Today's Feature

Three Minutes Of Fame.

Lip-Sync Competition Scheduled

News release

The Carthage Chamber of Commerce, along with event sponsor Grundy’s Body and Frame Shop, will host the seventh annual Maple Leaf Three Minutes Of Fame Lip-Sync Competition on Thursday, October 16 at the Carthage High School Auditorium beginning at 7:00 pm. Cash prizes will be awarded for first ($100) and second ($50) place in both the youth and adult division.

"This event is guaranteed to be a lot fun, for both those competing and in the audience," said Beth Foust, Planning Committee Member. "Everyone is encouraged to form a team and create an entertaining routine; local businesses, civic and social organizations, even groups of friends or family members! Since it’s lip-sync only, even those musically-challenged can participate!"

The competition is free and open to the public. All contestants must provide an original copy of their selected lip-sync song, either on cassette or CD, cued and ready the night of the event. Prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place in both an adult and youth division.

Local singer Duke Mason will be the featured emcee for the competition. For more information or an entry form for the Three Minutes of Fame event, contact the Chamber office at 358-2373. Deadline to enter is Wednesday, October 15th.

Mornin'
I suppose that when folks purchase those "unlimited minutes" package for their cell phones they figure the more they talk the cheaper it is.

I’ve gotten calls from friends just because they have minutes left at the end of the month just so they can use ‘em up. Don’t want ta waste ‘em so they call me. I’d guess you could put some type of peckin’ order on how early in the month ya get that call from a friend outa nowhere.

Apparently some feel that the best use of a cell phone is durin’ that time spent behind the wheel. From what I’ve seen, most haven’t mastered the task of doin’ both at the same time. The worst is ta pull up behind a cell talker at a stop sign and they can’t decide what way ta turn ‘till they hang up.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

This Is A Hammer
By Samantha Mazzotta

Clearing Up Mold

Q: Our first floor recently was flooded during a period of heavy rain. We’ve since cleaned up, dried out all the furniture and replaced the area rugs (there are no carpets on the first floor). However, there is a mold smell throughout the house. I thought we had taken care of all the wet areas. Any ideas? -- Tamara C., DeBary, Fla.

A: Water damage can be tough to completely repair. You’ve dried out your floors and the furniture appears dry, but there may be some hidden areas of the house that haven’t been addressed.

Double-check your furniture: Moisture could have been wicked up through the cloth all the way through the padding. If the furniture has a wood frame, the wood beneath the padding may have stayed wet despite the cloth drying out. Additional drying sessions may be needed, or you can contact a furniture restoration specialist for tips.

The walls themselves may also be culprits. Check the base of the walls as high as the water went -- if there is wallpaper covering the area, peel back a one-foot section of the paper to see the drywall beneath. Drywall (aka sheetrock) is susceptible to mold after severe flooding.

Check any area of your home that doesn’t see much traffic, such as the crawlspace under the house, the garage, storage closets and so on. Look for standing water or excess moisture, and dry out those spots.

Finally, check your air conditioning and ventilation system -- the outside unit may have been flooded and not dried out completely, or mold may be present inside the vents. An HVAC contractor can help clean the system.

Visible, surface mold can be quickly removed by wiping with a rag dipped in a half-and-half solution of bleach and water (wear rubber gloves, goggles and dust mask while doing this). However, if mold has set in to drywall or wood paneling, that section of drywall or paneling must be replaced.

Meantime, place a dehumidifier on your first floor to reduce the overall humidity and retard growth of mold spores.

HOME TIP: The Environmental Protection Agency provides details and more tips on preventing and repairing mold problems. Visit its Web site at http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldresources.html.