The battle against the spotted lantern fly in Berks County is faring well.

        Hereford Township secretary/treasurer Norann Warmkessel updated the board of supervisors on the "excellent" tree banding efforts by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture in the quarantine areas of Berks County. Hereford Township is within the area.

        The sticky tree bands used by the Department of Agriculture teams and volunteers capture the lantern fly nymphs. The current official death count total is 67,674. Egg masses on trees and other surfaces are scraped off and destroyed; the current death count for the larvae is 25,740.

        Nine crews have been working in the quarantine area and have also checked the outskirts of the area, in Lehigh and Montgomery counties, to ensure that the infestation has not spread. So far there are no signs of spread. The tree bands are changed every two weeks.

        Hereford Township has three properties involved in the banding; property owners could also volunteer to band their own trees if they wished.

        In fire department news, Seisholtzville Chief Duane Bortz reported that his company's John Edwards memorial picnic would be held at Huff's Church on August 29.

        Travis Holt was also appointed to Seisholtzville fire police.

        In other news, the supervisors authorized the township engineer, Technicon, to send an enforcement letter to the owners of 966 Gravel Pike for the accumulation of "debris and junk" on the property.