The Mayor’s Corner 05/29/2019

Mayor Diana Thomas

Thank you to the Elk’s Club and other volunteers for the placement of flags for Memorial Day at the Hillcrest Cemetery. It is great to see kids as part of that volunteer group learning the meaning behind the holiday and learning to respect our veterans.
I was recently reading an article about the 3rd United States Infantry Regiment better known as the ‘Old Guard’. I won’t give the whole history but just a bit of their duty currently which is to place flags at Arlington Cemetery. If you are interested research this regiment, the history is interesting.
The Thursday before Memorial Day at Arlington is known as “Flags In.” The ‘Old Guard’ place the flags at the graves of veterans. Since 1948, the 3rd Infantry Regiment has been the ceremonial unit and official escort for the president. Their priority mission above all else is to carry out the military-honor funerals in Arlington and Dover, Delaware where the soldiers are received.
The placement of the flags at each headstone is very precise. The flag must be “vertical and perpendicular to the headstone. One soldier is assigned per row; otherwise, different boot sizes might disrupt the perfect symmetry of the headstones and flags,” because the soldier places the toe of his/her combat boot against the white marble and places the flag three inches into the ground at the heel.
This precision really impressed me knowing how much respect these soldiers were paying to their fallen comrades. I appreciate their efforts and those of our local volunteers who also show respect through their efforts.
Kerry Nyce, Weiser City Fire Chief, stopped by with some good reminders. First, after the fire hydrant flushing, the crew found a number of hydrants in violation of International Fire Code which is what the State of Idaho uses. Code 507.5.5 states “a 3-foot clear space shall be maintained around the circumference of the fire hydrant.” All fire hydrants are in right-of-way. Residents are asked to keep shrubs away from the hydrants. We appreciate the help in keeping the 3-foot area clear.
There have been some tips about food safety during summer picnics this week in the media. The Chief would like to offer the following tips on grilling season safety; 1) Propane and charcoal BBQ grills should only be used out-of-doors; 2) The grill should be placed well away from home, deck railings and not recommended on combustible surfaces. 3) Keep grill clean by removing grease and do not forget trays below the grill. 4) Never leave your grill unattended. 5) On gas, grill light your grill with the lid open. 6) On charcoal grills, never add more starter fluid once lite. 7) When finished grilling, let grills cool before reapplying the cover. 8)Charcoal needs to cool overnight before removing coal. If disposing put in metal container. 9) If you encounter a problem, call 911.
There will be two electric outages Thursday, May 30, again between E. Park and E. Galloway Streets, between E. 4th and E. 6th Streets to work on the upgrading of conductors. There will be two outages one between 10 am-Noon and one between 1-2 pm. The area will be split and residents notified which outage they will be part of. Thank you again for your patience.
The City Street and Parks Departments will be joining the Indianhead Fly Fishers and any other volunteers interested in cleaning the area around the Community Pond. This is a great asset to our community and it is an opportunity for the community to come together to clean it up for summer use. The work will begin at around 9 am and usually finishes around noon. There will be a free hotdog barbecue for workers at noon sponsored by Falls Brand Meats and the City.