:: Number of variations on “LED” used by various speakers during Thursday’s municipal Holiday Fest tree-lighting ceremony at Old City Hall: 7 (“LDE,” “LDD,” “LLD,” “Lead,” “DL,” “Leed,” and “Magic bulbs.”)
:: Number of killowatt hours saved by the widely-touted switching of the tree’s lights to energy-efficient LEDs: 1,000/day
:: And what of the old energy-inefficient strings of tree lights?: They are decorating the outside of the Faulkner Municipal Maintenance Facility, on Park Street.
:: According to the local records, the Ostahanoc River froze over every winter prior to 1979. Crossing the river on the ice was a popular winter short-cut, particularly at Bender’s Bend, near the city limits on the North Side. This was made illegal in 1985, after the Plesser’s Day-Care debacle. The law is still in force, though the river froze over completely only once (1988) since it passed.
:: The latest recorded ‘first snowfall’ in the city was December 10th, 1999.
:: Number of books released this week by local television weather people: 2 (“Stormy Weather,” by NBC12’s Teri Park and “I Love the Winter Weather,” by channel 6’s Rick Mellers)
:: Number of people who showed up for Park’s book signing Monday evening at the Barnes and Noble on Akers Boulevard: 50
:: Number of people who showed up for Mellers’ book signing Wednesday evening at the Borders downtown: 139
:: Owners of multi-unit dwellings in the city are required to clear all access walkways of snow no matter the depth. Private citizens are required to clear the sidewalks in front of their houses when the snowfall officially exceeds 1.5 inches.
:: Number of “Code Blue” emergencies called last winter, necessitating the opening of extra homeless shelter facilities: 4
:: The New York Knicks are not very good.
:: The largest hand-rolled snowman to occupy the grounds of Old City Hall was constructed in December 1947, topping off at 41 feet.
– David Andrews, RJ White
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