Have Fun – Get Muddy!

Area youth of all ages are invited to have fun and get muddy at The Alliance of Southwest Missouri’s annual Mudstock, taking place on Saturday, June 2nd in Carthage at the old airport grounds (behind Wal-Mart – follow the Mudstock signs). The event will be held from noon to 3:00 p.m. and is free of charge to the public. In order for children to participate, permission forms must be completed by the child’s parent/guardian. For children age 12 and under, the parent/guardian must also remain on Mudstock grounds during the event.

As the name implies, Mudstock is a mud-filled event featuring hills, obstacles, a swing rope, and a lazy river, all designed by the Carthage Fire Department, Carthage Police Department, and the National Guard 203rd. Mudstock is a fun, interactive alternative to drugs and alcohol that promotes getting muddy on the outside while staying clean on the inside. Co-ed mud volleyball will also be offered. Sunscreen, shorts, shirts, socks, and shoes are required (no sandals please).

Registration forms for volleyball teams as well as permission forms may be found at www.theallianceofswmo.org. Volleyball pre-registration is required, but permission forms may be completed on-site. For additional details, contact The Alliance at 417-358-3270.

Lifeline Pilots Honor Carthage YMCA For Help With Tornado

Lifeline Pilots, located in Peoria, IL, recognized the Fair Acres Family YMCA at its special celebration last month for the collaborative effort between our Y & their organization. During the height of the tornado crisis the Y worked with several distribution centers in Joplin to identify items needed by families and individuals. Lifeline Pilots then rounded up items in Peoria and surrounding areas and their volunteer pilots flew the goods into Joplin where the Y met them and had the items taken to designated locations.

One of the radio stations in Peoria promoted a month-long campaign called "Fill the Hanger" in which the airline terminal donated a hanger where donated gifts were brought & stored and then at the end of the month Lifeline Pilot volunteers flew the gifts to Joplin. "The response was tremendous," said Fair Acres Family Y Executive Bob Brower.

Eighteen Percent Increase in Traffic Deaths Reported.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says that Missouri is currently experiencing an 18 percent increase in traffic deaths compared to the same time period last year. Motorists are encouraged to be safe and courteous drivers. Speed, inattention, and impaired driving are leading causes of traffic crashes. The Patrol encourages everyone to do their part, obey all traffic laws and buckle up.

The Patrol will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) during the long Memorial Day weekend. This means every available officer will be on the road enforcing traffic laws and assisting motorists. In addition, the Patrol will assign troopers to 20-mile intervals along Interstates 35, 44, 55, and 70, and U.S. Highways 60 and 63 on May 25, 2012 and May 28, 2012. Troopers taking part in the 20-Mile Trooper enforcement project will be alert for all traffic offenses, and be especially vigilant to aggressive driving violations.

Motorists or boaters in need of assistance or who want to report a crime should use the Highway Patrol’s Highway Emergency Assistance number 1-800-525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone.

Over the 2011 Memorial Day holiday weekend, four people died and 415 were injured in 1,019 traffic crashes. That is one person killed or injured every 11.2 minutes. Last year, 133 persons were arrested for DWI. This year’s fatality counting period for the holiday weekend begins at 6 p.m., Friday, May 25, and ends at 11:59 p.m., Monday, May 28, 2012. Troopers will focus their attention on seat belt use, use of child safety seats, intoxicated drivers, and speed violations.

The Memorial Day weekend is also an unofficial start to the boatingseason. During the 2011 Memorial Day weekend, there were 10 boating accidents with one injury and zero fatalities. In addition, two people drowned over the holiday weekend. Officers arrested 23 people for boating while intoxicated.

"I encourage every driver—of a vehicle or a vessel—to make safety part of their three-day weekend plans," said Colonel Ron Replogle, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. "Please, Don’t drink and drive."

Jasper County Jail Count

184 May 16, 2011

Total Including Placed out of County

Weekly Column

CLICK and CLACK

TALK CARS

Do you ever address questions about old farm tractors? Our 1945 Farmall-A starts well and runs well for about 10-20 minutes, but then it starts to miss and then stalls out, typically while going up a slope -- even a small one. Along with our local mechanic, we checked out the carburetor (the original Schebler), the fuel lines, put in new plugs and added B-12 Chemtool and STP Lead Substitute additives to the gasoline. We have a new Zenith-type carburetor on the shelf, but I don’t want to put that in unless that’s the problem for sure. Thanks.-- Will

RAY: Well, we definitely can help you narrow it down to one of two things, Will. It’s either an ignition problem or a carburetor problem. How did we come to that conclusion? That’s about all there is to this engine!

TOM: You might have a classic case of float sink. Carburetors regulate the gasoline flow with a float -- just like the one in your toilet tank. Most of them are made of plastic, but yours may be old enough to be made out of copper.

RAY: Over time, what happens is that the float develops little, tiny pinholes in it, and becomes porous. And it gets to the point where, basically, the float barely floats!

TOM: In that case, that new Zenith carburetor will solve the problem.

RAY: While you said you’ve put in new plugs, you really need to put in points and a condenser, too. And you even might want to test the resistance of the coil, to be sure it’s still putting out sufficient voltage, because a weak coil can cause the same problem.

RAY: I’m confident one of those things will fix it, Will. But if not, don’t write to us again. Remember, the reason you never see questions about old farm tractors in our column is because we don’t know anything about them! Good luck, Will.

artCentral

ART NOTES from Hyde House

by Sally Armstrong, Director of artCentral

Midwest Clay Artists are a group of area ceramic artists currently numbering 26 members who have been organized for quite sometime now, and exhibit often in the area. They recently were in joint sales and display together in Webb City for a weekend, and have joined in several area sales events over the past months, displaying their works in outdoor venues and centers. Our last group showing with them was in 2007, and at that time they had a bit different membership, so each time they come together the work is somewhat changed. We eagerly look forward to their new exhibition here at Hyde House which will open May 25th and is called, "Conversations in Clay". Don’t miss the opening on Friday evening at 6:00 when we hope to welcome many members of Midwest Clay Artists here to meet our visitors and guests. I know that they will not disappoint! artCamp mailings have been out for a week now, and I have also placed brochures at the Public Library and at the Chamber office. If you have a child aged 8-14 interested in creative things and art in particular, this is the summer activity for them! I especially am excited about some new classes we are presenting; a clay class called "three layered pots" sounds like fun, where students will build three separate pots in different shapes, then join the three together for firing. Another class will instruct students in the building of terrariums, both in a paper model and then an actual small terrarium to be constructed. Basics of crochet and needle felting will be explored, and insects will be constructed from sculpty clay in large scale. Jewelry classes will include button jewelry as well as two kinds of wire jewelry, and another made from baked plastic forms connected to o-rings and strung. The basics will be covered too, and the subjects of birds, sunflowers and pets will be drawn and painted. One more week remains for the John Lasater show, and we are open Friday- Sunday noon to 5:00 so don’t miss this one—such beautiful weather to get out and view this beautiful work!