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spraying</title></head><body>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000">Thanks Alan! Great
information. </font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000"><br></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000">Right now there is a SWAT team
on my block with more ammunition than mosquito larvae. Not sure which
is more disconcerting -- swatting at nuisance mosquitos or seeing all
that trouble in our little town. Okay, I'll take mosquitoes over this
SWAT team in front of my house any day!</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000"><br></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000">Corey</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000"><br></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000">From:</font><font
face="Arial" color="#2034FB"> "Alan K. Thompson"
<akthompson@riverdaleparkmd....</font><font face="Arial"
color="#000000"> [</font><font face="Arial" color="#2034FB">Add to
Address Book</font><font face="Arial" color="#000000">]</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000">To: Corey Slavitt
<cls@pobox.com>, Vernon Archer
<varcher@gmail.com></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000">Cc: TownTalk
<towntalk@riverdale-park.org></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000">Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk]
Mosquito spraying</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000">Date: Jul 31, 2013 10:36
PM</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000">The mosquito spraying program
is run by the Maryland Department of Agriculture. You can read
about it at</font><font face="Arial" color="#2034FB">
http://mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/Pages/mosquito_control_program_d<span
></span>escription.aspx</font><font face="Arial" color="#000000">, and
see the schedule for this year (Riverdale Park is Tuesday evenings)
at </font><font face="Arial"
color="#2034FB"
>http://mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/Documents/PGSprayList2013.pdf</font
></div>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000"><br>
If you want to call and talk to someone, the number they provide
is 410-841-5870.<br>
<br>
>From reading the (very long) description, I suspect that last night's
spraying was for adult mosquitos; they say this is usually done
"when mosquito activity is high, wind velocity is 2 to 10 mph,
air temperature is between 60 to 85 degrees F, relative humidity is
high and a temperature inversion exists." If it's Tuesday
night, and the weather is as described, it's likely to happen
again.<br>
<br>
Best,<br>
<br>
Alan<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On Wed, Jul 31, 2013 at 10:28 PM, Corey Slavitt <</font><font
face="Arial" color="#2034FB">cls@pobox.com</font><font face="Arial"
color="#000000">> wrote:<br>
Late this afternoon, the Town of Riverdale Park's Public Works Office
offered me a new phone number to direct questions on the details and
practices of the County's pesticide spraying program here in Riverdale
Park. The phone number is reportedly for the County's Department
of Environmental Resources at</font><font face="Arial"
color="#2034FB"> 301-883-6080</font><font face="Arial"
color="#000000">. However, not much hope was offered after confirming
that indeed the previous number offered for contact with the County
was a correct one of record but was likely disconnected in favor of
the County's 311 auto-answer service.<br>
<br>
I have not yet been successful in securing the appropriate email
address to direct the same questions and concerns, but with some
research, a good email address could be found. I've called our County
Council Member Eric Olson's office in the past, but the individual
answering the phone was busy with another constituent each time, took
my name and number with the promise to call back, but never did. I
think they have a lot going on, so email may be the best route since
at least that is a communication of record for reference.<br>
<br>
>From what I've seen of the spraying/fogging vehicle, it just activates
lights and a horn and barrels through the center of the street
blasting a wide fog cone. If there's a breeze, front lawns and the
interior of homes with windows open get hit, but if residents know in
advance, they can take precautions -- especially for those that
have exhibited sensitivity to these pesticides in the past. The
pesticides are reportedly deemed effective for all in terms of
mosquito control, but for those, like me, who are sensitive to
inhaling the pesticide, it is not good for them to directly inhale the
airborne fog cloud while it is being dispensed.<br>
<br>
I've had some pets who are resilient to nearly everything -- they can
scarf down plastic bags, lap up motor oil emptied in our streets from
curbside mechanics (despite my efforts to intervene!!!!) and rally to
do the same the next day. There are those though . . . especially as
they age, that do not have the hefty immune systems of their youth,
and have collapsed after walking across a lawn that had been recently
treated for weeds. I think there's a lot we don't know yet about the
long-term effects of these control programs -- positive or negative --
