Mosquito Update From Paul Fox, Mosquito Coordinator for Northumberland County Conservation District
Dear Municipalities,
This is Paul Fox, Mosquito Coordinator for Northumberland County Conservation District, with another seasonal update. Next week we start setting traps called BG Sentinel traps, we use these traps to look for female mosquitos looking to bite humans and animals. With all the recent rain there is a lot of ponding creating habitat for mosquitos to breed. Emily Young, the Seasonal Mosquito Technician, is working in Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties.
Here are some quick tips to help prevent getting bitten by mosquitoes:
Wear protective clothes: Cover your skin with long sleeves and pants. I personally recommend spraying your clothes with a repellent that has the active ingredient permethrin.
Use insect repellent: Apply EPA-registered insect repellents.
Avoid perfumes: Mosquitoes are attracted to scents.
Stay clean: Sweat and body odor attract mosquitoes.
Keep your property dry: Mosquitoes breed in standing water.
Close your windows: Use screens to keep mosquitoes out.
Stay indoors when mosquitoes are active: Mosquitoes are most active during dawn and dusk.
Here are some tips on protecting your property from mosquitoes:
Remove Standing Water– Empty, drain, or cover all things that can and may hold standing water. Mosquitos can breed in as little as 1–2 fl oz (30–59 ml) of water, clear out any areas of your backyard or porch where rainwater can pool. So, begin by touring your property to find any sources of standing or stagnant water. This is where mosquitoes lay their eggs, you can prevent this by diverting water found in buckets, garbage cans, tarps, and other areas where water may collect. The combination of still water and plant life attracts mosquitoes. A backyard pond is an interesting landscape feature. Install a fountain and some fish that are known to eat mosquito larvae, such as goldfish, guppies, or killifish if your climate allows.
Promote Drainage– Wherever your landscape regularly accumulates water after rainfall or watering the lawn. Fill those areas with soil or grade them if possible. A&A can help with drainage.
Clean Gutters– If they are filled with debris, they will trap water during the next rainfall instead of letting it drain. Mosquitoes will then breed in this standing water. Ensure your downspouts are strategically located and maintained so that the flow of water is directed away from the area and adequately dispersed.
Mow Your Lawn Weekly– Mosquitoes aren’t likely to lay eggs on tall grass, but they tend to sit in the tall grass for rest and hiding. Keep your grass as short as possible and mow as frequently as possible. Also, ensure bushes and shrubs are well-trimmed.
Repel Mosquitoes with Plants– Plant some mosquito-repelling flowers and herbs, especially near areas that are prone to collect water. You can place them directly into your garden, or you can place them in flowerpots. Mosquitoes don’t like the smell of these plants and will stay away from them.
Change Lighting– The best (and least appealing to insects) was a warm colored LED light – those are the LEDs that produce a yellow/orange hue, rather than cool blue light. Impressively, the yellow-hued LEDs turned out to be even better than ‘bug lights.
Maintain Swimming Pools– If you have a small plastic pool meant to be used temporarily, make sure you drain all the water and store it indoors when it’s not in use. If you have a backyard swimming pool, monitor the chlorine levels regularly, and keep the pool clean. Adequate water filtration and circulation help to keep the water clean and moving and your pool cover can prevent chemicals from evaporation and keep insects out when not in use.
Clean Birdbaths Weekly– If you have a birdbath outside your house, the stagnant water is a perfect place for mosquitoes to lay eggs. Minimize mosquitoes breeding thereby changing the water and scrubbing down the bath at least once a week, preferably more frequently.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns, or complaints. Thank you so much for helping us keep communities safe from mosquito-borne illnesses!
To reach Emily her email is: ftsmosquito@nccdpa.org
Best Regards,
Paul Fox | Environmental Resource Technician
Northumberland County Conservation District
228 Houser Road
Sunbury, PA 17801-6064
Office: 570-495-4665 x303
Web: www.nccdpa.org
June 2, 2025 at 7:00PM Selinsgrove Borough Public Hearing Notice For The FFY 2025 CDBG Program
First Hearing Notice Selinsgrove
June 2, 2025 at 7:00PM Selinsgrove Borough Public Hearing Notice For The FFY 2025 CDBG Program
Boil Order Lifted
Update:
5/9/25: The boil order has been lifted/removed for the homes affected by the water main break on 5/5/25. Notices with this update will be placed at the homes as was the original notification.
5/7/25: The same water line was struck again in the early afternoon affecting the same homes/businesses as on Monday. The water was turned down to low pressure until the repair was made. As of 4:30 PM, the water was restored. The Boil Notice posted on 5/6/25 is still in effect and all who were notified on Monday will be notified once the boil order is lifted.
5/6/25: Water for the streets mentioned on the Boil Notice 5.5.25 will be under a boil advisory until the water tests come back. The anticipated date is now Thursday, May 8th but we will keep you posted here.
5.5.25: As of 3:30, more work has to be done to secure the line damage. Crews are working to get the repairs completed. Please see the attached boil notice. A 48 hour boil is recommended. Boil Notice 5.5.25
A water main was struck this morning on Hower Street. The water is being turned off to make a repair. We do not currently have a timeline for the repair to be complete but will update this alert once we have more information.
