Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/541550
DearMary:Ienjoyyour column every day and love the tips and tricks to save more and spend less. I read the question about find- ing "rust" on lettuce only days af- ter purchase and I have found a great solution. I've started using glass jars — mason jars, old tomato sauce jars, any jar with a tight fit- ting lid will do. I clean and store my lettuce, cut bell peppers, cucumbers, just about anything that I'd normally put in Tupper- ware or a plastic bag. The filled jars keep the con- tents fresh and yummy for days, even as long as two weeks. It's amazing. I couldn't believe the dif- ference. Thanks for doing what you do. — Stacie Dear Stacie: Thanks for the reminder! Glass lidded jars are useful for so many things. Filled with fresh salad greens and vege- tables, I think they look pretty, too. Dear Mary: This year, I am growing my garden in 5-gallon buckets. My problem is all the weeds that grow everywhere in the yard. I've put land- scape fabric in the bed where my buckets are lo- cated, but the weeds still persist. What can I use in the realm of home- made weed/grass killer that's effective? I don't want to go the commer- cial route (e.g. Roundup), for fear that might also kill my wanted garden plants. Thanks ever so much for your advice. — Sherri Dear Sherri: Oh yes, I do have a weed killer for you. And it is so cheap and easy: Fill a spray bottle with full-strength white vinegar (5 percent acidity), then add 1 teaspoon dish- washing liquid, such as Dawn, and mix well. There you go! A powerful weed killer that kills any living vegetation. As you spray in flowerbeds, be careful to spray only what you want to kill — staying clear of plants you wish to remain alive and healthy. White vinegar is harmless for pets and kids, but quite a powerful all-natural her- bicide. For best results, use on weeds that are dry, when the sun is out. Avoid treating weeds on a cool, cloudy or wet day. Dear Mary: Years ago, I lent money to two friends, fully expecting to be re- paid. One took several years to pay me back (I had given up hope, then finally received a check from her); the other never paid me back, even though I said she could do so at $10 a month for as long as it took, at zero percent in- terest. She moved away and left no contact informa- tion. I was as distressed by this dishonorable behavior as I was about not being repaid, although of course, I took a loss. Never again. Now I've added this money rule to my life: Never lend more than you can afford to lose. — Marianne Dear Marianne: That's a great rule to live by. And I'll take it one step fur- ther: If it is money you can afford to lose when consid- ering a loan to a friend or family member, save your- self the trouble and just make it a gift from the get-go. That will relieve a lot of stress, wonder and worry and quite possibly preserve and protect the relationship. Dear Mary: I was given a fancy multicolor patch- work ladies suede leather jacket that has what looks like spilled oil on several of the patches, which are light and dark blue plus a cream color. The dry cleaner said he could not clean it. Any home reme- dies? Sure would appreci- ate your help. — Ruth Dear Ruth: I am im- pressed that you think I might be able to help you do what a professional cleaner could not. But given that you don't have much to lose, I do have a method for you to try. I am concerned that this stain is so old it has made itself permanent. Regardless, here is a home remedy for suede and other types of leather that have grease and/or food stains: 1. Remove as much of the fresh stain as possi- ble with a cloth or napkin, blotting to transfer the stain to the cloth. 2. Liberally cover the stain with cornstarch. Gently work it into the stain. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes to absorb the grease and coax it out of the suede. 3. Brush the cornstarch off of the surface. One application may not be enough. Repeat as neces- sary. 4. If any visible stain re- mains, moisten a cloth with white vinegar. 5. Gently brush the sur- face with the cloth lightly to avoid allowing the suede to become soaked with vinegar. Continue working at it until stain is removed. 6. Allow the suede to dry. 7. Brush the surface with a suede brush to re- store the nap as needed. Hope that helps! Do you love cheap and easy solutions for every- day challenges? Then you will love my handy book- let, "Cheapskate Solu- tions," which contains dozens of recipes, formu- las and instructions for making your own house- hold cleaners and solu- tions — using the stuff you already have in your pantry. Visit the book- store at DebtProofLiving. com to purchase. Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can email her at mary@ everydaycheapskate. com. EVERYDAYCHEAPSKATE Storefreshproduce in glass jars with lids Mary Hunt The public is invited to the Bunco in the Barn event at the Patrick Ranch Mu- seum in Chico on Saturday, July 25. The cost is $10, which in- cludes a bunch, drinks and snacks. The bunco event will open at 9 a.m. and the game begins at 10 a.m. The Patrick Ranch Mu- seum is at 10381 Midway between Chico and Dur- ham. The day will include fun, food, prizes and raffles. Take a tour of the ranch, visit the Glenwood Farm House and its bride wed- ding dresses exhibit and visit the gift store at the vis- itor center. Tickets can be purchased 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Sat- urday and Sunday at the gift store. Tickets are also available at the door on the day of the event. For more information, call 342-4359 