County Commissioner's Meeting.

The Jasper County Commissioners held their weekly meeting Thursday Morning at the Carthage courthouse.

Presiding Commissioner Chuck Surface said that a $400 check was accepted from Chief Deputy Jerry Neil to repay the county for overtime paid at the Route 66 Festival that should not have been paid. Refunds from the other officers is still being arranged.

The Commissioners also discussed the Old Villa Road Barn. The barn is a 32’x36’ metal building that is owned by Jasper county. The barn is located 2 blocks north of Highway 96 on Highway 37. The barn will be auctioned off at the county auction, scheduled for May 23, 2003 at 9:00.

"It’s not worth very much, only about $200," said Surface. "We just need to get rid of it."

Anyone interested in the barn can contact the County Commissioners office

The Commissioners also accepted a proposal from Shelby County, Missouri for a 60%-40% trade of soft match for hard match. These funds are credited by Missouri Department of Transportation for bridges.

Drawing for an Original Sculpture
to be held on Mother’s Day.

By Lee Sours

If you donate two dollars you will be eligible to win an original sculpture by artist Jerry Long. The sculpture entitled "The Helper" depicts a woman lifting up a child toward a star. The sculpture is formed of clay and is on a wooden base. The drawing will be held on Mother’s Day. You need not be present to win. Just put your name and contact information on the ticket. If you are the winner you will receive a postcard or phone call notification to claim your prize.

The artist, Jerry Long, will be teaching classes on handbuilding ceramics at artCentral this summer. Proceeds from the drawing will be used for supplies for artCentral’s pottery studio. Two different pottery classes will be offered. One will cover the use of the potter’s wheel. The other will focus on handbuilding techniques such as slab construction, coil construction, carving, hollowed forms, and using various molds.

Donation tickets and pictures of the sculpture will be located at various locations around the square and at artCentral’s Hyde House Gallery on East 13th Street near the Fairview Greenhouse.

Our current exhibits include the paintings of Diana Bray, conceptual assemblages by Mark Woodin, and ceramics by Sam Lewis.

HOURS: T – F 11 - 5

Sunday 12 -5 Closed Mon. and Sat.

1110 E 13th 358-4404

ozarkartistscolony.com

9th Annual March for Parks.

Come join the fun and show your support for your local national park on Saturday, April 26. This year’s March for Parks/ Earth Day event, held at George Washington Carver National Monument, will feature bluegrass bands, environmental exhibits and activities, and a walk-a-thon from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A new Junior Ranger booklet will help youngsters earn a badge. There will be a food hut providing a chili lunch at a very reasonable price. The Pillsbury DoughBoy will be here all day!

The event kick-off will be at 9 a.m. when the 10-mile walkers leave for their hike on the Carver Historic Trail. Other walk options are a 1.5-mile, 3-mile and 6- mile. The pledge money walker’s raise assist in creating new educational programs and enhance current programs at the park.

Pledge sheets are available at the Visitor Center, or call 417-325-4151 to request one in the mail or to be faxed directly to you.

Mark April 26th on your calendar! New exhibits include "Weaving for the Future" and " Bobbin Lace Making" and "Solar Display Bike" for those visitors wanting to get a feel for pollution-free energy! The event welcomes back returning exhibits that everyone enjoys including the Tri-State Woodcarving Guild, Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, Beekeeping, and General Mills/ Pillsbury. Take a look at the musical talent we have lined up:

9:30 a.m. - 10 a.m. Jake Simpson, Fiddler

10 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Millie Hansen,

DulcimerTunes

11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Aunt Lulu & Her

Environmental Friends

11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Sundowners Bluegrass

12 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. Jake the Fiddler -

with a surprise guest musician!

1 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Aunt Lulu & Her

Environmental Friends

1:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. Sundowners Bluegrass

2:30 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Stephanie and Joe Johnson

Folk Music

All activities and events are free to the public. The monument is located two miles west of Diamond, Missouri on Highway V, then ½ mile south on Carver Road.

For more information, please call the park at (417) 325-4151 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Looks like the plans for sprucin’ up the City for the upcomin’ national tv show Discover America are beginnin’ to take place. The filmin’ of the program will happen in July with the actual show not airin’ until next spring.

Half of the fundin’ for the project is bein’ paid by the City Lodging Tax and the rest by donations. Total of twenty grand.

The Lodgin’ Tax is collected by motels and bed and breakfasts from overnight stays and used to promote more overnight stays. The tv show will no doubt reach folks from all across the country. The most good I’d guess will come from those who see it in the K.C, St.Louis, Wichita, Tulsa O.K.C., and Springfield areas. Still likely to be a good investment of the tax dollars.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Oak Street health & herb

Natural Nutrition

By Mari An Willis

Wonderful rain. The creek was running and washing away the winter refuse. Seems some of those "upstream" have forgotten that what is upstream washes downstream and affects all parts along the way. Sometimes it is easy to forget that what we do in "our" world does affect those around us. . The human body is the same way.

What goes into our brains is what comes out. Our thoughts determine our actions. We often forget what an influence we have on OURSELVES. If one keeps thinking they are ineffective or unworthy, those are the kind of results one will get. Consistent unhealthy thoughts and input have had a profound influence on individuals and self. Take a quick look at the ads. Want to change the masses idea about what is good or bad? Just put it in front of us a few hundred times and like magic, most will think that is the WAY it is supposed to be. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that what we put into our bodies via the mouth effects us also. Just take a look at the thousands of choices we have in food alone.

Dr. Christopher, who was a renowned Dr. of practical medicine and an instructor at Cambridge, was a firm believer in doing simple things to change ones’ life. He suggested using apple cider vinegar and molasses for good health. He also made good use of the plants around him and taught others to do the same. Although many attitudes in this fast paced world have changed, our plant kingdom has pretty much remained the same. Our Creator must have known that we would need hawthorne, cayenne and garlic as much today as we did in the past. Do you think the lowly dandelion was created just to bother you? No, even that beautiful plant has been featured as a villain with all sorts of chemicals designed to kill it! Many an herbalist has chosen to drink teas made of the roots, eat the tender young leaves in spring salads and enjoy the glowing flower in a salad. Why not? Dandelion has been renowned for it’s balancing and corrective action on the liver. If one has tastebuds which do not welcome this taste temptation, capsules have been known to do the job.