News from Westchester County.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT OFFERS RESIDENTS FREE MINNOWS.

Minnows, dunks and education are part of the county’s mosquito prevention strategy.

 

(White Plains, NY) – 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.

 

A total of 450 pounds of minnows will be available at the Westchester County Airport, 2 Loop Road, West Harrison, 10604, as follows:

·         Friday, May 3, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

·         Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

·         Friday, May 17, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

·         Saturday, May 18, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

 

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. The Health Department will distribute the minnows in watertight plastic bags. To keep the minnows viable, residents should bring them straight home and release them immediately into ponds with at least eight inches of water.

 

Sherlita Amler, MD, Commissioner of Health, said: “With their hearty appetites, this baitfish can keep mosquitos from breeding in your pond and biting you in your own backyard.”

 

Any resident can help reduce the mosquito population, even without minnows, just by removing standing water around their yard, covering trash containers kept outside and draining birdbaths twice a week.

 

Amler added: “Mosquitoes can lay their eggs in a puddle, a flowerpot saucer or an old tire, so after it rains, pour out standing water and clear your yard and the pavement around your home of buckets, wheelbarrows and toys that hold standing water.”

 

Any 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 “Westchester County Cares Bug Off” brochure on the West Nile Virus page at http://health.westchestergov.com. 

Dear Friends and Neighbors, I wanted to invite you, or any family members and friends who may be interested, to a town hall that the Westchester County Department of Social Services is hosting in partnership with the Board of Legislators Families Task Force and several community partners. Designed for immigrant county residents and open to all, the town hall offers an opportunity to have your questions answered about services available to you and your family. These services include child care, homeless services, Medicaid, mental health services, heating assistance, and assistance available from non-government social services organizations. The town hall will be conducted in English and Spanish. Sincerely, Estimados Amigos y Vecinos, Quería invitarlo a usted, o a cualquier miembro de su familia y amigos que puedan estar interesados, a una reunión de ayuntamiento que el Departamento de Servicios Sociales del Condado de Westchester está organizando en asociación con las Fuerzas Especiales de Familias de la Junta de Legisladores del Condado de Westchester y varios socios comunitarios. Diseñado para residentes inmigrantes del condado y abierto a todos, la reunión de ayuntamiento ofrece la oportunidad de que sus preguntas sean respondidas sobre los servicios disponibles para usted y su familia. Estos servicios incluyen cuidado de niños, servicios para personas sin hogar, Medicaid, servicios de la salud mental, asistencia de calefacción y asistencia disponible de organizaciones de servicios sociales no gubernamentales. La reunión de ayuntamiento se llevará acabo en inglés y español. Sinceramente, DROP OFF COMPLETED WESTCHESTER LOVES TO READ FORMS AT THE WESTCHESTER . CHILDREN'S BOOK FESTIVAL ON MAY 5 AT MOHAWK DAY CAMP.   (White Plains, NY) – Westchester County Executive George Latimer is encouraging all participants in this year’s “Westchester Loves to Read” program to drop off their completed forms at the Playland Park table at the Westchester Children’s Book Festival this Sunday, May 5 to receive their child’s free pass to Playland’s opening day on Saturday, May 11. Learn more about the program at http://www3.westchestergov.com/westchester-loves-to-read. Learn more about the book festival at http://www.wcbfestival.org/.   For those who cannot drop them off in person on May 5, Latimer asks that the forms are sent via picture/scan to communications@westchestergov.com. For any further questions, please call 914-995-2900.   Latimer said: “Books have had a profound influence on my life. I grew up as a working class kid, so we did not have the opportunity to travel much in those years – but when I went to the public library I had a chance, because of reading, to go anywhere in the world. Reading is essential and for kids this age it’s important to establish both the skills to read and the desire to read. If we as the County can help do that, through this program, than we all benefit.”   In an effort to increase reading literacy County-wide, this past September Latimer’s office launched the “Westchester Loves to Read” incentive program. The program asked students and/or guardians of students in grades pre-k - 5 to log their reading hours between October 1, 2018 and May 5, 2019. Students who meet a minimum threshold of 4,000 minutes, or roughly 15-20 minutes a day, will receive a free pass for Playland Park’s Opening Day.     WESTCHESTER COUNTY EXECUTIVE GEORGE LATIMER ANNOUNCES EXTRA WEEK OF METROCARD MOBILE SALES VAN IN CELEBRATION OF OLDER AMERICANS MONTH   (White Plains, NY) – Westchester County’s MetroCard Mobile Sales Van, provided by the County’s Smart Commute Program, in conjunction with the MTA New York City Transit Authority, will be making rounds throughout the County to assist riders with all of their MetroCard business. Westchester County Executive George Latimer announced that in celebration of Older American’s Month, the Van will be serving Westchester for two weeks in May.   