Sites of the MonthGreat Sites to Check Out(from Partner Communication's monthly newsletter

Ready, Set, Race!indianapolismotorspeedway.com – Racing season at the Indianapolis

Motor Speedway starts on May 3, and this site can help you prepare. Whether you want to purchase tickets, find camping information, check out photos, or just learn more about events, you’ll find it here. Visit the Get the Gear section for hats, t-shirts and more.

Plant A Tree for Earthforestnation.com - Earth Day was April 22, and you can celebrate next year by planting a tree. ForestNation has a goal of one billion trees planted on this day to give back to Earth and help stabilize its climate. When you buy your tree from ForestNation, the organization will plant another in a developing country.

Grow Your Fruit and Veggie Knowledgefruitsandveggiesmorematters.org – the latest guidelines from the USDA suggest that Americans fill half their plate with fruits and vegetables at each meal. This site makes it easy to use these nutrition stars in your meal planning. Check out the Nutrition Databases for how to select, store and prepare dozens of healthful foods.

Fun In The Sandthisissand.com – Remember how fun it was to play with sand when you were a kid? Now you can get the same experience, even if you’re hundreds of miles from the nearest beach. This desktop application (that’s also available for mobile devices) enables you to choose colors of sand and make your own artistic creations.

Get Gardeninggarden.org – Whether you’re a seasoned gardener, or just planting your first tomatoes, you’re sure to learn something from this National Gardening Association (NGA) site. The organization’s mission is to provide educational garden programs to every generation. Check out the gardening articles, plant finder, how-to videos, and much more.

Best Garage Sale Tipsorganizedhome.com – Sure, a garage sale might LOOK easy: put out a bunch of stuff, and sell it to people walking by. But, there are actually strategies for having a successful garage sale. For example, have yours early in the month – right after payday. Visit this site to get more great advice.

Free + Recycling = Freecyclefreecycle.org – Have some stuff taking up too much space in your garage? Or are you looking for some new books to read? Either way, Freecycle could be great for you. It’s a worldwide network of people exchanging things for free. Each local group is moderated by volunteers. Membership is (of course) free.

Protect Your Skin From Harmful RaysSkincancer.org – Summer means sun, and sun means the potential for fun as well as damage. Skin cancer is a real threat, but there’s a lot you can do to prevent it. Check out this site for general recommendations as well as those for specific situations like going to the beach, driving, and golfing.

Make Cool, Creamy Treats--allyou.com – with a gallon of ice cream and the right recipe, it’s easy.

Scam Alert – Be Careful When Buying Or Selling On CraigslistCraigslist can be a convenient and inexpensive way to get a great deal on used items or make some extra cash if you have items to sell. Most of the transactions that originate on Craigslist happen with-out a hitch, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be wary. Unscrupulous people can use Craigslist to take advantage of you in multiple ways: by gathering your personal information, making fake deals to steal your money, or physically harming you. Protect yourself by taking the following precautions:

Rule #1 is to use common sense. If something feels fishy or "off," it probably is.

Take advantage of the Craigslist feature that allows you to hide your email address. Give your mobile phone number, so it can't be traced to your home.

If possible, meet in a public place such as a coffee shop or store parking lot. Some police sta-tions allow citizens to complete such transactions on their premises.

Bring a friend and your phone to any meeting. Let others know where you'll be.

If you're selling and must meet at your home, move the item to a visible location, such as an open garage.

The best way to be paid is in cash. Never issue refunds on checks that haven't yet cleared, and never send money to purchase an item you haven't seen.

You may also want to explore the "swap shops" offered on Facebook by many communities. They can be a safe way to buy and sell used merchandise in your area.

Remember, people you meet online aren't always who they appear to be, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself, both online and off. For additional recommendations, visit www.staysafeonline.org.

How to Stop videos From Auto-Playing on FacebookQ - When I open Facebook, every video in my feed starts playing automatically. Can I make it stop?

