CANDLEWICK LAKE RESIDENTS

 Come out and say thank you to the first responders who take care of us daily with a fun filled afternoon of fishing, swimming, games and family fun!!

First responder’s appreciation picnic

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Noon-4:00 pm

Food will be available for purchase

Come out and say thank you to the first responders who take care of us daily with a fun filled afternoon of fishing, swimming, games and family fun!!

First responder’s appreciation picnic

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Noon-4:00 pm

Food will be available for purchase

Your Sunday contemplation.. so true!

All set to go!

After some diagnostic work and repair our skimmer will be set to be picked up early next week. It took a little time due to the conveyor belts being on back order. We are getting a check list indicating how often each segment is to be inspected and adjusted to hopefully avoid future problems.
  I doubt it will get much use for the rest of the year with the cooling weather and shortening days. Weeds and algae will be diminishing on their own. That being said, we will be ready for next year and if a bloom hits we should be on top of it early.
 The machine is capable of running in pretty shallow water but one thing we need to keep in mind. With our shoreline stabilized with large rip-rap we can not take the chance of going in too close and hitting the rocks with a moving conveyor belt, not to say the guys have done this in the past. Remember the old saying about an irresistible force meeting an immovable object? The conveyor will give before the rip-rap so don't expect the shorelines to be completely devoid of algae. It will look good, but not perfect.
Ken

You can't keep a good man down!

 I was surprised and saddened today to hear Karl Steiskal Sr. is in the hospital with an infection in his hip. Karl has had a lot of joint problems for some time but he has never let it stop him. He is a very active volunteer here as well as a past board member. Last year Karl was chosen one of the two volunteers of the year.Anyone who has sampled his cooking can attest he is also one of the best chefs around. An all around good guy.
 I, and I am sure all of you, wish him a quick and complete recovery. Ellen, if you read this tell Karl he is in my and Fran's prayers.
Ken

Capron Rescue Squad number 3

 I went to check out the building today to see how they are progressing. The appliances are in the garage waiting for installation. They were tiling the bathroom today. There is still a way to go but they are working on it.

Playing with numbers

While watching the stock market this week I once again was frustrated by the way they play with percentages, making things sound better than they really are. I probably have posted this sort of thing before since it is one of my biggest peeves.
One of the commentators was saying not to panic due to the market drop because the market is up 61% over the time frame she specified and it is down only XX % on the day Monday.
Let's think about this a little. It is comparing apples to oranges. A 33% increase in the market only takes a 25% decline to wipe out since one number is higher than the other. Let me give an example...
Take a $1,000.00 investment and lets say it goes up by 33%, making the investment now worth $1,330.00. Your gain is $330.00. The new base is $1,330.00 so it only takes a 25% decline in the market to wipe out the 33% gain. $1,330.00 times 25% is $332.50, almost the same as the gain.
If they are going to report honestly they should use actual dollar gain and loss, not misleading percentages. I worked in retail for many years using a lot of percentages and believe me you soon see how misleading this can be.
Ken

One sign of a good man

As Darrell's abilities began to wane he was still able to drive until about a year or so ago. Many of those with his disease cause problems when they are told not to drive. Not Darrell.
 He would take us for rides in the country once or twice per week and he did all right but I could tell he was not as able to react as quickly. 
 One nice day he and I were going to go for one of our rides and he headed around the lake for the west gate. He came to the stop at Constitution, hesitated, then went on around the lake back to his home. He never asked to drive again. He knew. He wanted one last trip around the lake he loves before handing off the keys. It was heartbreaking. This is a terrible disease.

This is my son Darrell's disease

If he acts strangely when you see him this is the reason. It is a disease that changes a person from their normal behavior so please remember there is a reason for his actions. He is still a good man. The people of Candlewick have been a Godsend in their reaction. May God bless you for your understanding.
Ken

Candlewick Lake Public Safety

WEEKLY REPORT

Week Ending 8-24-2015

Rescue Calls

Public Safety responded to three (3) medical calls this past week. All three (3) of our residents were transported to the hospital.

Gate Strike

Public Safety responded to the East Gate for a gate strike. A resident accidentally drove into the C-Pass gate arm before it had a chance to raise. The Public Safety Officer observed the damage and was obligated to call maintenance to repair the arm.

The resident will pay for the gate arm damage. Please be careful when entering and departing all of our gates so we may prevent accidents.

