Final Hall Renovation Review.

The City Council Public Services Committee is scheduled to meet this evening in Memorial Hall at 7 p.m. The main focus of the meeting will be a review of plans with architects for the renovation of portions of the Hall.

Funding for the project will come from the City and at least one grant of $370,319 from the Missouri Veterans Commission. Other grant funding has been applied for by the City. The total initial cost estimate for the total project was $809,406.

The meeting is expected to go into details of the planned improvements according to City Administrator Tom Short. The Public Services Committee saw preliminary drawings of the plan at its last meeting in December.

Plans submitted to the Veterans Commission included the installation of an elevator, the remodeling of the American Legion facilities, expansion of the ladies rest room facilities, the addition of an entrance at the southeast corner of the Hall, extensive remodeling of the basement, a new roof, and other modifications. The project is scheduled to be completed in mid 2002.

Child Death Investigation.

news release Carthage Police Dept.

At 5:20 a.m., Friday, January 5, Carthage Police Officers responded to 1022 River St. due to a 911 call advising of a disturbance in progress with possible injuries to children.

Upon arrival Officers were met on the front porch of the residence by a male suspect who immediately physically assaulted the officers.

The Officers subdued Jeffrey D. Hahn, 30, of 1022 River St. and arrested him for assaulting the Officers.

During this event, an adult female who also lives at the residence was present and also was in a confrontation with Hahn.

Immediately after subduing Hahn, Officers discovered a young female inside the living room of the house who was obviously in medical distress. Attempts to revive her were unsuccessful in the field and she was transported to McCune-Brooks Hospital where she was declared deceased. This victims name is Anna Marie Hahn, 14 months of age.

A second victim, a three year old male, was found in the residence and was also in medical distress. This child was taken to McCune-Brooks Hospital and later by med-flight to St. John’s Hospital in Joplin for treatment. This victim is Jacob Lee Hahn.

There were two other children present, ages 8 and 10, who were not injured and were taken into protective custody.

At approximately 12:30 p.m., while Officers were preparing to transport Hahn to the Jasper County Jail, Hahn went into the shower facility and tried to injure himself by placing a shower line around his neck.

He has been transported to McCune-Brooks Hospital where he is being held over night for observation.

Mr. Jeffrey D. Hahn has been charged in Jasper County Circuit Court with First Degree Murder and First Degree Assault. Bond has been set at $500,000.

Investigation is continuing. We are indebted to the Jasper County Sheriff’s Dept., the Joplin Police Department, and the Jasper County Prosecutor for their assistance in this matter.

I don’t have a clue.

I’m sure for those who arrived on the scene over on River Street there are pangs of "what if’s." The fact that the life was snuffed out of a fourteen month old child and they could not bring her back must be haunting.

Hopefully they can take some comfort in the fact that four others in the house were spared.

The arrival of police almost surely saved the life of the three year old already injured.

I commend the efforts of those servants of the community and appreciate them "just doin’ their job" last Friday mornin’ in Carthage.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Workman's Loan

The Super Handyman

by Al Carrell & Kelly Carrell

Dear Al: I’ve learned to use cat litter instead of salt in the winter for the ice. It’s better for the concrete and the grass. One little quickie tip that I’ve discovered is to use your fertilizer spreader to put the cat litter on your walks and driveway. It takes only a few minutes to distribute it, and the spreader does a super job. Cat litter is less expensive than store-bought de-icers too.

Dear Al & Kelly: I like gardening and have discovered a nifty trick to keep your feet dry even if your boots get wet. Save the plastic bags that your produce comes in, and slip them over your feet before stepping into your boots. Your feet will stay dry and warm. It’s a tip that comes in handy, especially if you’re a hunter or enjoy other outdoor activities.

Q: The bricks in my fireplace are red, with a white mortar between them. They are badly stained with soot. I tried a 20 percent muriatic acid solution; it helped some but didn’t take care of all the stains. What else can I try to restore the original color of both the bricks and the mortar?

A: We think the best soot remover is trisodium phosphate. You can buy the TSP at paint stores, hardware stores and home centers. Mix a tablespoon of it in a quart of water, and use a stiff brush to scrub with. Wear protective gloves and goggles, as TSP is a strong cleaner.