Community Bulletin

News items and announcements, posted as they come in and corrected as they change.

Combine incident: road repairs almost complete

Illustration of a combine at night on a moonlit road, green on one half and red on the other, with a lit and empty cab. — The combine on County Highway QQ, as described by the three residents who were awake.

Public Works is pleased to report that repairs to County Highway QQ and Marsh Road are nearly finished, and thanks residents for their patience since the night of August 29.

For those who were away: at some point after midnight, a combine travelled 2.3 miles of town road at a steady walking pace. No one was driving it. No one in Quillmarsh County owns one of that make, and the implement dealer in the next county has looked at the photographs and asked not to be sent any more. The machine is green on one side and red on the other.

The damage was orderly. The pavement was pressed into even rows thirty inches apart. Every mailbox along the route was turned to face north. One stop sign was harvested. The hopper was found to contain about 140 bushels of a grain that the co-op has politely declined to grade.

The final section will be paved by October 17. The exception is forty feet near the culvert, which the crew reports is already finished each morning when they arrive, in a slightly different asphalt. The Town has decided to accept this.

The combine is parked behind the Public Works shed, where it has been asked to remain. Residents who find rows in their lawns should mow as usual.

Old Ninemile Church still closed

Illustration of a small white church at dusk with its windows lit and a neatly mowed lawn. — Old Ninemile Church on a Thursday evening. The lawn was like that when we got there.

Old Ninemile Church on Lake Street has now been closed to everyone, including its own congregation, since April. The notice on the door reads “Closed. Thank you for your patience.” Nobody recalls posting it, and the handwriting is very nice.

The key still fits the lock. It simply does not turn. The lawn remains mowed, the walk remains shovelled in season, and the lights are on every Thursday evening. The bell rings at noon each day and is, for the first time in its history, on time.

The congregation meets in the school gym at 9:30 and reports that the acoustics are better than expected. There is no cause for concern. The building appears to be fine. It is just not open.

Shorter items

Elm Street streetlight. The light at Elm and Third has begun coming on a few minutes before anyone needs it. Public Works considers this a feature.
Dairy co-op report. Production is up two percent. The co-op thanks the herd and reminds members that the cows on the Brandvold place are facing east this month and should be approached from the front.
School notes. The fourth grade has completed its map of the town. It is accurate, and includes a street the Town does not have. The class has named it Pleasant Street and it will be considered at the next board meeting.
Lost and found. Held at the Town Hall counter: one left mitten (red), one casserole dish with no name on the tape, one set of keys that do not open anything yet, and an umbrella that is dry on the inside and wet on the outside regardless of weather.
Pronunciation. The question of how to pronounce “Xvaren” has been tabled for another year. Please continue as you were.
Thank you. To whoever has been leaving a pan of bars on the Town Hall steps every Monday since 1994. They are very good. We are not going to look into it.