August 5, 2025 • 38 mins
We kicked off the program with four news stories and different guests on the stories we think you need to know about!
Update on the Cape Cod Bridges Project – What’s the latest?
Guest: Luisa Paiewonsky - Executive Director of MassDOT's Mega Projects Delivery Office
Though we shouldn’t be nervous every time we go for a walk or a hike, we should certainly be aware and prepared to meet wildlife. How can you survive, or more importantly avoid, an animal attack?
Guest: John Griffin, Senior Director of Urban Wildlife Programs at Humane World for Animals (formerly known as The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International)
Those pesky mosquitoes go beyond just delivering itchy bites! They can carry potentially deadly diseases, and many people have misconceptions about this pest that could put them at risk! Fredericks shares common myths and actualities about mosquitoes.
Guest: Jim Fredericks, Board-Certified Entomologist and Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at the National Pest Management Association
We’re in the heart of Hurricane Season, and we already saw the devastation of flooding in Texas…It’s a good reminder that we all need to be prepared for ANY kind of weather disaster. MEMA shares some tips!
Guest: Dawn Brantley – MEMA Director
Update on the Cape Cod Bridges Project – What’s the latest?
Guest: Luisa Paiewonsky - Executive Director of MassDOT's Mega Projects Delivery Office
Though we shouldn’t be nervous every time we go for a walk or a hike, we should certainly be aware and prepared to meet wildlife. How can you survive, or more importantly avoid, an animal attack?
Guest: John Griffin, Senior Director of Urban Wildlife Programs at Humane World for Animals (formerly known as The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International)
Those pesky mosquitoes go beyond just delivering itchy bites! They can carry potentially deadly diseases, and many people have misconceptions about this pest that could put them at risk! Fredericks shares common myths and actualities about mosquitoes.
Guest: Jim Fredericks, Board-Certified Entomologist and Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at the National Pest Management Association
We’re in the heart of Hurricane Season, and we already saw the devastation of flooding in Texas…It’s a good reminder that we all need to be prepared for ANY kind of weather disaster. MEMA shares some tips!
Guest: Dawn Brantley – MEMA Director
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's nice eyes, Dan Ray, I'm going you easy Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Oh. I guarantee anyone Madison listening to Nightside is going
to have a good night. We have a great show
lined up, lots of very interesting guests. During the first hour,
We're going to start off talking with the woman who
knows a lot more about the Cape Bridges than any
of us that I'm sure some of you are approaching
the Cape Bridges. Maybe you're on the Cape Bridges, so
do stay with us. We then will talk with the
(00:28):
head of the union the striking workers at Fenway Park,
Carlos our Mayo will join us during the nine o'clock hour,
and then later on tonight we will talk about the
probe into the Epstein files. Jeffrey Epstein gone but not forgotten,
that is for sure, and who knows where these Epstein
investigations will lead a lot of people I suspect are
(00:52):
a little anxious about all of this. Good evening, everyone.
My name is Dan Ray. I'm the host of Nightside.
Rob Brooks is back in the control room. In this
Tuesday night, August fifth, Someone mentioned tonight that for the
first time, I guess since May the sun set before
eight o'clock. I don't need those reminders from the weather guys.
Mike Walcam please take note. We don't really need those
(01:14):
reminders at this point. We are all too aware that
we are now on the backside of summer and it's
gonna get warm again this weekend. That's what the weather
guys are saying. And that's good too. It'll remind us
that summer is still with us. So, without any further ado,
let us start off the eight o'clock hour, and I'd
like to welcome Luisa Paiwanski. Luisa is the executive director
(01:39):
of the Massachusetts Department of Transportations Mega Projects Delivery Office. Luisa,
I never realized mass DOT had a Mega Project's Delivery office.
How many mega projects are you responsible for?
Speaker 3 (01:57):
I am responsible for two, and you can be forgiven
for not realizing it because it just opened up last December,
so it's still fairly new.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Well that's okay, I mean I figured there's some sort
of an acronym there, the MPDO. I don't know. I'm
assuming the two that you're responsible for. One is called
the Bourne and the others called the Sagamore. Am I right?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Well?
Speaker 3 (02:22):
The keep Cut bridges are one together, and the other
one is the Alston Multimodal project.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Well, how is that? That's not going great either, as I.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Understand that one hit a rough patch recently. But we're
going to keep going ahead.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Okay, let's talk about the bridges. With all of the
cuts that that's coming out of Washington, is the money
for the bridges safe or is it in play?
Speaker 3 (02:51):
We believe it is very secure. You may have heard
that the Austin project lost to grant recently. That had
to do with the policies of the prior administration conflicting
with the policies of the current administration, so they eliminated
the funding source.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Are we talking about presidential administrations or Massachusettstori administrations?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
I'm sorry, yes, presidential, So we did lose that grant.
But in the case of Cape Cod Bridges, was that
grant by.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
The way, just so I know what your job was
that about three hundred mil?
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Yes, there was three hundred and twenty seven million.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Okay, I was close. I was close without going over,
by the way, which is important if I would win
on the price is right? Okay, So let's talk about
the Sagamore. Let's talk about the born I know that
there's some opposition, uh some by some of the communities.
I believe at the Sagamore I don't know too much
about that. We haven't heard from them, but be happy
(03:48):
to talk to them. Is that the big problem now
or is it the funding sources? Because one does. I
understand that it involves both federal has to involve both
federal and state money. We just kind of go to
the fence.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
With our handout, absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
In fact, Sagamore Bridge is about a fifty to fifty split,
with the federal government providing a little over a billion
and the Commonwealth providing a little bit over a billion.
So it is the funding is secure. Bridges tend to
be nonpartisan. People don't tend to argue about them. In
the case of Cape Cod Bridges, it's a pretty straightforward
(04:23):
replacement of two ninety year old bridges. Both of them
are owned by the federal government, which is fairly unusual.
Both of the bridges and mats Chief That's are owned
by us, the Commonwealth or local governments, so they're both
federally owned. The Sagamore Bridge is fully funded and we
the Bourne Bridge is not, but we just applied for
(04:45):
a major grant on Friday, so we're hoping that that
will come through.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
So let's talk timeline here. Minderstanding is they're going to
create from scratch a new Sagamore bridge pretty much to
the current Sagamore Bridge. Is that the game plan?
Speaker 3 (05:03):
That's correct?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Okay? And what's the timeline on that since the funding
is secure. When my people going over the current Sagamore
notice that there's some activity, I'm not sure if it's
going to be in the left or the right of it,
in which direction? Can you give us some idea as
the wind we should look to see the new bridge
coming up. Let's say, if we're heading over the bridge
(05:25):
onto the cape, do we look to the right and left.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
If they're heading toward the cape, they should look to
the right. I think what they're seeing right now is
some activity, but it's not construction of a new bridge.
We have crews out doing survey, boring soil sample and
really getting ready. We're in the environmental process right now.
Once we're completed with that, we'll start the procurement process
for a contractor and designer to finish the design and
(05:51):
then start construction.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
So that's when you put out the RFPs, the requests.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
For proposals, right, Okay, that would be a big suggestion.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Since both of these bridges are over water, is there
any suggestion that there's any group out there working with
some sort of concern over I don't know, some form
of omiba or plant life that might be adversely impacted here.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Well, we've done a very exhaustive job at looking at
all of the environmental impacts from human impacts to fish
and wildlife, air noise. We think our environmental documents will
demonstrate that for such a massive structure, it has a
fairly light environmental footprint.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Okay, And so if all goes according to plan, and
sometimes things don't go according to plan, But if all
goes according to plan, when might the construction start on
the Sagamore and when might it be completed?
Speaker 3 (06:54):
We all goes according to plan and everything is moving
ahead on schedule right now. We will issue what's called
a notice to proceed to the contractor in either very
late twenty twenty seven or early twenty twenty eight. We
have a roughly eight year schedule. That's a conservative estimate.
