June 6, 2025 • 41 mins
We kicked off the program with four news stories and guests on topics we thought you might like to learn more about!
In this NightSide News Update we chatted with:
Shawn DeRosa, Director of Pool and Waterfront Safety for the DCR: The search is on for summer lifeguards! What does it take to be a lifeguard in MA? Would you make the cut?
Tawny Simisky, UMass Extension entomologist at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst: The Spotted Lanternfly (MA Reporting: https://massnrc.org/pests/slfreport.aspx - Other States: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-pests-diseases/slf) is wreaking havoc on folks in North Andover! What is this invasive insect and how can we control them?
David Condon, Director of Natural Resources for the Town of Yarmouth: It’s boating season! But get ready for 2026 - The newly signed Hanson-Milone Boater Safety Act will require motorized boat operators to obtain certification before hitting the water next year.
Cathy Mayone, Managing Director of the Martha's Vineyard Museum: The Martha’s Vineyard Museum is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the movie “Jaws”, one of the most iconic films in cinematic history!
Listen to WBZ NewsRadio on the NEW iHeart Radio app and be sure to set WBZ NewsRadio as your #1 preset!
In this NightSide News Update we chatted with:
Shawn DeRosa, Director of Pool and Waterfront Safety for the DCR: The search is on for summer lifeguards! What does it take to be a lifeguard in MA? Would you make the cut?
Tawny Simisky, UMass Extension entomologist at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst: The Spotted Lanternfly (MA Reporting: https://massnrc.org/pests/slfreport.aspx - Other States: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-pests-diseases/slf) is wreaking havoc on folks in North Andover! What is this invasive insect and how can we control them?
David Condon, Director of Natural Resources for the Town of Yarmouth: It’s boating season! But get ready for 2026 - The newly signed Hanson-Milone Boater Safety Act will require motorized boat operators to obtain certification before hitting the water next year.
Cathy Mayone, Managing Director of the Martha's Vineyard Museum: The Martha’s Vineyard Museum is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the movie “Jaws”, one of the most iconic films in cinematic history!
Listen to WBZ NewsRadio on the NEW iHeart Radio app and be sure to set WBZ NewsRadio as your #1 preset!
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'mdelling you mazy Boston's News
Radio Madison.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
That's not a skirt that I wanted to hear. Oh
my goodness. Things not going well in the Big Apple tonight.
P Hey, it's early. It's only the second inning. Rather
be down five zip in the second inning than five
zip in the bottom of the top of the ninth
in this case. Anyway, good inning, everyone, and welcome. Name.
My name is Dan Ray, host of Nightside. We have
both Sean and Rob back in the control room tonight,
(00:29):
so we have double duty. We have double coverage. We're
in great shape from a production point of view. I
have all the confidence in the world in both of
those gentlemen. You should as well. During the first hour
they'll be able to just relax a little bit. We
don't get to phone calls until the second hour. During
the nine o'clock hour, we're going to talk about the
now I think pretty clear, the divorce between Donald Trump
(00:52):
and Elon Musk. Will get to that. We also may
talk about the indictment that came down late today of
that Maryland man man who was sent to El Salvador
apparently in error. Subsequently, he's now been indicted in charge
with illegal smuggling and a conspiracy account as well out
(01:14):
of the federal US Attorney's office in Tennessee. We'll get
to all of that, and then later on time we're
going to talk with an author, Jeff Convits. He wrote
the book The Sentinel, which was a big New York
Times bestseller, and he has another book coming out later
on this month called The Circus of Satan, Murder, Revenge,
(01:38):
and the Rise of Organized Crime, talking about various organized
crime elements. He's a lawyer, he's very successful criminal defense
lawyer and an author, and so we'll talk with him
in ten and then we will have our twentieth hour
of the week. And I'm not exactly sure we're going
to do. I have a sense, but I don't want
to commit to anything quite yet. However, I do want
(01:58):
to commit to four really interesting guests. We're going to
start off with Sean DeRosa, who's the director of Pool
and Waterfront Safety for the Massachusets Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Sean DeRosa, Welcome to Night Side. How are you, sir.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
I'm doing great, Dan, thanks for having me tonight.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Well, we are moving into that season of the year
when people want to get to the beach and they
want to get to pools, and the DCR has some
obligation to make sure that the beaches and the pools
are as safe as possible for people who come here
either as tourists or are Massachusetts residents. Tell us what
(02:38):
the scope of the DCR is in the first place,
just to refresh everyone's recollection, and then we'll talk about
the reasonable precautions that people have to take when they
decide to spend the day, a day this summer, or
many days this summer near the water.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Well, we sure hope it's a warm and sunny summer
for us, all right. NASSDCR is our state park system
in Massachusetts, So we operate in the swimming world, which
of course is what everyone looks forward to doing the summer.
We operate eighty different swimming beaches, forty nine of which
are not lifeguarded, thirty one of which are, as well
(03:17):
as twenty four swimming pools, and then two waiting pools
for everyone free of charge. So it's an exciting opportunity
for people to come out, enjoy the sun, enjoy the beach,
and also cool down from the summer heat.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah, so what are the problems Again, I'm sure that
over time you've seen people who come either unprepared or
take risks that are inappropriate. Let's just hit some of
the the dues. Are the don'ts, with probably an emphasis
on the don'ts for sure.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Well, let's start with the dude, do have fun, but
we want you to do it safely. That brings us
to some of the the don'ts that we're talking about.
But one of the most important things people can do
is to choose to swim where a lifeguard is present.
That is probably the most safe option that we have.
(04:14):
That said, it's important that parents also watch their children,
even though lifeguards may be watching over them. No one
can watch a child as closely as their own parent.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
No question about that, and it's a parent's primary responsibility.
And obviously, if a child gets in trouble, the parent
has to maybe make sure they don't get in trouble.
But if they do get in trouble, at that point,
probably the professionals of the people who want to get involved.
You don't want to have a situation where not only
(04:44):
is the child in trouble, but the parent is in
trouble as well.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Absolutely, and that's one of the reasons why we do
encourage people to swim where lifeguards are present. They're trained
in water safety measures, and let's face it, on a
stormy day, rip current are prevalent on some beaches and
those can be deadly. Our lifeguards risk their lives every
time they jump in the water, and we'd rather have
trained professionals trying to make the rescue and save life
(05:11):
rather than complicating it with additional victims. And that's also
why it's important that we find enough lifeguards to staff
these beaches, because this is an important public safety resource
and position.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Yeah, well you anticipated my next question. Obviously, we're now
in June. We're wrapping up the first full week of June.
How are you doing in terms of staffing, because obviously
there are some locations you won't be able to open
unless you have an adequate number of lifeguards. Do you
need more lifeguards? We do?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
You know, we're doing fairly well this year. We've already
hired over four hundred lifeguards and we have an additional
two hundred and thirty schedule to start in the next
two weeks. But we're still looking for about thirty more
positions in the Greater Boston area that includes Chelsea, Cambridge
all the way up to Lawrence even and for those
positions we are hoping to find people who can swim.
(06:04):
We offer the training classes for free. If someone wants
to become a lifeguard and wants to work for DCR,
will cover that training expense that's usually about three hundred
and fifty or four hundred dollars, and we can offer
a job that helps people regardless of what career they
go in down the road. They'll learn skills while lifeguarding
(06:26):
that I say transcend occupational boundaries.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
So is it realistic to think that someone who is
not a swimmer can learn to swim that quickly with
a few lessons, to the point that they actually then
could be a lifeguard or do you have to have,
really before you apply for this job at least some
rudimentary experience as a swimmer.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
That's a great question. So we do have entry requirements
for the lifeguarding course. They're not as strict as they
used to be years ago, but we do need a
certain level of swimming profficiency. We do if you're interested
in working with the DCR, we have a lot of
information online at mass dot gov slash lifeguards that will
explain the specific swimming requirements. Usually lifeguards have to swim
(07:14):
about three hundred yards with a variety of strokes in
order to get into the course.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Well, that's if you can swim three hundred yards with
a variety of strokes, you're pretty accomplished and experienced swimmer.
That's that is great to know. As someone who might
bring you know, children, well with not children now grandchildren
into a DCR location, You're going to know that the
people who are wearing that uniform are sitting out there
(07:42):
on that that that chair that gives them a good
view of the facility, the beach or the pool. Uh,
they're going to be very qualified. That's that's great to hear.
