Feral Cats Ordinance to the Council.

The City Council Public Safety Committee vote 3-1 to present a feral cat ordinance to the full Council for consideration. Committee member Dan Rife opposed the action, with Committee Chair Bill Welch, voting for, along with members T.J. Teed and Brent Greninger.

The ordinance would allow the creation of a sponsor organization that would be responsible for overseeing various feral cat caretakers. The caretakers would be required to register with the sponsor and allowed to feed and water feral cat colonies within City limits.

Caretakers would be required to monitor the colonies and provide records with evidence that the cats have been vaccinated a spayed/neutered. A goal of having at least 80% of the colony spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian is set out in the proposed ordinance.

The City would retain the right to seize or remove cats from the colony that have not been vaccinated against rabies that are demonstrating signs of the disease or if they are creating a nuisance.

If you haven’t been on the Square in the last few days, ya oughta take a spin. The new street lights are installed and add a little class to the place.

I don’t think all the electrical work is completed yet, but they must be gettin’ close. All the wiring is under the street and from what I’m told, all the new poles are wired so they can be plugged into for special events.

Although there has been some disruption to the shoppin’ area, the CW&EP and City Street crews did a pretty good job of gettin’ in and cleared out. The rain slowed progress on a couple a days, but overall it appears that the construction went pretty well.

I am anxious to see ‘em all lit up. Adds one more aspect of interest to the historic Carthage square.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

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Weekly Columns

HERE’S A TIP

By JoAnn Derson

• Weatherproofing in the winter makes good sense -- nobody likes the feel of a chilly draft. But weatherproofing is just as important during the summer if you use air conditioning. You might not feel that cold air leaking outside, but your power bill sure does.

• Whip your butter to stretch it out. Soften sticks to room temperature and whip it to twice its volume using an electric mixer. Store in a large, sealable plastic container.

• "The secret to extra-light pancakes and waffle batter is carbonated water. Use club soda in place of regular water and you’ll see a big difference." -- M.F. in Tennessee

• "To use the last bits of shampoo and conditioner in my bottles, I add a little water and shake them. I also cut open the bottle of lotion when it has a pump top. There’s always so much left when the bottle won’t pump any more out." -- A.R. in Oregon

• "If you have paintbrushes that have hard paint on them, try soaking them in full-strength vinegar. Check to see if paint has softened, and comb out with a wire brush." -- C.F. in New York