"The President has given Saddam Hussein and the United Nations every chance, and both have rejected these opportunities. The time for diplomacy is over."

Homicide - Suicide.


A memo was received Tuesday morning from the Carthage Police Department with information concerning a double homicide and suicide that took place in Carthage.

Monday afternoon at 4:38 p.m. a 13-year-old newspaper carrier reported that there was a "person down" in the back yard of 1055 South Garrison. When personnel arrived it was obvious that the male subject lying in the yard was deceased. An immediate search of the residence resulted in the discovery of a deceased female upstairs and a deceased male in the living room. They appeared to have died from gunshot wounds.

The deceased were later identified as Dr. Oren Ralston, 88; Mrs. Madylon Ralston, 84, wife of Dr. Ralston and Mr. Larry Ralston, 62, son of Dr. Ralston.

Investigation by the Carthage Police Department and the Jasper County Coroner’s Office has concluded that Dr. Ralston killed his son and wife and then killed himself. There were notes left at the home by Dr. Ralston detailing the incident as well as other physical evidence. According to the Carthage Police Department it seems that Dr. Ralston was despondent over health issues.

It doesn’t take much to impress some folks.

The other day I showed off my level of intelligence by introducing a three-year old to the age old concept of a red brick.. Imagine, talkin’ to someone who didn’t know what a brick was. I was in tall cotton. Opened up a whole new avenue of thinkin’ for this curious mind.

I do have to admit that occasions such as this don’t happen much when I hang out with folks more my age, but unquestioned intelligence is one of the perks of bein’ a grandfather I suppose.

There for a while I had two grandchildren convinced that pickin’ up sticks in the yard was great fun. It was great while it lasted. Seems kids are gettin’ smarter all the time.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing

HERE’S A TIP

By JoAnn Derson

• To clean strong odors — such as fish or onion — try rubbing your hands with a little salt. Or, you can use a leftover lemon wedge or used coffee grounds.

• Got a run in your pantyhose? Use a cut portion to scrub stains off of delicate porcelain or countertops.

• Ever oversalted soup? Not to worry — just cut a single potato into several large slices. Add them to the soup, and they will soak up the extra salt. Remove before serving.

• After a night of overindulgence, try this headache-rescue remedy: a cold glass of soy milk. The natural isoflavones help to repair damage to liver cells bombarded with alcohol.

• Spam is becoming more and more intrusive these days. But every time you surf the Internet and enter an e-mail address for more information or to access a Web page, you open yourself up to more spam (from the Web sites you visit, and more). Try opening a "throw-away" e-mail account for this purpose only. Go to any free Web mail provider (like Hotmail or Yahoo!) and sign up for a free e-mail account. When you have to enter your e-mail to get info online, use this free account. Then, when it gets too clogged with spam, just close the account and open another.

• Banish facial shine with a cotton ball dipped in Milk of Magnesia. Wipe off your T-zone (forehead, down the nose and on the chin), then wipe lightly with a damp paper towel or washcloth.

• The best shade of shades to wear in the early morning or at dusk? Yellow. Yellow lenses brighten low light.