Today's Feature

Annual Children’s Christmas Party.

The Carthage Police Department’s Annual Children’s Christmas Party will be held Saturday, December 20th from 10 a.m. to 12 noon in the Carthage Memorial Hall. A gift, refreshments and entertainment will be provided for invited children. All children in attendance will receive a $10 gift certificate, in addition to being eligible for other prizes throughout the event.

This year’s entertainment will be provided by the Duke Mason Band, which recently held an additional concert fundraiser for the event.

Invitations must be presented for entry. This year the attendance is expected to be larger than ever with approximately 800 invitations being mailed.

The Christmas Party is organized by the Police Department as a way to ensure that area children receive a gift for Christmas. Cash donations are still being accepted at the Carthage Police Department to help offset the cost of the event.

Safety Committee Cancels.

The Public Safety Committee meeting scheduled for Monday evening was cancelled, and has been rescheduled for Monday, December 22 at 6:30 p.m.

Mornin'

Old man winter sure gave most of us a start this week. Makes ya start thinkin’ ‘bout all those things you’re supposed to do when cold weather comes around.

Havin’ an extra blanket or two in the vehicle is somethin’ I’ve heard is a good idea. I can’t say I’ve ever been caught out where I’ve needed ta bundle up ta keep warm, but a blanket don’t take much room.

‘Course there are those that carry a set a jumper cables in the trunk. Seems like the folks that carry ‘em are never the ones that need ‘em though.

Flashlight is another good idea. I like the multipurpose ones. They come ‘specially in handy if you’re helpin’ someone jump start their car. If you don’t have the jumpers, you can at least let ‘em borrow your blanket while they’re waitin’ for a tow.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

• This one bears repeating for all holiday gatherings -- and, really, any gathering throughout the year. When using plastic cups for drinks, put out a marker so that guests can mark their cup before filling. Less cups means less waste, and it’s easy to tell whose cup is whose.

• "This might not be a tip, but I think it’s pretty important. When you don’t have a home phone line, as so many people don’t these days, make sure you have an extra cell-phone battery and that both batteries are charged ahead of bad weather. Also, for those who do have home phone service, make sure you have a regular, non-battery phone, one that is not cordless and that does not plug into anything. When the power goes out, you want to be prepared." -- T.T. in Michigan

• "I know of two ways to clean the glass doors on the fireplace. One is to mix a paste of ash and water and a tiny bit of dishwashing liquid, and use that to scrub soot off. The other is those white ‘magic eraser’ sponges. Make sure you test a little spot, though, because if you have etched glass doors, the sponges can mess them up sometimes." -- H.Z. in Vermont

• "I use bar soap in the bath, but I like to tuck the boxes into my drawers after I open a fresh bar of soap. They smell so good and fresh, and last a surprisingly long time as drawer fresheners." -- K.S. in Nevada

• "Here’s how to get more space in the fridge if you have some dishes that are covered in plastic: Lay chopsticks or kebab sticks across the lip of the dishes, then stack them. This works so well for us that we keep several chopsticks right in the fridge for this purpose." -- C.B. in California