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Bidens first Democratic challenger is a retired Jewish philosophy professor angry at the presidents treatment of Palestinians

If Jerome Segal comes knocking at your door, its because he wants to introduce himself. Hell chat and then hell ask you to put one of his lawn signs in your front yard. The Bronx native will tell you hes running to become the next president of the United States. The 2024 race has begun.

Mideast map: Segal has spent decades trying to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In 1987, according to his website, he was part of the first Jewish-American delegation to go to Tunis to open dialogue with Arafat and the PLO. He is the founder of a group called the Jewish Peace Lobby, and has written extensively about the Middle East. During a visit to the region in July, President Biden said the ground is not ripe at this moment to restart negotiations, a statement Segal calls shameful.

Not new to politics: The 2024 presidential race is Segals fourth bid for public office. This summer he came in ninth in the 10-candidate Democratic primary for Maryland governor, with .67% of the vote. He challenged Maryland Sen. Benjamin Cardin in the 2018 Democratic primary, and ran in the 2020 U.S. presidential election as the candidate of the Bread and Roses Party, which he founded.

Senior moment: In a recent poll, one-third of Americans said they believe President Biden is too old to run for reelection. Segal is 78, just one year younger than Biden. When they speak of age, he said, it is not a question of chronological age, but creative capacity and whether or not someone has new responses that new challenges call for.

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Then and now: Paula Goldstein as a USO hostess during WWII and now, nearing 100. (Courtesy)

A century of memories, starting with the old Forward building: It was like the North Star of the Lower East Side, recalls Paula Goldstein, 99, who grew up buying our newspaper each day at the candy store on Market Street. Goldstein spent a recent afternoon recalling the highlights of the 20th century to her niece. They covered presidents (JFK was so impossibly handsome) and comedians (apparently, Don Rickles reminds her of Nikita Khrushchev), adventurers (Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh) and so much more (democracy, spies and famous relatives). Goldstein shows no sign of slowing down. Literally. On the day of our visit, she was wearing new sneakers. Yes, I wore my Pumas out. Read the story

She studies Torah and table tennis | Meet the 20-year-old Orthodox phenom angling for a spot at the Olympics: Estee Ackerman, a Yeshiva University senior, beat Rafael Nadal at pingpong as a preteen and is nationally ranked in her sport. But shes been making headlines recently off the court. Last month, the mother of her doubles partner yelled at her for being disgusting and unprofessional over her modest dress. The words stung, but Ackerman is focused on the future. Its my passion to inspire others, she said. Read the story

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WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY

The graphic novel version of The Diary of Anne Frank, by writer Ari Folman and illustrator David Polonsky. (Getty)

The superintendent of the Texas school district that this week ordered the removal of Anne Franks Diary: The Graphic Adaptation from its schools shelves said Thursday that he expected the book, along with the Bible and other books that were removed following parental challenges, will be on shelves very soon. No timeframe was given. (JTA)

A Russian court on Friday postponed its verdict in the countrys case against the Jewish Agency for a month in a move Israel hopes will give it more time to reach an agreement with Moscow and prevent the shuttering of the agencys offices in Russia. (Times of Israel)

On Gab, Truth Social and other platforms, antisemitic threats are continuing in the wake of the FBIs Mar-a-Lago search, with users going after the attorney general and the judge who ordered the search, both of whom are Jewish. I just think were in a particular dangerous time in this country, said the ADLs Oren Segal. (JTA)

Arkansas state Sen. Jason Rapert, the president of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, will have to unblock his atheist constituents from his social media accounts as part of a settlement the organization American Atheists said it reached with the state. (Religion News Service)

Jesse Eisenbergs newest film directing project follows two estranged cousins who travel to Poland and learn about their grandmothers Holocaust story. Im trying to ask the question: Is modern pain valid against the backdrop of real historical trauma, said Eisenberg, who traces his Jewish family roots back to Poland and Ukraine. (JTA)

More than 4,000 people gathered at the Coney Island Amphitheater in Brooklyn for the first annual Chosen Comedy Festival, featuring Jewish comedians and musical acts. The event served as a benefit for the Ukrainian Emergency Performing Arts Fund. (Jewish Journal)

What were watching this weekend Rising Hate: Antisemitism in America, a special report on CNN, airs on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET. In the hour-long show, anchor Dana Bash visits Jewish communities still reeling from recent violence, including Poway, California, and Colleyville, Texas. Bash also gets a first look at a command center dedicated to tracking threats against Jews by monitoring the deepest corners of the dark web.

