Log In


Reset Password
Columnists View from the Center Bear Smart The Travel Troubleshooter Dear Abby Student Aide Of Sound Mind Others Say Powerful solutions You are What You Eat Out Standing in the Fields What's up in Durango Skies Watch Yore Topknot Local First RE-4 Education Update MECC Cares for kids

Trailing grease and seeps in a record-breaking column

Dear Action Line: How ironic is it that the city of Durango’s recycling truck is leaking oil or hydraulic fluid all over town? I followed a trail for miles up Florida Road (on April 16) and snapped this picture the next day on a run along West Third Avenue. I’ve called the city about this before, but should it take a citizen reporting the mess? Isn’t the evidence apparent in the garage where the recycling truck lives? – Sick of Unsightly Messes, and Yes, That Includes Spring Cleanup

The trail of automobile leakage left along West Third Avenue recently. (Sick of Unsightly ...)

Dear Sick of Unsightly …: You just set the record for longest name, or signature, or tag line, or whatever that is. So exciting, but there are even more records to come.

Yes, that would indeed be ironic. The city is not so certain that its trucks are the culprit in this case, however. Here’s the response from Allison Baker, director of public works, and Joey Medina, solid waste manager with public works.

“I do see daily truck inspection reports from our Trash-Recycle Division and know if they are leaking hydraulic fluid, they are taken out of service the same day for repair,” Baker said. She asked Medina if there had been any recent issues.

Said Medina: “After talking to some of my drivers, and checking all the trucks again (Tuesday) morning, none of our trucks are leaking any type of oil that is noticeable. A couple of my drivers did mention that they did see the oil/hydraulic fluid trail up on Florida Road last week.

“I don’t think this is one of our trucks leaving the mess throughout town. In the past, a lot of the private sector trucks would have leaks and citizens would assume it was the city trucks. I will make sure we continue to monitor this situation.”

Action Line’s vehicle, a Subaru Outback, so unique in Durango, leaked a bit of oil in the driveway a few days ago. The leak stopped, and the hope is that the oil was simply overfilled or slopped over during a recent oil change. If you see an Outback out on the roads, it’s probably Action Line, so wave and say hi.

Dear Action Line: i? – Shortest Question Ever

Dear Shortest: You win! Second record set in the same column!

The previous shortest question was, “Why?,” which Action Line responded to a year ago. After getting questions “Me?” and “I?,” which Action Line didn’t publicly respond to, it’s time to settle this silliness once and for all.

Yes, it is “i?”

Go ahead and play with that last sentence, you grammarians out there.

“i?” (lowercase i) uses just a little bit less ink than “I?” (capital I). So it’s the winner.

Oh, so now you want an actual answer to the question? But it’s apparent that the question is an answer to itself. A statement that human beings tend to think too much of ourselves, usually asking “I?” (or “i?”) instead of “we?” or “us?” The world would be improved with less narcissism, by putting our fellow humans into the equation.

The brilliance of the question is compounded by the lowercase i. Why, indeed, is “i” so important as to capitalize, while “they” and “you” and “we” remain lower case? Why is “I” so darn special?

Then again, maybe Shortest is just being a smartass, but that’s something Action Line knows nothing about.

Dear Action Line: Is that a seep or a spring that leaks water every day onto Main Avenue almost at the intersection with 19th Street? It seeps into the southbound inside lane from just north of 19th. Seems to be leaking out of a small plug in the concrete. This has been going on for months. At first, I thought it was precipitation and then I mistakenly thought that the street sweeper had just gone past. Nope. It is coming up from the ground. – Mary Ann Mullen

Dear Mary Ann: Action Line is running out of time and space, so here’s a quick, serious answer.

The city is aware of the issue and hopes to have it repaired in the next week or so, said Mike Somsen, street superintendent for the city of Durango.

“It is a water leak. There is a valve leaking under the street,” he said April 14. “The plan has been to repair it for the past few weeks, but getting all of the necessary components in place has taken a little longer than expected.”

The water is seeping up between the expansion cracks in the concrete.

Email questions and suggestions to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. Despite all the seeming snark and bluster, Action Line is grateful to all readers for their questions and feedback. Just don’t let that get around.



Share Your Feedback

    0 / 250 words