Today's Feature

Recommended a Petition.

A group of Carthage citizens presented continued requests for a Carthage dog park to Public Services committee this week. The committee agreed to continue researching the idea, and requested that the citizens start the process for a petition to find out how many Carthage citizens would use the proposed park.

Citizen Amy Silvers spoke to the committee saying that the group was very interested in working with the City to establish a dog park. A dog park is a fenced area with internal fenced areas for different sized dogs, ramps for agility and sometimes wading pools. Dogs are allowed to run without leashes inside the fenced area.

Silvers said that the group was requesting from the City a piece of land to establish the park, help with mowing the property and the pickup of waste containers from the property. Assistance with the construction of the fences and play areas would be sought by the group through grants and fundraisers.

Citizen Carol Klingensmith mentioned a few area dog parks, including one in Joplin, Lee’s Summit, and Fayetteville. Photographs were provided showing the features of some of these parks.

The committee has discussed this matter in previous meetings and has mentioned Freer Park at the corner of Centennial and Buena Vista as a possible location for the dog park. The committee agreed that the park is hardly used, and might make a good location. Silvers said she had send out letters to property owners surrounding the park. She said that she had received responses from some of the neighbors opposing the idea and some in favor of the idea.

Committee chairman Claude Newport asked the group how much acreage the group was hoping for. Silvers said that any amount of land between 1 and 5 acres would work for the purpose.

The group said that Freer park was a good location, but if there was opposition they could look for a different area.

City Administrator Tom Short asked if the Joplin dog park was privately owned and if there were any fees for usage. Citizen Glenda Erwin responded that the park in Joplin was privately owned and that some of the tracking and agility programs for the dogs do require a membership fee.

Committee member Dan Rife asked the group to find out if liability insurance was necessary for the possibility of dog fights. Parks Director Alan Bull said he could check with other cities and find out what the standard policies are.

At the City Council meeting Tuesday, Public Services Committee member Larry Ross reported that the research on the dog park will continue. Ross told Council that the committee had urged the citizens to start a petition. The next Public Services meeting is scheduled for September 4.

Stench Report:
Thursday,
8/10/06

Stench detected late Wednesday evening around the square

I’m sure there are those who still feel guilty ‘bout fillin’ the bathtub more than half full. Leavin’ a light on when no one is in the room sets some folks off. The sayin’ "take what ya want but eat what ya take" is ingrained in most from the time they are old enough ta sit at the table.

Then there was the guy who thought the ladies admired his physic because he over heard one say to the other, "Look at him, what a waste."

‘Course common sense does have ta come into play. Runnin’ the last bit of rubber off the tires might end up with a blow out that wastes the whole car. Sometimes those treasures are just junk.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Whew! It certainly has felt like August in Missouri the past few days. This is a great time to drink your healthy green drinks. Among my favorite is the simplest... blend 1/3 bunch of parsley with 1 cup of pineapple juice (preferably from a glass bottle) with some ice and enjoy. The ease of this drink is that you can also add a variety of your other powered supplements and not have to swallow a mornings worth of capsules. The parsley serves as a source of chlorophyll which freshens the body, it is rich drink with lots of natural potassium. Many herbalists have found that it can be used as an alternative to water retention drugs. Pineapple is not only refreshing, but has beneficial properties of it’s own. It is a source of bromelain which is an effective anti-inflammatory and digestive aid. Bromelain is a digestive aid, so definitely go for the glass jars as the taste can be affected by the container. If you cannot deal with the water retention in this hot and humid weather.

There are several powdered green drink available on the market today. You may think yuk! but until you have tried some, don’t discard the idea. It makes it easy to get a good days nutrition and to get vegetable fiber. Our lives are changing and these drink may be come as common as the hamburger, I remember when the first McDonald’s came to Springfield. I bet until then, most people weren’t eating a hamburger a day! Eating habits can and are going to be changed as our times change.

artCentral
Art Notes from Hyde House
by Sally Armstrong, Director of artCentral

This is the last week of our current show, ELEGANT ABSTRACTIONS, which is a group of very large oil and encaustic wax canvases by Kansas City artist Josie Ferrantelle. If you meant to get by and put it off, Friday will be the last day of this show, as we prepare the gallery for the next. The colorful paintings were very well received by our children during artCamp and made for lively discussion!

Welcome to Michael Davidson, the new CARTHAGE PRESS writer who will be covering the arts for the paper. Michael came in today and introduced himself and I know he will be a good addition to local reporting of area arts. I’ve given information to him regarding the upcoming show, and you who are members of artCentral will be getting invitations soon in the mail for this very interesting group of wood sculptures by Mansfield artist Larry Oliver.

Ladies, those of you who may be members of P.E.O. , Larry is the husband of Past State President Virginia Oliver who served Missouri as president 2 years ago. I first saw Larry’s art while staying in their home and remembered how I had admired it when I took this job last winter. Larry usually doesn’t show around here, but agreed as a favor, and I am so glad. I served on the state board with Virginia and the board members all received beautiful sculptures of Larry’s as parting gifts from Ginny that year— how lucky we were! The reception for this show is August 25th beginning at 6:00 to meet the artist and enjoy refreshments and the public is invited. I know Carthage and the area will make a special effort to make this artist feel welcomed!