Long weekend reads Meet the Gandalf-like archivist of the frum world American Jews have not been spared the devastating fallout of opioid abuse Is David Langer the Jewish king of surfing?

Was this newsletter forwarded to you or are you reading it on our website?

Receive it in your inbox each morning by clicking the blue button below.

Slow down this weekend and enjoy the end of summer. Print out our end-of-the-week magazine in which youll find stories about: a Russian rabbi who is caught between a rock and a hard place, a tour of the Jewish Museums not-so-Jewish new exhibit, an explainer on why Hashem and Yiddish are trending on Twitter and, finally, an interview with God. Get your copy now

The Forward made this video in 2011, on the 20th anniversary of the Crown Heights riots.

On this day in history (1991): Riots broke out in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, after a Black child was struck and killed by a car in the entourage of the Lubavitcher rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson. A rabbinical student was fatally stabbed in the melee that followed. The riots went on for three days. More than 200 people were injured, police cars and stores were damaged, and bottles were thrown at Mayor David Dinkins when he visited the area. Although efforts have since been made to repair the relationship between the Black and Jewish communities in Crown Heights, Molly Boigon wrote in the Forward in 2020 that these feelings of bitterness and trauma run so deep that they persist to this day. Read our account of insiders recalling the tense three days between the mayor and the Jewish community

In honor of National Soft Ice Cream Day (yes, its a thing), check out our recipe for no-dairy no-churn peach pie ice cream. Youre welcome.

On the eve of World War II, David Kurtz took his 16 mm camera and shot three minutes of home video of a vibrant Jewish community in a Polish town old men in yarmulkes, boys and girls playing, people pouring into a synagogue. The ephemeral footage ends abruptly and was lost for decades. Now its part of a 70-minute documentary being released today in theaters called Three Minutes: A Lengthening. Watch the trailer above.

Play todays Vertl puzzle, the Yiddish Wordle

Thanks to Samuel Breslow, Jordan Greene, Beth Harpaz, Lauren Markoe, Chana Pollack, and Talya Zax for contributing to todays newsletter. You can reach the Forwarding team at editorial@forward.com.

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Bidens first Democratic challenger is a Jewish philosopher angry at the presidents treatment of Palestinians - Forward

Martha Chavis of Camden AHEC talks about the dangers of fentanyl

Fentanyl is potentially deadly to casual and habitual drug users alike. Martha Chavis, a Camden health care provider, discusses harm reduction strategies.

Phaedra Trethan, Cherry Hill Courier-Post

SOMERVILLE Jackson Rannells knew the opioid epidemic in every American community, no matter whether it was rich or pool or in New Jersey or Wyoming, could not be swept under the rug and ignored.

The former Somerville High School student who lived in Branchburg had his own struggles with addiction. He made poor choices that propelled him on the path to addiction in his teen years and worsened in his 20s after being prescribed an opioid medication for an injury. He had too many friends and classmates who lost their battles.

In 2018, with the help of his father, Jack created a nonprofit organization, Not An Easy Fix, to honor the victims, heal the pain in communities and increase awareness of the epidemic that lies in waiting in every town. He also wanted to erase the stigma that too many attach to addiction, which would make it less difficult to seek and accept the resources necessary for recovery.

Jack planned to have the first community event on Division Street in Somerville in the summer of 2019, but his continuing struggle with addiction intervened.

He sought treatment and when the opportunity returned to hold the event, the country was struck with another epidemic, COVID-19, that just increased the loneliness and boredom that addiction feeds on.