Walkability Trail Study Meeting Notice: April 24, 2025, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Walkability Trail Study Meeting Notice: April 24, 2025, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Thank you for being involved in the walkability/connectivity strategic planning process for Selinsgrove, whether by attending the first public meeting and/or filling out the public survey. Your participation is a critical component to the success of this project.
If you haven’t yet filled out the online survey, please do so – even if you attended the public meeting. And encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same.
To keep you in the loop, we’ve attached our presentation from Public Meeting #1, along with notes from the meeting. We’ll be using the concerns and ideas you shared to develop initial concepts, which will be shared at Public Meeting #2, scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 24, 2025, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM, again in person at Selinsgrove Boro Hall and as an online meeting (register now to get it on your calendar). Please plan to join us, either in person or online for that meeting – and bring a friend or neighbor! Poster attached – please share on your social media platform(s) of choice.
If you have additional thoughts or feedback about walkability/connectivity in Selinsgrove, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We look forward to your continued participation in this process.
Best,
David Bender, IDSA, Associate ASLA
Staff Landscape Architect
The plan will analyze how residents circulate through the Borough on foot and via bicycles and make recommendations on how non-motorized transportation can be made more accessible and safer. Sidewalk gaps will be identified along with community destinations that can be more frequently accessed by non-motorized means. Community members can also take a short opinion survey about their circulation habits, how frequently they move through the town on foot and via bicycle and what improvements or changes will allow them to use non-motorized circulation more frequently. The opinion survey went live on February 26th and can be accessed by scanning the QR code below.
Simone Collins Landscape Architecture of Norristown, PA was selected by the Borough of Selinsgrove through a competitive proposal process. Firm principal Pete Simone notes that “all across the Commonwealth folks are looking for more opportunities to safely walk, jog or bike through their hometowns. The goal of this study is to recommend ways to meet this need.” Simone Collins is teamed with Gibson-Thomas Engineering of Camp Hill to complete the plan.
Future meetings: June 25 and a final public meeting at the October 6 Borough Council meeting.
For additional information contact Borough Manager Lauren Martz at 570-374-2311 ext. 113 or by email at lmartz@selinsgrove.org.
Administrative Finance Committee and Selinsgrove Water Authority Meeting
Meeting Notice
The Administrative Finance Committee and the Selinsgrove Water Authority will meet with the Borough Water Engineer, LDG, on Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 11:00am at 1N. High Street Selinsgrove in Borough Council Chambers to discuss the final draft of the Capital Improvements Water Infrastructure Study findings and potential next steps.
Borough Council Recessed Meeting March 20, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Meeting Notice:
Selinsgrove Borough Council will hold a recessed meeting on Thursday, March 20, 2025, at 4:00 PM at 1 N. High Street, Selinsgrove in the Borough Council Chambers.
Discussion topics include approval of the police eligibility list/hiring, approval of community events, and any other topic needing to be addressed by the Council at that time.
Borough Office Delayed Opening (11 AM) Due to Inclement Weather
Due to inclement weather and the safety of our staff the Borough Offices have delayed opening until 11am. If you need immediate assistance please contact the Police Department at 570-374-8655. If you are dropping your water bill off please drop it in the “water bill” slot on the front of the Borough building. Thank you.
Ice Skating 2025 at Little Norway II
LITTLE NORWAY II
It is located on the corner of S. Water Street and E. Sassafras St. There will be a variety of snacks and drinks to choose from for a fee. Admission is FREE and ice skates are available for the public to use FREE OF CHARGE, along with ice hockey sticks, etc. Little Norway II’s hours will be 5 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. on school days, Tentatively 11am-9:30pm on Saturdays and 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. on Sundays. We hope you will come out and enjoy Little Norway II! Please contact the Borough at 570-374-2311 or borough@selinsgrove.org if you’re interested in volunteering.
Little Norway II: Update 1-16-2025
Volunteers and Borough staff have been working to get Little Norway II up and running this season for ice skating and luckily it looks like it will be cold enough to happen!
How can you tell if the rink is open? There is a flag that will be flying on the Little Norway II sign to the right of the building. If the flag is out, the rink is open. If the flag is NOT out, then the building is not open, and the rink is closed. The rink/building is operated by many volunteers in the community and only opens as those volunteers’ schedules allow. We extend our thanks to all of those who give of their time to help make this free entertainment possible. Please be kind to the volunteers and remember if they say the rink is closing, please thank them for their time and leave the rink. All skating is at your own risk and please do not skate alone.
Additionally, there may be some work done to freshen the ice up throughout the “season” so please be mindful that we are working with mother nature and fluctuating freezing temps so it may close intermittently. If the rink and cold weather holds up, we will work to keep it open as long as possible.
Please be grateful for the volunteers, the access to such a cool place to go, and don’t bang on the ice with sticks and skates. Breaking holes in the ice where you see air bubbles causes tripping hazards. This is a free community resource open to everyone so please respect it so everyone can enjoy it.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the Borough Manager, Lauren Martz at 570-374-2311 ext. 113 or email via borough@selinsgrove.org or lmartz@selinsgrove.org.
