Sports Complex Progress.

The City Council Public Services Committee was presented a time line last Monday of progress on the Fair Acres Sports Complex expansion. Parks Administrator Alan Bull told the Committee that the softball fields should be substantially completed by March 9, 2001.

Plans are for the fields, fencing, concession stand, irrigation and lighting to be completed by that date. Utility fields for soccer and other uses would most likely be completed later in the year.

Funding for the project was made possible by a grant from the Steadley Trust. According to City Administrator Tom Short, the project is expected to come in within budget at about $1.3 million.

"That’s what we’ve been talking of and on about," Short told the Committee, "how close the budget is because we have increased the drainage work and we have increased the cost on the concession stand. We don’t have a lot more room to add extras on the project."

The donated use of equipment and manpower of the Nation Guard has saved approximately $100,000 in overall costs.

Letter to the Editor

Opinions expressed reflect those of the writer
and not necessarily those of the Mornin' Mail.

It’s amazing to me, in this age of ‘doing the right thing’, how hard folks up on the square work to avoid walking a couple of blocks. It’s always been incredible to me, as valuable as parking spaces are to the retail community and the businesses mingled in, that owners of said businesses and offices would devote so much time to avoiding a parking fine.

It has to be like a part-time job for some of them to run out to their car every 2 hours, check the tires, and if they’re chalk-marked, scurry around the square, or, to throw observers off, go a couple of blocks away, only to park a couple of spaces down. It gets even better than that.

There are many examples of business owners parking for extended periods of time in front of neighboring businesses. What nerve that takes!! Not only is it disrespectful to the prospective customers and visitors to the square, but, a total disregard for the coveted space in front of their neighbors. I’m telling you, there’s alot of revenue to be gained from these violators if the police department had time to enforce the parking limits. I bet if a few of these folks got a $25 fine for moving their vehicles, they’d think a bit more about how beneficial that 2 minute walk from a nearby parking lot might be. Here’s the kicker. When these folks are ‘visited’ about this practice, they not only become defensive, they become almost hostile.

How about a little respect here, folks? Sure, it’s nice to park 10 feet from your door and walk in to work. How on earth would you ever make it if you had to work at Wal-Mart where employees are required to surrender ‘up-front’ parking to customers? Aren’t most of the businesses and offices on the square there to serve the public? Is not the idea to DRAW people to the square without discouraging them with bad parking practices?

This is some fact, but, mostly just some concerned citizens talkin’.

Main Street Mercantile
Allans’ Antiques
The Lily Pad

The End of Our 2001 Calendar !!

by Robin Putnam, artCentral

First we’ll finish the 2001 calendar. To end our year we will have another exhibit featuring the newest art work of Joe Leiter, Carthage. He spent this last summer developing a new style and is very excited to show off his new paintings. This exhibit will be from October 26th (the opening) through Nov-ember 30th.

Last but not least...... December 7th through January 11, 2002 we will have a group exhibit featuring the works of Penny Wilkinson, Carl Junction, Bill Snow and Perry Flem-ing, Carthage and Jorge Leyva, Joplin. These talen-ed artists will have for your viewing pleasure oil paint-ings, poetry and sculptures of clay and stone. Three of these artists have also already had a show with us but just love us sooooo much they had to do it again !!!

We are very excited to have all these repeaters as it gives themselves and YOU lots of new art !!

Also for those parents and kids who would like to plan ahead.......we have the dates for artCamp !! artCamp 2001 will be July 23rd through August 4th. We don’t have the classes set up yet but we know they will be just as awesome and fun as they were this year !!!

We are also excited about 2002 because we have four shows already booked !! That’s half of our year !!! It is sooooo great to know we are needed, wanted and appreciated !!!!!

Next week is another exhibit opening. We will give you some artist info next week. This is a group of five women who have been showing together for a number of years.

Remember we’re closed on Saturdays for the next few months. We hope it won’t inconvenience anyone.

More..........next week. 358-4404. 1110 E 13th & www.ozarkartistscolony .com Our hours are Tues. - Fri. 9am - 3pm.

Looks like it’ll be another week or so at least ‘fore we know who will be elected President. At this point I’d have ta guess it’d be hard ta find anyone who wasn’t caught up in the suspense of the outcome.

One thing for sure, there will be plenty of armchair authorities on the election practices and procedures for Florida. No doubt that will be the top story bein’ reported on for the next couple a days.

The "what if" analysis has already gotten plenty of air time on the news talk shows. Nothin’ much else to talk about until some real facts are established.

‘Course the old adage that you vote does make a difference has taken on a little more weight. The old timers will be able to talk about how it was back in ‘00.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Oak Street health & herb

Natural Nutrition

by Mari An Willis

Like many of you, when I awoke to the snow I thought it looked so pretty. Then, I went out to feed my roosters and almost went down on my backside. I didn’t realize we had so much ice under that first snow! Reminded me to make sure I had some arnica gel on my shelf for bumps and bruises I manage to get year round, but more so in the winter because I am cold and don’t realize just how hard I have bumped something until I see the bruise. Arnica also works well for sore muscles and arthritis. Just remember that one does not put it on an open wound.

If you tend to have cold extremities you may want to start with cayenne pepper capsules. Besides being good for ulcers, they increase circulation thereby helping all areas of the body. My Great Uncle Carl was in World War I and he told me that they used to put cayenne pepper between their socks and shoes to keep their feet warm. My Dad, who was a diabetic and suffered with cold feet (often numb) began to do the same when he went out to tend his animals and check the farm in winter months. I suggest you check your feet for cracks and bleeding spots before you do this as it will burn. However, you may be surprised to find that it has also helped heal those cracks.

Cold weather and hot tea are companions. We have some great tasting teas with preventative herbs to keep ahead of things. Or, if you have been caught there are teas for colds, flu and breathing more easily. You may be surprised what you can accomplish with a cup of tea. Enjoy life.