Above: Cignets make an appearance; swans all enjoying a morning swim on the reservoir. (photo left by Elizabeth Wetherbee Klein, right by Beth Melo)
Some of you already thought this blog was for the birds. So, here’s more proof. (For a better look at the above images, click the thumbnails right.)
It’s time for another open thread. What’s on your mind this week, Southborough?
For those of you new to the blog, the open discussion thread is your place to ask questions, sound off on town issues, or share information with other readers. Here are some suggestions to get you started:
- Ask questions about programs in town or the town itself
- Post a note about things that you’re selling or giving away, or things that you want
- Share notices about upcoming events (Southborough or otherwise)
- Register your thoughts on town issues or news stories
- Point out interesting or helpful resources
You can add comments to the thread throughout the week. Check back often to see new comments. (If you read the blog via email or RSS, you might want to check the site from time to time for new comments.)
To view past open discussion threads, click here.
I want to share that we are having a yard sale on Saturday, May 20 from 8 am – 1 pm at 16 Mitchell Street. We have many items in very good condition: toys, play table, wagon, small household items, clothes, and shoes. The weather is forecasted to be a good day to do some yard sale shopping.
Question, does anyone know what’s coming into the old Mama Rosas lot on Southville? Is it a pizza spot again?
From an excerpt of the 12/1/2016 Conservation Commissions meeting agenda, there is a Notice of Intent for an application for the redevelopment of a pizza business within the Riverfront Area.
Yes, it is, but not Mama Rosa’s. Let’s hope it is a good one, we are desperate to have really good pizza close by!
Agreed. Terrible pizza in this town. Ben’s Deli is the best in town, though they could spruce it up inside.
Thank you to police and fire for responding to my apartment late on Mothers Day, when a big tree branch came down and took out the building’s electrical service.
National Grid was there pretty fast, too.
What’s up with street sweeping this year? My street doesn’t seem to have been swept. I’m pretty sure it is usually done by the beginning of May.
I saw them everywhere today
What is the reasoning behind those huge spotlights at Woodwood School? They are tall, ugly and lots of them. Cannot believe they got approved.
I’m on 85 south of Mass Pike bridge, been hearing what seems like coyote howls 4-5 nights a week. Could be around the Richards Rd. Development area, anyone else been hearing this or has anyone seen coyotes in the area?
I live in the same area and have seen coyotes for the past 10 years or so.
Yes, we live off Oregon, and apart from finding him in our back yard a couple of times (we have part of our woods fenced for our dogs’ safety – good thing!) we routinely meet a coyote on his travels toward Rt. 85 around 8pm. He’s got a particular route he uses, crossing roads to cut through wooded areas. I’m sure there are plenty of them, and of course, with their habitat being encroached upon with so much development, we’re likely to have more sightings.
I agree about the development and wildlife. The wildlife that actually survives when their habitat is destroyed will be forced into our neighborhoods. They have nowhere to go.
Coyotes are not native. This one time, they’re the invaders, not us.
Local foxes, which are native, aren’t too happy about them. One fox recently yakked at a coyote interloper in my backyard near downtown a couple of weeks ago.
My sister doesn’t live in Southborough so she didn’t know the women who’s conversation she overheard while her hair color was processing at New Leaf, and they didn’t know her. But to those women, I would like to suggest this prayer:
Psalm 141:3 Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.
And I would like to ask them to:
2 Timothy 2:16 avoid godless chatter, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.
and:
Psalm 34:13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
Gossip is evil and mean and I would except better manners from those who live in Southborough. I don’t know who you are but I hope you have learned from your careless mistake.
While I appreciate the message behind your post and am sorry that your sister had a difficult experience, I don’t appreciate the aim towards “those who live in Southborough”, given that the salon is in Northborough, and since your sister isn’t from the town, there’s no reason to believe the people making the comments were from town.
You are right, Jack. Better manner should be practiced by everyone, no matter where they are from, including by me. I’m sorry for my rant.
Was there any new hydrant flushing recently? Just went to run the water, and it all came out brown, just like it does if we use the water during hydrant flushing. This is on the south side, this morning. Hoping it’s hydrant flushing or use of a hydrant nearby, rather than an issue with our own plumbing!
The Town’s annual hydrant flushing was a while ago. To find out if something was recently done on your street, I suggest contacting DPW directly at (508) 485-1210.
Anyone know a drum teacher in or near Southborough? My son REALLY wants to learn drums so I am going to give in but need a good instructor willing to work with kids. He is almost 7. Thanks for any leads you might be able to provide!
You can check Robinson Music on Milk Street in Westborough. 508-366-7007. They offer lessons on many instruments.
I’m writing to provide information about ticks because there seem to be a lot of ticks around this spring.
