Today's Feature

Polling Places.

An employee with the Jasper County Election and Voter Registration Office stated that the absentee count has been "very heavy" for the election tomorrow. At this point the absentee count is around 2,700.

Polling places are as follows: Precinct 1 at Grace Episcopal Church, 820 Howard St.; Precinct 2 at Carthage Memorial Hall, 407 S. Garrison Avenue; Precinct 3-1 at the Fire Station, 401 W. Chestnut St., 3-2 at Columbian School, 1015 W. Macon St.; Precinct 4-1 at the Junior High School, 827 E. Centennial St., 4-2 at Fairview School, 1012 E. Fairview St; Precinct 5 at Fairview Christian Church, 2320 S. Grand Avenue.

DNR Satisfied With RES.

Members of the Department of Natural Resources visited Carthage lately to inspect Renewable Environmental Resources’ progress with newly implemented odor control procedures. The week of October 18th there were a few complaints about odors due to a scrubber problem, but overall DNR and the City are pleased with the efforts and results of the new measures RES has taken.

I’ve gotten into a couple a conversations ‘bout the trials of bein’ a kid in the last week or two. Not the stuff ya hear about today, the important trials like fallin’ off a bike or gettin’ hit with a baseball.

I suppose as kids we didn’t think much of a broken arm or a sprained ankle as bein’ anything that devastatin’. That’s why takin some risks while at play was so common. I was shown scars ta prove it.

I suppose I was fortunate that durin’ these conversations there were plenty of stories bein’ told and I didn’t get the chance to relay any of my own. I always thought of my childhood as bein’ filled with some adventure or another, but it seems it was pretty typical of the times. But even today skinned knees are pretty good teachers.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Mornin' Mail

THIS IS A HAMMER

By Samantha Mazzotta

Knobby Trouble

Q: We live in a house that was built in the 1890s, and I think the original knobs and locks are on all the doors. Most of them are fine, though a little loose. However, the doorknob on the entrance to the third floor always falls off when I tug on it. Can I fix this, or should we replace all the old doorknobs? — Sarah M., Oklahoma City

A: Fixing the handle on that old doorknob may be as simple as repositioning it. On the back of the handle you’ll see a single attaching screw (called a setscrew) that holds the handle in place on the spindle (the piece of metal to which the handle attaches). Loosen that setscrew, rotate the handle to a different position, and replace the setscrew, making certain it is tight. This should solve the problem of the handle coming off.

As far as replacing the old doorknobs, remember the adage: "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it." If the doorknobs work smoothly and aren’t corroded or otherwise damaged, don’t replace them. (Besides, most old lockset doorknobs are good-quality, solid metal pieces that fetch a good price at antiques shops. Why throw away that investment?)

The old keyholes in those locksets aren’t used very often by modern homeowners, who don’t need them inside the home. However, if you have keys to fit each door but can’t turn them in some locks, consider removing and cleaning the locksets.

Loosen the setscrew and remove the handles on both ends, as well as the spindle. Then, loosen the faceplate screws (on the side of the door) and gently pry the entire lockset from the inside of the door. Several layers of paint applied over the years could make this difficult; try scoring the paint along the edges of the faceplate with a razor blade before prying the lockset out.

Scrub away any dirt or rust with a small brush and wipe clean. Spray all-purpose lubricant on all the parts and wipe away any excess.

Replace the lockset, reattach the spindle and knobs, and test the assembly by turning the handles left and right. The latch should move smoothly. Try turning the key in the lock; if it doesn’t work at first, give it a couple more attempts. The lubricant should work in as you work the key. However, be gentle when trying to turn the key in the lock; don’t force it, or you could bend or break the key.

HOME TIP

Graphite is the lubricant of choice for locksmiths on sticky locks, but don’t try to loosen up a lock by rubbing a pencil in the keyhole. Pencils use a different grade of graphite and don’t leave enough residue to really make a difference