Mayor Asks For Natural Consideration.

Carthage Mayor Kenneth Johnson has put Carthage in the race for consideration by the Missouri Department of Conservation for a nature center in the City. There has been some discussion by various groups in Joplin for the proposed development.

"I believe that Carthage has the natural resource to accommodate a nature center," Johnson stated in a letter to the Department Director Jerry Conley dated October 20.

"A nature center would naturally fit in with our overall vision for the area," said Johnson.

Johnson ask for a meeting with Conley to determine the specifics of the requirements on the part of the City in pursuing the matter.

The City Council authorized the Mayor to make the request during its last regular meeting.

The Mayor mentioned the Battle of Carthage State Park and Kellogg Lake as possible sites for the nature center.

Halloween Fun Downtown.

news release

Main Street Carthage has announced tentative plans for Halloween Fun Downtown on the square. This year's committee includes Renay Minshew, Marlo Miller and Lora Wacker.

Several activities are planned, i.e., pet costume and pumpkin decorating contests along with the traditional costume contest for for adults and children alike. We are happy to have our storyteller, hayrides, a magician and Mike Morgan Photography returning.

Thank you to just a few of our sponsors: Jackson Tire, Central Pet Care, Hometown Bank, Bob Brown Insurance, UMB, and The Carthage Press. Carthage Hardware will be giving away a bicycle to one lucky winner. Volunteers from George Washington Carver Park will be having Old Tyme Games & Toys and the YMCA will be there with a gymnastics exhibition.

Make plans to be on the square Saturday, October 30th from 1-5 p.m. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For more details please call Main Street Carthage at 358-4974

Commentary

Martin "Bubs" Hohulin

State Representative District 126

I need to start this week’s column on a personal note. My secretary, Sharon, had surgery this week and will be out of the office for a few weeks. I mention this because I know many of you have talked to her on the phone during the last several years and feel as though you know her personally. If you want to send a card to her, just address it to Sharon Wegener and send it to the address at the end of this column.

Her daughter, Lisa, will be helping out in her absence and will make sure she gets them. It is hard to believe we are only 9 weeks away from the start of another Legislative Session. That means we will be starting the appropriations process in less than 4 weeks.

In odd numbered years we start appropriations in November so that when we start Session in January that part is out of the way and we can get a head start on getting the State budget to the House Floor and over to the Senate. There are 2 members of the Budget Committee from this area, myself and Gary Burton, R-Carl Junction.

The Constitution states that all spending originates in the House of Representatives, but that is disputable here in Missouri. Ever since Mel Carnahan has been Governor, his budget has been treated as sacred by the chairman of the Budget Committee. If it is in the Governor’s budget, it is included in the House budget and it is a real fight to get it out.

Furthermore, we all use the same revenue figures when figuring a budget so that we don’t end up miles apart. This works well until we get into the last stages of the process and Gov. Carnahan sends down amendments for more spending, saying he has ‘found’ some more money. Where was he keeping it, in his desk?

Then to add insult to injury, he claims that the budget that is eventually passed by the Legislature is bigger than the one he sent over for consideration. Of course it is, he is the one that ordered the increases! We have our work cut out for us on trying to keep this year’s budget under control.

Under Gov. Carnahan we have had one of the fastest growing budgets in the nation. We have also had one of the biggest increases in personal tax burden in the nation.

This is why I have always opposed all tax increases; the only way to reign in the power of government is to cut off the money supply. It wont’ be easy, but we won’t give up.

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.

Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

I’m checkin’ into the story about the five foot lizard slippin’ around in one of the City’s storm water drainage ditches. I’ve heard third hand that two folks found the creature had crawled into a shed in the back yard.

I checked with a couple a police personnel last night and they weren’t aware of any reports of sightings. As far as the story I was told, there is no cause for alarm, just another interestin’ rumor that has some tongues waggin’.

If you know of any authentic details of the whereabouts of the four legged, tail waggin’ low life, let me know. I would prefer pictures rather than an in person introduction, but I’ll consider any evidence.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

McCune Brooks Hospital

Health Notes

WINTER HAZARD: It’s not snow or ice, or skiing or skating. Rather, it’s indoor tanning. For some reason, there are still some people who think having a tan makes them look healthy even though they know they are at risk for developing potentially disfiguring, as well as fatal, skin cancers.

It's been reported that suntanning, and especially indoor tanning, has no health advantages at all, only negative health consequences. These can be either short term - redness, dryness, itching, nausea - or long term, which include wrinkles, sagging, rashes from the interaction of common medications and intense light, photoaging, skin cancers, or even unusual diseases such as polymorphic light eruption (PLE).

What may confuse some people is the use of the term, "non-burning rays," to describe the indoor light tanning sources. However, Spencer and Amonette warn that the UVA wavelengths in these so-called "non-burning rays" actually penetrate more deeply into a skin layer called the dermis, and can cause a decrease in healthy collagen. These are supportive fibers of protein in skin and other connective tissues.

Tanning rays can also damage the elastic fibers in the dermal layer which give the skin its ability to bounce back. Lose that, and you gain sagging skin that wrinkles and stays that way.