The City Council Budget Ways and Means Committee agreed Monday evening that the City should draw up its own proposed contract for an exclusive seller’s agreement with Southwest Agency to for the Myers Park Development. A standard agreement submitted by the agency was rejected by the Council during its last meeting due to various portions that did not apply or were more vague than some members wished. City Attorney David Mouton will be asked to draw up the agreement to be reviewed by the Committee before it is submitted to the Council for discussion.

The Committee also reviewed preliminary unaudited results of the City’s Red, White, and Boom 4th of July Celebration.

According to the numbers submitted by City Administrator Tom Short, the event cost the City approximately $12,000 more than revenues generated or appropriated by the Council. The City expected to spend $20,000, private contributions for the project totaled $14,700, and the event generated about $5,600 in revenue. Total expenses, including the $19,995. 62 spent on fireworks, came to $52,154.22.

Noticed a guy sittin’ as "guard" to a construction site over in Kansas the other day. Instead a bein’ in the shed that was sittin’ at the gate, he had his lawn chair out in the sun and was soakin’ up the rays. Now I don’t see nothin’ wrong of the guy takin’ advantage of the situation. He was doin’ what he was hired for I’d reckon, watchin’ the gate. The fact that he could get a little work done on his tan was just one a the benefits of the job.

‘Course in the olden days not havin’ a tan was the sign of rank. Folks with tans had ta work outdoors. Now it’s a sign of havin’ leisure time ta be out on the lake. At least this guy was gettin’ his tan the old fashioned way, not out of a bottle.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing Services

by Donna Erickson

Including kids in meal preparation is one of the most natural ways to provide a pinch of learning during the summer months. Measuring, pouring, stirring and observing chemical reactions in a mixing bowl is exciting stuff for curious, growing minds. While educators refer to such activities as "teachable moments," there is more than instruction going on. When we spend uninterrupted time with our kids, we are building both skills and relationships.

When my three children were 6 years old and under, our first and favorite concoction at the "Erickson Cooking School" was fruit salad. It was a favorite because there was a "job" for all three eager chefs. My 4-year-old peeled the bananas while her older brother sliced them with a butter knife. The toddler’s appointed task was to sprinkle the grated coconut into the salad and top it off with a fistful of raisins, some of which did land in the bowl. Here’s a delightful summer salad you and your kids can make together. Serve it in an unusual serving bowl they’ll love - a half shell of a pineapple! As you prepare the salad, stir up some learning too, with the suggested questions.

Set out on the kitchen counter a variety of ripe fruit such as pineapple, mango, bananask, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, lemon, shredded coconut and raisins.

Ask your children to name each fruit. Which fruit is largest? Smallest? Which fruit is your favorite? How are raisins made? How many do you want in the salad? Count them and set them aside.

An adult should slice the pineapple in half lengthwise. Cut the fruit from the two halves. Save the pineapple shells and place the cut-up fruit in a mixing bowl. As you work, ask, "How does a pineapple grow and where?" Taste a chunk and describe it.

Wash, peel and cut the rest of the ingredients, adding them to the mixing bowl. Squeeze and drizzle lemon juice over the fruit. Ask, "What does drizzle mean?"

Scoop the fruit mixture into the pineapple halves. As you complete the luscious salad, ask, "What does fresh mean? Why is a fruit salad healthy? What else could we put in a pineapple fruit salad next time?"