"THE PULSE": The city's battle over the insect's habitat will be featured tonight on television.

The Press - Enterprise ^ | 2/06/03 | By ELLEN BRAUNSTEIN

[jokar]

COLTON - It was the swat heard 'round the world.

An angry mayor mashed a giant fly swatter against a podium at a news conference in September. The mayor, Deirdre Bennett of Colton, declared war on a federally protected fly that many say is exterminating the city's economy by halting development projects.

The story had wings. National media seized on the news of a mayor challenging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, saying her city would no longer try to provide the healthy habitat for the only fly on the endangered-species list.

Colton's battle with the protectors of the Delhi Sands flower-loving fly landed in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, The Associated Press, a National Public Radio affiliate in Boston and other major news outlets.

"The Daily Show" on Comedy Central lampooned the dispute between Colton and Fish and Wildlife as "nature's way of punishing humans for inventing bug zappers."

Tonight, FOX will air Colton's story on "The Pulse," a nationally televised news magazine.

Several thousand flies remain, Fish and Wildlife biologists say.

Fish and Wildlife officials contend that the problem isn't Colton. San Bernardino County should have set aside habitat for the fly years ago when land was cheaper, they say.

The prime commercial property that Fish and Wildlife wants set aside for fly habitat is now worth $60,000 to $100,000 an acre.

The national spotlight on Colton has put the city on the map as a perverse destination for eco-tourism, said City Manager Daryl Parrish.

First stop on media tours, Parrish said, is Slover Avenue, where tons of trash, illegally dumped, cover the fly habitat.

Fish and Wildlife prohibits the city from using front-end loaders to scoop up trash along the street. The trash which covers more than 150 acres, must be collected by hand under the supervision of an authorized biologist, agency officials say.

"We've decided to give eco-tours of the pristine environment of Slover Avenue," said Parrish. "Maybe we'll build a five-star hotel."

Colton In Spotlight

When: 9 p.m. tonight

Where: "The Pulse" a FOX national news magazine.

Why it matters: The national media takes up the story of the Colton mayor challenging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, saying the city will no longer try to provide the healthy habitat for the only fly on the endangered-species list.

Reach Ellen Braunstein at (909) 890-4458 or ebraunstein@pe.com

[jokar]

The Mayor is going to need some support.

Watch the show and let her know we heard her. I've been down this street, Slover ave. Totally gross from people dumping all sorts of garbage. Colton is hemmed in by these sanctuaries and cannot grow or attract new business because of this crazy eco-nazi madness.

Here's the city web page,
http://www.ci.colton.ca.us/Pages/citycouncil.htm
and the mayors e-mail deirdreonb5@cs.com

[Mo1]

The prime commercial property that Fish and Wildlife wants set aside for fly habitat is now worth $60,000 to $100,000 an acre.

For a stupid Fly???

I'm at a lost for words

[jokar]

Only in America.

[OldFriend]

I thought this was about billandhill's habitat.

[jokar]

BUMP

[jokar]

BUMP