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BTy Kathi Holzschuheralk about being “driven crazy,” andyou might just be talking aboutthe construction on Hwy 16. It has been enough to drive drivers over a cliff. But thereisgoodnewstoshare!PerTxDot(Texas Department of Transportation), the project is 63% complete and due to be wrapped up “midyear” this year. Though there were rumblings of an expedited finish date, the project remains on the original schedule.The project is expected to relieve traffic congestion on Bandera, particularly atthe Hausman/Leslie and the Cedar Trails intersections, where drivers experience long wait times at the traffic signals. Drivers are waiting through four directional signals at the red light before their light turns green. The long waits cause traffic to back up, and congestion ensues.The answer from TxDot is to create an RCUT intersection that forces traffic to make right turns and uses turnarounds for optimal traffic movement. The result should be drivers waiting through just one signalchange at the red light. Since this writer is not a civil engineer, it’s best to hear from someone with a degree in Urban Planning, Brian Purcell. Purcell researches, writes, and maintains The Texas Highwayman website (texashighwayman.com).Purcell explains the RCUT intersection like this; “At the conventional intersection, drivers who arrive as the light turns red have to wait for three or four other directions to get a green light before their light turns green again. At an RCUT intersection, driversonly have to wait for one signal change before they get green again.”These diagrams from TXDot of the RCUT intersections, with directionals provided by Brian Purcell, will give readers a visual understanding.As most construction projects go, this could get worse before it gets better, so hang on to your sanity. In the end, it will provide drivers a less stressful journey along Highway 16. Stay tuned for more updates.An End in Sight to Crazy ConstructionW3 Fun Event Ideas That Can Benefit Local Businessesith so much to gain from a at night event can feature special discounts and shop for that special someone, while a thriving local business scene, during a time of year when business might Halloween festival can encourage people community leaders and otherwise be slow. Community organizers to spend time outdoors patronizing localresidents can plan and embrace events that showcase the many small businesses that make their towns and cities unique. There are many ways to promote local businesses, and the following are three creative event ideas to get locals and non-locals alike excited about the businesses that offer so much to your community.• Shop local at night: Many communities participate in restaurant weeks that draw scores of visitors to the cafes and eateries in their town. A similar approach can be employed to bring people to Main Street for something other than food. A shop localHIs Soup The Ultimate Cold Medicine?can close Main Street to vehicle traffic throughout the week to encourage people to walk around and visit all the small businesses in their communities.• Holiday festivals: Holiday bazaars may be most often associated with the holiday season that runs from Thanksgiving weekend to New Year’s Day. But there’s no reason why communities cannot plan and promote similar festivals during other popular holidays, such as Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day. A Valentine’s Day festival the week before the holiday can encourage locals to get outbusinesses during a time of year when the weather is welcoming for all.• Workshop week: Workshop weeks can be great ways for local businesses to inspire interest in their offerings while showcasing the many talented individuals who help them thrive. Each night can feature a different workshop hosted by local businesses. For example, a Monday night restaurant workshop can feature chefs from local restaurants teaching locals how to prepare a certain dish. Another night during the week can feature local artisans offering lessons on the basics of their skills, such asadvises that soup can be a go-to food to combat illness because it is light, easy-to- digest, nourishing, and even restorative. Here’s a look at some of the ways soup can help when people are feeling under the weather.• Hydrating broth: Staying hydrated is one of the ways the body can more effectively fight off illness. Broth-based soups are hydrating and tasty. They may be tolerated more readily than sports drinks or water for a person who needs fluids.• Soothing: The warmth of soup can soothe an irritated throat. Furthermore, soups usually have softened ingredients in them, making it much less likely that sharp or tough ingredients will scrape an inflamed throat.• Nutrient-dense: Most soups are loaded with vegetables, beans and other healthywoodworking, framing or gardening. Such an event is a great way for local businesses to put a face on their companies and meet locals who appreciate their talents.There’s no shortage of ways to promote local businesses. Special events in which local businesses are the star is a great way to inspire locals to support the companies that help make their communities unique.ingredients. They provide many of the vitamins and minerals the body needs, and may even help replenish nutrients that have been depleted due to illness.• Sodium content: Sodium is an essential mineral the body needs. Proactive HealthSoup - continued on page 11 February 2024aving a cold is not fun. A stuffy pseudoephedrine, another decongestant, nose, sniffles, sore throat, and became more closely regulated due to its other symptoms make having a usage in the production of illegal drugscold a generally unpleasant experience. According to data collected by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, the average consumer shops for over-the counter medicine 26 times a year, with peak visits occurring in the wintertime, when colds and flu infections are more prominent. To make cold-related matters worse, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel concluded in September 2023 that the popular decongestant phenylephrine, which is found in many over-the-counter cold remedies, is ineffective when taken orally. Phenylephrine became the standard decongestant in formulations when8like methamphetamine. Phenylephrine products the became the go-to, as they did not need to be stored behind pharmacy counters and “signed out” like products that included pseudoephedrine.Rather than accepting their cold symptoms this season, individuals may want to turn to something much more natural that also has great promise: soup. It is no old wive’s tale that soup can be helpful for colds and other illnesses. In fact, Egyptian Jewish physician Moshe ben Maimonides prescribed chicken soup as a treatment for respiratory tract illnesses as early as the 12th century. Penn Medicinewww.alamoranchhighlights.com