We're going to ask the contractors and incentivize contractors to
(07:15):
build it faster. But keep in mind that we're building
not only the new bridges, but interchanges and roadwork associated
with it while trying to maintain, well, actually maintaining traffic
on the current Sagamore Bridge. So while that is our
estimate for the timeline, we expect that the contractors are
going to come up with a way, especially with incentives
(07:36):
in place, to build it faster.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Okay. So it sounds to me like if they're going
to start in twenty eight and you give them eight years,
we're talking about sometime in twenty thirty.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Six, twenty thirty six, yes, worst.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Case scenario, okay. And then when how long does it
take to disassemble the old Sagamore Bridge? Does that copy
done simiously? I'll be one of my asking.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
No, that's it's a great question, because what we're going
to do is build it. We're building parallel twin span bridges,
so we're going to build the first one. It's significantly
wider than the current bridge, so we're going to move
all the traffic over from the old bridge once we
have half the bridge finished, and then demolish the Sagamore
and build the new bridge, so traffic will be moving
(08:27):
over a new structure just as soon as we can,
because we're building a significantly wider first first span.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Okay, So then again, you know, somewhat realistically but with
a conservative patina, are we talking about traffic, regular vehicular
traffic flowing onto the cape over what is the partially
completed new Sagamore twenty fill in the last two two numbers.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
I would really have I'd rather have to design a
little farther along before I said so, But we can
say it'll be prior to the opening of the full span,
possibly a year or two earlier, So.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
That twenty thirty five or so, that's what will be
aiming for, Okay, and then work. Then you shift your
focus to the Born and I assume that the time
frame and time is another eight to ten years, and
of course the funding will be more for that because
(09:32):
the price of everything goes up over time.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Well, we had always hoped that Born would be a
year or so behind Sagmore. The plan has been to
build Sagamore first, then Born. We don't have the funding
lined up for Born, but as I mentioned, we have
a fought We've filed and applied for a major federal
grant which the Commonwealth would match, and we're hopeful that
because it's the federally owned asset that they would see
(09:58):
the value in fund it.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
So conceivably as the Sagamore. And what I'm hearing you say,
I just want to make sure I'm clear as the
Sagamore is being built and maybe getting closer to completion
or partial completion. That's kind of an oxymoron, but we'll
stick with it partial completion. The Bourne might begin the
process two, three or four years down the line maybe.
(10:21):
So it isn't that you're going to spend focused completely
on Sagamore for six, seven, eight years and then go
to Bourne. You're going to start Sagamore, get it going somewhat,
and then at some point you're going to have two projects,
two mega projects underway.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Yes, and you're exactly right about that. We're not planning
to get all the way to the end of Sagamore
and then start going. In fact, we're doing the environmental
permitting for both bridges right now and advancing the design
for both bridges so that we can once the funding arrives,
we can get going right away on further advancing Born
All right.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Well, Luisa, you have been a fab listen interview. You
have answered every question clearly, succinctly. You have a future
in communications if you ever decide to leave Bridge Building.
You were very You were an excellent guest. A plus, Luisa,
I think and I have a lot of guests on
this poor crab uh and you're at the top of
(11:19):
the class. I just want to say thank you very much,
thank you.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
I enjoyed talking with you. Dan.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
All right, we're talking again, I hope. Well we get back,
We're going to tell you everything you need to know
to be aware and prepared to be attacked by somewhat
something in an animal attack, wildlife attack. I don't think
about that often, but we have some safety tips for
you coming up. So may have some nightmares tonight, but
(11:44):
it's going to be worth it for the safety tips.
My name is Dan Ray. Stay with us back on
night Side right after.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
This night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
All right, now, look, I'm not somebody who's going to
be adventuring in the woods, but some of you are.
Let's be real, and some people are concerned about who
you might meet in the woods. We're not talking about
smoking the bear reminding you to stamp out forest fires
with us. As John Griffin, he's the senior director of
Urban Wildlife Programs. Humane World for Animals, formerly known as
(12:22):
the Humane Society of the United States and the Humane
Society International. John Griffin, Welcome to Nightside. Why don't you
guys change the names? Hi?
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Dan, Well, it's nice to be with you. We we
we changed this to represent better our mission and incorporate
our global work, and it's it's just a better fit
for what are organization's working on now.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
Okay, So when you talk about being out in the wild,
you're talking about being literally anywhere in the woods or
in the in the the upper plains of South Dakota,
or u in the mountains of Westward. You're talking about anywhere, right, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:05):
Well, also, I mean I think for our program, we're
also talking about being anywhere outside your house. I mean,
the urban can be a wild urban areas can be
a wild place too. But sure there's the there's the
places when you're in the deep woods or more areas
that uh that are you know, larger larger tracts of
land that have higher habitat quality or a certain type
(13:27):
of habitat.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
You can bump into a moose or bear.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Absolutely, you know what. The other night, all kidding aside,
I opened my front door and on the front steps
was a fox looked like a fairly young fox. So
I yelled at it and scared it away.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
The right thing. Yeah, I I mean this time of
year we see like the young, long, young animals that
were sort of late summer coming off the springtime baby season,
where where we see animals that are forging with their
mom typically you know, learning what to eat, what not
to eat, how to survive. And then at this time
(14:09):
we start to see foxes and coyotes and even some
yeuraling bears. They're they're they're getting ready to disperse or
they're already in the process of it. I mean, it's
leaving mom and striking out and finding their own habitat.
But you did the right thing.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
So by yelling at this fox and get out of here,
mister fox, to him, you are.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
Being mean, and that's it's it's not being mean to
to tell them you're there, to encourage them to move
away when you're there, uh, And when they're when there's
a lot of human activity, typically they're going to respond
to that and move away on their own. But sometimes,
especially in urban areas, those animals get accustomed to a
certain amount of human activity and they they might even
seem like they're.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Being bold, and usually that's not the case.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Uh, And doing what you did is a good way
to what if.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Somebody runs into something, I mean, really a bear? What
what is there a You know, we can't predict all
the animals that people might run into, but if we're
talking about the more dangerous animals, is there a proper
protocol that people as opposed to screaming and throwing your
(15:18):
hands up and saying please don't eat me, that probably
doesn't work. Is there a protocol people can follow?
Speaker 1 (15:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:26):
There there, There certainly is, And it's it's good to
be aware. I mean, I just want to say, generally speaking,
like when you're going out hiking or you're going into
the woods, it's it's it's really important to know what
animals are out there, what you might run into, and
that includes the gamut of species from from snakes to
two larger mammals like bears that you know that could
(15:46):
that you could have an encounter with. And to make
sure as you're hiking that you're you're making enough noise
if you are in bear country, that you're you're making
enough noise that they're aware of you.
Speaker 5 (15:57):
First.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
Typically, that's what most of the animals are aware of us.
They are they hear us, they smell us, and the responding.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
And moving away.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
They don't want to have an encounter anymore than we
want to have an encounter with them. And if you
do find yourself in a in a situation where you're
confronting a bear and it's in close proximity, you want
to a black bear. You want to be as big
as you can. You want to make noise, You want
to tell the bear to go away. You want to
be confident about that, and you certainly don't want to
get in between a bear and a mama bear and
(16:25):
her cubs. That's that's typically when when when conflicts increase,
and that that gets even more amplified if you have
a dog who's off leash and the bear, the bear's
mother motherly instincts kick in and there's typically a very
aggressive response. So keep your dogs leashed, make sure that
(16:48):
they're aware of you, have some basic safety understanding of
what you're going to do, make yourself big, wave your arms, yell,
and the move away slowly, never run?
Speaker 2 (17:01):
What just we only got a minute or so left?
