Today's Feature

Powers Museum Lakeside Program.

News release

The Powers Museum announces its new program schedule that will highlight at least one public presentation every month throughout 2006. Beginning even before the museum re-opens at its 1617 West Oak facility in Carthage in mid-March, the museum will be hosting a special program and sharing session devoted to Lakeside Park, Saturday, February 25 at 1:00 p.m. at the Carthage Public Library Annex building at 6th and Garrison. The program is free and open to the public.

Ashley Taylor, Missouri Southern State University student, will present her research on Lakeside Park that was conducted for a special US Environmental History class taught by MSSU History Professor Dr. Larry Cebula in the spring of 2005. The class focused on the Spring River watershed and various issues related to the area’s water resources like recreation. Ms. Taylor will share her research and pictures collected during the project. She has requested those attending who have images or souvenirs of Lakeside to bring them for sharing, too. Anyone with remembrances or family oral histories on Lakeside are encouraged to participate as well. If owners permit, the Powers Museum will scan items brought to the program for inclusion in its Lakeside Park vertical files.

In addition to Ms. Taylor, Powers Museum Director/Curator Michele Hansford will be on hand to introduce the other programs in the series and pass out flyers for future reference. In honor of Women’s History Month in March, retired Crowder College English Professor Glenna Wallace will reprise her "Heartland Chautauqua" portrayal of Mary Elizabeth Lease that was given during last summer’s Chautauqua in Diamond MO. Mrs. Lease was associated with the Populist movement as well as temperance and suffrage campaigns.

For further information on the February program or others in the series call the Powers Museum, 417-358-2667 or email pmuseum@ecarthage.com. The entire museum schedule for 2006 can be seen at www.powersmuseum.com/schedule/schedule.html

Stench Report:
Tuesday,
2/21/06

No Stench Detected..

The school yard was almost two square blocks, so there was always plenty a room. It had the only baseball field in town until they built the one over by the high school. Even put up lights. ‘Course that was a little over two blocks away. Even at that distance, it was hard to convince the folks a car was needed to get back and forth ta school. Had ta walk that stretch most of the time too.

I suppose that’s why I always wanted to live on a farm. Those kids got ta drive the pick-up into town. Most hauled a set a plow shears in the back. That way they could drive with a restricted license cause they were always on "agricultural errand".

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

• "Tired of fighting to make the bits of paper from your shredder fit into your trash bag? Next time you empty the collection basket, line it with a trash bag -- it’s much easier!" -- M.W. in Florida

• "If you are out of anti-static and/or fabric-softener sheets, you’ll find that a sheet of waxed paper can take its place." -- D.H.M. in New York

• Several readers wrote in to point out a flaw in "B.K. in Florida’s" thinking when leaving a set of keys for guests with an attached map and address. Beware, they said, for if the keys were ever lost, a thief would have directions to your house along with the key. Thanks for all the write-ins. One reader, M.R. in Washington, offered a helpful suggestion: "Instead, use a friend or neighbor’s address. They’ll know how to find you, and the keys won’t work at their house."

• If your sneakers are smelly, try this: Stick a sheet of fabric softener in each one. Let them set overnight, and most of the time the smell will be out by morning. Of course, you should rotate your tennies to help them "breathe," since wearing the same shoes day after day can foster bacteria growth -- meaning your sneaks will really stink.

• "To get sheets and towels to dry faster, try adding a tennis ball to the dryer. It bounces around inside the drum while the cycle is going, and breaks up large items that tend to crumple into a ball." -- C.L. in Illinois

• "Keep your frosting looking glossy by giving your cake a little fluff -- with a hair dryer -- before guests come over. If your frosting fades and looks dull, just give the whole cake a one-minute once-over, holding the hair dryer about 5-7 inches away from the frosting and set on high. It will soften up the frosting and leave it looking like you just made the cake." -- R.L. in California