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American Morning

Across America: Invasion of the Frogs

Aired August 21, 2001 - 09:27   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We have one stop on our look "Across America" this morning. It's in Corona, California, where some little creatures have some well-heeled home owners hopping mad.

Walter Richards from CNN affiliate KTLA has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RICHARDS, KTLA REPORTER (voice-over): Tucked in the north end of Corona, where homes are big upon land that is even bigger, there is one tiny problem -- this tiny problem, leaping and snapping around the edges of anything that's wet. It may be driving the neighborhood dogs to drink!

It's irritating mother goose. And homeowners are looking down, believing the worst is yet to come.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's trying to swim right there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just have the baby ones right now. They could be getting bigger. And I have no idea how big they are going to be. I mean, if they end up being huge frogs, we could have hundreds of giant -- we could have an invasion. I don't know.

RICHARDS: Many of the tiny frogs are getting bigger, acting like fat cats, lying around the pool or in it. A whole bunch got a little too much pool in Seth Godinez's backyard, ended up at the deep bottom.

Seth believes the invasion began soon after construction of a golf course development behind his property.

SETH GODINEZ, HOMEOWNER: They probably planted some to eat the insects, keep the mosquitoes and whatever out of the lake.

RICHARDS (on camera): The experiment went bad, huh?

GODINEZ: Well, I think so.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God. That one's huge.

RICHARDS (voice-over): For now, folks have no beef with these babies. The creatures keep trying to leap out of their way, while homeowners are worried about stepping on the frogs.

And then, says Karen Christopher (ph):

KAREN CHRISTOPHER: But I just want to know how many do you have to kiss to find a prince? That's all I want to know.

RICHARDS: Perhaps there might be a fairy tale here -- or a B- horror movie.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Thanks to Walter Richards of CNN affiliate KTLA.

Now, if you have a story from your hometown that you'd like to see in our segment, e-mail us. Our address is morning@CNN.com.

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