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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, A ug us t 2, 20 18 | 6 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 80 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the news- paper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca newsroom@theifp.ca IndependentAndFreePress @IFP_11 WHO WE ARE Publisher Kelly Montague Regional General Manager Steve Foreman Retail Advertising Manager Cindi Campbell Regional Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara Regional Manager Digital Content Karen Miceli Distribution Representative Iouliana Polar Classified/Real Estate Kristie Pells Regional Production Manager Manuel Garcia Production Shelli Harrison Halton Media General Manager Vicki Dillane Regional Director of Media Holly Chriss CONTACT US The Independent & Free Press 280 Guelph Street, Unit 77 Georgetown, ON L7G 4B1 Phone: 905-873-0301 Classifieds: 905-234-1016 Fax: 905-873-0398 Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 200 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, con- dense or reject letters. Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail lpolar@miltoncana- dianchampion.com or call 905- 234-1019. OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT THEIFP.CA EDITORIAL They are among the tiniest of arachnids and you may not even feel their bite. But the harm ticks can inflict can lead to debilitating Lyme disease if left unchecked. With the return of warm, summer weather, ticks are alive and active. According to the Region, 13 people contracted Lyme disease in Halton last year. While our community is not considered "an endem- ic area" for ticks, Halton's Commissioner and Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hamidah Meghani said the public health department is continuously monitoring the disease. The risk of tick-borne diseases in Halton is low. Still, we must take precautions to help reduce our risk of getting bitten by a tick. If you dress in light-coloured clothing, it makes adult ticks and nymphs (small stage of the tick), easier to see when they are on you as they are darker in col- our. The health department recommends spraying bug repellent with DEET or Icaridin on your clothes and skin before venturing outdoors. Do a tick check when you or your children return inside. Don't forget your pets - even if they don't go outdoors (like cats), anyone can bring them inside and they can find your indoor pet. If possible have someone check you from the back, or hop in a quick shower to help remove any unat- tached ticks. It is important to know that not all ticks carry the bacteria (Borrelia burgdoferi) that cause Lyme dis- ease. Lyme disease transmission depends on the length of time the infected tick is attached. Ticks that are removed quickly and have been attached for less than 24 hours are not likely to transfer the bacteria. Howev- er, if the tick has been attached for longer than a day, you may be at an increased risk and it is recom- mended that you consult your health care provider. If you find a fat tick, it is an indication that it has been feeding for a longer period of time and you should provide this information to your health care provider. Symptoms of Lyme disease, according to the region, including a bull's-eye rash, extreme fatigue and weak- ness, headache and neck stiffness, fever or chills, swol- len lymph nodes, spasms, numbness or tingling, among others. The region offers a submit-a-tick program that allows residents to submit ticks for testing. "If you finda tick, remove it with fine-tip tweezers, store it in a container and submit it for identification and test- ing," said Meghani. "With support from the communi- ty, this program helps us assess the risk of tick-borne diseases in Halton and keep residents safe and healthy." KEEP SAFE AGAINST TICKS AND LYME DISEASE It's going to be a great year for the annual Perse- id meteor shower. The meteor shower, which peaks Aug. 12, is considered to be one of the best meteor showers of the year and from a dark sky you could see 50 to 80 meteors per hour. Once again, the Hamil- ton Amateur Astrono- mers will open the gates at Binbrook Conservation Area to hold its annual free Perseid meteor show- er public night on Satur- day, Aug. 11, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. The event is located at 5050 Harrison Rd. in Bin- brook and has always been a crowd-pleaser, drawing hundreds of visi- tors. If you plan to attend, you don't need a telescope just a lot of curiosity. You should bring a blanket, groundsheet or lounge chair because lying down is the preferred method to enjoy the cosmic show. You can also listen to a night sky tour, touch me- teorites and gaze through telescopes. Mosquitoes can be nasty at this time of year, so apply repellent, wear pants and a long- sleeved shirt. The club will also be collecting non-perishable food or cash donations on behalf of Hamilton Food Share and any help you can give would be appreci- ated. The event may be cancelled due to poor weather conditions, so check the club's website - amateurastronomy.org - for any notices before leaving home. Here are August star- gazing events, which are listed in the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers calendar. Aug. 14: The crescent moon is above Venus in the early western evening sky. Aug. 20: The moon is near Saturn in the south- ern evening sky. Aug. 23: The moon is near Mars in the southern evening sky. For more information, see the Hamilton Ama- teur Astronomers website (amateurastronomy.org) or call 905-627-4323. The club offers a basic astron- omy course for members. Mario Carr, the author of this report, is the club's director of publicity and can be reached at mario- carr@cogeco.ca or on Twitter (@MarioCCarr). FREE METEOR SHOWER PUBLIC EVENT AUG. 11 IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT YEAR FOR THE ANNUAL PERSEID METEOR SHOWER, WRITES MARIO CARR MARIO CARR Column YOUROPINIONS SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT THEIFP.CA