Second Annual Go Red Event Scheduled.

Go Red for Women Event, February 4th:, an Extended Lunch... Extended Life Luncheon. Physicians for Women’s Health and McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital present the second annual Go Red event to raise awareness of women’s health issues including heart health. A luncheon seminar will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Fairview Christian Church, 2320 South Grand Avenue in Carthage. The event will feature entertainment and various speakers who will address current women’s health issues. Cost for the luncheon is $10 unless participants wear red and then the cost is only $8.00. For luncheon reservations call 417-359-1350 or 359-1351.

Magic Moments Riding Therapy will hold their Bowling Round Up at Bowl East this Saturday, Feb. 6th. Bowlers check in starts at 12:00 noon, with bowling from 1 to 3 pm. Silent auction begins about 12:00 noon and will end promptly at 2:30 pm.

Bowlers must bring at least $30 cash, which will allow them to bowl, includes shoes, one free soft drink, pizza and eligiblity for giveaways. Call 417 325-4490

NASCAR THIS WEEK

By Monte Dutton

Sponsored by Curry Automotive

David Ragan Has Room to Grow

If driving styles matched personalities, David Ragan couldn’t possibly be erratic.

The second-generation driver -- father Ken drove in major NASCAR races during the 1980s -- fell from 13th in 2008 Sprint Cup points to 27th in 2009. The driver some predicted might make the Chase if he could move up just one position, instead fell 14 spots.

Ragan, still just 24 years old, can’t understand it either.

No one in NASCAR seems more calm and unflappable than Ragan, who is from Unadilla, Ga.

"I spent a lot of nights wondering what’s going on," he said. "I guess it’s just that Southern man, or Southern guy, in me. Maybe it’s my granddad rubbing off on me.

"A quick story: I was with him one day and we ran out of gas. I asked, ‘What are we going to do? Are we going to get some gas?’ It was 15 years ago. We didn’t have a cell phone then.

"He said, ‘Nah, I’m going to take a nap. Somebody will come by in a little while.’ He never worried about much."

In one sense, though, the laidback style is just a front.

"There were times when I was sick at my stomach, so much that I couldn’t eat supper," Ragan said. "We just couldn’t run any better than 25th, and I remember when we’d come to the race track in 2008, and I’d make more mistakes than I should have, and we’d run 12th. It was frustrating, but I’m a man, and I can admit it when I do things wrong. (Owner) Jack Roush is a man, and he can admit it when things are not right on the performance side, and by being honest, we can work together and fix it."

Ragan knows he has to regain his form this year. "It’s pretty simple," he said. "We’ve got to win races in 2010.

"We’ve got to be competitive, from the short tracks to the mile-and-a-half tracks to the (restrictor-plate) tracks, so I’m pretty excited about going to Daytona. We’re ready to go."

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Monte Dutton has covered motorsports for The Gaston (N.C.) Gazette since 1993. He was named writer of the year by the National Motorsports Press Association in 2008. His blog NASCAR This Week (http://nascar.rbma.com) features all of his reporting on racing, roots music and life on the road. E-mail Monte at nascar_thisweek@yahoo.com.

Saw the guy on PBS the other day who uses household stuff to keep the yard and garden in good health. He says that sprayin’ the yard with diluted dish washin’ liquid will give bugs the runs and they’ll go to the neighbors yard.

He says sprayin’ beer and soda pop will make the yard clippin’s dissolve easier and get the yard breathin’ better. He also says workin’ in the yard in golf shoes help to break the surface so the yard breathes easier.

Now I haven’t had the opportunity to try any a these little bits of wisdom as yet, and I don’t have any golf shoes. I do suspect that I have seen some around town utilizin’ beer in some fashion while doin’ lawn work however. I’ve often wondered how they kept those golf greens lookin’ so good.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

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Dear Tom and Ray:

My problem is my 1995 Chevy High-Top Conversion Van model G20. I am a fanatical sports fan. I never miss a football or baseball game. I also do a lot of RV-ing, so I spend a lot of time on the road. My RV van has a TV screen for the second and third row of passengers. In order to indulge both my sports and RV hobbies at the same time, I have set up a large mirror on the seat back of the second row so that it reflects the image on the TV. Then I adjust my rearview mirror so that I can see the TV image reflected on the large mirror behind me. This way, I never miss a touchdown play or game-winning home run while I am driving. My problem is that since the conversion from analog to digital TV, I can no longer enjoy the games. I have been unable to find a 12-volt digital converter for the TV. Can you help me? - Art

Ray: I have a better idea, Art. Why don’t you mount a TV right where the hood ornament belongs? Then you can watch the game and the road at the same time.

Tom: I wouldn’t go any wider than 60 inches, though. Any bigger, and you’ll really eat into your gas mileage.

Ray: We can’t help you with this, Art. I mean, we can, but we won’t.

Tom: The reason we won’t is to keep you from killing yourself or some other innocent people on the road.

Ray: Unless that’s part of the plan, Art. In which case, while you’re doing time for vehicular homicide, you can watch all the games you want in the prison common room.

Tom: Get yourself a Sirius XM satellite radio receiver, listening while you drive is a lot safer and they’ve got packages that provide live radio feeds for every baseball and football game.