What significant animal is the animal that most people who
are going in the woods, not you know backwoods people
who really know the woods, but going in the woods
on a weekend hike or something. What do they run?
What is the most common animal that people would run
(17:22):
into that would be actually dangerous. I'm not talking about
a squirrel or a chipmunk, you know, something that would
be dangerous, but maybe not as exotic as a black bear.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
Well, the bears would be the probably the most danger
I mean because they're so big and large, they can't
do human tars it harm, so that they would be
likely the most dangerous animals they would encounter. I mean,
it's possibly a venomous snake. But again, they're also also
(17:54):
not something that we frequently come across, especially on trails,
if you're paying attention, there's not there's there's not a
lot of animals out there that are big enough really
to to cause harm. There there are animals that if
you are trying to handle them, or if they're sick
(18:14):
or injured, or if they're otherwise impaired, and you and
you try to intervene. That's when that's often where the
sort of harmful interaction can occur.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
John, how can how can? Folks? You must have a
website with a lot of this information that I haven't
been swallow enough to ask you about.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
We have a lot. We have got our website called
you mean you go to human world dot org, but
our our wildlife conflict resolution information is at wild Neighbors
dot org and we have.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
To go slowly. Wild neighbors dot org helps you if
you're gonna, you know, go and be going off off
trail or of whatever into the woods.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Right.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
And your organization, Humane World, is that humaneworld dot org.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
That's correct?
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Perfect, Okay, those are two good websites that people can
look at. Humaneworld dot org.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
And again the first was, uh, wild neighbors, Wild Neighbors.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Okay, So wild neighbors dot org and humane World dot org.
You're very interesting guest, John, I really do appreciate. I
was trying to have a little bit of fun with this,
but it's we can have fun with it, but it's
pretty serious what people might run.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
Into it if they're not thinking and when.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
They're going in the woods. Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
Yeah, good to be with you.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Thanks, have you back. Thank you. We'll get back when
we talk about another type of wild animal. It's a mosquito.
They're not as big as bears, but they can do
a lot of damage. And we're going to talk with
a board certified certified entomologist, Senior vice president of Public
Affairs at the National Pest Management Association, doctor Jim Fredericks.
(19:51):
We will be back with that right after the news
at the bottom of the hour. And let me just
take a moment here to remind all of you of
a really neat way for you to become part of
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(20:12):
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(20:34):
That's about the length you can go. It's really simple.
Once again, hit the red microphone button in the top
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to do this one. Back on Nightside after the News
(20:54):
at the bottom of the hour.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm WBZY, Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
If there is one species that I would get rid
of besides black flies, I guess and green flies and
those flies that come out in the spring would be mosquitos.
I know that supposedly every every item in nature has
a purpose. I have no idea what mosquito's purpose are
(21:22):
other than to bite people. And with us to talk
about that is Jim Fredericks. He's a board certifies and
certified entomologist, Senior Vice President Public Affairs at the National
Pest Management Association. Doctor Fredericks. This is an aptly named organization,
the National Pest Management Association, because I cannot think of
a worse pest than a mosquito. But these little buzzers,
(21:46):
I was gonna say buggers, But these little buzzers they
can be dangerous.
Speaker 6 (21:49):
Too, they can dan and thanks for having me on.
You know, you.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Probably don't get that sort of an introduction from most
radio show hosts, but I throw my okay, go ahead.
Speaker 6 (22:02):
That's the truth. But you know, oftentimes people think of
mosquitos as just a nuisance, but mosquitoes are capable of
transmitting disease, diseases like West Nile virus and the Eastern
nie wine and stuff malario, I mean, and so yeah, worldwide.
And you know, if you're if you're planning to take
a trip into a more tropical area, then you're then
(22:24):
you need to be really concerned about things like malaria
and danky fever, some some really nasty stuff out there.
So it's best to protect yourself from mosquitoes when you
can do.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
They have a positive purpose in any way. I mean,
people will say to me, well, the bats that are
swooping around at night, they're eating mosquito. So I'm going, hey,
go bats, go bats, But what is the is there
a positive purpose for the mosquitoes in any way, shape
or form.
Speaker 6 (22:50):
You know, everything, every every organism is going to serve
a purpose. And mosquitoes do serve as fish food and
and food for other for other animals. But it's as
I'm concerned, they're nasty little critters and we need to
avoid them at all costs.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
If I ever get a chance to talk directly to God,
I'm going to ask them what's I understand all the
different creatures and all of that, but why mosquito's got
And I don't know what he's going to say, but
it's I'm going to be listening very carefully. Okay. So
the question now is how do we avoid mosquitos. I
think most of us know, you want to stay out
of Uh they're around at dawn and dusk. Uh you
know that's a that's their active time of the day
(23:28):
and morning and dusk.
Speaker 6 (23:29):
Right, yeah, sure, you know. And to protect yourself from mosquitos,
it's it's you know, whenever you're outdoors during the times
when mosquitoes are active, it's a good idea to make
sure that you know, if you know you're in a
place where mosquitoes are going to be active, to make
sure that you're wearing a repellent, check that repellent to
make sure that it is an EPA registered repellent. What
(23:52):
that tells you. If it has an EPA registration number,
it tells you that it's been tested and approved by
the EPA. To do what the what the can says
it's going to do, and then follow those label instructions.
But it's not just it's not just dusk and dawn.
There are some mosquitoes that will bait bite all day long,
so if you're in their habitat, they're going to find you.
So best to use repellent. You know the things you
(24:14):
can do.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Sorry, I'm sorry, You've got some more things else can do.
I'm listening. All layers go ahead.
Speaker 6 (24:21):
Well, there's a couple of you know, there's there, there's
the repellent, but there's also things you can do around
your own yard, you know, in your backyard and your property.
Make sure that you remove the locations where mosquitos are
going to be breeding. So we typically think of the
mosquitos that are buzzing around and are going to bite us.
Those are the adult mosquitoes. But they lay their eggs
and their larva develop in standing water. So any place
(24:45):
that there's you know, bird baths where they're standing water,
maybe kids pools, even clogg gutters, flower pots, I need
debrithe around the backyard that might hold water for more
than a couple of days. You need to make sure
you dump that out or get rid of it. Mosquitoes
could be breeding right on your own property.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Yeah, and this is the time of year where we'll
hear about Triple Lee and West Nile virus. I worked
as a TV reporter for many years, and I worked
the morning shift for eleven of those thirty years, thirty
one years, and invariably around this time of year, the
assignment desk would send me out they would have found
like some West Nile or Triple Le mosquito positives, and
(25:24):
I would be standing in an area at five o'clock
or five thirty in the morning with mosquitos buzzing around me,
reporting live. And I always just say, why do I
have to do this out with the mosquitos. They never
gave me a good answer, but I often thought to myself,
this is not the smartest thing to put your TV
reporter out with the mosquitos at five thirty in the morning,
(25:45):
was my argument. Even though was rejected by my producers.
Fairly solid in your opinion, doctor Fredericks.
Speaker 6 (25:52):
Well, I think that they were using you as mosquito bait.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
I think so, Tomy.
Speaker 6 (25:55):
I figured that one, and you know, you know, it's
funny though some people find that some people are more
attractive to mosquitoes than others, and some people, you know,
and you sometimes you'll hear the myth that, you know,
they mosquitoes are attracted to people with sweet blood. So
if you have a higher blood sugar levels, the mosquitoes
(26:16):
are attracted.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
It's that one.
Speaker 6 (26:19):
Yeah, it's not that. It's what they are attracted to
carbon dioxide. So as you're breathing carbon dioxide out, the
mosquitoes are queuing in on that. They're able to find
you through that body heat, but then also chemical compounds
in your sweat. Just you know, everyone has a different,
uh kind of community of skin bacteria that has a
(26:41):
chemical signature that in some cases is more attractive to mosquitoes.
