Today's Feature

Public Hearing for Annexation.

Carthage City Council will meet this evening at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall. Items on the agenda include a public hearing for the annexation of property near Civil War Road. At the previous Council meeting, Council members approved three resolutions as part of the process of this annexation. Council’s Budget committee is currently reviewing a proposed Economic Development sales tax that would allow for the purchase of the land for the purpose of establishing an industrial park in Carthage. In order for Carthage Water and Electric Plant to run sewer, water and utilities to the property the land must be annexed into the City.

Council is also scheduled to discuss the Personnel and Compensation System for the City of Carthage. Kaatz & Associates conducted the evaluation of City pay scales and job classifications and has made recommendations for changes. The implementation of this new structure is estimated to cost $110,000, an amount that was budgeted for Fiscal Year 2009 during last week’s budget hearing. Some concerns about the recommendation from Kaatz & Associates were raised by Street Commissioner Tom Shelley during the recent budget hearing. Shelley noted that he was not pleased with the proposed salary recommendations that would affect some of the Street Department’s employees. City Administrator Tom Short said that even the latest numbers received from Kaatz & Associates were considered a draft, and that some alteration may still be necessary.

Mornin'
If you get out on the four-lane, watch out for those slow movin’ eighteen-wheelers. Most of ‘em seem to be movin’ about 65, but I followed one the other day only goin’ 55. I thought my speedometer had gone bananas. Savin’ fuel seems ta be the indication. Back in the seventies the 55 speed limit wasn’t too popular with the truckers, guess $4 a gallon is workin’ to slow up.

I see the older gas stations are gettin’ concerned. Older gas pumps would price past $3.99. I can remember when pumps wouldn’t go over 99 cents. Back then some stations started chargin’ by the half gallon so they would have to replace pumps.

I don’t suppose they could get by with that now, but $2 would be good to see on a station sign, even for half the fuel.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

To Your Good Health
By Paul G. Donohue, M.D.

Shingles and the Shingles Vaccine

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am an 86-year-old woman. I have had shingles twice in my life. My family physician thinks I should get the shingles vaccine. I went to a health clinic to get the injection. I was told by the RN on duty that her instructions were not to give the shot to anyone who had previously had the shingles. How would you advise me? Should I have the vaccine? I don’t want the shingles again -- ever. -- V.J.

ANSWER: Shingles comes from the chickenpox virus, which stays with people for life. It lives in nerve cells. Even if people say they have never been infected with chickenpox, more than 90 percent of adults have. The childhood infection could have been so mild that it wasn’t recognized as chickenpox.

Later in life, the virus leaves its nerve-cell home, travels down the nerve to the skin, where it gives rise to the typical shingles rash -- small blisters on red patches of skin -- and the typical pain of shingles. The pain that arises when the rash is present is bad, but the pain that stays after the rash is gone is worse. That’s called postherpetic neuralgia, and it comes from damage to the nerve that the virus caused as it traveled down the nerve to the skin. Lyrica is the newest medicine for postherpetic neuralgia.

Because of postherpetic neuralgia, the shingles vaccine was developed. It cuts down the chances of developing shingles and postherpetic neuralgia by 66 percent. If it doesn’t provide complete protection, it makes a shingles encounter less fierce. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a board of vaccine experts, advises older people to get the vaccine even if they have had shingles. However, a second case of shingles is rare. A third case is very, very rare. It’s up to you, V.J. If you want the vaccine, you are entitled to get it.