September 29, 2015
Edition #15
Greetings to all Ward 3
residents and beyond!
I hope you have had a
great summer and are ready for cooler weather. Looks like we may be in store
for rain this year with the promising El Nino predictions. We need the rain.
Problem is, we'll probably get it all at once!
Our new City Manager,
John Russo, is settling in his new position. So is our new City Attorney Gary
Geuss (pronounced Gice). Both of these men, along with our City Clerk Colleen
Nicol proposed a "Sunshine" ordinance, which was passed by the City
Council this past week. This ordinance requires, with few exceptions, that all
City Council Agenda Items be posted 12 days in advance of a City Council
meeting. This may slow down our City government a bit, but it will allow
greater openness and transparency. More notice time than what our State law
requires (three days notice). Many staff proposals/reports are quite lengthy,
and often require much study to fully understand. The added time will allow
Council and the public more time to review and ask questions should they have
them.
Our Riverside Avenue
railroad underpass is almost complete. Hopefully, by Thanksgiving, you will be
able to use it - something to be thankful for!
The long awaited traffic
signal light at Rumsey and Central Avenue is finally up and running. Those
living in the "Cowboy Streets" can now safely negotiate that
intersection. There are eight traffic lanes on Central at Rumsey to contend
with - far too many without the help of a signal light. It took a lot of push
at City Hall - but the residents got the green light.
The Plaza continues to
grow and grow. More shops, more stores and more places to eat. Vestar, the
Plaza owner, is working hard to bring new business to Riverside. Commercial
land around the Plaza is also seeing increased value and interest. This is all
good for Riverside's bottom line. Increased tax revenues mean more dollars
available for much needed road paving, tree trimming and sidewalk repair.
West Nile Virus infected
birds and mosquitos are here in Riverside. The birds carry the virus and any
mosquitos (only female mosquitos) that bite then carry the virus to you. The
mosquitos cannot pass the virus to their larvae. The Northwest Mosquito and
Vector Control District (you pay about $9.10 a year - on your property tax bill
for this service) is the responsible organization tasked with managing these
critters. Due to recent Ward 3 resident concerns, I met with NMVCD management,
County Health Department staff and County Environmental Health staff to help
develop better hospital reporting of those infected with the virus, better
spray warning signs and longer spray notification times. NMVCD has promised to
better communicate with the community and better advertise their service, so
that residents are aware NMVCD is the agency to call for mosquito and vector
(rats, rodents other similar infestations) control.
Don't forget to check
your smoke detector batteries when you turn back your
clocks to Pacific Standard Time on Sunday, November 1st., at 1 am. Remember
"Spring Forward - Fall Back." This is the time of year when you get
that much needed extra hour of sleep!
Thank you for allowing
me the opportunity to serve you. Much is being accomplished in order to help
improve your quality of life. We still have much more work to do, but with
your support, we can get it done.
Please call me on my
personal cell anytime at (951) 515-1663 or email me at msoubirous@riversideca.gov.
My very best to you and
your family.
Sincerely,
Mike Soubirous
Be on the lookout for these new and improved signs notifying of spraying in your area.
With Riverside County reporting 21 human cases
of West Nile virus this year – more than all of 2014 – the Northwest Mosquito
and Vector Control District and Riverside County environmental health officials
have stepped up public education and spraying to kill adult mosquitoes.
Vector control officials say they’re not seeing
a larger mosquito population than usual, but a higher percentage of those they
trap are testing positive for carrying West Nile. They’re also finding more
dead birds with the virus.
“Within the last two weeks we’ve had a serious
uptick in West Nile positives,” said Doug Osborn, supervising environmental
health specialist for Riverside County’s vector control program.
Experts said people should try to avoid mosquito
bites, but there’s no cause to panic about either West Nile virus or the
pesticides local vector districts are spraying.
The active ingredient in the Northwest
district’s spray is a chemical called permethrin. The small amount used in a
mosquito spray isn’t toxic to people or pets, and doesn’t linger in the
environment, said Robert Krieger, an entomologist and expert on pesticides with
UC Riverside’s Cooperative Extension program.
Permethrin is harmful to honeybees and fish, but vector officials spray
in the early morning hours – usually between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. – when bees
aren’t active, Krieger said. Mammals are less susceptible to the pesticide
because their bodies can process and eliminate it more quickly.
West Nile virus can be life-threatening or fatal
to very young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems,
but “it’s important for people to realize that not everyone that gets exposed
becomes infected,” said Barbara Cole, disease control director for the
riverside County Department of Public Health.
Some people who get the virus will have mild, flu-like symptoms, and the
World Health Organization estimates up to 80 percent of infected people will
show no symptoms.
Vector control officials said people should
check their property and dump out any standing water, such as in plant pots or
trash cans. Cole reminded people to
avoid going outside when mosquitoes are most active, around dawn and dusk, or
to wear long sleeves and pants and use an insect repellent containing DEET. To read the entire article from the Press
Enterprise, click here.
For further
information on Northwest Mosquito & Vector Control District, click here.
Residents to Cut Irrigation Use
PLEASE NOTE THE WARD 3 MEETING BELOW OCTOBER 1, 2015
NICHOLS PARK - 5505 DEWEY
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