61 replies to this topic

[Justin5]

TrumanCrockett, on 10 April 2012 - 08:09 AM, said:

http://ocm.auburn.ed...ate_april12.pdf
Update released today.

Thanks!  Thats a great snapshot of where we're at.

[meh130]

Mikey, on 09 March 2012 - 08:35 AM, said:

I'd like to know who Updyke's accomplice was. Updyke himself wouldn't have had the intelligence or knowledge to select this herbicide and acquire it. Somebody else is involved.

Good point.  Updyke has been "disabled" for the last 20 years, living on disability checks in a house subsidized by one his high school buddies.  It is not like he has been working on a farm.

But you are too narrow in your analysis of Updyke's lack of intelligence and knowledge.  Updyke's  lack of intelligence and knowledge spans far beyond horticulture.

Howard Wayne Barnes, the owner of the house Updyke rented in Dadeville also is who he rode with to Bama games.  Barnes and Updyke went to high school together.  Updyke rented his house at a "nominal fee", because Updyke is a friend, according to Barnes.  Barnes accompanied Updyke to the 2009 BCS Championship game.

I can only assume the police questioned Barnes.  Even if he was not involved, Updyke may have bragged to him.  Unfortunately, Barnes, like Updyke, is a former Texas law enforcement officer, so he probably thinks he is above the law.

Updyke's son Bear lives in Texas, so I doubt he would be involved.

As an alibi, Updyke claimed he heard someone saying they would poison the trees after the 2010 Iron Bowl.  I wonder if Updyke did work with some yokel Bammer he just met.  Or was he actually talking about a conversation with Barnes?

I say break out the waterboard.

[AU Jack]

TrumanCrockett, on 10 April 2012 - 08:09 AM, said:

http://ocm.auburn.ed...ate_april12.pdf
Update released today.

Thank you so much for posting!  Very good factual information.

[AURaptor]

Not out of the woods yet.

No doubt, the trees have taken a heavy beating. Kudos to all those involved and all their hard work for giving the trees a chance. To be honest, I didn't think they'd see 1 more spring. Not only are they still alive, the leaves , at least for now, are looking great, from the info posted. Hopefully that's a good sign for the future, but at best, it's a single step. The road to recovery , if any, will be long.

[RunInRed]

[AURaptor]

Any word on whether the sugar injections have sped up the the effects of the poison ? Not necessarily made it worse, but perhaps ushered the effects quicker than would have taken place naturally?

[RunInRed]

Update:

Quote

Toomer's oak show new signs of poison
By Elizabeth White



Caretakers of the poisoned Toomer's oaks tell News Leader 9 the poisoned oaks say the trees have taken a turn for the worse.

Head of the Toomer's tree task force Gary Keever says the trees are once again showing signs of Spike-80DF poisoning.

This spring, new leaves did appear on the trees and for a time they were not showing any adverse reactions to the herbicide. However, that has all changed and most of the canopy is turning a yellowish brown color as the herbicide does what it is intended to do and that is to inhibit photosynthesis.

Keever says photosynthesis tests show the new leaves are not progressing as they should.

He says they are still waiting on test results from soil samples to see how much poison remains around the trees.

Keever has requested another round of sugar injections at the base of the oaks, to try and help offset the poison.

However, at this point he says it does not look good.

Meanwhile, if the trees do indeed die they will remain at the corner to be rolled this football season. Then a group will look at removing the trees and replacing them with one or two new oak trees.

http://www.myfoxal.c...signs-of-poison

[GreenEyedGirl]

So very sad.  This has been so long and agonizing with the ups and downs.  I hope the turd that did this has a long and agonizing jail sentence.

[AURaptor]

GreenEyedGirl, on 02 May 2012 - 07:37 AM, said:

So very sad.  This has been so long and agonizing with the ups and downs.  I hope the turd that did this has a long and agonizing jail sentence.

There is precedence for a long jail sentence, for exactly this sort of crime,  though in another state.

Edited by AURaptor, 02 May 2012 - 07:57 AM.