Fireworks Call

Public Safety responded to the 100 blk. of Lamplighter Loop for the report of person(s) shooting off fireworks. The BCSO had also received the same call. Upon arrival, the Officers did locate an ongoing party, but no fireworks activity. The residents were requested to lower the noise level due to the late hour.

Vehicle Burglary

Public Safety responded to the report of a vehicle burglary in the 100 blk. of Columbia. During the Saturdayevening/overnight hours a resident’s vehicle had been entered. The vehicle was parked in the driveway, unlocked. There was no damage to the vehicle. There are no suspects at this time.

We ask that all of our residents make the effort to prevent this type of crime by locking your vehicle every night and never leave anything of value inside of a vehicle parked in your driveway? This was a crime of opportunity.

Lake Report

Only a few warnings needed to be given this past week. Warnings given the past several weeks were followed up and received 100 % compliance. The Lake is at pool.

Citations Issued: 10

Warnings Issued: 36

Great pictures from Dale Mediema

Dale Mediema took off in a Skyhawk this time with Don Trippichio to get some shots from a higher altitude. The first picture is of our lake from about 2300 feet. The second is a corn maze in Spring Grove with the Blackhawks logo and the word "champions" across the top. This is the Richardson Farm. Thanks to Dale for sharing these pictures with all of us!

From a Rich Witt email. A Sunday smile

            Food for thought

Don't let your worries get the best of you; Remember, Moses started out as a basket case.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited Until you try to sit in

          their pews.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Many folks want to serve God,

But only as advisers.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

It is easier to preach ten sermons

Than it is to live one.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

The good Lord didn't create anything without a purpose, But mosquitoes come close.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

When you get to your wit's end,

You'll find God lives there.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

People are funny; they want the front of the bus, Middle of the road, And back of the church.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Opportunity may knock once,

But temptation bangs on the front door forever.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Quit griping about your church;

If it was perfect, you couldn't belong.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

If a church wants a better pastor,

It only needs to pray for the one it has.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

We're called to be witnesses, not lawyers or Judges.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

God Himself doesn't propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should you?

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Some minds are like concrete

Thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Peace starts with a smile.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

I don't know why some people change churches; What difference does it make which one you stay home from?

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Be ye fishers of men. You catch 'em - He'll clean 'em.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Stop, Drop, and Roll won't work in Hell.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Don't put a question mark where God put a period.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Forbidden fruits create many jams.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

God grades on the cross, not the curve.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

God loves everyone,

But probably prefers 'fruits of the spirit' over 'religious nuts!'

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

He who angers you, controls you!

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

If God is your Co-pilot, swap seats!

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Prayer:

Don't give God instructions, just report for duty!

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

The task ahead of us is never as

great as the Power behind us.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

The Will of God never takes you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

We don't change the message,

The message changes us.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

You can tell how big a person is

By what it takes to discourage him/her.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

The best mathematical equation I have ever seen:

1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

 

There is no greater treasure than a good friend!

This surprises me. It is a win for CWL. Thanks Sandy Morse for passing it along

Victory! Governor vetoes bad water bill

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Megan Carlson

Sewer Manhole Cover by Hern Iron Works

We did it!

More than 1,800 CUB Action Network members sent letters this year asking the General Assembly to oppose Senate Bill 1421— legislation that could have forced Illinois water customers to pay for services they never receive!

The legislation passed, but CUB didn’t give up. Bryan McDaniel, CUB director of governmental affairs, joined other opponents in writing letters asking the governor to oppose the measure. And we were happy to hear today that our hard work paid off: Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the bill!

The proposal would have allowed the state’s two largest water companies, Illinois American Water and Aqua Illinois, to petition state regulators to increase rates for all customers in order to repair sewer systems in other cities.  Customers who receive sewer services from their local government would have, in effect, been paying for sewage services twice!

We didn’t think that was fair— and neither did the governor.

Like it ..... or distracting?

I have added relaxing music to this site. Drop me an email if you would and let me know if you like it or it is distracting. My wife says she would hate the background music so we will see.
Thanks,  Ken

No, this doesn't mean they learn little!

