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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 5, 2009)
Page 13 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, August 5, 2009 Scotch Broom invasive, persistent Although admired for its yellow blooms, the Scotch broom shrub has become an invasive species throughout the Pacific Northwest, where it competes with native plants and forms dense stands that are difficult to manage and remove. Scotch broom was intro- duced from Europe as a gar- den ornamental by early set- tlers of the Pacific Coast. Later it was used to prevent erosion and stabilize banks and sand dunes. The woody shrub establishes quickly in disturbed areas, according to Andy Hulting, a weed spe- cialist for Oregon State Uni- versity Extension Service. “Its invasive habit and economic costs have landed Scotch broom on the State Weed Board’s list of noxious weeds, along with its relatives French, Portuguese and Span- ish brooms and gorse,” Hulting said. Scotch broom costs Oregonians an esti- mated $40 million per year in lost timber revenue and con- trol efforts. What can you do to con- trol this noxious weed? Pre- vention is the best method, especially in areas where the ground and other plants have been disturbed by overgraz- ing or development, Hulting said. Care should be taken not to transport soil that is con- taminated with seeds. “Quickly revegetate dis- turbed sites with fast- growing, competitive native plants to limit Scotch broom spread,” he said. “Native trees (such as Douglas fir or red alder), shrubs (such as woods rose, currants and snowberry) and native grass mixes can help prevent and slow Scotch broom infestations.” OSU Extension recom- mends that you learn to iden- tify Scotch broom and the other non-native broom spe- cies in the Pacific Northwest that have the potential to be- come weedy. The publica- tion, Scotch Broom (PNW 103), which has color photos, identification information and control measures, is available online at exten- sion.oregonstate.edu/catalog/ pdf/pnw/pnw103.pdf If you find Scotch broom on your property, Hulting recommends: *Dig it up, including the crown. *Cut it back to the ground each year before it sets seed. *Keep an eye out for seedlings each spring and pull them up, roots and all, while they are small. Since Scotch broom seed lasts for years in the soil, vigi- lance is necessary to prevent reinvasion by new seedlings. Several broad-spectrum herbicides, including gly- phosate and imazapyr, can be effective in controlling Scotch broom infestations. Avoid spraying when plants are blooming; the flowers can prevent thorough coverage to plant tissues. “Be careful when using herbicides to minimize drift and injury to nontargeted plants,” Hulting warned. If you are unsure about the use of herbicides, contact your county Extension educator. Remember to wear protective clothing, read the label and follow instructions, and be cautious. You can be liable for injury or damage from herbicide use. Scientists continue to investigate biological control possibilities for Scotch broom and other noxious weeds. The Oregon Dept. of Agriculture has released a species of seed weevil whose larvae feed on the developing Scotch broom seedpods. They can destroy up to about 80 percent of the broom seed inside the pods. You can pop open a ma- ture, brown Scotch broom seedpod to see if seed weevils are working. Look for tiny white larvae. Do not spray plants with seed weevils. Revaccination recommended for some Health clinics and the state Public Health Division are working together to notify patients after vaccine storage errors were discovered in facilities owned by three pri- vate clinics in Oregon. State public health offi- cials recommend nearly 22,000 patients in 12 cities receive revaccinations. During routine investiga- tions it was found that refrig- eration units may not have been maintained at the correct temperature for vaccination effectiveness. The vaccina- tions posed no harm to pa- tients, but the effectiveness of the vaccines might have been compromised so revaccina- tion is recommended. Mostly affected are childhood vaccines intended to prevent tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, Haemophi- lus influenzae type B, hepati- tis A & B, human papillo- mavirus, viral influenza and pneumococcal disease. Be- cause clinics typically store vaccines in a single place, some adult vaccines also may have been affected. “The affected vaccines are safe, but they may have lost potency because of being stored at the incorrect tem- peratures or in refrigeration units where temperature monitoring equipment was absent or malfunctioning,” said Dr. Mel Kohn, public health director for the Oregon Dept. of Human Services. “We are recommending people get revaccinated to ensure they are protected from illness, and we are working with all Oregon clin- ics to make sure they under- stand proper storage tech- niques,” Kohn said. The nearest affected