PLEASANTON, Calif. -- In Los Angeles a company called Turf Terminators is busy tearing out lawns and replacing them with gravel and drought resistant plants. It's paid for by a local government program that rebates $3 for every square foot of grass that's gone.

On Thursday Marise Freitas said goodbye to her thirsty lawn.

"We're essentially in a desert and people are maintaining yards like we live in the tropics and it's a silly waste of water," said Freitas.

Crews work to remove grass and install gravel to help with California's water restriction

CBS News

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Startling pictures of the worst drought the region has seen in centuries

"We are on a wave of a new era of landscaping in Southern California, and hopefully in California in general," said Turf Terminators CEO Ryan Nivakoff.

On average 60 percent of domestic water use goes to outdoor irrigation, so that's the obvious place to make the 25 percent reduction.

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California prepares for new life, new look under water restrictions

When Amber Blevens came out of jail for the fifth and final time, a window opened.

It was fleeting, but it was a real opportunity for her to give up heroin and regain control of her life. Most, if not all addicts have a window like this, said Blevenss stepmother, Kriss Blevens.

To overcome addiction is impossible without an overlapping moment when the addict is ready to change his or her life and support services are ready to help, the elder Blevens said.

If our health care system is set up to be ready when the addict is ready, the magic of recovery can happen, she said. If the funding and the bed is not there . . . there is no opportunity. It will progress until death.

At 8:30 tomorrow morning, 300 people will lie as if dead on the State House lawn to say that New Hampshire isnt ready to help its citizens who suffer from substance-abuse disorders. They represent the more than 300 people who died last year in the state as a result of a drug overdose.

At 22 years old, Amber Red Blevens was one of the 300 lost.

Ahead of a review of the states budget, the bodies will serve as a reminder and hopefully a prompt to restore substance abuse-related services cut by the House Finance Committee from the governors proposed budget, said Joe Gallagher, communications director for New Futures, the group organizing the event.

In January 2014, Amber told Kriss Blevens through a glass partition in jail that when she was released a few days later, she was ready for help. She wanted to check in to long-term rehab, get clean and pursue her goal of becoming an EMT.

Kriss Blevens put Amber on the waiting list for Farnum Center in Manchester, hoping that a bed would soon open up so Amber could receive long-term treatment there. When Kriss returned to the jail two more times in the following week to visit Amber, she had to relay the fact that no beds were open.

Her desperation became more and more, Kriss said.

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300 to play dead on State House lawn

The confirmation last week of an infestation of emerald ash borer, or EAB, in Clinton begs the question of when the ash-killing pest will be found in Moline and the Iowa Quad-Cities.

With the discovery of EAB in Rock Island in late 2013, most people who work with trees assume the pest is already in those other locations,just undetected.

So if you're a homeowner with ash trees, should you treat them? That is a personal decision, but foresters say the only ash trees that will survive once EAB hits an area in full force are those that are treated, something that must be done for the life of the tree.

Some people would rather remove a tree and plant a replacement.

Ash trees within 15 miles of a confirmed EAB site are at risk ofattack, and preventativetreatments are suggested withinthis zone, if an owner so chooses. At present, that includes the entire metro Quad-Cities, plus Muscatine and Clinton.

The next window for preventive treatment measures (trunk injection, soil injection, soil drench or basal trunk sprays) will be from mid-April to mid-May.

Usethe next few weeks to have landscape and tree service companies bid on work so you can review thembefore the recommended treatment time.

The city of Davenport has set up a process for homeowners to treat city trees in the boulevard, the area between the sidewalk and the street. For more information on this, go to cityofdavenportiowa.com. Click on "departments," "public works" and "trees."

Here is more information about treatment from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, as well as some common questions and answers:

Ash trees can be protected with insecticide applied by a commercial pesticide applicator or the homeowner. Trees must be healthy, vigorously growing and valuable to your landscape.

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EAB discovery in Clinton begs question for other areas

Severe back pain can change a person's life and take them away from the activities they enjoy.

That is what happened with Kevin Lee, of Dartmouth. However, life is getting back to normal after he tried a non-invasive procedure that eliminated his pain in a matter of hours.

"I just may move a certain way or bend over a certain way, and all of a sudden, I'm done and I can't get up," said Lee. "These episodes where I'd be flat on my back, and it would take a week to get back on my feet."

That was tough for Lee to handle. At 64 years old, he was very active and spent time every week rowing or steering a whale boat in New Bedford Bay. The boats are big, and the work can be grueling.

"29 feet long, weighs 927 pounds, 6 foot at the beam, five rowers, one steering. We can row out into rough waters. We can take pretty heavy chop," Lee said.

