Council Filings Close.

The period that candidates could file for City Council and Mayor ended Tuesday evening at 5 p.m. The following candidates have filed and will appear on the ballot in April.

Ward 1: 2 year term: Claude Newport (incumbent)

Ward 2: 2 year term: T. J. Teed (incumbent)

Ward 2: 1 year term: No one has filed

Ward 3: 2 year term: Debbie Carter John Studebaker (incumbent)

Ward 4: 2 year term: Mike Riley (Larry Ross, incumbent, is not running)

Ward 5: 2 year term Brent Greninger (incumbent); Ron Wells (former Council Member when he lived in Ward 2)

Mayor: 4 year term: Mike Harris

Mike Harris is currently holding the seat in Ward two that no one has filed for. Since he is technically still in office until he becomes mayor, he is unopposed, he will nominate his own replacement. The appointment would then have to be approved by the City Council.

NASCAR THIS WEEK

By Monte Dutton

Sponsored by Curry Automotive

Elliott Sadler Returns to Ford

Elliott Sadler is trying to recover from a long slump.

In 2004, he finished ninth in the Sprint (then Nextel) Cup point standings. Sadler hasn’t made the Chase since, spiraling to 13th in 2005, 22nd in ‘06, 25th in ‘07, 24th in ‘08 and 26th last year.

This year Sadler, 34, returns to Ford, and though it’s part of an apparent merger with Richard Petty Motorsports, he also will return to Yates Racing. Two of his three career victories were with Yates, and all three were in Fords.

"We’re building new cars, trying to get everything as prepared as we can, so when we leave to go down for the 500, we have our Vegas and Atlanta and California (next three races) cars and all the stuff done," said Sadler. "It’s been great so far. I’m very much looking forward to getting back in a Ford.

"I feel like I had a lot of success when I drove for Mr. Yates early in his engine program. I have a lot of respect for Doug Yates, what they’re doing. It’ll be neat to get back in a Ford again. ... I’m very happy about the things that we’ve learned from the Ford camp and kind of put in the things that we were already doing. We’re already a little bit more optimistic, it seems like, week by week, before we get to Daytona."

While appearing in Nashville, Tenn., at the Sprint Sound and Speed festival, Sadler paid tribute to the winner of the past four Sprint Cup championships, Jimmie Johnson.

"I have a lot of respect for him and his race team," said Sadler, "but I don’t see them just laying down and giving up the crown to anyone. You’re going to have to go outrun them and do that week in and week out.

"I’ve heard Mark Martin say many times, even being their teammate, he didn’t realize how good Jimmie and Chad (Knaus, the crew chief) were until he got on that side of the shop and got to see what they do week in and week out.

"I mean, I don’t know about handicapping the sport. I’m not into that. But I’m saying right now, I would think, my opinion, he’s going to be the car you have to beat when it comes down to Homestead (final race) again."

***

Monte Dutton has covered motorsports for The Gaston (N.C.) Gazette since 1993. He was named writer of the year by the National Motorsports Press Association.

I grew up hearin’ and usin’ the phrase "that’s corny." The term was typically used to describe a "corny" joke, or in some instances a person that either told corny jokes or just acted corny. I’m sittin’ here tryin’ to define the term without tellin’ a corny joke. I suppose it’s like ya hear, "I can’t describe it, but I know it when I see it."

In school, there was always a corny teacher or two, tryin’ to tell jokes or be humorous. The kids would laugh and this would only encourage more corn. It was a vicious circle. Usually the term wasn’t intended in a harmful way, just matter of fact like, just accepted. The truth was, most folks seem to enjoy a little corn now and then, speakin’ of the verbal kind of course, and that ain’t chicken feed, pop.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

---

CLICK and CLACK

TALK CARS

Dear Tom and Ray:

I am a valet at a local country club in Wisconsin. As you well know, it gets very cold here in the winter months, and that leads to my question. As a favor to the members who choose to valet park with me, I like to warm up their cars before they leave. I let the cars run anywhere from two to 15 minutes, depending on how long they take to get ready to leave, get their coats, finish conversations, etc. So my question is: Am I doing any damage to these automobiles? Would they be better off next winter driving away in ice-cold cars? - John

Ray: You’re not harming their cars, John. The only harm you’re doing is wasting gasoline. And since they’re all paying exorbitant dues to belong to a country club, they’re probably not worried about gas money.

Tom: In the old days, when cars were carbureted, you COULD do harm by warming up a car for too long. In warm-up mode, a carburetor would pour lots of gasoline into the cylinders, and the excess gasoline could run down into the crankcase and dilute the oil. And the rich mixture could ruin the catalytic converter, too.

Ray: But modern cars meter their gasoline into the cylinders so precisely, with the help of computers, that they can idle for days without a problem. This was proven in Princeton University’s famous "Police Cars in Front of Dunkin’ Donuts" study from 2003. And 2004. And 2005.

Tom: So, in terms of the cars themselves, you’re doing no harm. And I’m sure your customers appreciate getting into a warm car and having heat immediately.

Ray: The only downside is the extra pollution created by these long warm-ups.