TICKS

See TU article:

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/storyprint.asp?StoryID=792133


Buckingham Pond Park and the City
Golf Course are loaded with ticks.
Also, the area around Hartman Rd
Community Garden.

When walking your pets in the park or
at the golf course, after hours, keep them
out of tall grass and leaves.

Check yourself and your pets carefully
after every outing.

Newborn ticks appear at this time of year.
They are about pin head size. Very small.
But, just like baby rattlesnakes, just as
dangerous as adults.

One female tick can have a 1,000 or more
offsprings.

Beware that you or your pets do not bring
ticks indoors. Your furniture and carpets
could become infested.

After a walk last night, spotted a tick or two
near my dogs' bedding. Washed their bedding
dried it in a hot dryer. Vacuumed floors and
rugs wherever, the dogs lay last night.

We routinely sweep/vacuum where dogs
sleep and air their bedding in the hot sun, or
the cold of winter. Their bedding is washed
often.

This helps guard against tick and flea infestations.

We do not use Front Line or other pesticides.
But do apply Avon Skin So Soft. Sage and
Rosemary also, help discourage mosquitoes
in season, to guard agist Heart Worm.

Our dogs do get blood tests for Lyme and
Heart Worm, get Lyme booster shots and
are given Intercepter tablets, once a month
during the warm season, to guard against
Heart Worm. Intercepter because, they are
Collie dogs, who can suffer fatality from
Heart Guard.

The TU also had a good article several days
ago, about pet first aid kits and providing
for your pets in a disaster/emergency.

Joe Sullivan

POISON IN PINE BUSH WILDLIFE

Read TU article:

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=792070

How about poison in neighborhood adults
children, pets and wildlife resulting from
excessive use of lawn fertilizers, lawn chemicals
and other household chemicals?

Not to mention respiratory problems from
vehicle emissions from growing volumes of traffic
on city/neighborhood streets, coupled with
excessive dumping of road salt which drys
and becomes airborne at this time of year.

Joe Sullivan

BUCKINGHAM POND PARK

Neighborhood volunteers did a nice job
with last Saturday's clean up. Congratulations.

Now, the City of Albany has to step up to the
plate and do the necessary work to put the
pond park back in shape.

Refer to posts of April 2 and March 27, this
blog, for recommended actions by the City
and volunteers of the newly form pond
conservancy.

Scroll back on this site for more detailed
recommendations in a number of earlier
posts this year and last.

Joe Sullivan

BUCKINGHAM POND PARK NEWS 4/17/09

The Buckingham Pond Conservancy park
clean up . Saturday 4/18 is not sponsored
by the Buckingham Pond/Crestwood NA.

We do not sponsor such clean ups because of
liability issues, should someone get injured
of infected by with Lyme Disease which can
result from ticks numerous in the pond park
area. Newborn ticks, appearing now, carry
Lyme. Accordingly, the BPCNA is not a sponsor
or participant in the 4/18 pond park clean up
and, therefore, not liable in any way.

The Buckingham Pond Conservancy is a
newly formed group not affiliated with or
working through BPCNA.

--------------------------------------

OTHER NEWS

There is a vandalized small tree located on
Rafts Way, S side of pond, between Colonial
and Milner.

I replanted the exposed root, but left the
root still in the ground, undisturbed because
the tree is budding. I propped the tree up
but it still has a lean to it. The tree should be
left alone until the Fall when it becomes
dormant. It can be replanted then.

Very reasonable tree and shrub stock will
be available tomorrow from 9 am to Noon
at the Albany County SWCD sale, Martin
Rd, Voorheesville. Other options include
the Schenectady and Renssselaer County
SWCD tree/shrub sales. See earlier posts.

Joe Sullivan

POACHERS AT WORK
BUCKINGHAM POND PARK

Several neighbors have reported that a group
with a van is poaching fish from Buckingham
Pond Park, during daylight hours.

