Today's Feature

Council Meeting.

The Carthage City Council will meet this evening at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall. Items on the agenda include the second reading of an ordinance authorizing the Mayor to execute a Unit Purchase Power Agreement with the Missouri Electric Utility Commission for participation in the Plum Point Power Project. The plant will not be completed until 2010 and this ordinance would allow for the purchase of 12 megawatts per hour beginning at the completion of the plant.

Other items on the agenda include a public hearing concerning three annexations of property near or adjoining Precious Moments.

YMCA Holiday Camp.

News release

The Fair Acres Family YMCA will offer a Holiday Camp for eight days; December 22, 23, 26-30 and January 2. Parents may drop children off at the Y as early as 7 a.m. and pick them up by 6 p.m.

During the holiday school break the Y will offer swimming, games, activities and much more. Kids should bring a sack lunch, and swim suit and towel each day. Drinks and snacks will be provided.

Space is limited and registration should be completed as soon as possible. Enrollment forms are available at the front desk of the YMCA in Carthage, 2600 Grand Ave.

Cost for all eight days is $120 or $18 per day if child attends one or a few days.

For more information about YMCA Holiday Camp contact the Fair Acres Family YMCA at 417-358-2070.

Stench Report:
Monday,
12/12/05

No Stench Reported

As it is in most situations, sittin’ round the cracker barrel healin’ the worlds woes can be an interestin’ exercise, but it doesn’t put any bread on the table. That only comes when people put their back into somethin’ that directly affects the community they live in.

Seems that gettin’ kids together to enjoy an afternoon with friends and parents, or promotin’ good health, or raisin’ the community’s pride is a lot more worthwhile than sittin’ ‘round gripin’ all the time.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Don’t Overuse Headache Medicines

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: For the past three years I have had to use aspirin or Tylenol several times a day for headaches. My doctor can’t find what’s causing them and doesn’t have any suggestions. Where should I turn? — N.D.

ANSWER: A number of common headache types can become chronic, recurring headaches, and the key to stopping them requires an identification of the headache type.

Migraine headaches can become daily affairs. Migraines are one-sided headaches that sometimes pound with each heartbeat. Physical activity worsens them. Specific migraine medicines are needed.

Chronic tension headaches are another possibility. These headaches are felt on both sides of the head, and people describe them as pressure on or a tightening of the head. Simple pain-relievers can often stop tension headaches.

Post-traumatic headaches are constant headaches that appear after a head injury. I’m sure you would be aware of it if you had had such an injury.

One common thread, however, unites many chronic headaches, and that is overuse of headache medicines. Even though I can’t tell you what variety of headache you have, I can tell you that you are using too much medicine. Overuse increases the frequency and the severity of the headache. To reduce dependence of pain-relievers, you might have to take other medicines while you’re tapering off the pain-relievers. Valproate and topiramate are two examples.

You should turn to a neurologist with a special interest in headache treatment.