SENATE BIDS FAREWELL TO
SEN. MARVIN SINGLETON AND WELCOMES GARY NODLER.

A special reception was held at the State Capitol in Jefferson City bidding farewell to Sen. Marvin Singleton, R-Seneca, and welcoming Gary Nodler who will begin representing the 32nd District in January. The Senate met on Wednesday and Thursday for its regular Veto Session.

"The reception was a great way for Gary to meet the Senators and staff members that he will be working with in the next four years," said Sen. Singleton.

Sen. Singleton endorsed Gary Nodler in his Senate race. Nodler, successfully defeated three opponents in the August primaries, and faces no opposition in the November election. Nodler is a native of Neosho and now lives in Joplin. He is a 1968 graduate of Neosho High School, attended Crowder College for two years and graduated from Missouri Southern State College in 1972 with a BA in political science. He joined the staff of Congressman Gene Taylor in 1973 and served as Taylor’s district staff director until the Congressman retired in 1988.

Sen. Singleton was elected to the Senate in a special election in 1990, and went on to win re-election later that year, and again in 1994 and 1998. Due to term limits he could not seek re-election this year.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to represent the people of the 32nd District for the last 12 years," Sen. Singleton said. "I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as their voice in Jefferson City."

"I believe Gary Nodler will carry on the issues I have fought for over the last 12 years," said Sen. Singleton. " I believe he will continue to fight for our area colleges, health care, elementary and secondary education and property taxes."

letter from ma.

"Are you the one? Are you the one who passed by me at the bus stop and didn’t speak to me?"

One of the television stations in our area runs commercials showing a child asking this question. The premise is, they say, that if adults speak to kids, they, the children, will have more confidence and feel an important part of the community.

Maybe I’m not friendly enough to youngsters, I decided. Maybe I should change my ways.

And so when I noticed the cute, dark-haired little girl, probably around six years old, in the pickle aisle at the supermarket, I thought I’d speak to her and make a difference in her life, like the commercial said.

"Hello-oh," I used my most syrupy voice.

A terrified look came over the child’s face. Wide-eyed, she turned and fled down the aisle to her mother, who clasped the little girl to her bosom as if to protect her from an ogre like me.

She regarded me coldly. "We don’t speak to strangers."

"Oh. That’s right," I stammered. "Children aren’t supposed to speak to strangers, are they?"

I slunk back down the aisle, making my getaway before being arrested for stalking a child.

However, undaunted, I spoke to a kindergarten boy after Sunday School the next week, using a different tone.

"Hi there, Buster. How ya doing?"

He startled me when he bared his baby teeth, growled like a dog, and barked an "arf!" at me before disappearing around a corner.

Apparently my new approach wouldn’t work either.

Pa had his turn with a three-year-old boy who, as he wandered in his cowboy boots among adult legs during coffee-time at church, frequently relieved his boredom by kicking shins. Cringing adults with coffee spilt down their Sunday clothes gritted their teeth and refrained from hitting the miniature culprit. He got away with his fun until Pa spoke to him and immediately became the kid’s target.

Pa, who was sitting, saw the boot-clad foot coming and grabbed it before the boy could land a strike on his shin. The hollering as the kid jumped up and down on one foot could be heard a block away at the Baptist church. The suddenly doting mother rushed to his rescue and fixed a scathing stare on Pa.

Pa, his face a deep scarlet, dropped the offending foot and stuttered an attempt to justify his actions. The angry mother whipped around, grabbed the boy by the hand, and dragged him out the door.

We have talked it over, Pa and I, and we have decided from now on, maybe we should just smile at children, and, perhaps, wear shin guards.

Made it to a couple a small town fall celebrations over the weekend. One parade was about two blocks long.

I don’t mind short parades. Ya get to spend some time watchin’ each entry and not always be lookin’ ahead to see what’s comin’. Those grandparents with the granddaughter in the twirlin’ group sure didn’t mind. To a three year old it might as well have been the Rose Bowl.

At first I felt a little sorry for the lone horse entry, but the only horse gets plenty of attention too. They still put it at the end of the parade, but I think it made it without incident.

Onea the good things ‘bout the small celebrations is the food served up. Reputation for good cookin’ always gets precedent over makin’ a big profit.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

McCune- Brooks Hospital

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH

By Paul G. Donohue, M.D.

Some Blood Pressure Medications Can Trigger Cough

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have been fighting high blood pressure for many years. No medicine could bring it down to where it should be. The only kind that worked for me is an ACE inhibitor. I have used several, and they cause me to cough. I am on a new one and coughing a lot. Is there an ACE inhibitor that does not cause coughing or at least minimizes it? — A.K.

ANSWER: The condensed version of the ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitor story goes like this. Kidneys produce renin, a substance that ACE transforms into angiotensin, a potent blood pressure booster. ACE inhibitors do what their name says. They block the transformation of renin to angiotensin and thereby lower blood pressure.

The brand names of some ACE inhibitors are: Vasotec, Monopril, Prinivil, Accupril, Altace and Mavik.

ACE inhibitors are a major breakthrough in high blood pressure treatment. For some people, however, these medicines provoke an annoying dry cough.

By switching brands, you might find an ACE inhibitor that does not make you cough. There are many of them, and it could take you some time before you find one best suited for you.