Friday Facts: Ring-O-Ding-A’s, Sauerkraut, Mini-Marshmallows

:: Number of years between the founding of the city and its incorporation- 19

:: This Sunday marks thirty years since the closing of the Hearth’s Delight Confectionaries factory, here in the heart of the city. Here are some of the fondly-remembered candies and sweets manufactured by this hometown Willy Wonka: Caramel Flats, Chocolate Hailstones, Dices, Ring-O-Ding-A’s, Strippies, Freaking Flip-Outs, Comfort Bar, Silver Nuggets, Sticks N’ Stones, Peach Boys, Rev-Em-Ups, Red Snappers, Mouth Umbrellas, Sasquatch Bar and Coconut Sasquatch Bar.

:: Square miles annexed to the city since 1970 (2005)- 9.1

:: Only resident of the city to be featured on a foreign nation’s postage- local poet Jakob Kaczala on Poland’s .25 zloty (about 33 cents) stamp

:: Current Value (in dollars) of a mint-condition copy of the stamp- 25 cents

:: The top sandwich at the As You Like It Deli (the one on Casper Street)- The Krazy Kat— sauerkraut, chopped liver, and peanut butter on one slice of rye and one pancake.

:: Today marks the eighty-seventh birthday of locally-born food scientist Professor Alfred Cash Delaney, inventor of the mini-marshmallow. Professor Delaney has described his time spent developing his compact culinary creation as “very difficult.”

“People tell me ‘It’s just a small marshmallow,’ what’s the big deal?'” said the Professor during a 1976 interview, “I say to them, ‘Why don’t you try to make a very tiny television set, see how far you get!'”

:: Cause of yesterday’s traffic snarl on the Westbridge Bridge: A parakeet named Cassius playfully escaped from his cage in owner Laura Prescott’s 1984 Nissan Sentra and playfully pecked at Prescott’s neck while she drove, sending her into the guardrail. Cassius was uninjured. Ms. Prescott’s condition was not known as of press time.

:: The No-Smoking ordinance passed in 1999 prohibits smokers from lighting up inside restaurants, bars, theaters, common areas in multi-family residences and within fifty feet of school properties, but oddly enough allows smoking in churches, libraries and gymnasiums.

:: Number of major-party vice-presidential candidates born here (1804 – 2004)- 3

::In six of the eight school districts within the city, the following elective sports are acceptable alternatives to regular Phys.Ed classes- Bowling, Beginner SCUBA, Intermediate SCUBA, Crossbow Hunting and RC Demolition Derby

:: Until 1992, an ordinance banned the use of two-letter state codes on outgoing official city correspondence. The ordinance was lifted in 1997, briefly reinstated in 1998, and then lifted again.

:: Number of statues in the city dedicated to Santa’s reindeer- Eight
– D. Andrews, B. Grossblatt, S. Levinson, J. Morris