Tainted apples located, recovered in Bridgeport

BRIDGEPORT – Sometimes even the best of intentions can turn on and bite the giver. That was the case for Washington Governor Jay Inslee when, during recent visits to the wildfire-damaged communities of Malden in Whitman County, Omak in Okanogan County, and Bridgeport in Douglas County the Governor gifted each stop with a selection of Honeycrisp apples from his own Thurston County orchard. Unfortunately, the gift apples tested positive for apple maggot larvae and launched an immediate action to track, locate, and recover the tainted fruit before the larvae could infect non-contaminated apples.

Will Carpenter, Director of the Chelan-Douglas Horticultural Pest and Disease Board issued an urgent media release requesting information on the whereabouts of the infected apples to contain the potential threat.

“We are desperately seeking the help of all Bridgeport and Douglas County residents or any who may have any information to help us locate the apples that were brought to Bridgeport,” Carpenter’s release said.

The Bridgeport apples in question were gifted to the Foursquare Church where pastors Carlos and Zuni Henriquez have recently revived a weekly food bank distribution project. The church was several days away from its next food event when the apples were located.

“Don’t worry, they were found in a refrigerator and the proper authorities are on their way to test them,” Zuni advised The Quad by email on Wednesday, Sept. 16. “We have pictures and videos to prove they are here and will only be handled by authorized people.”

Carpenter’s media release noted that while Thurston County is an apple maggot quarantine area, Douglas County is not.

“Apple maggots are an incredibly serious pest and could have dire consequences for the orchardists of Douglas County if we are unable to find the infected apples and mitigate the effects immediately,” said Carpenter. “Douglas County orchardists, regulators, and processors have worked tirelessly to ensure that our area stays free of apple maggots and this event could have serious implications for the region.”

As of this writing it appears the infested apples at all three communities have been located and recovered.