At Wits End by Erma Bombeck
The essay humorously critiques long distance rates and dialing habits as Americans chase savings. Bombeck recalls Bell System pricing quirks and a recurring temptation to dial late or direct to save money, including an anecdote about an operator urging direct dialing and a touch of irony about unlisted numbers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Alexander Graham Bell
Watson
Alaska
Hawaii
Ma _ Bell
Nashville
North Carolina
Directory Assistance
Collecting trends lure buyers to vintage treasures
Antiques dealer Henry Kaplan explains collectors seek varied items from grandma’s tools to Felix the Cat and Betty Boop. He notes demand runs from samplers and toby jugs to Currier and Ives prints and colored glass, with modern pieces like soda fountain dispensers and tin signs filling shelves.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Vivian Brown
AP News
Felix the Cat
Henry Kaplan
New York
Collectors Seek Felix the Cat Coca Cola Memorabilia
A city boy in Canada recalls collecting items from Félix the Cat Coca Cola artifacts to antique egg boxes. Spotlight on searches for Coca Cola signs mirrors pictures and old photograph cylinders. Collectors also seek Peter Lorre memorabilia and tin toys while enjoying country utensils and tools.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Peter Lorre
Coca Cola
Canada
Antique dealer recalls cycles in collecting and rising prices
A Southern Illinoisan feature on a veteran antiques dealer notes shifts in taste from Art Nouveau to Indian items and a growing interest in vintage tools and compromise between reproduction and authenticity. He recalls selling a minia ture brass bed for a girl and cites price trends with copper pewter and period pieces rising while reproductions flood the market.
Sponge Squad uses police and human skills in domestic crime
Eric Pa. Police form a seven member Sponge Squad assigned to domestic calls. They deescalate with kindness and community services rather than arrest. Chief Sam Gemelli notes the unit grew from the Family Crisis Intervention Unit and aims to reduce violence by handling cases with understanding and counseling.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Doug Bailey
Associated Press
Eric
Sam Gemelli
Gemelli
Pennsylvania
Sponge Squad
Do it yourself Mini deck plans with two stage build
A reader describes building a small deck in two stages over years with a compact plan 8 by 16 feet initially and later widened. The guide covers timber choices, footing depth, railing construction, joist spacing, and practical details for a budget friendly deck added to a kitchen doorway and integrated with living and dining areas.
Fiesta de Santa Fe faces new rules after 262 years
Santa Fe New Mexico AP reports the Fiesta de Santa Fe must limit or remove some food booths on the Plaza to meet New Mexico Environmental Improvement Agency standards. The guidance notes a do it yourself approach for those unfamiliar with hammering and construction, urging careful planning before actions.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Santa Fe
N.M
Also Mentioned on This Page
Erma Bombeck
Southern
Duquoin
Beauty College
S. Washington
Ing
Seersucker
MR Sake
Carbondale
Westown Shopping Mall
Jacquard
Jersey Prints
Marion Town & Country Village
Hurst - Bush Day Care Center
Hurst
ALL Makes & Models
Mardale Shopping Center
Bank of Murphysboro
Murphysboro, Ellinois
FDIC
Worldscope
Symbionese Liberation Army
Henrie
Herrin, Illinois
Ver
George Wallace
Illinois
Marion
Murphysboro
George McGinnis
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