Police Community Meeting.

Police Chief Dennis Veach made a brief introductory presentation about the activities at the Police Department community meeting in Memorial Hall last Monday evening. But most of the meeting was turned over to questions from those citizens that attended. The common theme among the questions was how to assure neighborhoods were kept free of overgrown lots and trash.

"Keeping calling the Police Department," said Chief Veach.

Veach said if that doesn’t get results, call and talk to him personally.

He noted that the Council recently passed a weed ordinance that lowers the height of grass allowed and shortens the length of time allowed before corrective actions can be taken by the City.

A second abatement officer is hired during the summer months, said Veach, to help keep up with the weed growing season.

Other questions included controlling cars cruising through neighborhoods with loud music playing and vehicles parking on the grass in the parks.

Veach praised the department for keeping up with duties while being short handed.

No matter what the rhetoric, folks are always interested in keepin’ a decent neighborhood. That’s understandable ‘cause that’s where they live.

The fact is most folks take pride in their home and their neighborhood. They live in a community to have a sense of security and convenience.

There is a trade off of course. By livin’ outside of the city limits, a person doesn’t have ta worry much ‘bout what the neighbors do or think.

Livin’ in a community requires some of those freedoms enjoyed in the country to be curtailed. No chickens, no hog pens, keepin’ grass at a reasonable length, lettin’ neighbors sleep at night.

But, "Ya can’t pass a law ta make someone care, " said one citizen Monday night.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing Services

PRIME TIME WITH KIDS

by Donna Erickson

The breezy days of March provide wonderful opportunities for outdoor family fun. Everyone will drink in the fresh air and get some exercise when you set aside a weekend afternoon to fly kites together. The preschoolers in the family will feel included in the action when they harness the wind with their own mini-kites, made out of paper lunch bags.

If your child celebrates a March birthday, making mini kites is a fun activity for young party guests to do. The children will enjoy making the kites as they arrive at the party - a good mixer for those becoming acquainted for the first time. After presents and treats, let the wiggles out and fly the mini-kites outdoors. Here’s how to make a super paper bag mini kite:

Decorate a clean paper lunch bag. Use water colors, poster paint or markers. For shiny decorations, squiggle white household glue on the bag and sprinkle glitter over the glue. Let dry and shake off the excess glitter.

Add your favorite stickers or make your own. To make stickers, draw shapes on colorful adhesive shelf paper. Cut out the shapes, peel off the backing, and stick them to the bag. Cut four l6-inch streamers or ribbons. Glue or tape them to the outside bottom corners of the bag.

For a handle, cut a 20-inch length of string. Place the two ends of the string inside the bag, about 1-inch down from the edge on each of the side creases. Attach with masking tape.

When the kite is made, go outside and run with the kite against the wind. As the air fills the bag, the kite stays up!