or visit w w w.patrickranchmu- seum.org. TO DO Bu n co i n th e Ba rn a t th e Pa tr ic k Ra nc h Mu se um o n Ju ly 2 5 Do you have some old pesticides or household cleaners you no longer want, but are not sure how to get rid of them? The Tehama County Solid Waste Management Agency operates two per- manent Household Haz- ardous Waste Collection Facilities at the Tehama County Red Bluff Landfill, 19995 Plymire Road, and Corning Disposal, 3281 State Route 99W. Both fa- cilities are open from 8 a.m. to noon on select Sat- urdays each month for residents. Residents can drop off 15 gallons or 125 pounds of Household Haz- ardous Waste per trip free of charge. While residents are not charged at the time of drop off, it does cost the agency to dispose of the waste. For example, in the last six months it recycled 6,400 pounds of alkaline batter- ies with a recycling cost of $0.62 per pound for a total of $3,968. Other than the com- mon waste such as house- hold cleaners, pesticides, fertilizers, spray paints and other aerosols, batter- ies, fluorescent tubes and CFLs; the agency collect sharps, needles and lancets at eight kiosks throughout the county. In the past year it has collected 3,876 gal- lons of sharps for a total disposal cost of $4,896. Funds from landfill tip- ping fees pay for waste dis- posal and recycling costs. In addition to disposal costs there are agency personnel costs to keep these programs running smoothly and effectively for county residents. The costs to maintain these much needed programs, however, are nothing com- pared to the long term costs associated with clean up and remediation of land and groundwater that has been contaminated. By keeping hazardous waste out of the landfill through proper disposal, the agency is protecting water while conserving the natural environment for future generations. If you would like more information about waste, facility operating days or any other programs, visit www.tehamacountyland- fill.com or call 528-1103. TEHAMA COUNTY Household hazardous waste, benefits and costs Tehama eLearning Adult Education held its graduation ceremony on June 19 at the Tehama County Department of Ed- ucation. The adult education program provides adults the opportunity to com- plete the requirements for a high school diploma or GED certificate. This year 47 students met the 180 high school credit require- ment for a diploma. Many of the students commented that they had waited as much as 30 years to reach their goal. They were thankful that the De- partment of Education had an online program that al- lowed the students to work from home any time of the day or night. More than 160 family members and friends at- tended the celebration for this special event. During the ceremony, graduate Rosalea Brown spoke about how she thought she could never reach this goal. It was the encourage- ment of David Span, the Adult Education teacher and his assistant, Michelle Baker, that kept her work- ing. "At times I just wanted to give up, but they just kept telling me that I can do this, and I did it," Brown said. Brown and the entire class were presented with diplomas and con- gratulatory letters from Charles Allen, Tehama County superintendent of schools, and Rich Du- Varney, assistant super- intendent. Tehama eLearning Adult Education is at 900 Palm St., Ste. 7401, in Red Bluff. For more informa- tion or questions, call 527- 7055. High school diplomas awarded to 47 COURTESYPHOTO Pictured are Rich DuVarney, Rosalea Brown and Charles Allen. ADULT EDUCATION The Office of Traffic Safety and the Califor- nia Highway Patrol Tues- day released a new study showing a 39 percent in- crease in the percentage of California drivers seen using a cell phone while driving. "It's shocking that nearly 10 percent of motorists were observed using their cell phones while driving a motor vehicle, a poten- tially lethal combination," said OTS Director Ronda Craft. "We will continue our aggressive public out- reach campaign and our partnership with law en- forcement to educate the public about the dangers of those who drive distracted and put the lives of others at risk." During the study, which was conducted by the OTS and the University of Cal- ifornia, Berkeley Safe Transportation Research and Education Center, re- searchers observed motor- ist behavior. This year, 9.2 percent of motorists were spotted using a cell phone while driving, up from 6.6 percent of drivers in 2014. The highest level recorded since research began was 10.8 percent of motorists using a cell phone in 2012. During April's Dis- tracted Driving Awareness Month, approximately 250 law enforcement agencies across California ticketed more than 46,000 drivers using a cell phone while driving—roughly double the number of tickets is- sued during the average month. Although there were fewer citations for hand-held talking on cell phones, law enforcement wrote 35 percent more tick- ets for texting-while-driv- ing compared to 2014. "Discouraging drivers from operating a vehicle while distracted is a chal- lenge that law enforcement is faced with year-round," said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. "By raising awareness through education and en- forcement, we are working toward changing the dan- gerous behavior of using a cell phone while driving — and the purpose is to save lives." TRAFFIC SAFETY Study shows rising use of cell phones behind wheel Servicingyourdisposalneedsin Tehama County, and the City of Red Bluff including Residential, Commercial, and Temporary bin services. 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