The poachers reportedly took fish, including
very small ones, in bags. The poachers parked
their van in the parking semi-circle , N side
of pond, at the foot of Colonial Ave.

Poachers were described as being of Third
World origins.

Be on the look out and get a license plate
number. Report to Officer Rick Romand
Community Service Unit, APD Center
Station 458 5669 or 224 2180.

Joe Sullivan

Check out Mayor Jennings' Blog

http://mayorjennings.blogspot.com/

Joe Sullivan

JACK BACK TO CARE FOR
BUCKINGHAM POND PARK

Last October, we asked Mayor Jennings to
restore Jack's position to the City budget
for 2009.

Monday, October 06, 2008

SAVE JACK'S JOB/SAVE OUR PARKBuckingham Pond Park caretaker, Jack, does a terrific job maintainingthe park.Jack tells me that Friday will be his last day, and he won't be coming back next season because of 62 seasonal workers will be cut from the city budget.The plan is for a city crew to follow a one day a month mowing-maintenance schedule next year.This in unacceptable!Buckingham Pond Park is the centerpiece of our neighborhood. We need Jack to stay on as a seasonal caretaker.Homeowners in this neighborhood pay very high property taxes, and in turn, receive minimal city services, as compared to many other city neighborhoods.Contact Mayor Jennings immediately. Ask him to restore Jack's seasonal position as caretaker of Buckingham Pond Park, and to supplement Jack's efforts with city parks crews, as needed.Call the Mayor at 434 5100, write him at City Hall, Albany, 12207 or call in on his Friday radio show, 9-10 AM . Talk Radio 1300 AM . 476 1300.
Thank you. J P Sullivan
posted by J P Sullivan 1:09 PM 0 comments


Mayor Jennings delivered. Jack will be
back taking care of Buckingham Pond
Park.

Thank you Mayor Jennings and Jack.

However, the pond park is in rough
shape after the winter.

It will take more than Jack cutting the
grass to restore the pond park after a
hard winter.

The archives of this site contain
numerous recommendations for improving
the park.

To recap, the City Parks and Recreation Dept
has some major work to do here, including:

1. resurfacing the pathways with coarse
crushed bluestone

2. repairing the Milner Ave foot bridge
split rail fence and pathway

3. restoring and replanting the planters
at both ends of the foot bridge

4. removing a number of dead trees
including the big cottonwoods that
overhang the path at the foot of
Lenox, S side of pond

5. cutting vines that are strangling
younger trees and clearing brush
from around young conifers and
hardwoods ,to permit their growth.
See the southern and western
parts of the pond park.

Several of the young conifers,
including the two Hemlocks closest
to Rafts Way, S side of pond park
should be transplanted to more
open spaces on the dredged fill site
so that the conifers might grow to
their mature shapes and sizes.

6. stabilizing pond shore erosion by
planting trees and shrubs that thrive
in wet conditions. (see lists of these
in earlier posts this site, this year).

7. building a stone bulkhead , adding
fill and plantings, such as Red Osier
Dogwoods, to stabilize the eroding
shore ad foot path, S side p0nd from
Euclid to Lenox

8. cleaning up litter and yard wastes
dumped along the southern and
western parts of the pond park

9. planting some suitable pond
friendly trees and shrubs, including
Black Alder,Willows, Sycamores
Red Maples, Wich Hazels, Silky
Dogwoods, Canaan Firs, White
Flowering Dogwoods, Burning Bushes
Rose of Sharon, Spice Bushes, Winter
Berry Hollys, Rugosa Roses, Lilacs
anf Butterfly Bushes.

All of these and more can be
obtained at reasonable costs
from the various Soil and Water
Conservation District sales this
Spring. Click on prior post
Plant a Tree.... for details.

These are a few of the more pressing
needs. Consult earlier posts for more
recommended actions.

Residents living within the pond park
watershed can help improve pond water
quality and save the pond, by reducing
applications of lawn chemicals and
fertilizers.

