Bird tests positive for West Nile Virus in Ventura County, according to health officials

close up of mosquito biting human skin

Ventura County health officials on Tuesday confirmed that a local bird tested positive for West Nile Virus earlier in May.  In a news release shared by the Ventura County Environmental Health Division, officials said they received confirmation from the California Department of Public Health that a bird collected on May 12 from Ventura had tested positive for the virus.  “WNV is established in Ventura County and additional WNV positives are expected,” the release said. “This is the first detection of WNV activity this year in Ventura County.” To date, there have been no human cases of the virus reported. 

As part of the investigation, health officials said they would monitor for mosquito breeding sites in the area where the bird was collected and provide treatment if evidence of breeding was found.  In order to limit exposure to West Nile Virus, health officials offered several pieces of advice, including: eliminating standing water on property making sure that doors and windows have tight-fitted screens without holes wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts when outdoors, especially at dawn and dusk use Environmental Protection Agency-approved insect repellent containing Picaridin, DEET, Oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535.

West Nile Virus can affect humans and animals, like horses, the agency said. Earlier in May, officials advised the public that rising temperatures paired with increased rainfall would lead to peak mosquito season. They warned of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, otherwise known as an “ankle biter” mosquito, which is aggressive during the daytime and nighttime and can transmit viruses like dengue, Zika, Chikungunya and yellow fever.  Officials said that anyone wishing to report mosquitoes or breeding sources in Ventura County should call the mosquito complaint hotline at 805-658-4310. 

Source: Bird tests positive for West Nile Virus in Ventura County, according to health officials – CBS Los Angeles

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
Exodus 20:12

God Sees Your Unseen Efforts

God has not overlooked a single act of your faithfulness, not one prayer, not one quiet sacrifice. Even when no one else sees, He remembers, and your labor in…

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Bat found in Irvine Regional Park tests positive for rabies

fruit bat feeding upside down in jungle

The Orange County Healthcare Agency said a bat found in Irvine Regional Park has tested positive for rabies. Public health officials said the bat was found at the park at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 24. They urged anyone who may have physically contacted the bat or seen someone else touch it to call the Communicable Disease Control Division at (714) 834-8180. Pet owners who believe their animals may have had contact with the bat should contact their veterinarian.  The OC Healthcare Agency said the rabies virus is found in an infected animal’s saliva.

It can be transmitted to people if they are bitten by a rabid animal. Public health staff said rabies can also be transmitted through contamination of the eyes, mouth or an open wound by the infected animal’s saliva; however, these cases are very rare.  OC Healthcare officials said most cases of human rabies in the U.S. have stemmed from bats, which have very small teeth, meaning their bites may go unnoticed. 

Source: Bat found in Irvine Regional Park tests positive for rabies – CBS Los Angeles

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.
John 7:38

A House Divided

Division within the church is one of the enemy’s greatest tools because it weakens unity, damages witness, and distracts believers from the mission of Christ. I personally believe that all…

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Ecclesiastes 3:1

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: In the Book of Ecclesiastes verse 3:1, we’re reminded that life moves in seasons, every moment…

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Riverside County beekeeper loses 80 hives, millions of bees in Verona Fire

bee perched on flower in macro photography

A Riverside County beekeeper says that last week’s Verona Fire, which broke out near Hemet and burned hundreds of acres, caused him to lose 80 hives and millions of bees.  Brandon Teller, of BeeDoctor Bee Removal, says the loss could have a critical impact on the region’s farmers and shoppers. “As the beekeeper, that’s devastating to me,” Teller said. He said that the small number of remaining bees at the apiary  Teller usually goes across Southern California, rescuing unwanted European honeybees, which he would then bring back to his property for care. Once healthy enough to return to work, he’d then rent them out to alfalfa and almond farmers to pollinate their crops. 