Any other last we got about a minute left. Any
other last minute advice for people? Can they call an
is there a number that they can call if they
(08:02):
are a website they can go if they want to
apply if they feel they have that qualification Number one
and number two? Is there a way or a website
where on a stormy day parents can find out whether
or not these facilities are open or not and not
make an assumption and drive twenty or twenty five miles
and be disappointed. Is there a great website that people
(08:26):
can access not only for employment but also for information.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
All of our employment information and our park alerts are
posted at mass doc of SLASH Lifeguards or at the
masstoc of DCR website. It can easily google DCR Park
alerts and you'll find alerts for pools, beaches and the
rest of our parks.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Really appreciate it, Sean, A lot of information in a
short period of time. Let us hope everyone has a
safe and successful summer and that every day is perfect
weather wise. Thanks Sean. I appreciate it very much.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Dan. All Right, we'll talk again when we get back.
We're going to talk about a bug that sounds great.
It's called but do you hear this? A spotted a
lantern fly. But it's a nasty little devil wreaking havoc
in parts of Massachusetts. We will talk with a UMass
entomologist on the other side of this quick break on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Now, if I were to say to you, oh, come
out in my backyard, I have a lovely spotted lanten
fly that you might like to look at you probably say, oh,
that must be a beautiful a flying insect. Well, it
might be beautiful, but I don't think you like it.
(09:56):
With us is Tawny Simiski. She's with the she's a
u AS extension entomologists at the University of Massachusetts and Amherst,
and she has an expertise on the spotted lanternfly. And
there's probably little about this infestation that has been confirmed
in North Andover that anyone in North End wants to
hear about. Hi, Tawny, how are you good?
Speaker 4 (10:19):
Dan? How are you? Thanks so much for having me right.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
I had never heard of the spotted lantern fly up
until now, and I hope I never meet one tell
us about this beautiful invasive insect.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
If you will, you are certainly right, they are beautiful
if you're like me, an entomologist or entomology minded and
think insects are beautiful. But the unfortunate side of the
spotted lantern fly is that it's non native. It's an
invasive insect that was introduced accidentally into the United States,
(10:54):
and it is an agricultural pest as well as a
significant nuisance.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Who accidentally introduced this.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
To a landscape Well, so they first came into the
United States in Berks County, Pennsylvania in twenty fourteen, and
it is suspected that perhaps they were associated with a
specialty stone business, at least that is what the USDA
(11:24):
had reported at the time. And why that makes sense
to me is that spotted lanternfly lays their egg masses
on virtually any flat surface, so that could include things
like stone, firewood, outdoor furniture. That's how this insect can
move around.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Okay, so let me ask you where is their home?
Where are they endemic?
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Due they are native originally to China, India, and Vietnam,
but they've accidentally been introduced into South Korea as well
as the United States.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Yikes, Okay, so how much of an interest do we
have to worry about twenty fourteen they were a part
in the punt here they were spotted in Pennsylvania. Where
else have they migrated to in the last eleven years
in the US?
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Well, for US, in Massachusetts, they first were detected in
the city of Fitchburg and Worcester County in twenty twenty one,
and as you mentioned, north andover this year they've been
spreading throughout Massachusetts they've spread outside of Pennsylvania. They're known
in New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia, and
(12:42):
other areas in the US, and we're really just trying
to keep an eye out for them.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
So I guess if you drew a big circle about
four high five hundred miles around Pennsylvania, I suspect that
unless there's something about I don't know, Michigan or Ohio
or Canada, they're probably in those places too.
Speaker 4 (13:00):
I would suspect they are in Michigan and Ohio as well. Yes,
and the insects spreads with people.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Yeah, just a lucky guess. So what's the problem here,
As I understand that part of the problem is the
residue we're using a nice word here, that they deposit
wherever they are, and it's pretty unpleasant.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
So that residue is honeydew. That's the sugary liquid waste
or extrement that they secrete. They use piercing sucking mouthparts
to remove fluids from their host plants, of which there
are over one hundred different species of trees and shrubs
and other plants, including agricultural crops like grape, that they
(13:48):
will feed on. Their favored host is tree of Heaven.
That's an invasive tree that was purposely introduced into urban
areas in the US and has a long history here.
But we're really worried about the grape crops and vineyards
as far as agriculture is concerned. And as you mentioned
that honeydew that they create. When there are lots of
(14:10):
these insects creating that in your landscaped areas like yards
and parks, they can become a nuisance because that coats
plants and other objects and also calls in wasps and
yellow jackets and beads to feed on it.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Oh great, great, So this is sort of similar to
what it well, again, it's not identical, but kind of
similar to what Canadian gieshu known for. They may be
cute and the little goslings are cute, but it's what
they leave behind was really bothers a lot, a lot
of people. So I kind of think that that's the
(14:45):
analogy we're trying to create here and using big, big,
big words and people people get what we're talking about.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
I assume right, certainly their excrement in their waist is
really amus.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
Yeah, we're doing.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
We're doing fine. We're doing fine. Okay, So, so what's
the chance. By the way, what is a tree of heaven?
I that that sounds pretty suspicious to me. You said
they were the tree of Heaven's or the trees of Heaven.
I think about oaks and elms and things like that,
beach trees, birch trees. I've never heard of a tree
of heaven. Where did where did they come from?
Speaker 4 (15:23):
So tree of heaven, it's Atlantis altissima is the scientific name.
They're a rapidly growing tree that's native to China, and they.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Into Chinese always has a role in this stuff, don't they.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Certainly we do have some equal climate matching to places
like that.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
Yeah yeah, yeah, wow wow. Okay, So, so those trees
came here, no suggestion that they came here with the
with some knowledge of the arrival of the spot at
lant It just so happened that the trees came from
and these spotted lantern flies, which were accidentally transported to
here enjoy the trees of heaven.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Certainly, yes, yeah, the two did not occur at the
same time. Tree of Heaven was brought, probably in the
late seventeen hundreds into the United States.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Okay, that's far and if the trees of Heaven were
brought brought here like three to five years before, I'd
get my conspiracy sensitivities acting. Yeah, So how do we
get rid of these folks? We're not looking to be abusive,
but is there anything that can be done or at
this point are they now you know native to Massachusetts,
(16:43):
Pennsylvania and all the other states you mentioned.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Well, for us in Massachusetts, it's really important that folks,
if you see spotted lantern fly or any of its
life stages, to take a photo and report it to
our mass Department of Agricultural Resources. You can also reach
out to you MASS Extension and we can assist you
as well. If you do have a known infestation on
(17:07):
your property or on a property that you manage and
it's been identified and confirmed, there are management options out there.
We suggest integrated pest management, so that we are taking
steps that help reduce the insect population but while conserving
human health and the health of the environment. And U
(17:29):
MASS Extension can be there to answer those questions for you.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Okay, now, I think that's really important. I know I've
kind of kitted with you a little bit because although
this is a serious story. It's something that you know,
we will all survive the spot at lantern flies, I hope,
absolutely so. And again with folks like yourself who are
monitoring this, which we appreciate very much. Appreciate not only
you joining me tonight, but also just you know, making
(17:56):
this information available because when people see that they should
they could find a picture of a spotted lantern fly,
I assume on your website as well.
Speaker 4 (18:08):
Absolutely so. I'm with U Mass Extensions Landscape Nursery and
Urban Forestry Program. So if you come to our website,
we have information about the spotted lantern fly as well
as many other insect pests of trees and shrubs, both
native and introduced. And we've got photos of the eggs,
the nymphs and the adults, and information as to where
(18:30):
to report spotted lanternfly and your different types of management options.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Okay, and again just give us that website one more time.
Hopefully it's nice and simple for people to remember or
write down.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Okay, So we are at www dot UMass dot edu.
It's not quite so simple. Backslash agriculture dash food, dash
environment backslash landscape. So it's the U Mass Extensions Landscape
Nursery and Urban Forestry program.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
If you google that, easy for you to say, Okay, thanks, yeah,
hopefully they can find that. Tawny, thank you very much.
I'm sure if they just google lantern Fly as well,
there'll be that will probably work allow them to get
to that website.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Thank you so started lantern Fly and you mass Extension. Yes,
thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Tan. You're very welcome. Tawny Siminski. Simiski who's an entomologist,
which means she's a bug expert at UMass Amherst. Thanks again, Tawni,
talk soon.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
Thank you, have a good night.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
You're welcome. Thank you you as well. Have a great weekend.
