City says mosquitoes won't breed at Astoria Pool

From NBC:

Scan Astoria Park with your eyes and it is hard to miss the high dive pool. The towering diving platforms have been closed to the public for years, but the pool beneath never stopped capturing rainwater.

On a recent Thursday, you could seeas a faded basketball floating in the cloudy water, and knee-high weeds growing out of the pool.

"It’s definitely a mosquito breeding ground,” said neighbor Ian Eastwick, as he walked by the abandoned pool. "That’s where they hang out. That’s where they come from."

"I think they need to clean it up, man," added Les Fernandez, as he finished his workout in the park. "This is a popular park."

In April, Mayor de Blasio announced a $21 million campaign to fight Zika. The strategy includes public service announcements, travel advisories and warnings to get rid of stagnant water that might be collecting in old tires, birdbaths and pools.

Despite those warnings, the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation suggested the Astoria Park high dive pool does not represent a mosquito risk.

"The diving pool is maintained regularly by NYC Parks staff, including weeding, removing debris, and spraying for insects," Meghan Lalor, a Parks spokeswoman, wrote in an email to the I-Team.

"However, due to the nature of the deep pool, this work is difficult and requires specialized equipment."

West Nile spraying this week

From NBC:

To reduce mosquito populations and the risk of West Nile virus, the New York City Health Department plans to spray pesticide from trucks on Tuesday and Wednesday in parts of Queens.

The spraying is scheduled between 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and 6 a.m. Wednesday, weather permitting. In case of bad weather, application will begin Wednesday.

No human cases of West Nile virus have been reported this season.

The neighborhoods to be sprayed include parts of Auburndale, Corona, Flushing, Fresh Meadows, Kew Gardens Hills, Murray Hill, Pomonok, Queensboro Hill, Utopia, Bellaire, Bellerose, Douglaston, Floral Park, Floral Park Center, Glen Oaks, Hollis Hill, Little Neck, and Oakland Gardens.

Southern Queens is very buggy this year

From CBS News:

Beach areas in Queens hit hard by Superstorm Sandy and still recovering are dealing with a new issue this summer.

As CBS2’s Meg Baker reported, some residents are scratching their heads over a lack of action against what they call a pest explosion.

“Right around sunset they come out and overwhelm you,” Hamilton Beach resident, Christopher Jones said.

“The mosquito problem down here is insane,” Michael Hussey added.

Residents said the only way to combat mosquitoes is to stay inside. Bug spray and citronella candles don’t work.

“Candles don’t do anything,” Jones said.

Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder walked the neighborhood on Bayview and Broadway with CBS2’s Baker and explained that conditions were ripe for breeding.

“In southern Queens we are surrounded by Jamaica Bay, Sandy damage still not repaired, we are a target for mosquito breeding and West Nile,” he said.

Goldfeder is pushing the Health Department to spray the area of Hamilton Beach, Howard Beach, and Lindenwood.

The final round of skeeter spraying?

From the Queens Courier:

Another round of West Nile spraying is set for parts of Queens this week.

The spraying will take place on Thursday, Sept. 18, between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6 a.m. the next morning. In case of bad weather, the application will be delayed until Monday, Sept. 22 during the same hours.

The following neighborhoods are being treated to help reduce the mosquito population and the risk of the disease, according to the city’s Health Department:

Parts of Arverne, Bays Water, Edgemere, Far Rockaway, Hammels and Somerville (Bordered by Jamaica Bay to the north; Cross Bay Parkway to the west; Atlantic Ocean to the south; and Nassau County Boundary to the east).

Parts of Cambria Heights, Laurelton, Saint Albans and Springfield Gardens (Bordered by 119th Avenue to the north; Farmers Boulevard to the west; Merrick Boulevard to the south; and Belt Parkway and Nassau County Line to the east).

Skeeter spraying for southern Queens

From the Queens Courier:

On Tuesday, Sept. 16, there will be West Nile spraying in parts of Queens, including along the Brooklyn-Queens border, to help reduce the mosquito population and the risk of the disease.

The spraying will take place between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6 a.m. the next morning. In case of bad weather, the application will be delayed until Wednesday, Sept. 17 during the same hours.

The following neighborhoods are being treated due to rising West Nile virus activity with high mosquito populations, according to the city’s Health Department:

Parts of City Line, Cypress Hills, Highland Park, Howard Beach, Lindenwood, Ozone Park, Spring Creek and Woodhaven (Bordered by Jamaica Avenue and to the north; Shepherd Avenue, Fulton Street Line and Fountain Avenue to the west; Jamaica Bay to the south; and Rockaway Rail-Line, Rockaway Boulevard and Woodhaven Boulevard to the east).

