Each week, Tom Aspell searches the state for the biggest pumpkin he can find. Once he's got a 10-foot-tall prizewinner, he carves it, puts it out on the front porch and waits. Once some young ragamuffins happen by with the intention of smashing the gourd, the real fun begins. Tom bursts out of the pumpkin – where he was hiding all along – and stops the vandals in their tracks. As punishment for their thought-crime, Tom has the kids rake his lawn and spell out the city memo in leaves. Then, he picks us up in his helicopter and hovers so we can copy it down.
Dump your stuff
no waste of time
Clean the skeletons out of your closets, basement and garage, Aspell writes. If you can literally do that, you may also want to pack a bag and hit the road for the Cayman Islands.
Come to Concord's Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day Sept. 29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Everett Arena. Acceptable items include the following:
From the workbench: Oil based paints (no latex), stains and varnishes, wood preservatives, paint strippers/thinners (thin strippers? Oh, nevermind), solvent adhesives, lighter fluid.
From the garage: Fuels/gasoline/kerosene, engine degreaser, brake fluid, transmission fluid, car wax/polishes, driveway sealer, roofing tar, swimming pool chemicals.
From the yard: Poisons/insecticides/fungicides, chemical fertilizers, weed killers, moth balls (smells like grandma's house!), flea control products.
From the house: Rubber cement, glue, fiberglass resins, photo chemicals, chemistry sets (that's some fancy learnin'), furniture polish, floor and metal polish, oven cleaner, drain and toilet cleaner, spot remover, rug and upholstery cleaner, mercury items (like Freddy Mercury items?)
Proof of residency is required. For more information, contact the General Services Department at 228-2737 or visit concordnh.gov.
Con(yawn)struction
Workers still working
This week, the contractor will continue to prepare driveways, sidewalks and granite curbing for base pavement on North State Street, between Palm Street and Call Street, Aspell writes.
A masonry subcontractor will be active in this area raising utility castings as well. Does that mean he'll be doing jumping jacks and push-ups?
Delays should be expected, as one-lane traffic conditions will persist. The pipe crew will continue recently started drainage reconstruction efforts in the section from Call Street to Brook Street. Delays should be expected in this area as well. In fact, your delays should expect delays.
No work will be occurring on North State Street on Sept. 11, due to the State Primary Election. Rock the vote, construction dudes.
Saturday construction will begin Sept. 15 and continue for the remainder of the season. (The football season? Bathing suit season? The current season of One Tree Hill?) Hours of operation will be 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
