Prairie Days.

The staff of George Washington Carver National Monument invites you to Prairie Day on Saturday, September 10, 2011, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This event is free of charge. Staff, volunteers, storytellers, and musicians will present interactive programs about life during the mid- 1860s and 1870s, when George Washington Carver was a child.

Take a horse-drawn wagon ride through the prairie. Settle in and listen as storyteller Gladys Coggswell becomes Mary Ann Cord, recounting her experiences in slavery, and her determination and hope to survive. Cathy Barton and Dave Para will perform folk tunes, emphasizing the cultural heritage of the Ozarks. Join the Farnum Family for Ozark traditional music and dance, and listen as storyteller Dee Ban uses her autoharp to present the history and song of Missouri history and of the Civil War.

Dip a candle and enjoy the dulcimer music. Other activities throughout the day include log hewing, blacksmithing, quilting, edible and medicinal plants, food preservation, wool spinning, Dutch-oven cooking, Civil War field medicine, lye soap-making, plus many more exhibits and activities set up around the park. A special Junior Ranger badge if available for kids and a concession stand will be offered by the Carver Birthplace Association.

Administered by the National Park Service, an agency of the Department of the Interior, George Washington Carver National Monument preserves the birthplace and childhood home of George Washington Carver: scientist, educator, and humanitarian. The monument is located two miles west of Diamond, Missouri on Highway V, then ¼ mile south on Carver Road. For more information, please call the park at (417) 325-4151 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. visit the park website: www.nps.gov/gwca or send an email to gwca_interpretation@nps.gov

Jasper County Jail Count

183 September 8, 2011

Total Including Placed out of County

I know they’re just tryin’ to be polite, but it bugs me when ya call and they ask, "May I ask who’s calling?" Well sure you can ask. What ya really mean is "tell me who this is or ya ain’t gettin’ through."

Some will get more to the point, "Who shall I say is calling?" That at least says there’s no doubt what the question is.

My favorite English teacher spent an awful lota time leanin’ me ta speak proper. ‘Specially the difference ‘tween ‘can’ and ‘may.’ We used ta bug her by askin’ "can I go to the restroom." She would always squirm a little, knowin’ she didn’t want to get into a discussion whether we ‘had the ability’ or ‘needed permission’ to go.

I suppose the polite thing ta do is ta identify myself when I make a call, that would eliminate my irritation and that of the person answerin’ the phone.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Weekly Column

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles

A New Way to Do CPR

When it comes to saving a life, how far would you go?

We know what CPR is: Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation. It’s used to restart a heart that has stopped. It involves lot of hard work pumping a patient’s chest, alternating with another person to force air into the lungs and counting breaths. Of course, it’s a worthwhile effort, and many of us have taken CPR classes to learn how to do it.

Unfortunately, far too many people won’t even try to administer CPR for one main reason: They are hesitant to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Now there’s an alternative to standard Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation. It’s called Continuous Chest Compressions CPR, or Cardiocerebral Resuscitation, and since it doesn’t involve any mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, one person can do it alone. This relatively simple, hands-only technique can double a heart-attack victim’s chances of survival.

The new method focuses on keeping blood pumping through the heart and to the brain (notice the "cerebral" part of the name), which is crucial for the survival of the victim. It doesn’t do much good if you get the heart started but the brain has been without blood for too long.

If you’re interested in learning this technique, there are three steps before you begin. Go online to www.heart.arizona.edu, and you’ll find a link right on the front page. Watch the video. Step two is to ask your doctor if you should learn this technique to use on anyone in your family who might have a heart condition, or on anyone else. Step three is to find a class in your community. While the video is better than nothing, for something this serious, a class is the best way to learn it properly.