Ross Will Not Run.


First Ward City Council member Larry Ross announced to the Council Tuesday evening that he will not seek reelection in April. He encouraged residents in the First Ward to consider running for the office. Ross has served as Council member for the last four years.

The opening day for filing for City elected offices is December 18. City Council members are elected for two year terms. Each of the five wards has two members and their terms overlap one year. This results in five of the ten members being up for election each April.

The Mayor is elected for a four year term and Current Mayor Kenneth Johnson and past Council member Lujene Clark have announced their intentions to file for that position.

Council members Larry Ross, First Ward; Bill Fortune, Second Ward; Jackie Boyer, Third Ward; Jim McPheeters, Fourth Ward; and Don Stearnes, Fifth Ward terms will expire in April.

During the meeting, the Council voted to hire Craig Schreiner Golf Course Architects, Inc. for the sum of $95,000.

Note for Note
sponsored by Main Street Mercantile

Linda Thomas, a career music educator of 30 years, has performed on keyboard, guitar and hammered dulcimer for virtually her entire life. Her degrees include BS in Education and Master of Arts in Teaching. Linda's is a well-known face in the circle of hammered dulcimer competition having been a finalist in the Southern Regionals in 1994, 95, 96; she was a finalist in the Texas State Championship in 1997 and 98 and won that title in 1999.

Linda is receiving outstanding recognition for her instructional manuals for Mel Bay Publications as well as excellent reviews on her recording projects. She keeps an extensive performance and workshop touring agenda, maintains a private studio and teaches public school music in Kansas City, Missouri.

Dan DeLancey began playing rhythm guitar along with records and the radio over 20 years ago and his interest only grew when he heard the likes of Dan Crary and Doc Watson. Since that time Dan's proficiency on guitar has led him to opening concerts for Beppe Gambetta, Steve Kaufman and Doc Watson.

His initial interest in playing chords developed into the style known as "flat-picking" and his playing continues to gain recognition from top guitar publications and from top performers in the field. Dan has won State Competitions in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Colorado. He has also been a finalist in the Steve Kaufman Guitar Competition in Knoxville, Tennessee and he has won the prestigious Rocky Mountain Bluegrass Festival Flatpicking Championship in Lyons, Colorado.

NASCAR to the Max

There were several memorable modern era records that were set during this past NASCAR season. The modern era of NASCAR began in 1972. Prior to 1972 there were sometimes over 50 races in a season with many being run on the smaller tracks in the southeast, sometimes even on dirt. One record was for the number of first time winners at five.

The season was bookended with first time winners with Michael Waltrip, who was winless in 463 previous starts, winning the season opening Daytona 500 and the last race of the season being won by Robby Gordon. Other first time winners included Elliot Sadler, Ricky Craven and Rookie Kevin Harvick. Another record was the number of different winners throughout the season at 19. This list, with number of wins in parenthesis if more than one, includes Waltrip, Steve Park, Jeff Gordon (6), Harvick (2), Dale Jarrett (4), Sadler, Bobby Hamilton, Rusty Wallace, Tony Stewart (3), Ricky Rudd (2), Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (3), Bobby Labonte (2), Sterling Marlin (2), Ward Burton, Robby Gordon, Craven, Jeff Burton (2), Joe Nemechek, and Bill Elliott. The most notable to not win a race in 2001 was Mark Martin who has recorded multiple wins the previous few seasons.

Rookie Kevin Harvick was a runaway in the Rookie-Of-The-Year race. NASCAR employs a complex points system whereby rookies’ battle for the ROTY honors. For each race the system awards ten points to the highest finishing rookie, nine to the next highest and so on. Bonus points are also awarded for top 10 finishes and at other predetermined points of the season. With Harvick having two wins and finishing in the top ten of the final driver points standings, he was a landslide winner. Harvick’s critics are quick to point out that Harvick took over the GM/Goodwrench Chevrolet after the death of seven time Winston Cup Champion Dale Earnhardt in the season opening Daytona 500.

To further complicate Harvick’s season, he also competed in the entire Busch Grand National series, considered a minor league to Winston Cup. Harvick won that series point’s championship.

It’s always interestin’ to see ever’one agree on somethin’, but if it happens too often it makes me a little uneasy.

I was brought up to think that "goin’ along" wasn’t a healthy thing to be doin’. Now that’s different that agreein’ with someone. There is no shame in comin’ to the same conclusion as other’s after thinkin’ it through.

I suppose the key word here is thinkin’. The same can be said about disagreein’. Some folks just seem to want to stir the pot for the fun of it. Nothin’ wrong with a little stirrin’ now and then, as long as ya don’t slop it out on the stove. The thinkin’ part is what makes the difference.

Like Davey Crocket used ta say, make sure your right, then go ahead.

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 Buick Century. Recently, the left directional flasher went out (i.e. stopped flashing). The local service-station mechanic didn’t have a clue. He said about an hour’s labor plus parts.

I took it to another station and was told anywhere from $3 to $125. Then I called two Buick dealers and they couldn’t give me a firm estimate either. What would be a fair amount to pay to fix this problem? No one can tell me. -Jerry.

RAY: In many cases, Jerry, this problem is caused by a burned-out bulb in one of your directional lamps.

TOM: The flasher is affected by resistance. And if one of the bulbs burns out, the resistance changes. Then the flasher either flashes very rapidly or stops flashing to let you know a bulb is out. So by turning in the blinkers, and comparing the right side, which is working, to the left side (look carefully, because each lamp contains several bulbs), you should be able to tell if you’re down a bulb.

RAY: And if that’s the case, you have a $3 fix.

TOM: If it’s not the bulb, then it probably is the flasher (occasionally, we do see a flasher that works on one side but not the other). The flasher is a round, ice-cube-sized relay that plugs in under the dashboard. And you can find it by listening for it. Lie on your back on the driver’s side floor with a flashlight, turn on the blinker to the side that works, and listen for the little box that’s clicking.

RAY: When you find it, pull it out, bring it to your local auto-parts store, and say, "Give me one of these."

TOM: By the way, that’s also a $3 fix.