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Thursday, December 12, 2019
Upgrades to Holiday Park

While driving around Holiday Park this year, you may have noticed some of the displays are brighter. The parks department has been upgrading some of the light displays by switching out the incandescent lights to new LED lights. Due to cost, this upgrade will be a long process as there are so many lights and displays. LED lights may cost more than the regular incandescent lights, but the savings over time is substantial due to the energy savings. 

LED lights use light-emitting diodes to produce light instead of the filament used by regular bulbs. They also require less wattage to run, so less electricity is used to power the same number of lights on a display or strand. Incandescent lights use a lot of energy and most of which is released as heat. LED lights stay cool to the touch, use up to 75% less energy and can last up to 25 times as long. They can last around 50,000 hours compared to the 1,000-hour lifespan of an incandescent light. Additionally, LED lights are more durable because they are made of plastic and don’t break as easily as regular lights. LED lights don’t burn out as they just get dimmer over time, so less time will be spent replacing lights each year. 

Each year, the parks department works with the East Hills Optimist Club to transform Krug Park into Holiday Park for the holiday season. The Optimist Club supports the parks department by using the donations collected to help purchase any new displays or lights for the next holiday season. It is the hope of both organizations to upgrade all the lights throughout the park over the next several years. 
Students Bring Holiday Cheer

On Thursday, December 12, choir students from Lafayette High School filled the lobby of City Hall with the sounds of Christmas carols. The students who performed included: Dorian Burns, Rylie Cave, Caitlynn Dittemore, Jordan Hall, Bailey Hansen, Perla Pizano, Taymantha Wilson, Tiffany Brashears, Parris Fowler, Jersey Klepees, Joscelyn Kneib, Jodicy Larkin, Laci Morgan, Vanessa Mulholland, Morgahn Name, Jozee Rusniak, Emma Smith, Emmalee Stanton, Avery Sumner, Mackenzie Wacaser, Mati Womeldorff, Piper Wright, Griselda Zacarias-Gonzalez. Thank you to the students and their vocal director, Mary Shields, for stopping by to help get everyone into the holiday spirit!
Home Heating Safety
It's important to stay smart and safe as the temperatures drop this winter. Here are some home heating safety tips to keep in mind.

  • Keep a 36-inch clearance around heaters
  • Plug space heaters directly into outlets
  • Do not use extension cords when using a space heater
  • Never leave a fireplace unattended
  • Do not use your stove to heat your home
  • Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Safe and Healthy Holiday Season

​ The holidays are a great opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends, to be grateful and to reflect on what is important. Here are some holiday tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support your efforts for health and safety this season.

Eat Healthy and Be Active: It can be challenging to eat healthy and stay active during the holidays. Allow yourself to have some of your favorite foods, but stick to smaller servings and balance them with healthier options. Look for opportunities to work physical activities into your holiday schedule like walking after a meal.

Get Your Flu Vaccination : The CDC recommends everyone age 6 months and older get their flu vaccine. Flu vaccination can reduce your risk of getting sick with flu and can prevent serious flu complications. 

Food Safety : Take simple steps to protect your family’s health when you prepare and serve your holiday meals. Wash your hands and work surfaces before, during and after preparing food. Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs separated during preparation. Cook food at the right internal temperature to kill harmful germs. Refrigerate perishable foods, including leftovers, within two hours of buying or cooking.

Wash your hands : Hand washing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs and to keep kids and adults healthy, especially during the winter months.

Cope with Stress: Everyone experiences stress from time to time. Feeling emotional and nervous or having trouble sleeping and eating can all be normal reactions to stress. Learning healthy ways to cope with stress and getting the right support can help reduce stressful feelings and symptoms.

Testing the Airport Pavement

During the first week of December, Applied Pavement Technology, Inc. (APTech) arrived to complete an update to the State's Airport Pavement Management System at Rosecrans Memorial Airport. APTech is conducting a pavement condition index survey for several airports throughout the state and Rosecrans was one of the first to get inspected. They have been collecting information on work history pertaining to the pavement system and performing a visual inspection of pavements at the airport. The results of this effort will assist the city, MoDOT and the FAA in understanding the current condition of airfield pavements and provide tools to assist in the future management of the pavement. MoDOT pays for the cost of this inspection as it helps them identify where there is an immediate need for work to be done and in prioritizing future projects throughout the state. View the results of the previous inspection from 2016.
Experience the Holiday Season

As many are busy rushing around town getting all the gifts on their lists, take a moment to enjoy the sights and sounds of the holiday season. Stroll down the streets of downtown to experience the holiday window displays or attend one of the many events happening downtown through the end of the month.

Don't forget to visit the lighting displays at both Holiday Park and the South Pole. Visitors can enjoy them now through January 1, between 6-10pm each night, weather permitting.

Photo credit: Laura Wyeth
(816) 271-5300