A – The short answer is yes! And you have good reasons to want to do so. All those videos can use up your computer’s power and might not be appropriate for the environment where you’re watching them (such as work). Not to mention, it can be just plain annoying. To turn off this feature in Facebook, follow these instructions:

1. From your Facebook home page, in the upper-right corner, click the down arrow, and select Settings from the menu.

2. One the next screen, in the left column menu, choose Videos.3. Under Video Settings, next to Auto-Play Videos, click the down arrow, and select Off.

The process for turning off this feature on your Facebook app is similar. Tap the menu icon, go into Settings, and find the video option from there.

The City of Melbourne offices will be closed September 7 for Labor Day.PEDDLER’S PERMITS: The City of Melbourne has an ordinance for transient merchants, peddlers and solicitors that says they must get a permit from city hall before they can sell

anything in the city. They must have this permit with them at all times and may sell only between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm. If someone comes to your door selling something, ask to see their permit. Scout troops and school children who are fundraising are exempt.

Check to make sure the permit has a current date and the City of Melbourne seal.

BUILDING PERMITS: If you build a home, a garage, a deck, a patio, a shed/playhouse, or add additions to any of those you need a building permit. Applications and setback requirements are available at city hall. The permit must be approved by the council before any construction begins. Please be aware that if you tear down a nonconforming structure, the new structure must conform to current setback regulations.

REMINDER: City Council meets on the second Monday of each month at 7 pm at city hall. Any changes in that schedule are published online at melbourneiowa.com or on Facebook - Melbourne Happenings.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY Tip of the MonthWhen it’s hot outside, appliances and lighting can actually heat up our homes more than we think. To save energy, minimize the activities that generate additional heat, such as burning open flames, continuously running a computer, or using hot-hair devices like curling irons. This will ultimately keep your house cooler. Source: Department of Energy

CITY NEWS QUICKIES Remember to keep your grass/weeds mowed. The City adopted a mowing ordinance in 2010 which

City of MelbournePeddler’s Permit

Permit Term: April 1, 2015 through April 15, 2015Permit Number: 2015-01

Sales Tax No: 12-3456789Business Name: Acme SalesBusiness Address: 1234 Main Street

Cedar Rapids, IA 52404

Name: John DoeAddress: 4321 Elm Street, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404Date Issued: 3-28-2015 By: _________________________

(Copy of Driver’s License) (City Seal)

sets height limits and mowing time frames as well as fines. (Copies of ordinances can be seen at City Hall or the library.) As you mow, be sure NOT to blow your grass in the street, it can clog the storm sewers. Dogs must be on a leash if they are off your property and be sure you clean up after your pet. As you walk around town, please be respectful of the private property you are near. Don’t litter or trespass, and be sure to pick up any mess your pet makes. If you have a digging project, be sure to call Iowa One Call at 1-800-292-8989 48 hours before you dig. They will notify the utilities to mark all lines. Stay safe when you dig. Or you can call 811. Contact the city clerk’s office to find out about building permit requirements. Building permits are not required for roofing and siding projects. If you have a building project, check with the city clerk’s office to see if a building permit is required and if there are any regulations you have to be sure to follow. Projects needing a permit that are started before a permit is issued may have the fees doubled. If you will be moving, contact the city clerk’s office before your final date. We need to know your forwarding address and when you will be moving. It will save you money from late fees. Any golf cart driven on a city street, must be registered with the City of Melbourne. Stop at the city clerk’s office for regulation information or to fill out a registration application. Motorized vehicles may not be driven on the grounds at city parks. This includes go-carts, snowmobiles, ATVs, motorcycles, cars, etc. Please call the Marshall County non-emergency number 641-754-5725 to report a violation. If you notice a street light not working properly, let the City or the utility company know. You may call Alliant Energy at 1-800-255-4268 or the city clerk’s office at 641-482-3338. August 26 - September 19 is the time frame to turn in papers to have your name placed on the next municipal election’s ballot. The City of Melbourne does not accept Debit or Credit cards, but please consider using your banks’ bill pay option. Most banks offer this service at no charge to the customer. You will need to check with your personal bank to get their policy.One word of caution if you use this option - you will want payment to come out of your account no later than the 10th of the month. Even though most of us bank “locally”, the payments generally come from out of state such as California, North Carolina, Texas, etc. You will need to allow extra time for the payment to arrive through the mail. Unfortunately, if it comes in late, there will be a “late fee” already assessed. By having it sent BY the 10th, you should avoid it arriving after the due date.

