Today's Feature

Carthage R-9 Enrollment.

School will begin on Thursday, August 16 for grades kindergarten through 12 in the Carthage R-9 School District.

Elementary students (K-6) who are new to the Carthage R-9 School District should enroll at the school they will be attending on Wednesday, August 1 or Thursday, August 2 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Children who are five years of age before August 1 are eligible to enroll for kindergarten. Students/parents should provide proof of age, which may be a birth certificate or hospital record showing date of birth.

Seventh grade students who have not previously enrolled should enroll Wednesday, August 1 at 9:00 a.m. Eighth grade students who have not previously enrolled should do so Thursday, August 2 from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Enrollment for new Ninth grade students will also be held August 2 from 1:00 p.m. till 3:00 p.m.

Seventh grade students who enrolled in spring should pick up schedules and locker assignments Wednesday, August 8 between 9:00 a.m. and 12 noon. Eighth grade students who enrolled in the spring should pick up schedules and locker assignments Thursday, August 9 between 9:00 a.m. and 12 noon. Ninth grade students who enrolled in spring should pick up schedules and locker assignments on Thursday, August 9 between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Senior high students who have not previously enrolled should select their classes and complete schedules on August 1 or August 2, from 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon or 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Seniors who enrolled in spring should pick up their schedules and locker assignments Wednesday, August 8 from 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon or 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the assistant principal’s office. Juniors should do the same on Thursday, August 9, and Sophomores on Monday, August 13 at 6:30 p.m.

Information requested for enrollment in the Carthage R-9 School District includes; student’s birth certificate, immunization records, proof of residency, last year’s report card or other proof of grade placement, present address and phone number, parent or guardian’s place of employment and work number, emergency contact person, doctor’s name and phone number and student’s social security number. Students planning to drive to school should register their licence plate number and may secure a parking sticker to park in the student lots. Parking stickers are not required if the student wishes to park on the street. The stickers cost $1.00.

Columbian, Fairview, Mark Twain, Pleasant Valley and Steadley Elementary open house will be held on August 14 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Junior High orientation (7th grade) will be held August 14 at 6:45 and open house will be held at 7:15. Carthage Senior High sophomore orientation will be held August 13 at 6:30. Open house for grades 10-12 will be held October 25 at 6:00 p.m. You-Turn Academy open house will be held August 14 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

One of the most misquoted sayin’s is that money is the root of all evil. The actual quote says that the love of money is the root of all evil. Money in itself ain’t a bad thing.

Had a friend that said money didn’t mean a thing to him. He could get along just fine without it. But he said it was those folks down at the grocery store and the people at the gas station, they were the ones that were so concerned about him havin’ money.

Then there’s the old line "I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. Rich is better." I suppose most of us will have to take that as a given, not havin’ been concerned with the full spectrum of that experience.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

This Is A Hammer
By Samantha Mazzotta

Compression Fittings Are Solder Alternative

Q: Last weekend, I had a bit of a plumbing problem. I was changing out the fill valve on the upstairs toilet and discovered the former owner had run solid copper pipe all the way up to the bottom of the toilet tank, then melted the plastic screw of the fill valve to fit the connection! And of course, there’s no shutoff valve to the toilet, so I had to shut off water to the entire upstairs.

The folks at the home-improvement store told me how to replace part of the copper pipe with a flexible connection, and also sold me a shutoff valve with a compression fitting that should connect the copper pipe to the flexible pipe. I cut the copper pipe off at the measured spot but cannot get the compression ring to fit, even though it is supposedly one-half inch, just like the pipe diameter. Any suggestions? I’m tired of walking downstairs to shower! -- Confused in Connecticut

A: You will need to apply a little more elbow grease, and a little actual grease, to get the compression ring to slide onto the pipe.

Compression fittings are really convenient plumbing accessories that suit the DIYer quite well. Most often used to connect pipes in locations where soldering is impractical or unsafe, these fittings -- either valves or connectors -- use a compression system to ensure a tight fit. On each side of the pipes to be connected, a metal ring is slipped on about one-quarter to one-half inch. The end of the pipe is inserted into the fitting. A compression nut (slipped onto the pipe before the ring) pushes the ring against the edge of the fitting as it is screwed on, sealing the pipe end.

The compression ring is a hair’s breath wider than the pipe diameter, so any issue with the pipe -- warping, mineral buildup, etc. -- will prevent it from sliding on. If the pipe is not bent or damaged, try polishing the outside using super-fine steel wool. Put a drop of penetrating oil inside the compression ring to help it slide on more easily.

Additionally, for a compression fitting to work, the edge of the pipe needs to be smooth and free of burrs. The smooth edge presses inside the compression fitting, creating an additional seal.

HOME TIP: Compression fittings can offer a safe and convenient alternative to soldered fittings, but they are not always completely compatible with older plumbing hardware.