Today's Feature

The Smoke Vote.

The City of Carthage is currently seeking input from citizens concerning a proposed ordinance to prohibit smoking in any restaurant in the City. A poll is on the City web site carthage-mo.gov to cast votes on the changes. Citizens without internet access can use the following to express their preference by marking the appropriate box and returning this page to City Hall. The following is question posted:

The City of Carthage is considering amending its CLEAN INDOOR AIR ACT ordinance which currently partially bans smoking in "public places". In addition to other changes, the proposal being considered would prohibit smoking in any restaurant. The following areas would still remain exempt from these provisions: any bar, tavern, bowling alley or billiard parlor, provided such establishment conspicuously posts at least (2) signs stating that "Nonsmoking areas are unavailable".

m Support the Ordinance Change

m Oppose the Ordinance Change

m Undecided

Voting will conclude on January 30.

See the current ordinance below.

Carthage Code

Article VIII. Clean Indoor Air Act

Sec. 13-241. Offenses.

The following shall be offenses under the ordinances of this community, and shall be punishable as provided in section 13-246 of this article:

(1) No person shall smoke in a public place or in a public meeting except in a designated smoking area.

(2) No proprietor or other person in charge of a public place or public meeting shall permit, cause, suffer or allow a person to smoke in those areas where smoking is prohibited.

(Ord. No. 6494, § 1, 5-25-93)

Sec. 13-242. Duties of person having control of public place.

The person having custody or control of a public place or public meeting shall:

(1) Make reasonable efforts to prevent smoking in the public place or public meeting by posting appropriate signs indicating no-smoking or smoking area and arrange seating accordingly. These signs shall be placed at a height and location easily seen by a person entering the public place or public meeting and not obscured in any way;

(2) Arrange seating and utilize available ventilation systems and physical barriers to isolate smoking areas;

(3) Make a reasonable request of person smoking to move to a designated smoking area;

(4) Allow smoking in designated areas of theater lobbies only.

(Ord. No. 6494, § 2, 5-25-93)

Sec. 13-243. "Public place" defined.

A "public place" is any enclosed indoor area used by the general public or serving as a place of work including, but not limited to:

(1) Any retail or commercial establishment;

(2) Health care facilities, health clinics or ambulatory care facilities including, but not limited to, laboratories associated with health care treatment, hospitals, nursing homes, physicians’ offices and dentists’ offices;

(3) Any vehicle used for public transportation including, but not limited to, buses, taxicabs and limousines for hire;

(4) Restrooms;

(5) Elevators;

(6) Libraries, educational facilities, day care facilities, museums, auditoriums and art galleries;

(7) All public areas and waiting rooms of public transportation facilities including, but not limited to, bus and airport facilities;

(8) Any enclosed indoor place used for entertainment or recreation including, but not limited to, gymnasiums, theater lobbies, concert halls, arenas and swimming pools;

(9) Any other enclosed indoor areas used by the general public including, but not limited to, corridors and shopping malls;

However, the following areas are not considered a public place:

(10) An entire room or hall which is used for private social functions, provided that the seating arrangements are under the control of the sponsor of the function and not of the proprietor or other person in charge;

(11) Limousines for hire and taxicabs, where the driver and all passengers agree to smoking in such vehicle;

(12) Performers on the stage, provided that the smoking is part of the production;

(13) A place where more than fifty (50) percent of the volume of trade or business carried on is that of the blending of tobaccos or sale of tobaccos, cigarettes, pipes, cigars or smoking sundries;

(14) Any bar, any tavern, a restaurant that seats less than fifty (50) people, any bowling alley or any billiard parlor, provided such establishment conspicuously posts at least two (2) signs stating that "Nonsmoking Areas are Unavailable";

(15) Private residences; and

(16) Any enclosed indoor arena, stadium or other facility which may be used for sporting events and which has a seating capacity of more than fifteen thousand (15,000) persons.

(Ord. No. 6494, § 3, 5-25-93)

Sec. 13-244. Other definitions.

As used in this article, the following terms mean:

Bar or tavern means any licensed establishment which serves liquor on the premises for which not more than ten (10) percent of the gross sales receipts of the business are supplied by food purchases, either for consumption on the premises or elsewhere.

Other person in charge means the agent of the proprietor authorized to give administrative directions to and general supervisions of the activities within the public place, work place or public meeting at any given time.

Proprietor means the party who ultimately controls, governs or directs the activities within the public place, workplace or public meeting, regardless of whether he is the owner or lessor of such place or site. The term does not mean the owner of the property unless he ultimately controls, governs or directs the activities within the public place or public meeting. The term "proprietor" shall apply to a corporation as well as an individual.

Public meeting means a gathering in person of members of a governmental body, whether an open or closed session, as defined in chapter 610, Revised Statutes of Missouri;

Restaurant means any building, structure or area used, maintained or advertised as or held out to the public to be an enclosure where meals for consideration of payment are made available to be consumed on the premises;

Smoking means possession of burning tobacco in the form of a cigarette, cigar, pipe or other smoking equipment.

(Ord. No. 6494, § 4, 5-25-93)

Sec. 13-245. Designated smoking area.

(a) Generally. A smoking area may be designated by persons having custody or control of public places, except in places in which smoking is prohibited by the fire marshal or by other law, ordinance or regulation. No public place shall have more than thirty (30) percent of its entire space designated as a smoking area.

(b) Restaurants. A proprietor or other person in charge of a restaurant shall designate an area of sufficient size to accommodate usual and customary demand for nonsmoking areas by customers or patrons.

(Ord. No. 6494, § 5, 5-25-93)

Sec. 13-246. Penalty.

Any person who violates this article shall be fined an amount not more than two hundred dollars ($200.00).

(Ord. No. 6494, § 6, 5-25-93)

Mornin'

I’ve come upon the ultimate test for the patience of any do-it-your-selfer. Hookin’ up one light to be operated by not just two, but three different switches.

The normal installation of a three-way switch is complex enough. Especially considerin’ that a three way switch only works from two locations. To make the third location work, ya need what they call a four way switch. I guess they consider "off" as one of the various "ways" a switch works.

There are lots a diagrams showin’ how ta wire up these various mechanical devices, ya just can’t make heads or tails of ‘em.

Most end up just hookin’ this wire and that until the light comes on. Not a recommended procedure unless your insurance is paid.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

To Your Good Health

Cause is Found

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I retain fluid in my ankles and feet. They swell during the day. After a night’s sleep they’re normal size. I have taken a diuretic for a whole year, but it’s no better. Why? My doctor has thrown his hands up at this. -- M.P.

ANSWER: The swelling will get better only if you find its cause. If both feet and ankles are swollen, the possibilities include heart failure, kidney disorders, liver cirrhosis, medicines and, strangely enough, the overuse of diuretics (water pills). One-sided ankle and foot swelling has another list of causes. The swelling gets better at night because when you’re in the horizontal position, fluid returns to the circulation.

With heart failure, people have other symptoms -- breathlessness when they’re up and about. Often, they awaken at night, panting for air.

Kidney disease is detectable with a few simple lab tests.

Liver cirrhosis can be confirmed by a physical examination and lab testing.

Medicines that cause swelling (edema) constitute a pretty long list. On that list are the popular NSAID drugs, like Advil, Aleve, Motrin and Indocin. Female hormones also can bring on swelling. So can the blood pressure medicines called calcium blockers.

Diuretics, when used for a long time and for inappropriate reasons, lead to fluid retention, just the opposite of what they’re supposed to do.