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6 Independent & Free Press,Thursday, August 11, 2011 OPINION Avoid sting of WNV It's that time of year again. Two weeks ago, the Halton Region Health Department announced the first positive test results this summer for West Nile virus (WNV) from a batch of mosquitoes collected in Oakville. Similar to past seasons, more positive test results followed, as it was released last week that another batch tested positive in Burlington. We doubt it will be long before the same result will be found in Halton Hills. According to Halton Region Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Monir Taha, the months of August and September are peak risk months for WNV. In addition, hot, dry summers like we're experiencing are perfect for the virus. Mosquitoes can transmit WNV to humans after they become infected from feeding on the blood of birds with the virus. Older adults and people with underlying illnesses should be cautious, as they're more likely to develop WNV. The health department provides the following tips for people to protect themselves from mosquitoes. · Cover up. Wear light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts and pants with tightly-woven fabric. · Avoid being outdoors from early evening to morning when mosquitoes are most active and likely to bite, as well as any time in shady, wooded areas. · Reduce mosquito breeding sites around your home by getting rid of all water-filled containers and objects. Change the water in bird baths at least once per week. · Use an approved insect repellent, such as one containing DEET. On its website, the health department has maps of locations of mosquito pools and standing water sites that have had larvicide applied, available at www.halton.ca/wnv. People are also asked to report standing water by calling the Region at 905-825-6000 or emailing wnv@halton.ca. By following these precautions, Halton residents can still enjoy the summer without feeling the sting of WNV. 905-873-0301 Publisher: Ken Nugent General manager: Steve Foreman (sforeman@theifp.ca) Retail advertising manager: Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@theifp.ca) Managing editor: John McGhie (jmcghie@theifp.ca) Distribution manager: Nancy Geissler (ngeissler@theifp.ca) Classifieds Kristie Pells (classified@theifp.ca) Accounting Rose Marie Gauthier Editorial Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@theifp.ca) Ted Brown: Photography (tbrown@theifp.ca) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@theifp.ca) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@theifp.ca) Letters policy Letters must include an address and daytime phone number. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 150 words and may be edited for content and/or length. Publication is not guaranteed. Email: jmcghie@theifp.ca Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. Steve Nease Letters to the editor Municipalities here are unified The following letter to the Ontario Minister of Transportation (MTO) Kathleen Wynne, was filed with this newspaper for publication. Dear Minister Wynne, I read your quote in The Independent & Free Press of July 28, 2011. You said " there is a different sensibility in the communities...". You were comparing the communities of Halton to those of the Region of Niagara. Are you, as a Minister of this Province, so inadequately kept up to date with the facts concerning the GTA West Corridor that you would allow yourself to be quoted as suffering from such factual ignorance. And by the very newspaper representing the community which your wasteful highway will impact the most. It takes our sensibility to remind you of your lack thereof. The fact is that our area, The Town of Halton Hills, The Town of Milton and The Region of Halton have demonstrated the sensibility to oppose the highway Option 4-3. Now, I have been living in Halton Hills for over 50 years and I am not aware of any other "area" that you may be referrring to. If this was your only reason for not halting 4-3 the same way you announced a halt to the Niagara-GTA highway, then why didn't you say so? If there was no other reason, then provide us with the same standard you provided the Niagara-GTA highway: stop 4-3 based on your prerequisite of unified sensibility which you generously credit the municipalities affected by the Niagara-GTA highway. Paul Durante Halton Hills unfortunate circumstances, they managed to put a positive spin on the situation. On behalf of our clients, we thank you! Maryse Mallet-Sinnis Media coordinator, Georgetown Bread Basket Workers' professionalism ease roadwork stress Dear editor, My Georgetown street, along with many others in our area, is getting new watermain, curbs and asphalt. This involves major disruption-- removing the existing pavement, heavy equipment digging trenches for the new watermain, dust, vibration and noise. It's not pretty! We have been very impressed with King Paving and Materials Company, the contractor doing the work. They have been working long hours through the current heat wave with remarkable energy and good humour. King employees are pleasant, highly responsive and have gone out of their way to minimize interruption to our lives. All of our questions and concerns have been addressed promptly and professionally by both King and Town and Regional staff. Good show! Pav Penna, Georgetown Food bank happy with ALS donation Dear editor, ALS walk cancellation leads to windfall for food bank (GBB). As a result of horrendous weather conditions, the walk for ALS had to be cancelled. Not only was their event cancelled but they had to deal with the food that had been donated to them. ALS walk organizers did a quick turnaround and thought of their local food bank, the Georgetown Bread Basket. They therefore delivered a huge amount of food to the GBB that was to be given to the participants. All in all, despite the WEB POLL RESULTS (Go to www.independentfreepress.com) Acton has a new library and the Georgetown branch is being expanded. Will these renovations cause you to use the library more? · No (51%) · Yes (49%) The Independent & Free Press The Independent & Free Press is published Tuesday and Thursday and is one of several Metroland Media Group Ltd. community newspapers. Editorial and advertising content of The Independent & Free Press is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.