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Driven by a desire to free up endangered lawmakers to campaign, congressional negotiators are working to quickly complete a spending bill to prevent an election-season government shutdown and finally provide money to battle the threat of the Zika virus. The stopgap measure would keep the government running past the end of the budget year this month. It's the only measure that has to pass before Congress adjourns for Election Day. As such, the talks have been tricky, with Republicans controlling Congress battling Democrats and the Obama administration. (Taylor, 9/19)

The Zika virus has struck fear throughout the Americas, but determining whether people have been infected can be difficult. Here’s why: Most infected people don’t display symptoms or they choose to tough out what may seem like nothing more than influenza instead of seeking medical help. Moreover, infected people don’t have much detectable virus, and what’s in the body doesn’t linger. (Pope, 9/19)

Dan Novak, of Coral Springs, has witnessed such a massive die-off before — in his own backyard, where he's tended honey bee colonies for seven years. He is hoping he doesn't have to see it again. Like many of South Florida's hundreds of beekeepers, he is keeping a close eye on ramped-up local mosquito spraying programs aimed at combating the Zika virus. Some chemicals being used against the Aedes aegypti mosquito, Zika's most common carrier, unfortunately also kill some of our most valuable winged insects — pollinators like honey bees and butterflies included. (Lade, 9/17)