Keep It in the Rough.

The Public Service Committee held their monthly meeting Monday evening. An agreement with the Carthage R-9 School District concerning the annual cross country race was discussed.

Parks Department Director Alan Bull told the Committee that the Carthage Municipal Golf Course, where the race is usually held, has an ideal terrane for the race because of all the hills. Last year during the construction of the golf course the race was held at Missouri Southern State College in Joplin.

"It was kind of hard to consider it Carthage’s race in Joplin," Said Bull, "and the ground was flat."

Bull explained that he didn’t think it would be a problem to reroute the race around the new golf course. He also mentioned that the Parks Department has never had a problem with damage to the course.

After some discussion the Public Service Committee voted to recommend to council that they let the cross country race be held at the Carthage Municipal Golf Course.

"Just keep it in the rough," commented Council Member J.D. Whitledge.

Ever’ time the discussion of incentives for new developments comes up, I have to bring up the idea of providin’ established neighborhoods with similar incentives. This springs from a phone call I got several years ago when the idea of the City payin’ for curb and gutters for new developments was bein’ discussed. The caller wondered why, after livin’ in the City for many years, payin’ taxes, that his street couldn’t also have curb and gutters. I couldn’t come up with a legitimate reason the City should spend funds for new development when it doesn’t do the same for old developments.

Bring on the new, but also take care of what’s already here.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing

THIS IS A HAMMER

By Samantha Mazzotta

Spring Cleaning

Welcome to April! You’ve survived a brutally cold winter this year, thanks to continuous home maintenance. Now it’s time to throw open the hatches, as it were, and get ready for the warm season.

Do you predict that an overwhelming amount of work will be necessary? Don’t fret. Home repair and maintenance is a year-round task. Spring is a great time to make (or schedule) repairs to damage done over the winter, to start those outdoor projects you’ve been planning to do for years, and to plan for improvements in later months.

Spring cleaning sounds like a trite custom, but it’s a great way to organize the house and see what needs to be done. On a sunny day, open the windows and let fresh air and natural light flood the house as you clean dust out of the corners and pack up winter clothes. Sort through household clutter and decide what to keep, what to store and what to throw away. Note any interior damage that occurred over the winter: water damage to the ceiling, perhaps, or drywall punctured by a wayward piece of furniture.

In the workshop and around the exterior of the house, do the same type of cleaning and sorting. Scrub dirt and rust off of winter tools (like your trusty snow shovel), put a light coat of oil on them and store them out of the way. Bring out tools you’ll need for yard work and home repair, and make sure they’re ready to use and easy to access. Uncover lawn furniture or bring it out of storage, and inspect it for damage or deterioration. Check the exterior masonry (sidewalks, driveway, walls and so on) for cracks or other damage.

If the danger of hard frost is past, turn on the outside faucets. Hook up the garden hoses and turn on the water to check them for leaks; patch or replace them if necessary. If you have a sprinkler system, inspect each head and scrub away rust and clogging debris with soapy water and a wire brush.

Climb onto the roof and inspect it for damage caused by falling branches, ice and so on. Schedule repairs to the roof as soon as possible. Check gutters and downspouts to see if they’re clogged by debris, and schedule a day to clear them and check for additional damage.

Remember, you don’t have to repair or clean everything in a single weekend. However, you do need to inspect and list interior and exterior issues and schedule times to address them throughout the spring and beyond.