Two More Months of Tree Pruning
Tree trimming to remove branches too close to power lines will continue on the Avenues for up to two more months, according to GACC Chairman Jim Jenkin.
Mr. Jenkin told the council that Rocky Mountain Power has contracted with Trees, Inc. to cut back branches to provide two to three-foot clearance away from distribution lines, and, on private property, one-foot clearance from house power lines.
"They will put a notice on your door five days before they'll be in your area," the chairman said.
Trees, Inc. will not do private work while they are on private property except that they will, at owner request, remove junk trees that are under power lines.
For more information, call Scott Vance, Trees, Inc. arborist at 801-220-7381. |
Avenues Resident Researches Dangers of Cell Phone Use While Driving
by Jim Jenkin,
2010 GACC Chairman
Last year the GACC published a statement acknowledging the impairment of drivers by
cell-phone use and calling on drivers to pull over to use the phone.
A great deal of the credit for this goes
to Avenues resident and University of Utah
Professor David Strayer, who was willing to
present his research findings to the GACC.
Progressive means being out in front and this year we find the
topic heating up nationally. Corresponding with Dr. Strayer I hear
about the formation of a group to support those dealing with cellphone
associated loss and to lobby against cell-phone impaired
driving, focusdriven.org. MADD and the National Safety Council
reportedly assisted in the formation.
The National Safety Council also published an estimate that
over a quarter of accidents are cell phone-related. For more, go to
http://www.nsc.org/Pages/Home.aspx and click on news releases.
Awareness of the problem is growing in the popular media as
well, with Dr. Strayer scheduled to appear on the Oprah Winfrey show on January 18 as the scientific expert for a segment focused
on the subject. Dr. Strayer even mentions a coming web-based
project with NPR/CarTalk/U of U.
Tom and Ray Magliozzi are, you may recall, the "Car Talk"
radio program hosts and longtime opponents of cell-phone DWI
and providers of the “Hang up and Drive!” bumper sticker.
Details about this and other projects and research are
available on the Strayer Lab website at ww.psych.utah.edu/lab/
appliedcognition.
UTA has announced public hearings on the changes it proposes
to institute on its Spring change day. Dropping Saturday service
on route 11 will be a loss to the Avenues. Saturday service on the
number 6 will continue.
Loss of sales tax revenues have caused
belt tightening at UTA and this is one of the measures they have
instituted to recoup budget shortfalls. The Avenues enjoyed some of the best bus service in the system
for most of the time I’ve lived here, with the area from downtown
to LDS hospital enjoying 15-minute service intervals, but Avenues
folk don’t ride the bus enough to justify such service these days.
The advent of rail commuter services has also diverted resources
from traditional neighborhood service to commuter service.
Be sure to set aside the second Saturday in May, the 8th, for
the annual Memory Grove Cleanup, a GACC-sponsored event.
See you at the meeting!
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