“We say, ‘Hey, we’ve got plenty of hives right here. They’re ready to go, they’ve got fresh queens and they’re hungry,'” Teller said. “Farmers love it.” He says that by losing three to four million bees, the impact will be felt across Southern California.  “Keeping bees and maintaining bees at this scale is what allows the farmer to produce food at a lower cost,” Teller said.  While he knows there’s a lot of work ahead, he says the main message taken away from the loss is fire prevention and conservation of California’s natural landscape. “The saying goes: This land is my land, this land is your land. It’s all of our land and we have to conserve it, we have to preserve it, we have to maintain it, and we have to do it responsibly,” Teller said. 

Source: Riverside County beekeeper loses 80 hives, millions of bees in Verona Fire – CBS Los Angeles

The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.
Proverbs 11:3

Hosea 4:6

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you may be no priest to me. Because you have forgotten your…

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Roads near LAX closed as crews patch natural gas leak

roadworks on street in town

A natural gas leak has closed parts of Sepulveda Boulevard and 96th Street near the Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday night.  The Los Angeles Fire Department said construction crews struck a six-inch gas line and water main, causing the leak. Firefighters said the Department of Transportation has closed the northbound side of Sepulveda Boulevard at Imperial Highway and both sides of 96th Street.  The LA Department of Water and Power and the gas company have sent crews to the area, but LAFD is unsure how long it will take to patch the gas line.

Source: Roads near LAX closed as crews patch natural gas leak – CBS Los Angeles

One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.
Psalm 27:4

Matthew 4:7

Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.” This verse records Jesus’ response to Satan during His temptation in the wilderness: “It…

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The News Part 2

Dear Heavenly Father, as I enter this day please give me the words that I need to share who you are and help me present your love to all…

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Brush fire outside Dodger Stadium snarls traffic on 110 Freeway

los angeles cityscape with dodger stadium at sunset

A brush fire near the 110 Freeway just outside Dodger Stadium caused “excessive delays into the downtown area” of Los Angeles, according to authorities. The Los Angeles Fire Department said the blaze was reported around 5:44 p.m. Saturday. It’s not yet clear what caused the fire, but it broke out near the southbound lanes of the 110 near Stadium Way. At 7:04 p.m., the LAFD said forward progress was stopped and responding crews were in the “mop up” phase. Between one and two acres burned. No injuries were reported or structures threatened. The LAFD said road and freeway closures were expected to take place, causing excessive traffic. As of 6:40 p.m. it’s not yet clear what, if any, closures have taken place.

Source: Brush fire outside Dodger Stadium snarls traffic on 110 Freeway – CBS Los Angeles

But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
Mark 13:11

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Pet cat faces off with wild coyote in Los Angeles County neighborhood

majestic coyote posing in natural habitat

A security camera captured the intense encounter between a family’s pet cat and a wild coyote in a Los Angeles County neighborhood. Owner Debbie Beltran said she was shocked when she later saw her neighbor’s footage. “Holy cow, that’s our house, and that’s our cat,” she said. “That’s Mama. Oh my god!” Beltran said the face-off happened last Friday on the street in the Pico Rivera neighborhood. In the security camera video, Mama and the coyote square off for several seconds, with the pet cat rushing the wild animal, which is twice her size. It continues until Mama rushes up a neighbor’s tree  “She was pretty high up. She was just hidden in there,” Beltran said.

“She’s very smart because she knew where to go to get away with it.” The Pico Rivera family, who owns several cats, adopted Mama five years ago. She came to them pregnant, which is how she got her name. They said that while the video shocked them, they weren’t completely surprised that their feline was so fearless.  “She does what she wants,” Beltran said. “She’ll come out, and if there are any cats around, she’ll rumble.”

Source: Pet cat faces off with wild coyote in Los Angeles County neighborhood – CBS Los Angeles

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
Hebrews 12:14

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Springs Fire now 95% contained in Moreno Valley after overnight work from firefighters

blazing fire in the forest

Firefighters made significant progress on the Springs Fire overnight after it threatened Moreno Valley neighborhoods in an intense and rapidly developing situation on Friday. As of Cal Fire’s 6:45 p.m. update, the fire had burned 4,176 acres and was 95% contained. Containment was at 25% as of 10:10 p.m. Friday. Evacuation orders remained in place as of Saturday morning, according to Cal Fire. An evacuation map can be found here. The fire began at 11:01 a.m. at Gilman Springs Road and quickly spread due to “light flashy fuels,” according to Cal Fire. No cause has been revealed.

