Waitin On The Check.

Plans are progressing for a shop building for the Carthage Street Department to replace the structure that burned earlier in the year according to Street Commissioner Tom Shelley. The City is waiting to hear exactly how much insurance money will be available. The building was insured for at least $75,000 and is expected to be considered a total loss. About $25,000 worth of equipment was also lost and insured.

City Administrator Tom Short reported to the Public Works Committee last Tuesday that there is some question as to whether the building was insured for replacement value. He is investigating whether the $75,000 figure, which is estimated to be less that a replacement building will cost, is all the insurance company will pay.

Shelley is concerned that a new shop will not be completed before next winter if construction is not initiated soon. Whatever the amount paid by insurance, Shelley would like it all to go toward a new building.

"My plan," Shelley told the Committee, "is to handle (replacement of equipment) except the building itself, through current and future budgets."

Letter to the Editor
Opinions expressed reflect those of the writer
and not necessarily those of the Mornin' Mail.

I want to thank the voters of the fifth Ward that supported me in my bid for a City Council seat. I ran for Council knowing full well I would not win. I ran because I do not feel that any legislative seat should go unchallenged. Over a period of time these "no contest" races breed arrogance and power on the part of the office holder and fuel voter apathy and frustration. Voting is a privilege and a duty, but when there are no choices why bother.

Low voter turnout has been a major problem for years and is getting worse. The office of City Council is a thankless, underpaid over worked position, but the Council makes your choices for you. They create ordinances and chose how your money will be spent.

If you are not willing to run for office, or worse yet, not even vote, don’t sit in the coffee shops and complain. I did not campaign, put up a sign or make a telephone call but I gave you a choice. In fact if signs in the yards in Carthage won an election, Charles Burt would be on the Council.

I am glad that Donny won, he is a hard working, listening Council member and a person I consider a friend. Remember next April is another election, pay attention to what goes on in town. Attend Council meeting and throw in your hat. Give voters choices, but most important of all vote.

Again, thank you for those that voted for me and a special thanks to those who cared enough to vote at all.

Leonard Harlan

artCamp 2000 Will Be Here Soon!

by Robin Putnam, artCentral

Spring is here and that means we have to start planning our summer !! This year’s kid art program is artCamp 2000 and has been scheduled for two weeks instead of just one like last year !! We’ve had to change the dates so that it’s not during those last few precious days of summer right before school starts !!

SO.........it’s now scheduled for July 24 through August 5. Classes will be held Monday through Saturday 10am - 2:30pm each day. Kids will need to bring a lunch but as far as materials and supplies we will provide what’s necessary for each class. If something comes up and we need the students to bring something we will send a written notice.

As it stands now we don’t have the class schedule but we’re working on it !! Registration will be May through July 8th, no exceptions. As we did last year students are registered by pre-payment only.

We hope to offer some-thing different each day, although some projects may take 2 days to complete, and students can sign up for one day or all 12 days !! The cost will be fifteen dollars per day, per student.

Last year we had fifteen kids per class but this year we are holding it to ten. The poor teachers really had their hands full with fifteen kids running around !! There will be a half hour break for lunch which if the weather allows will be outside. There will also be some fun things to do while outside!!

We are working on the schedule of classes now and hope to have all the details worked out by the end of this month. If you know of any high school kids that would like to assist the teachers send them our direction as we will be hiring a few helping hands!!

For more info try catching us later this month !!

More.......next week. 358-4404. 1110 E 13th & www. ozarkartistscolony.com under organizations. Our hours are Tues. - Sat. 9am - 3pm and Sundays 12 - 4pm.

Red Cross To Sponsor Trip.

As a fundraiser for local programs, the Carthage office of the Southwest Missouri Chapter of the American Red Cross is organizing an afternoon trip to Springfield May 7th. Plans call for seeing a production of Blythe Spirit at the Landers Theatre followed by dinner at Steak and Ale before returning home. Cost of the trip is $50 and includes transportation, theatre and dinner. For more information or reservations call Mary Barksdale at the Red Cross office in Carthage: 358-4334 or call the Joplin office at 624-4411. Reservations MUST be made before April 12th.

The Landers Theatre is a National Historic site and is Missouri’s oldest and largest Civic Theatre. Built in 1909 the brick and terra cotta building has been in continuous use either as a legitimate theatre or a motion picture house since it opened with THE GOLDEN GIRL in September 1909.

Lillian Russell, John Philip Sousa and Fanny Brice have all appeared on the Landers stage. In 1928 the theatre became the 35th facility in the world to acquire "talkies" and continued as a movie theatre until 1970 when it was purchased by Springfield Little Theatre.

A number of major restoration projects have been undertaken to return the facility to its original elegance. The installation of a new roof, new interior paint and plaster, new lobby flooring. new lighting and sound systems, and new restrooms have all been completed. Carpeting, recreated by the mill that furnished the original floor covering has also been installed.

BLITHE SPIRIT is a supernaturally funny comedy by Noel Coward. Charles has remarried after the premature death of his first wife, Elvira. He is quite content with new spouse Ruth, until the eccentric and psychic Madame Arcati manages to conjure up Elvira’s spirit...and Elvira is not exactly thrilled with Charles’ new life. Her haunting and taunting, presented with the wit and whimsey that only Noel Coward can create makes for an afternoon of high humor and other worldly entertainment.

We will have dinner at the Steak and Ale in Springfield before returning home about 8:30 or 9:00 p.m.

Over the years our household has accumulated a collection of ladders. I suppose most homeowners are blessed with the same joy of ownership. I’d guess as investments ladders don’t make a lot of sense, ya only use ‘em a few times a year and the rest of the time they just sit around takin’ up space. The real benefit is not monetary, but just plain handy.

As hard as they are to loose, the question of "where’s the ladder" seems to pop up on a regular basis, followed by the "which one" response. The little step, the big little step, the little big step, the big step, Grandpa’s old one, the new one, or the extension?

I’ve tried those, there’s just that one spot that I can’t quite get too. I still need one just a little longer.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Oak Street Health & Herbs

Spring has sprung! Love this time of year. My comfrey has been growing about 1/4" days the sun shines, docks are up and from the looks of the young mullein we should have a good crop.

Spring leads to cleaning.....who started that thing?.....yards, gardens, windows and bodies need to be cleansed. My Great Aunt Josephine’s kitchen would smell like sassafras this time of year. She would boil the roots and warm them daily for one month. Everyone got a good glassful a couple times a day. It was a real treat for the taste buds as well as the nose....smells SO good.

Cleansing the body from our high fat, meat, dairy, highly processed and chemically enhanced foods becomes a wise thing to do. Cleansing can avoid auto-intoxication which is self-poisoning. Common sign of toxicity may include headaches, fatigue, mucus problems, general aches and pains, digestive disorders or allergies.

Some traditional herbs for cleansing include: Yellowdock: an astringent herb also mild laxative promotes healthy skin by liver purification. Burdock root: improves liver function and is blood purifier. Parsley leaf is an excellent diuretic, flushes the kidneys and helps breakdown stones. Cascara Sagrada is a natural laxative which increases the natural peristaltic action of the colon.

Fasting is also an excellent way to cleanse. Consult a good book, drink organic juices and if you have medical concerns, consult your physician.