Then, on Feb. 18, 2021, while the country was still struggling with COVID-19, Jackson had a relapse and fentanyl poisoning took his life at the age of 30.

Now his parents, Ellen and Jack Rannells, are continuing their son's mission to make a difference in the lives of others and communities.

Not An Easy Fix, billed as "A Night of Community, Honoring and Healing," will be held 6 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday on the lawn of the Historic Courthouse on East Main Street.

Also see:Is alcohol considered a drug? Explaining its addictiveness and its effect on your body.

"We want to bring people together," Jack Rannells said, "not only to make them aware of the problem, but also aware of the resources available to them."

Ellen Rannells said her son believed in the adage that "it takes a village," and that was especially essential in the response to the opioid epidemic.

"We want to bring the community together," she emphasized, "because it's about the community."

The event will begin with a dozen area organizations presenting their resources at tables on the courthouse lawn. There will also be demonstrations how to administer Narcan, the medication that can revive an overdose victim.

At 7 p.m., the program will begin will an opening prayer by Father Ron Pollock of St. John's Episcopal Church in Somerville and welcoming remarks by Somerset County Commission Director Shanel Robinson. Jack Rannells will give opening remarks.

Speakers will include former state Sen. Kip Bateman; Maiysha Ware of Somerset Treatment Services; Meg Isbitski, Somerset County's mental administrator; and Detective Stacey Kelly of the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office, who will speak on Operation Helping Hand where law enforcement officers, accompanied by recovery support specialists, engage residents in need by providing on-the-spot referrals to treatment and other resources.

There will also be a performance of "How Far We've Come," a special song written for the event. Rappers Craft Monroe and Loon will perform.

The evening will end with four speakers, two talking about their recovery and two talking about the loss of their loved ones to addiction.

Jack and Ellen Rannells thanked Somerset County and the Borough of Somerville for making the event possible. "They've been very helpful," Jack said.

Ellen said she hopes the rally will deliver the message that her son wanted to give about the insight he gained through his recovery efforts and spiritual journey. He wanted others to know about the transformational power of Jesus Christ and to help others resist the temptation of experimenting with dangerous substances and, she said, "surrounding yourself with the right people."

But Jack and Ellen say they hope the event will help people realize the prevalence of the problem and while there is no easy fix, recovery is possible.

"People have to deal with the issue," she said.

Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account

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Somerville event to heighten addiction awareness, share resources - My Central Jersey

Solo said her experience in treatment was "both awful and great," adding that the day before she entered the facility, she experienced her first panic attack. She said that the morning she left to begin her rehab stay, her twins "wavedgoodbye with Grandma on our front lawn."

She added, "Watching my kids wave, knowing they had no idea how long I would be gone, not understanding that I won't be returning that evening or the next day, broke my heart. I smiled and waved out the window, then bawled when I could no longer see them around the bend."

She and her husband made up a story for her children to explain their mother's absence."We had decided to tell the kids that Mama was going fishing," the athlete said. She added that she spoke to her family remotely while in treatment.

Solo said thatshe was one of eight women treatedatthe facility. As she checked in, shewas drug testedand her luggage was shifted through and thrown into a dryer. She said she broke down in tears at her first communal meal.

"Today," she said on her podcast, "I am grateful for my 30 days away to read, think, pray, mediate and learn."

Solo continued, "There is no shame if we struggle with alcohol or addiction. Thank you to the beautiful men and women who taught me this."

Read more:
Hope Solo Reflects on the "Biggest Mistake" of Her Life 4 Months After DWI Arrest - E! NEWS

Dont be in too big a rush to get out in your gardens this month. Wet clay soil is easily compacted at this time of year and the damage may not be easily fixable.

