balls from their available inventory and we greatly appreciate their immediate action in doing so."

For additional aquarium decontamination instructions, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website at https://www.fws.gov/fisheries/ANS/zebra-mussel-disposal.html.

Zebra mussels are an aquatic invasive species (AIS), originally from the Caspian Sea region of Asia. They can become established in high densities in lakes and cause significant damage to hydropower and industrial cooling systems, municipal and irrigation water supplies, and boat motors.

South Dakota lakes currently infested with zebra mussels include McCook, Yankton, Cochrane, Kampeska, Pickerel, Lewis and Clark, Francis Case, and Sharpe. Learn more at sdleastwanted.sd.gov.

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