Today's Feature
Fountain Repairs.

The Central Park Fountain renovation is underway. Concrete Services Corporation have been repairing the concrete inside the fishpond. There is minor patch work still to be done. After the new concrete dries a sealer will be applied according to Parks Director Alan Bull. Bull is optimistic that the sealing process will begin early this week.

After the sealer has dried, the Parks Department will be responsible for the completion of the waterworks and the assembly and installation of the brass fountain figurehead and concrete bowls. The plumbing has already been run for the fountain according to Bull and there is a possibility that the Parks Department will ask the Fire Department to fill the fountain for the first time after the repairs are complete.

Public Services Tonight.

The Public Services Committee will meet this evening at 7:00 p.m. at the Parks and Recreation building in Municipal Park. The committee is continuing its Carthage Parks evaluation and the final point of discussion will be the Municipal Park Golf Course which has recently received over a million dollars worth of improvements.

Stench Report:
Friday,
07/29/05

No Stench Detected

When the discussion to recirculate was started the fountain condition in general was determined to be in need of major repair. Looks like the repairs are goin’ to be completed soon with a new recirculatin’ pump and filter system.

I’m guessin’ water has been goin’ down the drain for most of the last hunderd years or so. ‘Course the water was prob’ly cheaper than the electricity to run the pump for a good portion of that time.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Cleaning a Gunky Showerhead

Q: The showerhead in my apartment’s bathroom has a lot of gunk on it that looks like mineral buildup. The gunk is built up on the faucet handles, too, but the worst thing is the showerhead. The maintenance man says it just needs to be cleaned and that he doesn’t do cleaning. What are my options? — Clare S., Winter Park, Fla.

A: You’ve got three options. First, you could go a level higher than the maintenance man and talk to the apartment manager or leasing office about the gunky shower. That can be a time-consuming, frustrating venture in some cases — sometimes the management will take care of the situation immediately, but often it doesn’t happen for weeks.

So that leads to your second option: cleaning the gunk off yourself. The best way to clean the showerhead is to remove it so that it can be scrubbed inside and out. To do this, unscrew the showerhead; you may need to use two adjustable wrenches, one to hold the shower "arm" (the pipe to which the head is attached) and the other to loosen the showerhead. Wrap a couple layers of masking tape around the areas where the wrenches will grip to keep from scratching the surface. Wash the showerhead in hot, soapy water, and then rinse.

Meanwhile, bring a small pan partly filled with half vinegar and half water to a boil, and place the showerhead in it, holes first. Simmer for five to 10 minutes. Remove and cool it off, then scrub away the loosened mineral deposits and open the holes by poking a needle or pipe cleaner through them.

The shower arm and the remaining bath hardware also can be cleaned in place, Stir together a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Brush or sponge this fizzy mix liberally onto the hardware and gunky ends of the shower arm. Next, wrap plastic wrap around each fixture, holding it in place with a rubber band, so that the vinegar-baking soda mixture doesn’t dry up. Leave it for 10-30 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and rinse the hardware thoroughly Then, replace the cleaned showerhead — wrap the threads on the shower arm with plumber’s tape first to ensure a tight seal, and then screw the parts tightly together.

Your third option is to replace the showerhead completely. You may have to do this if the cleaning doesn’t improve performance. And hang on to the old one, you may be asked to reinstall it when you move out.