Today's Feature

Effects of Drought Conditions.

The Carthage Water and Electric Plant at a recent meeting discussed a possible action for water conservation procedures. The Tri-State Water Resource Coalition has passed a draft water conservation plan which gives guidelines for Cities in normal and critical water situations. CW&EP approved a motion to create a draft for a specific conservation plan for Carthage.

The Missouri Drought Assessment Committee, a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has listed Jasper County, along with 11 other Missouri counties, in a phase 3 or "conservation phase" drought condition.

A release from DNR contained the following information;

"Still dry from last year’s drought, and having received no relief from the recent warmer and drier winter, the area is experiencing decreasing streamflows, reservoir levels and seasonal ground water levels."

DNR indicates that the drought is expected to carry through the May planting season.

Carthage Water and Electric Plant pumps its water for the City from several deep wells, allowing for rotation when necessary. In 2005 the City system used 13 different wells. The CW&EP board recently discussed conducting an evaluation of pump supplies to be prepared for any events of mechanical problems.

During the recent dry months there have been local reports of non-City well systems going dry, though these instances are believed to have been limited mostly to shallow wells.

Jasper County is reported to have received 0.9 inches of precipitation in January, zero (0) precipitation in February approximately 1.04 inches of precipitation in the last 4 weeks.

The yearly rainfall for Jasper County in 2003 was listed by the Missouri Agricultural Statistics Service at 44.10 inches. In 2004 it is listed at 52.97 inches, and in 2005 at 33.48 . The 30 year precipitation average for Jasper County is shown at 44.19.

In 2002 the annual mean stream-flow for Spring River was 416 cubic feet per second. The latest tests, done on April 24, 2006 show the flow at 7.1 cubic feet per second.

Studies conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey show that water table levels below Carthage have dropped 15 feet since April 10th.

Monday saw showers throughout the day, and national forecast services are predicting more rain later this week.

To Vote On Special Use Addition.

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 amending the special use permit section of the Carthage City code by adding a section authorizing restaurants to sell liquor by the drink if 60% of their gross income comes from the sale of prepared meals or food.

There was no discussion during the first reading of this item at the previous meeting.

Other items on the agenda include the first reading of an ordinance "promulgating a new tax rate of 2.2%." This ordinance originated from the General Assembly Municipal Telecommunications Business License Simplification Act, which requires that cities publish a new tax rate for telephone companies. The rate of 2.2% was provided by the Department of Revenue.

Promulgate - To make known the terms of a new or proposed law or statute or; to put a law into effect by publishing its terms.

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

We moved to the area in July of 2005, as a matter of fact it was on the 27th and the temperature was hovering around the 100 degree mark every day. It is now April 22 and we have had precious little rain. I am told this is not normal for the area. My poor lawn is dying, I have a pump, but I dont’ feel like I should water my lawn when we have had very little rain. My question to you is, what is the normal amount of rain fall for this time of year? Are there wells going dry in this area? What is the water level for this area of the country? One thing I do know, the pond across the road is drying up.
I do hope you will see fit to answer my questions in your paper. I read your "Mornin’ Mail" on line daily.
This Florida transplant senior citizen would like to see rain.
Thank you for a prompt reply.
Sincerely,
Jean Wiles

Stench Report:
Monday,
4/24/06

No Stink Reported

Tom Layton called yesterday sayin’ he thinks he caught a record breakin’ crappie last weekend. It weighs 2 1/2 pounds and is 16 1/2 inches long. He was keepin’ it out at Bud’s Bait for the time bein’.

Havin’ to check the spellin’ on the word "crappie," I discovered it can also be spelled croppie, which makes more sense to me since that’s the way folks pronounce it.

I’m thinkin’ there should be an effort to eliminate useless spellin’s of words that don’t make any sense.

This movement could be called "Help Get the Crap out of Croppie." A worthwhile cause if there ever was one.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Virus Causes Cervical Cancer

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I had cervical cancer in my early 40s. I always read and hear that it is caused by a sexually transmitted virus. I did not have a sexually transmitted disease. I’m ashamed to tell anyone about my cancer because of this. -- B.K.

ANSWER: Genital warts are responsible for virtually all cervical cancers. They, in turn, are caused by papillomaviruses, a large virus family with more than 100 distinctive strains. Some of those viruses cause everyday finger warts or plantar warts on the soles of the feet. Some cause genital warts. Of those that give rise to genital warts, a few lead to cell changes that evolve into cancer of the cervix.

When you hear the figures on cervical cancer, you will lose your unwarranted shame. Every year in the United States close to 5.5 million women are infected with genital warts, and three-quarters of all North American women will contract the infection during their lives. In 2004, 60,500 new cases of cervical cancer were diagnosed. Genital warts and cervical cancer are very common occurrences. Men can pass the virus without knowing they have it. You are viewing these conditions through a lens that’s distorting their true picture. There should be no guilt about having genital warts or cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer used to be the No. 1 cancer killer of women. Thanks to Dr. George Papanicolaou, who devised the Pap test in the 1940s, the incidence of death from cervical cancer has dropped by 70 percent in the 60 or so years since the inception of Pap screening, an incredible medical achievement.