Chronic lower back pain eventually took Lee out of the boat. He was often unable to walk or standup straight. When the pain flared up, he had to use a cane or even a walker to get around.

"I wasn't mowing my lawn. I wasn't stacking my own firewood. I wasn't able to play with my grandchildren," said Lee.

He saw a spinal surgeon, but they couldn't help.

Eventually, he ended up at a pain management clinic at Brigham & Women's Health Care Center in Foxborough. He met Dr. Pradeep Dinakar, a neurologist and interventional pain management specialist, who realized he was suffering from sacroiliac joint pain on his right side.

"You're in pain, you don't exercise. Your core becomes weak. A weak core makes things worse. It gets to the point that you're debilitated," said Dinakar. "This technique definitely breaks the cycle."

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Local doctors offering procedure to help ease back pain

NEWS TWLOHA, Z Society raise suicide awareness by Mairead Crotty | Mar 24 2015 | 18 hours ago

The University chapter of To Write Love on Her Arms placed 1,100 black flags on the South Lawn Monday to represent the 1,100 college students who die by suicide every year.

TWLOHA is a nonprofit organization seeking to fight the stigma surrounding mental health, create a better and safer conversation about mental health and educate and inform people about the importance of receiving treatment.

With the help of the Z Society, TWLOHA placed the black flags, both to respect student lives lost to suicide and to raise awareness. TWLOHA Vice President Arianna Trickey, a Curry graduate student, said the campaign is a way to bring attention to the conversation surrounding mental health.

The Black Flag Advocacy Campaign is a way to break the stigma, Trickey said. Suicide is not something that anyone wants to talk about, even though the ripple effect of a suicide affects everyone.

The Black Flag Campaigns goal is to encourage students struggling with their mental health to seek the medical attention they need.

That being said, its not meant to be a bandwagon, Trickey said. Its part visibility, but weve also made sure that resources are available. We want to stress that suicide is not the answer there are other avenues to get help here at the University.

Trickey also explained the purpose of the University chapter of the organization.

As an organization we try to do a lot of advocacy work to end the stigma and discuss what being a college student in a culture that stigmatizes mental health is, Trickey said. Were trying to show that U.Va. is not alone in this problem, and that there are so many people who have faced these issues.

The main goal of TWLOHA is to educate and advocate for people struggling with mental health. Ten percent of students have depression, and an estimated two-thirds of those students are untreated, Trickey said. TWLOHA aims to connect people to the resources they need to combat mental health problems.

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Black Flag Campaign calls attention to mental health

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) March 23, 2015

After killing over 50 million Ash trees across 25 states, Emerald Ash Borer is making its presence known in the Philadelphia region according to Giroud Tree and Lawn. Ash trees infested with Emerald Ash Borer, decline quickly and usually die within 3-5 years depending on size. Treatment is the only way to save Ash Trees from this 100% fatal pest.

"Over the past 12 years, government and university researchers have extensively studied Emerald Ash Borer and how to control it," says Lou Giroud, ISA Certified Arborist and President of Giroud Tree and Lawn, a tree service company. Research has proven that biannual trunk injections of TREE-age, Emamectin benzoate, provide the best control against Emerald Ash Borer.

Considered the most destructive forest pest ever seen in North America according to EmeraldAshBorer.info, Emerald Ash Borer kill Ash Trees when the larvae tunnel beneath the bark, stop food and water movement and starve the tree to death.

Property owners living in the high risk zones of Bucks County, Montgomery County PA and parts of Philadelphia need to take action to control Emerald Ash Borer. The following steps help to ensure Ash trees are properly evaluated and treated:

Reaching average heights of more than 80 feet tall and girths as much as 6 feet around, Ash Trees are a valuable part of many landscapes. Losing a tree of this size and stature will have a lasting impact on area homes, businesses and communities. Early detection and treatment to control this deadly pest are keys to preserving Ash trees in the Philadelphia region.

About Giroud Tree and Lawn Giroud Tree and Lawn specializes in tree service, tree removal and lawn care programs that make customers love doing business with the company since 1974. Serving Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties, the company offers professional tree and lawn evaluation, tree pruning, tree removal, insect and disease control, fertilizing, stump removal and traditional and 100% organic lawn programs to keep lawns healthy and green . Giroud Arborists are certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and have the knowledge and experience required to properly diagnose, treat and maintain trees and lawn health. The company is Accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has been awarded the Angie's List Super Service Award every year since 2005. The Giroud Treework for Charity program donates free tree care services to parks, historical sites and other non-profit organizations located in the Companys service area. For more information, visit the company website at http://www.giroudtree.com or call 215-682-7704.

