News from Westchester County.

WESTCHESTER COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY

Residents Can Dispose of Expired or Unwanted Medications

at the Household-Material Recovery Facility on April 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

 

(Valhalla, NY) – National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is April 27 across the United States. Westchester County’s Department of Environmental Facilities will be providing residents the opportunity to dispose of medications, both prescription and over-the-counter drugs, at the Household-Material Recovery Facility (H-MRF) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The H-MRF is located on the County’s Valhalla Campus at 15 Woods Road in Valhalla. No appointment will be necessary on April 27 for residents wishing to dispose of medications only.
 
In the event that residents are unable to make it to the H-MRF on April 27, Westchester County offers many opportunities to safely dispose of medications throughout the year.  The H-MRF accepts medications on the first Tuesday of each month.  For more information or to schedule an appointment to visit the H-MRF visit http://environment.westchestergov.com/new-h-mrf. 
 
In addition, the County has installed locked and secure collection boxes at 38 police department headquarters throughout Westchester, where medications can be dropped off (most are available 24 hours a day/7 days a week). For more information visit http://environment.westchestergov.com/medications.
 
According to a recent national survey, 6 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs in 2017, with a majority of the abused drugs being obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. Medication collection programs help to combat drug addiction and overdose deaths.  These programs also prevent medications from being improperly disposed of by flushing them down the drain or toilet, which can taint waterways and harm ecosystems. The County’s Department of Environmental Facilities collected and safely disposed of 7,921 pounds of prescription and over-the-counter medications in 2018.

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Saturday, April 27 is the Drug Enforcement Agency’s twice-annual Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, but Every Day Is Drug Take-Back Day in Westchester County. Properly disposing of unused drugs is an important public health, social services and environmental matter. A majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet, and drugs that are improperly disposed of can end up in our water supply. Every municipality in Westchester County currently has at least one drug disposal drop box in their community. Most are located in the local police stations. They are free to use, anonymous and secure, and the vast majority are available 24/7. A list of the County's drug disposal locations can be found on the County’s website, and a printable brochure with the list of locations is also available on the County’s website. Westchester County’s Department of Environmental Facilities will also be providing residents the opportunity to dispose of medications, both prescription and over-the-counter drugs, at the Household-Material Recovery Facility (H-MRF) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The H-MRF is located on the County’s Valhalla Campus at 15 Woods Road in Valhalla. No appointment will be necessary on April 27 for residents wishing to dispose of medications only. For information about how to dispose of unused drugs at the HMRF, visit the Health Department’s website. Earlier this week, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, along with the Westchester County Board of Legislators held an event with CVS Pharmacy, highlighting safe drug disposal drop boxes at 50 of the company's pharmacy locations in New York State, including six throughout Westchester. These drop boxes are available during pharmacy hours at the following locations: Katonah: 294 Katonah Avenue New Rochelle: 309 Main Street Peekskill: 1827 Main Street, 12 Welcher Avenue White Plains: 325 Mamaroneck Avenue (open 24 hours) Yonkers: 2290 Central Park Avenue A video of our drug take-back event with CVS is available on the County’s YouTube channel. Finally, the County has many resources available for people and the loved ones of people struggling with drug and alcohol dependency, including a new Treatment Connect Hotline for immediate assistance and referral to treatment, operated by the Lexington Center for Recovery. That number is: 1-833-515-HOPE (4673). For more information about treatment and prevention programs, the County's Department of Community Mental Health has a list of resources on its website. Thank you for participating in Westchester County’s Drug Takeback Day.

