Today's Feature

Carthage Police News Release.

On 03-05-09 at 4:11 pm hours, Sgt Strubberg took a report of harassing phone calls, third-degree assault, and felonious restraint. Daniel Garcia, 19 years of age resident of Carthage was arrested for the above charges. He was transported to the Carthage Police Department where he was incarcerated and pending formal charges by the prosecutor’s office.

On 03-05-09 at 4:45 pm, Master Patrol Officer Steve Crews took a report of felony second-degree assault. The victim, a 16 year old Hispanic male Carthage resident, reported that he had been assaulted with a pair of brass knuckles or similar weapon. He identified the suspect as 19 year old Carlos Henriquez of Carthage. The victim is currently at McCune Brooks Hospital receiving medical treatment for non life-threatening injuries. At 18:54 this same date suspect Henriquez was located hiding in the basement of his residence 741 Olive, Carthage. Henriquez was arrested probable cause for second degree assault. He was transported to the Carthage Police Department where he was incarcerated and pending formal charges by the prosecutor’s office.

On 03-05-09 at 5:00 pm, Sgt Bill Smith took a report of felony second-degree assault with a weapon. The incident occurred shortly before at an address in the East part of the city. The 17 year-old female victim received apparent minor injuries. A twelve year-old female juvenile suspect was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Jasper Co juvenile detention center.

On 03-05-09 at 7:13 pm, Carthage Police responded to a report of a deceased person. Officers located a 50-year-old deceased female in her residence. Detective Steffen conducted an investigation. Although the exact cause of death has not yet been determined, no suspicious activity is suspected.

Mornin'

I see by the ads for the little round "o" cereal that tests have shown that eatin’ three cups of the stuff a day, plus a "sensible" diet, can reduce cholesterol levels. Three cups. I’d have ta guess that eatin’ a bale a hay would do the same.

I’m figurin’ that most folks don’t put much stock in the studies promoted by the food industry. I can’t tell ya if eggs are good for ya or not, but I can tell ya if they are cooked enough. I suppose those study folks need somethin’ to do, but ya gotta wonder if there is any real value in it all.

The real scare now is the virus in some hot dogs and processed meat. Several companies I understand. That could lower your cholesterol, to zero, from what I hear.

I’m sure we have ‘bout the safest food distribution set up on the planet. Studies have shown it, so it must be true.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Fixing Bald Spots

Q: Here’s a problem: I’ve got bald spots. Not on my head though, the bald spots on my lawn! How do I get rid of them? Also, there are patches of yellowed grass in places. What’s the solution for that? -- Joey in Tennessee

A: Right now is a good time to solve the "bald spot" problem (rather, bare patches on your lawn). If you know what type of grass your lawn is, head for the home-improvement store and pick up a bag of the same grass seed. If you’re not sure what type, look for an all-purpose grass seed or seed mix. Pick up a little straw there, too, if you don’t have any extra at home.

On a day that’s not too windy, seed the bare patches as follows:

• Clear away dead grass, stones, sticks and leaves from the bare spots.

• Use a thatch rake or a pitchfork to puncture and loosen the soil, then level out the soil (you may need to add some dirt to level it).

• Spread the grass seed over each bare patch as the package directs. Cover the area well, but don’t overdo it, as too much can lead to rotting.

• Water the area slightly and lightly tamp the seeds down, then scatter straw over the bare patch.

• Keep the soil damp over the next couple of weeks and wave away birds that will try to eat the seed.

Yellow spots are generally seen in areas of the lawn that have too much nitrogen. What could possibly give one spot more nitrogen than another? One culprit: dog pee. If you want a nice green lawn, don’t let the dog go wherever it wants -- walk Fido to a designated "go" spot away from the grass.

Another possibility, particularly in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, is a fungus called fusarium that flourishes in hot weather. To prevent fungus, don’t over-fertilize your lawn, and de-thatch it every fall. If you suspect fungus, treat the spots with an appropriate fungicide (ask for it at garden centers).