Not littering, or dumping yard wastes
and picking up after your dogs will also
contribute to a cleaner park environment.

Thank you.

Joe Sullivan

Auto Break ins/Robberies Advisory

Officer Romand, APD, advises that there
have been a number of vehicle break ins
in nearby neighborhoods in the past few
weeks.

With the advent of warmer weather and
the economic downturn, it is prudent
for our neighborhood residents to be alert
and guard against street robberies, vehicle
and home break ins as well as graffiti
vandalism. Also, drug deals at the
Buckingham Pond Park parking lot
foot of Colonial Ave, N side of park.

Dogwalkers, strollers, joggers and drivers
are encouraged to carry their cell phones
at all times so that they may immediately
notify the APD 458 5660 and/or
Anti Terror Hotline 1 866 SAFE NYS
723 3697
as appropriate.

Homeowners and apartment dwellers
are urged to keep a close watch on
their blocks.

All neighborhood residents are part of
our neighborhood watch.

Joe Sullivan


Theft Prevention Tips
 Lock Your Car. Most thieves will try multiple car doors to look for one that is unlocked to steal out of.
 Don’t Hide a Second Set of Keys in Your Car. They don’t serve a purpose and if a thief gets in your car they could steal it.
 Park in Well-Lighted Areas.
 Park in Attended Lots. Auto thieves do not like witnesses and prefer unattended lots.
 Close Your Car Windows When Parking. Don’t make it any easier for the thief to enter your vehicle.
 Hide Your Valuables. Don’t make your car a more desirable target for thieves by leaving valuables in plain sight.
 Make The Interior of Your Car Look The Same Way It Did When You Bought It. Clean out the visible change in the center console and anything else that is in plain view from the outside of the car. One dollar in change is enough for a thief to break into your car.
Plug Auxiliary Power Out l e t s . Thieve s will think that there are electronic devices in the car if they see open power out lets .
Report Suspicious Activity. People looking into or trying the door handles on vehicles .
Cal l 438 -400 0.
Anti -Theft Device s
Remote Ca r Starter . Al lows the owner to safely start a vehicle and leave the motor running to pre -heat the interior .
Alarm Systems .Security systems that make loud warning sounds and flash the vehicle’s lights to attract attention t o the vehicle .
Ignition Kill Switch. Disables the power to the s tarter of a vehicle until a hidden switch is activated.
Fuel Kill Switch. A valve that cuts off the fuel supply to the vehicle .
Visible Steering Wheel Lock. Pr e -vents the steering wheel from being turned .
Floor board Locks. Devices that disable the gas or b rake pedal .
Gear shift Locks . Disable s shifting o f the transmission.
Ti r e /Wheel Locks . Prevents the vehicle from moving.
Hood Locks . Prevents thieves from gaining access to your security system and battery .
Locking Wheel Lug Nuts .They are inexpensive and c an de t e r a thief from stealing your wheels . You only need one per wheel . Don’t leave the key visible in your car.
Removable Face Stereo Unit .The control pane l o f the s t e r e o comes off to be taken with you. This makes the stereo inoperable without it.
Locking Fuel Ca p. The high price of fuel has made it a hot commodity.
VIN-Etching. Have al l the glass in your vehicle etched with the VIN number to deter cars t ripping.
Be Pr e pa r e d
Keep Your Gas Tank At Le as t Hal f Full . This could prevent you from breaking down in an undesirable area.
Have An Emergency Kit In Your Trunk.
Don’t Abandon Your Vehicle . I f you b r e a k down and have to leave your vehicle on the side of a road; Don’t leave it for a long time .
Automobile
Theft Prevention

Police Officer Rick Romand
Albany Police Department
Community Service Unit
Center Station
536 Western Ave
Albany NY 12203
PH 518-458-5669
Fax 518-458-5662
Rick Romand 224/2180