There will be no candidate listed on the Fourth Ward ballot for City Council for the April election. The time for candidates wishing to be placed on the ballot expired last Tuesday evening at 5:00.

There is still the opportunity for a write-in candidate to be elected.

If a write-in is not elected, the Mayor will nominate an appointee to be confirmed by the City Council to serve until the next regular City election in April 20001. At that time the seat would then again be up for election for the remaining year of the term.

There was a last minute filing for the Fifth Ward Council position currently held by Don Stearnes. Leonard Harlan will challenge Stearnes’ attempt to be reelected for a second term.

Harlan is married to former Fifth Ward Council member Donna Harlan. Ms. Harlan was defeated for reelection in 1996 by Lujene Clark. Ms. Harlan defeated then Council member Tom Bewick to return to the Council in 1997. Don Stearnes defeated Clark in 1998. Clark then ran in 1999 and again defeated Ms. Harlan.

Carthage Lions Club Ground Hog Pancake Feed Hosts New Location.

news release

Ground Hog Day is fast approaching and so is the Carthage Lions Club Ground Hog Pancake & Sausage Feed scheduled for Saturday, January 29, 2000. The location will be at the Carthage Fair Acres Family Y, 2,600 Grand Ave. This is a new location from years past.

Pancakes & sausage will be served from 6:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Buy your tickets in advance and save. Tickets are available from any Carthage Lions Club Member. Advance tickets are $3.25 and $3.50 at the door per adult ticket. Children under twelve are free when accompanied by an adult. Price includes drink. Raffle tickets for cash prizes are also on sale now by Carthage Lions Club Members.

The Annual Ground Hog Pancake & Sausage Feed is one of the Carthage Lions Club Major Fundraisers. The Club will use the proceeds for various Lions Club Projects and local benefits including purchasing eye glasses for indigent children.

The Carthage Lions Club offers support to individuals in need. The project chairperson is Lion Kathleen Dintaman, and she and her committee invite you to attend. Enjoy some good food, and visit with your friends while you’re there. Your support of the Carthage Lions Club is greatly appreciated.

letters to the editor

After reading the article "The State of Missouri’s Environment" (Earl Pabst, Connie S. Patterson), in the Missouri Department of Natural Resource’s publication "Missouri Resources" (Volume 16, Number 4, Winter 1999-2000) I am struck by the apparent conflict between the department’s mission statement and their actions.

In recent weeks the department ok’d the construction of a CAFO in Maple Grove, Missouri even though there was local opposition concerned about the possible damage to the environment. I understand that there was even a petition presented in support of the opposition.

In the above mentioned article, it is shown that Southwest Missouri’s major water quality problem is elevated levels of nitrogen and problems with excessive algae growth due to the large amount of animal manure applied to the area’s watershed by CAFO’s. It is further explained that of the entire State of Missouri only Southwest Missouri has a significant problem with CAFO’s and water quality.

The foreword of the publication is comprised of comments from the Director of the Department of Natural Resources, Steve Mahfood. In his comments Mr. Mahfood states, "Most people do not think about environmental protection until the thing that is protecting them fails to function." It seems in this case the department itself failed to function properly.

Common sense dictates to me that with this knowledge of CAFO pollution in S.W. Missouri already in hand, the last thing the department would allow is another CAFO in the affected area. It would therefore appear that legal action against the Director, on behalf of the citizens of S.W. Missouri, would be justified, and could possibly even be considered malfeasant.

To those who are content to sit by and blame this issue on the failure of county wide zoning: Don’t. County wide zoning is not the answer to all our problems and isn’t a substitute for individual responsibility and action. If this issue interests you, and it should, I urge you to get up and get active. Make yourself heard, voice your opinion, don’t be silent. Director Mahfood’s phone number is 573-751-4732. Donna Harlan’s (who has led the opposition in this matter) phone number is 417-358-7040.

Ken Cole

Business Location For Rent

Across Lyon Street from the new Jasper County Annex II

213 Lyon Street, Suite 1

Next to Carthage Printing Services

Just One Block Off the Square in Carthage, Missouri

Plenty of Excellent Parking • ADA Compliant Entry and Rest room

Approximately 1,400 Square Feet

Recent Complete Renovation

New Roof • New Wiring Inside/3 phase 220 to Building

New Drywall & Ceiling Tile

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If you’re looking for a respectable place to do business, call

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417-358-3160

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213 Lyon Street, Suite 2 • Carthage, Missouri 64836

Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

 

I’ve mentioned a novelty they used ta have when I was a kid, "whacky-placks" before, but on occasion they still jog my memory from time to time.

They were somethin’ like tradin’ cards, came with gum in the pack, but they had witty sayin’s on them. Most were a twist on old familiars. Some of my favorites:

"Better never than late."

"Time wounds all heels."

"In God we trust, all others cash."

"We never make mistrakes."

"Yesterday I couldn’t even spell salesmun, now I are one."

"I didn’t say you were rich, I said you had piles."

"It’s better to be rich and healthy than poor and sick."

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click and Clack Talk Cars

Dear Tom and Ray:

I have a 1977 Mercury Marquis that has been a money pit and the bane of my existence for two years now. The car was getting more and more difficult to start. One day, I had the hood open while my sister was trying to start it. I heard a click, fizzz, and I saw the end of the ground wire smoking. After that, when we turned the key, all we got was clicking from the solenoid, but nothing else. I had the 6-month-old battery charged.

The lights and radio go on, but the car won’t start. My brother-in-law replaced the starter, and sis and I replaced the solenoid and battery cables. Still nothing. It seems that we’re not getting power to the starter. Do you know why? - Colleen.

Ray: I think you are getting power to the starter, Colleen. The problem is it’s not getting back.

Tom: For an electrical device to work in your car, current has to make a complete circuit. It has to go from the positive terminal of the battery, to the device, and then back to the negative terminal of the battery. And the typical path back to the negative terminal is through the engine block. And I’d be willing to bet that the ground connection between the engine block and the negative terminal is faulty.

Ray: Even though you’ve replaced the battery cables, you didn’t fix the corrosion that’s keeping the negative terminal from being properly grounded to the engine block. In a 20 year old car, that’s almost certain to be the problem.