SYLVAN BEACH -- As debate grows about whether counties should conduct spraying to fight the EEE virus, one Central New York village has used its own method to fight mosquitoes for years.
Village officials in Sylvan Beach say for more than 20 years, the village has conducted spraying throughout the summer. The village does it because the mosquito population in the area is high.
They say the spraying occurs every two weeks, and it usually begins in May or June. The last time they sprayed through the village was Wednesday night.
The village contracts with a company out of Lowville, and that company acquires the necessary permits to spray.
The debate over spraying for mosquitoes had become heated recently, after the death of a four year old girl. Maggie Wilcox, of New Haven, died Sunday of EEE. Oswego County first said it would not spray for mosquitoes, but then announced on Tuesday that it is planning to spray after another mosquito pool tested positive for EEE. The Oswego County Health Commissioner says the virus is spreading differently this year than usual. The county has not announced when that spraying will happen.
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