Stay off your lawn if possible and let the grass grow to suck up some of the extra soil moisture. As wet as it is now, by May we may be experiencing drought conditions. This is a good time to install some rain barrels to collect water, using 55-gallon drums or even watering troughs designed for livestock. A 10-foot- long gutter and downspout attached to a shed or garage roof will collect lots of rainwater this spring that you may need later on. My barrels fill up completely with only a half-inch of rain, using a 10-foot-long gutter.

Of course, any standing water provides mosquito-breeding habitat so you need to take precautions. There is a product called Mosquito Dunks that releases a type of bacteria that kills mosquito larvae, (Bacillus thurigensis) but is pretty harmless to most other living things. The dunks last about 30 days in the barrels unless the water overflows and washes them out. Of course, you need to empty any container that holds water for more than a couple of days, now that these blood drinkers are active once more.

Old tires are particularly common mosquito breeding grounds, but bird baths, clogged gutters and even persistent puddles can be troublesome. Ponds with fish rarely are a problem since mosquito larvae are a favorite fish food.

Black bears have emerged from hibernation now, so make sure you either remove your winter bird feeders or bring them in at night, every night. Once a bear discovers a free snack from a bird feeder it is very likely to return. Likewise, make sure your garbage is well-secured outside. Bears can open unlocked dumpsters and will go in a shed for a free meal.

Resist the urge to apply lawn fertilizer to green up your spring lawn. If your lawn does not green up on its own, it is most likely dead. This is NOT a good time to apply fertilizers, in general, since they may be washed away and can pollute other water bodies downhill or downstream from you. Likewise, avoid applying herbicides, but be on the lookout for early emerging insect pests such as tent caterpillars in fruit trees. Early treatment is preferable to waiting until the pests are fully grown and doing damage.

Deer ticks are already becoming active, sadly, so be diligent after walking, hiking or doing any outside activity. Perform frequent tick checks of your clothes while outside and before you go to bed at night. It takes at least 24 hours of ticks feeding on you to get Lyme disease or most other tick-borne diseases. Deer ticks do not hatch carrying the Lyme disease bacteria, they acquire it from another host, usually a small mammal, like a mouse, after feeding on the hostsblood. This usually occurs when the ticks are in their initial larval stage and are almost impossible to see because they are so tiny. Spraying cotton balls with permethrin repellant and placing them in cardboard tubes, such as toilet paper or paper towel tubes, will attract mice to gather the cotton for nesting and these will kill any ticks they acquire. One reader told me that since he started doing this, he has noticed a dramatic decrease in the tick population around his property.

There is a commercially available product, called Daminex (I think thats the name) that is specifically designed for this purpose. I dont even try to control the mouse populations that inhabit my sheds and even my house while I am here in Florida, but I do use the tubes when I return. We still know very little about the ecology of tick-borne diseases or why, for that matter. Some people seem to be much more inclined to attract them. I can spend hours working outside with no ticks seen, but oftentimes a visitor walking with me seems to get two or three of them in 20 minutes.

I suppose some people are tick magnets as some people are also mosquito magnets while others are rarely attacked. Some say that eating lots of garlic will repel them as you emit the fragrance from your pores. Eating lots of garlic may also repel people, however. I had planned to write this column on ramps, also known as wild leeks, which is a garlic relative that also lingers in your body for days, but that will have to wait until next week. For me, perhaps it is my blood alcohol content that deters them!

Bob Beyfuss lives and gardens in Schoharie County. Send him an e-mail to rlb14@cornell.edu.

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Bob Beyfuss: Some timely tips on rain barrels, bears and ticks - The Daily Freeman

Mowing your lawn less helps create a habitat for bees to thrive. No Mow May, a conservation initiative popularized by an organization based in the U.K., is now growing traction across North America.

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A well-kept lawn has historically been a staple of American landscaping.

Psychology Today published an article in February 2020 called The Strange Psychology of the American Lawn in which author Austin Perlmutter M.D. writes about how a well-manicured lawn is tethered to ideas like success and stability. Many equate an overgrown lawn to neglect, incompetence, and laziness or so our culture would have you believe.