The City doesn’t allow any type of building materials or other debris at the lagoon. “So remember, if you didn’t grow it, don’t throw it!”

PLEASE HELP KEEP AREAS ENJOYABLE FOR EVERYONENo dog shall be allowed in any area of a City park unless it is attached to a leash not more than 6 feet in length and having sufficient strength to restrain the dog when the leash is held by a person capable of restraining and controlling the dog.The owner or walker must immediately remove any feces the animal has discharged on any public or private property, other than the property of the owner of the animal.

Key Elements of a Disaster Plan for Severe WeatherThere are five key elements of a disaster plan:

1. Learn about possible dangers in your area and become familiar with your community's disaster response plan.

2. Talk to your family about what to do in the event of an emergency. Pick two locations where you will meet: one close to your home and another removed from your

neighborhood to be used if you are unable to return to your residence.

3. Develop a communications plan to insure that your family will be able to stay in contact if separated during a disaster.

4. Create disaster kits for your home, office, and car.

5. Practice your plan!

Assembling a Disaster KitA disaster kit is a collection of basic items that members of a household may need in the event of a disaster. An ef-fective disaster kit contains enough food, water and other supplies for each person to last at least three days. You may want to consider having supplies for sheltering for up to two weeks, especially if you live in remote areas. Here is a basic list of items to include in a kit:

Bottled water and non-perishable food

Battery or hand crank radio Flashlight and extra batteries First Aid supplies Clothing, shoes and blankets Whistle Cash and coins Photocopies of important family doc-

uments such as ID's and credit cards

Baby needs Sanitation items such as hand sanitizer and

toilet paper Specialty items such as prescription medica-

tion and eyeglasses Local Map Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar

charger Games to pass time

Keep this kit in a designated place and have it ready in case you have to leave your home quickly. Make sure all fam-ily members know where the kit is kept.

WaterWater is essential to survival and a necessary item in any disaster kit. Following a disaster, clean drinking water may not be available. Your regular water source could be cut-off or compromised through contamination. Prepare yourself by building a supply of water that will meet your family's needs during an emergency.

Store at least one gallon of water per person per day. A normally active person needs at least one gallon of water daily just for drinking. Water will also be used for sanitation. It is recommended that you purchase commercially bot-tled water beforehand to use as your emergency source of water. Be sure to keep water in its original container and do not open it until you use it. Always observe the expiration or "use by" date on bottled water. Use and replace the water before this date.

Remember: Do not drink carbonated beverages instead of drinking water.

FoodSelect foods that require no refrigeration, preparation, or cooking. Be sure to include a manual can opener in your disaster kit. Store at least a three day supply of food for each person in your family. Choose foods that your family will eat and remember any special dietary needs. Pick canned foods with a high liquid content and avoid foods that will make you thirsty. Here are some ideas for foods to include:

Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, and vegetables Canned juices, milk, or soup High energy foods: peanut butter, jelly, salt-free crackers, granola bars, trail

mix Cookies, hard candy, instant coffee, tea bags Vitamins Foods for infants, elderly, or other persons with special dietary needs

Floods, fire, natural disasters, or loss of power could jeopardize the safety of your food. Here are some "Dos" and "Don'ts" to help reduce your risk of illness and minimize the amount of food lost due to spoilage.

    Do:  

Keep food in covered containers. Keep cooking and eating utensils clean. Keep garbage in closed containers and dis-

pose outside--burying garbage if necessary. Keep your hands clean. Discard any food that has come into contact

with contaminated floodwater. Discard any perishable food that has been at

room temperature for two hours of more. Discard any food that has an unusual odor,

color, or texture.

