My Letter to the Lake Hills Association Regarding the Proposed Roundup and Killing of Canada Geese

Good morning.

I am a lifetime resident of Lake Hills, having lived in Fairfield for all of my nearly-64 years.

It has come to my attention that several neighbors are proposing a “round-up” and killing of Canada geese due to the nuisance and inconvenience they create.

Lethal roundups are ineffective and unacceptable, and there are other methods to control the goose population.

To the best of my knowledge, there haven’t been any health issues or sickness due to the geese, and I have lived here since 1958. This is simply a case of a few neighbors being “inconvenienced.”

According to the Humane Society of the United States, “In some communities, Canada geese are rounded up and killed because people find them to be a nuisance, particularly when goose droppings accumulate. This is wrong. It is not ethical to kill wild birds merely because their mess bothers us or we find them a nuisance, and it’s not necessary to kill geese to resolve conflicts.”

As a Fairfield professional educator who works closely with the Mill River Wetlands Committee each month throughout the school year, my students learn about river and lake habitats and ecosystems. We are “stewards” of the environment and learn the key and critical piece played by each living organism.

As you may know, I am a former 25-year local television and radio meteorologist who continues to maintain a database of environmental and meteorological daily records for the Mill River along Brookside Drive. My Earth Science students and I take seven monthly water quality tests at the river for the MRWC. I respect and value all life forms. 

We should not kill Canada geese simply because of their “inconvenience.” This should not even be an “issue.” They have always been a part of the fabric of our Lake Hills community.

Please see the following website: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/problem-canada-goose-round-ups

I would be happy to speak with you concerning this matter.

Thank you for your time and courtesy.

Sincerely,

Mr. Paul Piorek

Fairfield, CT

Tips for Exercising in Heat and Humidity of July

It sure is hot and humid outside this afternoon. In fact, the air temperature is in the mid 80s with a dew point close to 70 degrees, making it feel downright tropical.

Naturally, use caution if you're going to be outside for any length of time when the weather is brutally hot. If you enjoy a daily workout outside during the Summer, you have to use common sense, too. The first rule of thumb, naturally, is to avoid any strenuous exercise during the hottest part of the day. That's generally between 11 o'clock in the morning through 3 o'clock in the afternoon when the Sun's rays are the hottest. 

The early morning and evening hours are the best time to exercise outside. Obviously, you'll want to avoid any outdoor exercise when there is an Air Quality Alert or the air pollution is especially high. When you exercise in the Summer heat you need to protect your body from overheating. Be sure to take precautions for a safe summer workout. 

Exercising outdoors in the Summer heat can be dangerous, or even fatal, to your health if you don’t use common sense. Of course, the logical alternative is to work out indoors in cool temperatures. But if you must exercise in the heat, here are some guidelines, courtesy of suite101.com. 

Although keeping hydrated is important regardless of the temperature, it’s even more crucial in the hot Summer months. Besides drinking a basic requirement (at least six eight-ounce glasses) of water daily, include sports drinks both before and after a workout. Staying hydrated is especially critical if you plan to exercise for an extended period. Runners should always carry a water pack. Failing to do so could put you in jeopardy of circulatory failure. 

As for clothing, wear light fabrics such as synthetics and silks that don’t retain heat, as well as release moisture from your body for good airflow. As for colors, select clothes with light colors, avoiding darks. Select fabrics that "breathe," allowing moisture to be released from your body. Not only do hats shield your skin from the sun, but they also shield the sun from heating up the blood vessels lining your scalp. When wearing a hat in the heat, occasionally take it off to let the heat escape. 

If your choice of exercise is a sport such as tennis, be sure to take short, frequent breaks. By doing so, you allow your body parts that are working hard to rest, reducing your odds of injury. Also, pay close attention to your body. For example, if you’re in the middle of a run and your body tells you to rest, then take a break.

When you feel the least bit faint or nauseous --- which could be red lights for heat exhaustion --- stop exercising. Failure to not rest in the shade and hydrate until you recover could result in a heat stroke or even worse conditions. If you work out for more than an hour, be sure to have some carbohydrates handy to eat because carbs are quickly metabolized in the heat. Some sports drinks also contain carbs. 

Use precaution and common sense when exercising in the water. A pool or lake may cool you off on a hot Summer day. But you can still get dehydrated and overheated. If you’re planning a rigorous water workout, check the water temperature (75 to 78 degrees Farenheit is ideal). A pool temperature higher than 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius) is too hot and not suitable for a workout. 

Take breaks, drinking sufficient water to make sure you stay hydrated. As for today, keep an eye to the smky late this afternoon and this evening for possible string to severe thunderstorms as a front approaches from the west. 

Paul

Lawn Care Tips During Hot and Dry July Weather

How is your lawn doing? My lawn is beginning to feel the effects of the strong July sunshine and hot weather this month. Only two of the last 17 days (June 27 and July 5) featured any measured rain across southwestern Connecticut, resulting in less than one inch (0.96") of precipitation.