We have now the news coming at us at the
bottom of the hour, and after that we talked about
swimming early, we're going to talk about the boating season
and then we're going to talk about Martha's Venues celebrating
the fiftieth anniversary of the movie Jaws, which is literally,
I think was being shot on Martha's vinyard fifty years
(19:54):
ago this week. So we got a couple of really
interesting fun guests coming up before we get to our
portion of our broadcast. After the nine o'clock News. By
the way, remember you want to pull down if you
haven't done it already, the iHeart the new and improved
iHeart app. All you have to do is go to
(20:14):
the app store, your Google App Store, wherever you get
your apps, get that iHeart app. It's new and improved,
pull it down, put it on whichever your phone you can,
put it on your tablet, and you'll always be very
in touch with w BZ. Make us your first preset,
and it will always be just a finger tip away
(20:34):
wherever you are in this big, wide, beautiful world. We'll
back on Nightside right after the news a minute or
two late. Apologize on that. We'll be back right after
the news.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
You're on night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Boston's
news Radio.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Thank you very much, Madison. Let us now introduce you
to David Condon. David is the director of Natural Resources
for the Town of Yarmouth, and we're going to talk
about the boating season. Of course, the boating season is
well underway, particularly after the last couple of days of
high heat, humidity and humidity that we have had. But
(21:11):
there's a change coming not this year but next year,
requiring people who are operating motorized boats to obtain in
advanced certification before they can get behind the wheel in
a motorized boat. Dave Condon, Welcome to Nightside.
Speaker 5 (21:27):
How are you, sir, Yes, sir, good evening. Thank you
for having me on. I really appreciate the call.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Well, hopefully as we'll get people some information that they
can use and get ready ready for the next boating season. Again,
I want to emphasize that these new regulations which have
been signed into law do not apply this summer, but
they will apply in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 5 (21:49):
Correct, That's correct. So anybody who was born after January
first of nineteen eighty nine must have the course completed
by April first of twenty twenty six. Now the rest
of us born before eighty nine don't have to have
the certificate completed until April first of twenty twenty eight.
(22:09):
So a couple of different dates to keep in mind.
And the state even built in a little bit of
a grace period so there won't be any citations there
anything written for the first you know, a little bit
of time after the rollout. But either way, those are
the two dates that people need to keep in mind.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
All right, So let's talk about currently there are no regulations,
so it doesn't matter. There must be like a driver's license,
you can operate a boat, a motorized vessel, I assume
under a certain age. Or is there no such limitation
of that either.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
Well, there's a couple of things on the books now,
so anybody who has the driver's licenses is obviously covered,
good to go for operating a boat. But here in
that age from twelve to sixteen, there's currently a voting
safety class and take allowing you to operate a motorized
boat again at the age of twelve. The personal watercraft,
(23:06):
the jets, those are a little bit different and you have
to be you have to have the class. If you're seventeen,
I'm sorry, sixteen or seventeen, you have to have the
class for that as well. Currently. But again, that's going
to roll out to everybody here shortly.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Okay, So I don't want to over confuse the situation,
So let's come let's roll back to where we were.
What was the need, what prompted the need for this legislation.
I assumed that people have been operating motorized boats for
a long time, perhaps even decades, without having had some
sort of certification. Were there a couple of incidents or
(23:40):
an incident that perhaps prompted this legislation.
Speaker 5 (23:43):
All right, well, there's certainly been plenty of incidents over
the years. But the one that was kind of the
crux of this whole thing that the act is called
the Hanson Malone Act of twenty twenty four, and that
was named for David Hanson, who was killed tragically in
a voting accident back in twenty ten, and also named
for the late Harvartmaster from Waymouth, Paul Malone, who was
(24:04):
truly a champion for voting safety his entire career. You know,
I knew Paul personally, and there wasn't a time he
went to a meeting or an association event or something
or other and he didn't talk about voting safety. And
we should be pestering our legislative legislators, and we need
to get out there and talk to the public. And
he was truly a champion for voting safety. So the
(24:26):
bill was named for those two. And you know, to
be quite honest, I think it's kind of crazy it
took as long as it did for Massachusetts to have
some formal requirement for boat safety training. I mean, if
you think about it, you can go just if you
have the money, you can go in and buy a
boat that might go sixty miles an hour and go
out and operate. It was zero training. I mean, you
(24:46):
couldn't do that with a car, so it seems crazy
that for decades we were able to do that with
a boat. So it's a long time coming. Matthias was
one of the states that it was kind of late
to the party, and I'm glad we're finally there.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Yeah, so you anticipate my question, we are behind the curve.
Why would that be? Who are the states that were
leading the charge? Obviously we're not a around the year
voting state like Florida, which states were at the head
of this parade.
Speaker 5 (25:14):
As we tell we even New Hampshire has required a
voting safety class for years right next door and they're voting.
You know, season is potentially even shorter than ours. So,
you know, I think it was a long time in
the works. I think maybe, you know, Massachusetts wouldn't have
been behind the curve. You know, it was not out
of lack of effort. I mean, the Harvard master community,
(25:36):
the police community, environmental police. So a starred has been
pushing this for a long time. So it's not like
this was an idea that was born yesterday. It's been
a long time coming and just sort of you know,
as things take shape and it takes time for it
to come to fruition. And you know, we are a
little bit behind the curve, but not for lack of trying.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Yeah. And also I must say that sometimes things up
at the State House, even good proposals like this one
and what I call them no brainers, they moved the
pace of molasses up with our year round legislature. I
becon ill.
Speaker 5 (26:14):
You know, that's just the nature of the beast. I
think everybody understands that. And you know, like you said,
even like this one it's a no brainer. It had
a bunch of revisions, and it had you know, like
any other bill would, and a lot of input from
different parties, and you know, I think it might not
be perfect, but it's certainly you know, step in the
right direction.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
So for people who now want to get ahead of
the curb, where do they have to go to get
their certification in advance of next voting season twenty twenty six.
Speaker 5 (26:43):
Well, so those of us that already took this Voting
Safety course. Like again, I remember I took it when
I was twelve, all those years ago, so even that
would have me covered even though it was decades ago.
So anybody who's already taken the class, they'll be covered
already if they can produce their certificate or try and
get a copy in the state. And then as far
as anybody who wants to doing a role in the
(27:04):
course now, I think that the best place to start
is the state Environmental Police website and they offer their
own class and they also have links to all the
approved courses that are taught by third parties as well,
so you can either take the course in person with
the Environmental Police or another authorized vendor, or you can
even do it online. So if it's something you want
(27:26):
to just get done and have the certificate, you can
just go online, spend a couple hours doing the course
and print out the certificate.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
And is there a cost associated with this?
Speaker 5 (27:35):
There is. I don't know the cost for the third
party vendors that you know you might do online, but
the Environmental Police course is very reasonable. I think it's
you know, just a few dollars just to cover the
cost of printing the certificate. There's other organizations like the
count of Yarmouth where I work. We plan on offering
the course for free to anybody who wants to take it.
(27:56):
And you know, we would just charge for the actual
printing and the certificate, not for the actual course. So
there's a lot of organizations. The Harbourmaster Associations are you know,
full force behind this. And you know, even as a
member of the association, we're talking about rolling out the
course ourselves. Just whatever we can do to get more
people to take it from and make it as easy
as possible.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Okay, well, Dave, let me ask you this my last
question you had the director of Natural Resources for the
Town of Yarmouth. What general advice you're around the water.
Obviously Yarmouth is on the cave twelve months out of
the year. You know, the beauty of the water and
also the danger of the water. What advice would you
give to anyone who's going to even this year without
(28:38):
the requirement of the certificate or certification. What advice would
you give people if they're going to get out and
in some way utilize.
Speaker 5 (28:45):
A boat whether Yeah, there's a couple of things that
are very simple. Tell somebody where you're going, file a
float plan, tell tell somebody who's not with you, where
you're going, how long you're going to be gone, wear
a life jacket, don't drink it or do any drugs,
and operate the boat and you know those are the
(29:06):
big ones. And then know your limits, you know, learn
the boat that you're operating. Don't have that first time
you use the boat the July fourth weekend, you know,
take it out ahead of time. You know, get somebody
to give you a hand and show you the ropes,
and you know, just getting a little more sea time
before you're taking out your family and racing around on
a beautiful weekend.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
Sounds great. Dave. I appreciate your time. I think you've
been part of a lot of important information across New
England and for that matter of points beyond. I appreciate
as always talking with you. Thanks again, we'll see that
in Yarmouth.
