County Jail Inspected.

The Jasper County Commission toured the County Detention Center yesterday morning, accompanied by several media representatives invited to attend by Sheriff Archie Dunn. The Sheriff accompanied the group, but let Detention Center staff direct the tour and answer questions.

The tour illustrated many of the concerns that were outlined in the original letter sent to the Commission by Dunn that was published in the Mornin’ Mail last week.

Some basic maintenance items such as inadequate shower facilities, plumbing and lighting problems were addressed, but the bulk of the presentation by Center staff centered around the cell door locking system. Efforts to eliminate serious security risks inherent in the elaborate system have baffled experts that have been brought for repairs.

The maintenance and security problems are continually aggravated by the population of inmates that hovers around two hundred in the facility originally designed to hold one hundred fifty-four.

Presiding Commissioner John Bartosh told reporters after the tour that repairs that needed attention would be addressed in next year’s budget.

"If it takes two or three hundred thousand to fix it, we will," said Bartosh. "We can’t rent it out for anything else."

Statistics obtained by the Mornin’ Mail show that inmate population and been on a steady increase since 2008. Early that year, the average population was around 165. Since the latter part of April, approximately the same population at the Center has been maintained, but at least forty inmates have been place out to other facilities. Early this year, the facility had housed as many as two hundred thirty-nine inmates.

The atmosphere of the tour was cordial but there was little interchange between the Sheriff and the Commissioners. There is a dispute as to how the cost of placing inmates out-of-facility will be paid for.

Jasper County Jail Count

196 May 12, 2011

Total Including Placed out of County

I figured out this last week end why they charge so much for small trees. Somebody has ta dig the dang things outa the ground.

Even transplanting a fairly young saplin’ involves movin’ a lotta dirt. Now once ya get past the obvious gettin’ dirty part of the job, it can be somewhat enjoyable playin’ in the soil. ‘Course the nice thing about dirt is that it washes off fairly easily.

I’ve seen those contraptions that look like a big ice cream scoop that I’m sure the folks who move trees for a livin’ use. Fact I was startin’ to wonder just where to locate one after ‘bout an hour of shovelin’.

Fortunately, diggin’ a whole to put a tree in isn’t near as tedious, but it does make the price they’re askin’ at the tree shop look a lot more reasonable.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

(sorry, this got reprinted by mistake)

 

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Weekly Column

artCentral

ART NOTES from Hyde House

by Sally Armstrong, Director of artCentral

Invitations go out today! Don’t miss our new exhibition opening at Hyde House on May 20th with a group of the Missouri Colored Pencil Artist Society. Local artist members include Cheryl Church-Saving, Michele DeSutter, Lora Waring and Dustin Miller. I will write a bit today about three of these artists, and pick up next week on the others that round out this group who will be sharing their work with us in this new show. Cheryl Church-Saving is a Carthage resident, and teaches art at Carthage high school. From the days of Crayola crayon on the walls of the halls to the paint on the canvas, there have been a lot of things and people who have inspired her. Her artwork reflects her thoughts and feelings, displays symbolism, and personal feeling generally dealing with life. She has dabbles with other mediums, but always finds herself returning to the colored pencil, the medium she has certainly mastered if you have ever viewed her work. Michele DeSutter, Carthage, also knew from an early age that art was what she did best. She took many classes while attending Jefferson City high school, and continued with art at Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg. It was there that she received a bachelors of fine arts degree and established her style that can be found I her current work today, that of bold color and playful subject matter. She has devoted the last 5 years to colored pencil and mixed media work. Dustin Miller, Diamond, grew up in western Nebraska where he gained his interest in art from his father and two brothers, all having careers in the field of art. He received his bachelors of science in art education from Missouri State University, and taught art at Diamond high school for 11 years, is currently teaching at Neosho high school. These are just four of a group of artists that will be bringing their work to us at our next opening, so please plan to be with us May 20th at 6:00 for this great exhibition, which will then remain on our galleries weekends noon to 5:00 through June 5th. Next week I will tell you a bit about the remainder of our displaying colored pencil artists.