$15 Parking Fine On Tap.

The City Council is scheduled to meet this evening at 7:30 in City Hall for its regular meeting.

The agenda includes the first reading of Council Bill 09-37 that would increase the fine for violating the two hour parking restriction on the Square and surrounding area to fifteen dollars. The current fine is one dollar. The increase was proposed by the Public Safety Committee at their regular meeting a week ago as reported in the Mornin’ Mail.

Absent from the agenda is another bill recommended by the Committee that would allow the sale of parking permits for residents living on the square. Council bill 09-38, was submitted by the committee to the Mayor via the typical request for a Council bill, but was not signed by the Mayor in time for it to be included on the agenda. There is some indication that the Mayor will ask the Committee to reconsider that particular Council bill.

The Bill included a provision for one month parking passes off the Square, but in surrounding two hour parking zones at a cost of thirty dollars per month.

Letter to the Editor.

Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the Mornin’ Mail.

I would like to THANK the council for asking for a survey and posting the results, then doing as they pleased. With their decision of raising the fines to $15.00 they have effectively run everybody off that might shop downtown. Anybody knows that you can go to any of the shopping centers and park for free. Why would anyone run the risk of having to pay $15.00 extra for a meal or an item they just bought in one of the restaurants or stores around the square for $3.00 - $5.00 and come out to find their sandwich or item had cost them $20.00 or more?

Thank you so much for improving the shopping experience of downtown shoppers of which there are few enough. I can understand a one dollar fine and have paid a few of them - but in these economic times if you find a bargain downtown, it wouldn’t be a bargain with $15.00 attached.

If the city wants a "get rich quick scheme" this might work for a while, but downtown will soon be a ghost town with the fines your proposing. Not only that but you are going to try this for 60 days? That effectively kills the summer business some of which comes in tourist trade.

I am one person and I’m sure you will write me off as a fanatic, but I love the downtown of Carthage and if you loved the courthouse as much as you advertise it, you wouldn’t be trying to run people away from it.

I do hope you will re-consider and leave things as they are and have been.

A tornado could come and take our beloved courthouse and a lot of other old buildings and historic homes with it. We have been extremely blessed to still have these, while other towns around us - Pierce City, Carl Junction and others have been blown away.

If that happens - God forbid, then we can ALL go to the shopping centers and park all day for free, but the nostalgia of the courthouse and other old businesses around the square would be a thing of the past.

I’m old and I love being nostalgic, and so will you all when you get old.

Thanks for listening (if you really do ). - Lavera Newman, Carthage, MO

and bank, UMB and Lora Honey Phelps. Prior to Lora, Pat Phelps acted in the bank’s stead regarding our affairs. In any case of need, they are always ready to assist or approve plans to repair, renovate, or improve the property in any way needed, and for this we are very grateful. I am sure that Miss Hyde would be pleased to see her beloved home and grounds being used and appreciated by so many people and children in so many ways!

Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

Spent last weekend around a lot a people, most of ‘em I didn’t know. Lota things goin’ on at a fairly fast pace with little time for thinkin’ ‘bout what was goin’ on. It’s strange how interactin’ with people is so much different than just watchin’ an event as a spectator or watchin’ the tv.

The thing that is most different is the day after. Bits and pieces of the day before keep floatin’ to the top of the mind. It seems when ya actually participate in some activity, the brain pays more attention and it makes a more lastin’ impression. I suppose those who worry ‘bout kids playin’ so much with electronic games are concerned with the lack of real life interaction bein’ somehow shallow or lackin’. After all, nothin’ compares with a good game a checkers with grandpa.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’

To Your Good Health

By Paul G. Donohue, M.D.

Natural Laxatives

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Some time ago you had a recipe for a natural laxative. I cut it out and used it, and it worked. I stopped using it, but now I need it again and I can’t find it. Would you please, please repeat it? I am in bad shape now. -- R.K.

ANSWER: It’s not my recipe. I got it from someone else.

You mix 2 cups of bran with 2 cups of applesauce and 1 cup of unsweetened prune juice. Bran is the stuff removed from grains during refining. It’s great fiber. Fiber keeps undigested food moist as it moves through the digestive tract. You can buy bran in health-food stores.

Refrigerate the mixture, and take 2 or 3 tablespoons twice a day.

You can add any ingredient you want to this mixture to make it more to your liking -- fruits, nuts, raisins, whatever.