West Nile Virus is back in town

DeKalb has reported the first West Nile virus-infected mosquito of the season via the AJC. No human cases have been reported for this year, but Georgia usually reports 10-20 cases/year.

According to CDC's fact sheet on West Nile virus

• Most people who are infected with West Nile virus (80%) experience no ill effects. 
• Up to 20% experience symptoms such as "fever, headache, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Symptoms can last for as short as a few days, though even healthy people have become sick for several weeks."
• Under 1% experience severe symptoms: "high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. These symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent.
• People over 50 years of age are more likely to experience symptoms.

The virus persists year-round but is a primary concern during warm weather, when adult mosquitoes are most active.  As a neighborhood rich in creeks and floodplains (potential breeding ground), animals (many domestic and wild animals may function as year-round reservoir for virus), and outdoorsy folks, we should protect ourselves and our neighbors by checking for and eliminating standing water sources that may be used as mosquito breeding areas at least on a weekly basis and avoiding  mosquito bites via protective clothing and application of insect repellent.

The NY Department of Health offers the following advice:

from  http://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2747/

See MANA's 2011 mosquito warning and the Georgia State Department mosquito-borne disease page.

Dog found: Medlock Park [July19]

Click to enlarge

T-SPLOST: The senior perspective

The AJC has an item focusing on the needs of a demographic that is closely watching the Atlanta-area transportation debate: baby boomers. According to census figures, the metro Atlanta region's 20 counties is home to 1.3 million people aged 48 and older. With advancing years, people may face mobility issues as well as transportation worries (in particular, those who can no longer drive but live in areas that are not walkable and also lack public transportation). As expected, some seniors are in favor while others do not see how the referendum will benefit them.

The Atlanta Regional Commission acknowledges this trend in their website and has a section on aging resources. One of their foci is Lifelong Communities, which emphasizes housing, transportation, and healthy lifestyles throughout an individual's lifespan.

MANA is part of the Toco Hills Naturally Occurring Aging Communities (NORC). Per their website, 15.7% of residents in this area are 65 or older.  Compare that to the county at large (8.6%) and to the nation as a whole (13.3%).

AJC's coverage of the T-SPLOST vote is summarize in this page.

Saporta Report features Meltons App & Tap

h/t Decatur Metro

The Saporta Report has a nice write-up  on Melton's App and Tap, with a special emphasis on the family who runs it.

That quintessential sound of summer

Cicadas feature in both mythology and cuisine and provide the soundtrack for the dog days of summer. This time of year, cicadas emerge from the ground as mature nymphs that molt into their adult form while clinging to nearby trees. Below are some images of a Medlock-bred cicada of the genus Tibecen.

Recently emerged cicada (left) and the exoskeleton it wore as a nymph. Notice the vertical slit on the nymph's exoskeleton through which the adult emerged.  Also note bits of dirt and sand on the molted shell, pointing to the nymph's recent whereabouts. Click to enlarge.

This annual cicada's colors will deepen to mostly black and forest green as her exoskeleton dries. The process continued off-camera, as negotiations with the photographer broke down around this point...

As found, and approximately 2.5 hours later. Click image to enlarge.

We come in peace! Notice the large compound eyes at either side of the head and between them, the ocelli (set of 3 simple eyes that detect light). Click image to enlarge.

This is a female and won't be singing for us. With some luck, her sons will serenade us next year. 

Good morning, sunshine

Peachy at dawn, with a crescent moon.

Close up, also at dawn today: waxing crescent moon with Venus (at 6 o'clock) and Jupiter (at 12 o'clock).

ICS Volunteer Days [Aug. 4 and 11]

from the  International Community School...

We have been busy planning a few volunteer workdays on the Medlock grounds in anticipation for the school's opening.

Saturday, August 4th and Saturday, August 11th we plan to work primarily on the garden as it needs another round of weeding as well as other projects beautifying the school grounds. (we would like to have two shifts on each day. shifts will be from 8-12 and from 12-4). Water will be provided.

Please keep in mind we will not be able to provide child are, so these events are targeted for children 13 and older and adults.

Please email the volunteer coordinator, Laura Grundy at Laura.grundy@icsgeorgia.org to get your name on the info list.

If you have already expressed your interest to volunteer and have spoken with Laura, your name is already on the contact list.

Thank you!