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In the Know: Was that a Mosquito Control plane that buzzed me?
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Q: I live in Bonita Shores and I hear helicopters many mornings flying (seemingly) low overhead, usually around 7 a.m. Any idea why?
Mark Jackson, Naples
Q: Lately, the honor system of not taking off or landing at Naples Airport between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. has been abused and it appears to be the Mosquito Control planes. In the last 2 1/2 weeks, there have been numerous times when they were taking off at 4:30 a.m. Once it was 3:23 a.m. when I looked at the clock. It’s not just takeoffs, but the criss-crossing back and forth that is most annoying. I want the mosquitoes gone as much as anyone, but I was led to believe that the most effective time to get them was at dawn and this was obviously well before that. Could you shed some light on this subject?
Tom
A: That was a Mosquito Control helicopter in the Bonita Shores area, and those surely are Mosquito Control planes taking off in the early morning hours from the Naples Municipal Airport.
Governmental flights such as those of the Medflight air ambulance, Sheriff’s Office and Mosquito Control aren’t subject to the Naples Airport Authority’s voluntary curfew, since these agencies are responsible for the safety, health and well-being of Collier County residents, said Curtis Richardson, the airport authority’s noise abatement officer.
Richardson said he gets the most complaints about Mosquito Control aircraft.
Collier Mosquito Control District spray missions are conducted only during early-morning hours. Airplanes fly between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m., and helicopters between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m., when weather conditions are the most favorable, district spokesman Adrian Salinas said.
“While Bonita Shores is in Collier County, it is close to the Lee County line and you could possibly be hearing the Lee County Mosquito Control District aircraft as well,” Salinas said.
Low-flying helicopters making back-and-forth passes are usually Mosquito Control helicopters, he said. The helicopters, flying at 150 feet in order to apply an effective treatment, target adult mosquitoes or treat water for larvae.
During early morning hours, the temperature, winds and the low probability of rain offer the best opportunity to complete spray missions, Salinas said. Also, these early hours are when mosquitoes are the most active and non-targeted species such as bees, dragonflies, birds and people are the least active, he said.
“Treatment applications during the dusk hours would be ineffective due to unfavorable weather conditions, primarily due to summer’s hot temperatures causing the spray to rise away from the targeted areas,” Salinas said.
Next time you get buzzed awake by a plane, go online that day to the Mosquito Control District Web site at www.collier-mosquito.org to see if your area is on the daily spray schedule. To request spraying for your area, call the district at (239) 436-1000.
Q: What happened to Fitzgerald’s Irish Pub on the East Trail? They seemed busy every time I drove by and had quite a party on St. Patrick’s Day.
Richard Ross, East Naples
A: Fitzgerald’s, 4519 U.S. 41 E., closed June 5 after being in business for about 15 months.
“It just wasn’t working out for us,” owner Mick Fitzgerald said. “You take a chance on something, and if it doesn’t work out, there’s nothing you can do.”
I, too, noticed that the parking lot seemed to always be full, but Fitzgerald said the East Naples location wasn’t paying for itself.
The successful, original Fitzgerald’s on Bonita Beach Road in Bonita Springs will remain open, and Fitzgerald is looking at opening other locations soon in North Fort Myers and on Pine Ridge Road in Naples.
Fitzgerald says he has a couple of prospects interested in purchasing his East Naples location, a former Shoney’s restaurant that he spent more than $500,000 to renovate inside and out. Fitzgerald’s bright yellow facade was a welcomed change to the old restaurant that sat vacant for about four years before the Irish pub opened in March 2007.
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Tim Aten is chief online editor of the Daily News. E-mail questions with your name and city of residence to intheknow@naplesnews.com.
Find a complete archive of “In the Know” at naplesnews.com/intheknow/
Comments
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Fitzgeralds has bad food anyway. Outback, where are you...?
#1 Posted by babbas on July 15, 2008 at 10:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I ate there once and had bad food, the beer was "off" and the staff was fair but not great. I ate at the Bonita location and it was excellent.
#2 Posted by hey_its_dina on July 16, 2008 at 4:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe try McCabes or Paddy Murphy's. They have great apple cider beer. Yum!
Be nice to find someplace that serves good corned beef and cabbage more then just once a year on Saint Paddy's Day...
#3 Posted by Jadip811 on July 16, 2008 at 5:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
#4 Posted by luckyme on July 16, 2008 at 8:05 a.m.
Well, I checked the schedule to see if GGE is going to get some relief, but only east of Wilson and near Logan woods for Thursday. Never saw the schedule posted before when I checked the link. Thanks Tim.
I know that we would not mind being "buzzed" by some mosquito control spraying planes or helicopters. The mosquitoes are thick as thieves where we live. I really can't believe they have sprayed at all yet this year. We change bird bath water daily and have no other areas with standing water.
Repellent is on anytime we go outside. Even the dogs are not wanting to spend time outdoors as they usually do. Even though they are protected by medication the mosquitos still go after them.
#5 Posted by BlueTonguedVole on July 16, 2008 at 11:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have an issue with the mosquito spraying. My husband works outside at a golf course. He and a co-worker were doused with the insecticide and have been suffering severe sinus burning/headaches/and other issues. They got it in their eyes and actually breathed it in unexpectedly. No warning that they were about to be exposed to this chemical. It may be a good idea to notify the public about the dates they will spray, or do it at a time BEFORE people are outside working. Do I have to worry about my kids being sprayed while they wait for school busses???
#6 Posted by UnderscoreUnderscore on July 17, 2008 at 3:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Vole, we were just sprayed friday or saturday morning, and the mosquitos are still insane out here. I cant even sit in my screened in patio without being attacked. I can't imagine how it is out by you.
#7 Posted by UnderscoreUnderscore on July 17, 2008 at 3:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
east naples sucks when it comes to restaurants. We have nothing. Carrabas was ok, but it's just not all that. I would love a PF Changs or something on that order.
#8 Posted by FreshFace on July 23, 2008 at 8:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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