A little more about the Eco Harvester/Skimmer

 I know a lot of you don't take the time to read all my meeting notes, so this is where we are on the skimmer.
 All of you know we have run into some situations keeping it on the lake due to problems with the machine. After another break down it was time to get in contact with the manufacturer and bring this to a head once and for all. Theresa (GM), Brad (Maint Mgr), Bob (Mechanic), and myself spoke with him Tuesday. He feels some of this has to be operator error. Is it? Who knows, but either way it is doing us no good sitting in maintenance.
 I told him the machine is doing it's job when it is working but we can not continue burning the man hours working on it to keep it running. He agreed to have us bring it back to the plant and see why we are having all these problems. In fact he was glad to have us do that so he could have his mechanic look at it and explain to our guys how to handle this.
 Wednesday two of our maintenance men were to take it the three hour trip to deliver and confer with them. We want this in top shape when it hits our lake again and we also want to know how to end the problems.
 How long will this take? I do not know. I do know the conveyor belts are on back order so it may take a while to get it back but luckily we are entering the cooling off period of the year so algae and weed problems will subside on their own. If we need to spray we will until the skimmer is back in business.
 As a side note, I don't know how many of you have thought about it but we have had no... zero... nada... blue green algae this year. That is a big deal. 
Ken

A few pics from Dale Mediema

Thank you Dale for sending these pictures from a vantage point most of us would never see. He and Barb Appelhans are getting a lot of great shots from the air.

Boone County Fair

Our Lake. Beautiful, isn't it!

Please tell me Barb isn't piloting!

Unbelievable! Self-inspection by Iran (from the A.P.)

VIENNA (AP) -- Iran, in an unusual arrangement, will be allowed to use its own experts to inspect a site it allegedly used to develop nuclear arms under a secret agreement with the U.N. agency that normally carries out such work, according to a document seen by The Associated Press.

The revelation is sure to roil American and Israeli critics of the main Iran deal signed by the U.S., Iran and five world powers in July. Those critics have complained that the deal is built on trust of the Iranians, a claim the U.S. has denied.

Board meeting notes... August 19, 2015

Board meeting notes... August 19, 2015

Public Forum included Discussion about the fair booth and surrounding communities. Comments were also made regarding using correct fill around repaired manholes and the suggestion to reactivate the old Roads Commission going forward.

The AQUA update... Well #2 is repaired and back online. Several manholes will be repaired in August and early September. The one on Savannah Ridge will be one of those repaired so we can get that sandwich board down. The redesign of the main lift station at the wastewater plant is ongoing.

Finance Commission reports write offs in the amount of $2,646.63. Accounting adjustments total $734.84.

The standing at the end of July is Operating cash of $1,260,653.52, Operating investments of $285,365.29, Road investments of $3.14, Reserve investments $3,237,780.29. Total investments $3,523,148.70 and Total cash of $4,783,802.24. Still very healthy but you can see the bite the road project took.

We are currently under budgeted expense by $93,482.90 and over revenue budget $2,854.07, meaning we are “to the good” by $96,336.97 fiscal year to date.

Lake Management reports The bioswale plantings are complete, some areas of fencing need repair. The Eco/Harvester is still having break down problems. Don Trippichio reported on the sediment by the dam, cleaning the aerators, and water clarity at the bottom in deep water. The plan is to bring the aerators to the surface and power wash them to assure complete cleaning.

Tuesday our G.M, Brad and Don from maintenance, and myself were on a conference call with the manufacturer of our skimmer/harvester. We will be returning it for diagnosis of the problems and repair. We don't want it back until it is ready for heavy usage on the lake.

The Rec Commission reports Karate has seven participants, Yoga, Zumba, and Total body circuit have two to four participants per week. Quilting has five to six ladies per week.

The dog park has 32 registered dogs. Summer Camp has 26 registered for two to five day weeks. The first swim lessons had 31 students and the second had 20.

GloGo Fun Run will be September 12^th, Kickball August 22 at 6:30 at the Outpost. August 25 will feature a Rain Barrel workshop, $25.00 make and take.

After August 17^th pool hours will be Fridays 4 to 8, Saturdays, Sundays, and Labor Day noon to eight weather permitting. September 7^th the pool closes for the year.

The Events Commission reports the First Responders Picnic is gearing up with Dandy Donuts preparing the food. Invitations have been sent and they are waiting for responses. October 3 from noon to three will be the Craft and Vendor Fair with registration beginning September first.

The golf course update indicates there is a lot of watering needed due to the drought. The sprinklers are sticking on at times and that is being addressed. Greens mowing will be increasing to five times per week at the request of golfers.