Speaker 5 (29:39):
All right, thank you for the call.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Dave gone to the director of Natural Resources for the
town of Yarmouth. We get back, We're going to take
you out to Martha's vineyard and talk with Kathy Mayown.
I hope I'm pronouncing her last name correctly. We'll find
out she's the managing director of the Martha's Vineyard Museum.
And it is the fiftieth anniversary year of the movie Jaws,
So we're going to get also some information on that.
(30:01):
And also if you want to take a ride over
to Martha's Viney and and sort of enjoy the ambience
of the fiftieth anniversary of Jaws, will get you that
information as well. Coming right back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
It's Nightside with Dan Ray on Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
All right, welcome back everyone. I'd like to introduce all
of you to Kathy Mayown. She's the managing director of
the Martha's Vineyard Museum, celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the
movie Jaws, one of the most iconic films in really
movie history. Kathy Mayow and welcome to Nightside. How are
you hi? Dan?
Speaker 6 (30:44):
Thank you for having me on.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
You do you get to live on that beautiful island
off the southeast coast of Massachusetts.
Speaker 6 (30:52):
I do it. It is a wonderful place to live.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
All right. So, and you're the you're the managing director
of Martha's v Museum. Before we talk about Jaws, let's
talk about the Martha's Vineyard museum, which community is it
located in, and what sort of wonders does it have
Because a lot of my listeners will be spending some time,
maybe not the entire summer, unless they're really lucky, sometime
(31:17):
over in Marth's Vineyard. I assume that the Martha's Vineyard
Museum should be a trip, should be a stop on
most people's visit to the Vineyard.
Speaker 6 (31:28):
Yes, absolutely, it's a great place to ground yourself in
the island's history and in the islands culture. We are
a history and a culture museum. We are based in
Vineyard Haven. It's a ten minute walk from the vineyard
Haven Ferry, so if you don't bring a car, you
can just get off the ferry and walk over to us.
We are based in the Marine hospe the old Marine Hospital,
(31:53):
which was built in the late eighteen hundreds and so
it's a beautiful old historic building. After it was the
marine hospital, it was a summer camp for kids, and
then the museum purchased it and really renovated it and
preserved it, and we moved into it in twenty nineteen
(32:18):
and have been in it ever since. We also still
have our old property down in Edgartown. The cook House property.
But this really is our main campus and there are
exhibits that we have all the time. Our wonderful Frenelle Lens,
which is an old lighthouse lens that came out of
(32:38):
the Aquinna Lighthouse. The stories behind that lens, how we
had to how the Aquinna Lighthouse had to be moved
at one point in time because the cliffs were eroding.
We have stories about the local island history, the people
of the islands, shipwrecks. Have a great room for kids
(33:01):
as well called hands on History, and we have a
wonderful cafe and a wonderful view as well.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Yeah, I have been in the I have been in
the Aquinna Lighthouse on several occasions, walking up to the
top and it's a that's a sight to see in
of itself. So how excited are all you vineyards about
the return of Jaws Mania. I suspect that there's probably
a bit of a split amongst people who are on
(33:28):
the island. Uh, there's a There's there's an aspect of
people over there who I think like to be associated
with the movie, and there's there's another group who aren't
particularly happy about that. Or have I read the island wrong?
Speaker 6 (33:41):
You know, I think most people are coming around. I
think in general you're right, But I keep get hearing
more and more excitement.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
You know.
Speaker 6 (33:49):
It's so funny because I would talk to Jaws fans
and they would know every single event that we're having
on the island, and then I would talk to my
local island and they wouldn't know of any of them.
But slowly people are starting to hear of all of
the different events that we're going to have on the island.
(34:10):
Of course, we've had a lot of news and press
about our exhibition, our Jaws at fifty A Deeper Dive
at the museum. We just opened the exhibit Memorial Day weekend.
I've had a lot of local press and now a
lot of local Islanders coming in to see it. So
people are now, I think, getting excited, and they're starting
(34:32):
to hear just more and more. How the world is
excited about this celebration.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
Well, I'll tell you it's certainly an interesting time. So
fifty years ago this week they were beginning to shoot
the movie. As I understand, the coincidence of fifty years
this week is not the opening of the movie. And
if I'm wrong, please feel free to tell me.
Speaker 6 (34:57):
Well, yeah, so yeah, So the opening of the movie
was on June twentieth, nineteen seventy five. Gotcha, they were
shooting the movie a year before. But the actual premiere
and the premiere, there was a premiere on the island.
In fact, in the museum's exhibit we have a couple
of the old posters. It was to benefit the Martha's
(35:19):
Vineyard Hospital. We had a lot of our local celebrities
turn out for it. James Taylor and Carly Simon showed up,
and we have pictures in our exhibits from that.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
But yeah, our book, our book Weld I assume must
have been there as well.
Speaker 6 (35:35):
I'm assuming so, I you know, I haven't seen my picture.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
You know. I mean he was always around, that's for sure.
So the point that, and again I thank you for
the correction. So the movie, this was the This was
the fiftieth anniversary of the movie. Yes, and it was
obviously shot a year a year in advance.
Speaker 5 (35:55):
Yeah, yeah, I get that.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
Over the years is this is this is one of
those movies that everyone has seen. I mean, yes, I
don't care who you are, everyone has seen it. Some
of the great lines. We're going to need a bigger boat,
all of that that we've watched over the years for
a long time, there was there were remnants of the
boat that was used. It was left on the other
(36:21):
end of the island. If it wasn't in Aquinna, I'm
blaming there Is that still there? Or has nature had
its way?
Speaker 6 (36:34):
If you know from what I've heard, nature has had
its way, and that you know, if you go to
some of the site you may be able to find
some sort of remnant. I don't know, but I think
nature has had its way.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
Yeah, No, I mean it's it's since it is the
fiftieth anniversary this year, are any of the actors or
actresses making return visits? Tell us about just the summer.
Is this going to be noted here in June and
then the town's going to the island's going to move on?
(37:08):
Or are there some visit visits planned? Tell us flush
it out for us.
Speaker 6 (37:15):
Yeah, well, there certainly are going to be activities going
on all summer long, especially at the museum. Our exhibit
is running through September seventh, and so we are expecting
a steaighty steady steam stream. There's also the Shark is
Broken is going to be coming and playing on the
island in July. I have my tickets already for that.
(37:37):
I'm excited about that. Our fourth of July parade is
certainly going to have lots of voz steamed things in
it as well, But certainly the big weekend is going
to be the weekend of July twentieth, and so at
the museum we have what we're calling from June nineteenth
to the twenty third Amity home Coming weekend, and so
(38:04):
we've really designed a weekend so that we could bring
together the international Jaws community that's coming to the island
with the local islanders and really have a homecoming of sorts.
So we do have a number of speakers lined up.
(38:24):
You were asking about actors. Jeffrey Kramer is coming to
the island. He played Deputy Hendricks. He'll be doing a
talk at the museum. Joe Alves, who was of course
the production designer behind it, he's coming. He'll be doing
a talk as well as many appearances throughout the island
that weekend. We have a lot of other relatives and
(38:50):
descendants from some of the actors, So you.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Have a nephew of Robert Quinn, one of the great actors,
also Wendy Benchley. Yeah, is there a relation there, I
assume to. So.
Speaker 6 (39:05):
Wendy Benchley is the wife of Peter Benchley, who you know.
Peter since passed on, But Wendy was also at our
opening exhibition event. She always has a great draw and
you know her her big focus. After Peter wrote the
book and the movie came out, they were very distressed
how shark's really shark hunting increased after that, and so
(39:31):
they went on a big mission for shark conservation and
that's also a focus in our exhibition. But Wendy will
be doing a talk about shark conservation.
Speaker 2 (39:41):
Well, this is great, always so great to talk with you, Kathley. Kathy,
and I wish you a wonderful summer on the island.
I don't know if we're going to get over there
this year, but we spent many summers over there, way
out on Aquinna Okay, my favorite part of the island.
