Marian Days August 10-13.

Final preparations for the Twenty-Third Marian Days celebrations are being completed. The City has received the typical formal request for services and permission for special activities at the Congregation of the Mother Coredemptrix Provincial Headquarters, located at 1900 Grand Avenue. Scheduled activities will take place beginning Thursday, August 10 until Sunday morning, August 13.

Providing adequate security involves the most planning and expense for the City with the CMC sharing in the cost. This year a larger than normal crowd is expected because of the turn of the century so security will be in place a day earlier.

Also requested again this year is permission for open-air programs from 9 p.m. to midnight on the evenings of Friday, August 11 and Saturday, August 12.

The Solemn Procession is scheduled between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday the 12th with fireworks following.

Marian Days is a religious festival and social gathering that includes masses, conferences, processions, entertainment programs and other social events.

Commentary

Martin "Bubs" Hohulin
State Representative, District 126

I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable 4th of July holiday. I also hope you took some time to reflect on what the 4th of July is really all about. We owe our founding fathers a huge debt of gratitude for setting up this country the way they did and for the sacrifices they went through to make it happen. We don’t have a perfect government, but we have the best in the world. The best thing about our government is that the people have the ultimate control at the ballot box and we get back what we put into it.

That brings me to the topic of this week’s column. It looks like there could be an issue on the November ballot that is of great importance to our electoral system. That is the issue of public financing of political campaigns. This issue has come about through the initiative petition process. That is where anyone can get an issue on the statewide ballot by collecting enough signatures of registered voters from across the state.

As a politician, I would love to not have to go out and raise money each election. Where I have to run every two years, sometimes it seems that raising campaign funds is a never ending process. However, as a citizen, I don’t want to pay for the campaign of someone that I totally disagree with and I doubt if you do either. Under our current system, anyone is free to contribute to any candidate they want to. Under the proposed system, each candidate would be given a set amount of money to spend on their campaign.

In return for accepting the money, the candidate would agree to accept no donations from anyone else. If the candidate chose to not accept the public money and raised their own, their opponent could receive even more public money depending on how much the non participating candidate raised.

Of course, this proposal would be financed by what else; a tax increase.

Regular readers of this column know how I feel about taxes in general and tax increases in particular. I have consistently voted against tax increases and will continue to do so as long as you see fit to keep me in office. I still believe that you can spend your money better than I or my colleagues can.

As I said in the first paragraph, we don’t have a perfect government, but we have the best in the world. I don’t want to see it messed up by forcing citizens to give their money to candidates they have nothing in common with.

As usual, I can be reached at House Post Office, State Capitol, Jefferson City, MO 65101, or 1-800-878-7126, or mhohulin@services.state.mo.us for your questions, comments, or advice.

I’m seein’ where they won’t let ya carry a pocket knife into the Courthouse. The Hall of Justice they called it in the early days.

If you remember those folks who raised cain when the metal detectors went in a few years back, they were preachin’ ‘bout somethin’ like this happenin.’ Ya might have noticed one of our citizens placed an editorial type ad a few days ago that warned of the demise of ball point pens bein’ placed on the list of banned weapons next. (I suppose it would only pertain to metal pens unless ever’one starts bein’ frisked when they enter.) Better than bein’ poked in the eye with a sharp stick. Oops don’t give anyone ideas. I suppose I shouldn’t throw stones. There I go again, bittin’ the hand that feeds me. Dang, bite my tongue.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

McCune Brooks Hospital

PUFF PIECE? Two weeks ago, an eight-page fax came through from one of the major tobacco companies announcing their intention to make access to tobacco products difficult for underage persons. The company says it will be firm in dealing with any outlet that didn’t make sure the person who bought the products was old enough to do so. They also said they would put more warning labels on the packs, etc.

I’m sure the company expected cheers from those of us concerned with public health, especially the health of our young people. But many of my colleagues are not impressed and neither am I. First of all, there are already laws in most communities restricting the sale of tobacco products to youngsters. But that hasn’t stopped them from getting cigarettes.

As a matter of fact, the sad statistic is that more pre-teenage girls are starting to smoke than ever before.

When I tried to speak with either of the two media contact people whose names were on the fax, a young woman requested my name and phone number. I obliged and then asked to be put through. She said she couldn’t do that. Why? Because all calls had to be screened first. Someone would get back to me.

P.S. No one ever did.