Today's Feature

MUDSTOCK 2007.

Messy Outside, Clean Inside.

Mudstock, the annual mud obstacle course for kids, will be held Saturday, July 7th from noon to 3:00 p.m. The event is free for Carthage kids ages 9 to 15 and is located behind WalMart. Directional signs will be posted the day of the event.

The obstacle course traditionally includes swings, hills of mud, trenches and many large pits of mud which must be navigated in order to reach the other side. A large fire-hose, historically, is sprayed from a firetruck ladder raised up to the sky, so that children may partially clean themselves prior to re-entering the family car.

A signed permission form is required to attend, as well as a shirt, shorts (or jeans), shoes (no sandals or flip-flops) and socks.

Participant’s shoes are taped to their feet with multiple layers of duct tape, to decrease the chances of shoe-loss in the mud pits. Parents and guardians of kids 12 and under must stay on the grounds.

"Better Your Business" Seminar.

The Carthage Chamber of Commerce will host a "Better Your Business" seminar titled "Marketing Discussions: Price, Product, Placement" on Tuesday, July 10 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Chamber office, 402 S. Garrison Ave.

The lunch-n-learn style seminar will be facilitated by Bernie Johnson, Professor of Marketing/Management at Missouri Southern State University. Through Bernie’s first-hand experience and vast marketing knowledge, seminar attendees will learn how to identify their customer, select their product, and promote their business.

Developed as a quarterly series by the Chamber’s Retail and Small Business Committee, "Better Your Business" seminar topics were derived from the results of the Chamber’s Membership Survey.

The seminar is free of charge and open to the public. Class size is limited to the first 20 reservations. Lunch will be provided. Reservation deadline is Friday, July 6.

For further information about the seminar or other upcoming Chamber events, contact the Chamber office at 358-2373.

I’ve had discussions with several, in business and in city government alike, that argue that the City should be run more like a business. I appreciate that viewpoint because many of the same management techniques and principles apply to both endeavors. There is one major difference in the two operations however.

The overriding principle, and responsibility of business management is to produce a profit. All activity is judged by that criteria. A municipality, on the other hand, exists to serve its citizens. That is its sole criteria and it needs funding to accomplish that, but the gauge of a successful city government is how efficiently it allocates the contribution of funds from the citizens.

Conducting City business requires more than just good business sense.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Natural Nutrition
By Mari An Willis

This has been a very busy season. Many people are complaining of general lack of energy. Stress, heat, improper nutrition and vacations all take their toll. We are a hurry and rush society with me at the head of the pack!!

Spirulina -- a natural food supplement that is easily digestible providing an excellent cross of nutrients and protein. It is commonly found in weight control formulas for its ability to satisfy hunger. Creates internal energy.

Bee Pollen -- strengthens and builds the system. It has been used to make one "buzz" throughout the day. It is rich in amino acids and enzymes-natural energizers. If one has allergies to bee sting, this is not for you. Start in small doses and work up.

Damiana -- has been used to treat those in an exhausted state. Although it has been used to help balance hormones and is often associated with increasing sexual prowess, it is in many energy formulas.

Ginko -- is an adoptogenic herb helping the body to deal with stress thus burning less "stress" energy. It is a gift for the aging as it increases the blood flow to the brain and extremities, improves mental clarity and helps with other blood conditions. Much study has been done on Ginko proving its benefits.

Ginseng -- an old stand-by used by many to overcome stress and weakness. Ginseng is a tonic herb and is best used on a daily basis as it is used in the Orient. In China it is being used as a preventative.

Herbs, being the gift they are, may benefit one and not the other. Kind of like what satisfies one youngster on her birthday, may not please another.

This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. References available by request. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.

artCentral
Art Notes from Hyde House
By Sally Armstrong, Director of artCentral

If you are ready to view some sunny scenes of farms and fields without any rain, you will be pleased with the work we are presenting at artCentral this week, in a new exhibition called, "THE BACK FORTY".

Those of you who are artCentral members got invitations which feature a beautiful scene of Galena, Illinois by the artist, which is the only city scene in the show. We had the opportunity to visit Galena a year ago, and I was not aware of this very quaint and picturesque town on the river in Illinois which is much like Eureka Springs in it’s number of historic buildings, quaint shops and restaurants and attractions, and most importantly to me, artists and galleries--- a truly beautiful town!

Our featured artist, Cathy Martin, is from Prarie du Chien, Wisconsin and has painted some 17 beautiful small oil paintings for this show. Ms Martin has a realistic style, and her subject matter is of rural and nature scenes. Her work is regularly featured at the Tory Folliard Gallery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, along with work of many other artists. This gallery’s artists enjoy national reputations and are represented in major museum collections around the country.

An article about Cathy recently said, "Without any formal training, this artist’s paintings reveal a true intuition through complex detailing and intriguing compositional choices. The realism in her paintings recounts a long history of early mornings on the family farm and a subtle longing for life little changed from generation to generation." Cathy will be present with her husband at our Opening Reception on July 13th at 6:00 and the public is invited to attend, meet the artists, and view the two exhibits in our galleries that evening. This exhibition remains until August 5th.