| Today's Features Pit Bulldog Discussion Hangs On.
The City Council Public Safety
Committee met for their regular monthly meeting
in the fire station last Monday evening. The
agenda included the discussion of the current ban
on pit bulldogs in the city. The item was added
at the request of a pit bulldog owner during the
last regular meeting.
Two Carthage residents who
identified themselves as pit bull breeders put
their case before the Committee. Both put forth
the reasoning that the breed itself is not the
problem, but the people that train and handle the
dogs.
One argued that it was not fair
to show prejudice to one breed of dog when it is
not appropriate for people.
The other stated that Poodles
bite more people annually than any other dog, yet
they are not shown the same disdain as pit bulls.
He also stated that he had moved here from
Louisiana, found employment and was considering
purchasing a home in Carthage, but if the
ordinance remained as it is now, he would look
elsewhere for housing.
Committee Chair Dan Rife moved
to have City Attorney Nate Dally research other
communities ordinances concerning pit bulldogs
and report to the Committee at their next regular
meeting.
There was some discussion about
modifying the language somewhat, but little time
was spent discussing the issue by the committee
members.
Police Chief Dagnan told the
committee that although he did not establish
policy, he would oppose any changes to the
current ordinance. Fire Chief Chris Thompson
agreed that he too would not like to see the
ordinance changed.
In an interview with the Mornin’
Mail, Chief Dagnan said the current policy is
for the animal control officer, who has had
training in the identification of pit bulldogs,
to issue citations to owners of animals he
believes to be prohibited in the city. If the
owner disagrees with the officer’s
assessment, evidence can be presented in City
Court. The penalty is $200 to $500 if convicted.
Jasper County Republican
Straw Poll.
Results of the Jasper County
GOP Caucus held in Carthage on Saturday:
Presidential
Preference Straw Poll (359 people voting):
Newt Gingrich - 24 votes (6.7
%) (3 delegates)
Ron Paul - 82 votes (22.8 %)
(11 delegates)
Mitt Romney - - 59 votes (16.4
%) (7 delegates)
Rick Santorum-194 votes (54.1
%) (25 delegates)
(46 total JCRCC delegates to
the 7th District & State Conventions)
MO US
Senatorial Preference Straw Poll (307 people
voting):
Todd Akin - Current Congressman
from MO-2 - 180 votes (58.6 %)
John Brunner - - 84 votes (27.4
%)
Sarah Steelman - Former
Missouri State Treasurer - 43 votes (14.0 %)
MO
Governor Preference Straw Poll (250 people
voting):
Bill Randles - 77 Votes (30.8
%)
David Spence -173 votes (69.2
%)
MO Lt.
Gov. Preference Straw Poll (271 people voting):
Peter Kinder - Incumbent Lt.
Gov. - 160 votes (59.0 %)
Brad Lager - - 111 votes (41.0
%)
MO Sec. of
State Preference Straw Poll (231 people voting):
Scott Rupp - - 24 votes (10.4
%)
Shane Schoeller - 181 votes
(78.3 %)
Bill Stouffer - 26 votes (11.3
%)
Jasper
County Sheriff Preference Straw Poll (306 people
voting):
Archie Dunn - Jasper County
Sheriff - 83 votes (27.1 %)
Randee Kaiser - Ast. Police
Chief in Carthage, MO PD - 179 votes (58.5 %)
Larry Newman - Owner AAA Way
Bail Bonds in Carthage - 44 votes (14.4 %)
Nixon vs.
Budget Committee.
Gov. Jay Nixon, D., all but
declared war on a Missouri House Budget Committee
plan that would significantly downsize the
state’s blind pension program.
Nixon, who has been
increasingly vocal about his opposition to the
new House budget proposal, visited an independent
living facility in Columbia for a campaign style
rally with members of the Missouri Council of the
Blind and the National Federation the Blind to
encourage opposition to House’s plan, which
cuts funding from an aid program for blind
Missourians to restore full funding to higher
education institutions.
Nixon said in prepared remarks.
"I call on the House of Representatives to
restore full funding for our health care program
for the blind – and to do so right
away."
Nixon’s budget plan would
leave nearly $30 million in full funding for the
program in place, but cut nearly $60 million from
higher education. Republican lawmakers —
including House Budget Committee Chairman Ryan
Silvey — have vowed to not cut funding for
higher education.
In a letter to Nixon Tuesday
afternoon, Silvey called on the governor to
publicly offer other spending cuts, instead of
education, to balance the budget and fully fund
both programs.
"I am ready and willing to
have that conversation," Silvey wrote.
Carthage
Community Foundation Grant Cycle Notification.
The Carthage Community
Foundation (CCF) is ready to begin its annual
round of grant making to benefit area charities.
In the first round in August of 2002, grants
totaling $2,050 were made from The Carthage Fund.
This Spring CCF will be making grants of about
$23,000 to local charities. Unrestricted grants
will be made, as well as field of interest grants
to women and children in need and to the arts.
Grants are not made to individuals.
Since the Carthage Community
Foundation was established in 1999, it has
received contributions of nearly $10 million,
created over 50 funds, and collaborated with
donors on grants totaling $4.25 million to
benefit charitable organizations.
501C(3) organizations serving
the Carthage area are invited to apply.
In order to announce Grant
recipients by the end of May, Grant Applications
must be received in the CCF office by 4 PM, April
23.
Organizations interested in
applying should contact Carthage Community
Foundation by email at carmocf@sbcglobal.net or
by phone at 417-359-5534 to request an
application. Applications may also be submitted
online at: http://www.formstack.com/forms/CFO-carthage.
State Settles
With Wal-Mart.
Missouri has reached a
settlement with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., for
alleged violations of the Missouri Hazardous
Waste Management Law related to a Wal-Mart
contractor’s disposal of certain materials.
The settlement is valued at more than $1.25
million.
Attorney General Chris Koster
said Wal-Mart sent common household products such
as charcoal, potting soil, herbicides,
pesticides, and other chemicals that were
returned to or could not be sold at Wal-Mart
stores to two sites in Neosho, Missouri, for
disposal by the contractor, Greenleaf, LLC.
Greenleaf did not have the necessary permit for
the treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous
waste and did not properly manage the waste
materials.
As part of the settlement,
Wal-Mart will pay the state of Missouri
$214,378.00 in civil penalties, spend
$1,050,000.00 to sponsor pesticide collection
events in rural Missouri communities, and
reimburse the Department of Natural Resources
$4,082 for the Department’s investigatory
expenses, interest, unpaid fees, and taxes.
Wal-Mart spent more than $3
million voluntarily cleaning up the two Neosho
sites by removing and properly disposing of the
materials. Wal-Mart also worked with the Attorney
General’s Office to design hazardous waste
transportation training programs, policies, and
procedures.
Jasper
County Jail Count
176 March 21,
2011
Total
Including Placed out of County
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