Weekend nights in DuPray grew noisy with courting couples early and dangerous road racers after midnight. Tim Jamieson focused on curbing the “road rockets” who sped down Main Street at high speeds, often escaping citations despite occasional stops by deputies or state police.

Tim visited Annie Ledoux, known as Orphan Annie, and offered to pay her to help with a plan. Annie agreed in exchange for money and bottles of Wickles. She produced an enormous banner thirty feet long and seven feet wide, embellished with drawings of old-fashioned flash cameras and a bold warning: “SLOW DOWN, IDIOT! WE ARE PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR LICENSE PLATE!”

Tim fabricated a steel roller in Fromie’s Small Engine Sales and Service to deploy the banner and, after explaining the idea and getting permission from Sheriff John Ashworth, installed it with Tag Faraday above Main Street’s three-way intersection. They anchored it between Oberg’s Drug and the defunct movie theater, and Tim unfurled it around bar-closing time on Fridays and Saturdays.

Although the threat of photographing plates was a bluff, Tim occasionally noted tag numbers when possible. The banner effectively reduced the late-night racing; it was not perfect, but it made a noticeable difference in behavior and noise.

In early July, Sheriff John called Tim in to commend him. He admitted initial skepticism, then praised the banner for likely preventing crashes and lifelong injuries that had troubled the department in past years. He asked Tim to tell Annie she might have saved lives and offered her a back cell to sleep in during cold weather, provided there was a stock of Wickles.

Sheriff John also acknowledged Tim’s overqualification for the night knocker role and said the department would miss him when he eventually moved on to New York. Tim replied that he was in no hurry, signaling contentment with his current post despite future prospects.