    Don't:  

Eat foods from cans that are swollen, dented or corroded, even though the product may look safe to eat.

Eat any food that looks or smells abnormal, even if the can looks normal.

Let garbage accumulate inside, both for fire and sanitation reasons.

First AidA good first aid kit is essential to any home and is imperative in a disaster supply kit. In an emergency, you or a family member may suffer an injury. If you have these basic first aid supplies, you are better prepared to help your loved ones when they are hurt. Here are some items which should be included in any first aid kit. This is not an exhaustive list.

Prescription medication that you take every day (be sure to periodically rotate medicines to account for expiration dates)

Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes Two inch and 40 inch sterile gauze pads Hypoallergenic adhesive tape Scissors and tweezers Antiseptic and anti-bacterial ointment

Image Courtesy of FEMA

Image Courtesy of the State of New York

Burn ointment Thermometer Cleansing agent/soap Latex gloves Sunscreen Aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever Anti-diarrhea medication, antacid, and laxative

In Your VehicleIn case you are stranded, keep a kit of emergency supplies in your car. This kit should include:

Jumper cables Flashlight and extra batteries First aid kit and necessary medication in

case you are away from home for a prolonged time

Food items containing protein such as nuts and energy bars, canned fruit, and a portable can opener

Water for each person and pet in your car Plastic bags for sanitation AM/FM radio to listen to traffic reports and

Cat litter or sand for better tire traction

Shovel Ice scraper Warm clothes and an extra change of

clothes Blankets or sleeping bags Flares or reflective triangle Brightly colored cloth (ideally red) to tie to

the antenna or hang out a window

Be prepared for an emergency by keeping your gas tank full and carry a cell phone when driving. If you find yourself stranded, be safe and stay in your car, turn on your flashers, call for help, and wait until it arrives.

CITY ELECTION NOVEMBER 3, 2015One of the most challenging and exciting responsibilities an individual can assume is to make the decision to become a mayor or council member. The business of city government and local leadership presents a unique opportunity to resolve issues, accomplish goals, and affect the future of your community.The “heartbeat of the city consists of elected and appointed officials. Our appointed officials are Library Board of Trustees, Park and Recreation Board, Planning and Zoning Commission. Other appointed officials are the Mayor Pro-Tem, City Attorney and City Clerk. The mayor is the chief executive officer of the city and presides over council meetings. The mayor manages the meetings and maintains order. The mayor cannot vote on items before the council, but can veto an ordinance or resolution of the council.The authority of the city resides in the city council. The council votes on and passes motions, resolutions and ordinances. Resolutions are statements of policy and ordinances are the laws of the city. The votes of each council member are recorded in the minutes of a meeting. The council also approves expenditures, the budget, contracts, city policies and zoning changes. Collectively these officials come together and offer their time and talents for public service. Each and every one takes the opportunity to represent the City of Melbourne with integrity, professionalism and making all decisions based on what is the best for our community. The City of Melbourne conducts business on the second Monday of each month. Meetings generally begin at 7:00 p.m. Committee work is accomplished on an as needed basis. Annual compensation for the Mayor will be $75 per meeting and council members are paid at the rate of $40 per meeting.This election year there are 2 - 4 year term council seats to fill on November 3, 2015. In order to hold office in the city, a candidate must be an eligible elector, meeting the same qualifications required to vote and be a resident of the city. The winning candidates will take office January 1, 2016. Nomination packets may be picked up at the City Clerk’s office or the County Auditor’s Office. Nominees must obtain 10 eligible signatures. Candidate filing begins Monday, August 24th and ends with papers due at the County Auditor’s office by 5 PM, Thursday, September 17, 2015.The City of Melbourne offers training for new city officials thru the Iowa League of Cities. The best example of training sessions available for city officials is the Municipal Leadership Academy (MLA), presented in partnership by the Iowa League of Cities, Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University Office of State and Local Government Programs. These training sessions are designed to cover the basics of city government in Iowa and are the best way for new officials to learn about the legalities and expectations of their new position and to meet both new and experienced city officials.

