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CLASSIFIED Friday 13 September 2019

Florida’s iconic palm trees threatened HEALTH

by invasive disease DOCTOR ON DUTY

Oranjestad
By TERRY SPENCER dead. This gives him a lab The disease doesn’t infect “It’s not like it marches
Associated Press to test ideas and make humans or animals. through a tree popula- Hospital 7:00 pm / 10:00pm
Tel. 527 4000
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s presentations, so he is not Genetic testing shows le- tion — you don’t see
iconic palm trees are un- removing infected trees as thal bronzing likely origi- one dead tree after an- San Nicolas
der attack from a fatal recommended. nated in Mexico’s Yucatan other,” Muecke said. “It IMSAN 24 Hours
disease that turns them to “To understand the dis- region. Bahder’s hypoth- hops around; it’s pretty Tel.524 8833
dried crisps in months, with ease, I need to watch it esis is that 2005’s Hurricane sporadic.”Brent Gaffney, Women in Difficulties
no chance for recovery spread and see what it is Wilma, which tracked from a Gainesville landscaper, PHARMACY ON DUTY
once they become ill. doing,” said Bahder, an as- the Yucatan to Florida, or said Bahder’s research is Oranjestad:
Spread by a rice-sized, sistant professor with UF. a storm with a similar path the state’s best hope for del Pueblo Tel. 582 1253
plant-hopping insect, le- Lethal bronzing’s first Flor- carried infected treehop- containing the disease, San Nicolas:
thal bronzing has gone ida appearance came pers across the gulf to Tam- but only if he gets enough Aloe Tel. 584 4606
from a small infestation on near Tampa in 2006, but it’s pa. Those insects infected funding. Studies are under- Women in Difficulties
Florida’s Gulf Coast to a now found from the Keys area palms, which infect- way on whether massive OTHER
nearly statewide problem in the south to Jacksonville ed native treehoppers. The doses of antibiotics can Dental Clinic 587 9850
in just over a decade. Tens in the north. The disease is disease spread when winds save trees in the infection’s Blood Bank Aruba 587 0002
Urgent Care 586 0448
of thousands of palm trees transmitted solely by the blew infected bugs to new early stages.q Walk-In Doctor’s Clinic
have died from the bacte- haplaxius crudus, a tiny territories or they hitched +297 588 0539
rial disease, and the pace winged insect sometimes rides on vehicles. Bahder Women in Difficulties
of its spread is increasing, called the American palm said the palm cixiid is par- EMERGENCY
adding to environmental cixiid or, generically, a ticularly attracted to white Police 100
woes of a state already treehopper. These specific cars.To check the spread, Oranjestad 527 3140
struggling to save its other treehoppers (there are oth- the state agriculture de- Noord 527 3200
arboreal icon, citrus trees, er kinds) inject the bacteria partment regularly inspects Sta. Cruz 527 2900
from two other diseases. through their saliva when palm nurseries and certi- San Nicolas 584 5000
11141
Police Tipline
Florida’s official state tree feasting on the sap from fies those found free of the Ambulancia 911
— the tall, broad-leafed a palm’s leaves. Any palm disease. If infected trees Fire Dept. 115
sabal palm — is especially cixiid that later feeds from are discovered, they’re Red Cross 582 2219
susceptible and Florida the tree will pick up the in- destroyed and the nurs-
nurseries, businesses and fection and pass the bac- ery’s remaining trees are TAXI SERVICES
homeowners are taking a teria to more palms. quarantined for at least Taxi Tas 587 5900
financial hit as they scrap Once inside a tree, the six weeks. Calls to about Prof. Taxi 588 0035
infected palms. Some pre- bacteria migrate to its a dozen palm tree farms Taxi D.T.S. 587 2300
Taxi Serv. Aruba 583 3232
ventive measures can be base, multiplying until they around the state weren’t A1 Taxi Serv. 280 2828
taken, but once infected, clog the circulatory system returned — Bahder said it Women in Difficulties
uprooting the tree is the — much like human arter- is a problem owners don’t TRAVEL INFO
only practical solution. ies getting blocked by fat like to discuss publicly, fear-
“Getting this disease under and cholesterol. The block- ing it will hurt business. Aruba Airport 524 2424
control is essential because age makes it impossible for Eric Muecke, Tampa’s ur- American Airlines 582 2700
it has the potential to dras- the tree’s cells to get suffi- ban forestry manager, said Avianca 588 0059
Jet Blue
588 2244
tically modify our land- cient nutrients and sugars, the city has had success Surinam 582 7896
scape,” said Brian Bahder, starving them. As an infect- containing the disease by
an entomologist who stud- ed tree dies, its fronds and keeping its palms healthy Women in Difficulties
ies insect-borne plant dis- central spear leaf transform and surrounding more sus- CRUISES
eases and is a leader in the from green to a tell-tale ceptible palm varieties with
state’s battle against lethal shade of bronze as it suc- trees that don’t attract the
bronzing. cumbs in about six months. bacteria-spreading bugs.
Lethal bronzing, which ex-
perts say likely originated
in Mexico, also is found in September 17
parts of Texas and through- Celebrity equinox
out the Caribbean. Some September 18
worry it will migrate to Cali- monarch
Carnival magic
fornia and Arizona, infect- Women in Difficulties
AID FOUNDATIONS
ing date palms and dam-
aging that fruit crop. The FAVI- Visually Impaired
disease has already heav- Tel. 582 5051
ily damaged Jamaica’s Alcoholics Anonymous
coconut plantations, and Tel. 736 2952
Brazil is taking preventive Narcotics Anonymous
measures to avoid inva- Tel. 583 8989
sion. Women in Difficulties
Tel. 583 5400
Coincidentally — but con-
veniently — lethal bronz- Centre for Diabetes
Tel. 524 8888
ing is attacking palms right Child Abuse Prevention
outside Bahder’s office at Tel. 582 4433
the University of Florida’s Quota Club Tel. 525 2672
agriculture research sta- Women in Difficulties
tion near Fort Lauderdale. General Info
Some are dying, some are Phone Directory Tel. 118