More mosquito spraying tonight

From the Queens Courier:

On Monday, Sept. 8, there will be West Nile spraying in parts of Queens to help reduce the mosquito population and the risk of the disease.

The spraying will take place between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6 a.m. the next morning. In case of bad weather, the application will be delayed until Tuesday, Sept. 9 during the same hours.

The following neighborhoods are being treated due to rising West Nile virus activity with high mosquito populations, according to the city’s Health Department:

Parts of Auburndale, Flushing, Fresh Meadows, Murray Hill Pomonok, and Queensboro Hill (Bordered by 46th Avenue, Holly Avenue and Kissena Boulevard to the north; Main Street and Elder Avenue to west; Long Island Expressway to the south; and Hollis Court Boulevard to the east).

Parts of Astoria, Jackson Heights, Steinway and Woodside (Bordered by 19th Avenue and 81st Street to the north; 45th Street to the west; 25th Avenue and Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West to the south; and Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East, 25th Avenue, 77th Street and Grand Central Parkway to the east).

Upcoming skeeter spray schedule

These neighborhoods are expected to be sprayed overnight Wednesday night into Thursday.

Today's sprayings

Skeeter spraying at sites across borough tomorrow

For more info, click here.

Skeeter spraying tonight in northeastern Queens

From the Queens Courier:

On Wednesday, July 30, there will be West Nile spraying in parts of Queens to help reduce the mosquito population and the risk of the disease.

The spraying will take place between the hours of 8:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. the next morning. In case of bad weather, the application will be delayed until Thursday, July 31 during the same hours.

The following neighborhoods are being treated due to rising West Nile virus activity with high mosquito populations, according to the city’s Health Department:

Parts of College Point, Flushing, Linden Hill, Malba and Whitestone (Bordered by the East River, Powell’s Cove, 138th Street and 11th Avenue to the north; Flushing Bay and Flushing River to the west; Northern Boulevard to the south; and 149th Street, 20th Avenue and Whitestone Expressway to the east)

Beware of Chikungunya fever!

From WPIX:

The same insect that brought us the West Nile Virus is infecting people with a relatively new and painful illness.

It’s called Chikungunya fever, and it’s carried by recent travelers to the Caribbean where the virus is spreading at an alarming rate.

The mosquito-borne infection has surfaced in states across the country, including New York, which according to Senator Chuck Schumer’s office, has 30 confirmed cases. Three patients in the past six weeks were treated by Dr. David Hirschwerk, an infectious diseases specialist at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, Long Island.

“We have confirmed one case from the CDC. The other cases are presumed, but not yet proven because testing isn’t back yet,” said Dr. Hirschwerk, who noted the unrelated patients all traveled to the Caribbean.

Senator Schumer is calling on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue an immediate health alert for medical professionals in New York and around the country.

West Nile found in northeastern Queens

From WPIX:

The New York City Health Department has detected West Nile virus in New York City mosquitoes for the first time this season.

The infected mosquitoes were collected from the Douglaston and College Point neighborhoods in Queens and Old Town from Staten Island, a release said Monday.

According to the release, no human cases have been reported this season.

Spraying scheduled for this week

From NY1:

The city's Health Department has said it will begin spraying for West Nile virus next week in parts of Staten Island, Queens and the Bronx.

Officials say the disease has NOT been detected in the city yet this year, but they're working to reduce the number of mosquitoes and minimize the risk.

Crews will spray non-chemical larvacide on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. weather permitting.

In bad weather it will be delayed to Thursday, Friday and next Monday.

In Queens, larvacide will be spread in Linden Hill, College Point and Edgemere.

Brownfield housing still causing problems

From the Queens Chronicle:

A housing and hotel complex project off the Long Island Expressway in Fresh Meadows has neighbors fuming over lack of maintenance, shoddy workmanship and fear of future flooding.

The project’s address is 183-15 Horace Harding Expressway, but the 18 two-family houses that were completed over a year ago are located on adjacent 183rd Street and Booth Memorial Drive, residential streets with well-maintained homes.

Neighbors complain that there is no maintenance of the site, which features a large hole in the middle where the hotels are to be constructed. It was dug so that the project could be grandfathered in prior to a downzoning of the area.

Nearby residents say the hole attracts raccoons and other animals, while nearby barrels are filled with rainwater that they fear are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The construction fences on the Horace Harding and Booth Memorial sides are flimsy and the one in the rear can be easily moved. Vandals have already stolen decorative metal balls atop railings on the houses.

