WAFC Local News – August 11, 2026, 8:07 AM
Transcript
I’m Charles Murphy reporting. Another problem for agriculture is pastures in the listening area have been invaded by mealy bugs within the past two months, insect confirmed in Glades, Hendry, Palm Beach, and at least 15 Florida counties. They feed on hay, sugar cane, rice, and corn, and can impact cattle feed, sugar cane, and other grass species. Researchers are testing which insecticides work best to fight the pest. They note the bug is often hard to reach as it burrows into the ground. They do expect widespread die off of pasture grasses. Marcel Wallot at the University of Florida spoke about when the bug was detected. Ranchers had mentioned pastures looking off as early as fall last year. And we officially first detected the last week of May in Florida when FDAX was able to confirm the presence of the pasture mealy bug. Dr. Isaac Esquivel was wondering if controlled burns may work. So, we’re still trying to figure out how to get the bug out of Texas. And then in terms of the burning, we’ve all thought about that, but I think the issue is gonna be that they do go in the soil, right? And it seems to be pretty deep. So even if we were to burn off some of that thatch, there still potentially can be survivors to reinfest, but it’s definitely something to look into. Erin Powell with the University of Florida admits that the bug gets around by various means. They move on shared equipment. They move via sprigging of infested material. And they’re also moving around on people, clothing, equipment via the winds. Professor Fen Mo says she’s studying the muck soil around Lake Okeechobee now for the possible impacts. So we had to see how much infestation is in muck soil and how bad it is infesting the sugar canes in muck soils. With the infestation, up to 50% yield loss is expected. The Florida Inland Navigation District raising some concerns about the low water in Lake Okeechobee and some boats not being able to cross the Okeechobee waterway and the lake. Michael Kennedy spoke about those low water impacts. We watch the water the same as you do, the water depth. It’s very important to us. We know that we’re flirting with the water shortage part of LOSM. To us, it means poor navigation. And to other people, it means lack of water to be either put over on the west side of the state or on our side of the state or to flow south. We’re praying for rain. Among Iran’s 47-year-old, Alfonso Cardenas Butera of Labelle is facing charges that include aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor battery. EMS was also called to the scene of a domestic dispute in a single wide trailer and a shed on the property. They allege that Cardenas Butera stabbed the victim during an argument. Alcohol may have played a factor. The argument apparently was overcharging a cell phone. The victim suffered a stab wound in the upper left shoulder. Another super speeder going through Glades County, US 27, becoming more and more a racetrack for people. This was during the afternoon hours and the speed registered was 102 miles an hour. 38-year-old Kwame Dan Kwa was held on the super speeder law of operating a vehicle over 100 miles an hour or over 50 miles over the speed limit. There was also a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the alleged violation near Graham Dairy. I’m Charles Murphy, WAFC News.
Recorded from the WAFC daily newscast (Glades Media).