The Airport Relocation Committee has requested that Mayor Kenneth Johnson and City Administrator Tom Short negotiate a flat fee for a realtor to negotiate for the purchase of property for a new airport. The appraisal portion of the acquisition process has been completed and reviewed and the next step is to negotiate a price for the property.

The Committee prefers to use a third party for the property purchase negotiations because many of the members know the land owner and feel it would be difficult to reach an unbiased purchase price.

A recommendation from the Committee concerning a fee for the realtor is expected to be made to the City Council in time for their June 13 regular meeting.

The Committee also voted to recommend that the City Council declare the old airport tower as surplus property and request bids for its sale and removal. The Committee felt that relocating the tower to the new airport would not be cost effective and with new technology, the tower would not be necessary.

An application for a grant from MODOT for hard surfacing was discussed.

It appears that after several years, the airport relocation debate will come to a head soon. This story has been followed by the Mornin’ Mail since 1993 and opinion was percolatin’’ some time before that.

To get us where we are now has required the discussions of several City Councils, two votes by the entire City, several law suits, and hundreds of hours of meetings attended by myself and other Mornin’ Mail reporters.

At this time, I’d have ta guess that the City is still split about 50/50 on whether we should have an airport. ‘Course some of that opinion comes from the outcome of the votes taken early on. The discussion now is down to dollars: an airport at what cost? Looks like more ink and paper will be dedicated to this story.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing Service

Do-it-yourself storytelling is a terrific way to let kids’ imaginations come out to play. Your children can share their creativity using this inexpensive felt story board you make together. When the story board is complete, the kids will enjoy creating their own characters and props, which will adhere to the board as they spin a tale.

To make the story board, cut a piece of sturdy cardboard from a cardboard box (Ask for a discarded box from your grocery store.) Cover one side of the cardboard with a piece of flannel or felt and glue it in place.

Before you make characters and props, talk about the story your children have in mind and help them determine what figures are needed. Beginners often feel confident telling memorized stories and rhymes, such as "The Three Bears" and "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed." Your older children may enjoy telling stories of summer adventures.

Use a black marker to draw the characters and props on nonfusible interfacing (available by the yard at fabric stores). The interfacing will adhere to the story board. Color the figures with crayon or colored markers. Cut them out with scissors. For a personalized story, cut out snapshots of your children, friends, pets, etc., and glue trimmed interfacing to the back. Magazine pictures work well too. Store the figures in a shoe box or a zipper-style plastic bag.

When it’s story time, set the story board on a big easel or prop it on the kitchen table. Help the kids arrange the figures to make it easy to add or take them away from the board as the story unfolds.