Higher Level of Service.

The City Council agenda for this evening includes the first reading of an Ordinance authorizing a special use pennit to Jasper County for a Communications Tower to be located at Jasper County Jail in the City of Carthage, Jasper County, Missouri.

"There are several reasons why we decided to build a new tower" states Lt. Matt Stoller of the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department in a letter to the Planning, Zoning and Historic Preservation Commission, "and why we chose the height of two hundred fifty feet. In addition to various issues, a taller tower will allow us to reach the Atlas facility without having to bounce signals off of the Highway Patrol tower. It will allow us to use a single set of wireless radios that operate on a licensed frequency which will eliminate the possiblility of interference from eCarthage’s internet services.

"The additional height is also necessary for us to go over the top of Schreiber’s new plant.

"If allowed to finish construction, the Jasper County Sheriffs Office will be able to provide a higher level of service"

I’ve got this theory that there is only a certain amount of cold virus in any particular area. It’s about enough to keep about half the population sniffin’ and sneezin’ at any one time. That’s why some folks have it and some don’t.

When the have’s build up some resistance, the virus jumps to the have-nots. After a few days, the process repeats itself.

‘Course there is no scientific knowledge that supports this theory, just general observation. The system works well on many levels. For one, when the have/have-nots are spouses, it’s a great opportunity for payback, returning the same level of compassion (or lack of) that was shown when you were the have. If you’re one of the luck have-nots, don’t burn any bridges. Your turn is comin’.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

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Weekly Columns

To Your Good Health

By Paul G. Donohue, M.D.

The Trickle Down of Postnasal Drip

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have the worst case of postnasal drip, and it’s driving me crazy. I have a never-ending "ahem, ahem, ahem" throat-clearing. Phlegm is constantly in the back of my throat. Sometimes I clear my throat a thousand times a day. Two-thirds of my garbage is used tissues. What can be done? -- J.B.

ANSWER: I apologize for condensing your letter. I got the idea, and I believe readers will too.

Three or four conditions account for most postnasal dripping. One is allergies. You’ve seen an allergist, and the only allergic reaction you demonstrated was to dust mites. Can you leave your home for a week or so -- visit a relative? If dust mites are the cause, your symptoms should subside in a new environment.

Vasomotor rhinitis is second on the list of drip causes. It’s a more-or-less permanent dilation of blood vessels in the nose, and those dilated vessels leak fluid. Throat-clearing is part of the picture.

Sinusitis is another important cause. An infected sinus pours out thick mucus that drips into the back of the throat. Chronic sinusitis is best left to the treatment of an ear, nose and throat doctor. Nasal polyps provoke mucus production and dripping. An ENT doctor is equipped to deal with them, should they be found.

Medicines -- beta blockers, Catapres for high blood pressure, aspirin and NSAIDs -- are examples of drugs that cause the nose to leak fluid down into the throat.

Let me provide some general treatments that help most of these causes. You must stop clearing your throat. Sucking on throat lozenges or frequently sipping from a cup of hot tea with some honey in it will clear mucus from your throat and stop the irritation that throat-clearing causes.

Flush your nose with a saltwater solution three times a day, one of those times being right before bedtime. You make the solution by adding one teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of baking soda to a quart of boiled water. Add the ingredients when the water is still hot. When the water cools, lean over a sink and flush each nostril gently with a bulb syringe, obtainable in drugstores.