Bicycle and Runner Safety Reminders

With spring here, the Melbourne Police Department would like to remind citizens to take the necessary bicycle safety precautions when riding. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, more than 500,000 people are treated and 700 people are killed each year in the United States from bicycle-related injuries.

Learn the rules of the road. Your safety and image of bicyclists depend on you. You have the same rights and duties as drivers. Obey traffic signals and stop signs. Ride with traffic; use the rightmost lane headed in the direction you are going.

BE PREDICTABLE Make your intentions clear to everyone on the road. Ride in a straight line and don’t swerve between parked cars. Signal turns, and check behind you well before turning or changing lanes. BE CONSPICUOUS Ride where people can see you and wear bright clothing. Use a front white light, red rear light and reflec-tors when visibility is poor. Make eye contact with others and don’t ride on sidewalks. THINK AHEAD Anticipate what drivers, pedestrians, and other people on bikes will do next. Watch for turning vehicles and ride outside the door zone of parked cars. Look out for debris, potholes, and other road hazards. Cross railroad tracks at right angles. RIDE READY Check that your tires have sufficient air, brakes are working, chain runs smoothly, and quick release levers are closed. Carry tools and supplies that are appropriate for your ride. Wear a helmet.

RUNNER RULES OF THE ROAD AND TRAILS: Run against traffic if running on the road. If running on the sidewalk or multi-use trails, travel on the right and pass on the left. Never run more than two abreast if you are running in a group. Don’t be a road or trail hog. Don’t run down the middle of the road or trail. If you are running an out-and-back route, don’t just make a sudden U-turn at your turn

around point. Stop, step to the right to allow oncoming traffic the opportunity to pass. Ensure the road or trail is clear of oncoming traffic (runners, cyclists, in-line skaters, etc.) then make your U-turn. Making a sudden U-turn without looking over your shoulder is a good way to get hit. Alert pedestrians when you are passing them – don’t assume they are aware of their surroundings. A simple “on your left” warning will suffice. Be alert on blind curves. Stop at stop signs and ensure oncoming traffic yields to you before proceeding across a road. Don’t as-sume cars will stop if you are entering a cross walk. Respect private property along your route. Don’t relieve yourself in the neighbor’s bushes. Don’t litter. If you can’t find a trash can, carry your trash home.

Make a Difference…Volun-teer!

RENT THE REC. CENTER (Weddings, receptions, graduations, class reunions, birthday parties, etc.)

Our Rec. Center is available for rent to the public. We have two rooms available for rent, or you can rent the entire building for a large event. You

can rent the rooms by themselves or you can use the kitchen if you need it. The smaller room will hold a group of about 75 people and the large room will hold about 200-250. Below are the prices:

A ____Banquet room ONLY @ $90.00 per day B ____ Banquet room and kitchen @ $125.00 per day

C____Small room ONLY @ $40.00 per day D____Small room and kitchen @ $75.00 per day

E____All churches @ $42.50 per day F____3 hour’s banquet room or small room & kitchen @ $50.00 G___ Small room, banquet room, and kitchen @ $200.00

A deposit equal to the rent must be sent in a separate check. If you are having alcohol at your event, there is a $200.00 deposit. Contact City Hall at 641-482-3338 to check for open dates and to have a rental agreement sent to you.

Notice: CCRPlease be advised that there is a copy of the CCR report in this newsletter. This is an annual report that the city is required to provide to all residents regarding the drinking water for the city. This report is called a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). It provides test results to you as the consumer of our daily testing results on an annual average.All of the city water is tested daily to ensure that it continues to be safe for all to drink, cook, bathe, and wash with. Next time you see one of our hardworking “City Guys”, tell them thank you for keeping you safe. They work hard to make sure equipment runs properly, constant maintenance is done, and the proper testing gets done to regulate and treat the drinking water for the entire city. You can also go to the following link, (http://iowaccr.org/Melbourne), to see this report.

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT FOR THE MELBOURNE WATER SUPPLYThis report contains important information regarding the water quality in our water sys-tem. The report will not be mailed, but is available to all customers to review at City Hall.

