It was great to see so many people downtown on Saturday for the Small Business Open House. There was lots of entertainment and good buys in the local stores.
Families are getting excited for the Christmas season and some already have their shopping done and decorations up. The American Christmas Tree Association has put out some good reminders about Christmas Tree safety. Our local fire departments join in sharing these safety trips.
“Did you know that Christmas trees alone result in 13 million dollars, annually, in property damage? More importantly, these fires present real risk towards family and friends. When showcasing a live tree in your home, the combination of tree dryness, electrical malfunction with lights and poorly located heating sources can make for a deadly combination.
The freshest trees are less likely to catch fire, so look for a tree with vibrant green needles that are hard to pluck and don’t break easily from its branches. The tree shouldn’t be shedding its needles readily.
Always place your tree away from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights, and keep the tree base filled with water to avoid a dry out.
Make sure all your indoor and outdoor Christmas lights have been tested in a lab by the UL or ETL/ITSNA for safety, and throw out any damaged lights.
Any lights you use outdoors must be labeled suitable for exterior placement, and be sure to plug them into a ground-fault circuit interrupter protected receptacle.
Keep all your holiday candles away from your Christmas tree, surrounding furniture and décor.
Bedtime means lights off! Don’t forget to turn your Christmas tree lights off each night.
When your tree begins to drop its needles, it’s time to say goodbye to your evergreen foliage until next year, so this year, follow our guidelines to avoid being another statistic in the National Fire Protection Association or United States Fire Administration report during the upcoming holiday season.”
I understand fresh trees may be in short supply so I’m sure many will want to get their trees early but remember to keep your tree water and watch the dryness of the needles.
Crews are continuing to work on the leaves and alley clean up. They have moved over to the eastside of Highway 95. The WWTP crew is also still working on storm drains. If you have a storm drain near you that appears to be plugged and have not reported it, give the office a call with the location. They are working their way across town on that project as well.
This past week I had the honor of joining many friends in saying good-bye to another long time Weiser area businessman and resident, Cliff Pope. Cliff was the locksmith and bike and small engine repair man here for many years. I think he could fix about anything. He also worked with me and others at Annex School on the Oregon side. He taught me how to “run” a school from the bottom up. I so appreciated his knowledge, patience and kindness to kids and adults as he drove bus and maintained our school. He will sure be missed. Condolences to Ruby and his family.
Remember this Friday is the Christmas Parade and the arrival of Santa to light the tree at the Depot. The Festival of Trees begins Wednesday with the Gala and will continue through Friday night. Be sure to get out to see the beautiful trees and wreaths at the Vendome this week. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
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