Speaker 6 (39:57):
Kathy, Yeah, come come visit us and look me up
the them.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
I will the managing director of the Marthur's Vineyard Museum.
Requisite required stop. I think for anyone who gets off
the boat at Vineyard Haven, walk to the amp and
take a left, and I think you'll be pretty close
to where you want to be. Thanks so much, Wendy,
thank you, thank you, thank you like to be Kathy.
I'm sorry you I was thinking of Wendy Benchley. Thanks
(40:24):
very much. Coming we'll talk saying okay, thanks. Here comes
to nine o'clock News, and when we get back, we're
going to go to the talk portion of our program
beginning at nine o'clock. And there's a couple a couple
of things I like to talk about. Certainly gonna want
to talk about the Trump Musk divorce that I think
is it's not final yet, but I think it's it's
(40:46):
almost final.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
And then I also want to talk about the indictment
that came down today against the Maryland man who now
has been returned to the United States, not probably under
the circumstances that he or as lawyers had envisioned. My name,
this is My name is Dan Ray. This is Nightside.
Be right back right after the nine o'clock news.
It's nice eyes, Dan Ray, i'mdelling you mazy Boston's News
Radio Madison.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
That's not a skirt that I wanted to hear. Oh
my goodness. Things not going well in the Big Apple tonight.
P Hey, it's early. It's only the second inning. Rather
be down five zip in the second inning than five
zip in the bottom of the top of the ninth
in this case. Anyway, good inning, everyone, and welcome. Name.
My name is Dan Ray, host of Nightside. We have
both Sean and Rob back in the control room tonight,
(00:29):
so we have double duty. We have double coverage. We're
in great shape from a production point of view. I
have all the confidence in the world in both of
those gentlemen. You should as well. During the first hour
they'll be able to just relax a little bit. We
don't get to phone calls until the second hour. During
the nine o'clock hour, we're going to talk about the
now I think pretty clear, the divorce between Donald Trump
(00:52):
and Elon Musk. Will get to that. We also may
talk about the indictment that came down late today of
that Maryland man man who was sent to El Salvador
apparently in error. Subsequently, he's now been indicted in charge
with illegal smuggling and a conspiracy account as well out
(01:14):
of the federal US Attorney's office in Tennessee. We'll get
to all of that, and then later on time we're
going to talk with an author, Jeff Convits. He wrote
the book The Sentinel, which was a big New York
Times bestseller, and he has another book coming out later
on this month called The Circus of Satan, Murder, Revenge,
(01:38):
and the Rise of Organized Crime, talking about various organized
crime elements. He's a lawyer, he's very successful criminal defense
lawyer and an author, and so we'll talk with him
in ten and then we will have our twentieth hour
of the week. And I'm not exactly sure we're going
to do. I have a sense, but I don't want
to commit to anything quite yet. However, I do want
(01:58):
to commit to four really interesting guests. We're going to
start off with Sean DeRosa, who's the director of Pool
and Waterfront Safety for the Massachusets Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Sean DeRosa, Welcome to Night Side. How are you, sir.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
I'm doing great, Dan, thanks for having me tonight.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Well, we are moving into that season of the year
when people want to get to the beach and they
want to get to pools, and the DCR has some
obligation to make sure that the beaches and the pools
are as safe as possible for people who come here
either as tourists or are Massachusetts residents. Tell us what
(02:38):
the scope of the DCR is in the first place,
just to refresh everyone's recollection, and then we'll talk about
the reasonable precautions that people have to take when they
decide to spend the day, a day this summer, or
many days this summer near the water.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Well, we sure hope it's a warm and sunny summer
for us, all right. NASSDCR is our state park system
in Massachusetts, So we operate in the swimming world, which
of course is what everyone looks forward to doing the summer.
We operate eighty different swimming beaches, forty nine of which
are not lifeguarded, thirty one of which are, as well
(03:17):
as twenty four swimming pools, and then two waiting pools
for everyone free of charge. So it's an exciting opportunity
for people to come out, enjoy the sun, enjoy the beach,
and also cool down from the summer heat.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah, so what are the problems Again, I'm sure that
over time you've seen people who come either unprepared or
take risks that are inappropriate. Let's just hit some of
the the dues. Are the don'ts, with probably an emphasis
on the don'ts for sure.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Well, let's start with the dude, do have fun, but
we want you to do it safely. That brings us
to some of the the don'ts that we're talking about.
But one of the most important things people can do
is to choose to swim where a lifeguard is present.
That is probably the most safe option that we have.
(04:14):
That said, it's important that parents also watch their children,
even though lifeguards may be watching over them. No one
can watch a child as closely as their own parent.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
No question about that, and it's a parent's primary responsibility.
And obviously, if a child gets in trouble, the parent
has to maybe make sure they don't get in trouble.
But if they do get in trouble, at that point,
probably the professionals of the people who want to get involved.
You don't want to have a situation where not only
(04:44):
is the child in trouble, but the parent is in
trouble as well.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Absolutely, and that's one of the reasons why we do
encourage people to swim where lifeguards are present. They're trained
in water safety measures, and let's face it, on a
stormy day, rip current are prevalent on some beaches and
those can be deadly. Our lifeguards risk their lives every
time they jump in the water, and we'd rather have
trained professionals trying to make the rescue and save life
(05:11):
rather than complicating it with additional victims. And that's also
why it's important that we find enough lifeguards to staff
these beaches, because this is an important public safety resource
and position.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Yeah, well you anticipated my next question. Obviously, we're now
in June. We're wrapping up the first full week of June.
How are you doing in terms of staffing, because obviously
there are some locations you won't be able to open
unless you have an adequate number of lifeguards. Do you
need more lifeguards? We do?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
You know, we're doing fairly well this year. We've already
hired over four hundred lifeguards and we have an additional
two hundred and thirty schedule to start in the next
two weeks. But we're still looking for about thirty more
positions in the Greater Boston area that includes Chelsea, Cambridge
all the way up to Lawrence even and for those
positions we are hoping to find people who can swim.
(06:04):
We offer the training classes for free. If someone wants
to become a lifeguard and wants to work for DCR,
will cover that training expense that's usually about three hundred
and fifty or four hundred dollars, and we can offer
a job that helps people regardless of what career they
go in down the road. They'll learn skills while lifeguarding
(06:26):
that I say transcend occupational boundaries.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
So is it realistic to think that someone who is
not a swimmer can learn to swim that quickly with
a few lessons, to the point that they actually then
could be a lifeguard or do you have to have,
really before you apply for this job at least some
rudimentary experience as a swimmer.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
That's a great question. So we do have entry requirements
for the lifeguarding course. They're not as strict as they
used to be years ago, but we do need a
certain level of swimming profficiency. We do if you're interested
in working with the DCR, we have a lot of
information online at mass dot gov slash lifeguards that will
explain the specific swimming requirements. Usually lifeguards have to swim
(07:14):
about three hundred yards with a variety of strokes in
order to get into the course.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Well, that's if you can swim three hundred yards with
a variety of strokes, you're pretty accomplished and experienced swimmer.
That's that is great to know. As someone who might
bring you know, children, well with not children now grandchildren
into a DCR location, You're going to know that the
people who are wearing that uniform are sitting out there
(07:42):
on that that that chair that gives them a good
view of the facility, the beach or the pool. Uh,
they're going to be very qualified. That's that's great to hear.
Any other last we got about a minute left. Any
other last minute advice for people? Can they call an
is there a number that they can call if they
(08:02):
are a website they can go if they want to
apply if they feel they have that qualification Number one
and number two? Is there a way or a website
where on a stormy day parents can find out whether
or not these facilities are open or not and not
make an assumption and drive twenty or twenty five miles
and be disappointed. Is there a great website that people
(08:26):
can access not only for employment but also for information.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
All of our employment information and our park alerts are
posted at mass doc of SLASH Lifeguards or at the
masstoc of DCR website. It can easily google DCR Park
alerts and you'll find alerts for pools, beaches and the
rest of our parks.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Really appreciate it, Sean, A lot of information in a
short period of time. Let us hope everyone has a
safe and successful summer and that every day is perfect
weather wise. Thanks Sean. I appreciate it very much.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Dan. All Right, we'll talk again when we get back.
We're going to talk about a bug that sounds great.