Lawns account for 2%, or 40 million acres, of land in the United States, making them the single largest irrigated crop in America. They require frequent mowing, raking, fertilizing, weeding, watering, and chemical treatment.

Not only is lawn care burdensome, expensive, and time-consuming, but it can be harmful to the surrounding wildlife.

When we think of habitat loss, we tend to imagine forests being cut down and bulldozers flattening fields to create parking lots. However, lawn maintenance is a major contributor to ecological homogenization (biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse) in the U.S.

No Mow May, a conservation initiative first popularized in the U.K., has gained traction across North America. The goal of No Mow May is to allow grass to grow unmown for the month of May, creating habitat and forage for pollinators and other wildlife.

In 2020, researchers at Lawrence University studied the effects of No Mow May when residents of Appleton, Wisconsin took part in the initiative. The findings showed that the abundance of bees in lawns unkempt for a month was five times higher than in manicured lawns.

Since nearly 90% of the worlds plant species rely on pollinators to reproduce, an abundance of bees is critical to a healthy environment. (Fun Fact: New Jerseys state bug is the honeybee!)

In addition to benefiting pollinators, No Mow May will save water, help your lawn become more resilient to drought, reduce emissions from gas-powered lawn equipment, and save you time and money.

Most cities and municipalities have some form of weed and lawn care ordinance that dictates the height and sometimes the types of plants homeowners are allowed to grow.

So to keep your neighbors happy while participating in No Mow May, here are some tips from Bee City USA:

Will you take part in No Mow May? Let us know how you feel about this initiative in the comments.

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Save the Bees with No Mow May | Morristown Minute - NewsBreak Original

Lambert enlisted assistance from Javad Torabinejad, who helps people design, set up, and maintain edible landscapes and gardens through his company, Future Foodscapes (futurefoodscapes.com). Torabinejad was raised in Iran by a widowed mother, who gave each of her five sons a fruit tree to nurture in their small yard. Through this experience, he learned about grafting and pollination, developing a lifelong love of gardening. So strong is his zeal, Torabinejad has traveled to other growing zones with potted fruit trees in need of timely cross pollination.

Torabinejad, who has two degrees in agriculture and a Ph.D. in ecology, is scheduling pruning and thinning for Lamberts permaculture area. Hes also selected some disease-resistant apples to graft to her dwarf trees and moved her asparagus to a sunny location with appropriate soil. Hes also helped her with pest problems, including deer.

We specialize in helping people incorporate food and medicinal crops into their landscapes, Torabinejad said. What we do includes fruit tree care, garden designs, disease diagnosis and treatment, pest ID and control, and more.

Torabinejad advises starting small and leaving space between trees to avoid removals later. He often recommends beginning with a fruit tree, one that is relatively trouble-free and resistant to most diseases.

A hardy fig is good in a south-facing spot, he says, and mulberries, service berries, blackberries, and native persimmons work also.

Original post:
Edible landscaping: Farming the yard (copy) - Roanoke Times

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Do you hear little rustlings in your hayfield? It's probably the fall armyworm - Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

Allison Watkins| Special to the San Angelo Standard-Times

Caterpillars of all kinds have been out in abundance this year, starting with early populations of webworms, other leaf-eating caterpillars like sophora worm (feeding on Texas Mountain Laurel) and walnut caterpillars (feeding on pecans). The major nuisance right now is the fall armyworm. They have emerged early and strong, which is unfortunate for some home lawns and pastureland.

Armyworm outbreaks are usually short-lived, but memorable when they happen. They are generally kept under control by insect and animal predators, weather conditions and other factors. But when the conditions are just right, they can devour a lawn quickly.

Watch out for armyworms in the lawn, and apply an insecticide as soon as possible if they appear in large numbers or significant plant damage is observed. Insecticides with low toxicity and limited impact to beneficial insects include Bt, spinosad and halofenozide. Conventional pesticide options include bifenthrin, carbaryl, permethrin and esfenvalerate. Apply in the early morning or late evening for best results. For more info on armyworm control, visit https://tomgreen.agrilife.org/horticulture.

