The Public Works meeting was held Tuesday evening on the sidewalk across the street from City Hall. According to Committee member Jackie Boyer no one had a key to Council chambers where the meeting is usually held. City Administrator Tom Short has a key and typically attends the meetings but, Boyer said that he was on spring break with his kids.

The meeting was a quick one, Street Commissioner Tom Shelly was planing to go over his budget with the committee. He chose to wait until they could be at a table with better lights. Shelly did say that there was a 1.6% increase in his budget.

Boyer shared her concern with the committee about the piles of dirt at Meyer’s Park. She said that soon there would be weeds growing on it with no way for it to be mowed. The Committee discussed a few options such as spreading the dirt out, moving it to a different location, or putting it up for sale. The Committee is also looking into the possibility of using the accumulation for a city project. Committee Chair Bill Fortune is going to share the concern with the Council and try to come up with a solution.

NASCAR to the Max

With the laps winding down in Sunday’s Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 from Darlington (SC) Raceway Jeff Gordon appeared to be on his way to claiming his seventh victory at the track. However, on lap 270 of the 293 lap feature, Gordon drifted high on the track and scraped the outside wall inflicting enough damage to relegate him to a 33rd finishing position, 7 laps behind the leader. Kurt Busch was the benefactor of Gordon’s misfortune and at that point appeared to have the car to beat. However, a hard charging Ricky Craven had other ideas. On the next to last lap, Craven pulled alongside with a resulting bump between the two almost sending Busch into the outside wall. Busch regained control of his car and returned the favor with Craven somehow managing to control his car. Craven maintained second position and attempted a pass on Busch coming out of the final turn on the last lap. As the two headed for the finish line, they bumped numerous times with smoke billowing off their tires as they rubbed together. NASCAR uses electronic sensors to verify cars positions on the track and for use in photo finishes. When the smoke had cleared, Ricky Craven was declared the winner by two-one thousandths (.002) of a second, only a matter of inches. A driver is credited with leading a lap only if he is leading at the start/finish line. The only lap Craven led all day was the one that mattered most; the final one.

The next race on the circuit will take place at Bristol (TN) Motor Speedway. The 500-lap feature around the .533-mile high-banked speedway will see lots of door-to-door racing. A 43 car field on such a short track leads to numerous caution periods, overheated cars and overheated drivers. Look for lots of contact; some unintentional, some intentional, with very few cars leaving the track unscathed. Most teams add extra bracing and supports to their cars fenders and bumpers because of the expected contact. Rusty Wallace has 9 wins in 37 starts at the track.

I guess ya just expect it.

I looked up ta see what time it was a couple a days ago and couldn’t believe it. The clock at SMB had gone haywire. Like all electromechanical contraptions, I suppose it happens from time to time.

I didn’t check the temperature for accuracy, I was so dismayed at not knowin’ the SMB time, my mind just wandered.

Yesterday I was relieved to notice that the clock was back to its old self. Bringin’ me the latest time and temperature. Back on track.

I don’t suppose there is any steadfast rule that a bank has ta provide this particular service, but goin’ without it for a couple a days makes ya appreciate it a little more. Thanks to whoever got the clock back in shape. Like most things ya start takin’ for granted, ya just expect it to be there.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click & Clack
TALK CARS

By Tom & Ray Magliozzi

Dear Tom and Ray:

I have a problem with the belt on my ‘89 six-cylinder Jeep Cherokee. It was fine, but then the serpentine belt began to shred. I replaced it, and the new one began to shred, too. I noticed that the belt was shifting off of the pulley that is located on the crankshaft. It wasn’t moving much, but it had moved exactly one groove closer to the engine. I tried another new belt and tightened it more. But halfway through a test drive, it was shredding, too. Can you give me any advice? — Ricky

RAY: Yeah. Buy your belts by the caseload, Ricky.

TOM: Back in the old days, cars had one belt for each accessory: the alternator, water pump, fan, power steering, etc. But that was too easy.

RAY: So, now most cars have a serpentine belt, which is a long belt that runs all over the engine and runs everything. The real advantage of a serpentine belt is that it’s easier to change. You don’t have to reach your fat arms into little skinny openings to change multiple belts. You change one belt, and it’s done.

TOM: This belt runs over and around many pulleys that power the accessories, and it sounds to me like one of those pulleys is out of alignment. That’s what’s pulling the belt off-line and causing it to shred.

RAY: If you’ve had one of the accessories replaced recently — like the alternator or water pump — I’d suspect that that pulley is now lined up incorrectly. It could have been manufactured incorrectly, or it could have been the wrong pulley for your engine. A pulley only has to be a few millimeters off to a set a belt-a-shreddin’.