In some cases it's less attractive.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Interesting, boy, I'd love to know who the people are
who figure that stuff out, because that's that's pretty cool
to figure that out. I mean. But of course the
police now have DNA that can track people twenty years back,
thankfully on some serious criminal cases. It doesn't surprise me
that the Mosquitos in effect have their own ability to
hone in on their own suspects. Not criminal suspects, but
(27:13):
the people that they would like to have breakfast with
or have dinner with.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
If you get my drift, exactly, if they invite you
over for breakfast, for breakfast or dinner, you just might
be on the menu.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Yes, exactly. So how can folks get more information from
your organization? Is what's the best website they can get to?
In case they haven't taken notes on our conversation.
Speaker 6 (27:36):
Well, you can learn more about mosquitoes as well as
all the other pests that might be bugging you at
pestworld dot org. Not only will you be able to
learn about these pests, but you also be able to
find a license trained pest control professional near you.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
Pestworld dot org.
Speaker 6 (27:55):
I like that.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
That's a good one. It's easy to remember as well.
Doctor Fredericks appreciated very much. You've been a really great
guest and it's a it's a topic that you've made fun.
Thank you made fun to talk about mosquitos.
Speaker 6 (28:10):
Thank you sir, have a great night.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Absolutely, we got back. Well. Football season is ahead of us.
We're not going to talk about a football season because
when football season starts and then you're well into the
hurricane season. I hope we have no hurricanes this year.
I root against hurricanes. We're going to talk with Dawn Brantley.
She's the MIMA director here in Massachusetts. The hurricane season
(28:34):
started on June first, so we already have kind of
got through two months of it already, but the worst
has always yet to come August and September. Let's take
a long look with Don Brandley, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Director.
On the other side of the break.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
It's nice eye with Dan Ray on w Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
All right, let us get back to our conversations here.
Going to wrap it up this hour. We're going to
talk about the heart of the hurricane season with us
is Dawn Brantley. She's the MEMA director here in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. Dawn Brantley, we're no longer at
the dawn of the hurricane season that was June first.
(29:19):
How are you to know?
Speaker 5 (29:21):
I'm great, Thank you for having me on.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
So I guess Noah is predicting an above normal twenty
twenty five Atlantic hurricane season. Seems to me most of
the years they're predicting more above normal. We've kind of
slid through the first two months of this here. How
are we doing so far in your opinion? And what
(29:45):
do you think the long term solution is now?
Speaker 5 (29:48):
The long term solution?
Speaker 2 (29:50):
Well, the long term resolution. I meant to say, you know,
does the first two months mean anything for us? So
we have we set ourselves up. Was listening tonight and
they were talking about some disturbance off the coast of Africa,
and I do know that hurricanes do start occasionally in
the coast off the coast of Africa and went their
(30:11):
way here. What do you what do you feel and
what is your sense You've followed this more closely than
I have.
Speaker 5 (30:19):
Sure, Well, I do have to say I'm not a meteorologist,
and I know that Noah has forecasted above normal hurricane season,
and sometimes it can feel like, well, this is pretty
repetitive year after year. But I will hear that in
New England our season tends to start later in the year,
So the farther you go north, the later our real
(30:41):
hurricane season, our tropical storm season starts. So the fact
that June and July have been calm for us doesn't
mean that September, October, November will also be calm. So
we always urge folks to realize that once July and
August pass, we do still have our most significant risk
lying ahead of us in the fall.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
Well, September, I think traditionally is the worst month when
I think back, you know, to the tough hurricanes of
previous years. What was the last big one here in
Massachusetts that we had to deal with. I'm trying to think,
and I really can't recall at this point.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
You know, we've we haven't hit in Massachusetts several times.
So the last hurricanes to make landfall at hurricane strength
versus tropical storm was Hurricane Bob in nineteen ninety one.
More recently, yeah, more recently, Commonwealth experienced several impacts from
tropical storms and remnants of tropical storms so Irene and
(31:42):
twenty eleven Sandy and twenty twelve. More recently than that,
we were hit with tropical storm Hurricane from Hurricane Lee
as well.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Yeah, the Florida got a double hit last last fall
late and there was big problems in North Carolina as well,
but we've kind of been kind of been lucky. Is
there any way that we can look at, you know,
(32:13):
trends and again, realizing you're not a meteorologist, we'll talk
about what the state is doing in preparation in a second.
But are there any sort of like trams we can
look at, you know, Lanina, Lnino or any of that
they can give us some either some concern or some comfort. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
So our agency meteorologist Mike Suza sent out a hurricane
briefing each year, so I can I can share that,
you know, he's educated us about how Leninia and Lenino
impact us. I think what might be probably the most
you know, important thing for people to recognize is that
climatologists have linked to warmer ocean temperatures with more frequent
(32:55):
and intense hurricanes. So essentially warm water feeds her hurricanes
and tropical storms. And so the waters around Massachusetts are
rapidly warming due to climate change, and so as we
see those temperatures in the water increase, New England can
expect to see more tropical storms reach us rather than
(33:18):
dying out before they get to us, and we can
expect them to increase in intensity and duration and impact
over time.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
Okay, so what is the state doing? I assume you
probably prep every year for worst case scenario that would
be the the count interesting to do. Are there any
specific plans that that you want to tell us about,
any specific plans that do you think people should on
their own put into place now as opposed to six
(33:48):
hours before a potential hurricane where to strike.
Speaker 5 (33:52):
Yeah, that's a that's a great question. So the state
has has so many different emergency plans. We have a
comprehensive emergency management plan, but in addition to that, MIMA
owns and maintains fifty seven different emergency plans that cover
a variety of things from our base plan to evacuation
(34:14):
support to localities to shelter support has met and so
each year we're going through and we're reviewing and updating
with our public safety and community stakeholders. We review those plans,
we update them from lessons learned, we train on them,
and every year we run hurricane exercises just to make
sure that we really aren't missing anything. At MIMA. In
(34:39):
May April May, we always run through what we call
our hurricane Action timeline. It is this huge matrix of
every decision that needs to be made, every action that
needs to be taken in the appropriate timeline that those
things need to occur to make sure that our response
and our recovery is effective. So I'm really proud of
proud of how we do resilience and readiness here in
(35:03):
Massachusetts and feel confident that although any hurricane that makes
landfall anywhere in the country is going to be devastating
to folks, that we are prepared. We stay vigilant year
after year, and so folks can rest assured that we
are always taking those steps and those actions no matter
what the forecast calls for.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
Is there any specific scenario that we are particularly.
Speaker 5 (35:31):
Concerned about, You know, I think anytime a hurricane makes landfall,
and you might not know this. I actually came to
Massachusetts from Virginia Department of Emergency Management, where we were much,
you know, farther south on the hurricane coast. And so
when you see even a tropical storm, but definitely a
(35:53):
hurricane make impact, the impacts are catastrophic. It's flooding, its
storm surge, but it's also wind and it's tornadoes, and
so I think folks need to be prepared for the
fact that it's not just the Cape and the islands
that can be impacted. It's Boston, it's the north Shore,
it's central and western Massachusetts that all potentially can see flooding,
(36:16):
wind damage in tornadoes during a severe hurricane event.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
All right, well, look, I appreciate is there anywhere that
you could recommend some of our listeners might check a
website just to have something handy for their own printed reference.
Speaker 5 (36:36):
Absolutely, so we have a know your Zone information so
that is always important for folks to know what their
evacuation zone is and when they might be called on
to evacuate. So that's mass dot gov bard Flash Know
your Zone. And then I would also encourage folks to
(36:57):
critically think about whether or not they need flood insurance
because even if you aren't on the coast, or even
if you aren't right next door to a river. One
thing that we've heard repeatedly over the past few years
with all the flooding in Massachusetts is it's never flooded
here before, or it's never flooded like this, So really
think about whether or not you should invest in flood coverage.