WESTCHESTER COUNTY EXECUTIVE GEORGE LATIMER ADDS NEW LEADERSHIP   (White Plains, NY) – Furthering his mission to bring new and experienced leaders into Westchester County government, County Executive George Latimer will announce the appointment of new Executive Directors, Chairs and CEO’s to a number of County commissions. The new leaders were selected to bring a fresh perspective to the Solid Waste Commission and the Taxi and Limousine Commission.   Monday, April 29 11 a.m. Michaelian Office Building 9th Floor, Press Room 148 Martine Avenue, White Plains     COUNTY EXECUTIVE LATIMER STATEMENT ON GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCEMENT OF $2.2 MILLION IN CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM GRANTS   “On the heels of Earth Day, once again Governor Andrew Cuomo moves to assist Westchester’s conservation efforts. Westchester’s natural resources are our most precious resources – and it is the responsibility of us who occupy this land now to do all we can to protect them. These four Westchester-based not-for-profit land trusts work to both preserve land and create innovative programs so residents and visitors can better learn about the importance of land conservation – while granting the opportunity to partake in some outdoor recreation activity at the same time. Thanks to Governor Cuomo they will be able to do even more of this important work.”   The Westchester conservation projects receiving these grants are: •           Greenburgh Nature Center: Stewardship & Resource Management Grant $20,000 •           North Salem Open Land Foundation: Capacity Grant $9,000 •           Teatown Lake Reservation: Capacity Grant $19,500; Stewardship & Resource Management Grant $40,000 •           Westchester Land Trust: Capacity Grant $39,700; Transaction Grants $24,960 Dear Friends and Neighbors, To help residents keep their backyards free of mosquito breeding sites, the Westchester County Department of Health will give away free minnows for residential ponds and water features, along with mosquito dunks, advice and strategies to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile Virus, starting Friday. These will be available at the Westchester County Airport, 2 Loop Road, West Harrison, 10604, as follows: Friday 5/3, 9am-4pm Saturday 5/4,  9am-2pm Friday 5/17, 9am-4pm Saturday 5/18,  9am-2pm Residents with ornamental ponds can add fathead minnows to the water. The minnows eat mosquito larvae, preventing them from maturing into biters. Dunks serve the same purpose in birdbaths, rain barrels and unused pools. Residents who plan to pick up minnows should bring a bucket or pail; minnows will be distributed in watertight plastic bags. To keep the minnows viable, residents should plan to bring them straight home and release them immediately into ponds with at least eight inches of water. Any resident can help reduce the mosquito population, even without a pond. Large areas of standing water on public property that cannot easily be removed should be reported to the health department at (914) 813-5000. For more information, download the “Keep Healthy and Bug Off” brochure at http://health.westchestergov.com.  Please forward this e-news to family and friends who may be interested in this information. Sincerely, Dear Friends and Neighbors, With the largest measles outbreak in the U.S. underway since 2000, Westchester County urges unvaccinated children who will be attending summer camp, along with camp counselors, staff and Westchester residents to register for a free MMR vaccine clinic, offered by the Westchester County Department of Health. The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella, and is both very safe and effective. To reserve a spot to get a free MMR vaccine, go to http://www.health.ny.gov/gotoclinic/60. The MMR vaccination clinics are as follows:  Tuesday, April 30, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 134 Court Street, White Plains Tuesday, May 14, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 134 Court Street, White Plains In addition to attending one of the Health Department’s vaccination clinics, the MMR vaccine is available through private healthcare providers and is covered by most insurers. Residents should call their health care provider as soon as possible to make arrangements to be vaccinated.  Measles is a highly contagious virus that causes fever, rash, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. Measles spreads from person to person by coughing or sneezing. Tiny white spots may appear in the mouth and a rash may appear on the body two to four days after symptoms begin. Without knowing they are sick, an infected person can spread measles to others up to four days before the rash appears, and for up to four days afterwards.  Complications from measles are common and can include hearing loss, pneumonia, swelling of the brain and death. About one in four people who get measles will be hospitalized. Those who get measles are also at risk for Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a very rare, but fatal disease of the central nervous system that results from a measles virus infection acquired earlier in life. SSPE generally develops 7 to 10 years after a person has measles, even though the person seems to have fully recovered from the illness. Measles can also be more severe in young infants, pregnant women and people with a weak immune system. Anyone who believes they may have been exposed should contact their healthcare provider.  The Health Department vaccinated 92 people at three MMR clinics held earlier in April. The County Health Department arranged these clinics, after publicly urging timely MMR vaccination, after eight unvaccinated children in northern Westchester were diagnosed with measles. The children do not attend public schools or daycare programs. For more information, call the NYS Measles Hotline at 1-888-364-4837. Sincerely, WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TRAFFIC ADVISORY SLOW MOVING VEHICLES BRONX RIVER PARKWAY TOWN OF GREENBURGH & EASTCHESTER, CITY OF WHITE PLAINS & YONKERS, VILLAGE OF SCARSDALE & BRONXVILLE ROADWAY SWEEPING ROADWAY: Northbound and Southbound Bronx River Parkway. LIMITS: Alternating lanes of the Northbound and Southbound Bronx River Parkway, between the Kensico Circle and the Bronx River Parkway/Sprain Brook Parkway Split. WHAT: Roadway sweeping. IMPACTS: The Northbound and Southbound Lanes will be subjected to slow moving work vehicles within the above limits. WHEN: Monday, April 29, thru Friday May 3, 2019 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM. WHO: Westchester County Department of Public Works and Transportation. For additional information please contact Westchester County Traffic Engineering Division at (914) 995-2555.