New MGE Delivery Rates.

After an extensive review process, Missouri Gas Energy (MGE) received approval to adjust its delivery rates. Residential customers will see increases of about $1.50 a month starting in August.

"By working together, the parties were able to resolve issues, advance initiatives and ultimately obtain Commission approval nearly three months ahead of schedule," said Robert Hack, vice president of regulatory affairs for MGE.

MGE filed its original proposal with the Missouri Public Service Commission (MPSC) last November to reflect increased costs including significant investments in safety line replacements, public improvement relocation projects and new construction. An agreement on the increase proposal was reached in late June with the company, the staff of the MPSC, the Office of the Public Counsel and other parties.

The increase will primarily be recovered through adjustments to the monthly customer charge. For residential customers, the customer charge will be adjusted from $9.05 to $10.13. Charges for small commercial and industrial customers will increase from $11.05 to $13.55 and large commercial and industrial customers will increase from $65.80 to $83.25. The volumetric energy charge for all customers will increase slightly. In addition to the customer charge and energy charge adjustments, the company is also increasing fees for various connection, transfer and reconnection services.

As part of the new rate structure, the company will continue to provide $250,000 a year to the city of Kansas City’s weatherization program. The company will also provide an additional $90,000 for weatherization efforts throughout other counties served by MGE.

The new residential rates include a $.08 per month charge to provide funding for an experimental low-income rate. The experimental program will operate in Joplin, providing financial assistance to a maximum of 1,000 low-income families. Participants in the experimental plan will receive bill credits of either $20 or $40 a month, depending on income. The effectiveness of the plan, which is scheduled to run for two years, will be evaluated by an independent third party.

It’s odd how technology trickles down through the economy.

Take air conditioners for instance. Anyone lookin’ at the effect of keepin’ a house or office cool in the summer would probl’ly realize that small circulatin’ fans would be in less demand.

What may not have been so evident is the almost complete extinction of another appliance that was common when fans were always runnin’ and windows were open in an office, the paper weight.

‘Course now that computers are eliminatin’ at least some of the paper bein’ used in the office, the future of this formerly useful device in almost certainly doomed for eternity. My guess is that few mourn the absence of these functional desk ornaments, now hidden in a drawer with the ash tray.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Workman's Loan

The Super Handyman

by Al Carrell & Kelly Carrell

Dear Al: I always start off each growing season with sharp shovels and hoes. You wouldn’t believe how much faster you can chop down weeds or dig a hole for a tree when you have a sharp tool.

It takes about 10 minutes to sharpen each tool, and it usually lasts me a whole season. Sharpening a shovel also takes the strain off its handle, since you don’t have to put so much weight behind it when you’re using it. - M.K.

Q. I have 4-inch ceramic tiles around my kitchen sink and on my counter tops. The filler between the tiles has worn down in some spots, and it looks bad when it is dirty. Is there a way to fill in these bad spots? - G.P.

A: The filler between the tiles themselves - the grout - is available in a ready mix or powder form.

The filler between the sink and the tiles is usually caulk. Get a caulk specified for use on tubs or sinks. Since the caulk has some flexibility, it can better handle the problems of expansion and contraction between the two different materials, tile and sink.

Remove the old grout and fill the joints with the right color of new grout, and use the caulk where it is needed.

A SUPER HINT - Instead of mowing over your lawn sprinkler heads or trying to edge around them, use a tin can. Empty the can, and clean it out. Place it, open-side down, over the sprinkler head and push down. The can will cut right through the grass, and you can pull the sod right up.