Tree Issue Not Dead Yet.

The City Council discussion swayed from the idea of putting up to $5,000 to save the giant elm trunk just off Macon to having the land owner adjacent to the tree pay for its removal.

The tree stands on City owned parkway, but according to City Attorney David Mouton, historically landowners have been asked to pay for tree removal on parkways. The parkway is typically a four to six foot strip of land adjacent to streets and alleys. Land owners are expected by the City to keep the parkways mowed, maintain sidewalks located on the parkway, and be responsible for any trees or scrubs on the parkway.

The Engineering Department was instructed to notify the land owner that the City now considers the tree a nuisance. If it is not corrected by the property owner, the City will have it corrected and put a tax lien on the property adjacent to the parkway.

The City obtained bids to have the tree removed for approximately $3,400. An anonymous donor had reportedly offered $2,500 toward having the tree carved as a landmark, but the City was unwilling to contribute to the $5,000 estimated price.

NASCAR to the Max

After taking a break for Mother’s Day, the NASCAR Winston Cup Series will be back in action this Saturday for the running of The Winston. The race will be run on the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC. The speedway is a 1.5-mile Tri-oval with high-banked turns and fairly flat straightaways. The Winston essentially serves as NASCAR’s All-Star race. It is a non-point, prize money only event.

The format for The Winston is unique to this event. The field is comprised of drivers who won an event in 2001 or so far in 2002. Also, any previous series champion and any of the previous five winners of The Winston who did not win in 2001 or so far in 2002 are eligible.

There are two preliminary races to the Winston. The Winston Open is a 30-lap sprint with the winner advancing to The Winston. Immediately following the Open, the remaining drivers that finished the Open will square off in a 16-lap sprint that advances the winner to The Winston. The total field for this year’s Winston will include 27 drivers; 23 by virtue of recent wins, 1 previous NASCAR Champion and 1 previous Winston winner who do not have a recent win plus the winners of the Winston Open and the No Bull Sprint.

The Winston itself is a 90-lap event that is broken into segments of 40, 30, and 20 laps. The first 20 finishers of the 40-lap segment will advance to the 30-lap segment. The field will be trimmed to the first 10 finishers of the 30-lap feature for the final 20-lap sprint. A fan vote will determine what portion of the starting grid for the final 20 laps will be inverted; four, six, eight or all ten, making it important for the drivers to be in the top-ten at the end of 70 laps but not crucial to win it.

With every driver in the race a proven winner and with cash only as the prize, look for fender banging and flared tempers to come into play before a winner is determined.

I have never been comfortable with the reasonin’ that the City controls a tree as long as it is considered an asset, but doesn’t want to get anywhere near a dead tree. Trees in the parkway aren’t owned by property owners, they are just caretakers until it’s time for the trees funeral expenses.

I’m don’t have any big problem with the situation, I just don’t think most folks understand exactly what they’re in for when they put that little Maple out in the parkway in front of their house. A little plannin’ on the future growth of the plant is prob’ly in order.

‘Sides that, if it grows for long, it could take out a chunk of the City sidewalk that you have to also are responsible for. Just be aware of what’s expected.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click & Clack
TALK CARS

by Tom & Ray Magliozzi

My son in Florida has been having overheating problems with his ’85 VW Vanagon. On a trip to visit us recently, one of his lower coolant hoses blew. While he was here, one on the upper right side blew. On his way back home, the upper left side blew. He says up to about 60 m.p.h., it immediately goes up. He took it to a dealer, who replaced one more hose and the radiator cap, but the temperature gauge still reads hot. Any thoughts? -Len.

RAY: My first thought is, boy, am I glad I don’t drive around in a VW Vanagon!

TOM: No, he means thoughts about his son’s car, you knucklehead. Len, I think your boy has a plugged up radiator. That’s what’s causing the overheating at high speed and the buildup of excess pressure in the cooling system, which is causing those old hoses to blow.

RAY: If it’s not a plugged radiator, it could be a blown head-gasket. That would allow hot combustion gasses to get into the coolant, and that could also be responsible for the excess pressure and temperature.

TOM: I’d check for the bad head gasket first. Just have your mechanic remove the radiator cap and hold his emissions wand over the opening. If the emissions tester detects excessive hydrocarbons (i.e., more than 50 parts per million) in the coolant, then the head gasket (or the head) needs to be replaced.

RAY: If there’s no sign of combustion gasses in the coolant, then I’d have the radiator removed and flow tested. And if it tests poorly, as I suspect it will, he’ll have to put in a new one. And then his Vanagon will be as good as new-which wasn’t that good, but what do you want from us?