Today's Feature

Discussed Department Grants.

The City Council Public Safety Committee met Tuesday evening and discussed several grants.

Fire Department Battalion Chief Roger Williams told the committee that the Fire Department had been approved for a Department of Homeland Security Grant in the amount of $59,000 for the purpose of purchasing a natural gas-powered generator and an industrial clothes washing machine for washing fire fighters’ bunkers. Williams said that the grant was a 10 percent matching grant. The committee agreed to discuss with City Administrator Tom Short to see if a budget amendment for the matching portion could be made in this year’s budget.

Interim Police Chief Barry Duncan spoke to the committee concerning a grant received from the Community Foundation of Southwest Missouri for up to $2,000. Duncan recommended that the grant be accepted and used for a laptop computer and projector which could be used for training and the D.A.R.E. program. The committee approved a motion to forward the item to Council with a recommendation to approve.

The committee also agreed to forward to Council a recommendation to approve a change that would allow the Carthage Police Department to purchase handguns for officers. Currently the Department does not provide handguns or holsters and new officers must buy their own. The current budget allots $5,000 for the department to purchase an in-car video system. Duncan had previously presented the request to the Budget Committee and on Tuesday to the Safety Committee that those funds be used to begin the process of purchasing the guns for officers. Duncan said that funding could still be sought for the in-car video systems, but that he felt the supply of firearms was a better use of the funding. Duncan added that if all of the guns used by the department were the same it would be a benefit to all of the officers.

A bid was received from OMB Police Supply in Kansas, which is the only supplier of Glock 40 Caliber guns in the midwest, and supplies glocks to the Highway Patrol and many other agencies. Duncan said that the guns could be purchased for $459 per gun, and $99 per holster through this supplier. Duncan added that by trading in a selection of older guns that have been held by the department a total of 13 guns and holsters could be purchased this fiscal year.

The committee discussed the request and agreed that it would be in the best interest of the department to pursue this option. The committee unanimously agreed to forward a recommendation to City Council for approval.

The committee also approved a grant to the Police Department for a free thermal imaging device from a federal government agency. The grant includes the device itself, in addition to training for one officer in Chicago, airfare, lodging and meals and the freight of the imaging device to Carthage at no charge to the City. The committee approved a motion to forward this item to Council as well with a recommendation to approve.

Mornin’

Talked to a guy the other day who was troubled. Said he was startin’ ta think more like Jake ever’day. I’m still not for sure ‘xactly what he meant, but I don’t think he was feelin’ too good about it.

The fact is, most of us don’t have a lot ta say ‘bout how we look at things. It’s a jolt ta most of us as we ah, mature, how much we resemble our parents.

One lady said she looked in the mirror one day and exclaimed, "My god, it’s my mother."

Maybe what this feller was worried about was some day he’d see Jake in the mirror. Believe me, that would make a lot a fellers ‘fraid ta get up in the mornin’ and shave. Now ya know why I got whiskers.

I just ask one thing, don’t use me as an excuse for what you’re thinkin’.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

CLICK & CLACK TALK CARS
By Tom and Ray Magliozzi

Dear Tom and Ray:

I went to one of those 10-minute-oil-change places, and I got out of my vehicle to watch the employee work on my car. He began pumping oil into my engine from one of the overhead hoses, and while he pumped the oil, he started talking with his buddy who was servicing the next car over. He didn’t realize that the oil hose had slipped out of the hole. He was holding the trigger and spraying oil all over my engine. When he realized his mistake, he repositioned the hose back in the hole and continued pumping oil. Once it was full, he tightened the cap and tried to spray off the oil with water. I was amazed and didn’t know what to say. He had gotten oil all over the valve cover, on all the wiring, on the windshield and more things that I’m sure I don’t know yet. My question: Is it possible that I will experience problems in the future as the oil seeps into just about everything? And what should I do to resolve the problem? Will an engine detail be enough?- Alex

TOM: The windshield? Geez, he really painted the thing, huh, Alex?

RAY: Actually, this happens a lot. And while there’s no danger of engine parts being ruined by being covered in oil, there is a slight fire danger. If oil were to pool on the hot exhaust manifold, it could ignite. And that would be very exciting, wouldn’t it.

TOM: That’s why, when my brother squirts oil all over someone’s engine, he always cleans it off with a solvent.

RAY: Right. It’s a pain in the butt, but if we don’t clean it up, the oil will burn off and will smoke and smell bad, and we will probably lose a customer.

TOM: You mean ANOTHER customer!

RAY: Right. So we clean it off with a solvent rather than water, because a solvent will actually WORK. Then we’ll run the engine to burn off anything we missed while my brother stands by with twigs and marshmallows, just in case.

TOM: So, having your engine steamcleaned would be more than adequate, Alex. And you should ask those guys to pay for it.