White Nose Syndrome Developments

AP

White nose syndrome has decimated bat populations in the northeastern United States. Biologists say that bats afflicted with the syndrome may awaken from hibernation and leave the caves and mines where they spend the winter.

It was in 2007 in New York State that a disease called white nose syndrome was first documented to be affecting the little brown bat. Since then, more than a million of bats have died in the U.S. and Canada because of the affliction. But there have been new positive developments in the battle against the disease, including identifying the fungus - geomyces destructans - that is causing the disease.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist Susi von Oettingen and Scott Darling, bat biologist for Vermont Fish and Wildlife
provide the latest updates on the disease and on a colony of little brown bats that appear to be resistant to the deadly disease. We also hear about efforts to limit bat fatalities caused by wind turbines.

Also on the program, there are a lot of big economic developments underway in Newport these days. Among them, the recent expansion of Jay Peak Resort, a $12.8 million renovation project at the Newport Airport, and the impending arrival of ANC Biotech, which is expected to create 250 direct jobs and around 2,000 indirect jobs. We talk to Patricia Sears, Executive Director for the Newport City Renaissance Corporation, about these and other efforts to bring more money, jobs and tourism to this small city on the Canadian border.