Notices

The Luzerne County West Nile Program will be conducting an ultra-low volume (ULV) mosquito control operation to reduce high populations of mosquitoes capable of transmitting West Nile Virus on August 15, 2018 in parts of Exeter Borough, Forty Fort Borough, Pittston City, West Pittston Borough, and Wyoming Borough.

The treatments will be administered via truck-mounted equipment, spraying residential and recreational mosquito habitat. The equipment dispenses AquaDUET at a rate of 0.62 ounces per acre.

The product is designed to provide quick, effective control of adult mosquito populations. The application material has a very low toxicity profile to mammals and will have negligible impact to non-target insects and the environment.

The spray will begin at dusk (pending any unforeseen circumstances) and conclude between 9:30-10:30pm.  

 Residents should stay indoors as much as possible during these hours only.

Certain mosquito species carry the West Nile virus, which can cause humans to contract West Nile encephalitis, an infection that can result in an inflammation of the brain. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, all residents in areas where virus activity has been identified are at risk of contracting West Nile encephalitis.

In 2018, West Nile virus has been detected in the following counties: Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Union, Venango, Washington, Westmoreland, Wyoming, and York.

Weather conditions and other unexpected events could delay or cancel this spray operation. If conditions do not allow application on August 15, 2018, the following evening, August 16, 2018 will serve as the back-up spray date.  If conditions remain unfavorable, the spray will be postponed until weather permits.

Individuals can take a number of precautionary measures around their homes to help eliminate mosquito-breeding areas, including:

• Dispose of cans, buckets, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar containers that hold water.
• Properly dispose of discarded tires that can collect water. Stagnant water is where most mosquitoes breed.
• Drill holes in the bottom of outdoor recycling containers.
• Have clogged roof gutters cleaned every year as the leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to plug drains.
• Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use.
• Turn over wheelbarrows and don’t let water stagnate in birdbaths.
• Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish.
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools not in use and remove any water that may collect on pool covers. If a resident has stagnant pools of water on their property, they can buy BTI products at lawn and garden, outdoor supply, home improvement and other stores. This naturally occurring bacterium kills mosquito larvae, but is safe for people, pets, aquatic life and plants.

Additionally, these simple precautions can prevent mosquito bites, particularly for people who are most at risk:

• Make sure screens fit tightly over doors and windows to keep mosquitoes out of homes.
• Consider wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks when outdoors, particularly when mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, or in areas known for having large numbers of mosquitoes.
• When possible, reduce outdoor exposure at dawn and dusk during peak mosquito periods, usually April through October.
• Use insect repellents according to the manufacturer’s instructions. An effective repellent will contain DEET, picardin or lemon eucalyptus oil. Consult with a pediatrician or family physician for questions about the use of repellent on children, as repellent is not recommended for children under the age of two months.

For more information about West Nile virus and the state’s surveillance and control program, please visit www.westnile.state.pa.us.

The Pittston City Street Department’s Public Property maintenance team recently began a series of repairs and improvements to Albert J. West Memorial Park on Swallow Street. The concession stand used by the Pittston Junior Patriots Mini-Football and Cheerleading was painted and improvements made to its exterior lighting. The running and walking track around the field is being re-graded and new cinders layed. The football field goal posts are being painted. With this being the centennial anniversary of the end of World War I in 1918, further improvements and repairs will continue to the park named for a Pittston City World War I soldier will continue throughout the rest of the summer.

CITY-WIDE YARD WASTE COLLECTION MONDAY JULY 2^nd

City residents are reminded that per the recycling calendar, there will be city-wide yard waste collection on Monday July 2^nd. Yard waste usually collected on Wednesday will be collected on Monday.

City Hall and the Street Department will be closed Wednesday July 4^th for the Independence Day holiday. Garbage usually collected Wednesday will be  collected Thursday July 5^th and garbage usually collected Thursday will be collected Friday July 6^th.

The Pittston Riverfront Park Remains Closed Due to Flooding and Ice Jam Damage

Water Street Bridge and the Pittston Riverfront Park Are Closed Due to an Ice Jam on the Susquehanna River.

Here is the current update from the National Weather Service:

Issuing Office: Binghamton

Source: National.Weather.Service

10:07am EST, Wed Jan 24

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BINGHAMTON NEW YORK HAS ISSUED A * FLOOD WARNING FOR THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER NEAR WILKES-BARRE. * FROM THIS AFTERNOON UNTIL THURSDAY AFTERNOON. * AT 10 AM WEDNESDAY THE STAGE WAS 20.2 FEET. * FLOOD STAGE IS 22.0 FEET. * MINOR FLOODING IS FORECAST. THERE IS CURRENTLY FLOODING ALONG SUSQUEHANNA STREET IN WEST PITTSTON UPSTREAM OF THE GAUGE. * FORECAST… THE RIVER IS EXPECTED TO RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE BY 2 PM WEDNESDAY AND CREST NEAR 22.7 FEET AROUND 7 PM WEDNESDAY. THE RIVER IS BEING AFFECTED BY A LARGE ICEJAM. EXACT WATER LEVELS IN ALL AREAS ALONG THE RIVER ARE UNPREDICTABLE AND CAN VARY BY SEVERAL FEET IN ANY GIVEN MOMENT. THIS FORECAST IS BASED ON AN EXPECTATION THAT THE ICE JAM WILL PARTIALLY RELEASE THIS WATER VOLUME TOWARD, AND DOWNSTREAM OF THE GAUGE. * IMPACT… AT 22.0 FEET… MINOR FLOODING BEGINS. LOWLANDS IN PLAINSVILLE, PLYMOUTH FLATS, WEST NANTICOKE AND SHICKSHINNY FLOOD. MAXIMUM EFFECTIVE DESIGN OF LEVEE PROTECTION IN THE CITY OF WILKES-BARRE IS 41 FEET. &&

More Information

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BINGHAMTON HAS ISSUED A FLOOD WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING RIVERS IN PENNSYLVANIA… SUSQUEHANNA RIVER NEAR WILKES-BARRE AFFECTING LUZERNE COUNTY PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… DO NOT DRIVE OVER FLOODED ROADS OR BRIDGES… STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO, THE OFFICIAL VOICE OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FOR LATER DEVELOPMENTS. FOR FURTHER RIVER AND WEATHER INFORMATION, YOU CAN VISIT OURWEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/BGM &&

Pittston City Streets & Sanitation Department will collect live Christmas trees curbside from January 8^th to 19^th. Trees must be free of decorations, lights, and stands. Additionally trees cannot be in plastic bags.  All trees are taken to a recycling center to be ground into mulch which is why they cannot be in bags.