Today's Feature

Benefit for Crisis Center.

News Release

Grand Avenue Bed and Breakfast, in conjunction with Pathways United Methodist Church and the Carthage Crisis Center will be holding a Christmas open house on Sunday December 12 from 1 to 5 p.m at the Grand Avenue Bed and Breakfast 1615 Grand Avenue. Admission is free. A collection of donations in the form of cleaning supplies, toilet paper, napkins, laundry soap, and other household items will be held, for use at the Carthage Crisis Center. Complimentary refreshments will be served. At 5:00 p.m. a raffle drawing will be held for a Grand Avenue Bed and Breakfast gift certificate. All proceeds go to the Carthage Crisis Center. For more information, contact Jeanne or Michael Goolsby, Grand Ave. B&B, 358-7265, Brian Bisbee, Carthage Crisis Center, 358-3533, or Pastor Brian Chaffin, Pathways UMC, 417-555-4900.

Recycling Center Closed for Thanksgiving.

Carthage Recycling Drop-Off Center and Composting Lot will be closed Thursday, Nov. 25th and Friday, Nov. 26th in observance of Thanksgiving.

The statistics for parkin’ tickets would indicate to me that the two hour limit on parkin’ has a much larger impact on those that work around the square than it does on the tourist trade.

The numbers seem to show that the weather has more to do with the volume of tickets than anything. Durin’ the cold months, when it appears that the thought process is that it is worth a buck not to have to get out and move the car.

I’ve got to note that my opinion isn’t from any scientific documentation, just a gut feelin’ that comes from various conversations. I don’t doubt that a tourist or two gets aggravated at a one buck ticket, but the real money, less than enough to pay parkin’ enforcement salaries I’d guess, comes from the locals.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’

Mornin' Mail

Here's a Tip

By Samantha Mazzotta

• Here’s a great rule of thumb when planning a large family meal, like Thanksgiving dinner: For every side dish that requires extra preparation time, plan for one or two that don’t. For instance, if you’re preparing a casserole with many ingredients and complicated instructions, serve a package of steamed vegetables that requires nothing more than steaming. If you are preparing a time-consuming dessert, buy a prepared pumpkin pie or fresh fruit salad and whipped topping.

• "In my family, you come to Thanksgiving dinner with your own plastic containers for leftovers. If you don’t bring your own, you don’t go home with tomorrow’s lunch. Mom instituted this rule after the first Thanksgiving when all the kids had moved out. — E.Y. in New Mexico

• "When setting the table, my mom would put notecards facedown under the place mats. On the notecard was written an after-dinner but before-dessert chore. Someone would be responsible for packing up leftovers; another would load dishes and flatware into the dishwasher; still another would wash or dry the servingware and pots and pans. We had lots of fun trying to guess where the easiest chore card was." — C.C. in Georgia

• Since you know it’s coming anyway, take the opportunity to clean out the fridge a day or two before Thanksgiving. It’s a good idea to eat up any leftovers for dinner the day before.

• It takes 24 hours of defrosting for every 5 pounds of turkey when you defrost in the fridge. When defrosting in water (only birds in a leakproof plastic wrapper), allow 30 minutes per pound and change the water every half-hour.