Powerful Santa Ana winds accelerated the blaze with gusts reaching as high as 70 miles per hour. Diminishing winds overnight, with more optimistic forecasts for Saturday, allowed firefighters to gain a greater hold on the fire. Those high-powered winds created difficult situations for firefighters and the fire approached neighborhoods in the evening hours. As of Saturday, no structures were damaged and no injuries were reported. As of Saturday morning, 260 personnel were assigned to the Springs Fire, including the deployment of two helicopters and 36 fire engines. Including Cal Fire, assisting crews include city fire departments from Hemet, Riverside, Palm Springs, Idyllwild and Corona, as well as Pechanga and Morongo.

Source: Springs Fire now 95% contained in Moreno Valley after overnight work from firefighters – CBS Los Angeles

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.
Proverbs 21:2

State records show 89 hospice companies at one Los Angeles office plaza. We went to look for ourselves.

man wearing a hospital gown sitting on the bed

Advocates said the Van Nuys building looked like an example of “clustering” — a red flag for hospice fraud.

Source: State records show 89 hospice companies at one Los Angeles office plaza. We went to look for ourselves. – CBS News

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 3:20

Casitas Fire reported in Los Angeles County on March 7

flames wallpaper

First discovered: 9:58 a.m. March 7

Source: Breaking: Casitas Fire reported in Los Angeles County on March 7 | Fresno Bee

You, O LORD, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation.
Lamentations 5:19

Supreme Court unanimously slaps down blue state targeting pro-life group

The Supreme Court unanimously sided with a group of faith-based pregnancy centers on Wednesday that challenged the New Jersey attorney general’s investigation into whether the centers misled donors and the public about steering women away from having abortions. The case was brought by First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, a group of five Christian-based facilities in…

5 injured in apartment building fire, reported explosion in Des Plaines

Five people were injured in an apartment fire and reported explosion in Des Plaines, Illinois, overnight.   Firefighters responded to a fire at a three-story building at 1279 Harding Ave just before 1 a.m. and found heavy flames and smoke.  Video from the scene shows firefighters on ladders working to control the flames as emergency…

Feds Investigating ‘8647’ Graffiti On Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

The National Park Service is investigating the vandalism of the National Mall’s reflecting pool with a phrase that many supporters of President Donald Trump view as an assassination threat. The term “8647” was found graffitied on the reflecting pool, which is currently under renovation, Friday, the NPS told the Washington Examiner. The United States Park…

Brush fire outside Dodger Stadium snarls traffic on 110 Freeway

A brush fire near the 110 Freeway just outside Dodger Stadium caused “excessive delays into the downtown area” of Los Angeles, according to authorities. The Los Angeles Fire Department said the blaze was reported around 5:44 p.m. Saturday. It’s not yet clear what caused the fire, but it broke out near the southbound lanes of…

Gopher Fire fully contained after burning nearly 70 acres in Riverside County

Riverside County firefighters have fully contained the Gopher Fire, which broke out in southern Riverside County on Saturday afternoon and temporarily forced evacuation orders for some residents.  The blaze, which was reported at around 2:40 p.m. near Highway 79 and Sage Road in the Aguanga area, burned just about 67 acres before Cal Fire/Riverside County…

Judge Apologizes to Alleged WHCD Attacker for Treatment in Jail

Judge Apologizes to Alleged WHCD Attacker for Treatment in Jail Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images ELIZABETH WEIBEL4 May 20261,670 2:03 A judge issued an apology to Cole Tomas Allen, the alleged White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner attacker, for how he has been treated while being held in jail. During a hearing…

Nancy Mace Names 6 House Lawmakers Allegedly Involved In Sex Scandal Cover Up

Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace named several lawmakers Monday who she claims used a congressional “slush fund” to cover up alleged sex scandals. Mace said she uncovered 1,000 pages of documents detailing how certain lawmakers allegedly evaded consequences for sexual scandals, according to a Monday post on X. Mace originally subpoenaed the House Oversight…

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