MELBOURNE SWIMMING POOL IS OPEN!!!

12 PM – 6 PM DAILY

DAILY ADMISSIONKIDS UNDER 1-FREE (Those escorting pay normal price)1-PRESCHOOL - $2K-12 STUDENTS THRU ADULTS - $4.00SENIOR CITIZENS – 60+ - $2AFTER 5 PM - $2

SEASON SWIM PASSESINDIVIDUAL - $752 PERSON - $1003-4 PERSONS - $150.00 ($25 EACH ADDITIONAL PERSON)10 DAILY COUPONS - $35.00**NOTE: Season Passes will NOT be accepted at special events**

POOL CLOSINGSRain checks will be issued to those who have paid a daily admission if the pool closes within the first two hours due to inclement weather, low attendance (less than 10 swimmers) or any health or safety related issues.THE MANAGER HAS THE RIGHT TO REMOVE ANY PATRON WHO REFUSES TO FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE POOL OR THE SLIDE.

Alert Iowa Statewide Messaging System 

Alert Iowa is a statewide mass notification and emergency messaging system. The sys-tem can be used by state and local authori-ties to quickly disseminate emergency infor-

mation to residents in counties that utilize the system. The system is available, free of charge, to all counties. About 86 percent of Iowa's counties have now signed up to use the Alert Iowa system.

 Alert Iowa allows citizens to sign up for the types of alerts they would like to re-ceive. Messages can be issued via landline or wireless phone, text messaging, email, FAX, TDD/TYY, and social media. Messages may contain photo, video and au-dio attachments to help subscribers better understand the situation at hand, or where to find additional information.

 The map shows the counties that have signed up to join the Alert Iowa system. Cit-izens can sign up to receive alerts on the county's registration page. If you choose, you may sign up to re-ceive alerts in multiple coun-ties.

  To sign up go to: http://entry.inspironlogistics.com/marshall_ia/wens.cfm

News from the Melbourne Beautification CommitteeHave you noticed the flowers on Main Street? The Beautifica-tion Committee has added hanging baskets on our light poles and also installed large planters on all four corners. The com-mittee raised funds to purchase the flowers, baskets, planters and a watering system. A team of volunteers {Judy Monroe, Ann Wilsterman, Mary Pothast, Carrie White, Kay Monroe and Vickie Stahl} spent an evening planting the hanging baskets and

are also on the daily watering detail. Vern Waterman designed, fabricated and installed all the beautiful black iron brackets! We all knew he could fix anything but who would have thought Vern was a creative genius as well? Our thanks for all he has contributed to our community and hope to engage him in our next phase of Main Street Beautification! I know Vern can hardly wait…

Our Community Garden at St John’s UCC is experiencing its second growing sea-son with many of the same gardeners back for another year. All fourteen plots have been rented and planted and we look forward to an abundance of produce. One of our goals is to establish a distribution site where gardeners can donate ex-cess vegetables for anyone in our community. Last year we had bumper crops of tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and green beans and would like to insure that nothing goes to waste. More information will be forthcoming as to location, hours, etc. Happy Gardening!

Donations for flowers on Main Street

Sharon Stevens Jackie AkinsVickie Stahl Mary Pothast

Thank you for your donations to our beautification!We are still accepting donations!

Fifty Plus50 + meets the 4th Monday of every month at the Melbourne Rec Center. Potluck at noon. Several of our friends have passed away over a period of time and we would love having new friends come and join us. Marshall County Little League Championships - July 11

Melbourne Little League teams are winding down their baseball and softball seasons soon!!  Over 130 girls and boys have had the opportunity to play at one of the nicest ball field complexes in the central Iowa area. Melbourne has earned the honor of hosting the Central Iowa Marshall County Girls Pee Wee and Girls Minor championships on Saturday, July 11.  The Girls Pee Wee game will be played on the East diamond at 2:00 with the Minor championship game following on the West diamond at 4:00.  Please come out and catch a game!!We want to thank everyone who has made this another successful season for our ballplayers.  We wouldn't be able to make it all happen without all of the support and dedication of so many volunteers from our community.

