Today's Feature

Chamber Announces Interim President.

News release

The Carthage Chamber of Commerce announced today that former Carthage Mayor Kenneth Johnson has been appointed to serve as Interim President of the Chamber. The position will be a temporary, part-time role and will give oversight of the Chamber to Johnson who will also deal with several current and ongoing Economic Development projects.

Carthage Chamber of Commerce Vice-Chairman George Earl, who is also Chairman of the Search Committee, stated "We are very excited to announce that Ken has accepted the position of Interim Chamber President." Earl continued, "His knowledge of the city and the many ongoing projects and activities will allow the Chamber to continue to provide economic development services to the City and to maintain the level of service our members expect."

Earl also stated that the Search Committee, appointed to seek a permanent replacement has met and begun reviewing the President’s job description and avenues to take for advertising the position. Additional members of the search committee include Pam Barlet, Bob Hess, Linda Clemons, Bob Williams and Bill Johnson. Earl expects advertising for the vacant position to begin this week in various sources with an expected cut off date to receive applications of September 15.

Marian Days Successful, Hot.

The Marian Days celebration ended this weekend, and according to Carthage Police Chief Dennis Veach the only problems experienced were due to the heat.

Veach said that the celebration drew a typical crowd of between 50,000 and 70,000 people which congregated on the Congregation of the Mother Co-Redemptrix campus on Grand street. No gang-related arrests were made by the department and there were no significant crime issues. At least 25 law enforcement officers are stationed on the grounds around the clock during the event.

"It was a superb event," said Veach.

The weather was hot throughout the event but some days were "brutally hot" according to Veach. No heat-related health issues were reported.

Stench Report:
Monday,
8/7/06

No Stench Reported on Carthage Square

From my understandin’, summer vacation from school was originally put in place so that kids could help out on the farm durin’ the harvest season. ‘Course that was when over 90% of folks ‘round here depended on the land for a livin’. Now that less than 2% of the population lives on workin’ farms, some have suggested keepin’ kids in school year ‘round. There are prob’ly some good arguments for such a set up, real logical type arguments. I figure there are some things that are better learned outside the school settin’. Baseball, fishin’, and bicycle ridin’ for instance. Guess I’m just a traditional guy.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Bulging Disk Doesn’t Always Need Surgery

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My husband has been told he has a bulging disk in his back. What is that? Does he need surgery? The doctor has told him that since his back pain is not all that bad, he should not make any rash decisions about treatment. What do you think he should do? -- T.M.

ANSWER: Disks are shock absorbers interposed between adjacent backbones (vertebrae). They’re about one-quarter the thickness of an individual backbone. Their center is filled with a spongy, gelatinous material that absorbs the many shocks and stresses inflicted on the back.

The outer rim of the disk is a fibrous material. The "bulge" is a protrusion of the inner, gelatinous material through the fibrous outer ring.

Not every bulging disk needs to be repaired. Not every bulging disk causes pain. When one does, 70 percent or more of affected people are free of pain in one month. Your husband’s doctor stands on solid ground when he tells him not to make rash treatment decisions.

Your husband needs some physical therapy for his back, and he needs instructions on how to protect his back.