Boylan Grant for Park Equipment.

Carthage Park Board President Paul Boutte announced yesterday afternoon that the Boylan foundation has generously granted funds to completely renovate the playground equipment at Municipal Park.

"Results of the recent Park Usage Survey indicated this was a major concern of the community," stated Mr. Boutte. "The Boylan Foundation Grant will allow the Park Board to quickly address this concern."

According to Boutte, this grant demonstrates the Boylan Foundation’s continued commitment to the Citizens of Carthage and the Park Board. Previous grants were used to renovate rest rooms and the bandstand at Central Park. The foundation has also funded playground equipment for Central and Grigg’s Parks.

Alan Bull, Park Administrator, noted that Municipal Park is the largest and busiest park.

"With this grant," notes Bull, "we will be able to provide children with a safer and more attractive play environment."

The plans include moving and renovating some of the existing equipment along with purchasing new pieces.

Inspection Fees Considered.

The Public Works Committee is considering a recommendation by the Engineering Department for a four hundred percent increase in the amount of Plumbing Permit Fees.

According to Assistant to the City Engineer Joe Butler, the one dollar fee currently charged has remained unchanged for thirty years.

"We are suggesting that they be at least five dollars apiece," Butler told the Committee. He said a meeting with City Attorney David Dally has been scheduled to make sure there was not a problem with the Hancock Amendment. Fees can usually be increased if it to cover costs for providing a service.

"Under normal circumstances," said Butler, "that would be fifteen dollars for a new house. We think it’s fair. We’re still way under what some cities charge."

Butler said the five dollars would barely cover the cost of filling out the paperwork for an inspection.

"It doesn’t cover the cost of sending an inspector out to the work site," said City Engineer Steve Lett. Typically three trips to the construction site are required.

Butler also recommended that the rates be reviewed more frequently that every thirty years.

Committee Chair Bill Fortune agreed.

"This looks like a good initial step," said Fortune, "then we can review it every few years and see how it’s going."

Council member Lujene Clark, who is not a member of the committee but was in attendance, asked about the electrical inspection fees charged to the City by CW&EP. Butler said he had only recently become aware that the City was being charged. The City has not been passing those charges on to the builder.

City Engineer felt the most efficient method might be for CW&EP to invoice the builder directly rather than routing the bill to the City.

Committee member Jackie Boyer asked that City Administrator Tom Short report back to the Committee with information concerning the electrical inspection policy.

In other business, Boyer requested that the Committee look into what would be painted on the two new water towers currently being constructed.

"You can see that south tower from I-44 practically," said Boyer. "We’re paying eight or nine thousand dollars a year of our tourism dollars for roadside bill boards, this is ours."

Now don’t get me wrong, I think ever’one should get out and vote and get involved in campaigns as much as the next guy. Well, almost as much, apparently.

The proposition that not voting would soon bring about some type of tyranny that would include bein’ shackled in laboring chain gangs goes a little further than most would expect in an evenin’ editorial.

Somehow I expect to see the positive aspects of excersisin’ the right to vote. Bringin’ about a peaceful change in an orderly fashion type of message. Contributing to the betterment of mankind soundin’ sermon. I never figured to be readin’ predictions from a Mad Max movie when I happen on a local paper.

Maybe I’m just not in tune with the pulse of the community, but the world I live in doesn’t see any immediate threat of citizens bein’ rounded up turned into "slaves."

This is some fact, but mostly, Just Jake Talkin’

 

by

Oak Street health & herbs

Natural Nutrition.

by Mari An Willis

There was that perfect day early last week, although it seems an age ago, when the sun came up and shined all day until sunset. I am personally ready for some more of those days. Have had to increase my Vitamin D intake.

Dr. Julian Whitaker, one of the leaders in the preventative medicine movement had an interesting article regarding the usage of selenium. Simple mineral ... major importance. It appears that the evidence supporting the usage of selenium in the prevention of cancer is significant. So much so that the Journal of American Medical Association (December 25, 1996) suggested that it may reduce the chances as much as 50%. "This study was the culmination of almost 40 years of research supporting unequivocally the cancer-preventing aspects of this unique mineral."*

Selenium has antioxidant properties. It appears in higher levels to facilitate the quick repair of free radical damage to the DNA molecule. And its most dramatic property seems to be that it causes "cell death in cancerous and precancerous cells."

Those are pretty powerful properties. It appears to me that selenium is a lot less caustic than many choices for the prevention or treatment of cancer. That is one of the odd things about preventative medicine. Often people are looking for something dramatic when what we see is just the continuation of good health. That is the goal. If selenium can even help a little in the fight against cancer, what is the problem with taking a supplement and making the information public knowledge? These are the kinds of prevention I am always looking for...simple and inexpensive!

Keep smiling! That in itself is free, easy and very healing.

ARCHIVES Index