Little League Concessions for MHD

We will have the concession stand open during the Mousehole Days/Softball Tournament and we are look-ing for volunteers to help work the stand on Saturday opening at approx. 11:00 am to close (?)  We are look-

ing for people to sign up for 1 hour shifts at specific times if possible and drop-ins are al-ways welcome. Please remember the more help we get the better it will run. Please contact us at melbournelittleleague@gmail.com or 515-971-7469 to sign up for a time.  Also, please remember to LIKE our Facebook page to keep up with updates from the lit-tle league.

Have a safe and happy Mousehole Days weekend!!

Melbourne Little League Board

Our annual fish fry is coming up July 31st, the first night of Mousehole Days. We will be serving fish or hot dogs, coleslaw, cheesy potatoes,

roll, dessert and lemonade or ice tea. We are still taking can donations for fireworks for Mousehole days; please put your donations in the container at the fire station. If you have extra large quantities of cans or bottles please contact a fire department member to arrange for your donation to be picked up. We would like to thank everyone who has donated this year. We will be leaving the collection bin out to start raising funds for next year’s fireworks show.

We will be having fireworks on July 4th at the park at dusk. Thanks to all that donated this year. We will be working on this year’s parade again. Line-up is at 9:30 am at the Fire Station and the parade starts at 10:30 am

We are always looking for new members, if you are interested in joining and serving your community as a volunteer firefighter contact Fire Chief Bob Monroe or any member of the department. It can be one of the most rewarding things that you can do to help your neighbors in their time of need. We hold our meetings the 1st Wednesday of the month at 7:00pm and training the following Tuesday at 6:30 pm. Stop by either night to if you are interested in seeing what it is all about.

We want to remind everyone that your house number should be on your house facing the street and be visible from the street. This will help us find your address much quicker if help is needed.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July we hope to see you at the fish fry on July 31st.

Melbourne Fire Department

Well summer is off to a great start. The weather has been a little wet, but it beats dry and HOT! First Responders have added 2 new members to our

squad, Abra Huffaker and Carrie White have passed their Emergency Medical Responder certification and now can do hands on work with us on calls! Congratulations girls! We have one more that has to take her test and then we will have 3 new members. We recently updated on our Defibrillator in May.

Summer Safety Tips

Protect yourself from getting sunburned. Cover up with clothes, wide-brimmed hat and UV sunglasses. Wearing clothes that are of pastel (light) colors, lightweight (better to use cottons), and loose-fitting will help keep you cool and comfortable.

• Drink enough fluids/juices.• Drink water regularly throughout the day. Ideally, one should drink at least 2 to 3 litres of water per day. Don't leave home without a bottle of water.• Limit yourself from drinking alcohol and coffee (caffeine) beverages. Drinking too much of these beverages may cause dehydration.• Avoid sun exposure when it's at its hottest; during this time the sun's UV rays are damaging to your health and skin. It is advisable to plan your outdoors later in the evening.

• Use sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher that has both UVA and UVB protection. Apply sunscreen 15-30 minutes before going out in the sun. Make sure you apply on the exposed parts of the body and reapply after every 2 or 3 hours.• Avoid eating fried items completely; it can be very harsh on the stomach, causing digestive problems. Better to avoid them as much as possible.

4th of July is coming quickly, don’t forget to be safe, here are some tips for that as well.

#1--Have a fire extinguisher readily available. This way if there was an accidental fire, the fire can be put out quickly.#2--Have water buckets and a hose available. This is also important in the case that a fire becomes larger than a small extinguisher can take care of.#3--Bird safety is also important when it comes to 4th of July decorations. They end up eating the decorations, getting caught in them or getting hurt. If you have a family bird, or even if you want to consider the safety of a wild bird, keep in mind that the bright colors of red, white and blue will attract a bird as a chew toy.