And anyone can participate in the national flood insurance program
(37:21):
and you can check that out at floodsmart dot gov.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
Sounds great, appreciate it, Dawn, Thank you very much. Maybe
as we get a little closer to some of these storms,
we can have you join us to keep us up
keep my audience up to date as to what might
be coming in our direction. Thank you so much.
Speaker 5 (37:41):
All right, thank you, Ann, good night, have a great night.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
When we come back, we're going to talk with the
head of Local twenty six, that is the union that
is on strike at Fenway Park. Although they picking the
series as I understand that in which they will walk
the picket line, I believe that they are inside the
ballpark tonight working and we'll explain get that plant. That
strategy explained to us by their president, their union president,
(38:09):
Carlos Aramao, right after the nine o'clock news on Nightside
It's nice eyes, Dan Ray, I'm going you easy Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Oh. I guarantee anyone Madison listening to Nightside is going
to have a good night. We have a great show
lined up, lots of very interesting guests. During the first hour,
We're going to start off talking with the woman who
knows a lot more about the Cape Bridges than any
of us that I'm sure some of you are approaching
the Cape Bridges. Maybe you're on the Cape Bridges, so
do stay with us. We then will talk with the
(00:28):
head of the union the striking workers at Fenway Park,
Carlos our Mayo will join us during the nine o'clock hour,
and then later on tonight we will talk about the
probe into the Epstein files. Jeffrey Epstein gone but not forgotten,
that is for sure, and who knows where these Epstein
investigations will lead a lot of people I suspect are
(00:52):
a little anxious about all of this. Good evening, everyone.
My name is Dan Ray. I'm the host of Nightside.
Rob Brooks is back in the control room. In this
Tuesday night, August fifth, Someone mentioned tonight that for the
first time, I guess since May the sun set before
eight o'clock. I don't need those reminders from the weather guys.
Mike Walcam please take note. We don't really need those
(01:14):
reminders at this point. We are all too aware that
we are now on the backside of summer and it's
gonna get warm again this weekend. That's what the weather
guys are saying. And that's good too. It'll remind us
that summer is still with us. So, without any further ado,
let us start off the eight o'clock hour, and I'd
like to welcome Luisa Paiwanski. Luisa is the executive director
(01:39):
of the Massachusetts Department of Transportations Mega Projects Delivery Office. Luisa,
I never realized mass DOT had a Mega Project's Delivery office.
How many mega projects are you responsible for?
Speaker 3 (01:57):
I am responsible for two, and you can be forgiven
for not realizing it because it just opened up last December,
so it's still fairly new.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Well that's okay, I mean I figured there's some sort
of an acronym there, the MPDO. I don't know. I'm
assuming the two that you're responsible for. One is called
the Bourne and the others called the Sagamore. Am I right?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Well?
Speaker 3 (02:22):
The keep Cut bridges are one together, and the other
one is the Alston Multimodal project.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Well, how is that? That's not going great either, as I.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Understand that one hit a rough patch recently. But we're
going to keep going ahead.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Okay, let's talk about the bridges. With all of the
cuts that that's coming out of Washington, is the money
for the bridges safe or is it in play?
Speaker 3 (02:51):
We believe it is very secure. You may have heard
that the Austin project lost to grant recently. That had
to do with the policies of the prior administration conflicting
with the policies of the current administration, so they eliminated
the funding source.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Are we talking about presidential administrations or Massachusettstori administrations?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
I'm sorry, yes, presidential, So we did lose that grant.
But in the case of Cape Cod Bridges, was that
grant by.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
The way, just so I know what your job was
that about three hundred mil?
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Yes, there was three hundred and twenty seven million.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Okay, I was close. I was close without going over,
by the way, which is important if I would win
on the price is right? Okay, So let's talk about
the Sagamore. Let's talk about the born I know that
there's some opposition, uh some by some of the communities.
I believe at the Sagamore I don't know too much
about that. We haven't heard from them, but be happy
(03:48):
to talk to them. Is that the big problem now
or is it the funding sources? Because one does. I
understand that it involves both federal has to involve both
federal and state money. We just kind of go to
the fence.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
With our handout, absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
In fact, Sagamore Bridge is about a fifty to fifty split,
with the federal government providing a little over a billion
and the Commonwealth providing a little bit over a billion.
So it is the funding is secure. Bridges tend to
be nonpartisan. People don't tend to argue about them. In
the case of Cape Cod Bridges, it's a pretty straightforward
(04:23):
replacement of two ninety year old bridges. Both of them
are owned by the federal government, which is fairly unusual.
Both of the bridges and mats Chief That's are owned
by us, the Commonwealth or local governments, so they're both
federally owned. The Sagamore Bridge is fully funded and we
the Bourne Bridge is not, but we just applied for
(04:45):
a major grant on Friday, so we're hoping that that
will come through.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
So let's talk timeline here. Minderstanding is they're going to
create from scratch a new Sagamore bridge pretty much to
the current Sagamore Bridge. Is that the game plan?
Speaker 3 (05:03):
That's correct?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Okay? And what's the timeline on that since the funding
is secure. When my people going over the current Sagamore
notice that there's some activity, I'm not sure if it's
going to be in the left or the right of it,
in which direction? Can you give us some idea as
the wind we should look to see the new bridge
coming up. Let's say, if we're heading over the bridge
(05:25):
onto the cape, do we look to the right and left.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
If they're heading toward the cape, they should look to
the right. I think what they're seeing right now is
some activity, but it's not construction of a new bridge.
We have crews out doing survey, boring soil sample and
really getting ready. We're in the environmental process right now.
Once we're completed with that, we'll start the procurement process
for a contractor and designer to finish the design and
(05:51):
then start construction.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
So that's when you put out the RFPs, the requests.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
For proposals, right, Okay, that would be a big suggestion.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Since both of these bridges are over water, is there
any suggestion that there's any group out there working with
some sort of concern over I don't know, some form
of omiba or plant life that might be adversely impacted here.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Well, we've done a very exhaustive job at looking at
all of the environmental impacts from human impacts to fish
and wildlife, air noise. We think our environmental documents will
demonstrate that for such a massive structure, it has a
fairly light environmental footprint.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Okay, And so if all goes according to plan, and
sometimes things don't go according to plan, But if all
goes according to plan, when might the construction start on
the Sagamore and when might it be completed?
Speaker 3 (06:54):
We all goes according to plan and everything is moving
ahead on schedule right now. We will issue what's called
a notice to proceed to the contractor in either very
late twenty twenty seven or early twenty twenty eight. We
have a roughly eight year schedule. That's a conservative estimate.
