Proposed New Fireworks Ordinance.

The City Council Public Safety Committee submitted the following ordinance to be considered in first reading at tomorrow night’s Council meeting. Section 10-3 referred to generally forbids the discharge of fireworks in the City limits. This ordinance would allow fireworks during these dates.

"SECTION I: Chapter 10 of the Carthage Code is hereby amended by adding the following new section thereto: Chapter 10, Article I, Sec. 10-4: Exceptions

The follow shall be exceptions to Sec 10-3: (a) December 31st from 5:00 p.m. to January 1st at 1:00 a.m.

(b) June 30th to July 3rd from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. each evening.

(c) July 4th until July 5th from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m.

(d) July 5th from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.

(e) Nothing in this section shall allow the discharge of any firework in the Municipal Park at any time.

(1) The Fire Chiefshall have sole discretion of suspending Section 10-4 of the City Code in times of high fire risk or drought."

With all the talk of the "virtual office" where folks work at home via computer modems and such, there seems that now it ain’t what some hoped it would be cracked up to be.

There are a lot of advantages, no drivin’ in ta work, flexible schedules, and easy communication, but somethin’ seems ta be missin’.

For those who worry that people will get used ta sittin’ in front of a computer screen and never see the light a day again, this is good news. No matter how easy to use or convenient the communication device, it most likely won’t replace the old fashioned sit down chit chat that people thrive on.

I’m sure there were those who made predictions of doom when the telephone came around, prob’ly parents of teenagers.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

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THIS IS A HAMMER

By Samantha Mazzotta

Gas Meter Change Legit?

Q: My elderly neighbor called yesterday and told me a man was at her door saying that he was there to change her gas meter. I’ve never heard of such a thing, and so I told her to not let him in. Is it normal for the gas company to just show up and change a meter? - Eleanor in Braintree, Mass.

A: Meter maintenance is generally part of a local utility’s responsibility, so it’s not unheard of for the utility to send employees to read, maintain or replace meters. In fact, the state of Massachusetts mandates that gas meters must be replaced every seven years, so your neighbor’s meter may indeed be scheduled for replacement.

However, your neighbor was right to be cautious. If she couldn’t see a repair truck or any identifying information from the maintenance person, certainly she should verify that the person really is from the utility company or a contractor in their employment.

Probably the best way to verify this is to call the utility’s customer-service line directly. She could do that while the person waited outside, or she could tell the person to come back another day -- which a legitimate utility employee will do politely and without question -- and then call the utility to verify that they are maintaining or replacing meters. The utility may schedule a new time for its maintenance person to return and replace the meter, or it can give her a range of dates when its crew will be in the area. The upside of this is that she can have another person, like yourself or a relative, at the house when the utility employee returns, so she’ll be more at ease.

The meter replacement itself is a fast process -- less than 30 minutes, usually -- and the utility also will check to make sure there is no damage or leaks in the lines feeding into the house. It’s a valuable service provided as part of your utility bill.

HOME TIP: Know where your gas shutoff is in case of an emergency -- locate the shutoff switch, usually near the meter. If a wrench is needed to turn the switch, tape one right next to the switch so you have instant access.