August 21, 2007

The city is spraying for West Nile in parts of the city tonight.

Please dump standing water and take a walk around your neighborhood with a camera, a cell phone, and a notebook. Take note and a photo of standing water. Call 311 to report the standing water so it will be removed. Please also email Beyondtoday@Beyondtoday.org to let us know about it. We've found several construction sites with large areas of standing water.

Please also email us if you hear of anyone with a story about reactions to the spray or being sprayed. Last year, some people walking babies and eating at cafe's were sprayed. We'd like to interview these people to help us make the case that the city needs to find organic ways to control mosquitoes.

We apologize for the short notice. The city notice was sent out late Monday night and we were only just now able to get this message out to our community. This is not sufficient notice for people to protect themselves from the pesticide.

Weather permitting, spraying will occur on two consecutive nights: Tuesday, August 21 and Wednesday, August 22. Spraying will be conducted from dusk until dawn the following day.

Mosquito Spraying Schedule

1st Night (dusk Tuesday, August 21 to dawn Wednesday, August 22):

* Northwest Side (Map Area 1) ** area roughly bounded by the city limits on the north, North Ave. on the south, Kostner on the east, and the city limits on the west.

* Far Southwest (Map Area 5) ** area roughly bounded by 99th St. on the north, 119th St. on the south, Racine on the east, and the city limits on the west.

* Southeast (Map Area 6) ** area roughly bounded by 95th St. on the north, 107th St. on the south, Avenue O on the east, Cottage Grove on the west. * Far South (Map Area 7) ** area roughly bounded by 115th St. on the north, 134th St. on the south, Stony Island on the east, and State on the west.

* Far Southeast (Map Area 8)

** area roughly bounded by 115th St. on the north, 127th St. on the south, the city limits on the east, and Avenue O on the west.

2nd Night (dusk Wednesday, August 22 to dawn Thursday, August 23):

* Mid-North (Map Area 2) ** area bounded by Diversey on the north, Cullerton on the south, Halsted on the east, and Central Park on the west.

* Mid-South (Map Area 3) ** area bounded by Cermak on the north, 55th St. on the south, Stewart on the east, and Kedzie on the west.

* Southwest (Map Area 4) ** area roughly bounded by 43rd Street on the north, 87th St. on the south, Racine on the east, and the city limits on the west.

Please forward widely and send us your ideas.