Savannah Oaks clubhouse reports the Fourth of July was very busy up until six p.m. and they were open until seven. Nine couples came out for the couples tournament. Pub Trivia filled all the seats. Ladies Night was a big success with five vendors and a packed house. August 22^nd will be a repeat. Vino Vangough was super successful with 27 attendees. October 3^rd will be another Vino event so sign up early for the limited seats. Country night July 25^th was also successful. Things seem to be humming out there!

Our old Public Safety cruiser number M-56 had closed bids and the winning bid was a little over $2,000.00. This unit was replaced this year.

Be sure to watch for official minutes printed in your Candlewick Paper.

Wounded Warriors. A great cause and a fun way to give ( the year should say 2015, not 2014 of course )

Not a Baaaa d week. (get it?)

Let's round 'em up!

A little follow up on Lyme disease from a message board

Re: OT-Lyme Disease

   That's be me - and you didn't dodge a bullet, you got infected as soon as the tick bit you, assuming it was a carrier - they inject enzymes into you to keep blood from clotting so they can feed, that's what carries the Lyme, and being in Gettysburg that's pretty much ensured if it was a deer tick.

 

Someone on another board recently got bitten too (had bull's eye rash), his doc only gave him 2 weeks of Doxycycline, which is NOT the standard new infection treatment - you need at least 30 days worth, and also need to be tested for co-infections - turned out I had 3 of them, but didn't learn of it until several years after my Lyme diagnosis because the PCR testing wasn't available at the time.

 

BTW, I never had a Bull's eye rash, just a very faint circular one about a foot in diameter, like a ring. Seriously suggest you go see an infectious disease specialist who is Lyme literate - you can google for LLD's in your area, there's a  national database. Skip the ELISA test, have to wait 6 weeks for that, and it's very inaccurate - need PCR and/or Western Blot test pronto - shows RNA of the infections in your body. BTW, your article points out something important - most PCPs do not diagnose Lyme, even other specialists don't - I saw SEVEN different docs over 1.5 yrs (including an idiot infectious disease "expert") before having my knees drained because of swelling so bad I couldn't climb stairs - my orthopedist (finally) diagnosed me by testing the synovial fluid he drained with the Western Blot test - orthos catch more cases of Lyme than any other doctor, by far.

 

Go see a doctor - not going to tell you to immediately get 30 days of Doxy, but I strongly suggest it - and you absolutely need further testing for co-infections, which require different drugs to treat. I'm disabled because of uneducated doctors, try my damndest to prevent anyone else from going thru the years of hell and misery I was put through!

Kind of a long post but important

In the summer of 1975 a group of children who often played together developed an unusual flu-like illness with severe joint pain. They were diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA). All of them lived in a small town at the mouth of the Connecticut River called Lyme. The story of their disease contains all the elements of a good novel; mystery, loss, blood, empathy, indifference, conflict, controversy and conspiracy, truth and fiction.

Doctors suspect JRA when they see kids with persistent joint pain or swelling, unexplained skin rashes, and fever associated with swelling of lymph nodes or inflammation of internal organs. No single test can be used to make the diagnosis. Both the cause and the cure of JRA, an autoimmune disorder, are unknown. But it is not an infectious disease.

Polly Murray, a skeptical mother of two sick kids whose knees were so swollen they couldn't walk without crutches, didn't think the diagnosis made any sense. None of the physicians could explain what would cause a localized outbreak of an autoimmune condition. She later contracted the disorder and felt unheard by the local doctors. Murray alerted the Connecticut Department of Health. It is fair to say that Polly Murray was the first Lyme Disease investigator.

Connecticut's chief epidemiologist contacted Yale University. Dr. Allen Steere, then a fellow there in rheumatology, was assigned to investigate. The chief informed Steele that a concerned mother in Lyme had reported a curious cluster of 39 JRA cases. In any given year, one case of JRA in an area the size of Lyme might be expected.

Three years earlier, Steere, then in his last year of medical school at Columbia University, heard from an Army recruiter that 90 percentof new docs would be drafted and shipped over to southeast Asia, unless able to provide alternative service. Alternative service became Steere's focus. His research led to a branch of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Epidemic Intelligence Service, that investigates epidemic outbreaks. After two years of training in epidemiology, he had developed a specialty, arthritic conditions.

