Aimee Berger-Girvalo

Here's some interesting town news, from the Ridgefield website:

Heritage Consultants, working under the Ridgefield Historical Society’s direction, has made several exciting discoveries during its first weeks in town.

The goals of their survey, supported by a second prestigious National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program grant awarded to the Historical Society, are to pinpoint the sites of key engagements and the boundaries of the Revolutionary War Battle of Ridgefield in April 1777.

The Ridgefield Historical Society and the Heritage Consultants encourage property owners whose land may be part of the battlefield landscape to participate in this important project by giving Heritage permission to survey their land. Information is available at https://ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org.

The Heritage teams, using metal detectors and ground penetrating radar to find artifacts, believe they have established the location of the Second Engagement of the battle (the First having been along North Salem Road near Lake Mamanasco). 

Giving the Heritage archaeologists permission to conduct non-invasive surveys using metal detection contributes greatly to the success of this project. If homeowners are interested in joining this historic effort, information and permission forms are available here.  

A pool of mosquitoes has tested positive for West Nile Virus in nearby Easton at the Sport Hill Road collection site, according to the CT Mosquito Management Program.

Mosquitoes have also tested positive for West Nile Virus in Bridgeport and Stamford. There have been no reported human cases of West Nile Virus in Connecticut so far this season.

A reminder that residents should take steps to prevent mosquito bites at this time of year. Those steps include the following:

• Minimize time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
• While outdoors, use mosquito repellents containing an EPA-registered active ingredient, including DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. EPA registration of skin-applied repellent products indicates that they have been evaluated and approved for human safety and effectiveness when applied according to instructions on the label.
• Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for long periods of time, or when mosquitoes are more active. Clothing should be light-colored, loose-fitting, and made of tightly woven materials that keep mosquitoes away from the skin.
• Wear clothing and gear treated with permethrin, an insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes and ticks.
• Be sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair.
• When sleeping outdoors, use tents or mosquito netting in an unscreened structure. Treat camping gear with permethrin when possible.
• Cover strollers and baby carriers with mosquito nets when outside.

For more information on the latest testing results and locations visit: the CT Mosquito Management Program and the CT Agricultural Experiment Station.