This University of Rhode Island website has great information on ticks:
http://www.tickencounter.org/
One of the key points is that the ticks attach to mice/chipmunks/moles, etc. and that is how the diseases are spread to the new ticks. I have had great success using a commercial product called Tick Tube which is essentially a cardboard tube (about the size of the cardboard in a toilet paper roll) filled with cotton balls that have been dipped in permethrin. In early April and late July, simply place the cardboard tubes in your yard in the places that mice/chipmunks/mole would nest such as stone walls, woodpiles, etc. The animals take the cotton balls from the tubes, bring it back to their nest to use as nesting material and the pesticide kills the ticks but does not effect the animal.
The downside is that these Tick Tubes are pretty expensive. This utube video shows how you can very easily and cheaply make your own Tick Tubes! I plan to do this in late July to effect the next cycle of ticks. http://organicdailypost.com/make-tick-tubes/
You can buy a quart of 36.8% strength permethrin on the Internet for about $35. Note that you dilute it to about 7% strength for this use so for about $35 and the cost of some cotton balls and cardboard tubes, you’ll be able to treat your whole yard for a few years!
Note that this pesticide is also used to treat clothing (outer garments) and will last for about 6 washing cycles. And if you suspect that there are ticks on clothing, simply put the clothes in a dryer. The heat will kill them.
You can read the EPA comments about use and safety of permethrin at this link:
https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/repellent-treated-clothing
I hope this information helps someone.
Jim Hegarty
I would like to thank Mr. Hegarty for this information; ticks and the diseases they carry is an important issue and one that has already (or may soon) affect us all…as a state agency, the Central Mass Mosquito Control Project (CMMCP) is not able to perform tick control under our current legislative mandate. However, we do provide educational materials and incorporate this issue in our educational programs – in addition to the excellent links Mr. Hegarty shared above, please see our link: http://www.cmmcp.org/tickcontrol.htm. The Mass. Dept. of Health is also a great resource, http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dph/programs/id/epidemiology/ticks/.
Permethrin is a residual synthetic pyrethroid, and as noted in the EPA link shared above has a decent safety profile. However we always caution people to read the label directions and follow the mixing, storage and safety instructions carefully. At CMMCP we use non-residual synthetic pyrethroids (etofenprox and/or sumithrin), and as such these products will not control ticks. These pesticides are applied after sunset to contact and control mosquitoes during their active period, and this also minimizes exposure to beneficial and other non-target insects. Environmental monitoring done after these applications do not find any residual.
Putting permethrin on cotton balls to be used as nesting material for mice and chipmunks can be effective, but it comes with a caveat; bumblebees have been known to use abandoned mice and chipmunk holes as nesting sites. With the importance of our managed and native pollinators, this should be taken into consideration.
There are commercially available permethrin sprays that can be applied to clothing, I have used this for years and have never seen a tick on me while I wore the clothing. You can also buy clothing with the permethrin already applied – it is more expensive but I have been told that the effectiveness is greater than clothing where one applies it themselves.
It seems every day we hear about another disease ticks can carry, and with Powassan virus looming (https://www.cdc.gov/powassan/index.html), these diseases may become even more widespread. Thank you again Mr. Hegarty for highlighting the importance of this issue, and providing important resources. If anyone would like to contact me please email me at deschamps@cmmcp.org.
Thank you so much for this information! One of the things that I wanted to research and still haven’t found the time to do :-(
Now, what to do about these darn gypsy moth caterpillars!!!! :-(
The gypsy moth cats. are munching away in my yard. It’s weird to actually hear them and then slide around in my driveway on their tiny black poops which act like ball bearings.
Please stop and let wildlife cross the roads. Last night a car in my neighborhood swerved and speed up to purposely hit a turkey that was in the road trying to fly up to the tree for the night. My son was watching and was so upset. Luckily the turkey was able to get out of the way.
What a despicable thing for someone to do! I am glad the turkey is ok, that is a cruel way to kill any wildlife.
Anyone know the status of the Cordaville Road project? Last year at this time they were surveying, and I was told by the DPW that they intended to present something at town meeting this year, but that didn’t happen.
Great question! I completely forgot about that. Cordaville sidewalks need a much needed overhaul.
I heard from Ms. Galligan yesterday, she said they are planning to have a meeting near the end of summer about this project.
Here’s a new experience our family is trying to get used to… Amazon seems to have decided to use random delivery hires in their own personal car for our part of town.
Unfortunately, this is the time of year break-in paranoia hits Southborough and police advise to stay vigilant. That is hard to do when there are random vans and cars sitting in your driveway, and out of town subcontractors showing up at your door, needing to verify your name, etc, to deliver your mail.
Anyone else find this to not be the smartest idea?
Sounds like a great summer job for a student. I have no problem with it.