A reader called to say something is missing in town, and has been for years – the backyard garden.

The woman said yards, manicured with mowed grass and landscaping, have never looked better throughout the community. But, while some have tomato plants, few have full-blown vegetable gardens.

She remembers when families' laundry hung on the outside clothes line and people grew vegetables rather than flowers.

During World War II, Coplay Cement permitted townspeople to have gardens strung across its property, which is now Saylor Field.

The woman said everything from corn to radishes and tomatoes to potatoes were planted. There was nary an incident of kids smashing or rooting out the crops, and families staked out their own plots, at no cost, with an abundance of veggies for the winter months. The same was true with fruit trees. Instead of shade trees, residents planted cherry and pear trees.

The gardens during the war were called Victory Gardens.

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Have you noticed red reflectors which have been placed vertically on the steel supports at stop signs around town?

The public works crews placed them on the steel supports to make it easier for motorists to see a stop sign as they approach an intersection at night.

The reflectors have been hailed as a small price to pay for safety.

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It appears no street or alley improvements are planned for this summer or fall.

Ruch Street, which divides Coplay and Whitehall Township, had been slated for work this year. It has now been pushed back to 2014, however.

Cherry Street, also heavily used, is bumpy enough that some drivers say the ride is jarring.

Along with the fire station located on Cherry Street and homes lining both sides of the street, traffic has picked up considerably with the American Club of Coplay Pavilion holding numerous events there. Saturday, the pavilion was the site for a wedding.