Council Approves July 4th Proposal.

The City Council, during its regular meeting last Tuesday evening, approved a recommendation made by both the Public Services Committee and the Budget/Ways and Means Committee to contract with Phillips-Ward & Associates to organize the City 4th of July activities.

The $12,000 agreement will be in addition to the cost of fireworks and any advertising costs incurred. Funding for the expanded celebration for the year 2000 comes from a $15,000 appropriation by the City Council and approximately $22,000 in private contributions. The City expects to contract for about $20,000 in fireworks for the project, about twice what has been spent.

Tentative plans for the activities call for approximately 40 volunteers to supervise and coordinate activities.

Events proposed would include a twilight golf outing beginning after dark on July 3rd. Golfers would play with illuminated golf balls without the aid of lights on the course.

Activities listed for July 4th include the possibility of a 10k run, children’s activities, food vendors, entertainment, and the fireworks display orchestrated to music.

email:

Hi,
My name is Jennifer Harris (formerly Jennifer Lindemood) and I graduated from Carthage Sr. High in 1990. I am trying to find out if there is going to be a 10th reunion planned for my graduating class this year. I tried to contact the school and they couldn’t tell me anything.

I currently live in Hawaii and am not in contact with anyone I went to high school with so I was hoping maybe you could help me out. Since it seems you get all the news for Carthage I figured you might get news on reunions as well. Anyway if you haven’t heard anything about a reunion for the class of 1990 maybe you could keep my e-mail address on file and if you hear anything later in the year give me a buzz!! Thanks for your time!!

Jennifer

There was some talk last week of gettin’ one a local organization, next year, to take over the promotion of the July 4th celebration. The long term goal would be to get the festivities to pay for themselves by bringin’ in sponsors for the event. This would relieve the City of puttin’ up the ten or twelve grand it usually spends on the fireworks each year.

Now that would free up your tax dollars to do other deeds, but would also mean the event would take on more of a regional agenda.

‘Course gettin’ folks to come to Carthage is usually a good idea, but there are costs in crowd and traffic control to be considered. Guess the question to be answered comes down to the value of the fireworks to the community. It’s not all dollars.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Dear Tom and Ray :

I own a 1991 Honda Accord with 37,000 miles on it. Last week when it was in for a valve adjustment, it was discovered that the cam shaft oil seal was leaking. Oil has gotten all over the timing belt.

The mechanic suggested that the oil should rapidly deteriorate the timing belt, and that I should have the timing belt, and oil seal replaced soon to prevent possible further engine damage. I intend to keep the car for another five years or so. What would you recommend? - John

Ray: I’d go right ahead and replace the seal and the belt, John. But it’s not an emergency. I mean, I wouldn’t rate it at the same level of urgency as, say, running out of toilet paper.

Tom: You can do it at your convenience. The belt will not "rapidly deteriorate." It’s designed to work OK even with some oil on it. After all, it’s housed in the presence of all of those oil seals. Over time, it may deteriorate some, but it’s not going to happen in few hundred miles.

Ray: On the other hand, we recommend changing the timing belt at 60,000 miles anyway. Plus, you have an oil leak. And if you were to run too low on (or out of) oil, you could do serious engine damage. Not to mention all those unsightly blemishes on your garage floor!

Tom: So since you are going to keep the car for another five years, why not fix it right away and not have to worry about it ever again? There’s no advantage to waiting. And while they’re in there, spend an additional 20 bucks and have them change the crank shaft seal too.