It's called but do you hear this? A spotted a
lantern fly. But it's a nasty little devil wreaking havoc
in parts of Massachusetts. We will talk with a UMass
entomologist on the other side of this quick break on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Now, if I were to say to you, oh, come
out in my backyard, I have a lovely spotted lanten
fly that you might like to look at you probably say, oh,
that must be a beautiful a flying insect. Well, it
might be beautiful, but I don't think you like it.
(09:56):
With us is Tawny Simiski. She's with the she's a
u AS extension entomologists at the University of Massachusetts and Amherst,
and she has an expertise on the spotted lanternfly. And
there's probably little about this infestation that has been confirmed
in North Andover that anyone in North End wants to
hear about. Hi, Tawny, how are you good?
Speaker 4 (10:19):
Dan? How are you? Thanks so much for having me right.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
I had never heard of the spotted lantern fly up
until now, and I hope I never meet one tell
us about this beautiful invasive insect.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
If you will, you are certainly right, they are beautiful
if you're like me, an entomologist or entomology minded and
think insects are beautiful. But the unfortunate side of the
spotted lantern fly is that it's non native. It's an
invasive insect that was introduced accidentally into the United States,
(10:54):
and it is an agricultural pest as well as a
significant nuisance.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Who accidentally introduced this.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
To a landscape Well, so they first came into the
United States in Berks County, Pennsylvania in twenty fourteen, and
it is suspected that perhaps they were associated with a
specialty stone business, at least that is what the USDA
(11:24):
had reported at the time. And why that makes sense
to me is that spotted lanternfly lays their egg masses
on virtually any flat surface, so that could include things
like stone, firewood, outdoor furniture. That's how this insect can
move around.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Okay, so let me ask you where is their home?
Where are they endemic?
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Due they are native originally to China, India, and Vietnam,
but they've accidentally been introduced into South Korea as well
as the United States.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Yikes, Okay, so how much of an interest do we
have to worry about twenty fourteen they were a part
in the punt here they were spotted in Pennsylvania. Where
else have they migrated to in the last eleven years
in the US?
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Well, for US, in Massachusetts, they first were detected in
the city of Fitchburg and Worcester County in twenty twenty one,
and as you mentioned, north andover this year they've been
spreading throughout Massachusetts they've spread outside of Pennsylvania. They're known
in New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia, and
(12:42):
other areas in the US, and we're really just trying
to keep an eye out for them.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
So I guess if you drew a big circle about
four high five hundred miles around Pennsylvania, I suspect that
unless there's something about I don't know, Michigan or Ohio
or Canada, they're probably in those places too.
Speaker 4 (13:00):
I would suspect they are in Michigan and Ohio as well. Yes,
and the insects spreads with people.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Yeah, just a lucky guess. So what's the problem here,
As I understand that part of the problem is the
residue we're using a nice word here, that they deposit
wherever they are, and it's pretty unpleasant.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
So that residue is honeydew. That's the sugary liquid waste
or extrement that they secrete. They use piercing sucking mouthparts
to remove fluids from their host plants, of which there
are over one hundred different species of trees and shrubs
and other plants, including agricultural crops like grape, that they
(13:48):
will feed on. Their favored host is tree of Heaven.
That's an invasive tree that was purposely introduced into urban
areas in the US and has a long history here.
But we're really worried about the grape crops and vineyards
as far as agriculture is concerned. And as you mentioned
that honeydew that they create. When there are lots of
(14:10):
these insects creating that in your landscaped areas like yards
and parks, they can become a nuisance because that coats
plants and other objects and also calls in wasps and
yellow jackets and beads to feed on it.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Oh great, great, So this is sort of similar to
what it well, again, it's not identical, but kind of
similar to what Canadian gieshu known for. They may be
cute and the little goslings are cute, but it's what
they leave behind was really bothers a lot, a lot
of people. So I kind of think that that's the
(14:45):
analogy we're trying to create here and using big, big,
big words and people people get what we're talking about.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
I assume right, certainly their excrement in their waist is
really amus.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
Yeah, we're doing.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
We're doing fine. We're doing fine. Okay, So, so what's
the chance. By the way, what is a tree of heaven?
I that that sounds pretty suspicious to me. You said
they were the tree of Heaven's or the trees of Heaven.
I think about oaks and elms and things like that,
beach trees, birch trees. I've never heard of a tree
of heaven. Where did where did they come from?
Speaker 4 (15:23):
So tree of heaven, it's Atlantis altissima is the scientific name.
They're a rapidly growing tree that's native to China, and they.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Into Chinese always has a role in this stuff, don't they.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Certainly we do have some equal climate matching to places
like that.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
Yeah yeah, yeah, wow wow. Okay, So, so those trees
came here, no suggestion that they came here with the
with some knowledge of the arrival of the spot at
lant It just so happened that the trees came from
and these spotted lantern flies, which were accidentally transported to
here enjoy the trees of heaven.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Certainly, yes, yeah, the two did not occur at the
same time. Tree of Heaven was brought, probably in the
late seventeen hundreds into the United States.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Okay, that's far and if the trees of Heaven were
brought brought here like three to five years before, I'd
get my conspiracy sensitivities acting. Yeah, So how do we
get rid of these folks? We're not looking to be abusive,
but is there anything that can be done or at
this point are they now you know native to Massachusetts,
(16:43):
Pennsylvania and all the other states you mentioned.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Well, for us in Massachusetts, it's really important that folks,
if you see spotted lantern fly or any of its
life stages, to take a photo and report it to
our mass Department of Agricultural Resources. You can also reach
out to you MASS Extension and we can assist you
as well. If you do have a known infestation on
(17:07):
your property or on a property that you manage and
it's been identified and confirmed, there are management options out there.
We suggest integrated pest management, so that we are taking
steps that help reduce the insect population but while conserving
human health and the health of the environment. And U
(17:29):
MASS Extension can be there to answer those questions for you.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Okay, now, I think that's really important. I know I've
kind of kitted with you a little bit because although
this is a serious story. It's something that you know,
we will all survive the spot at lantern flies, I hope,
absolutely so. And again with folks like yourself who are
monitoring this, which we appreciate very much. Appreciate not only
you joining me tonight, but also just you know, making
(17:56):
this information available because when people see that they should
they could find a picture of a spotted lantern fly,
I assume on your website as well.
Speaker 4 (18:08):
Absolutely so. I'm with U Mass Extensions Landscape Nursery and
Urban Forestry Program. So if you come to our website,
we have information about the spotted lantern fly as well
as many other insect pests of trees and shrubs, both
native and introduced. And we've got photos of the eggs,
the nymphs and the adults, and information as to where
(18:30):
to report spotted lanternfly and your different types of management options.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Okay, and again just give us that website one more time.
Hopefully it's nice and simple for people to remember or
write down.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Okay, So we are at www dot UMass dot edu.
It's not quite so simple. Backslash agriculture dash food, dash
environment backslash landscape. So it's the U Mass Extensions Landscape
Nursery and Urban Forestry program.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
If you google that, easy for you to say, Okay, thanks, yeah,
hopefully they can find that. Tawny, thank you very much.
I'm sure if they just google lantern Fly as well,
there'll be that will probably work allow them to get
to that website.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Thank you so started lantern Fly and you mass Extension. Yes,
thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Tan. You're very welcome. Tawny Siminski. Simiski who's an entomologist,
which means she's a bug expert at UMass Amherst. Thanks again, Tawni,
talk soon.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
Thank you, have a good night.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
You're welcome. Thank you you as well. Have a great weekend.
We have now the news coming at us at the
bottom of the hour, and after that we talked about
swimming early, we're going to talk about the boating season
and then we're going to talk about Martha's Venues celebrating
the fiftieth anniversary of the movie Jaws, which is literally,
I think was being shot on Martha's vinyard fifty years
(19:54):
ago this week. So we got a couple of really
interesting fun guests coming up before we get to our
portion of our broadcast. After the nine o'clock News. By
the way, remember you want to pull down if you
haven't done it already, the iHeart the new and improved
iHeart app. All you have to do is go to
(20:14):
the app store, your Google App Store, wherever you get
your apps, get that iHeart app. It's new and improved,
pull it down, put it on whichever your phone you can,
put it on your tablet, and you'll always be very
in touch with w BZ. Make us your first preset,
and it will always be just a finger tip away
(20:34):
wherever you are in this big, wide, beautiful world. We'll
back on Nightside right after the news a minute or
two late. Apologize on that. We'll be back right after
the news.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
You're on night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Boston's
news Radio.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Thank you very much, Madison. Let us now introduce you
to David Condon. David is the director of Natural Resources
for the Town of Yarmouth, and we're going to talk
about the boating season. Of course, the boating season is
well underway, particularly after the last couple of days of
high heat, humidity and humidity that we have had. But
(21:11):
there's a change coming not this year but next year,
requiring people who are operating motorized boats to obtain in
advanced certification before they can get behind the wheel in
a motorized boat. Dave Condon, Welcome to Nightside.
