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SD public defense duties shift from counties to state; SCOTUS appears skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies; Trump lawyers say he can't make bond; new scholarships aim to connect class of 2024 to high-demand jobs.

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The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

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Midwest regenerative farmers are rethinking chicken production, Medicare Advantage is squeezing the finances of rural hospitals and California's extreme swing from floods to drought has some thinking it's time to turn rural farm parcels into floodplains.

Climate Change Starts to Bite. And Sting, Itch, Suck and Stink.

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Thursday, August 21, 2014   

RICHMOND, Va. – As concern rises about mosquitoes in eastern Virginia carrying disease, a new report suggests climate change means more of those and other pests.

Norfolk health officials have found West Nile virus in a couple of neighborhoods.

The report from the National Wildlife Federation documents a rise in mosquitoes, deer ticks, algal blooms and other outdoor problems because of global climate change.

Jay Chancellor, the hunter and angler outreach consultant in Virginia for the National Wildlife Federation, says the report confirms what a lot of people who spend time in the outdoors are finding.

"Climate change isn't just happening at the ice caps,” he points out. “It's happening in our back yards.

“Right here in Virginia, we're seeing increased numbers of deer ticks, tiger mosquitoes, algal blooms, and it's really affecting people's enjoyment of the outdoors."

Chancellor says the outdoors is a $13.5 billion business in the state.

Many in the coal and oil industries have cast doubt on global warming.

Report co-author and federation senior scientist Doug Inkley says researchers found pests increasing in number and expanding their range around the country.

He says even poison ivy is growing faster and is becoming more toxic.

"I'm talking about deer ticks,” he says. “I'm talking about poison ivy. I'm talking about fire ants.

“All of these species are actually able to now proliferate because of the change in climate."

Inkley adds researchers also documented a rise in stinkbugs and jellyfish because of climate disruptions.

Chancellor says in the Blue Ridge the biggest issue may be the expansion of deer ticks and the Lyme disease they carry.

He says it was enough to stop him from replacing his hunting dog, much as he wanted to, because the dogs can bring Lyme disease into the house.

"Kind of looked around and said the mountain here is so dangerous,” he explains. “My neighbor's dog just got Lyme disease, my neighbor just got Lyme disease. I just said it's not really worth the risk."





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