lo- cations are Doctors Clinic in Jacksonville, Medford Family Practice, and Shady Cove clinic. “If anyone has a question about whether they are af- fected, they should contact their health-care provider,” said Kohn. “If for some reason pa- tients or their parents don’t receive the notification letter, their health-care provider will see a red flag the next time they visit and can administer the revaccinations.” V.A. notes Oregon good to veterans Oregon is ranked first in the nation in veteran pension benefits and sixth in the na- tion for veteran disability compensation benefits. The U.S. Dept. of Veter- ans Affairs (V.A.), in releas- ing its 2008 state rankings for benefits, noted that rankings are based on the average monthly benefit amount for service-connected disability Concrete Remodel New Construction CCB 174891 592-6609 30 years experience in water, sewer & pipeline construction, brush clearing, septic installation & utility line trenching Spe c ia lizing in a lt e rna t ive se pt ic syst e m s READY TO DIG & AIMING TO PLEASE 24 HOURS A DAY CCB#159580 (5 4 1 ) 5 9 7 -4 4 8 6 compensation and non- service connected pension. Oregon veterans receive an average monthly pension payment of $1,017. This is $266 more than the national average. Additionally, Ore- gon veterans receive an aver- age of $1,016 per month in service-connected disability compensation, or $161 more than the national average. “I am proud of the work done by our county veterans service officers, our state vet- erans service officers and our national service officer in providing excellent service to Oregon veterans,” said Jim Willis, V.A. director. “The partnership we have is obviously one of the best in the nation because we focus on our mission of serving veterans, their survivors and dependents.” Oregon has consistently been ranked among the top- 10 states providing veterans benefits. During 2007, Ore- gon ranked third in pension and sixth in compensation benefits. For more information about veteran benefits, phone (503) 373-2386. Say you saw it in the News Good Shepherd Lutheran Church held a fund-raising dinner featuring baked salmon to benefit Illinois Valley unit of the Boys & Girls Club on Tuesday, July 28. The effort was well attended, with ‘standing-room only’ for a time, said Scott Thornhill, the I.V. unit’s executive director. Some $1,500 was raised, Thornhill said. (Above) Bertha Miller brings out another pan of baked salmon, which was caught in Alaska, donated and cooked by Jerry Miller. Side dishes were provided by church members. (Photo by Michelle Binker, Illinois Valley News ) Lightning-sparked wildfires reported Wildland firefighters have made significant pro- gress at containing more than 40 fires ignited by recent thunderstorm activity in the Rogue River-Siskiyou Na- tional Forest. Two new fires were de- tected Tuesday, Aug. 4, bringing a total of 44 fires reported, primarily on the High Cascades and Siskiyou Mountains Ranger districts. The largest of the fires is the Golden Stairs Fire, north- west of Union Creek on the High Cascades District, esti- mated at 25 acres. Fire staff report that more than 50 per- cent of all fires in the forest have been contained, and focused efforts to contain the remainder. U.S. Forest Service per- sonnel have enlisted the aid of Fixed-rate mortgages offered vets The Oregon Dept. of Veterans’ Affairs (ODVA) has announced that its OR- VETs home loan program is currently offering loan inter- est rates approaching 30-year lows. Qualified veterans may now obtain a fixed-rate mort- gage for as low as 4.75 per- cent with a 1.5 percent loan origination fee, or a 4.875 percent rate with a 1 percent origination fee. The ORVET home loan program is a state of Oregon veteran benefit separate from the federal V.A. home loan guaranty program. Even if a veteran has purchased a home using the federal V.A. pro- gram, he or she may still be eligible for an ORVET loan. “Our veterans always deserve the very best we can offer them. They have served our country with distinction,” said Jim Willis, ODVA direc- tor. “Our agency’s new re- duced rates may allow some of them to take advantage of a great opportunity for home ownership.” A requirement for the program is that veterans must apply before they reach the 30-year anniversary of their military discharge date. The current maximum loan amount for veterans us- ing the ORVETs home loan program is $417,000. Federal rules prohibit ODVA from refinancing most existing mortgages. For more information about ORVET home loans, contact ODVA at (888) 673- 8387 or (503) 373-2051. Oregon Cascades and Siski- you mountains early this week. That is to be followed by a change in the weather pattern to a cooler showery forecast toward the end of the week that should assist the firefighting efforts. an additional 23 engines, 10 hand crews, a helicopter, and an air tanker to assist in sup- pression efforts. 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