Fire ants are also out in high quantity, which is normal this time of year. Not only are fire ants painful to people when we accidentally come across them in the yard, they can also find their way into the home or electrical equipment, and can even damage plants such as turfgrass and vegetable gardens.

The Texas Two-Step method recommended by Texas A&M includes both mound treatments and baits. Visit https://fireant.tamu.edu/controlmethods/twostep/ for details. An insect growth regulator such as methoprene (trade name Extinguish) is a good way to control fire ants without damaging other insects, but there are many effective product options to choose from. More important than which particular product to useis proper application. Apply a bait formulation lightly and evenly through the entire landscape. Then use a contact/mound treatment formulation directly on visible mounds.

It seems like summer has just begun, but fall will be here before you know it, and we have many upcoming events to offer home gardeners in the Concho Valley. Join us on Friday, July 30,for a workshop on peaches planting, growing, canning and preserving. The program will be held at the Tom Green 4-H Center from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. and costs $30 to attend. Pre-registration required. For info and to sign up, visit https://tomgreen.agrilife.org/ or call the Extension Office at 325-659-6522.

Other upcoming events include the Fall Landscaping Symposium hosted by the Concho Valley Master Gardeners (see txmg.org/conchovalley to register), an Earth-Kind Landscape School series from Sept.15 to Oct. 13, and a first-ever Fall Vegetable Plant Sale held by the Master Gardeners on Sept.25. For updates and info on all educational opportunities, sign up for the monthly horticulture e-newsletter by calling the Extension Office at 325-659-6522 or visiting https://tomgreen.agrilife.org/horticulture.

Allison Watkins is the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agent for horticulture in Tom Green County. Contact her at aewatkins@ag.tamu.edu.

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Tips for controlling fall armyworms and fire ants in your lawn - Standard-Times

Warmer weather means more pesky insects we need to avoid, including ticks. Tick bites have been on the rise in recent years and there are a number of factors that likely contribute to this.

Ticks thrive best in warmer conditions, so increasing temperatures, both in the summer and winter, may result in a greater number of ticks and tick bites, said Matthew Aardema, an assistant professor of biology at Montclair State University.

Growing deer populations in certain parts of the country have also likely led to a greater number of ticks. And a larger proportion of people spending time outdoors engaged in activities like hiking or gardening, which have become popular pandemic era de-stressors, is another contributor to the increase in tick bites.

An increase in tick encounters can cause things like Lyme disease, which is also on the rise. In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 47,743 cases of tick-borne diseases. In 2019, the number rose to 50,865.

David Claborn, director of the Master of Public Health program at Missouri State University, said that in recent years, experts have been able to detect even more tick-borne diseases that were likely misdiagnosed in the past.

For instance, in the southwest Missouri region, two viral diseases have been identified in the last 15 years: the heartland virus and the bourbon virus, he said. These are not necessarily new viruses; we just know what to look for now and have sophisticated tools with which to identify them.

So how should you avoid tick bites, and what should you know about ticks in general? Heres a guide.

Where are ticks usually found?

Ticks are found nearly everywhere with the exception of high mountains; however, they are most likely to be in areas with heavy brush and tall grass, Claborn said.

They are especially abundant, he added, in ecotones, which are transitional areas from one dominant vegetation to another. For instance, the ecotone between heavily wooded areas to open meadow are particularly prime areas.

How can you tell if there are ticks in your area?

If you dont already experience it firsthand by seeing them on your companion animals, family or yourself, there are a couple of resources, said Jean Tsao, an associate professor in Michigan State Universitys Department of Fisheries and Wildlife.

She directs people to the CDCs Regions where ticks live website for a breakdown of the different types of ticks and where they are most prevalent.

If you live in a state that has active tick surveillance, your state health departments website might have more detailed information, too, Tsao added. And this CDC page has maps for certain tick species, as well the risks of exposure to ticks infected with the Lyme disease bacteria.

