The Mornin' Mail is published every weekday except major holidays
Friday, March 27, 2009, Volume XVII, Number 197

did ya know?

Did Ya Know?... artCentral presents "Soul food", fine art photography by artist Mary Ann Soerries in the Main Gallery. Also in the Member Gallery, floral watercolor pencil sketches, by artist Lora Waring. Artist reception is Friday, March 27th at 6:00 p.m., at Hyde House, 1110 East 13th Street, Carthage. The show will run thru April 12th. The gallery is open to the public and there is no charge for admission.

Did Ya Know?... Carthage R-9 High School’s official ribbon cutting for the newly constructed High School will be March 29th from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Come see your new educational facility!

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today's laugh

• Even snakes are afraid of snakes.

• You know how it is when you’re walking up the stairs, and you get to the top, and you think there’s one more step? I’m like that all the time.

• This isn’t all true.

• I put hardwood floors on top of wall-to-wall carpet.

• All the plants in my house are dead--I shot them last night. I was torturing them by watering them with ice cubes.

• When I turned two I was really anxious, because I’d doubled my age in a year. I thought, if this keeps up, by the time I’m six I’ll be ninety.

• Sponges grow in the ocean. That just kills me. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be if that didn’t happen.

1909
INTERESTING MELANGE.
A Chronological Record of Events as they have Transpired in the City and County since our last Issue.

What the Switch Will be Used for.

The new Missouri Pacific switch north of Carthage is to be located about one and one-half miles north of town.

Just north of Carthage there is a heavy grade, which is very stiff for heavy north bound trains. The Joplin and Carthage switch engine which plies between the towns will haul out all loaded freight cars from Carthage onto the new switch. The north bound trains will then get the heavy cars of stone, etc., at the top of the stiff grade, and will not be compelled to pull them up. This knocks out the theory that the prime purpose of putting in the switch was to provide a place for trains to pass.

It has been suggested that the Pacific in building this switch had in mind the placing of a block across the pathway of the proposed P. & G. spur up Spring river valley, but if it is located as far north of town as is now contemplated, it would, of course have no effect on the P. & G.

 

Today's Feature

Society Rules.

The Carthage Humane Society Board was notified during their regular meeting last night by Steadley Trust advisor Bill Putnam that the Trust was seeing needed improvements in various Society activities and was favorable to assisting future projects.

Putnam said that according to his records the Trust had granted over $140,000 over the years to the Carthage 501c corporation and that the Society was specifically singled out by Kent D. & Mary L. Steadley in the original formation of the Trust as a worthy recipient.

After the regular business was taken care of, the floor was opened for public comment. Citizen Jane Platt addressed the Board as asked for the resignation of an unnamed board member.

"The member I’m talking about knows who they are," said Platt.

The Board moved to go into closed session, apparently to discuss the matter proposed by Platt. After questioning by the Mornin’ Mail about the appropriateness of a closed meeting to discuss a board member, the Board decided to call a special open meeting in April to discuss the matter.

In an extended "after meeting" carried out at the front door and then eventually through the entry and back to the Board room, some clarification of various issues were arrived at.

Platt acknowledged that the staff at the Humane Society had made great strides in improving the well-being of the animals and the overall facility. Her main emphasis was for the Board to operate as a better entity.

This argument was countered by various individuals present that the Board was the influence that allowed the staff to better the operation.

John Hacker, reporter for the "evening paper," told the group that he had more information than he could possibly use in a single story, but he had the responsibility to report on the affair. His questions of those involved did seem to bring some resolution to the quandary.


Stop the Clock: Treasury Releases Bailout Contract

by Ben Protess, ProPublica.org

File it under the category of better late than never.

After five months, and much pestering, the Treasury Department finally released the entire contract it awarded the Bank of New York Mellon to keep the books for the $700 billion taxpayer-funded bailout plan.

Until now, Treasury had redacted compensation figures and other key terms from the three-year contract, which was awarded in October.

As we previously noted, a January GAO report revealed that New York Mellon is estimated to receive $20 million to be the bailout’s chief custodian, far more than any other bailout contractor.

In October, Treasury officials said it would be only a matter of weeks before they removed the redactions. This estimate led us to launch the inaugural ProPublica Promise Clock—an effort to track just how many weeks it would take Treasury to release the figures.

Now, after 21 weeks, the clock has ticked its last tock. (Due to a rare slip in the clock’s vigilance, we are rewinding it to March 14, when Bailout Sleuth first noticed that the document was no longer blacked out.) A Treasury spokesman did not respond to an e-mail we sent asking when the redactions were removed and why it took so long to do so.

Treasury originally hired New York Mellon to run the government auctions used to purchase billions of dollars in distressed assets. But TARP’s course changed midstream, and now the bank is managing the government’s investments in the nation’s banks.