Speaker 5 (21:27):
How are you, sir, Yes, sir, good evening. Thank you
for having me on. I really appreciate the call.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Well, hopefully as we'll get people some information that they
can use and get ready ready for the next boating season. Again,
I want to emphasize that these new regulations which have
been signed into law do not apply this summer, but
they will apply in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 5 (21:49):
Correct, That's correct. So anybody who was born after January
first of nineteen eighty nine must have the course completed
by April first of twenty twenty six. Now the rest
of us born before eighty nine don't have to have
the certificate completed until April first of twenty twenty eight.
(22:09):
So a couple of different dates to keep in mind.
And the state even built in a little bit of
a grace period so there won't be any citations there
anything written for the first you know, a little bit
of time after the rollout. But either way, those are
the two dates that people need to keep in mind.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
All right, So let's talk about currently there are no regulations,
so it doesn't matter. There must be like a driver's license,
you can operate a boat, a motorized vessel, I assume
under a certain age. Or is there no such limitation
of that either.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
Well, there's a couple of things on the books now,
so anybody who has the driver's licenses is obviously covered,
good to go for operating a boat. But here in
that age from twelve to sixteen, there's currently a voting
safety class and take allowing you to operate a motorized
boat again at the age of twelve. The personal watercraft,
(23:06):
the jets, those are a little bit different and you have
to be you have to have the class. If you're seventeen,
I'm sorry, sixteen or seventeen, you have to have the
class for that as well. Currently. But again, that's going
to roll out to everybody here shortly.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Okay, So I don't want to over confuse the situation,
So let's come let's roll back to where we were.
What was the need, what prompted the need for this legislation.
I assumed that people have been operating motorized boats for
a long time, perhaps even decades, without having had some
sort of certification. Were there a couple of incidents or
(23:40):
an incident that perhaps prompted this legislation.
Speaker 5 (23:43):
All right, well, there's certainly been plenty of incidents over
the years. But the one that was kind of the
crux of this whole thing that the act is called
the Hanson Malone Act of twenty twenty four, and that
was named for David Hanson, who was killed tragically in
a voting accident back in twenty ten, and also named
for the late Harvartmaster from Waymouth, Paul Malone, who was
(24:04):
truly a champion for voting safety his entire career. You know,
I knew Paul personally, and there wasn't a time he
went to a meeting or an association event or something
or other and he didn't talk about voting safety. And
we should be pestering our legislative legislators, and we need
to get out there and talk to the public. And
he was truly a champion for voting safety. So the
(24:26):
bill was named for those two. And you know, to
be quite honest, I think it's kind of crazy it
took as long as it did for Massachusetts to have
some formal requirement for boat safety training. I mean, if
you think about it, you can go just if you
have the money, you can go in and buy a
boat that might go sixty miles an hour and go
out and operate. It was zero training. I mean, you
(24:46):
couldn't do that with a car, so it seems crazy
that for decades we were able to do that with
a boat. So it's a long time coming. Matthias was
one of the states that it was kind of late
to the party, and I'm glad we're finally there.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Yeah, so you anticipate my question, we are behind the curve.
Why would that be? Who are the states that were
leading the charge? Obviously we're not a around the year
voting state like Florida, which states were at the head
of this parade.
Speaker 5 (25:14):
As we tell we even New Hampshire has required a
voting safety class for years right next door and they're voting.
You know, season is potentially even shorter than ours. So,
you know, I think it was a long time in
the works. I think maybe, you know, Massachusetts wouldn't have
been behind the curve. You know, it was not out
of lack of effort. I mean, the Harvard master community,
(25:36):
the police community, environmental police. So a starred has been
pushing this for a long time. So it's not like
this was an idea that was born yesterday. It's been
a long time coming and just sort of you know,
as things take shape and it takes time for it
to come to fruition. And you know, we are a
little bit behind the curve, but not for lack of trying.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Yeah. And also I must say that sometimes things up
at the State House, even good proposals like this one
and what I call them no brainers, they moved the
pace of molasses up with our year round legislature. I
becon ill.
Speaker 5 (26:14):
You know, that's just the nature of the beast. I
think everybody understands that. And you know, like you said,
even like this one it's a no brainer. It had
a bunch of revisions, and it had you know, like
any other bill would, and a lot of input from
different parties, and you know, I think it might not
be perfect, but it's certainly you know, step in the
right direction.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
So for people who now want to get ahead of
the curb, where do they have to go to get
their certification in advance of next voting season twenty twenty six.
Speaker 5 (26:43):
Well, so those of us that already took this Voting
Safety course. Like again, I remember I took it when
I was twelve, all those years ago, so even that
would have me covered even though it was decades ago.
So anybody who's already taken the class, they'll be covered
already if they can produce their certificate or try and
get a copy in the state. And then as far
as anybody who wants to doing a role in the
(27:04):
course now, I think that the best place to start
is the state Environmental Police website and they offer their
own class and they also have links to all the
approved courses that are taught by third parties as well,
so you can either take the course in person with
the Environmental Police or another authorized vendor, or you can
even do it online. So if it's something you want
(27:26):
to just get done and have the certificate, you can
just go online, spend a couple hours doing the course
and print out the certificate.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
And is there a cost associated with this?
Speaker 5 (27:35):
There is. I don't know the cost for the third
party vendors that you know you might do online, but
the Environmental Police course is very reasonable. I think it's
you know, just a few dollars just to cover the
cost of printing the certificate. There's other organizations like the
count of Yarmouth where I work. We plan on offering
the course for free to anybody who wants to take it.
(27:56):
And you know, we would just charge for the actual
printing and the certificate, not for the actual course. So
there's a lot of organizations. The Harbourmaster Associations are you know,
full force behind this. And you know, even as a
member of the association, we're talking about rolling out the
course ourselves. Just whatever we can do to get more
people to take it from and make it as easy
as possible.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Okay, well, Dave, let me ask you this my last
question you had the director of Natural Resources for the
Town of Yarmouth. What general advice you're around the water.
Obviously Yarmouth is on the cave twelve months out of
the year. You know, the beauty of the water and
also the danger of the water. What advice would you
give to anyone who's going to even this year without
(28:38):
the requirement of the certificate or certification. What advice would
you give people if they're going to get out and
in some way utilize.
Speaker 5 (28:45):
A boat whether Yeah, there's a couple of things that
are very simple. Tell somebody where you're going, file a
float plan, tell tell somebody who's not with you, where
you're going, how long you're going to be gone, wear
a life jacket, don't drink it or do any drugs,
and operate the boat and you know those are the
(29:06):
big ones. And then know your limits, you know, learn
the boat that you're operating. Don't have that first time
you use the boat the July fourth weekend, you know,
take it out ahead of time. You know, get somebody
to give you a hand and show you the ropes,
and you know, just getting a little more sea time
before you're taking out your family and racing around on
a beautiful weekend.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
Sounds great. Dave. I appreciate your time. I think you've
been part of a lot of important information across New
England and for that matter of points beyond. I appreciate
as always talking with you. Thanks again, we'll see that
in Yarmouth.
Speaker 5 (29:39):
All right, thank you for the call.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Dave gone to the director of Natural Resources for the
town of Yarmouth. We get back, We're going to take
you out to Martha's vineyard and talk with Kathy Mayown.
I hope I'm pronouncing her last name correctly. We'll find
out she's the managing director of the Martha's Vineyard Museum.
And it is the fiftieth anniversary year of the movie Jaws,
So we're going to get also some information on that.
(30:01):
And also if you want to take a ride over
to Martha's Viney and and sort of enjoy the ambience
of the fiftieth anniversary of Jaws, will get you that
information as well. Coming right back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
It's Nightside with Dan Ray on Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
All right, welcome back everyone. I'd like to introduce all
of you to Kathy Mayown. She's the managing director of
the Martha's Vineyard Museum, celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the
movie Jaws, one of the most iconic films in really
movie history. Kathy Mayow and welcome to Nightside. How are
you hi? Dan?
