Talking tick season with U of M

As the weather finally warms up, Minnesotans are eager to get out and enjoy our state’s beautiful outdoors. But unfortunately, we’re not the only ones who venture out when the temperature rises; summer means tick season in Minnesota. Many ticks can carry bacteria, viruses and parasites that can harm humans, including those that cause Lyme disease and anaplasmosis.

Jon Oliver with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health answers questions about the outlook for this year’s tick season in Minnesota, types of ticks and where they are most prevalent, and what people should do to avoid ticks and if they find one on themselves.

Q: Will there be a lot of ticks this year?

A: It is always a good bet that there will be plenty of deer ticks in Minnesota in the spring and summer. Last year, despite drier than normal summer weather, the state saw fairly typical numbers of immature ticks. This year, those ticks will have grown to be adults or nymphs. Based on last year’s number, I expect we will have a fairly

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Q: What types of ticks are most common in Minnesota?

A: Deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) and American dog ticks (“wood ticks”; Dermacentor variabilis) are common in Minnesota and both commonly bite people and pets. Although both species can potentially transmit diseases, deer ticks are more concerning because they are often infected with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.

Q: Where are ticks most prevalent?

A: Deer ticks require a refuge with a high humidity level, such as the forest leaf layer, so they are most often found in forested areas. Deer ticks are spreading and becoming more common. They are now found in every forested county in the state. Even in prairie areas, deer carry deer ticks to patches of forested habitat, so people should be vigilant for ticks after visiting any forested area in Minnesota. Adult deer ticks are active in the spring (April through June) and the fall (September through November) when temperatures are above freezing and there is no snow. Immature nymphs are considered more of a disease risk because they are smaller and harder to notice, so they often remain attached and feed for longer. They are mostly active in May through July in Minnesota.

Q: What can people do to avoid getting ticks on themselves and what should someone do if they find one?

A: Tick-borne diseases are more easily prevented than cured. Insect repellents that contain DEET or other EPA-approved repellent chemicals are also effective at repelling ticks. If you spend a lot of time in tick habitats, it may be worth treating a suit of clothes with permethrin, a repellent/ insecticide that works on ticks. The bacteria that cause Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases usually take hours to enter your body after a tick attaches to feed. Daily tick checks will greatly reduce your chance of getting Lyme disease even if you are bitten.

If you find a tick biting you:

1. Use tweezers to grab the tick by its mouthparts where they enter your skin.

2. Pull the tick straight off. Avoid crushing its body.

3. After a tick bite, be mindful of your body’s health. If you develop a rash or flu-like symptoms, visit your doctor about the tick bite.

Jon Oliver is an assistant professor in the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

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Memorial Day

Memorial Day began as Decoration Day more than a century before becoming a federally recognized holiday in 1971. Over time, Decoration Day grew from being a day to honor Civil War dead to one of remembrance for those killed in all U.S. conflicts.

Since the days of the Civil War, Americans have gathered together on Memorial Day to remember and pay tribute to all who have fought and selflessly surrendered the precious gift of life so that others could live free.

From the American Revolution to the Global War on Terrorism, more than one million American veterans have made the supreme sacrifice. They died so that we could continue to cherish the things they loved — God, country and family.

This Memorial Day, pause to reflect on the absolute selflessness of the 1.3 million members of our nation’s military who paid the ultimate price needed to ensure that our way of life endures. And let us not forget the families whose pain will never go away but may lessen with our thanks and prayers.

Random thoughts

If Biden is reelected, we will be one heartbeat away from Kamala Harris being sworn in as president. Or if he is elected, will he just step down and make her the first Black woman president?

The Second Amendment allowing us to keep and bear arms also gives us the right to protect ourselves from a tyrannical government.

Over 80,000 children have come across the southern border unaccompanied. They have been absorbed into the population. The U.S. government cannot account for them. They are being trafficked by cartels out of Mexico, and essentially used for slave labor or sold for sex.

Drugs are pouring in over our southern border and killing hundreds of thousands of our citizens.

Tens of thousands of people (known as gotaways) have come across our southern border; many of them are heinous criminals.

People from than 160 countries have illegally come into our country. Recently, many from China have arrived. Can we trust that they are not spies?

China has bought a great deal of land. What is their intention? They are negotiating for hundreds of thousands of acres to build a battery plant in Michigan.

China is building a naval base in UAE. How strong are the ties between China and UAE, China and Iran, China and Russia?

Do Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar and Betty McCollum have any backbone? Why do they blindly follow the follow the liberals like the children followed the Pied Piper? What about the homeless, possibility of world war, illegal immigrants. Where does it end?

What is the relationship between China and Argentina?

How many people have suffered severe anxiety, depression or committed suicide due to gender dysphoria or abortion?

Why do the Democrats insist we follow the science, but they will not?

If all combat vehicles are EVs, what happens when the battery needs recharging? Call time out and ask the enemy where the nearest charging station is?

Patrick

Community Briefs

Volunteers needed to help with Field Day

Community volunteers are invited to join students, teachers and parents from Birch Lake Elementary to participate in a collaborative field day and native planting at the Rotary Nature Preserve from 8 a.m. to noon May 24 and 25.

