Today's Feature

Benefit Rummage Sale.

The Carthage Spare Cat Rescue will hold a rummage sale November 4th. Spare Cat Rescue was founded by several friends who have spent their lifetimes rescuing cats from the streets and from local shelters with the sole intention of helping them find a new loving home.

According to a news release from Spare Cat Rescue, all of the proceeds from the rummage sale will go to the animals. Proceeds from the Rummage sale will benefit three different causes; In Grace’s Honor - Bottle Baby fund, In Chloe’s Honor - Spay/Neuter Benefit Spay/Neuter Funds for High Risk Kitties in our community and In Sterling’s Honor - Sterling’s Medical Fund.

Donation items are sought by Spare Cat Rescue for the rummage sale. Needed items include Furniture, Dressers, Night stands, Beds, Couches, Chairs, Coats, mittens, Clothes -Very Clean, Household items, Gift Items to sell with Christmas time approaching, Tools, Fishing, hunting (no guns please), Anything that is safe, legal and clean. Pet Items like beds, Crates, carriers, food bowls, dog houses that are new looking and nice or even clean stained or torn. Spare Cat rescue is also accepting rugs, baby blankets, place mats, sheets and blankets to make cat pads and dog crate pads for the animals to keep warm in the winter.

Spare Cat Rescue receives 98% of its pets from shelters where they were scheduled to be put down due to overcrowding or injuries. A small percentage of adoptables come from parking lots, highways or other places where previous owners have abandoned them. Cats who have a great chance of getting adopted through traditional shelters are not taken by Spare Cat Rescue. Adoption fees range from $40 to $60, regardless of the amount of money spent getting the cats healthy.

For more information about the Spare Cat Rescue, call (417) 359-5893. Donation items may be dropped at 328 N. Francis St. on the front porch. The location of the rummabe sale will be announced in a future Mornin’ Mail.

Stench Report:

Friday,
10/20/06

No Stench detected on the
Carthage Square

Give me a break. I can just see the petroleum industry tryin’ to get by with this thinkin’. Oh, we’re only givin’ ya three-fourth’s of a gallon, but you’ll still go just as far. Sure.

At least a coffee can is just big enough ta hold what’s actually in it though. Not like those huge bags of potato chips blown up with air like a hot air balloon.

By the way, who decides when an egg is medium? Shouldn’t there be a small, medium, large and extra large?

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Try These Tips to Lower Your Electric Bill

Q: I was reviewing my electric-bill charges, and I found that my kilowatt-hour usage was much higher over the past two winters than I remember from earlier years. How is this possible, when I haven’t installed any new appliances or heating systems, or increased my average electric usage (as far as I’m aware)? How can I lower the amount of electricity I’m using, especially considering prices these days? -- Dan in Minneapolis

A: The first thing to do is contact your electric company and explain your findings. The customer-service representative might have some immediate suggestions for you in regard to finding a source of the increased usage.

You can perform a quick check of the meter, on your own, to see if power is being siphoned off -- unlikely, but possible. Turn off all power at the circuit box, wait five minutes and check the meter. If it continues to turn, power is still being drawn for some reason. Contact the electric company immediately to have a technician investigate.

Another option is to take advantage of the free or low-cost energy audit that electric companies offer. The company either will send you an audit kit, or send a technician. This is a great, inexpensive way to find areas where heat is being lost. Because you have owned this home for several years, there’s a possibility that insulation and weatherstripping have been damaged or are breaking down.

Common areas for air leaks include small gaps around joists, sills and windows, which can appear after several years due to the natural settling of the foundation and constant expansion and contraction of building materials through the seasons. Dryer and bath vents, as well as fireplace dampers, are culprits, too. Wall outlets are not always insulated and can be a source of heat loss; insulating pads can be installed behind the plates.

Attic insulation should be somewhat lofty, not compressed tightly (if you’re not certain, write down the rating on the backing paper and look at a new sample at the hardware store for comparison); it should also be properly rated for your insulation zone. And check weatherstripping around windows and doors for deterioration.

HOME TIP: Fiberglass insulation can irritate the skin; if you come in contact with the insulation, remove any fibers by gently patting the affected skin with a piece of duct tape.