Speaker 6 (30:44):
Thank you for having me on.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
You do you get to live on that beautiful island
off the southeast coast of Massachusetts.
Speaker 6 (30:52):
I do it. It is a wonderful place to live.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
All right. So, and you're the you're the managing director
of Martha's v Museum. Before we talk about Jaws, let's
talk about the Martha's Vineyard museum, which community is it
located in, and what sort of wonders does it have
Because a lot of my listeners will be spending some time,
maybe not the entire summer, unless they're really lucky, sometime
(31:17):
over in Marth's Vineyard. I assume that the Martha's Vineyard
Museum should be a trip, should be a stop on
most people's visit to the Vineyard.
Speaker 6 (31:28):
Yes, absolutely, it's a great place to ground yourself in
the island's history and in the islands culture. We are
a history and a culture museum. We are based in
Vineyard Haven. It's a ten minute walk from the vineyard
Haven Ferry, so if you don't bring a car, you
can just get off the ferry and walk over to us.
We are based in the Marine hospe the old Marine Hospital,
(31:53):
which was built in the late eighteen hundreds and so
it's a beautiful old historic building. After it was the
marine hospital, it was a summer camp for kids, and
then the museum purchased it and really renovated it and
preserved it, and we moved into it in twenty nineteen
(32:18):
and have been in it ever since. We also still
have our old property down in Edgartown. The cook House property.
But this really is our main campus and there are
exhibits that we have all the time. Our wonderful Frenelle Lens,
which is an old lighthouse lens that came out of
(32:38):
the Aquinna Lighthouse. The stories behind that lens, how we
had to how the Aquinna Lighthouse had to be moved
at one point in time because the cliffs were eroding.
We have stories about the local island history, the people
of the islands, shipwrecks. Have a great room for kids
(33:01):
as well called hands on History, and we have a
wonderful cafe and a wonderful view as well.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Yeah, I have been in the I have been in
the Aquinna Lighthouse on several occasions, walking up to the
top and it's a that's a sight to see in
of itself. So how excited are all you vineyards about
the return of Jaws Mania. I suspect that there's probably
a bit of a split amongst people who are on
(33:28):
the island. Uh, there's a There's there's an aspect of
people over there who I think like to be associated
with the movie, and there's there's another group who aren't
particularly happy about that. Or have I read the island wrong?
Speaker 6 (33:41):
You know, I think most people are coming around. I
think in general you're right, But I keep get hearing
more and more excitement.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
You know.
Speaker 6 (33:49):
It's so funny because I would talk to Jaws fans
and they would know every single event that we're having
on the island, and then I would talk to my
local island and they wouldn't know of any of them.
But slowly people are starting to hear of all of
the different events that we're going to have on the island.
(34:10):
Of course, we've had a lot of news and press
about our exhibition, our Jaws at fifty A Deeper Dive
at the museum. We just opened the exhibit Memorial Day weekend.
I've had a lot of local press and now a
lot of local Islanders coming in to see it. So
people are now, I think, getting excited, and they're starting
(34:32):
to hear just more and more. How the world is
excited about this celebration.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
Well, I'll tell you it's certainly an interesting time. So
fifty years ago this week they were beginning to shoot
the movie. As I understand, the coincidence of fifty years
this week is not the opening of the movie. And
if I'm wrong, please feel free to tell me.
Speaker 6 (34:57):
Well, yeah, so yeah, So the opening of the movie
was on June twentieth, nineteen seventy five. Gotcha, they were
shooting the movie a year before. But the actual premiere
and the premiere, there was a premiere on the island.
In fact, in the museum's exhibit we have a couple
of the old posters. It was to benefit the Martha's
(35:19):
Vineyard Hospital. We had a lot of our local celebrities
turn out for it. James Taylor and Carly Simon showed up,
and we have pictures in our exhibits from that.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
But yeah, our book, our book Weld I assume must
have been there as well.
Speaker 6 (35:35):
I'm assuming so, I you know, I haven't seen my picture.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
You know. I mean he was always around, that's for sure.
So the point that, and again I thank you for
the correction. So the movie, this was the This was
the fiftieth anniversary of the movie. Yes, and it was
obviously shot a year a year in advance.
Speaker 5 (35:55):
Yeah, yeah, I get that.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
Over the years is this is this is one of
those movies that everyone has seen. I mean, yes, I
don't care who you are, everyone has seen it. Some
of the great lines. We're going to need a bigger boat,
all of that that we've watched over the years for
a long time, there was there were remnants of the
boat that was used. It was left on the other
(36:21):
end of the island. If it wasn't in Aquinna, I'm
blaming there Is that still there? Or has nature had
its way?
Speaker 6 (36:34):
If you know from what I've heard, nature has had
its way, and that you know, if you go to
some of the site you may be able to find
some sort of remnant. I don't know, but I think
nature has had its way.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
Yeah, No, I mean it's it's since it is the
fiftieth anniversary this year, are any of the actors or
actresses making return visits? Tell us about just the summer.
Is this going to be noted here in June and
then the town's going to the island's going to move on?
(37:08):
Or are there some visit visits planned? Tell us flush
it out for us.
Speaker 6 (37:15):
Yeah, well, there certainly are going to be activities going
on all summer long, especially at the museum. Our exhibit
is running through September seventh, and so we are expecting
a steaighty steady steam stream. There's also the Shark is
Broken is going to be coming and playing on the
island in July. I have my tickets already for that.
(37:37):
I'm excited about that. Our fourth of July parade is
certainly going to have lots of voz steamed things in
it as well, But certainly the big weekend is going
to be the weekend of July twentieth, and so at
the museum we have what we're calling from June nineteenth
to the twenty third Amity home Coming weekend, and so
(38:04):
we've really designed a weekend so that we could bring
together the international Jaws community that's coming to the island
with the local islanders and really have a homecoming of sorts.
So we do have a number of speakers lined up.
(38:24):
You were asking about actors. Jeffrey Kramer is coming to
the island. He played Deputy Hendricks. He'll be doing a
talk at the museum. Joe Alves, who was of course
the production designer behind it, he's coming. He'll be doing
a talk as well as many appearances throughout the island
that weekend. We have a lot of other relatives and
(38:50):
descendants from some of the actors, So you.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Have a nephew of Robert Quinn, one of the great actors,
also Wendy Benchley. Yeah, is there a relation there, I
assume to. So.
Speaker 6 (39:05):
Wendy Benchley is the wife of Peter Benchley, who you know.
Peter since passed on, But Wendy was also at our
opening exhibition event. She always has a great draw and
you know her her big focus. After Peter wrote the
book and the movie came out, they were very distressed
how shark's really shark hunting increased after that, and so
(39:31):
they went on a big mission for shark conservation and
that's also a focus in our exhibition. But Wendy will
be doing a talk about shark conservation.
Speaker 2 (39:41):
Well, this is great, always so great to talk with you, Kathley. Kathy,
and I wish you a wonderful summer on the island.
I don't know if we're going to get over there
this year, but we spent many summers over there, way
out on Aquinna Okay, my favorite part of the island.
Speaker 6 (39:57):
Kathy, Yeah, come come visit us and look me up
the them.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
I will the managing director of the Marthur's Vineyard Museum.
Requisite required stop. I think for anyone who gets off
the boat at Vineyard Haven, walk to the amp and
take a left, and I think you'll be pretty close
to where you want to be. Thanks so much, Wendy,
thank you, thank you, thank you like to be Kathy.
I'm sorry you I was thinking of Wendy Benchley. Thanks
(40:24):
very much. Coming we'll talk saying okay, thanks. Here comes
to nine o'clock News, and when we get back, we're
going to go to the talk portion of our program
beginning at nine o'clock. And there's a couple a couple
of things I like to talk about. Certainly gonna want
to talk about the Trump Musk divorce that I think
is it's not final yet, but I think it's it's
(40:46):
almost final.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
And then I also want to talk about the indictment
that came down today against the Maryland man who now
has been returned to the United States, not probably under
the circumstances that he or as lawyers had envisioned. My name,
this is My name is Dan Ray. This is Nightside.
Be right back right after the nine o'clock news.
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