Time to switch mercury switches
Just in time for Earth Day, AAA is launching a one-week campaign to replace mercury switches on automobiles.
The tiny switches are used to activate lights under the hoods of cars and in car trunks. Each, according to AAA, contains enough mercury to pollute a 20-acre lake.
AAA estimates that 2.2 million Washington vehicles have mercury switches.
To encourage auto owners to replace them, AAA is sponsoring free switch switches from today through Friday at local Divine’s Auto Repair shops. Call for an appointment. It takes only minutes.
Locations are: Downtown, 203 W. Third Ave., 455-8622; North, 925 E. Wellesley, 483-3753; South, 3725 S. Grand, 747-4457; Valley, 1520 N. Pines, 922-3911.
And while you’re there, bring along those old car and boat batteries. Divine’s is collecting them for the “Great Battery Round Up.” Each battery will be recycled and a donation will be made to an environmental charity.
Lights out for lighters
It’s official. You can’t bring lighters onto airplanes anymore.
The Transportation Security Administration banned lighters effective last week. They’re also prohibited in checked bags.
Up to four books of safety matches are still allowed in carry-on luggage.
Bad boys, bad boys …
Better behave when these officers are on the road. They busted more than 1,200 people for driving under the influence last year.
The Spokane County Traffic Safety Commission recognized city, county and state law enforcement officers last week for keeping roads safe.
Honored were Liberty Lake Officer Clint Gibson, Spokane Officer Scott Haney, Spokane Valley Deputy Craig Chamberlin and Washington State Troopers Jon McKee, Barry Marcus, Devyn Derrick, Mark Haas, Matt Weberling and Dawn Gillespie as well as Washington State Patrol Sgt. Tim Walters.
Others recognized for non-DUI contributions to traffic safety included Spokane Valley Deputies Joseph Bonin and Brent Garrett, Liberty Lake Officer Mike Thomas and Sgt. Ray Bourgeois and Spokane County Deputy Randy Strzelecki.
Rolling along the highway
MapQuest has a new online mapping competitor.
TravMatix ( www.travmatix.com) offers interstate highway travelers maps plus information about facilities available at each exit along the way, including restaurants, hotels, hospitals and bathrooms.
Many bathrooms are even rated according to cleanliness. The best get four-star toilet paper roll designations.
Fair warning
The Spokane Police Department’s traffic unit is going to be on a citywide stop sign enforcement blitz this week.
Don’t even think about trying one of those “California” stops, where you just slowly slide through the intersection. If you do, you might end up getting stopped a little longer than you’d planned.
Slow going
The Argonne Bridge is reduced to one lane in each direction as crews finish up the last surface details.
Spokane street crews will be working on both the Maple Street and Greene Street Bridges this week. Various lanes will be closed at various times. Expect slowdowns.