Today's Feature

Fees Waived for Yard Waste.

The Carthage Recycling Center will waive fees for yard waste including branches and limbs until January 31, due to the large amount of fallen limbs during the recent ice storm. Carthage citizens may take these items to the center free of charge.

Identification may be requested upon taking yard waste to the Center, due to high traffic and limited space. The free service is intended for Carthage citizens. The normal fees are scheduled to take effect again on February 1.

Update on Storm Effects.

Power has been restored to a majority of Carthage homes, and the crew at Carthage Water and Electric Plant is continuing its work to re-establish all connections to homes. On Wednesday afternoon no specific number of homes without electricity could be provided.

According to representatives from the Public Works Department there have been no building collapses due to the storm. The Fire Department reports only one large structure fire, outside Carthage but within the Carthage fire district.

Stench Report:

Wednesday,
1/17/07

No Stench Detected on Carthage Square

Most folks I’ve talked to don’t like workin’ with plumbin’. There’s good reason for that.

For those of us who don’t deal with pipes goin’ this way and that, fixin’ the problem isn’t near as bad as fixin’ the problems we create while on our way to gettin’ the original problem solved.

First there are those essential tools needed to work on plumbin’. There is this special wrench for takin’ the nut loose on the bottom of a sink for instance. If ya got one, or know a neighbor who does, the job is pretty simple. Without it there are hours of twistin’ and turnin’, and that’s just to get your hand on the nut to figure out where it is. ‘Course ya always have a bag of rubber washers, but none of the right size. Better do plumbin’ when the hardware is open.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Dear Tom and Ray:

My hubby is getting a ‘69 Dodge Coronet 440 restored, and the fellow who is doing the work has routed the new gas line through the wheel well. Is this a safety hazard? The car caught fire twice already (both were electrical fires), and the gas line is on my side of the car (passenger). I do keep a fire extinguisher next to me at all times when I ride with him, but I just want to know if I need to buy another extinguisher to put out gas fires, too. - Linda

RAY: Should you carry another fire extinguisher with you? Yes - maybe two or three. A flame retardant suit and a football helmet wouldn’t be bad ideas, either.

TOM: Not so much because of the fuel line, but because the car has already tried to fry you twice. That’s not exactly a vote of confidence in the guy doing the restoration.

RAY: I don’t think the fuel line is terribly unsafe in the wheel well. The line is made of steel, and it’s usually routed underneath the car, where it’s subject to road debris and tall armadillos. So it’s pretty tough.

TOM: On the other hand, in the wheel well it would be subject to debris being hurled at it from a spinning tire. And if you’re going 75 miles an hour, some of the stuff coming off the tires could be going 150 mph. Or in a blowout, a piece of the tire itself could even strike the fuel line. And that may be more than the line is designated to take.

RAY: So I’d have him move it back to its normal position. Why not? In fact, it’s probably easier to route it under the car.

TOM: I don’t know why he put it there, Linda. But have him put it back in its traditional place. It’s easy to do, and it’ll mean one less fire you’ll have to put out over the coming weeks.

RACING
By Greg Zyla
Sponsored by Curry Automotive

NASCAR’s "Fabulous Hudson Hornet"

Q: I just watched the "Cars" animated movie, and was impressed with the Paul Newman-personality Hudson Hornet, which is a true-to-life take-off on the early days of NASCAR and the championship Hudson Hornet. Exactly how many races did Hudson win in these early years? -- Calvin H., Washington

A: Calvin, the "Fabulous Hudson Hornet," as depicted in "Cars" as "Doc Hudson," won more than 100 races from 1951 through 1955 in several sanctioning bodies. The usual drivers were Marshall Teague, Herb Thomas, Dick Rathmann, Fonty Flock and Tim Flock.

Hudson race cars accounted for 13 wins in 1951, 49 in 1952 and 46 in 1953. In 1952, Hornets driven by Teague (who was responsible for arranging the Hudson Motor Company sponsorship), Thomas and Tim Flock won 27 NASCAR races. Over in the AAA series that year, Teague scored another 14 wins, bringing Hornet’s season record in the two respected series to 41 wins in 48 events for a winning percentage of better than 80 percent.

This was at the time an extraordinary feat, as six-cylinder engines powered the Hudsons versus V8-powered competitors. As for NASCAR alone, Hudson won three NASCAR manufacturer championships from 1951 through 1953 and 80 Cup races from 1951 through 1955.