A portion of the phase two of the Rotary Nature Preserve Restoration is funded by a grant from the Greater White Bear Lake Area Community Foundation (GWBLACF), and includes an educational component. The project is a collaboration between White Bear Lake Rotary, city of White Bear Lake, Birch Lake Improvement District, Vadnais Lake Area Water Management

Noise disturbance

When will the noise end? We waited six months to open up our porch and sit outside, whether drinking coffee or reading or just listening to the birds. The first day, the dirt trucks from the school construction started — so many we can’t keep count. It’s endless. Every day. Then school buses, garbage trucks, cement trucks, big equipment trucks/trailers, cars and the motorcycles that have to let us know how loud their pipes can be. We live half a block off of Highway 61 and can hear cars racing north at least once a day — truly racing. Obviously, the construction has to take place, but can we have some encouragement that the major truck traffic will be ending soon? And doesn’t White Bear Lake have a noise ordinance? Do we not enforce that, or speeding for that matter? We are looking forward to summer along with everyone else and hope we can have a conversation without pausing for a truck to go by.

Lynne Blomquist White Bear Lake

Response to guest column

In lauding the McKinsey Report, Dr. Kazmierczak’s essay on embracing change was an interesting read. To whom was he preaching? The business world? He cited employers “controlling” employees’ work: “individuals and companies should embrace new tools and utilize data to drive optimal results.” Organizations? He cited finding the need to find “new and improved ways to collaborate.”

Dr. Kazmierczak did touch on the school district under his charge, students and teachers taking charge of creating engaging learning experiences, envisioning the future.

Out here in the real world, two things come to my mind about this essay:

1. No matter how much collaboration exists between employees and employers, between students and teachers, there must be an end goal and a captain of the collaboration or, poor distractible humans that we are, the effort will disassemble itself into other directions.

2. Every structure is built on a foundation, without which there will be collapse. The foundation for all these future envisionings is the education system. Those students he speaks of will get nowhere in the future without strong skills in reading, writing and mathematics.

First of all, Dr. Kazmierczak, work to assure that basic foundation in the White Bear Lake School District. In your next essay, please enlighten us on the progress being made in those essential educational matters.

Cindy Paslawski White Bear Lake

Response to letter

I’m writing this letter in response to Jimmy Brunzell’s editorial regarding gun violence in the May 17 issue of the Press. First, loss of life, whether by a gun or other means, is not acceptable, including abortion. Murder is murder. However, a country whereby the individual citizen can’t defend themselves would lead to a loss of life and liberty from those who govern. China and its human rights abuses is a good example. In the United States, we don’t have a gun problem, we have a mental health problem that is not being addressed. In 2021, the last year for which the CDC has compiled records on gun deaths, there were over 26,000 gun deaths by suicide compared to 103 by mass shootings. That alone is 26,103 too many. Most of the mass shooting perpetrators advertised their intentions to someone or posted on social media prior to the event, but because our society has become so politically correct, nothing was done to intervene. Mr. Brunzell attacks the “pro-life” evangelical right, but I’d bet that none of the mass shooters were worshipping in church the Sunday before their shooting spree.

Organization, the GWBLACF and Birch Lake Elementary School.

Volunteers are needed to help classes rotate through the nature preserve and participate in stations that include planting native plants in the phase one area, a nature hike and an invertebrate lab. To participate, contact Carol Nelson at arolnelson855.gmail.com@ clubrunner.email.

Library programs kick off Washington County Library’s summer programs for kids, teens and adults begin Wednesday, June 1, and continue through Saturday, August 19.

Through the Summer Adventure program, kids ages 0-11 can read, learn, listen and explore with an alien friend, Zorb.

Bill Kolesar White Bear

Harsh rhetoric not the answer

Mr. Brunzell is right to be concerned about the measure of violence occurring in America, as well as throughout the world. We seem to be, individually and collectively, at war.

However, harsh rhetoric, tribalistic invective and scapegoating are not an answer. Neither is lawfare. And legislative intervention is at best of very limited efficacy (witness the strict gun laws and elevated violence in Chicago, for instance).

The prior question is: how do we establish and maintain a culture predicated on the rule of law? The rule of law has to do not merely with the political or legal realm, but rather with all relations, be they family, neighborhood, education, religion, state, market or media. Biblically, the rule of law is built upon the Mercy and Truth of the Living God.

I’m reasonably sure Mr. Brunzell is aware of these ideas and has practiced them in many situations. Would that he, and we the People, would work to build a critical mass in this direction.

James

“Dedicated To Those We Serve”

Sandberg Funeral & Cremation Service Sandberg Funeral & Cremation Service

The program can be tailored to each children’s interests and learning needs.

Teens ages 12-18 can Level Up! their summer with a video gamethemed program that promotes literacy of all kinds, including reading, crafting, cooking and gaming. With the 10,000 Experiences at Your Library program, adults can checkout librarian-recommended reads, explore the community and win prizes for participating in activities.

Library staff are also planning expanded programs and entertainers inside and outside the library. All programs are free and open to the public, although some require registration. For a complete schedule of summer events, go to washcolib.org.

Upcoming Games

May 23-28 vs Omaha Storm Chasers

June 6-11 vs. Iowa Cubs

June 28-July 3 vs. Gwinnett Stripers