Today's Feature

Public Session for Interchange.

The Missouri Department of Transportation is holding a meeting seeking public input on the interchange planned at Route 71 and Fairview avenue today from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Carthage City Hall, 326 Grant Street. MoDOT representatives and City officials will be discussing the schedules for right-of-way acquisition and construction.

"The interchange will get trucks off City streets, and it will help with economic development," says District Engineer Richard Walter. "There are already plans for several businesses to build near this location once the construction of the interchange is finished."

At the Public Works meeting on Tuesday City Administrator Tom Short spoke briefly about the annexation. Short said that there was one property owner remaining from whom City was hoping to obtain a voluntary annexation. Short said that the owner expressed interest but had not contacted the City yet with an affirmation.

The interchange construction cost is estimated at $3 million which would be divided evenly three ways between the City, MoDOT and federal funds designated for the project by Congressman Roy Blunt.

A good number obviously like bein’ up close and personal with the display. They wanna see all there is to see and hear. Others like to gather up on the hill across 71 and not face the traffic in and out. Various other locations make for good observance, includin’ a fair number of back yard patios.

‘Course the cost to the City goes beyond the base $15,000 for the fireworks. The Police Department, Fire Department, Park Department and Street Department all see extra hours and preparation. Other businesses and individuals also contribute. The value is the sense of community and spirit.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Dear Tom and Ray:

I am 25 years old and buying a car for the first time in my life, and I live in a city. I am trying to decide if it would be better to buy a new Scion xA or a Certified Pre-Owned Volkswagen Beetle. I have no experience in fixing cars or knowing how to identify a good used car, so buying a random used car from someone intimidates me, and could be costly. I have heard good things about VW’s Certified Pre-Owned program, though. I like the design and handling of both cars equally. Which would be the better buy? - Melissa.

RAY: I’d lean toward the Scion for you, Melissa.

TOM: The key, to me, is that you have no experience owning a car, and therefore you want something as simple and trouble-free as possible.

RAY: You can’t bet much more trouble-free than Toyota, which makes the Scion. We drove the xA and loved it. It’s a perfect little car for a city. It’s got four doors, plus you can open the hatchback and fold down the rear seats, and move your stinky futon sofa every September for the next few years until you settle down.

TOM: The main advantage of the Volkswagen is that it’s undoubtedly a safer car in an accident. However, VW has had a poor reliability record over the past half-dozen years.

RAY: Whereas the Scion is not only more reliable, but it’s brand new and comes with a new-car warranty.

TOM: Our one requirement is that you get the optional side air bags and side-curtain air bags, Melissa. Unfortunately, they don’t come standard on the Scion, and your parents wrote to us and made us promise to insist. But with that addition, the xA should be everything you need.

RACING
By Greg Zyla
Sponsored by Curry Automotive

GP Motorcycles Return to U.S.

For the first time since 1994, U.S. motorcycle fans have a MotoGP to attend. The event will be held July 8-10, 2005, at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. Laguna Seca is a world-renowned facility that hosts four major motorsports events in 2005. We talked with Laguna Seca’s CEO/GM Gill Campbell about the event.

ZYLA: Gill, the last time MotoGP (Motorcycle Grand Prix) ran here was back in 1994. Can you tell us how the 2005 return came about?

CAMPBELL: In 2001, Wayne Rainey (three-time world motorcycle champion and a Monterey resident) and I had talked about the idea of bringing back MotoGP to the States, and specifically to Laguna Seca.

ZYLA: Allow me use the term “beer and hot dogs,” for marketing in NASCAR, and the such, and the term “wine and cheese” for what I perceive as marketing in the Monterey area of the motor-racing circle. Is the clientele that different?

CAMPBELL: You are correct in your label of the wine and cheese crowd, particularly for the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races (Aug. 19-25, 2005), and then a little bit more wine and cheese for the American LeMans and the Grand Am series, although Grand Am attracts more gear heads and hardcore race fans, too. As for the motorcycle-based Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, I guess you could say it’s an animal unto itself.