Tick Encounter also provides information about ticks, and has a Tick Finder Map where people can submit photos of ticks in their region and share which varieties might be active in their geographic region at a particular time.

Experts are IDing the photos and collating the information, so its reliable, Tsao said.

Noel Hendrickson via Getty Images

How do you prevent tick bites?

There are a few methods you should practice. First, Aardema suggested wearing pants and socks that cover the ankles and lower legs when hiking outside.

When practical, pant legs can be tucked into the socks to prevent ticks gaining access to the skin, he explained. However, this may mean that ticks will try crawling higher up the body.

Opt for lighter-colored clothing, which makes it easier to see ticks before they start biting. And dont forget your insect repellent.

Apply a bug spray with at least 25% DEET to your clothing, especially the shoes and pant legs, said Aardema, who noted that non-DEET products have not been shown to be effective at preventing tick bites.

A tick searching for a place to bite is much easier to remove than a tick that has already started feeding, so check for ticks frequently during hikes or whenever spending an extended amount of time outdoors, Aardema added.

And after spending any time outside in tick-prone areas, you should thoroughly check for ticks on your body. Aardema said to do this even in the winter, if temperatures are above freezing.

Its important to inspect all areas of your body, including the scalp, behind the ears, under the arms, in the groin area, inside the belly button and behind the knees, added Jeannie Kenkare, chief medical officer at PhysicalOne Urgent Care. Take a shower if possible to help remove any ticks that have not yet latched on, she said.

Your dog or cat may also carry ticks in from the outdoors, even if they wear a flea and tick collar. Rachel Rubin, co-lead of the Cook County Department of Public Health in Illinois, said to run your fingers through your pets fur with gentle pressure to feel for any small bumps. Look in and around the ears, under the collar, between their legs, toes and around the tail.

You can also perform some maintenance in your yard to minimize your chances of tick encounters. Karen Reardon, VP of Public Affairs with RISE a national trade association dedicated to specialty pesticides and fertilizers recommended removing leaves, brush and weeds and trimming shrubs and trees around the perimeter of your home and edge of your lawn.

Use pesticides around your homes perimeter and as a targeted barrier treatment, she said. You can also hire a professional to treat your yard with an effective insect repellent, she added.

How can you tell if you have a tick bite?

A tick bite might go unnoticed if the tick is no longer attached and if it does not cause any immunological reaction, like if the area is not itchy or does not cause a rash.

Tick bites generally are not itchy and do not cause rashes on their own, but if some people have been bitten by ticks in the past, their bodies might mount an immune response to the salivary proteins of a tick bite because the immune system has seen those proteins before and has created antibodies, Tsao said. So, the bite site might be itchy and there might be redness, just as they might to a mosquito bite.

If the tick transmits a pathogen such as the Lyme disease bacterium, there may be a circular rash, which is also described as a bulls-eye rash that grows from the tick bite. Tsao said that if an American dog tick or a Gulf Coast tick transmits a spotted fever to you, you might have a different kind of rash.

VioletaStoimenova via Getty Images

Should you remove a tick if its embedded into your skin?

Tsao said yes, you should always remove a tick thats biting you. If the tick is infected, the longer its attached, the higher the probability that it will transmit the pathogen to you, she explained. And the sooner you remove the tick, the greater the chance that you will prevent transmission.

To remove a tick, Tsao said to use a fine-tipped pair of tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. Then, pull up on the tick with even steady motion (without twisting or rapid movements).

If small parts of the tick break off and remain in the skin remove them if easily removed, but otherwise just leave it alone and the body will push it out over time, she said. Try not to squeeze the body of the tick as you grasp it, as this could make it more likely for the tick to infect you.

And stay away from other DIY removal strategies. We often hear of people using petroleum jelly or matches to kill the tick while it is attached to the skin. This is not effective and may of course cause much more harm to the skin, said Andrew S. Handel, an assistant professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Childrens Hospital.

