Diana Balazs
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 31, 2008 11:10 AM
SCOTTSDALE - This year's citrus drive by the Arcadia Neighbor to Neighbor campaign to eliminate a popular food source for roof rats begins Saturday.
The event has been shortened to 8 weeks from ten to reduce the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office's costs in providing chain gang inmates to process the fruit and the deputies needed to guard them, said Barry Paceley, campaign co-founder.
Last year, 110 tons of edible fruit was collected.
This year's goal is 125 tons.
"We can easily handle that volume in 8 weeks. That's plenty of time to collect fruit," he said.
The drive will be held Saturdays through March 22. Residents can drop off citrus between 8 a.m. and noon at the Elks BPOE Scottsdale Lodge 2148, 6398 E. Oak St., Scottsdale. Landscapers can do so there between 8 and 10 a.m.
The fruit will be donated to food banks, senior centers, Arizona Native American tribes, and county jails. Paceley said gleaned fruit used by the county last year saved the jail system $75,000 in direct costs.
Roof rats continue to be a nuisance throughout the Valley including Phoenix's Arcadia neighborhoods and in Scottsdale. They love to scour citrus for moisture and nourishment.
"They are holding their own. It's going to be a continual problem. They are expanding their territory just a little bit at a time," Paceley said.
Residents can learn how to rid their properties of the rodents at a free clinic at the Elks Lodge site from 9 to 10:30 a.m. each Saturday. Paceley and his wife, Joan, will discuss eradication methods and offer suggestions for home proofing and landscape care. Residents also can buy poison bait stations for $5 each.
More information,
www.roofrat.net or 602-273-0435.
Source:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0131sr-roofrat0201-ON.html 
