Tuesday February 7th the Public Works Committee met in the council chambers for their monthly meeting.

They also discussed Memorial Hall and its sump pump at the base of the new elevator shaft. When the elevator was first installed, ground water was discovered seeping into the shaft.

The original drain for the pump was discharged to the south of the building, directly onto the parking lot. After some discussion with the architect, it was relocated to where it drained to Oak street.

Engineering Department Director Joe Butler told the Committee that when it freezes, the intersection of Oak and McGreggor becomes icy. Butler will report back to the Committee with estimates to pump into the storm water drain. Butler said the correction would be a "minor project."

Street Commissioner Tom Shelley reported that most of the Street Crews worked ten to twelve hours on Christmas Eve to clear the snow. A lighter crew also worked Christmas Day.

"I thought the guys did a good job," said Shelley.

NASCAR to the Max

As expected, three of NASCAR’s most experienced veterans will indeed be behind the wheel of a racecar/truck next year. Ken Schrader, Bobby Hamilton, and Jimmy Spencer, all in their mid-40’s and with over 1300 combined starts, were left unemployed at the end of last season. Their unemployment was the result of either poor performance or the lack of a sponsor for the coming season.

Schrader has landed a ride with BAM Motorsports in the number 49 Dodge, a relatively new team that has floundered in its short time in the series. The team is hopeful that Schrader, who races several times a week in everything from dirt track sprint cars to NASCAR’s premier series, will give them the experience and boost they need. The team started the season last year with driver Shawna Robinson whose tenure was short-lived and then bounced between various drivers including Derrike Cope and Ron Hornaday.

Jimmy Spencer will be with the number 7 Dodge of Ultra Motorsports and sponsorship of Sirius Satellite Radio. This team is also hopeful that Spencer’s experience will make them more competitive after struggling last season with youngster Casey Atwood.

Bobby Hamilton will ply his wares in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series in one of his own team trucks. Hamilton secured his sponsor, Square D, from last year that found the reduced budget in the truck series to conform closer to its budgetary restraints.

Though Hamilton could contend in the truck series, it is likely that Schrader and Spencer will continue their trend of the past few years as "also rans."

After one day of testing at Daytona International Speedway, Mike Skinner in a Pontiac paced the field with a top speed of 182.767 mph. Skinner was followed closely by 2002 NASCAR Champion Tony Stewart’s Chevrolet at 182.020, Elliott Sadler’s Ford at 181.646 and Michael Waltrip’s Chevrolet at 181.543. Rusty Wallace’s Dodge rounded out the top five at 181.452. All makes competing in the series were represented in the top five, a fact that no doubt has NASCAR smiling as they look for parity among the makes.

I’ve noticed that peoples hands are pretty handy.

Just think of all the things you can do with ‘em. They are excellent for carryin’ suitcases. They are great for workin’ a typewriter (back when they still made those things). They can pick up a pencil, pick a card and in a pinch they could even pick your, --er, well they’re just awful nice things ta have hangin’ at the ends of your arms.

One of the more popular places for hands ta be stored when men are talkin’ seems a little unusual, but you see it all the time. Guys cross their arms and stick their hands in their arm pits.

I’m sure those are the first one you ladies like ta shake hands with when ya walk in a room.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

By Tom & Ray Magliozzi

Dear Tom and Ray:

Here is a question that I’m sure the dealer will not have an answer for. When I run my car’s air conditioner (2003 Toyota Corolla), the air is too cold. I’ve been instructed to turn the temperature dial to a warmer setting. What does this do? Does it just air condition the air and then heat it up again? In which case, is this a really inefficient way to cool a car? Or does it run the compressor less, and therefore use less power from the engine? — Jim

RAY: It just mixes in warm air, Jim. The air-conditioning compressor has only one setting (well, two on some cars with an "economy" option). And when it’s on and cycling, the only way to regulate the temperature is to mix in heat to make it "less cool."

TOM: It is somewhat inefficient, but at least the heat is free — it’s taken from the heat that’s naturally created by the engine. So it’s not costing you any MORE in gas consumption than just running the air conditioner would.

RAY: By the way, this is exactly the way lots of climate-control systems work. They run the air conditioner and then regulate the temperature by turning up the heat.

TOM: Turning up the heat. That’s what I’ve been trying to do to my brother to get back the 200 bucks he owes me.