Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 22, 1993 TAG: 9307220311
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Ray Reed
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A: The flood scarcely will be noticed in those cities, if current forecasts hold.
The southern reaches of the Mississippi are accustomed to handling heavy flows from the Ohio and Tennessee rivers, which are running a bit low this summer.
Once the crest passes the Ohio's confluence at Cairo, Ill., it won't be flood stage anymore.
The Army Corps of Engineers predicts these crests: 28.5 feet Tuesday at Memphis, where bankfull is 34 feet; 36.8 feet Aug. 1 at Vicksburg, Miss., where bankfull is 43 feet; and 12 feet on Aug. 5 in New Orleans, where bankfull is 17 feet.
Those levels are not unusual; Vicksburg topped 36 feet in April and these cities see the river this high a couple of times a year.
Letterman, Arsenio too
Q: Will Channel 7 carry the David Letterman show this fall? And how much will it cost to get out of Channel 7's contract with Arsenio Hall? R.L., Radford
A: Channel 7 will carry David Letterman weeknights at 11:35 p.m., and the plan now is to follow it with Arsenio Hall's talk show at 12:35 a.m., says Jim Shaver, WDBJ vice president for news and programming.
The new Letterman show debuts Aug. 30, a Monday, with CBS sending him head-to-head against NBC's "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno - the job Letterman really wanted.
On Friday nights in the fall, Channel 7 will delay Letterman until 12:05 a.m. following Friday Football Extra.
The station's contract with Arsenio Hall's syndicate expires in December and is not yet renewed, though "that doesn't mean we won't," Shaver said.
Swimming-pool fences
Q: On backyard swimming pools, above or below ground, what are the city regulations for fencing, and what are the insurance liabilities an individual needs to be concerned about? B.S., Roanoke
A: The basic law for most localities says the fence should be 4 feet high, with self-closing and self-latching gates. The latch should be 4 feet high, as well.
Those standards were written for pools 2 feet deep or more, with the idea of keeping the average toddler from straying into the pool area.
The insurance requirements may depend on the company that carries your homeowner policy.
One company said its standards are the same as local ordinances.
Lots of pool owners have a 6-foot privacy fence, but that's not a legal or insurance requirement in most places. It is an added protection from liability in case unauthorized visitors should make an injury claim, however.
Got a question about something that might affect other people too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Maybe we can find the answer.
by CNB