A Moment With the Mayor

Moment with the Mayor for April 28, 2018
Fireworks
One of the most popular summer events in Wadsworth is the July 4th celebration and fireworks. This year’s fireworks display will be held downtown on July 3rd (rain date July 5th), and we are once again reaching out to residents and businesses for help in supplementing a portion of fireworks costs. As in the past, there are four donor categories: Rockets ($500 and above), Roman Candles ($200 - 499), Firecrackers ($100-199), and Sparklers (under $100). If you feel this is important to the community and worthy of your support, we invite you to contribute to the display by mailing your donation to my office at 120 Maple St, payable to the City of Wadsworth. Thank you!

Distracted Driving Awareness Month
“It was just….” It was just a quick call, a short trip, just one drink, just a picture, just an email, just a glance, just a text, just a bite. ‘Just’ is all it takes, according to the National Safety Council, who offers the following information for us during Distracted Driving Awareness Month. In this remarkable age of technology, it has become more challenging to stay focused while driving. Cell phones have long been a distraction, causing the brain to switch tasks between driving, talking and slowing reaction time. Now, with the infotainment technology available in the dashboard of new vehicles, drivers are taking their eyes off the road and hands off the wheel for dangerously long periods of time, according to a study released by the AAA. Test drivers in this particular study used voice commands, touch screens and other interactive technologies to make calls, send texts, and tune the radio or program navigation while they were driving. Programming a destination into in-vehicle GPS navigation systems proved to be the most distracting activity, taking drivers an average of 40 seconds to complete the task. A car traveling at 25 mph can travel the length of four football fields during the time it takes to enter a destination. Previous research shows that drivers who take their eyes from the road for just two seconds double their risk for a crash. As car manufacturers include more options to allow drivers to use social media, email and text, the technology is becoming more complicated to use. Some vehicles now have as many as 50 buttons on the steering wheel and dashboard that are multi-functional. There are touch screens, voice commands, writing pads, heads-up displays on windshields and mirrors, and 3-D computer-generated images, adding more and more layers of complexity and information at drivers' fingertips and increasing the overall amount of time drivers spend trying to use the systems. No wonder distracted driving is a major issue in today’s world! The temptation to multi-task while driving is hard to resist, since often it seems there are not enough hours in the day. But, the next time you get behind the wheel, consider the risk you are taking before you call, text or use other technology while driving.

SENIOR ADVOCATE HALL OF FAME
The Wadsworth Older Adults Foundation and Soprema Senior Center are proud to present the Senior Advocate Hall of Fame, an event that recognizes those who have made significant contributions to improve the quality of life for older adults in our community. Join them at a special induction event on May 17 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. at the Galaxy Restaurant as they honor the following individuals and organizations: Stan “The Man” Wolczyk, Leatherman Lifetime Achievement Award; Hubbell Power Systems, Cindy McQuown, 97.1 Wadsworth Community Radio and 100 Women Who Care Medina County. Tickets are $15 per person before May 1, and $20 person after May 1. Wine, cheese and heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served. Reservations can be made at the Soprema Senior Center or by calling the Center at (330) 335-1513.

Until next week…..

Robin L. Laubaugh, Mayor