Steere went to work exploring what the 51 cases (39 kids and 12 adults) had in common. While the physical exams were unhelpful many patients' stories included two elements . Many described a skin lesion with an expanding bull's eye appearance around 4 weeks before the onset of arthritic symptoms. This type of rash, erythema chronicum migrans, had been described in Europe in the setting of infection. The other thing that stood out was a geographic and temporal pattern. All patients lived in wooded areas. Not a single case had been found in town centers.

This was the first time rheumatoid arthritis had clustered in time and place. It made no sense. All these factors moved Steere toward an infectious insect theory. Then serendipity, the fortunate scientist's muse, delivered the missing piece. An ecologist engaged in tracking Connecticut's tick population sought Steere's advice for a tick bite. He brought the offending tick to the consultation. Both men had been mapping their subjects, ticks and JRA cases. Their maps were identical.

In 1977 Steere published his seminal paper, Lyme arthritis: an epidemic of oligoarticular arthritis in children and adults in three Connecticut communities. In it, he described a previously unrecognized clinical entity, the epidemiology of which suggested transmission by an arthropod vector (tick). Despite the protests of local officials, his appellation stuck with the minor alteration to Lyme Disease.

It would be five years before the infectious agent was identified.

In 1982, Willy Bergdorfer, a scientist specializing in diseases transmitted by ticks, fleas and mosquitoes, was doing field research on Shelter Island. A particularly high prevalence of Lyme Disease had been reported there. He collected and dissected hundreds of ticks and found that most of them contained the same bacterium. Antibody from Lyme patients reacted positively with the bacterium. In keeping with microbiology tradition, the bacterium was named after its founder, hence Borrelia borgdorferi or Bb, for short.

One might think this would tie things up neatly. Tick infected with Bb bites human who develops Lyme Disease. Antibiotics kill Bb. Patient cured. Disease threat over. Chalk up another victory for modern medicine. Case closed.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

A recent CDC study reported that in 2013, there were 260 counties throughout the United States that experienced double the number of Lyme Disease cases expected, up from 130 a decade earlier. Rather than the localized hot zones seen ten years ago, large regions are being invaded. The entire state of Connecticut is now considered high risk and similar spread continues in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Expansion out of northern Wisconsin to Michigan, Minnesota and Iowa has been documented. The number of cases per year has exploded from 30,000 to 300,000.

Not only is the disease spreading, but practitioners battle over fundamentals such as diagnostic criteria, appropriate treatment and the validity of chronic forms of the disease. A growing population of disaffected patients who continue to suffer after receiving the recommended treatment have organized in an effort to confront what they see as medical neglect. The situation has grown so contentious that Governor Cuomo signed the so called Lyme Doctor Protection Act last year. The law prohibits the New York state board of medicine from investigating complaints of substandard care "based solely on their recommendation or provision of treatment modality that is currently not universally accepted by the medical profession."

Even Steere has gone from savior to sinner in many patients' eyes.
In the early 1990s he became concerned that Lyme disease was slipping into a default diagnosis for a multitude of poorly understood conditions ranging from chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia to hypochondria. Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Steere expressed concern that many people with no evidence of past or present Lyme disease receiving antibiotic treatments, especially treatments beyond the recommended four week treatment guideline protocol, were being done more harm than good.

The article was incendiary. Advocacy groups considered it a blatant denial of their suffering. Steere's words were heard as contempt not concern. Before this, he had been hailed as the pioneer who uncovered the cause of their condition and paved the way for it to gain acceptance as a legitimate diagnosis. After the JAMA article he was perceived by many as part of the problem.

How does an infectious disease, with an identified and treatable cause, grow exponentially and sow such conflict?

The answer involves a broad spectrum of factors, from climate change and expansion of animal populations to the mysterious nature of spirochete bacteria and, perhaps most importantly, our culture's unfortunate management of patients whose symptoms do not fit our theory. There are many unanswered questions.

So what should you know about Lyme Disease?

Here is what the CDC recommends:

Prevention
Avoid wooded areas with high grasses and leaf litter
Walk in the middle of paths
Use repellants with DEET or Permethrin on exposed skin and clothes
Shower within 2 hours of exposure and check for ticks
Tumble dry clothes for 1 hour on high heat setting

Tick Removal
Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible with fine-tipped tweezers and pull straight up
After removal clean the area and hands with alcohol, iodine or soap
Kill tick by submersing it in alcohol

Transmission
Usually the tick must be attached for 36-48 or more to pass the bacteria

Signs
If you see a expanding red rash OR experience fatigue, chills, fever, headache, muscle/joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes see a doctor

Treatment
Most people treated with appropriate antibiotics in the early stages of Lyme disease usually recover rapidly and completely.
In a some cases, these symptoms can last for more than 6 months
Prolonged antibiotic treatment has not been helpful in patients who experience persistent symptoms

A Sunday contemplation

Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words.