#4--Alcohol is a favorite of many for the holiday celebrations. However, it is important to keep alcohol away from children and animals. There is a potential risk of alcohol poisoning if consumed by a child or animal.#5--Some decorations have smaller parts, or dangerous chemicals. This is another area that can be dangerous to small children and animals. If there is going to be small children and animals around, it is important to make sure that the decorations are safe in the lower areas.#6--When you are disposing of 4th of July decorations and fireworks, make sure that they are completely free of heat and fire.

This way there will not be a smoldering fire happening after the party is over.#7--When you decorate the area that you will be setting off fireworks, it is important to make sure that the decorations are a safe distance from the actual fireworks. This should be a roped off area, that is away from children.#8--Make sure that the area you are lighting fireworks off is also free of bushes, dry grass, trees, streamers, balloons, flammable helium, and other fire hazardous materials.#9--Safety includes removing small pieces of balloons, fireworks, and other items that

are able to choke small children. The main thing about decorations that is dangerous to small children is either chocking, or being strangled by them.#10--Stay away from illegal fireworks. They are illegal due to the increased danger involved with certain types of fireworks. Here is a list of the fireworks to avoid.

Large re-loadable mortar shells Cherry bombs Ariel bombs M-80 salutes Large firecrackers

Following these 4th of July decoration safety tips should make it easier to maintain a safe and fire-free environment for all.

We are gearing up for Mousehole Days, are you? We are excited for this year’s theme! We think everyone in our community are super heroes!

Mousehole Days is right around the corner! July 31-August 2-- Are you all ready to be “Hometown Heroes”?

We have an awesome Super Hero theme this year, and have 3 different shirts available for adults, one

for youth sizes, and koozies as well. Orders are due by July 17. Flyers are available at City Hall, the post office, the bank and online at the Melbourne Happenings page on Facebook. Make sure you order one or ten---they are really fun! Make sure you “like” our FB page, and visit it often for lots of local news.

We will kick off Friday night with the annual Fish Fry at the fire station. Mr. & Ms. Melbourne will get “caped” that night, (following the Super Hero theme) down by the bank following the Dance Camp performance. The coronation will be followed by the Mason’s Kiddie Tractor Pulls. The WM Art Department will also be having root beer floats, I believe. A softball tournament will take place at the park, and Loose Neutral will perform Friday night from 8:30 to 12:30. Bring your lawn chairs and coolers and enjoy a night of great music!

Saturday morning begins with our Super Hero 5K walk/run at 7:30 and breakfast by MidWestOne Bank at the rec center. There will be prizes for the best costume for the 5K. Sign up by July 17 to get your exclusive t-shirt designed by one of our very own WM students. We are working on the annual bike ride as well. The parade will start down by the fire station. Enter a themed float, and dress up your golf carts and bikes (and yourself) for the parade and get your Super Hero on! We would love any and all veterans interested in being in the parade as true Hometown Heroes. Please contact City Hall at 482-3338 so we can get you signed up. Please remember to thank our First Responders, Firemen and Police Chief for their service to the community as more of our Hometown Heroes.

Clark’s Bar Car Show takes place on Saturday as well. Get your hot rod registered. New Horizons church will offer a lunch of pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs, chips, pies, bars, cookies and ice cream on your way to the park. There you can enjoy inflatables, pony rides, barrels ‘o fun, the talent show, greased pigs, face painting, bingo, the softball and corn hole tournaments, dunk tank and much, much more. We will have schedules available closer to the date, because I am sure I am missing something. Sunday traditionally has been church in the park with a potluck. More to come on that.

We would love some volunteers to help man the inflatables and drive the barrels ‘o fun. Set up the inflatables, take them down, etc. 30 minutes of your time would make a huge difference! For those WM High School students, remember any time you volunteer will count toward your Gold Cord at Graduation.

So order your t-shirts, get your costume planned and get ready to enjoy a fun weekend of being Hometown Heroes! Call us at City Hall 482-3338 or email citymelb@partnercom.net if you have any questions, suggestions or would like to share 30 minutes of your day with the other volunteers. If you have any additions or subtractions please let us know!