Today's Feature

Bid Approved, No Date Set.

The Carthage Public Library expansion project is continuing to make progress. The original bids for construction were much higher than the budget allowed and all of the bids were rejected. The library board with the Public Works Department reconfigured the bid specifications to lower the cost and resubmitted for bids.

According to Library Director Jennifer Seaton a bid was approved from R.E. Smith of Joplin for the construction of the new building for approximately $3.75 million. This amount is still slightly above the $3.7 million budget but modifications are being made with the contractor to bring the price down to an appropriate level.

The new building is to be constructed on the same lot as the current building and will be approximately 13,000 square feet. No date has been set for a groundbreaking.

One item cut from the original bids to lower the price was the Carthage limestone exterior. According to Seaton the cost of the limestone was one of the most expensive parts of the original bids at approximately $872,000. It has been replaced with cast stone which the contractor has said can be made to match the existing building exterior.

Stench Report:
Thursday,
12/8/05

No Stench Reported

They’re sayin’ we’ve gotta heat wave comin’ with temperatures up in the forties for the next week or so. Be a good time to go pecan huntin’.

I’ve always thought the small, natural pecans had the best flavor. It just takes so long ta get a handful. ‘Course durin’ all the crackin’ and diggin’ out the meat ya gotta nibble a little so the pile gets smaller as ya go.

I suppose the large, hybrid paper shell pecans are all right. The squirrels around the home place don’t seem ta mind much. They seem to get the lions share. Course they’ll stuff ‘bout anything in their mouth.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Went to hike in Arkansas last weekend. Just being out in the country gives me energy, but on the top of Mt. Icelito!! That was some energy. Tucked back in a little protected cove area I found some nice yarrow still with blooms. It was dried, but so surprised to find it. Pennyroyal was abundant, dry too. Lots of mullein plants. Some neat stuff I could not identify as I had forgotten my book. Well, if you need an excellent gift for your naturalist friends or the mildly curious, I have found the new Ozark Wildflowers a Falcon Guide makes it quite easy to quickly identify "our" plants.

Olive leaf extract acts by inactivating viruses and even appears to penetrate infected cells and shut down viral replication. This makes it particularly useful in fighting influenza or colds. Beta 1-glucan primes the immune system to fend off infections by increasing production of immune stimulating agents and stimulating natural killer cell. Elderberry/zinc liquid combinations with echinacea are proving themselves with flu and colds again this year.

Even with natural remedies to help keep you healthy and immune defense up, the Centers for Disease Control suggest:

*avoid close contact with sick folks

*Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing

*wash your hands often and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth

*avoid large crowds if your immunity is low

*STAY HOME if you are sick

Letter to the Editor:
Opinions expressed reflect those of the writer and not necessarily those of the Mornin’ Mail

Dear Editor:

I have no problem with building a new high school. How ever I do have a problem with where they want to build it. There is only one access road and it is to close to the grade school. I would think West of Wal-mart or East of the soccer fields would be a better choice. Behind Wal-mart you have access on 3 sides and in walking distance of several restaurants. I will never vote for it if they want to build there.

Thanks for your time

Rick O’Dell