Health officials want city to spend $75,000 to help tenants fight scourge. Toronto's public health department is urging the city to put up $75,000 in emergency funding to help vulnerable adults in the city get rid of bedbugs. But that's just one-time funding, and city officials are predicting that far more will be called for when a special committee tackling the city's bedbug problem reports next spring.

The city has been invaded by a vast army of blood-suckers and health officials are mobilizing to fight them. Toronto Public Health reported yesterday it has recorded a near 1,000% increase in bed bug infestation calls and they aren't just from flophouses.

The Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (Ontario Branch) held their 69th annual educational conference on "Shifting Landscapes in Environmental Health: Meeting The Challenge" in which Abell's Cheif Entomologist, Dr. Yori Sasaerila, was a key speaker.

Director of Environmental Health for Peel Health, Paul Callanan, recognized Dr. Sasaerila's contribution by writting a personal thank you letter for his participation and expert advice (see link to scanned letter below).

Listen to the previously recorded radio interview - Steven Graff talks to radio host Mike Nabuurs of Talk Radio AM 820 as they discuss recent mice and wildlife activity.

Tomorrow, October 22, 2008, Abell Pest Control's Steven Graff will be interviewed by Mike Nabuurs on Talk 820 AM radio at 9:30 AM to talk about drain flies.

Update: Below is the recorded interview of Steven Graff and Mike Nabuurs talking about drain flies.

A stick bug from the island of Borneo measuring well over 30 centimetres in length has been identified by researchers as the world's longest insect.

On November 13, 2008 Abell Quality Assurance Team members Steven Graff and Dusana Bondy will be expert speakers for the "Pest Control and Management, Part 1: Standards and Regulations for the Food Industry" course held by The Guelph Food Technology Centre (GFTC).

On November 3, 2008 Abell Quality Assurance Team member Steven Graff will be presenting at the "Sanitary Design for Food Plants: Design Guidelines for Buildings, Equipment and Infrastructure" course held by The Guelph Food Technology Centre (GFTC).

On October 27, 2008 Abell Quality Assurance Team member Steven Graff will be presenting for the "Food Plant Sanitation" course held by The Guelph Food Technology Centre (GFTC).

Design and implement an effective food plant sanitation program to ensure the production of safe, high-quality food products. Sanitation programs are central to your HACCP programs and ensure that you provide product with optimum product shelf-life. Explore the requirements for your plant sanitation program and techniques for its successful implementation and maintenance, including:

A toddler suffering from raccoon roundworm disease has battled blindness and other neurological effects of the parasite in McMaster Children's Hospital for the past two weeks.

The boy's parents, Danielle and Josh, called The Spectator with an update on his condition but asked that their last names and the name of their son not be published.

They say their 14-month-old seems to be gaining some strength from treatment at Mac, but he is still completely blind and cannot sit up on his own.