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Emerald Ash Borer Is Spreading in Philadelphia Forcing Homeowners to Choose Between Treatment to Save Valuable Ash ...

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

By: Jillian Austin

Posted: 3:00 AM | Comments:

TIM SMITH / BRANDON SUN Enlarge Image

Sam Hofer, a councillor for the RM of Cornwallis, inside the pumphouse that is used to treat the water for the village of Chater.

CHATER, Man. -- High water rates have Chater residents drowning in "atrocious" bills, and some say it may force them to move out of the village.

Since the RM of Cornwallis took over the community's water management last summer, residents have experienced soaring water costs -- in some cases bills have tripled or quadrupled.

"Something's got to be done," said Carol Pashnyk, a Chater resident of 15 years. "We're just so terribly, terribly upset with our ridiculous water rates... It's unreal."

Carol and her husband George Pashnyk are retired and on a fixed income. They were shocked when they received a $500 water bill for two months, when they were used to paying in the realm of $300 for six months.

"I would say the most we've ever paid in a full year -- and that's watering (the lawn) quite a bit -- is $600," she said. "Well, we paid $500 for two months."

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Huge water bills make townsfolk want to move

TIM SMITH/BRANDON SUN Enlarge Image

Sam Hofer, a councillor for the RM of Cornwallis, stands outside the pump house that is used to treat the water for the village of Chater on Saturday afternoon. The water treatment facility was recently given a large upgrade, but Chater residents are now seeing the cost of the upgrade reflected in soaring water bills.

CHATER High water rates have Chater residents drowning in "atrocious" bills, and some say it may force them to move out of the village.

Enlarge Image

Sam Hofer, a councillor for the RM of Cornwallis, stands in the doorway of the pump house that is used to treat the water for the village of Chater on Saturday. (TIM SMITH/BRANDON SUN)

Enlarge Image

UV treatment is one of the ways the water for the village of Chater is treated. Chaters pump house water treatment facility was recently given a large upgrade, but Chater residents are now seeing the cost of the upgrade reflected in their skyrocketing water bills. (TIM SMITH/BRANDON SUN)

Since the Rural Municipality of Cornwallis took over the communitys water management last summer, residents have experienced soaring water costs in some cases, bills have tripled or quadrupled.

"Somethings got to be done," said Carol Pashnyk, a Chater resident of 15 years. "Were just so terribly, terribly upset with our ridiculous water rates Its unreal."

Carol and her husband, George Pashnyk, are retired and on a fixed income. They were shocked when they received a $500 water bill for two months, when they were used to paying in the range of $300 for six months.

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Drowning in rising water rates

Weedkiller used in parks, millions of gardens and huge swathes of crops could be linked to cancer, a report revealed last night.

Research by a respected agency concluded that glyphosate a chemical found in hundreds of pesticide products including the Roundup range is potentially carcinogenic.

It is used on lawns and on most of Britains wheat supply. Campaigners say residues of the substance are in bread.

Dr Keith Tyrell, director of Pesticides Action Network UK, said: Councils should stop using it and the Government needs to take action. I dont want to alarm people but the safest thing to do would be to restrict this chemicals use.

The report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer part of the World Health Organisation was published in medical journal The Lancet.

It comes two years after scientists linked glyphosate to Parkinsons disease, infertility and other health problems.

Glyphosate is the worlds most widely used pesticide, generating around 1billion in global sales.

The IARC report has been blasted by US chemical giant Monsanto which manufactures the Roundup brand.

Bosses said that when the full facts are properly researched it proved its products are safe and glyphosate is not harmful.

Monsanto chief Dr Philip Miller said: We dont know how IARC could reach a conclusion that is such a dramatic departure from the conclusion reached by all regulatory agencies around the globe.

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Cancer fear over lawn weedkiller commonly used in British parks and on wheat

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) -- The sunshine out means that we're starting to pay attention to our yards.

Lawn companies like Weed Man in Bowling Green said the snow during February has put them behind. Now they're scrambling to spread fertilizer on yards in the area to get up to schedule.

The group is getting a lot of calls asking them to come out to houses as soon as they can.

"We've had four times the regular call volume we usually have in just the first couple hours of the day. It's because of the weather. Everyone is trying to get a break on spring. It's a big difference from this time last week when we still had snow on the ground," said Weed Man General Manager, Rick Ebelhar.

The ground is still saturated from all the standing water and snow during the last month, so Weed Man is using lawn equipment run by hand. Otherwise their machinery may tear up the grass they're trying to make greener.

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Warm Weather Ramps Up Bowling Green Lawn Service Calls