Today's Feature

Groundbreaking for High School.

News release

A groundbreaking for the new Carthage High School will be held on Friday, January 19, 2007, at 3:30 p.m. The ceremony will be held on the north half of the eighty acres where the building will be constructed, east of River Street and the Fair Acres Family Y Sports Complex, between Airport Drive and Fir Road. Three parking areas are suggested:

1. Onsite, via access off River Street just south of George Phelps Boulevard, or at the south end of Pearl Street (weather permitting)

2. Along George Phelps Boulevard

3. Along Pearl Street

The project is being designed and managed by Hight Jackson Associates, an architectural firm based in Rogers, Arkansas. The new high school will be a two-story, 241,000 square foot building, constructed of tilt-up concrete walls in Carthage colors of blue and gray. The facility will contain 68 classrooms; a two-story atrium area near the front entrance that will house the cafeteria and provide space for large group meetings, performances, and other activities; a gymnasium with seating for over 2,000; a state of the art media center located in the building classroom core, featuring the latest in computer and electronic media; parking for 800 vehicles; and outdoor activity space. An auxiliary gym and a "black box" may be included in the initial phase of construction if bids come in under budget.

A $30,000,000 bond issue to fund this project was approved by voters in April 2006. The new high school is scheduled to open in January of 2009 and will house up to 1,500 students in grades 9-12. All building grade levels will be re-configured in August of 2009, which will relieve overcrowding throughout the Carthage R-9 School District. The eighty-acre tract of land provides additional space for future construction of a new technical center, expansion of the high school as student enrollment increases, and eventual development of onsite athletic fields.

The public and students are encouraged to attend this long-awaited event.

In case of inclement weather, the groundbreaking will be rescheduled on Friday, January 26, at 3:30 p.m.

Stench Report:

Tuesday,
1/16/07

No Stench Detected on Carthage Square

I’ve seen various suggestions as to how to break a dog from the chase. The most effective is ta drive by the house (assumin’ it’s your dog) with a bucket a water and dump it on the dog in the middle of the chase.

‘Course nowadays this advice must come with the caution that hangin’ out the window with a bucket of water could be hazardous to your health.

You should also take care not to attempt the feat durin’ a day when it’s below freezin’ outside. Might clobber the dog with a huge ice cube.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

• "Try soaking an ink stain in rubbing alcohol for a few minutes before putting the garment in the wash." (Test first on a scrap.) -- B.D. in Virginia

• "Now is a great time to check your cell-phone plan: Most people don’t use even half of the available minutes of their current plan. You might be able to downsize your plan and save $10 or more per month. I did." -- S.L. in New York

• Use wallpaper to cover assorted storage boxes to create a cohesive storage look for less. You can recycle shoeboxes, and even leftover gift boxes from the holidays. If you don’t have any boxes, corrugated cardboard boxes of all sizes are inexpensive when compared with the specialty storage boxes some stores sell.

• Don’t just move dust around with that feather duster. Reserve it for dusting delicate items in a designated space (outdoors, preferably). Get a microfiber cleaning cloth instead. It catches dust and holds it.

• Five ways to keep yourself from turning up the thermostat this winter: Put on a sweater; have a nice bowl of soup or stew; wear slippers or thick non-skid socks; grab a comfy blanket; snuggle up with someone special.

• "If you bathe in a tub, try rubbing on bath oil before getting in the tub. You will get greater coverage and more moisturizing power from your bath oil. And at this time of year, who doesn’t need that?" -- M.E. in Washington