Today's Feature

Council Meets Tomorrow.

The Carthage City Council will meet tomorrow at 7:30 in the Council Chambers of City Hall. The meeting was changed from its regular date due to the holidays.

Items on the agenda include the second reading of an ordinance approving a settlement agreement with US Cellular and assigning a percentage of the settlement proceeds to the Missouri Municipal League, for their assistance in the lawsuit.

The Council is also scheduled to hear the second reading of an ordinance entering into an agreement with Skip Kincaid and Associates for a comprehensive tree inventory of all trees in City parks, and the second reading of an ordinance authorizing the agreement with Pam Sturgeon for the continued use of the pavilion in Municipal Park as a skating rink.

Clean Up Reminder.

The City Council last week approved a contract with J&R Disaster Services for the cleanup of fallen branches beginning January 2 and ending February 1. Limbs will be collected only from the City right-of-way, directly behind the curbline. More information will be released as it is received.

Mostly it leaves ya with the feelin’ that there’s not much you can do about it either way.

Maybe it’s just me, but ever’one seems a little edgy. I’m sure some of it is just tryin’ ta get over the hubbub of Christmas. Some of it’s figurin’ out if they really want to go to that New Year’s eve party or not.

Prob’ly it’s mostly just tryin’ ta get through the week so things can go back to routine.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Here's A Tip
By JoAnn Derson

Last month I asked readers to share their holiday traditions. Here are some responses.

• "Some of my best memories come from baking Christmas cookies. We used to pick our favorite recipe to make with Granny on Christmas Eve, then we’d set out those cookies for Santa. It was very special. I still do this with my grandchildren." -- C.C. in Indiana

• "This is a tradition that I enjoyed as a child and that my husband and I enjoy even more as parents. Growing up, we’d wake up Christmas morning with a present at the foot of our beds. It was magical to wake up to a part of Christmas right there in the room. We still do this today, usually tucking the gift we think our kids will enjoy best or are anticipating the most at the foot of their beds." -- T.C., via e-mail

• "Hi, JoAnn. My sister lived in Pennsylvania when we lived in California. Every year, we’d send ‘auntie’ a scrapbook of our little girl’s ‘stuff’ for Christmas. For example, a letter from our daughter to her aunt, photos, artwork, schoolwork (A’s, of course), an annual interview (of favorite things, just like she was a pop star). The scrapbooks were fun to make, and my sister loved seeing her niece grow. Eventually she gave them back to her. Thanks!" -- M. Smith in Washington

• "When we were kids, we woke up very early on Christmas morning. Our parents allowed us to get our stockings only and bring them to our beds to open up the goodies inside. We’d hang out in our bedroom with the stocking stuffers until the carols came on, which told us that it was time to come out and open Santa’s presents!" -- A.J.A. in North Carolina

• "A Christmas tradition that my husband’s dad started and that we really like and plan to continue when our son is born is ‘Book Claus.’ On Christmas Eve, everyone gets to open a book from Book Claus. We value reading and books, and this is one more way we can demonstrate that to our kids. In addition, it lets kids have something to open on Christmas Eve, which makes the wait till the big bonanza of Christmas morning a little easier for them." -- The Millers in Florida