We're going to ask the contractors and incentivize contractors to
(07:15):
build it faster. But keep in mind that we're building
not only the new bridges, but interchanges and roadwork associated
with it while trying to maintain, well, actually maintaining traffic
on the current Sagamore Bridge. So while that is our
estimate for the timeline, we expect that the contractors are
going to come up with a way, especially with incentives
(07:36):
in place, to build it faster.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Okay. So it sounds to me like if they're going
to start in twenty eight and you give them eight years,
we're talking about sometime in twenty thirty.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Six, twenty thirty six, yes, worst.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Case scenario, okay. And then when how long does it
take to disassemble the old Sagamore Bridge? Does that copy
done simiously? I'll be one of my asking.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
No, that's it's a great question, because what we're going
to do is build it. We're building parallel twin span bridges,
so we're going to build the first one. It's significantly
wider than the current bridge, so we're going to move
all the traffic over from the old bridge once we
have half the bridge finished, and then demolish the Sagamore
and build the new bridge, so traffic will be moving
(08:27):
over a new structure just as soon as we can,
because we're building a significantly wider first first span.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Okay, So then again, you know, somewhat realistically but with
a conservative patina, are we talking about traffic, regular vehicular
traffic flowing onto the cape over what is the partially
completed new Sagamore twenty fill in the last two two numbers.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
I would really have I'd rather have to design a
little farther along before I said so, But we can
say it'll be prior to the opening of the full span,
possibly a year or two earlier, So.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
That twenty thirty five or so, that's what will be
aiming for, Okay, and then work. Then you shift your
focus to the Born and I assume that the time
frame and time is another eight to ten years, and
of course the funding will be more for that because
(09:32):
the price of everything goes up over time.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Well, we had always hoped that Born would be a
year or so behind Sagmore. The plan has been to
build Sagamore first, then Born. We don't have the funding
lined up for Born, but as I mentioned, we have
a fought We've filed and applied for a major federal
grant which the Commonwealth would match, and we're hopeful that
because it's the federally owned asset that they would see
(09:58):
the value in fund it.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
So conceivably as the Sagamore. And what I'm hearing you say,
I just want to make sure I'm clear as the
Sagamore is being built and maybe getting closer to completion
or partial completion. That's kind of an oxymoron, but we'll
stick with it partial completion. The Bourne might begin the
process two, three or four years down the line maybe.
(10:21):
So it isn't that you're going to spend focused completely
on Sagamore for six, seven, eight years and then go
to Bourne. You're going to start Sagamore, get it going somewhat,
and then at some point you're going to have two projects,
two mega projects underway.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Yes, and you're exactly right about that. We're not planning
to get all the way to the end of Sagamore
and then start going. In fact, we're doing the environmental
permitting for both bridges right now and advancing the design
for both bridges so that we can once the funding arrives,
we can get going right away on further advancing Born
All right.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Well, Luisa, you have been a fab listen interview. You
have answered every question clearly, succinctly. You have a future
in communications if you ever decide to leave Bridge Building.
You were very You were an excellent guest. A plus, Luisa,
I think and I have a lot of guests on
this poor crab uh and you're at the top of
(11:19):
the class. I just want to say thank you very much,
thank you.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
I enjoyed talking with you. Dan.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
All right, we're talking again, I hope. Well we get back,
We're going to tell you everything you need to know
to be aware and prepared to be attacked by somewhat
something in an animal attack, wildlife attack. I don't think
about that often, but we have some safety tips for
you coming up. So may have some nightmares tonight, but
(11:44):
it's going to be worth it for the safety tips.
My name is Dan Ray. Stay with us back on
night Side right after.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
This night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
All right, now, look, I'm not somebody who's going to
be adventuring in the woods, but some of you are.
Let's be real, and some people are concerned about who
you might meet in the woods. We're not talking about
smoking the bear reminding you to stamp out forest fires
with us. As John Griffin, he's the senior director of
Urban Wildlife Programs. Humane World for Animals, formerly known as
(12:22):
the Humane Society of the United States and the Humane
Society International. John Griffin, Welcome to Nightside. Why don't you
guys change the names? Hi?
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Dan, Well, it's nice to be with you. We we
we changed this to represent better our mission and incorporate
our global work, and it's it's just a better fit
for what are organization's working on now.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
Okay, So when you talk about being out in the wild,
you're talking about being literally anywhere in the woods or
in the in the the upper plains of South Dakota,
or u in the mountains of Westward. You're talking about anywhere, right, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:05):
Well, also, I mean I think for our program, we're
also talking about being anywhere outside your house. I mean,
the urban can be a wild urban areas can be
a wild place too. But sure there's the there's the
places when you're in the deep woods or more areas
that uh that are you know, larger larger tracts of
land that have higher habitat quality or a certain type
(13:27):
of habitat.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
You can bump into a moose or bear.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Absolutely, you know what. The other night, all kidding aside,
I opened my front door and on the front steps
was a fox looked like a fairly young fox. So
I yelled at it and scared it away.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
The right thing. Yeah, I I mean this time of
year we see like the young, long, young animals that
were sort of late summer coming off the springtime baby season,
where where we see animals that are forging with their
mom typically you know, learning what to eat, what not
to eat, how to survive. And then at this time
(14:09):
we start to see foxes and coyotes and even some
yeuraling bears. They're they're they're getting ready to disperse or
they're already in the process of it. I mean, it's
leaving mom and striking out and finding their own habitat.
But you did the right thing.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
So by yelling at this fox and get out of here,
mister fox, to him, you are.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
Being mean, and that's it's it's not being mean to
to tell them you're there, to encourage them to move
away when you're there, uh, And when they're when there's
a lot of human activity, typically they're going to respond
to that and move away on their own. But sometimes,
especially in urban areas, those animals get accustomed to a
certain amount of human activity and they they might even
seem like they're.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Being bold, and usually that's not the case.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Uh, And doing what you did is a good way
to what if.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Somebody runs into something, I mean, really a bear? What
what is there a You know, we can't predict all
the animals that people might run into, but if we're
talking about the more dangerous animals, is there a proper
protocol that people as opposed to screaming and throwing your
(15:18):
hands up and saying please don't eat me, that probably
doesn't work. Is there a protocol people can follow?
Speaker 1 (15:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:26):
There there, There certainly is, And it's it's good to
be aware. I mean, I just want to say, generally speaking,
like when you're going out hiking or you're going into
the woods, it's it's it's really important to know what
animals are out there, what you might run into, and
that includes the gamut of species from from snakes to
two larger mammals like bears that you know that could
(15:46):
that you could have an encounter with. And to make
sure as you're hiking that you're you're making enough noise
if you are in bear country, that you're you're making
enough noise that they're aware of you.
Speaker 5 (15:57):
First.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
Typically, that's what most of the animals are aware of us.
They are they hear us, they smell us, and the responding.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
And moving away.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
They don't want to have an encounter anymore than we
want to have an encounter with them. And if you
do find yourself in a in a situation where you're
confronting a bear and it's in close proximity, you want
to a black bear. You want to be as big
as you can. You want to make noise, You want
to tell the bear to go away. You want to
be confident about that, and you certainly don't want to
get in between a bear and a mama bear and
(16:25):
her cubs. That's that's typically when when when conflicts increase,
and that that gets even more amplified if you have
a dog who's off leash and the bear, the bear's
mother motherly instincts kick in and there's typically a very
aggressive response. So keep your dogs leashed, make sure that
(16:48):
they're aware of you, have some basic safety understanding of
what you're going to do, make yourself big, wave your arms, yell,
and the move away slowly, never run?
Speaker 2 (17:01):
What just we only got a minute or so left?
What significant animal is the animal that most people who
are going in the woods, not you know backwoods people
who really know the woods, but going in the woods
on a weekend hike or something. What do they run?
What is the most common animal that people would run
(17:22):
into that would be actually dangerous. I'm not talking about
a squirrel or a chipmunk, you know, something that would
be dangerous, but maybe not as exotic as a black bear.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
Well, the bears would be the probably the most danger
I mean because they're so big and large, they can't
do human tars it harm, so that they would be
likely the most dangerous animals they would encounter. I mean,
it's possibly a venomous snake. But again, they're also also
(17:54):
not something that we frequently come across, especially on trails,
if you're paying attention, there's not there's there's not a
lot of animals out there that are big enough really
to to cause harm. There there are animals that if
you are trying to handle them, or if they're sick
(18:14):
or injured, or if they're otherwise impaired, and you and
you try to intervene. That's when that's often where the
sort of harmful interaction can occur.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
John, how can how can? Folks? You must have a
website with a lot of this information that I haven't
been swallow enough to ask you about.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
We have a lot. We have got our website called
you mean you go to human world dot org, but
our our wildlife conflict resolution information is at wild Neighbors
dot org and we have.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
To go slowly. Wild neighbors dot org helps you if
you're gonna, you know, go and be going off off
trail or of whatever into the woods.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Right.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
And your organization, Humane World, is that humaneworld dot org.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
That's correct?
