Today's Feature

One More Step in Back to School Ritual.

News Release from the Jasper County Health Department

It’s time for the back to school ritual, but as parents purchase school supplies and new clothes for their kids, there is one more step they need to take.

Children in Missouri are required to be up-to-date on their immunizations before returning to class. While the majority of a child’s vaccinations will be given by age 2, kids will need several booster shots before entering kindergarten, including vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B and chickenpox.

A child may be exempt from receiving the varicella (chickenpox) vaccination with a statement signed by their parent, guardian or physician indicating the month and the year the child had chickenpox.

Immunity from some childhood vaccines can decrease over time, and adolescents are at greater risk for catching certain diseases. Teens need to get booster shots to be better protected. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends children get booster shots at their 12-year-old check up for tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis and meningitis. In addition, the CDC encourages parents to consider vaccinating their daughters age 9 or older against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which can lead to cervical cancer.

A complete list of vaccinations required before children may enter Missouri child care facilities or schools can be found by visiting the Missouri Department

of Health and Senior Services online at http://www.dhss.mo.gov/Immunizations/schoolREQUIREMENTS.pdf

Students who have recently moved into the area from another state should visit their local public health department or their health care provider for a review of their vaccination record, as requirements may differ from state to state.

The benefits of protecting children against vaccine-preventable disease far outweigh the temporary discomfort of the shots and the low risk of side effects. Not only is the vaccinated children protected against illness, but also others around them are better protected against diseases they won’t be spreading.

I was fortunate that usually, if the act wasn’t intentional, and the explainin’ was exceptional, I’d get by with a stern lecture and maybe less freedom for a while.

The football player was prob’ly the most unusual though. I was watchin’ tv and was plannin’ on goin’ outside to shoot the BB gun. I took careful aim with the weapon and slowly pulled the trigger. Wham! I was impressed with the marksmanship, but totally surprised that the air rifle went off. I had no idea it was cocked. I didn’t do any more shootin’ for a while.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

This Is A Hammer
By Samantha Mazzotta

Homegrown Solution to Hard Water Spots

Q: What can I use to remove hard water spots from a double-pane window? The water spots came from the garden sprinkler. -- Virginia B., via e-mail

A: "Hard" water is generally called such because of the amount of mineral deposits, especially calcium, it contains. It’s common throughout the United States, as groundwater often runs through sections of the earth containing limestone, chalk or similar minerals. Magnesium, iron and other minerals are also typically present in hard water.

Well water -- from which some sprinkler systems draw their water -- can contain much higher levels of minerals than municipal water, which has reduced mineral content due to the treatment process. Because the most common issue with hard water is the buildup of mineral scale on surfaces over time, homeowners using well-water-fed sprinkler systems should check the sprinkler heads throughout the watering season to keep scale from clogging the nozzles.

Which leads us, sort of, back to hard water spots on windows. These also can occur with nagging frequency and are difficult to clean off; mineral salts adhere to the glass quite easily. And depending on the mineral, store-bought window cleaners may not have any effect and can be counterproductive.

A homegrown solution that may work is to apply a thin coat of oil (lemon oil or even vegetable or olive oil) to the glass and let it sit for about an hour. The oil can soften the mineral scale and help lift it away from the glass. Then, make a thick paste of water and cornstarch (or baking soda) and dab on with a soft cloth or toothbrush, cleaning one section at a time in a circular motion.

Clean the entire windowpane with warm water and mild dish soap and check for remaining water spots; spot-clean with the paste and toothbrush and rinse. Once all the spots are gone, use an ammonia-based window cleaner to finish.

HOME TIP: Using commercial window cleaners on hard water spots can be counterproductive. Look for nonabrasive products specializing in removing mineral buildup from glass and tile.