Tuesday, October 16, 2012
The ban on outdoor activity after dusk has been lifted in Marlborough.
The ban that has been in place since September on evening activities in City Parks has been lifted following the hard frost over the weekend. "The Marlborough Board of Health has lifted the night-time restriction on outdoor activity in city parks due to lowered risk of West Nile Virus and EEE in the area," according to an announcement on the city's website. The ban went into effect due to the risk of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and after West Nile Virus (WNV) was discovered in Marlborough in August. The Board of Health encourages residents to continue to use enhanced precautions with the use of Bug Spray containing DEET and wear long sleeves and long pants from dusk until dawn. Tim Deschamps, the executive director of the Central …
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
City officials have approved pesticide spraying for mosquitoes at parks and fields, but do you agree with the call?
City officials have approved pesticide spraying at all parks and fields over night. The decision came in the face of the seemingly ever-rising threat from mosquito-borne diseases. Officials say the spraying is being done to reduce the risk at some of the areas likely to have the highest exposure. Officials are saying there is no residual impact from the spraying and that the fields will be safe the next day. However, are you among those concerned with exposure to those pesticides? Patch wants to know: Do you agree with the spraying in the interest of public health or are you more concerned with the pesticides? Sound off in the comments.
With spraying occurring throughout Marlborough's parks and fields, officials are saying the pesticides are safe.
Officials are saying the pesticides sprayed at Marlborough's parks and fields pose no threat to people during the day following night time spraying. “What we spray that night will be gone from the environment the next day,” said Tim Deschamps, the executive director of the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project (CMMCP) that is conducting the spraying. “The last thing we would want to do is increase the risk from anything else.” The decision was made in conjunction with city officials to conduct night time spraying of all the city's parks and fields. These are the areas with the highest concentration of people doing outdoor activities and thus a concentration of risk of exposure to mosquito-borne illnesses, said Deschamps. Let Patch…
Monday, September 17, 2012
Spraying for mosquitoes and use bans have been extended to all city parks and fields.
The city has extended spraying for mosquitoes to all city parks and fields as officials attempt to stave off the threat of mosquito-borne illness. It had been announced Thursday that spraying would occur at Ghiloni Park, Ward Park, Stevens Park at the lower field, Kelleher Field and the Whitcomb Middle School softball field. The decision was made by city officials to expand spraying to all the city's parks and fields early Friday. Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone everyday with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here. The ban on activity from dusk until dawn has also been extended throughout all city parks and field. This ban will be in place indefinitely, said …
Friday, September 14, 2012
The threat of Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus has prompted the city to seek out more spraying as well as closing parks after dark.
The rising threat of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) has officials closing public parks at 6:30 p.m. and urging everyone to curtail evening activities. "We want to be most protective and least painful," said Robert Landry, the administrator of the board of health who said more mosquito spraying will occur to combat the EEE. "But we need to be most protective of public health." Beginning today, the City of Marlborough will prohibit the use of Ghiloni Park, Ward Park, Stevens Park (lower field), Kelleher Field and the Whitcomb Middle School softball field from 6:30 p.m. until 6:30 a.m. The ban will be in effect until further notice. The City of Marlborough has requested and authorized truck mounted spraying at each of those fields which …
From a heightened risk of mosquito-born illness to Shakespeare in the Square; we have what you need to know right here.
1. The crisp coolness of fall is in the air, but the mosquitoes are still biting. City officials have been discussing solutions and sports have been shifted around to minimize the risk of EEE and WNV, but keep the bug-spray close. 2. Tonight's football game has been moved to 5 p.m. from 7 p.m. due to the heightened risk of mosquito-born illness. 3. According to 2010 U.S. Census Data, the city has 16,416 housing units out of Madssachusett's 2,808,254 units. 4. The Ghost Light Players will be putting on their production of a "Midsummer Night's Dream" Saturday at 1 and 5 p.m. on Union Common. 5. We want you to blog, and it couldn't be easier. Have something to say? Simply click on "start a blog" on the home page, and get started. Don't miss a…
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) prompts the move of tomorrow's football game to 5 p.m.
The football game against Shrewsbury High School — set for tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at Marlborough's Kelleher Field — has been moved to 5 p.m. as officials seek to limit athlete's exposure to Eastern Equine Encephalitis that has been sweeping through the area. We will have the full story on steps officials are taking toward the safety of students and the community tomorrow. Receive updates to this story and other breaking news in your inbox or smartphone by signing up for our newsletter here
Monday, July 30, 2012
A mosquito collected in Sudbury near the city line has prompted the action by the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project.
Crews will be out in parts of Marlborough late Monday spraying for mosquitoes following the confirmation late last week that insects collected in Sudbury had tested positive for the Easter Equine Encephalitis virus. Spraying will begin after 8 p.m. in the northeast corner of the city, in the area between Hudson and Sudbury. The Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project will be applying the pesticide sumithrin, which has been used in the past by the agency when residents request backyard spraying. Follow up spraying may be done if necessary. “This is confirmation that the EEE virus is present in town, and residents must do everything possible to avoid mosquito bites” CMMCP Executive Directo Timothy Deschamps said in a statement. “EEE…
Friday, April 20, 2012
Sometimes people don't know what to do with their old tires, or don't care. Do you know of any tire piles in Marlborough? There is someone you can call.
Perhaps the most defining image of pollution over the years has been one of a pile of old tires sitting down by the once-clean river. We've all seen them. Sometimes stacks sit on property, or they are tossed down an embankment, destined to rest there until the end of time. You may not be aware that the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project (CMMCP), which has its headquarters in neighboring Northborough, is making efforts to clean up discarded tires. Not only do these tires pollute the environment and look ugly, they are ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Thousands of them. "Used tire casings left out in the environment and allowed to hold water provide suitable areas for larval mosquito development, including those species …
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
The East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project urges residents to protect themselves from mosquitoes and the diseases they carry.
In late July the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project discovered West Nile Virus while surveying mosquito populations in Acton. In addition, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said in a press release that WNV-positive mosquitoes have been found in Watertown as well as several parts of Boston. While WNV has not yet been found in Marlborough, the East Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project, which is responsible for mosquito control in neighboring Sudbury and works with the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project (which covers Marlborough), is urging residents to be cautious when outside this summer. Given the large amount of rain Marlborough has seen in recent days, EMMCP is predicting mosquito populations to …
marilyn fenter
9:53 am on Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Do we really know the health side effects of these chemicals on humans, birds, bees, fish? Has anyone read Rachel Carlsons "Silent Spring"? Do we have to reinvent the wheel here? more ›