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Perfect, Okay, those are two good websites that people can
look at. Humaneworld dot org.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
And again the first was, uh, wild neighbors, Wild Neighbors.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Okay, So wild neighbors dot org and humane World dot org.
You're very interesting guest, John, I really do appreciate. I
was trying to have a little bit of fun with this,
but it's we can have fun with it, but it's
pretty serious what people might run.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
Into it if they're not thinking and when.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
They're going in the woods. Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
Yeah, good to be with you.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Thanks, have you back. Thank you. We'll get back when
we talk about another type of wild animal. It's a mosquito.
They're not as big as bears, but they can do
a lot of damage. And we're going to talk with
a board certified certified entomologist, Senior vice president of Public
Affairs at the National Pest Management Association, doctor Jim Fredericks.
(19:51):
We will be back with that right after the news
at the bottom of the hour. And let me just
take a moment here to remind all of you of
a really neat way for you to become part of
the night Side broadcast. You can utilize our talk back
feature on the new and improved iHeart Radio app. Make
sure you download the app and have the free iHeartRadio
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(20:12):
WBZ News Radio. If you are listening through the iHeartRadio
app and you'd like to comment about anything, you can
tap the red microphone talk back button in the top
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(20:34):
That's about the length you can go. It's really simple.
Once again, hit the red microphone button in the top
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to do this one. Back on Nightside after the News
(20:54):
at the bottom of the hour.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm WBZY, Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
If there is one species that I would get rid
of besides black flies, I guess and green flies and
those flies that come out in the spring would be mosquitos.
I know that supposedly every every item in nature has
a purpose. I have no idea what mosquito's purpose are
(21:22):
other than to bite people. And with us to talk
about that is Jim Fredericks. He's a board certifies and
certified entomologist, Senior Vice President Public Affairs at the National
Pest Management Association. Doctor Fredericks. This is an aptly named organization,
the National Pest Management Association, because I cannot think of
a worse pest than a mosquito. But these little buzzers,
(21:46):
I was gonna say buggers, But these little buzzers they
can be dangerous.
Speaker 6 (21:49):
Too, they can dan and thanks for having me on.
You know, you.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Probably don't get that sort of an introduction from most
radio show hosts, but I throw my okay, go ahead.
Speaker 6 (22:02):
That's the truth. But you know, oftentimes people think of
mosquitos as just a nuisance, but mosquitoes are capable of
transmitting disease, diseases like West Nile virus and the Eastern
nie wine and stuff malario, I mean, and so yeah, worldwide.
And you know, if you're if you're planning to take
a trip into a more tropical area, then you're then
(22:24):
you need to be really concerned about things like malaria
and danky fever, some some really nasty stuff out there.
So it's best to protect yourself from mosquitoes when you
can do.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
They have a positive purpose in any way. I mean,
people will say to me, well, the bats that are
swooping around at night, they're eating mosquito. So I'm going, hey,
go bats, go bats, But what is the is there
a positive purpose for the mosquitoes in any way, shape
or form.
Speaker 6 (22:50):
You know, everything, every every organism is going to serve
a purpose. And mosquitoes do serve as fish food and
and food for other for other animals. But it's as
I'm concerned, they're nasty little critters and we need to
avoid them at all costs.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
If I ever get a chance to talk directly to God,
I'm going to ask them what's I understand all the
different creatures and all of that, but why mosquito's got
And I don't know what he's going to say, but
it's I'm going to be listening very carefully. Okay. So
the question now is how do we avoid mosquitos. I
think most of us know, you want to stay out
of Uh they're around at dawn and dusk. Uh you
know that's a that's their active time of the day
(23:28):
and morning and dusk.
Speaker 6 (23:29):
Right, yeah, sure, you know. And to protect yourself from mosquitos,
it's it's you know, whenever you're outdoors during the times
when mosquitoes are active, it's a good idea to make
sure that you know, if you know you're in a
place where mosquitoes are going to be active, to make
sure that you're wearing a repellent, check that repellent to
make sure that it is an EPA registered repellent. What
(23:52):
that tells you. If it has an EPA registration number,
it tells you that it's been tested and approved by
the EPA. To do what the what the can says
it's going to do, and then follow those label instructions.
But it's not just it's not just dusk and dawn.
There are some mosquitoes that will bait bite all day long,
so if you're in their habitat, they're going to find you.
So best to use repellent. You know the things you
(24:14):
can do.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Sorry, I'm sorry, You've got some more things else can do.
I'm listening. All layers go ahead.
Speaker 6 (24:21):
Well, there's a couple of you know, there's there, there's
the repellent, but there's also things you can do around
your own yard, you know, in your backyard and your property.
Make sure that you remove the locations where mosquitos are
going to be breeding. So we typically think of the
mosquitos that are buzzing around and are going to bite us.
Those are the adult mosquitoes. But they lay their eggs
and their larva develop in standing water. So any place
(24:45):
that there's you know, bird baths where they're standing water,
maybe kids pools, even clogg gutters, flower pots, I need
debrithe around the backyard that might hold water for more
than a couple of days. You need to make sure
you dump that out or get rid of it. Mosquitoes
could be breeding right on your own property.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Yeah, and this is the time of year where we'll
hear about Triple Lee and West Nile virus. I worked
as a TV reporter for many years, and I worked
the morning shift for eleven of those thirty years, thirty
one years, and invariably around this time of year, the
assignment desk would send me out they would have found
like some West Nile or Triple Le mosquito positives, and
(25:24):
I would be standing in an area at five o'clock
or five thirty in the morning with mosquitos buzzing around me,
reporting live. And I always just say, why do I
have to do this out with the mosquitos. They never
gave me a good answer, but I often thought to myself,
this is not the smartest thing to put your TV
reporter out with the mosquitos at five thirty in the morning,
(25:45):
was my argument. Even though was rejected by my producers.
Fairly solid in your opinion, doctor Fredericks.
Speaker 6 (25:52):
Well, I think that they were using you as mosquito bait.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
I think so, Tomy.
Speaker 6 (25:55):
I figured that one, and you know, you know, it's
funny though some people find that some people are more
attractive to mosquitoes than others, and some people, you know,
and you sometimes you'll hear the myth that, you know,
they mosquitoes are attracted to people with sweet blood. So
if you have a higher blood sugar levels, the mosquitoes
(26:16):
are attracted.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
It's that one.
Speaker 6 (26:19):
Yeah, it's not that. It's what they are attracted to
carbon dioxide. So as you're breathing carbon dioxide out, the
mosquitoes are queuing in on that. They're able to find
you through that body heat, but then also chemical compounds
in your sweat. Just you know, everyone has a different,
uh kind of community of skin bacteria that has a
(26:41):
chemical signature that in some cases is more attractive to mosquitoes.
In some cases it's less attractive.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Interesting, boy, I'd love to know who the people are
who figure that stuff out, because that's that's pretty cool
to figure that out. I mean. But of course the
police now have DNA that can track people twenty years back,
thankfully on some serious criminal cases. It doesn't surprise me
that the Mosquitos in effect have their own ability to
hone in on their own suspects. Not criminal suspects, but
(27:13):
the people that they would like to have breakfast with
or have dinner with.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
If you get my drift, exactly, if they invite you
over for breakfast, for breakfast or dinner, you just might
be on the menu.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Yes, exactly. So how can folks get more information from
your organization? Is what's the best website they can get to?
In case they haven't taken notes on our conversation.
Speaker 6 (27:36):
Well, you can learn more about mosquitoes as well as
all the other pests that might be bugging you at
pestworld dot org. Not only will you be able to
learn about these pests, but you also be able to
find a license trained pest control professional near you.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
Pestworld dot org.
