"Grand Ole Christmas."

The Annual Carthage Christmas Parade is scheduled for tonight at 7 p.m. This year’s theme is "Grand Ole Christmas." The Carthage Technical Center Chapter of Skills USA-VICA is this year’s sponsor.

Dr. Charles Johnson will serve as this year’s Grand Marshal of the parade. He was chosen by the Carthage Technical Center because of his many years of service to the Carthage R-9 School District.

The Center received about 65 entries for the 2003 parade. In addition to the entries the parade will include Carthage Senior High band , Junior High band, and several other bands from around the area. Also scheduled to appear at this year’s parade is Ole Saint Nick.

The City Council made a name change at Tuesdays Special Work Session. Council members voted to name the Engineering Department the Public Works Department.

City Administrator Tom Short felt the department needed a new name soon. The City has an opening for a Public Works Director and ads for the position are needed.

Worked with a guy once that showed such a fear of snakes that coworkers would toss pieces of rope at him just to watch him yell and squirm. They’d sneak a rubber snake into his lunch box and all try to be around when he opened it. Even guys who had some sympathy couldn’t pass up an occasional rattlin’ of a paper sack next to the guy just tawatch him jump. Ever’one would have a big laugh.

After a while you’d think the guy would catch on, but he would always give the anticipated reaction. I have ta figure that at some point he started likin’ the attention and played up to the "snake hater" image. After a while ya have ta question the judgement or the motives of someone who gets hooked too often.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing

THIS IS A HAMMER

By Samantha Mazzotta

Black Mold a Growing Problem

Q: My 14-year-old bowed cape house has black patches streaking down the roof on the north side. I also noticed moss developing around the skylights. What do you recommend for this? — Wendy, via e-mail

A: Yee-ouch. Call your insurance agent right away and get a roofing contractor up on the roof as soon as possible.

Chances are, the black streaks on the roof are a type of mold called Stachybotrys. This little spore has been invading the roofs and walls of homes across the country for several years now, and, like several other types of mold, it has been linked by some researchers to health problems in people exposed to it. So, stopping the current growth atop your roof, and preventing future outbreaks, is absolutely critical.

The moss around the skylights is another problem. If you live in the Southeast (I’m not sure, as your e-mail didn’t indicate a region), long trails of sphagnum moss could have dropped from the tree branches and may be caught on the edges of the skylights.

If not, another type of moss is growing along the edges. If moss is actually growing around the skylights, a moisture problem exists. Most likely, the seals have been compromised and the moss has found a niche to thrive in.

The damaged skylight seals, black streaks and moss on the roof indicate a significant repair job may be on the horizon. The skylights will have to be lifted out and their seals replaced. The black mold will have to be scrubbed away.

The entire roof, the eaves and attic, the walls, and the airflow system (the vents under the eaves that keep air flowing through the attic space) will have to be inspected for mold infestation.

But the news isn’t completely terrible. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, mold infestation may not be a problem if you can’t detect it (by seeing it or smelling a musty odor in the house).

Most mold infestation occurs where a water leak has happened and is limited to that area, reducing the size of the cleanup. So, you may only be looking at a spraydown of the rooftop by a contractor and replacement of the skylight seals.