Today's Feature

Carthage R-9 Enrollment.

School will begin on Thursday, August 14 for grades kindergarten through 12 in the Carthage R-9 School District.

Seventh grade students who enrolled in spring should pick up schedules and locker assignments Wednesday, August 6 between 9:00 a.m. and 12 noon. Eighth grade students who enrolled in the spring should pick up schedules and locker assignments Thursday, August 7 from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon. Ninth grade students who enrolled in spring should pick up schedules and locker assignments on August 7 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Senior high school students who have not previously enrolled should select their classes and complete schedules on August 4 or August 5 from 8:00 a.m. till 11:00 p.m. or 12:00 p.m. till 3:00 p.m.

Seniors who enrolled in spring should pick up schedules and locker assignments Wednesday, August 6 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. or from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the assistant principal’s office. Juniors should do the same on Thursday, August 7 and Sophomores on Monday, August 11 at 6:30 p.m.

Information requested for enrollment in the Carthage R-9 School District includes; student’s birth certificate, immunization records, proof of residency, last year’s report card or other proof of grade placement, present address and phone number, parent or guardian’s place of employment and work number, emergency contact person, doctor’s name and phone number and student’s social security number. Students planning to drive to school should register their licence plate number and may secure a parking sticker to park in the student lots. Parking stickers are not required if the student wishes to park on the street. The stickers cost $1.00.

Mornin',

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Although that old adage is hard ta argue with, a lotta folks just don’t pay any attention to it. Those are the ones who just seem ta like tinkerin’ with things. This is opposed to those who do regular inspections to make sure it ain’t broke or getting’ ready to break. "Course with the high cost of repairs and the relatively cheap replacement cost of most gadgets, maintenance has become almost obsolete in most instances.

I would hazard a guess that few sewin’ machines get a regular dose of 3-in-1 these days. It’s near impossible to find a grease zert on an automobile, all the joints are sealed. The trend is to make machinery "idiot proof." For most of us, it’s a welcomed development.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

This Is A Hammer
By Samantha Mazzotta

Hassle-Free Painting.

Q: I’m planning to paint two rooms over the weekend. How can I do the entire job quickly so I’m not working late into the night on Sunday? -- Hannah J., Chicago

A: The best way to get a paint job done quickly, with minimal hassle, is to spend as much time preparing beforehand as possible. In the days leading up to the painting, try to complete the following tasks.

Clear furniture from the room. Take pictures off the walls, including the hardware used to hang them and all nails or screws. Remove cover plates from outlets and switches. Loosen light fixtures so that you can paint underneath them.

Remove any hardware from windows and doors. Place a dropcloth on the floor for prep work and painting.

A few days before painting, scrape away loose paint or plaster from the areas to be painted. Locate nail holes and cracks, and fill them with spackling compound. Let the compound dry for a few hours, then sand. If you’ll be painting over wooden trim that has a glossy finish, rub it lightly with steel wool or fine-grade sandpaper to roughen the finish. This will help the new paint adhere.

Clean grease spots and other stains -- if a stain can’t be washed away, cover it with primer at the beginning of the painting stage. Dust the paint areas and then clean them with a cloth or sponge dipped in water and a low-phosphate household cleaner. Let everything dry for 24 hours.

This seems like an awful lot of work for just a couple of rooms, but these preparatory tasks can be done bit by bit in the days beforehand, and you can complete the job quickly and efficiently.