Today's Feature

A Normal Busy Weekend.

The "Free Ride Into the New Year" is a service offered by the City of Carthage and the Carthage Police Department each year on New Year’s Eve allowing people a free taxi ride from anywhere in Carthage to anywhere in Carthage with no questions asked.

This year four people utilized the service. Police Chief Dennis Veach said that those four felt compelled not to drive, and that is why the service is offered.

"It only takes one," said Veach, about the danger of drunk drivers.

Veach said that the weekend was not extraordinarily hectic, calling it a "normal busy weekend."

"Freedom From Smoking" Course.

McCune-Brooks Hospital will hold a "Freedom From Smoking" class beginning on January 11 in. The eight week course provides a complete plan to prepare to quit smoking, helps set a quit date and provides techniques for coping with urges to smoke and the various stresses of quitting. The cost for the cessation program is normally $65, $50 when a friend enters as well. Call 359-2452 or 359-2432 for more information or to sign up.

Stench Report:

Tuesday,
1/2/07

No Stench Detected on Carthage Square

Although there is prob’ly some who loose ‘memberin’ capacity as the years go by, I’m more inclined to believe as ya get older, you’re just more picky as ta what ya store in the brain.

I’ve heard ya only use about 10% of our grey matter. Maybe the longer ya live, the less room ya have for stuff that isn’t really important to ya. Most folks have some really good memories tucked away that takes up precious head room. Plus, as we mature, we are better able to distinguish what we should remember and what isn’t really worth the effort. I’m sure there was a point to all this, but I lost it.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

• Sale items for January: Still on sale are overstock Christmas or holiday items, sports equipment, gym memberships, furniture, bed and bath linens and computers and electronics.

• "To keep light bulbs from sticking in the socket, apply petroleum jelly to the base of the bulb before screwing it into the fixture." -- B.D. in Virginia

• "After the rush of the holidays, our family has a little tradition of its own. We reserve one night to watch all our home movies from the season. We usually end up watching some of the other years’ too. And our son has become a whiz at putting together slideshows on DVD of digital pictures, so we look forward to the first of many photo slideshows to add to the night’s entertainment." -- Y.K. in Alabama

• To make your own special flavor of coffee creamer, use a pint of fat-free or low-fat half and half and add the extract or spices of your choice. Some ideas: peppermint extract, chocolate syrup, almond extract, cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla extract.

• "A shirt that I love has sleeves with ribbon ties at the end. The ribbon is silky and invariably unties -- even with a double knot. My mother came to visit and came up with a wonderful solution. She tied the ends in a nice, even bow and then put a stitch through the whole thing. It never comes untied now, and it looks great!" -- A.L. in Colorado

• When taking down holiday lights outdoors, remember to use the buddy system for safety. No one should be up on a ladder without a second person watching out for him or her. Also, don’t overreach. The few minutes spent repositioning a ladder are better than the hours you might spend in an emergency room.