New Fire Truck Bid Approved.

The City Council voted Tuesday evening to approve a recommendation of the Public Safety Committee to accept a bid of just under $200,000 for a new fire truck. The price would be in addition to approximately $80,000 allowed for trade of two older trucks. The deal also includes approximately $10,000 allowance for prepayment. Estimated time for delivery is 300 days.

Committee member H.J. Johnson asked that City Administrator Tom Short research whether the City would be better off paying up front and taking the $10,000 deduction or not.

The Council appropriated $65,000 for a lease payment this year with an anticipated five year pay out. This was based on an earlier projection that two trucks could be purchased for approximately the $200,000 one truck will actually cost.

The Budget/Ways and Means Committee will asses the funding options and likely make recommendations. Some members of the Public Safety Committee recommended a using the appropriation to accelerate the lease to only three years.

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

While visiting Carthage last weekend, I had an opportunity to participate in the city’s annual Maple Leaf Festival activities. The colorful parade was delightful, a wonderful treat. But, what impressed me most was the warmth and friendliness of the local folks who really worked to make out-of-towners such as me so welcome. Especially noteworthy were the efforts of parishioners at a small white frame church near the corner of Chestnut and Grant who opened their church’s doors to the public. Besides restroom facilities, visitors were offered a friendly greeting plus free coffee and donuts. And, they would NOT even accept a donation to the church. This was outstanding and something most commendable. I’m confident that many others share my sentiments about the good people of Carthage.

Gene Compton
Frankfort, Kentucky

Helen Spradling Boylan Writing/Artwork Contest.

news release

This year’s Helen Spradling Boylan Writing/Art Contest will award cash prizes in each of the divisions for the best original entries. 1st Place will receive $500, 2nd Place $300, and 3rd Place will receive $200.

Division 1 - Humorous Writing. Not to exceed 2,000 words in type written form.

Division 2 - Fiction. Not to exceed 2,000 words in type written form.

Division 3 - Essay Open Subject. Not to exceed 2,000 word in type written form. Please make subject matter clear and concise with a definite opinion included.

Division 4 - Poetry. Not to exceed 2,000 words in type written form.

Division 5 - Two-Dimensional Painting (such as in using pen or pencil.)

Division 6 - Two-Dimensional Painting (such as in using acrylic, oil, or watercolor.)

Division 7 - Three-Dimensional/Ceramics (such as in pottery or sculpture.)

Independent judges will choose the winner in each division and their decision will be final. All entries must be appropriate for public view. Do not place in a binder and make sure your entry can be easily read. Entries must have two cover pages attached indicating the following:

Page 1 - (a) Title of Entry (b) Division Name (c) Student’s Name

Page 2 - (a) Name of Entry (b) Division Name.

All judging will be done without knowledge of the student’s name.

Any tax considerations shall be the sole responsibility of the winner. Decisions will be made sometime in May.

Each entry may be submitted only once. A student may submit up to two different entries per division. Students should make a copy of their written entries before turning in the original.

Originals may not be returned. Artwork may be displayed for public view. Top artworks will be identified and moved to artCentral where the final judging for the cash prizes will be determined.

Who is eligible? Only Carthage Senior High School Students in 10th, 11th and 12th grade.

For more information contact Kent Harris, the Boylan Coordinator, at the Carthage Technical Center, 359-7026.

Deadlines - Writing Divisions 1-4 can be turned into the High School Counselor’s Office anytime before Friday, March 2, 2001. Artwork Divisions 5-7 need to be delivered to the High School Auditorium for display starting Monday, February 26, but no later than Friday, March 2, at 1:00 p.m.

Calendar For 2001 Is Set
And It’s Great !

by Robin Putnam, artCentral

We weren’t around last week, were we ?? Did you miss us ? Sometimes we just simply forget. Isn’t that sad....you’d think we’d have a grip on the routine around here by now.......oh, well.

We’ve had a lot of people coming by lately....interested in what we’re doing. Lots are interested in the pottery room. We’re very excited and eager to show it all off !!

Our calendar of events for year 2001 is a real treat. Most of the artists we have booked are showing with us for the second time !! Have no fear, though.......they are all showing new work !! One thing we stress here is that if you want more than one exhibit with us you can not show the same pieces.

It’s a good policy as it helps create a desire in the artist to continue to produce new works and it assures our patrons and visitors that the shows will always be new, fresh and exciting !!

So .....let’s start with whats coming up next. November 17th will be the next opeing. It’s a group calling them-selves The Big Spring Artists. This is five women from around the area who used to keep the Big Spring Gallery open in Neosho. They will show watercolors, oil and acrylic paintings and pastels.

For 2001 we will start the year with Joplin photo-grapher Bill Perry III. Bill has been traveling the world with his cameras and has some pretty awesome photo-graphs to exhibit. He was fortunate enough to have had an opportunity to spend time in Africa photographing the Masai tribe. This exhibit will begin on January 12th but we will not have the opening reception until February 2nd because Bill will be out of the country until then. Bill’s first show with us was in the Geranium House. This show will run through February 17.

March 2 - April 6 will be a two-.man exhibit featuring the artwork of Debbie Reed and Sam Lewis, Joplin. Debbie is a painter and will have watercolors and oils as well as some sculpture. Sam is a potter and has some of the most unique ceramic creations you’ve ever seen !!

Sam and Debbie also had exhibits in the Geranium House. Both artists work steadily throughout the year producing new works.

More................next week. 358-4404. 1110 E 13th & www.ozarkartistscolony .com under organizations. Our hours are Tues. - Fri. 9am - 3pm and Sat. 9 -12.

I always like ta check to see what the City code says about various subjects to see how well it applies to circumstances actually occurin’.

In reference to the latest change of the committees, Sec. 2-56 addresses the possibility of changes bein’ made. It says committees "...shall be subject to change with the consent of the council any time during the term of their existence, if deemed necessary for the public good..."

Now as a matter of fact, the appointment of committee members has seldom had a formal approval of the full council. Typically members get a list of appointments and move on with no vote taken. ‘Course there is always an exception to any traditional course of action.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Oak Street health & herbs

Natural Nutrition

by Mari An Willis

Now what was I going to write about today? Did I remember to put the trash out or is today Thursday? Where did I put that list? Oh my gosh, I forgot my Grandson’s birthday!!! If you share this dilemma with myself or millions of other Americans, there is hope to nutritionally improving our memories. The number one factor is to reduce stress and to actually think about and focus on what you are doing. Often we find ourselves distracted by the phone, people, an unrelated idea or brain "lapse" and then worry sets in that we are getting a disease. Probably we are not and practice of focusing is needed. Yes, one needs to practice what one wants to accomplish, even if it is thinking.

There are some herbs which are beneficial for memory including ginko biloba, which has been researched extensively and has been shown to be especially beneficial for senial dementia and the early onset of alzheimers. Another important nutrient is phosphatidylserine..known as the memory enhancer. Phosphatidylserine (PS) is extracted fro soy beans and considered to be a very safe supplement.

I have personally used this product. I find that when I use it about every third day that I am able to focus better and move smoothly from one task to the other without losing track so easily. Now if I can just remember to get that birthday card in the mail!!