The play The Marriage Fool is written by Richard Vetere and is directed by Betsy Fleischaker of Joplin. The script is a comic view of the generation gap’s perspective of marriage the first time around and remarriage after the death of a spouse. The play is also a 1998 movie starring Walter Mathau and Carol Burnett.

The play features Mickey Corporon from Neosho, Dorothy Freitas and William Roehling from Joplin, and Lorrie Gibson from Carthage. The play is appropriate for all ages, except young children.

Reservation hours of 10 a.m. through 12 noon weekdays begin July 29th. The phone number is 417-358-9665 or 417-358-7268. The door opens at 6 p.m., with dinner at 6:30 p.m., and the show at 7:30 p.m. on evening performances. On Sunday performances the door opens at 12:30 p.m., with dinner at 1:00 p.m. and the show at 2:00 p.m.

I understand why vehicles are advertised as 4x4. Means four wheels and all four are powered by the engine. Thus the term four-wheel drive. Four-by-four is just an abbreviated way to say it. And, of course, it looks good painted on the side of the truck.

Apparently the 4x4 type of truck has become so popular that now you see trucks advertised as 4x2. Just a regular truck driven by two wheels. I at first thought it odd to see 4x2 in a pickup ad, but after thinkin’ about it, those ads are meant for me. I don’t want a 4x4 and it’s nice for ‘em to make the regular trucks stand out so I can spot ‘em easier.

I suppose a motorcycle would be a 2x1 or onea those trikes a 3x2. I ended up with a 6x0 dump truck once. Had six wheels but just wouldn’t go anywhere. All it was was a 6,000 pound radio.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing Services

Your America

By Amy Anderson

My dad used to say that there wasn’t anything that couldn’t be barbecued on a grill or dipped in barbecue sauce. I challenged him with peaches. He made a mighty fine peach-barbecue marinade for some chicken breasts that day, and I never doubted my dad’s culinary daring again.

Of course, we differ on where to find the best barbecue. I say Memphis, Tenn., home of the king and a peculiar style of barbecued pork sandwiches, which involves coleslaw. He says Kansas City, Mo. After all, it is called K.C. Masterpiece barbecue sauce for a reason. But after further consideration, and a whole lot of research, it appears that there are several Barbecue Capitals of America. Five cities stand out, and here are the reasons why:

Kansas City, Mo. - It is the site of the Annual American Royal Barbecue Contest, drawing worldwide crowds and claiming to be the largest barbecue contest — period. If that isn’t entirely true, it has to be darn close. The contest is held in late October.

Memphis, Tenn. - The only other contest as large or larger than the American Royal is Memphis in May. A weeklong celebration of the pit, which also draws an international audience. In any case, Memphis is truly the Pork Barbecue Capital of the World.

Lockhart, Texas - Actually, this city was proclaimed the Barbecue Capital of Texas in 1999 (by House Resolution 1024), but its bragging rights extend much farther than the Lone Star state. When it comes to beef brisket, there’s no place like Texas for ‘cue, and Lockhart has the Texas barbecue market locked up.

Lexington, N.C. - Perhaps it is the Barbecue Festival in October that brings in crowds of up to 30,000 each year, or maybe it’s the dry rubs that the Carolinas are so famous for, but when a town of 17,000 residents has more than 15 barbecue joints, you know the food has got to be good.

Owensboro, Ky. - Two words: mutton and burgoo. At the International Barbecue Festival, you can sample both Owensboro’s famous barbecued mutton and some spicy burgoo, which is like a barbecue stew. Mmmm.