The debate concernin’ makin’ smokin’ tobacco in Carthage a crime looks ta be startin’ back up. Council member T.J. Teed says a grant for thousands of dollars has been secured to campaign against smokin’ in Carthage. That’s in addition to funding goin’ to the Joplin anti-smokers.

He also says that Webb City Council members are ready to enact a ban on tobacco smokin’ over there, they just don’t wanna be the first to put the law in place. He says they told him if Carthage and Joplin go along, they’ll jump on the wagon.

When the antismokin’ proposal came up last winter, there didn’t seem ta be the votes on the Carthage Council to get it passed. It’ll be interestin’ to watch as this campaign takes hold.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

This is a Hammer

by Samantha Mazzotta

Short-Term Fix for Leaky Roof

Q: This summer, I found a couple of small leaks in the attic, apparently from some rough spots on the roof. I marked the attic ceiling where the leaks are, but what’s the best way to repair them? -- Greta in Topeka, Kansas

A: You can patch those leaky spots for now, but you’ll want to have your roof evaluated by a professional as soon as possible. In the meantime, here’s how you can minimize the damage.

Indoors, place containers underneath the leaks to catch rainwater, and dry up damp areas as they occur. Next, since you’ve already marked the leak sources, make sure their locations can be found from outside on the roof.

You can do this in two ways: at each leaky spot, drive a large nail through the underside of the roof, upward -- this will punch through or push up the shingle above, marking the spot; or, measure the distance between each leak and the nearest feature that can be seen outside -- like the chimney, a vent opening or the roof peak.

From there, a spot repair should be made on the roof. Always work with a partner and a safety rope. On a dry day, head up there with some roofing cement, a couple of spare shingles, a utility knife, roofing nails, a hammer and a flat pry bar.

At the leak spot, remove the big marking nail -- it’s no longer needed. Evaluate the area. If the shingle above is loose or torn, seal back in place with a generous application of roofing cement. If it’s missing, install a new shingle by sliding it into place under the shingle above the missing part (carefully loosen the upper shingle if necessary, using the pry bar), tacking down with roofing cement and securing with a couple of roofing nails (nail them along the top of the replacement shingle, under the overlapping shingle, then press the overlapping shingle down over them).

Sometimes, leaks occur at roof joints -- where the roof meets a corner, or a chimney. Metal flashing is in place to sluice water away from these joints, but gaps often occur after a few years thanks to warping and debris strikes. Patch the flashing with roofing cement for now, and have it evaluated for replacement in the near future.