Christine Haider, first vice chairwoman of Community Board 11 and president of the nearby Harding Heights Civic Association, says she’s “extremely concerned” about how the development is being built. “There are so many problems, it’s very frustrating,” Haider said. “The developer can amend plans until construction is finished.”

The most troublesome issue to neighbors is the driveways, which were designed too steep for the underground garages. The Department of Buildings did not approve it so the owners, Century Construction Group Corp., headed by brothers Chris and George Xu, raised the grade of the driveways, which eliminated the garages.

“They repitched it, eliminating the garage, so there’s no room for two cars as planned,” Haider said. “We fear that they will try to put a third family in the basement since they added a window where the garage door was to go.”

Oh come now, when have you ever heard of a developer doing that?...

It seems like just yesterday that this was a brownfield.

City plans to spray pesticides on concertgoers

So the NYC Parks Dept is co-sponsoring a concert series in Juniper Valley Park. Tonight is "Classic Rock night" and starts at 7pm.

And the NYCDOH apparently doesn't care. They blindsided everyone involved by announcing that they would be spraying the area tonight beginning at 8pm and that everyone should stay indoors.

Great communication work!

Return of the mosquito breeding ground

From WPIX:

Two cases of west nile virus have been confirmed in mosquitoes, the NYC Health Department has announced. Standing water and vacant lots are breeding grounds for the pests.

The city advises neighbors to call 311 to report standing water and vacant lots.

Neighbors involved with the Malba Gardens Civic Association are trying to take care of both issues on their block along 5th Avenue in Whitestone, Queens.

West Nile found at Pomonok

From the Queens Courier:

The West Nile virus has been detected in Flushing and Staten Island for the first time this season, city officials said.

Infected mosquitoes were collected from the Pomonok area of Queens and the Huguenot Beach neighborhood in Staten Island, the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said.

While no human cases were reported, the department advises residents to take preventative measures to safeguard themselves against the virus.

Skeeter spraying to commence Tuesday

From the Daily News:

The city is getting a jump on skeeter season by spraying larvicide in several Queens, Bronx and Staten Island neighborhoods next week to stave off the West Nile virus.

Helicopters will spray larvicide on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to reduce the mosquito population in marshy and non-residential areas between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Specific locations include: Pelham Bay in the Bronx, Alley Creek, the abandoned Flushing Airport, Dubos Point, Edgemere Park in Queens and several areas of Staten Island.

Would this work here?

From HousingWire:

California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill Monday forcing owners of foreclosed and vacant homes to maintain the property or face up to a $1,000 fine per day of violation.

The bill, A.B. 2314, is part of the Homeowner Bill of Rights, a slew of new legislation drafted and introduced through state lawmakers with the assistance of California Attorney General Kamala Harris.

The latest enacted bill gives local governments the ability to impose up to a $1,000 fine for code violations. It must give owners, including banks, at least 14 days to start fixing the alleged violation and 30 days to complete the correction before issuing the fine.

One of the violations includes "not failing to take action to prevent mosquito larvae from growing in standing water or other conditions that create a public nuisance." A woman in Studio City, Calif. recently diagnosed with the West Nile virus traced the contraction to mosquitoes breeding in a nearby foreclosure's neglected swimming pool.

The new bill could be costly for careless owners of these homes. Fannie Mae, for example, owned more than 10,000 REO properties in California as of June 30, according to its latest financial filing.

If an investor or homeowner buys a property that was foreclosed on at any point since Jan. 1, 2008, the local government must give at least 60 days to remedy any violations found since taking title. The law does give room to provide less time "if deemed necessary."

Not exactly the jewel of Whitestone

From CBS 2:

“The mosquitoes here, raccoons, the possums — it’s unbelievable. You gotta watch when you go outside,” Whitestone resident Artie McCrossen told CBS 2′s Hazel Sanchez.

McCrossen’s home on 6th Avenue is surrounded by the six-acre blight, overwhelmed with towering weeds, poison ivy and endless annoyances. He said his family can’t even enjoy their pool.

“We used to go in all the time — 8, 9 o’clock at night. Now we can’t even — 4 o’clock we’re out of the pool because the mosquitoes come out and it’s horrible,” he said.

The Department of Finance said Whitestone Jewels bought the land for $23 million with plans to build a residential subdivision in 2007, but then dumped the project in its infancy. The Department of Finance also said the property may be in foreclosure.

Joe Marino and other residents in the well-manicured neighborhood said the owner stopped maintaining the grounds about a year ago.