The Whitestone Bridge is leaking big time

CRAPPY,

THIS STORY MIGHT INTEREST YOU AND YOUR READERS.

Back in the beginning of April we sent an email to MTABT and DOT regarding a serious flooding issue on the side of the Whitestone Bridge. Ever since they completed construction, the flooding has become much worse.

The DOT referred it to DEP. The MTABT stated that there was no issue and that ONE home along the route has drainage holes (AT LEAST 12 INCHES ABOVE THE GROUND) may be the cause.

So We sent pictures of the water marks and dirt marks from the runoff. NO RESPONSE.

Then this morning with a little rain we took more photos and video of the water runoff and the amount that now falls onto the road. In our opinion this has extremely exasperated the severe flooding issue.

The Whitestone Bridge is a proud representation of our community. To have the managers not take responsibility is an insult to the community. NOT TO MENTION THE LACK OF MAINTENANCE OF THEIR GRASSY AREA AS OF LATE. We take pride in our community and expect our neighbor the MTABT to do the same.

And of course let us not forget the mosquitoes and West Nile issues this brings.

Thank you.

Alfredo Centola
President
Founding Member

West Nile is pretty much everywhere this year

From DNA Info:

The number of New Yorkers with the potentially deadly West Nile virus has grown to 10, health officials confirmed Friday.

The city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene quietly updated its online tally of West Nile cases to list four cases in Brooklyn, four in Queens and two in Staten Island.

On Thursday, the chart showed only three cases citywide. A week ago, it listed just one.

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)

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.

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."

Alley Pond to be sprayed for West Nile

From Douglaston Patch:

The city's Department of Health will drop larvicide at a number of northeast Queens sites during the next five days to combat the spread of West Nile Virus-carrying mosquitoes.

The agency warned on its website that Alley Pond Park, Linden Hill/College Point, Edgemerea and Somerville would be sprayed by helicopter on Monday through Friday.

The spraying would be carried out between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.

West Nile breeding ground in Whitestone

The remaining 6 acres of the former CYO site in Whitestone has been the topic of several posts on this blog and local papers.

As of today, it sits vacant, abandoned, and rapidly becoming a breeding ground for the West Nile Virus, as well as a home to numerous raccoons, opossums, and God knows what else.

The attached photos show the extent of the overgrown weeds.

With the warm winter behind us, the mosquitoes are bigger and hungrier than ever. In light of recent events with at least one confirmed tragedy due to the West Nile Virus, this site needs to be cleaned up immediately! Regardless of who owns it, who doesn't, etc.

Our Elected officials need to contact whomever they need to contact and get it cleaned up!

Please, before the Summer is in full swing, let us avert another tragedy.

Alfredo Centola

Cemeteries fined for flower vases

From Eyewitness News:

There is outrage over a little known New York City ordinance that some families claim is not allowing them to properly mourn their loved ones buried at cemetery in Queens.

The ordinance forbids cemetery visitors to place flowers in water. It's all part of a citywide effort to prevent West Nile Virus, but many people say it's ridiculous. "This is a place that's supposed to be after life peaceful not people giving out tickets," says Andy Pilizota. Daniel Austin runs the cemetery, and he says two days before Mother's Day, their busiest week, an inspector from the Health Department walked the grounds. He had no idea, until Monday, he got a notice in the mail, saying the inspector found, "conditions conducive to the breeding of mosquitoes. Water in vases and flower pots throughout the property, some that contained larvae." It's a violations, something officials take very seriously in order to prevent cases of West Nile Virus. Daniel was fined $1,200. "I've done everything physically to curtail water or standing water with the grounds of this 225 acre sprawling cemetery," he says. That's the irony, there is a zero tolerance for standing water there. Signs clearly warn visitors not to bring it in from mid-April to the end of October. Staff looks for empties containers, even going as far as completely closing down facets but with only 15 full time workers and roughly 250,000 grave sites, Daniel says it's impossible to be everywhere at every time. He feels the health department is unfairly targeting him and other cemeteries.

Birdbaths lead to fines

From the NY Times:

During mosquito-breeding season, from April to October, standing water on the ground, in roof gutters, on swimming pool covers and in discarded tires, among other places, can violate Article 151, which covers pest prevention and management. Health officials said the 699 summonses issued last year was about average.

In a city where Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has all but banned smoking and waged war on soda and trans fats, some New Yorkers may complain that the crackdown on birdbaths is yet another intrusion by the nanny state or a ruse to raise more money for municipal coffers.

Mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus lay their eggs in standing water, although exactly what constitutes standing water is ambiguous. Asked to explain the difference between standing and stagnant, a department spokeswoman, Chanel Caraway, gamely said: “Standing waters become increasingly stagnant with time as they become more and more concentrated with decomposing organic material, which is food for the mosquito larvae.”

Ms. Caraway emphasized that the agency is not necessarily anti-birdbath. “The health department will issue a notice of violation for standing water in a birdbath only if that water is stagnant, not simply for having water in a birdbath,” she said. “The decomposed organic matter found in stagnant water is the food for mosquito larvae. The department recommends replacing the water in the birdbath every two to three days to prevent mosquito breeding.”

Queens man dies of West Nile Virus

From the Times Ledger:

A 60-year-old man recently died from West Nile virus in Queens, which city tests indicated is home to the most mosquitoes that carry the virus in all of the five boroughs, and the city is currently testing a woman who might be from Middle Village for the virus.

The city Department of Health would not release where and when the man was infected, citing patient confidentiality, but only said he contracted the virus in mid-August and died sometime later.

The DOH said the details of the man’s neighborhood in Queens or where he likely contracted the virus would not be released in the future.

State Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills) said the city would not confirm a woman from Middle Village was infected with the virus, but his office was working to confirm the case.