Ore. boat checks for invasive species begin early (AP) — Boat inspections to keep invasive mussels and other exotic species from choking Oregon's waterways stopped 41 boats last year, and the inspectors wonder how many they might have missed. Inspections began last week at the checkpoint along Interstate 5 at Ashland, looking at boat hulls and bilges for non-native species hitchhiking from California into Oregon, The Medford Mail Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/Y6AiXH ) reported. In 2009, the Legislature created $5 boat permits to pay for a campaign to keep such invaders as zebra and ... Read More