The Van will also make a special appearance at the annual Salute to Seniors event at the County Center on May 1, where Seniors can sign up for or refill their Reduced Fare MetroCard at the Van. See below for full schedule.   “MetroCard offers Westchester residents the convenience and same discounts that are being enjoyed by millions of commuters in the New York metropolitan area,” said Latimer. “MetroCards can be used on the County’s Bee-Line bus system as well as New York City’s transit system.”   The MetroCard Mobile Sales Van provides transit riders with assistance for a variety of MetroCard services. Visit the Van for help on any of the following items:   • Reduced-Fare application assistance for Seniors and the Disabled. • Purchase and refill of MetroCards (Full Fare and Reduced-Fare). • Submission of damaged Reduced-Fare MetroCards in exchange for a temporary replacement. • Report of a Lost/Stolen Reduced-Fare MetroCard. • Any other MetroCard-related inquiries or support.   MetroCard is the automated regional fare collection system managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. For more information on the MetroCard Mobile Sales Van and other MetroCard locations, visit www.westchestergov.com/beelinebus or call the Bee-Line Information Center at (914) 813-7777.   Westchester’s Mobile Sales Van Schedule for May 2019:   White Plains Special Event-Salute to Seniors Westchester County Center May 1 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.   Trans Center May 15, 22 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.   Galleria Mall May 16, 23 and 25 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.   Mount Vernon Petrillo Plaza May 13, 20 1 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.   New Rochelle Hugenot St./North Ave. May 13, 20 10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.   Peekskill Peekskill Library May 14 and 21 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.   Tarrytown Wildey St. /Cortland St. May 14, 21 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.   Yonkers City Hall May 15, 16, 22, 23 and 25 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. May 25 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.   Will Library May 17, 24 9:00 a.m. – 2 p.m. White Plains, NY — On Tuesday, the Westchester County Board of Legislators held a special ceremony to honor the high school students from the County who were chosen as scholars in the 2019 Regeneron Science Talent Search. The 27 Scholars from Westchester were among the 300 of nearly 2,000 applicants nationwide chosen in this year's edition of the country's most prestigious pre-college science and math competition.  Alumni of the 78-year-old competition include Nobel Prize winners and National Medal of Science recipients. The local students, including four finalists, represent 13 Westchester high schools. They were each awarded special certificates in a ceremony held at the Board's Chambers with legislators, family members, science teachers, principals, and representatives of Tarrytown-based Regeneron, which has sponsored the competition since 2017. The event also included an appearance by the County Executive, George Latimer. Board Chair Ben Boykin (D - White Plains, Scarsdale, Harrison) said, "This is always one of the proudest events of the year at the Board of Legislators – a time when we honor some of the best and brightest young people not just in our county, but in the nation. These students are an amazing and talented group of scholars. They are our future and we know our world is in great hands." Potoula Gjidija, Regeneron's Director of Corporate Citizenship, told the gathering, "The Regeneron STS not only recognizes the merit of these students’ scientific research but also their potential to really make a difference in the world. These are leaders in their classrooms, in the labs, and beyond.” Legislator Margaret Cunzio (C - Mount Pleasant, North Castle, Pleasantville), a former classroom teacher and a current college professor, whose brother was a Science Talent Search semifinalist and who has seven Scholars in her district this year, praised the students for their weeks, months and even years of dedicated research, adding, "The skills that you have learned, both academic and life skills, that you now possess will be with you for life, no matter what path you choose." Below is a list of a list of the student award recipients and their schools listed by legislative district: District 1 – Hon. John G. Testa WALTER PANAS H.S., Principal Joseph Spero Riti Bhandarkar LAKELAND H.S., Principal Christopher Cummings Jothi Ramaswamy District 2 – Hon. Kitley S. Covill JOHN JAY H.S., Principal Steven Siciliano Heather Sherr SOMERS H.S., Principal Mark Bayer Rachel Joseph District 3 – Hon. Margaret A. Cunzio BYRAM HILLS H.S., Principal Christopher Walsh Samantha Abbruzzese Alan Chang Rachel Chernoff Alessandra Colella-Albino Ethan Jacobs Jonah Schwam Brent Perlman (FINALIST) District 4 – Hon. Michael B. Kaplowitz HORACE GREELEY H.S., Principal Andrew Corsilia Chirag Kumar (FINALIST) Aditi Singh (FINALIST) Anna Zhang YORKTOWN H.S., Principal Joseph DeGennaro Sayli Satpute Shrila Shah Diane Yang District 9 – Hon. Catherine Borgia BRIARCLIFF H.S., Principal Debora French Anna-Samsara Daefler CROTON-HARMON H.S., Principal Alan Capasso Melissa Stok OSSINING H.S., Principal Stephen Hancock Emma Montgomery (FINALIST) Elliot Ocheltree John Sukumar District 11 – Hon. Terry A. Clements PELHAM MEMORIAL H.S., Principal Jeannine Clark Caitlin Wong District 12 – Hon. MaryJane Shimsky ARDSLEY H.S., Principal Rudy Arietta Alexandra Rivera EDGEMONT H.S., Principal Kyle Hosier Angie Jang IRVINGTON H.S., Principal David Cohen Jacob Dunefsky Annie Horowitz CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE STUDENTS! For more information on the Regeneron Science Talent Search visit the website https://student.societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts