Out and About – Week of July 19th

Nothing planned for Friday evening, July 23? The Three Rivers Art Hop will run from 6 until 9 P.M. in historic downtown Three Rivers. The downtown merchants will have special hours to accommodate anyone who might wish to stop in and browse. It will be like a trip back about forty or fifty years, when the downtown area was bustling with activity. You might even see a few vintage cars, and you’re very likely to run into friends that you haven’t seen for years. The Riviera Theatre will be the venue for Smokestack & the Foothill Fury that evening at 9, and his performance is FREE. It has been reported that Smokestack is a one-man band with enough energy for a quartet. He comes armed with a small arsenal of guitars, his foot-driven rhythm section, and a knack for telling a story. By the way, in August, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” comes to the Riviera. Watch this newspaper for dates and times.

You will want to get the family up Saturday morning, July 24, so that you can stop by the Fabius- Park Fire Department, 15149 West Broadway in Three Rivers. Between the hours of 10 A.M. and 2 P.M., they will have their firehouse open for your inspection. You will have the opportunity to tour the fire station and view equipment and displays from local fire/rescue departments, police and emergency service providers. As an added treat, you will have the opportunity to talk with representatives from Air Care, AEP, Baker Towing, Approved Fire Protection, West Shore Fire, and many others. Make sure to take the kids, because there will be activities for children, including a “safe house” and items relating to teaching children the importance of fire safety.

Also on Saturday, you’ll want stop by Huss School, located on the corner of East Broadway and Eighth Street in Three Rivers. The Huss Future Festival runs from 8 A.M. until 4 P.M. and will feature a rummage sale, tours of the building, art by local artists, live music, coffee, and much more.

We’ve been experiencing some very hot and humid days lately. Because of this, I feel that it is important to remind you of the dangers of heat related to your pet. I really don’t understand why some dog owners think it’s cute or the “buddy” thing to do to take the family dog with them when they run errands. Some might say, “I’ll leave the windows down, so that Fido will stay cool.” Leaving the windows down might create a dangerous situation. The dog could bite a passerby, when provoked or scared. You would then be the one held accountable. If the dog has its head out the windown while the vehicle is moving, a piece of dirt or debris could fly into your pet’s face, causing serious injury or even blindness. Your dog could also leap out of the open window and become lost or struck by another vehicle. Incidents like these could really ruin your day.

If you see a pet in a vehicle on a hot day, make note of the car make and license plate number. Go to the nearest store and ask someone to page the owner. If this is unsuccessful, call local enforcement authorities. The police have the capability to enter the vehicle and rescue the animal. According to St. Joseph County 9-1-1 Central Dispatch, officers handled 25 calls for animals left in vehicles during 2009. So far this year, 2 calls have been handled for this reason. If one animal expires due to neglect by the owner, that is too many. 

See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman

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