Thursday April 17, 1997 Volume V, Number 213
Did Ya Know... Women of the Word will be meeting Thurs., April 24, at 6:30 p.m. at the Bykota Church, 1/2 mile S. of Carthage on 71A. This month's theme is "A Planting of the Lord." For more information call 359-3991.
Did Ya Know... The Carthage Lions Club is having their annual broom sale. This year light bulbs, industrial brooms, dish towels and other home products have been added. Contact any Lion Club member or Leslie Strait at 358-6105, or Bill Huntley at 358-6153.
MacDougal was going over the weekly accounts with his wife. Finishing one difficult page, he said, "What's this first item for?" His wife said, "I had to get plasters for my corns." "And the next item?" "Medicine for my bad tooth." "Don't tell me the next one is for medicine too." "Aye. It was for my ulcer." The Scot slammed the account book shut and said, "Dear, you're going to have to stop spending so much for your own personal pleasure!"
The hardest decision in life is when to start middle age.
INTERESTING MELANGE.
A Chronological Record of Events as they have Transpired in the City and County since our last Issue.
A LADY UNDERTAKER.
Miss Emma Knell to Practice Her Father's Profession.
Miss Emma Knell, daughter of Undertaker E. Knell, is planning to become a practical undertaker and will then assist her father. Miss Emma is a member of the class of '97 of the Carthage high school and will, after graduation this month, become an active assistant to her father in directing funerals. She will in the future, probably next summer, attend a school of embalming at St. Louis, and will also assist some prominent St. Louis undertaker for a while.
It is said that lady undertakers are not such a rarity in this country as one might think, and Miss Knell will have plenty of company in her new calling. In directing the funerals of women and children the lady undertaker has been particularly in demand.
Mr. Knell's eldest son, Fred, who has assisted his father for some time past, will also attend the school of embalming.
Mornin',
Unlike the urban cities ya hear about where ya hear ‘bout kids growin’ up with the drug dealers always drivin’ the fanciest car, in the small rural areas, farmers were the ones drivin’ new pickups.
There was somewhat of a contradiction in the image of farm families. Somehow in my early education I equated farmers as not bein’ at the top of the economic ladder. Yet, there they were, drivin’ the latest GMC pickup with that fancy new aluminum blocked V6 and air conditionin’.
Ta most farmers I suppose, they looked at such vehicles as mainly equipment necessities. To those of us in town, it was somewhat of a wonder how these folks who were always concerned about the price of grain movin’ a penny or so could afford such tools. Clearly there was more ta farmin’ that was evident at first look.
“Farmin’ can’t be all that bad,” I hear said. “Drivin’ a rig like that.”
“Tell it to the banker,” was the usual reply, as the Jimmy move off down the dirt road.
This is some fact, but mostly, Just Jake Talkin’.
The nondepartmental budget request hearings are scheduled for tonight at City Hall. Among the most likely discussed recommendations will be those of the Lodging Tax Commission.
The Carthage Tourism/Lodging Tax Commission serves as an advisory committee to the Carthage City Council. The Commission has as their general purpose the promotion of the City of Carthage as a site for conventions, events, and other activities which generate visitor spending.
The main vehicle to facilitate such promotion is through the two percent tax placed on all lodging rooms in the City. Lodging tax funds cannot be used for community development or improvement, or capital construction.
The Commission has recommended funding projects for the 1997-98 fiscal year totaling $52,983.50.
The recommendation would distribute the funds in following manner:
Carthage Chamber of Commerce/Convention & Visitors Bureau, $35,000 for Tourism Marketing for the City for one year.
Carthage Chamber Regional Spot Radio-TV, $13,341.50. This would be a cooperative effort between the Carthage Chamber of Commerce, the Joplin Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the Missouri Division of Tourism, and Precious Moments. Total combined spending for the program would amount to over $76,000, worth of advertising according to the recommendation. Carthage Chamber of Commerce Dial 1-800-CAR-THAG, $2,100. An 800 number to be advertised to tourists for information about the City. Main Street Carthage, Inc., Belle Starr Spring Arts & Crafts Show, $1,500 of a $9,850 request. The recommended money would pay for trade magazine advertising outside the Carthage area. The remainder of the request was for advertising and costs that the Lodging Tax Commission did not generate overnight stays.
Powers Museum Board, Museum of the American Quilter’s Society Traveling Exhibit: Mariner’s Compass, $1,042 of a $1,642 request. This would fund advertising the event outside the Carthage area.
The following requests were denied by the Commission for the given reasons:
Chamber of Commerce; Billboards, $13,556. Denied because of insufficient funds available.
Industry Conventions, $7,075. Denied because of insufficient funds available.
Tourist Information Stations, $4,000. Denied because of insufficient funds available.