Though the GAO revealed that the bank would receive $20 million for this work, Treasury is not wedded to that amount. No total award figure is mentioned in the finalized Treasury agreement.

Instead, it disclosed that the bank received $3.8 million from Oct. 14 through Nov. 30 of last year. Since December, New York Mellon has been paid based on an elaborate formula that gives it a cut of Treasury’s investments in the stock of banks, credit card companies and other institutions. In the cases of struggling institutions like AIG, Citigroup, Bank of America and the auto companies, New York Mellon receives a flat fee.

The bank must receive at least $2 million a year, but it stands to make more as the government ups its investments. Last year, the bank also took $3 billion in TARP funds itself.

Treasury originally released the contract, sans compensation figures, one day after Neel Kashkari, the Treasury official overseeing the bailout, touted the bailout plan’s transparency. "Consistent with Congress’ intent, we are committed to transparency and oversight in all aspects of the program," he said.


Bonus Social Security Payments, Like Flowers,to Sprout in May

by Olga Pierce, ProPublica.org

While some worry stimulus funding won’t reach them before it’s too late, one group of beneficiaries is actually getting its payments early.

People who receive Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits will be getting a separate $250 check in May, some six weeks earlier than the legislation requires, Vice President Joe Biden announced today at a meeting with the Cabinet and assorted other officials.

So, for those of you keeping track at home, add 50 million people to your list of those helped by the stimulus and about $13 billion to your expenditures column.

But if you are expecting a check, don’t start waiting by the door for your federal May Basket. People getting Social Security or SSI should not contact the agency unless a payment is not received by June 4, 2009, the official release says. While you wait, you can check out the Social Security agency’s FAQ at www.socialsecurity.gov


artCentral

ART NOTES from Hyde House

by Sally Armstrong, Director of artCentral

As promised, the floral drawings by Lora Waring that we have just displayed in the Member Gallery are very lovely! I have enjoyed working all week with the beautiful 29 pieces that were brought in Sunday by our featured artist Mary Ann Soerries, and know that these cheerful and beautiful floral photographs will be most appreciated by all who are ready for spring. Today I will tell you about Lora Waring, who has brought 20 additional florals, these in watercolor and watercolor pencil. Lora was born and raised in Florida, and nature has always been a large part of her life. Whether it was the woods surrounding her, or her grandma’s garden, nature was never far! She says, "This reflects in my artwork. I love drawing flowers! The way that light bounces off and shines through petals and leaves entrances me. I am forever trying to capture the magic I see there." Lora, who is self-taught, began her art career with oil painting. She had to put her brushes down for a time, and turned to photography. Capturing the magic was still the goal, and lately she has used colored pencils and watercolor in her landscapes and florals. Every day and every painting is her learning experience! She belongs to the Coloured Pencil Society of America (CPSA) and has her work in a number of private collections. She currently lives in Carthage. I hope you will take time and view the beautiful floral work that we are currently presenting here at Hyde House Gallery from this new exhibition which opens Friday night, March 27th at 6:00, and will continue weekends and Fridays from noon until 5:00 until April 12th. Admission is free and we are located just east on 13th street from River Street. Sincere thanks our underwriters once again for their generosity, UMB Bank and UMB Asset Management, and the law firm of Checkett & Pauly, both here in Carthage. We could not continue without the help of our underwriters and we appreciate them!


Just Jake Talkin'

Mornin'

I got into another one a those, you go, no you go, no you go, speechless discussions at the intersection the other day. This time it was with a motorcycle rider. Had his (I think it was a he) face shield down so I couldn’t tell his expression, but we had quite a discussion decidin’ who was gonna balk first. After a couple a false starts, the biker won out. I can only take so much of bein’ mister nice guy and after a while I go on through just ta prove a point. The problem is, I haven’t figured out what the point is. I find myself talkin’ to myself sayin’ somethin’ like, ‘well, if you’re gonna be that way, I just show you’ and off I go. Guess I just don’t have the stamina I used too. When I was younger I could sit at a corner longer than anyone. That really showed ‘em too I suppose.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin.’

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Journey Along the Wellness Path

Sponsored by Robinson Family Health Center

I doubt that anyone would disagree with me when I say that breathing is essential to life! The quality of that essential air has an impact upon our health. Research has shown that the quality of indoor air can be more harmful than outdoor air. The EPA warns that long-term exposure to air pollution often leads to serious health problems.

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•Do you use chemical cleaners such as bleach, disinfectants, oven and drain cleaners?

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•Are there smokers who live in your home?

•Do household members use nail polish, perfume, hair spray, other cosmetics?

•Are there car exhaust fumes, or gasoline fumes in or around your home?

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Clean air is so basic to life. Consider some basic solutions to make a healthier home. Follow your nose and get to the source of the problem and avoid covering it up with chemicals such as room fresheners or scented candles. Replace harmful cleaners with healthy alternatives such as vinegar. Breath for health!

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