Quickies: EGF road work, Mac returns, chili fest

* If you live in East Grand Forks' north end, don't be parking your car on the street for the next couple of days. The city is kicking off its massive road repair project tomorrow, beginning with the mill and overlay. That's engineering talk for scraping the paving off the road and repaving. Check out this map for more info.

Ever notice how those guys at WDAZ make you visit their Web site before they'll give you the link? "For the link to their Web site, go to our Web site." Lame. You'll notice in today's Newsline on the Herald's Page 3A that I gave you the link right there.

* Don't forget to check out The Chamber's Cat's Incredible fishing tournament on Saturday. Actually, I loathe fishing but can't resist the Friends of the Greenway Chili Cook-Off starting at 1 p.m. For a small fee, you get to sample all the chili. My saliva glands are already tingling.

Last year's champ, Grand Forks Mayor Mike Brown is again challenging his rival East Grand Forks Mayor Lynn Stauss. This year's costume theme for Team Grand Forks is "Pirates of the Red."

Oh wait... I think I just saw WDAZ anchor Cassie Walder announcing that those guys have a chili team, too. ("Make a date with Channel 8." What does that mean?)

* Grand Forks City Council member and Marine Maj. Mike McNamara said he's returning from Iraq Sept. 3 or 4. Council members are delaying approval of the budget to accomodate their newest colleague.

Update 4 p.m., 8/8/06:Little story about how the other Knight-Ridder papers are doing under new ownership.