Five Things To Know Today: Aug 23

Weather: It will be mostly sunny today with mild temperatures, according to the National Weather Service.

1. Tiverton Library Services & Sandywoods present "Edible Perennial Gardening and Landscaping” with naturalist and educator, John Root.  The 90-minute presentation features trees, shrubs, canes, vines, and herbaceous perennials that can be grown for produce in our region. Audiences learn organic gardening practices for cultivating healthy soils, plants, and biotic communities to ensure abundant crops of fruits, nuts, and vegetables throughout the growing season with minimal maintenance. Questions and comments are welcome throughout the presentation. Handouts with a list of edible perennial plant species, resources for further study, and recommended sources of seeds and plants are distributed at the conclusion of the program.

The free event kicks off at 6:30 p.m. at hte Sandywoods Artist Community, 43 Muse Way, Tiverton.

2. The Little Compton Town Council will meet today at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall, 40 Commons. To view the agena, click here.

3. It's Summer Music Nights at Sakonnet Vienyards tonight from 6 - 8 p.m. Abbey Rhode plays for a wonderful evening on the lawn with live music and food available from the Coop Cafe.  Bring a blanket or chair; no outside alcohol permitted. The cost is $10 per car load.

4. Pawswatch is holding its monthly meeting at Tiverton Community Annex, 346 Judson St., Tiverton, starting 6:30 p.m. The group will discuss how to deal with  the feral, wild or abandoned cat/kitten problem in Tiverton.

5. On this day in 1999, the first cases of an alleged encephalitis oubreak are reported in New York City. Seven people die from what turns out to be the first cases of West Nile virus in the United States.

After a cluster of eight cases of St. Louis encephalitis was diagnosed among patients in the borough of Queens in New York City in August 1999, peoplennoticed an inordinate number of dead crows throughout the city. Other birds, including exotic varieties housed at the Bronx Zoo, were also found dead.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) was called in to investigate. They found that the West Nile virus, previously found only in Uganda and the Middle East, had been contracted by birds throughout the area, including robins, ducks and eagles. In addition to birds and humans, horses have also been known to be susceptible to the virus, which is spread by mosquitoes.