When I first started woring on this column, the prediction for the high temperature on Independence Day was 112 degrees.

The latest prediction just before presstime called for 109 with a chance of a monsoon storm.

I can’t remember ever being overly hot in Fountain Park for a July 4th fireworks show. By the time the sun goes down and the fireworks usually don’t begin until 9 p.m., there has always been a breeze blowing across the lake when previous fireworks shows have been held.

I take that back, there was one July 4th event that was hot. The 1989 event was sponsored by radio station KMLE. It featured the Gatlin Brothers, Highway 101 and our own Jeff Dayton Band. There were estimates of 200,000 people being in the park that day with the temperature reaching 118 degrees!

When the event was over, Fountain Hills had its biggest traffic jam ever. There were stories of people not getting home in the Valley until 5:30 in the morning! And there wasn’t a blade of grass left on the park’s west side,

Suddenly local officials were having second thoughts on having special events for attracting visitors and new residents. The following year, the July 4th fireworks event was advertised locally only.

Last Thursday, June 26, (1990) was the anniversary date of the hottest day in history for Phoenix – 122 degrees.

But that wasn’t the hottest temperature ever recorded in Fountain Hills.

Can you believe it was an incredible 125 on July 28, 1995?

That week there were six consecutive days of 115 or higher. Three of those were 120 or higher.

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There was a Classified ad in last week’s paper that I want to make sure you all saw.

It was under the Pets category and it was about a sugar glider.

“What is that?” you may ask.

It’s a cute little animal that is in the marsupial family. She sleeps all day inside her hollowed out tree limb.

A sugar glider is a small marsupial possum found in the tree tops of Australia, Tasmania, Indonesia and Papua-New Guinea. They are so-named because they have a preference for sweet foods and a gliding membrane similar to that of a flying squirrel.

We are selling it because it never gets the attention it deserves. Grandson Hunter came home with it from a home show in Phoenix. He bought it for $300, but we will sell the entire thing including the cage for $150.

You can call 480-226-6521 if you are interested and want to give it a good home.

By the way, Hunter moved to New Jersey recently. His relocation to New Jersey is what prompted this. He couldn’t take it with him because that state considers it an exotic animal and you can’t bring them into the state.

We want to make sure that the person who buys the animal has some history of owning a sugar glider and will give it a good home.

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You can find the latest edition of Let’s go inside this edition. Be sure to check it out.

There is a preview of all the community theater offerings around the east valley, a July 4th fireworks update and the regular features and columns.