Last Council Meet for 1999.

The agenda for tonight’s regular City Council meeting contains no new business. A proposed clarification of the existing ban on vendors selling goods on public streets has been delayed until the next meeting.

Six items are scheduled for second reading and a vote during the last meeting of the year. Included is a Council bill that would authorize an additional contract with Main Street Carthage that will require an appropriation of $10,000 from the general fund reserves. The Council Budget Committee met recently with representatives of the organization and agreed to recommend the adjustment with the understanding that some funding for Main Street, authorized under another contract, will not be used. Total funding for Main Street projects for the year will be less than authorized at the beginning of the fiscal year.

Also scheduled for second reading is a bill that would authorize an agreement with R.J. Wood for an appraisal of property for the proposed new airport. The contract calls for a completion of the appraisal within 45 days. A similar contract with Hunter Appraisals of Joplin was terminated.

Commentary

Martin "Bubs" Hohulin

State Representative, District 126

I hope you either have or had a Merry Christmas, depending on when you read this. At the risk of getting the ACLU all riled up, remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas is the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in everything else and forget that is why we celebrate the Season.

To get to some unfinished business, a couple weeks ago I wrote about the refusal of Sen. Jet Banks to resign from the Senate following his felony guilty plea. He has since resigned. It would appear, in exchange for a very light sentence. That means the Senate is now split 17 democrats, 16 republicans, and 1 vacancy.

Within a week, Gov. Mel Carnahan called a special election to fill the vacancy. While I applaud the quickness with which he acted, I am curious why this seat was treated differently from one over in St. Louis County.

Actually, I am being facetious, I know the answer. You see, the seat being vacated by Banks is in a predominantly democratic area and the chances of electing another democrat are quite high.

This is of vital importance to Gov. Carnahan since it takes 18 votes to control the Senate. Therefore, speed is of the essence since the Session starts in just a couple weeks.

On the other hand, the seat in St. Louis County that was vacated when the legislator from that district died was predominantly republican.

The chances of electing another republican was quite high. With the numbers being as close as they are, one vote can make a big difference. So, even though there was over 1 =BD years left on a 2 year term, Gov. Carnahan refused to call a special election and left that seat vacant just because he didn’t want to take the chance of some of his liberal proposals getting voted down by one vote.

That meant that the citizens of that district were without representation for almost 2 years, thanks to Gov. Carnahan. The citizens of the newly vacated Senate district will be without representation for about 10 weeks.

What is the difference between a republican and a democrat? According to Gov. Carnahan, about 15 months.

As usual, I can be reached at House Post Office, State Capitol, Jefferson City, MO 65101, or 1-800-878-7126, or mhohulin@services.state.mo.us for your questions, comments, or advice.

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Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

As is typical I suppose, I heard a few stories from various relatives over the Christmas get togethers. Mainly things that happened in an earlier time.

A lot of these seem to revolve around automobile excursions here or there. Trips over the holidays start the conversation, but they quickly move into any trip that was noteworthy. ‘Course these expand the topic to the various vehicles that were involved at the time. The year and color of the car seem to focus the image of those memories to some extent. Even to the point of whether that particular brand of automobile was reliable or not.

Details of little consequence except for the renewal of the family’s collective memory, a big part of the Christmas spirit.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

McCune Brooks Hospital

Health Notes

Hundreds of Americans are injured by (champagne) corks every year. The corks are just small enough and hard enough to pass by the facial bones that protect our eyes. The sudden impact can cause painful surface and interior injuries to the eye. A cold bottle is less likely to pop unexpectedly.

After removing the foil over the cork, carefully remove the wire hood while HOLDING THE CORK DOWN with the palm of your hand. Point the bottle away from yourself and others. Place a towel over the entire top and tilt the bottle at a 45-degree angle. Grasp the cork, slowly and firmly twisting it to break the seal. If the cork is stubborn, place the bottle under cool running tap water for about 20 seconds, then twist.

Keeping the bottle at a 45-degree angle, hold it firmly with one hand, using the other to slowly turn the cork with a slight upward pull. Do this until the cork is almost out of the neck. Counter the force of the cork by using slight downward pressure just as the cork breaks free of the bottle. While this technique softens the traditional pop, because the pressure within the bottle is released gradually, the bubbles may last longer in the glass. If an accident should occur, don’t try to treat it yourself or wait to see a doctor. Dr. Monica says, "If you are hit close to or directly on your eye, go to an emergency room or call an ophthalmologist immediately."