Did Ya Know... The Area Agency on Aging and The VantAge Point have Meal Coupon Books, Calendars, and Silver Enquirer Subscription available for Christmas gift giving. For information, call 417-627-0600.

Did Ya Know... The December Share package pick up date is Saturday, December 20th. A January Share Package must be purchased by January 7th at a cost of $14. For information, call the Family Literacy Council at 358-5926.

Did Ya Know... Preschool Storytimes are held each Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday at 10:15 a.m. at the Carthage Public Library.

Did Ya Know... Carthage Souvenir Afghans are being made available during the holiday season. For information, call the Carthage Chamber at 358-2373.

Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even when there is no river.

A polite man is one who listens with interest to things he knows all about when they are told to him by a person who knows nothing about them.

Is it true that plumbers’ fantasies are called pipe dreams?

Many Secret Societies Have Their New Officers on Duty.

The ladies of Eminence Chapter O. E. S. were in deep trouble yesterday. They were expecting Grand Worthy Matron, Mrs. Harris, and Mrs. J. M. Stevenson, of Neosho, on the 12 o’clock and there was a committee to meet them but they came not. The ladies waited around in various stores for a couple of hours and then went home, thinking the ladies were not coming. The facts were that Mrs. Stevenson could not come and Mrs. Harris had arrived on the 11:30 car and on finding no one to meet her had gone to the Harrington, where she remained until late in the evening. The ladies of the local chapter were in blissful ignorance of Mrs. Harris’ presence until about 8:30 p.m. when she sent a message to the hall where the installation was to be held. A committee was at once dispatched to escort her to the hall and explain the misunderstanding, which was done and all enjoyed a hearty laugh over the joke.

Market Fair

Release by Carthage Chamber of Commerce

In honor of the 100-year celebration of the Carthage Market Fair, the Retail Committee of the Carthage Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce a revival of The Old Fashioned Market Fair. Begun in 1898, the Market Fair was a festive event that gave residents a chance to see what all of the Carthage merchants had to offer under one roof. This year’s Market Fair will be Saturday, January 17th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Carthage Memorial Hall.

"Not only is this a fantastic sales opportunity in a normally slow period," according to 1997 Retail Committee Chairperson Sue Vandergriff, "it is also an effective way to bring a representation of your merchandise to everyone who attends this free-to-the-public fair." The Chamber Retail Committee is planning a festive environment of food, fun, entertainment, and lots of eager customers for what is sure to be THE retail event of the winter season in Carthage. A limited number of booth spaces are still available for Carthage consumer-related businesses at an introductory rate of $35. The deadline for entries is January 6th.

The original 1898 event provided a festival-like atmosphere with horse races, shooting exhibitions, concessions, Ferris Wheel, Dutch Swing, Bicycle Train, and Merry Go Round rides, a German Village, moving pictures, and sideshows. Several circus acts were offered such as the original one-legged bicyclist, Kilpatrick, and his daring ride down a flight of steps one hundred feet high, Lunette-the flying lady, Boscoe the snake eater, Kiki the wild girl, and many more. Another highlight of that period’s Market Fair event included automobile races, which were a big draw since most people had not yet seen an automobile.

Commentary

Martin "Bubs" Hohulin

State Representative, District 126

For what I thought would be an easy column to write, this one is proving to be very difficult. I am trying very hard to put forth the facts without sounding like: 1) All I am doing is bashing the democrats, and 2) Just saying, "I told you so." I am referring to the pending debate on property taxes coming up in the next session of the General Assembly.

To make this discussion complete we need to go all the way back to 1993 and talk about Senate Bill 380, the piece of legislation that became the largest tax increase in the history of Missouri. If that was all it was, that would be bad enough, but it has continued to get worse. Not only did it raise taxes directly, but it blackmailed local school districts to raise their levies by threatening to withhold state money from districts that didn’t have a certain minimum levy. Never mid the fact that we in the rural and outstate areas had already been paying the bill for the failed desegregation efforts in Kansas City and St. Louis while our own schools were doing without many necessities. Now the far-reaching effects of SB 380 are making themselves known. Many school administrators blinded by the promise of new dollars, pushed for passage of SB 380 only to find their hands tied on what should be routine day-to-day decisions by the mandates of the bill.

The main fallacy of the bill is without a doubt the part relating to property taxes. Periodically each county is required to go through reassessment. Usually this results in a higher county valuation due to natural inflation. The Constitution is very clear on this situation. It states a taxing entity may not realize a financial windfall due to reassessment. To do otherwise would amount to a tax increase without a vote by anybody. For that reason, as valuations go up, tax rates are supposed to go down accordingly so that the net result of money collected is neutral. Enter SB 380. More than a few school districts didn’t roll back their rates, citing the language in SB 380 as the reason. As a result, property taxes went up without being voted on and the citizens screamed. While they were screaming, they did reelect the man responsible for SB 380, Governor Mel Carnahan. People can be funny.

SB 380 passed on a mainly party line vote with most all democrats voting for it and practically all republicans voting against it. We argued at the time that if it passed, it would put Missouri over the tax lid known as the Hancock Amendment. We were dismissed as obstructionists and basically laughed at. Well, here we are, facing the fourth year of illegally collecting too much in taxes. In an attempt to remedy that, several bills have been filed by republicans to provide property tax relief as well as tax relief in other areas. These bills are specific and outline exactly how the cuts will be enacted. Now, coming late to the table, and after they pushed the legislation causing all the trouble in the first place, the democrat leaders of the House and Senate held a press conference announcing they would be leading the drive for property tax relief. Turns out they don’t have a bill or even a plan, they just saw how receptive the people have been to the republicans’ plan for real tax relief and decided they better get on board. We welcome them to our way of thinking. As I’ve said before, there is no limit to how much good can be done if you don‘t care who gets the credit.

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

I can understand PBS needin’ to make a pitch for folks ta put some money in ta keep the station runnin’. What I can’t figure out is why they run "special" programin’ durin’ the campaign.

I personally have some shows that I tune in to on a regular basis on PBS. There are few things that frustrate me more than workin’ my schedule around so I can take a few minutes to sit down and catch those programs, just ta discover the programing has been modified durin’ the fund raisin’ appeal.

As you might imagine, when I discover that instead of "This Old House," I am seein’ some health guru talkin’ bout meditation, I’m not in the best of moods to be asked for a contribution.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to pitchin’ in ta help, it’s just the old sayin’ "dance with who brung ya" would seem to apply here.

I’d be a lot more receptive if a pitch was made durin’ a program that I associate with the donation.

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

by McCune Brooks Hospital

Health Notes

MIRACLE OR MYTH? The facts about melatonin have all but been obscured under the heavy hype that has been coming at us in recent months. Suffice it to say, that the hormone does do a great many wonderful things in the human body. But I, for one, prefer to stay away from any synthetic or animal-derived form of the hormone until more tests are done and the results carefully analyzed.

But in abstaining from commercially prepared melatonin products, I am not melatonin challenged. I get mine the old-fashioned way: through nature.

Melatonin is produced in the body by the pineal gland, located near the center of the brain. Secretion levels depend on the light detected by the eyes. This means, melatonin levels will be influenced by daily light and dark cycles, and by seasonal changes in sunlight.

Researchers into the effect melatonin might have on boosting the immunity system, reducing the problems of aging, enhancing the sex drive, etc., agree that the hormone seems to present some exciting prospects. But they urge caution until such time as they can come up with proof that the hormone does what its supporters say it does, and with none or relatively few side-effects.

ARCHIVES Index