Main Street Carthage, Inc.; Events Calendar Rack Card, $400. Denied because the LTC felt this request was a duplication of information currently being provided by the Carthage Chamber of Commerce. The LTC suggests that Main Street give their calendar of events to the Chamber and the Joplin Convention and Visitor’s Bureau who publish calendars of events on a monthly basis.
Courthouse Square Historic District Walking Tour Booklet, $4,000. Denied because the Chamber is currently putting together a courthouse brochure awaiting approval from the Missouri Division of Tourism funding.
Carthage Restaurants Guide, $400. Denied because this information was already available in the Chamber "Carthage Invites You" brochure which was designed and completed with funds allocated by the City in the 1995-96 budget one year ago.
Victorian Carthage; Carthage Historic Attractions and Promotion $14,061. Denied because LTC felt the application was for paying salaries and not for promoting overnight stays.
Submitted by Committee members; Dexter Friesen, Chairman; Leigh Ann Brown, Mark Elliff, Nolan Henry, and Bill Johnson.
by Lora Wacker
Sponsored by The FIX
In our culture, the art of preparing gifts of food or drink is often the prelude to something more. It can celebrate the birth of a child, welcome a new neighbor or serve as a thank you gift. It also serves as a contest - he or she who cooks best, wins.
For centuries, the stages of romance have revolved around food and drink. Funny how an offering so simple can lead to a lifetime of feelings. For instance, the purely American date, "dinner and a movie." Use this time to its fullest, encouraging conversation.
Remember those wonderful Sunday dinners with the whole family? They still do exist! Food serves as a pathway to all types of relationships.
The saying "have girlfriends, will gossip" is never truer! Just sit around the kitchen table with your coffee and see what unfolds. Of course, coffee shops, old men and gossip always run a close second. So, enjoy and give thanks for your food, drink and friends.
We are so fortunate to have them all.
by Tom & Ray Magliozzi
Sponsored by Metcalf Auto Supply
Dear Tom and Ray:
I just bought a brand-new Mazda 626 three months ago. The time will soon be approaching for its first oil change. Like a mother about to send her baby off to kindergarten, I want to make sure it's a good experience.
The dealership put out a heavy load of parental guilt telling me not to dare take it to a "jiffy-on-the-spot" oil-change racket or to my own mechanic because it wouldn't get the "Mazda guaranteed service" my car was bred to expect. Tell me, guys, are they full of it?
Should I take it to the dealer until the warranty runs out and then give my wallet a rest at the "jiffy-on-the-spot" places? - Sharon
TOM: In our opinion, the oil and filter you're likely to get from an independent mechanic or a quick-oil-change place is essentially the same quality as what you'd get at the dealership. In fact, a lot of independent shops buy their parts right from the dealerships, in which case their stuff is exactly the same. So feel free to go wherever you want, Sharon.
RAY: If you've had good experiences with the dealer, and his prices are reasonable, you can take it there. You can have your warranty work done at the same time.
TOM: But if you don't like the dealer's prices, his service or the coffee in his waiting room, feel free to take the car someplace else for your oil and filter changes. It's a simple job, and even the former NASA engineers who work in the quick-oil-change places have a hard time screwing it up (although I admit they do occasionally forget to tighten up the drain plugs).
RAY: As long as you keep your receipt to show that the work was done, doing it outside of the dealership will have no effect whatsoever on your warranty.
Diane Eckert
ATTIC LIST - I keep a list posted near my attic entrance. When I store something there, it goes on my list. Now I only have to look at my inventory list to see what’s there. Lena R., Harrisburg, Va.
TANGLE-FREE - Here’s a good idea for people who crochet. I cut the bottoms out of two-liter soda bottles after removing the extra part around the bottom. I put the yarn in and pull it through the top, then I replace the bottom. Keep the cap. It keeps the yarn clean when it’s not used. Edna W., Delray Beach, Fla.
HEARING-AID REMINDER - I hope this tip will help others as it has helped me. When I got my hearing aid, I was warned never to get it wet. After almost taking a shower while wearing it, I decided to post a reminder in the shower. I placed a note saying, “Remove hearing aid” in a zippered plastic bag and hung it on the shower caddy with a plastic clothespin. Tammy D., Lancaster, Pa.
NAIL-HOLE FILLER - When I need to fill nail holes in plaster walls or any wall, I use putty. I put a few drops of food coloring in a tiny bowl, a little at a time, until I’ve got the wall color. This is easy and saves the time and work of looking for the old paint, then not finding it or discovering that it’s dried up. Washington, D.C.
PICNIC TIP - If you have a picnic table with an umbrella, insert the umbrella pole into a full roll of paper towels. Replace the pole in the table hole and, presto, you have towels handy for all the mess from the barbecue sauce. They take less space and don’t blow away. You may even want to wet the entire roll for better cleanup. Use a better-quality towel if you plan on wetting the roll. Felicia P., Billings, Mont.