Today's Feature

Safety Committee.

The City Council Public Safety Committee met Monday evening in a regular session. The committee heard from Chamber of Commerce president and Economic Development Director John Bode concerning street closure requests for two upcoming events. Bode requested closure of the square for the annual sidewalk sale on July 28 from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. and a second closure for the Maple Leaf Parade on October 20th from midnight to 7 p.m. The committee approved these requests and thanked Bode for his advance notice concerning the two annual events.

Police Chief Dennis Veach also requested a street closure, for the Relay For Live annual event at Central Park on June 1 and 2. The request was to close the 700 block of Lyon Street and the 300 block of 7th street from 4:30 p.m. on June 2 until 10 a.m. on June 2. More information will be released at a future date on the overnight event. The committee approved the request.

Committee Chair Mike Harris noted that he would present the street closure requests to the full City Council.

Kellogg Lake Nature Center and Preserve board members Jo Ellis and Ed Grundy were present at the meeting as well to update the committee on a proposed ordinance that would ban driving and parking on the grass at Kellogg Lake Park. Ellis presented the committee with a refined draft ordinance, based on a sample ordinance and adjusted by City Administrator Tom Short and City Attorney Nate Dally to better meet the needs of the park.

Committee Chair Harris said his only concern with the ordinance was the 8,000 pound maximum vehicle weight. Harris said he felt this might exclude RVs, and the number might need to be adjusted. Ellis agreed with the suggestion. The committee took no action, but agreed to further discuss the ordinance at the next meeting.

I was in one a those "express" check-out lanes the other day. Ten items or less. There were three people in front of me. Didn’t think much of it ‘til the kid checkin’ out reached back two people and took money from what I reckon was his mom. Then the second kid checked out, reached back and got money from her too. Then the mom got up to the checkout.

I suppose if ya questioned this procedure, it was all perfectly legal. It was just a way around what the rule was set up for.

‘Course, when the mom started checkin’ out, I was beginnin’ ta worry that she was gonna reach back and expect me hand her some money.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Here's A Tip.
By JoAnn Derson

• "Grilling season is facing its official kickoff, and I am ready with my bag of tricks! I save the leftover portions of onion skin and garlic cloves, and have a pretty nice little herb garden going. I add the onion and garlic to the coals after they are burning nicely, and you can do the same thing with herbs -- fennel is especially nice when grilling fish." -- A.C. in Missouri

• Toss those condiment packages! If you are like most people, you hang on to extra ketchup packs from takeout, and lots of other things. Well, they break down like anything else, and if you have a pile, there’s no way to know how long you’ve had them. Toss them, and request only what you’ll use. Or, add the excess directly to your regular bottles at home as a booster.

• "To stay on top of the little messes in the bathroom, I keep a roll of paper towels and a small spray bottle of cleaner (well-labeled) in each bathroom under the sink. It takes only a minute to freshen up, and it makes the regular cleaning process go more quickly." -- P.D. in New Mexico

• Outdoor wicker furniture can be fresh and clean with only soap and water. Scrub with a brush and then let it sit in a shaded, and hopefully, windy area.

• "I have a warning of sorts for people like me who like to scour garage sales (and sometimes trash cans) for furniture that can be refinished. Make sure that if you choose a piece that is painted, you check for lead paint before stripping. You can get kits at a home-improvement store. It’s not worth exposing yourself!" -- R.L. in Arkansas