News briefs for Nov. 14, 2007

Breakfast with Santa

The 16th annual Tri Kappa Breakfast with Santa is set for 8-11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 1 at Deer Meadow Primary School.

Breakfast will be served from 8-10:30 a.m. The cost is $4 per child or adult. Children can make holiday crafts and have their photos taken with Santa.

Reservations are required, and forms are available at Bright Futures, Dixie Chopper Business Center, Styling Station, First National Bank and Styling Station.

The registration deadline is Friday, Nov. 23.

Holiday rolls for sale

The Greencastle High School Post Prom Committee will be selling Putnam Inn yeast and cinnamon rolls for Christmas.

The cost is $5.50 per dozen for yeast and $6 per dozen for cinnamon.

Orders will be taken from Monday, Nov. 26 to Friday, Dec. 14 and will be available for pick-up on Wednesday, Dec. 19 at the GHS cafeteria from 6-8 p.m.

To order, call Amy Lewis at 653-3632 or send e-mail to amynguys@hotmail.com

Movie Night Saturday

Northern Putnam County Girl Scouts will have a movie/food drive benefiting the Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry on Saturday, Nov. 17.

Girl Scouts and their families are invited to Ashley Square Cinema for a special 10:30 a.m. showing of either "Bee Movie" or "Mr. Magorium's Magical Emporium."

Cost is $4 per person, plus an item to be donated to the Food Pantry.

Leaf vac dust control

In response to recent concerns about dust from leaf collection, the city has undertaken control measures.

"The Greencastle Department of Public works is sorry for the inconvenience of the leaf dust in each neighborhood, however, we are doing everything we can to reduce this problem," City Street Commissioner Paul Wilson said this week.

The department has taken extra steps to reduce leaf dust from leaving the large leaf vacuums.

"We have purchased large tarps to go over the top of the leaf vacs to reduce as much leaf dust as possible from leaving the leaf vac hopper," he said. "The manufacturer does not recommend the tarp, but in past years of experience, it has shown a reduction of debris leaving the hopper."

However, the leaf vacuums have to operate so that the mechanism breathes. The air flow has to continue from the nozzle to the hopper for the leaf vacuum to work properly, Wilson explained.

As the air flows to the hopper, it will have velocity causing some of the dust to blow out.

"We cannot restrict this any more than what we have and continue to operate. Currently the Dept. of Public Works is experiencing a dryer than normal leaf season. The dryer it is the worse the leaf dust becomes," Wilson said.