Today's Feature

Approved Code Amendment.

The Carthage City Council met Tuesday evening and approved an amendment to City code that will allow the City to hire entities to remove trash or solid waste from properties in violation of City code, and recoup expenses from the property owners by way of a tax lien.

Council also approved an ordinance establishing rates for the Municipal Golf Course Driving Range. The item was heard in its first reading and advanced to second reading as an emergency. The ordinance sets the cost for tokens which can be used to retrieve balls from the ball dispenser. The cost approved was $2.50 per token.

During committee reports, Finance and Personnel Committee Chair Diane Sharits noted that 3 adjustments had been made to the comprehensive City salary and benefits study that was approved in May. Sharits said that the three primary objections to the plan, concerning employees’ placement on the step system, had been addressed and altered. Council’s approval of the plan was timed to allow the inclusion of the projected implementation cost in the Fiscal Year 2009 budget. It was agreed during the consideration of the item that adjustments would be possible after the approval of the plan.

New Carthage Police Department Patrol Officer Heather Coleman was also sworn in before the full Council during Tuesday’s meeting.

E-Waste Facility Open.

Public Works Director Chad Wampler announced Tuesday evening that the Electronic Waste facility at the Carthage Recycling Center and Landfill is officially open. Electronic waste includes computers, monitors, and all other forms of electronic equipment. A $30 fee is applicable to the deposit of televisions only, all other forms of E-waste are free of charge. The facility has already seen some use by citizens. Reimbursement for the construction of the facility was provided by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Region M.

Mornin'
Used ta have a dog that would start shakin’ all over and hide behind the couch whenever it started to thunder. No talkin’ to that dog. Just wouldn’t listen.

No matter how calm we spoke, or how much we petted that dog, it wouldn’t move from it’s security furniture.

I don’t suppose it really hurt anything that the dog was so fearful of a rumble or two. There was somethin’ that made us kids want to get the dog to face the thunder.

‘Course we were prob’ly lucky not to be struck down by lightnin’ durin’ some of our adventures durin’ rain storms.

I suppose no there would be some dog shrink tellin’ us that we could somehow work the animal through it’s fears and make it a more functional pet. The dog lived a normal and healthy life.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’

Click & Clack Talk Cars
By Tom and Ray Magliozzi

Dear Tom and Ray:

Twice now, I have left a late-evening rehearsal without releasing the parking brake on my 2007 Toyota Corolla Matrix, and driven 10 miles home (50 mph on the freeway most of the way) before discovering my ridiculous error. Please tell me what I have done to my car.---Amy

RAY: It's possible that you've done some damage, Amy. But we can't tell without inspecting the rear brakes. So, you're going to have to go to your local dealership and explain your dilemma.

TOM: Don't worry, he's heard much worse.

RAY: What you did was the equivalent of driving with your foot pressed partway down on the brake pedal, but only for the rear brakes. Depending upon how firmly your parking brake was applied while you drove (clearly not that firmly if you were able to drive 50 mph), you could have overheated those rear brakes.

TOM: If they did overheat, you could have cracked your brake shoe lining, or even warped the brake drums. But I doubt it.

RAY: Me, too. Any decent mechanic can tell you after taking a quick look. The range of what this might cost you runs from nothing (our guess), to about $150 if you need shoes, to $350 if you need your drums replaced too.

TOM: Here's a surefire way to prevent this in the future: Apply the parking brake more firmly. How firmly: Try this experiment: Put the car in drive with your foot on the brake pedal.

RAY: Do this on an open driveway, where you have some room to move.

TOM: With the car in drive and your foot on the brake, pull up the parking brake and take your foot off the break pedal. The car shouldn't move. If you step on the gas and try to move there will be a drag.