Board Agenda for next Tuesday's meeting

Looks like a "snoozer."

Today is the day

Don Parisi and I will be manning the tent at the fair for a couple hours this morning. Stop by and say "HI."
Ken

Due to skimmer repair ... we want to stay ahead of the problem

IMPORTANT NOTICE

On August 14th, weather permitting, there will be designated areas of the lake chemically treated for weeds and algae.

The following restrictions should be noted if using water from the lake:

Drinking water for humans 3 days

Drinking water for pets for 1 day.

No irrigation for grass or flowers for 7 days.

No irrigation for food crop (vegetable gardens) for 7 days.

***There is no restriction for fishing and swimming.

***This does not affect your water supplied by Aqua Illinois.

Strictly from my experience

  Early this year we were catching lots of bullheads and a few walleyes plus some monster cat from the dock. Now from the boat bluegills seem plentiful, crappies of any decent size are hard to come by but a lot of small ones surface in the evenings. There have to be many thousands of small perch in the lake but few keeping size. We are catching no walleye now but lots of northerns. Bass are plentiful with many in the fourteen to sixteen size range.
  To summarize, it appears we are short on walleye but not much else. Smallmouth are not plentiful but another stocking is coming in the fall for those. Our lake is in good shape for fishing in my opinion.
Ken

Tuesday's Lake Management meeting

 It was a very interesting meeting with the microbial solution discussion again as well as some very interesting findings from Don Tripicchio regarding our lake bottom by the spillway. Don ( who is an accomplished diver ) brought in a sample of lake water from a depth of around 23 feet and it was as clear as glass. There is murkiness in the depths above that but the water clears at the last couple feet  near the bottom. He also brought up a silt sample from that area. He plans to check silt depth for some distance from the spillway. About thirty feet from the spillway the silt is around seven feet deep from over forty years of accumulation. I may not be dead on with the depths but this is close. Don also cleaned the aerators while diving so he is contributing a lot of manpower.
 There was also some disappointing news. The skimmer is once again down for repairs. This machine works great while operating but break downs are a problem and while being repaired the lake fingers go to pot again. I hope this is just the break in period and the bugs will work themselves out. At least we are still in the warranty period so if it must break down now is the time for it to happen!
 Research is ongoing now regarding the next phase of our grant work. The bioswales are finished. Some discussion was centered around the possibility of putting in a retention pond to reduce the inflow of mud and silt into the dip every time we get a heavy rain. I am sure many of you have noticed the water looking like chocolate milk as it enters our lake during those periods. This will not necessarily happen but it is one possibility. As with most ecological impact projects the government must issue permits so who knows what would be allowed.
 You should attend one of these meetings when you have a chance. Much good information is available. This is one hard working group.
Ken

It continues.

At the border, agents are also seeing an increase in illegal crossers. Border Patrol agents held a briefing Aug. 3 at their Rio Grande Valley Sector Headquarters to inform local entities and stakeholders of a recent uptick in unaccompanied minors and families from Central America coming across from Mexico illegally.

Recently, 750 people were apprehended in one day, according to Border Patrol spokesman Omar Zamora. He said they are seeing an average of 250 to 300 people more than in the recent months. He attributes this recent uptick to the summer months and said it is nowhere close to the nearly 1,500 daily apprehensions they were seeing at the same time last year.

“It’s not alarming for us. It’s something that we expected to see, but at the same time it is something that we are going to keep a pulse on,” Zamora said. “If we do see an increase, we want to make sure we don’t get caught off guard.”

Since last year’s surge, Border Patrol has increased their capacity to process immigrants in McAllen and focused on keeping law enforcement and other key players informed, Zamora said.

This increase comes months after immigration officials announced policy changes causing immigrants to be released faster after ICE began issuing them ankle-monitoring bracelets instead of sending them to detentions centers, according to recent reports.

In late July, U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee ordered the release of all children from immigrant family detention centers after ruling it violated parts of a 1997 settlement from another case barring immigrant children from being held in secure facilities.