but knowing when the programs are scheduled to occur can make a big
difference.<br>
<br>
Corey Slavitt<br>
<br>
From:</font><font face="Arial" color="#2034FB"> Sheri Mattes Wake
<smattes3@gmail.com></font><font face="Arial" color="#000000">
[</font><font face="Arial" color="#2034FB">Add to Address
Book</font><font face="Arial" color="#000000">]</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000">To: Valrie Hames
<</font><font face="Arial"
color="#2034FB">crownvhg@yahoo.com</font><font face="Arial"
color="#000000">><br>
Cc: Corey Slavitt <</font><font face="Arial"
color="#2034FB">cls@pobox.com</font><font face="Arial"
color="#000000">>, "</font><font face="Arial"
color="#2034FB">towntalk@riverdale-park.org</font><font face="Arial"
color="#000000">" <</font><font face="Arial"
color="#2034FB">towntalk@riverdale-park.org</font><font face="Arial"
color="#000000">><br>
Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] Mosquito spraying<br>
Date: Jul 31, 2013 9:20 PM<br>
<br>
also, is it safe for pets as long as they're not out there when it's
sprayed? or should we avoid the area for a while? how
long? i had no idea this spraying was going on.<br>
<br>
<br>
On Wed, Jul 31, 2013 at 8:38 PM, Valrie Hames <<br>
</font><font face="Arial"
color="#2034FB">crownvhg@yahoo.com</font><font face="Arial"
color="#000000">> wrote:<br>
<br>
Can I ask if the spraying is done on all front lawns and is there a
way to opt out? If there is, have they acknowledge it in the
past or just ignore it while sitting in a truck and spraying as they
drive by.<br>
<br>
Valrie <br>
<br>
<b>From:</b> Corey Slavitt <</font><font face="Arial"
color="#2034FB">cls@pobox.com</font><font face="Arial"
color="#000000">><br>
<b>To:</b></font><font face="Arial" color="#2034FB">
towntalk@riverdale-park.org</font><font face="Arial"
color="#000000"><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, July 31, 2013 2:51 PM<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [RP TownTalk] Mosquito spraying<br>
<br>
Thanks for posting this Anne Marie.<br>
I called the Town of Riverdale Park's Public Works Office today
because I experienced the surprise of the pesticide fogging vehicle
last night in the 5000 block of Oglethorpe Street, and hoped to get a
spraying schedule from the Town. As I recall, there used to be a
schedule for spraying written in the Town Crier. In previous years, I
would mark my calendar for the spraying schedule and make sure my
windows were closed and pets safe those days.<br>
<br>
Public Works told me today that it was a County function, and to find
out the schedule I would need to call the County on their new 311 line
where one leaves a recorded message in the hope of getting a return
call later in time. Public Works did also give me a direct line to the
County pesticide sprayers at</font><font face="Arial" color="#2034FB">
301-442-5080</font><font face="Arial" color="#000000"> (I think that
was the number) but I only get a disconnection recording when I dial
it. I will check back again with Public Works on that direct line
number they gave me.<br>
<br>
With the rare break in humidity and some nice weather, I took a chance
and turned off my central air conditioning and opened the windows for
a few days. It was great until last night when there was a pretty
strong breeze that blew the spraying vehicle's cloud into my windows,
and the ceiling fans inside circulated the fumes quickly. I ran around
like a wild woman last night, shutting windows and grabbing my cat off
his perch in an open window. But it was too late. I was so ill through
the night and this morning that I called in sick to work. My cat threw
up along with me. Some people and animals are extra sensitive to
pesticide spray.<br>
<br>
It is unfortunate to have this experience in tandem with the Riverdale
Park's Green Team's quest to obtain Sustainable Maryland
Certification. I filled out a survey about community needs regarding
the certification back in March. I regret now not mentioning that the
lack of spraying notification impacts the confidence of some residents
to open their windows, turn off the AC, and be more green.<br>
<br>
Corey Slavitt<br>
<br>
<br>
From:</font><font face="Arial" color="#2034FB"> Am
<maryland_amwillis@yahoo.com></font><font face="Arial"
color="#000000"> [</font><font face="Arial" color="#2034FB">Add to
Address Book</font><font face="Arial" color="#000000">]<br>
To:</font><font face="Arial" color="#2034FB">
towntalk@riverdale-park.org</font><font face="Arial"
color="#000000"><br>
Subject: [RP TownTalk] Mosquito spraying<br>
Date: Jul 31, 2013 2:19 PM<br>
When was the town going to let the residents know when spraying was
going to take place?<br>
<br>
Today my nanny called to tell me and rush my daughter and dog inside.
What about the other pets outside! I also saw them @ three weeks ago
coming home from work on evening.<br>
<br>
I'm on the list serve and NEVER saw a notice.<br>
<br>
Anne Marie Willis</font><br>
<font face="Arial" color="#000000"></font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000">Sent from my
iPhone</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" color="#000000"><br></font></div>
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