Today's Feature

Extension of Tax on Ballot.

A special election will be held next week, on Tuesday, November 6 for the extension of the Jasper County Road and Bridge tax. The ballot reads;

"Shall the County of Jasper extend the County wide sales tax approved by voters November 1986, April 1992, and November 1997, in the amount of 1/4 or 1% for a period of ten (10) years? Said tax to be used for roads and bridges."

The item would not add any new taxes, but rather extend a current tax . Information from Jasper County officials states that the tax will generate approximately $3.9 million dollars each year.

The County has 233 bridges, which are inspected by a certified engineer every two years. 32 of those bridges have deficient ratings. These bridges were built between 1910 and 1970 and the County recommends replacing them.

Projections estimate that the County will spend $2.8 million on bridges and culverts in 2008. Jasper County has 940 miles of road that it maintains.

The Carthage City Council recently approved a resolution supporting the extension of the tax.

It’s not even that I mind winter that much. A good crisp mornin’ with the sun shinin’ is always good ta wake up to. It’s the long periods of no natural light that I oppose.

There is some comfort in the fact that by the time we "fall back" it is a short time to December 21 when the sun begins taking back the days, gradually gaining the minutes of sunshine ahead of the dark.

There’s nothin’ like wakin’ up an hour early for a couple a weeks to really get your attitude adjusted.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Natural Nutrition
By Mari An Willis

Relief will come with the first frost to many who suffer from allergies. That is great if you have pinpointed your allergies and know that it is from the leaves, grasses or other pollens; but, what if it is from the food you eat? Often times one may think there is an airborne allergen when it is actually something you have put in your body. Recently a customer shared that both she and her sister had been noticing that their noses got stuffed up after breakfast. They decided to eliminate the milk and no more stuffed up noses. She has also noted that the bloating she was feeling has disappeared too.

According to researchers two of the most common allergens in children are wheat and dairy. Sometimes the symptoms are subtle, but if you pay attention they may be there. Dairy frequently causes a lot of mucus or sudden bowel movements. In my daughter, the allergy showed up in her ears and we thought she had infections and treated her as such. Wrong. Once I removed the dairy, the "infections" went away. Now wheat, that is somewhat more difficult with bread being a staple in the diet. There are, however, other grain breads available and rice pastas etc. I know and individual who has come up with some interesting recipes and continues to thrive on the challenge of finding good stuff to eat. It makes sense that if one has lived on certain items for some time that an allergy may occur. We have a "threshold" of tolerance and once we cross that, well, we are on the other side or the intolerance side.

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

I have been driving around the state of Missouri this fall due to an obligation to another organization of which I am a board member, and while doing so I have kept my eye out for interesting art galleries and studios. While in the city of Charleston a week ago I visited in a downtown gallery called THE RED GERANIUM & MAIN STREET GALLERY, which is home to artist Glenda Manche. Glenda and her husband own a large building on the main drag downtown, and it is part studio, part gallery and part special event room, to be rented for dinners and parties. Her art was everywhere! The mediums she uses include collage, oil, and watercolor, and she is quite prolific in that she had paintings stacked and hanging everywhere I looked. I was especially impressed with a large collection of Christmas themed paintings including tiny oil paintings of Santa heads, Magi scenes, and old fashioned carolers. Her florals in watercolor were quite good as well as a giant watercolor of a perched bluebird that I admired. I took literature away and asked if she would be interested in having a show at artCentral in Carthage in 2008 and she is interested, so look forward to seeing some of this lady’s very colorful and vibrant work next year. I may include a workshop by her as well, as she does these quite often in addition to her change of show each month and first Saturday openings. Her work seems to be well accepted by the small community of Charleston, as she had several commissions going of family groups, prize hunting dogs, and children. As the former Post-mistress, Glenda did not come to Charleston as an artist primarily, but has stayed since her retirement and concentrated on her art. She is quite a character, and I know having her come to southwest Missouri will be a delight! There are artists lurking in all small towns if you care to look for them, and she is a great example of one doing art for art’s sake.