Today's Feature

New Gas Delivery Rates.

News Release

After an extensive review process, Missouri Gas Energy (MGE) today received approval from the Missouri Public Service Commission to adjust its delivery rates. MGE said the new rates would increased the average residential bill by about 4 percent, or approximately $3.00 a month starting in October.

"We are encouraged that a Commission majority recognized the need to authorize a return significantly higher than the recommendations of the Commission Staff and the Office of the Public Counsel," said Robert Hack, vice president of regulatory affairs.

The increase will be recovered primarily through the adjustments to the fixed customer charge and to the per-unit delivery charge. Specific rate changes will be calculated following a close reading of the Commission’s order and therefore are not presently available. In addition to the fixed customer charge and per-unit delivery charge adjustments, the company is also increasing fees for various connection, reconnection and transfer services.

The new rates will enhance MGE’s recovery of costs associated with the maintenance and improvement of its 8,000 mile delivery system and will enable it to maintain safe and reliable service to its customers. Also contributing to the rate increase are rising operation costs, and state and federal taxes that will consume approximately $8.5 million, or nearly 40 percent of the revenues created by the rate increase.

The Order provides for MGE’s continued commitment to low-income customers through increased funding of MGE’s ongoing weatherization program as well as continuation of the experimental low-income rates in the Joplin area, the first such program of its kind in Missouri.

MGE filed its original proposal with the Commission last November seeking an annual rate increase of approximately $45 million. In today’s order, the Commission authorized an increase of approximately $22.5 million.

Customers were invited to provide comments on the overall rate proposal in late April when public hearings were held in Kansas City, Blue Springs, St. Joseph and Joplin.

The new rates are not related to "cost of gas" charges. As a distribution company, MGE does not profit on the price of gas.

My grandad used ta whittle me a Buntline Special outa old wood shingles. It had a long barrel and worked as good as any store bought cap pistols (we seldom used caps in our arsenal anyway).

He also made me a turtle that used an old moon shaped hubcap for the shell. With wooden legs and head and cloth coverin’ the shell, it was a great conversation piece.

He would put together a windmill type gizmo with an old wheel bearing and the direction vane cut from his favorite, another wood shingle. He would cut the windmill part from a coffee can and somehow attach it to the bearing. He put ‘em out by the garden to scare off critters (and tell what direction the wind was blowin’ I suppose).

As you might guess, he was a gadget guy. They don’t make ‘em like they use to.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click & Clack Talk Cars

By Tom and Ray Magliozz

Dear Tom and Ray:

This morning I went to my car to find that it had grown what appeared to be a "hair" from the tailpipe. It was about 10 inches long and gray, with brown highlights. I had to get to class for a test, so I gave my car a haircut with my Swiss army knife. I tried to pull the rest out of the tailpipe, but it wouldn’t budge. I am continuing to drive my car. What came out of the back end of my car? Should I get it checked? Any advice on how to tell a mechanic about this without sounding like I’ve lost my mind? - Samantha.

RAY: Well, Samantha, the first thing I’d do is contact Sy Sperling at the Hair Club for Men to see about becoming a supplier. If this continues, you could pay off your student loans and then some.

TOM: We’ve actually seen this before, Samantha. It’s a muffler hair. Some cars (we’ve seen it on Hondas) use a fibrous insulating material as a sound deadener in their mufflers. When the muffler starts to deteriorate, the stuff starts to come off, and it heads out through the tailpipe. And you’re right - it looks and feels just like hair. I find it quite disgusting and creepy, actually.

RAY: what it’s made of, I don’t know. But now that you mention it, I have seen a large fleet of Accords in the Hair Club for Men parking lot.

TOM: So, what to do? In the short run, I’d apply some leave-in conditioner. That’ll make it more manageable.

RAY: Actually, you can keep driving the car, but this means that your muffler is on the way out. And sooner rather than later, the car is going to get real loud. So if you’ve got the money, you might as well replace the muffler now, Samantha.