Today's Feature

Scholarship Fundraiser Trip.

The Peace Star Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association has announced a fund raising event to be held on June 17th, 2006. Reservations are currently available. Each year the Peace Star Chapter awards a scholarship to a needy graduating senior. In the last year two scholarships were awarded. This year the Chapter hopes to be able to renew the scholarships by hosting a trip to the Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

On June 19th the Kansas City Repertory Theatre will present a matinee production of "Room Service," a comedy which featured Lucille Ball in the 50’s. After the show a four-course gourmet dinner will be served at the Theater.

The trip will also include a stop at the Crown Plaza Center in Kansas City for shopping and lunch. The fundraiser trip price is $75.00 and seats are now available.

For more information or reservations call Judy Boyd at 358-2874 (after 5) or 237-1061 (work), Sally Metcalf at 394-2213, or Eunice Carter at 358-7803.

Department Budget Requests.

The City Council Budget/Ways and Means committee heard the City department budget requests for the 2007 fiscal year on Wednesday evening.

Departments included on the schedule included; Fire, Civil Defense, Police, Taxi, Parks & Recreation. Golf, Pool, Fair Acres, Streets, Street Engineer Projects, Public Works, Landfill, Public Health, City Attorney, Administration, Memorial Hall, Civil War Museum, and Other General Revenue (renamed Central Municipal Activities).

All of the departments listed increases for utility charges and the departments that use vehicles and gas-powered equipment listed increased budgeting for gasoline. The amounts of increase were estimated based on the increasing rates of fuel.

Fire Chief John Cooper presented the budget requests for the Fire and Civil Defense departments. Cooper noted that the pension plan percentage had been raised. City Administrator Tom Short elaborated that the Pension Plan Committee had decided to change the investment policy from ultra-conservative to conservative.

Cooper’s capital improvement items included replacing the department’s pumper truck, an older model which has burned 13 gallons of oil recently.

Police Chief Dennis Veach presented the budget requests for the Police Department and the City Taxi Service.

The taxi service provides transportation inside City limits for one-way fees of $3 and $1 for senior citizens. Veach said that the number of $3 rides had increased lately and that the most common destinations included and the hospital. The taxi is not a self-sustaining service, the losses of which are split between the City and the state. Committee Chair Bill Johnson addressed the financial losses involved in offering the service.

"Not everything we do is going to make money," said Johnson. "But it’s a good service."

Parks Director Alan Bull addressed the capital improvement items for the parks department, which include $10,000 allocated for a splash pad at Carter Park and $8,000 allocated for a skate park study/engineering. Committee member Ronnie Wells spoke about locations for the proposed skate park.

"You’re going to need to find the right place," said Wells. "Projects have a way of expanding."

Wells spoke concerning Fair Acres, one of the tentative locations for a skate park, saying that there might not be enough room available.

Street Commissioner Tom Shelley spoke with the committee about the street sweeper schedules. Shelley said that the sweeper used to run on Saturday mornings, but that the schedule had been cut back in part due to the extra fuel used operating on the weekend.

The committee stayed ahead of schedule the majority of the night, ending the meeting 15 minutes early.

Stench Report:
Thursday,
4/27/06

No Stink Reported

The first recorded Arbor Day was in Nebraska. A place where trees are appreciated. That was back in 1872 and proposed by then Nebraska state board of agriculture member Julius Sterling Morton. They planted over a million trees on that first Arbor Day.

It wasn’t until Richard Nixon proclaimed the last Friday of April as National Arbor Day in 1970 that all states celebrated on the same day.

Other countries have jumped on too. India has ‘The National Festival of Tree Planting,’ and my personal favorite, Iceland’s ‘The Students’ Afforestation Day.’

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

For some allergies have kicked in full blast. This is a good time to pull out the local honey as it is said to help with allergies. A teaspoon or two a day helps most people.

I remember how much I loved smelling the pickles my Mom used to make. She and the neighbor lady would get together and clean cucumbers and then start the slow cooking process of the vinegar and other ingredients for her delicious pickles. Cider vinegar has been used medicinally for centuries. It is said that the Roman soldiers consumed it daily to maintain health, strength and stamina. Christopher Columbus carried barrels of apple cider vinegar aboard his ship to help protect the crew against debilitating scurvy.

Many health benefits are claimed by those who consume raw, unpasteurized and unfiltered apple cider vinegar. The vinegar must contain the "mother" to be the most active. In the raw state it contains active enzymes as well as potassium plus.

In the book Apple Cider Vinegar Miracle Health System by Paul C. Bragg N.D., Ph.D. and Patricia Bragg N.D., Ph.D. they suggest that taking raw apple cider vinegar on a daily basis will help one live a longer, healthier and stronger life. Stating that it helps maintain a youthful, vibrant body. Helps fight germs and bacteria, helps regulate calcium metabolism and even the right consistency of the blood. Many have found relief from arthritis and weight loss.

Fortunately for those who are not too keen on the idea of taking it in juice or water or just plain, it comes in handy tablets available at health food stores. "The Father of Medicine in 400 B.C. treated his patients with natural raw apple cider vinegar for its powerful cleansing and healing qualities. It’s a naturally occurring antibiotic and antiseptic and fights germs and bacteria."

artCentral
Art Notes From Hyde House
By Sally Armstrong, Director

Excitement is great at Hyde House this week, both rejoicing at the rain that is greening up all the plantings and grass again, and for the wonderful art hung now inside! Cheryl Church brought her vibrant colored drawings of various female subjects in on Sunday and they have been arranged in the Member Gallery for viewing. And now we have in place in the Main Gallery the most unique art of Kat Kissel and the beautiful oil canvases of her mother, Kim. As promised, the following is taken from an interview given recently by both Kissels:

"When you are asked to do a Mother/ Daughter show, how can you resist? It has been "The Reward" of the year to have the privilege to work towards a similar goal with your daughter. The long hours of painting and working hard and encouraging each other to take breaks and walk and talk and drink Koolees together. Listening to each other’s music, hanging out in each other’s work space and feeling the peace and joy of two hearts knitting!" Some questions to each other: To Kat. WHY DO YOU PAINT? " To vent my thoughts about beauty, and because it is empowering. I think about painting like I think about an outfit to wear, something light hearted and interesting, matching fun colors and infusing it with everyday things. I would do another show, however , but at times I swore I never would!"

"As Kat’s mom I under stand this statement on two levels; as a mom and as an artist. Finishing something requires motivation and I have been known on occasion to inquire of Kat’s plans for the day in order to keep her on track. Having this goal has been time well spent and we are still on excellent speaking terms! Kat’s work speaks of the joy she gathers from the world and she gives it back to us on a table top surface!"

To Kim. WHY DO YOU CHOOSE THE STYLE THAT YOU DO? " The clean realistic look comes from my desire to ensure the viewer clearly sees what I am seeing. I create an atmosphere with color and light bringing intimacy from me to the viewer, speaking softly those things I want always to remember." HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH YOUR SETTINGS? "They come from deep within and usually start with some compositional design trigger that speaks to me about something in my life, past, present and future."

"Mom’s work is calm, collected, well thought out, easy on the eyes. I like that I have been able to see where her work has come from over the years, each painting a bit of nostalgia from my childhood."

See these women’s wonderful work at Hyde House, beginning with the opening on Friday night at 6:00- 8:00 and continuing through June 2nd. For more information, call 358- 4404.