After removing the tick, Tsao said to wash the area with soap and water or alcohol. She suggested saving the tick so that if you do become sick, it can be used for identification by the physician to determine the course of diagnosis and treatment. This can be especially important, as different tick species transmit different pathogens. Take clear photos of the tick and send them to Tick App or Tick Spotters to have experts ID the tick for you.

What should you do after a tick bite?

If you have removed a tick, Kenkare said its important to monitor for symptoms for at least two weeks.

The most common symptoms of illness related to tick bites include fever or chills, fatigue and body aches, she said. A rash is also a sign that you should seek out medical treatment.

Additionally, the site of a bite can become infected, so watch for any redness, swelling or increasing pain. If you develop any of these symptoms after a tick bite, you should immediately seek out medical care from your primary care or from your local urgent care, Kenkare said.

While Lyme disease is the most common infection transmitted by ticks, there are other illnesses that can also come from tick bacteria. These illnesses often present with similar symptoms including fever, fatigue, headache, nausea and vomiting and all require medical attention, Kenkare explained.

But just because youve been bitten, it doesnt necessarily mean youre infected. While tick bites are always concerning to me as an urgent care physician, its important to remember that not all ticks carry disease, Kenkare said. A medical professional can thoroughly examine the bite, the story and the conditions surrounding it to determine if any further testing or treatment is needed.

More here:
What You Need To Know About Ticks, From Preventing Them To Treating Bites - HuffPost

August is nearly upon us, so heres your to-do list.

Theres still time to plant portulaca, purslane, marigold, zinnia, copper canyon daisy, caladiums and ornamental grasses for immediate color. Many great types of salvia are available. Use spider lilies, fall crocus, fall amaryllis, mums and asters for later flowers.

Plant fall vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, cabbage, kale, radishes, turnips, carrots and green onions.

Plant buffalo and Bermuda grasses by seed or sod. Plant St. Augustine and zoysia by solid sod.

Use horseherb, liriope, ophiopogon, Persian ivy and other ground covers in shady areas where turf is struggling. Wildflower seeds are better planted now than in the fall.

Prune declining flowering plants to encourage more blooms. Its an excellent time to prune trees and shrubs since they can heal and start growing better in the summer than in fall or winter. No flush cuts or pruning paints, please.

Foliar feed all plantings with Garrett Juice or compost tea. Also drench the soil of any new or struggling plants. Apply the Sick Tree Treatment to any stressed woody plants.

Water deeply and as infrequently as possible. Your garden and landscape will usually need more water this month. Potted plants and hanging baskets need water daily. Lava sand broadcast freely will greatly help hold moisture and reduce watering needs.

The best pest control results from planting adapted plants, maintaining healthy soil and avoiding high-nitrogen fertilizers and toxic chemical pesticides. This simple approach protects the beneficial microbes and insects so that destructive pests are rare.

For the few pests that do show up, first spray with non-killing repellents such as garlic and garlic pepper tea. If that doesnt stop them all, move to the lowest toxicity killing organic pesticides such as orange oil, spinosad and quality neem products. Add an ounce of liquid molasses to any of the liquid products per gallon to make them more effective and last longer.

Apply beneficial nematodes for grubworms and other soil pests. Spray orange oil for chinch bugs. Do not use pyrethrum products for these or any other pests. Apply dry molasses to the entire site for fire ants. Spray Bt or spinosad products for any caterpillars chewing foliage.

Whole ground cornmeal applications stop all the lawn fungal diseases brown patch, gray leaf spot, take-all patch, etc. Use at about 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Hydrogen peroxide can help with various diseases and control algae in ponds and water features. See the specifics on dirtdoctor.com.

Garlic, cedar oil, liquid Bti and oil of eucalyptus products sprayed in an alternating sequence give the best control of mosquitoes.

Mow weekly, and leave clippings on the lawn. Spray noxious weeds with 20% vinegar with 1 ounce of molasses added per gallon. Carefully spot spray in beds and turf. This also works to control suckers on the bases of trees and other woody plants.

Link:
August is the time to plant fall vegetables, color and more - The Dallas Morning News