The brown spots and dried-out grass are becoming more widespread on my lawn. Many people are using their sprinklers to water their lawns. Have you ever wondered when is the best time to water the lawn? According to allaboutlawns.com, the best time to turn on your sprinkler is about 5 o'clock in the morning. Why? "Early morning watering is best due to the lack of evaporation that takes place, low winds that can blow you lawn dry, high humidity, and morning dew that adds to the moisture. 

"Early morning watering helps to prevent lawn diseases that can be caused by watering at night because it gives your lawn time to dry by night fall. Obviously, this can be best accomplished with a sprinkler system, unless you just can't sleep, especially during the Summer months." 

Here's another tip. Try watering a day before you plan on mowing your lawn if you dislike the browning that forms on the tips of the grass afterwards. This will allow your lawn to recover from the cutting and help it to look nicer as a result. Did you know that during the hottest Summer months, the surface of your closely cropped lawn can easily climb two dozen degrees above the outdoor air temperature? Heat is a killer. 

So is moisture loss, which occurs when the lawn is cut too frequently during high temperatures. Heat-stressed, dry lawns are extremely susceptible to insects, spotting, weeds, and root disease as they try to heal from literally being scalped. Many of my neighbors hire lawn cutters who appear at the same time every week to mow the lawns, whether they need it or not. 

According to allaboutlawns.com, it's important to realize that mowing actually creates a routine lawn injury. You can minimize the damage by using sharp blades and mowing in cooler morning or evening hours, but only when the lawn is dry. In the Summer months, you may have to mow more frequently, but always mow at a higher cut. If you're cutting more than 1/3 of the total height of the grass, you're scalping it. 

Take care when mowing your lawn this Summer. Properly mowed lawns retain moisture, fostering deeper root growth, and the healthy blades of grass produce more of the nutrients necessary for your lawn to thrive in difficult conditions. So, even in the driest and warmest time of the year, it is possible to keep your lawn watered regularly and cut when needed.

Paul

Dry Weather Continues Across Much of Connecticut

The eastern two-thirds of Connecticut continue to be "abnormally dry" or in a "moderate drought," according to the latest Drought Monitor Index released Thursday, July 7, 2022. pic.twitter.com/IjvHGdgxkc

— Paul Piorek (@PaulPiorek) July 8, 2022

Only two of the last 16 days (June 27 and July 5) have featured measured rain across southwestern Connecticut, resulting in less than one inch (0.96") of precipitation. The forecast doesn't look promising for rain, either.

Paul

Today Marks 26th Anniversary of Warmest Spring Day on Record at Bridgeport

Today marks the 26th anniversary of the warmest May day on record. The mercury soared to 97 degrees at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford on Monday, May 20, 1996, nearly 30 degrees higher than the average high temperature for the date. In fact, only one other Spring day has been as warm, and that happened on June 9 of 2008.

What made the record high of 1996 so memorable was that it happened just 40 days after nearly a foot of snow capped the snowiest Winter on record, and just days after much colder-than-normal temperatures.

“Just over a week ago, the climate got rewound to Winter,” wrote N. R. Kleinfield of The New York Times in an article dated May 21, 1996. “Six inches of snow coated parts of upstate New York (as if the year required more snow). In the city last week, the high temperature dipped to the 50s. Spring, you might have noticed, either got lost or just forgot to come. Then came yesterday (May 20, 1996). It all got fast-forwarded to August. Bathing suits instead of ski parkas,” he continued.

“Turn off the heater and turn up the air-conditioner. What’s going on? Is this Earth or is this Mars? People could be excused for being mystified, discombobulated, distraught, furious, dazed, crazed, tentative, dizzy and, of course, just plain really, really hot.” The temperature reached a record high of 96 degrees in Central Park, eclipsing the previous record of 91 set in 1959, and a new record was established in Newark, where it was 99 degrees. Incredibly, just over a week earlier, on the weekend of May 11 and 12, 1996, it snowed in upstate New York.

Remember, the first two-and-a-half weeks of May in 1996 were unseasonably chilly. The record heat and outages at two power plants, one in Westchester and one in upstate New York, reduced the electricity reserves of New York state’s power pool, leading Consolidated Edison to ask customers to curtail electricity consumption. With air-conditioners thrumming away, demand in New York City reached around 9,000 megawatts, well above the normal 7,000 to 8,000 megawatts for this time of year.

Twelve years later, a late Spring scorcher, which included another 97-degree Spring day, forced area schools to dismiss early and close in early June of 2008. Temperatures soared to 90 degrees or hotter on Sunday, June 8 (90 degrees), Monday, June 9 (97), and Tuesday, June 10 (96). The normal high temperature for the first week of June is 74 degrees. It’s the first time in recent memory that school systems shut down due to the oppressive heat.

Paul

Mother's Day Weather Less-Than-Ideal Across Southwestern Connecticut

The air temperature is 57 degrees F with a 33-degree dew point and a gusty north wind under mostly cloudy skies at Sasco Brook in Southport. pic.twitter.com/e9ot8cstJ9

— Paul Piorek (@PaulPiorek) May 8, 2022