Speaker 6 (27:55):
I like that.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
That's a good one. It's easy to remember as well.
Doctor Fredericks appreciated very much. You've been a really great
guest and it's a it's a topic that you've made fun.
Thank you made fun to talk about mosquitos.
Speaker 6 (28:10):
Thank you sir, have a great night.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Absolutely, we got back. Well. Football season is ahead of us.
We're not going to talk about a football season because
when football season starts and then you're well into the
hurricane season. I hope we have no hurricanes this year.
I root against hurricanes. We're going to talk with Dawn Brantley.
She's the MIMA director here in Massachusetts. The hurricane season
(28:34):
started on June first, so we already have kind of
got through two months of it already, but the worst
has always yet to come August and September. Let's take
a long look with Don Brandley, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Director.
On the other side of the break.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
It's nice eye with Dan Ray on w Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
All right, let us get back to our conversations here.
Going to wrap it up this hour. We're going to
talk about the heart of the hurricane season with us
is Dawn Brantley. She's the MEMA director here in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. Dawn Brantley, we're no longer at
the dawn of the hurricane season that was June first.
(29:19):
How are you to know?
Speaker 5 (29:21):
I'm great, Thank you for having me on.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
So I guess Noah is predicting an above normal twenty
twenty five Atlantic hurricane season. Seems to me most of
the years they're predicting more above normal. We've kind of
slid through the first two months of this here. How
are we doing so far in your opinion? And what
(29:45):
do you think the long term solution is now?
Speaker 5 (29:48):
The long term solution?
Speaker 2 (29:50):
Well, the long term resolution. I meant to say, you know,
does the first two months mean anything for us? So
we have we set ourselves up. Was listening tonight and
they were talking about some disturbance off the coast of Africa,
and I do know that hurricanes do start occasionally in
the coast off the coast of Africa and went their
(30:11):
way here. What do you what do you feel and
what is your sense You've followed this more closely than
I have.
Speaker 5 (30:19):
Sure, Well, I do have to say I'm not a meteorologist,
and I know that Noah has forecasted above normal hurricane season,
and sometimes it can feel like, well, this is pretty
repetitive year after year. But I will hear that in
New England our season tends to start later in the year,
So the farther you go north, the later our real
(30:41):
hurricane season, our tropical storm season starts. So the fact
that June and July have been calm for us doesn't
mean that September, October, November will also be calm. So
we always urge folks to realize that once July and
August pass, we do still have our most significant risk
lying ahead of us in the fall.
Speaker 2 (31:02):
Well, September, I think traditionally is the worst month when
I think back, you know, to the tough hurricanes of
previous years. What was the last big one here in
Massachusetts that we had to deal with. I'm trying to think,
and I really can't recall at this point.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
You know, we've we haven't hit in Massachusetts several times.
So the last hurricanes to make landfall at hurricane strength
versus tropical storm was Hurricane Bob in nineteen ninety one.
More recently, yeah, more recently, Commonwealth experienced several impacts from
tropical storms and remnants of tropical storms so Irene and
(31:42):
twenty eleven Sandy and twenty twelve. More recently than that,
we were hit with tropical storm Hurricane from Hurricane Lee
as well.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Yeah, the Florida got a double hit last last fall
late and there was big problems in North Carolina as well,
but we've kind of been kind of been lucky. Is
there any way that we can look at, you know,
(32:13):
trends and again, realizing you're not a meteorologist, we'll talk
about what the state is doing in preparation in a second.
But are there any sort of like trams we can
look at, you know, Lanina, Lnino or any of that
they can give us some either some concern or some comfort. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
So our agency meteorologist Mike Suza sent out a hurricane
briefing each year, so I can I can share that,
you know, he's educated us about how Leninia and Lenino
impact us. I think what might be probably the most
you know, important thing for people to recognize is that
climatologists have linked to warmer ocean temperatures with more frequent
(32:55):
and intense hurricanes. So essentially warm water feeds her hurricanes
and tropical storms. And so the waters around Massachusetts are
rapidly warming due to climate change, and so as we
see those temperatures in the water increase, New England can
expect to see more tropical storms reach us rather than
(33:18):
dying out before they get to us, and we can
expect them to increase in intensity and duration and impact
over time.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
Okay, so what is the state doing? I assume you
probably prep every year for worst case scenario that would
be the the count interesting to do. Are there any
specific plans that that you want to tell us about,
any specific plans that do you think people should on
their own put into place now as opposed to six
(33:48):
hours before a potential hurricane where to strike.
Speaker 5 (33:52):
Yeah, that's a that's a great question. So the state
has has so many different emergency plans. We have a
comprehensive emergency management plan, but in addition to that, MIMA
owns and maintains fifty seven different emergency plans that cover
a variety of things from our base plan to evacuation
(34:14):
support to localities to shelter support has met and so
each year we're going through and we're reviewing and updating
with our public safety and community stakeholders. We review those plans,
we update them from lessons learned, we train on them,
and every year we run hurricane exercises just to make
sure that we really aren't missing anything. At MIMA. In
(34:39):
May April May, we always run through what we call
our hurricane Action timeline. It is this huge matrix of
every decision that needs to be made, every action that
needs to be taken in the appropriate timeline that those
things need to occur to make sure that our response
and our recovery is effective. So I'm really proud of
proud of how we do resilience and readiness here in
(35:03):
Massachusetts and feel confident that although any hurricane that makes
landfall anywhere in the country is going to be devastating
to folks, that we are prepared. We stay vigilant year
after year, and so folks can rest assured that we
are always taking those steps and those actions no matter
what the forecast calls for.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
Is there any specific scenario that we are particularly.
Speaker 5 (35:31):
Concerned about, You know, I think anytime a hurricane makes landfall,
and you might not know this. I actually came to
Massachusetts from Virginia Department of Emergency Management, where we were much,
you know, farther south on the hurricane coast. And so
when you see even a tropical storm, but definitely a
(35:53):
hurricane make impact, the impacts are catastrophic. It's flooding, its
storm surge, but it's also wind and it's tornadoes, and
so I think folks need to be prepared for the
fact that it's not just the Cape and the islands
that can be impacted. It's Boston, it's the north Shore,
it's central and western Massachusetts that all potentially can see flooding,
(36:16):
wind damage in tornadoes during a severe hurricane event.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
All right, well, look, I appreciate is there anywhere that
you could recommend some of our listeners might check a
website just to have something handy for their own printed reference.
Speaker 5 (36:36):
Absolutely, so we have a know your Zone information so
that is always important for folks to know what their
evacuation zone is and when they might be called on
to evacuate. So that's mass dot gov bard Flash Know
your Zone. And then I would also encourage folks to
(36:57):
critically think about whether or not they need flood insurance
because even if you aren't on the coast, or even
if you aren't right next door to a river. One
thing that we've heard repeatedly over the past few years
with all the flooding in Massachusetts is it's never flooded
here before, or it's never flooded like this, So really
think about whether or not you should invest in flood coverage.
And anyone can participate in the national flood insurance program
(37:21):
and you can check that out at floodsmart dot gov.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
Sounds great, appreciate it, Dawn, Thank you very much. Maybe
as we get a little closer to some of these storms,
we can have you join us to keep us up
keep my audience up to date as to what might
be coming in our direction. Thank you so much.
Speaker 5 (37:41):
All right, thank you, Ann, good night, have a great night.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
When we come back, we're going to talk with the
head of Local twenty six, that is the union that
is on strike at Fenway Park. Although they picking the
series as I understand that in which they will walk
the picket line, I believe that they are inside the
ballpark tonight working and we'll explain get that plant. That
strategy explained to us by their president, their union president,
(38:09):
Carlos Aramao, right after the nine o'clock news on Nightside
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