Light It Up.

The Carthage City Council will hear the first reading of Council bill 00-12 authorizing the Mayor to execute an agreement with Muscon Lighting Company this evening. The agreement is for sixteen 60 inch poles and 96 1500 watt fixtures to be installed at the four new girls softball fields at Fair Acres Sports Complex. The cost of $111,000 does not include installation.

The price does include a ten year warranty on the fixtures. Lamps will be replaced at various intervals as needed and at the end of the ten years period, all lamps will be replaced at no cost.

Parks and Recreation Department Director Alan Bull anticipates the City, with some help from CW&EP, can successfully install the system.

The light system is scheduled to be shipped to the City within four to six weeks after the sales order is signed. The agreement is scheduled to move to second reading during the regular Council meeting on March 14. The improvements to Fair Acres Sports Complex are funded by a grant from Steadley Trust.

Commentary
Martin "Bubs" Hohulin
State Representative, District 126

This week we finished up work in our Appropriations Committee and most of the other Appropriations Committees are finishing up their work as well.

Now the recommendations of the Appropriations Committees will go to the Budget Committee where work on the state budget will start all over. If this sounds like a duplication of work, it is. There used to be no Appropriations Committees. All work on the budget was done by the Budget Committee.

About 15 years ago then Speaker, Bob Griffin, created 5 Appropriations committees so that he could appoint 5 more committee chairmen and 5 more committee vice chairmen. Why was this important? It made 10 more people beholden to vote for him for Speaker each term.

As you probably know, he is no longer Speaker, in fact, he is in a federal prison. So why haven’t we gotten rid of the extra committees? It is a lot like a government program. They are very easy to create, but very hard to get rid of. Every time a committee is eliminated, that means a committee chairmanship and vice chairmanship is eliminated. That title on a letterhead looks pretty good to the voters back home and legislators are not too keen on giving that up. Understand, all the chairmanships and vice chairmanships are held by democrats only. No republicans are ever appointed to lead committees under the current system we have.

We have been told over and over this year that money is tight and there won’t be nearly enough to run the government. That statement is quickly followed with one that blames the ‘shortfall’ on the Hancock amendment that limits the amount of tax money that the state is allowed to take from the citizens each year. First off, there is no shortfall. The state has more money to spend this year than it ever has, several hundred million more, in fact. Secondly, all the Hancock amendment does is keep taxation from growing a faster rate than personal income. This is just a common sense measure and we have former congressman Mel Hancock to thank for it.

During the appropriations process the last few weeks, I have identified areas where money is being wasted and I will continue to dig during the next couple months during the budget process. I didn’t have much success last year removing money and in all honesty, probably won’t have much this year, but that won’t stop me from trying.

As usual, I can be reached at House Post Office, State Capitol, Jefferson City, MO 65101 or 1-800-878-7126, or mhohulin@services.state.mo.us for your questions, comments, or advice.

New Carthage Area United Way Officers.

The Board of Directors of Carthage Area United Way have elected officers for 2000. The new officers are: Eric Ferrell, President; Jim Hess, Vice-President; Kelly Hartly, Secretary; and Larry McGuire, Treasurer. Those serving on the Board are Susan Williams, John Cuaderes, Linda Clemons, Jeff Jones, Larry Lloyd, John Stevens and Teri Schramm. Miriam Putnam will serve as 2000 campaign chairman.

World Day of Prayer.

This year the World Day of Prayer is being hosted by the First United Methodist Church, 617 South Main St., Carthage, MO. The World Day of Prayer service will be on Friday, March 3, at 10:00 a.m. in the church sanctuary.

There will be a time of fellowship and refreshments beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall on March 3.

It seems ta be more and more difficult to predict any more. Seems the change we see has always been a factor, but now it happens at such a fast pace it’s hard ta guess, which is what predictin’ is at best, what things will do.

‘Course nowadays we rely heavily on "feedback."

Reaction of others to whatever action that’s bein’ taken.

I’ve never been rattlesnake huntin’, but I get the feelin’ that the only plan is to keep the hip boots on and turn over a few rocks. Play the game the best ya know how and hope for a little luck. Whatever ya do, don’t sit around and wait for the belly crawler to find you.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

McCune
Brooks
Hospital

I recently spoke with a young woman who was concerned about her children being overweight. I suggested she try getting the kids to walk.

The whole idea seemed so simple, she found it hard to accept that it would work. But I explained that human beings are designed to get around by walking. Nature has equipped us pretty well for it. Walking not only helps us lose weight, it helps keep the weight off. It also helps keep various body parts working.

Walking increases circulation, and that means more blood gets to more places to nourish more cells. Walking helps reduce LDL (the bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (the good cholesterol).

There was a time when we moved from place to place on our own power. But several thousand years ago, that changed when we learned to hitch up horses or oxen to carry us around.

When we do less walking, we pay the price in obesity, cardiovascular problems, and a general sense of sluggishness. These problems, so often associated with adults, are becoming the problems of youngsters.

Get your kids up and moving. Encourage them to walk more. If they need to go long distances, make them take their bikes, rather than have you drive them.