May 2002 Tax Distribution.

Stephen H. Holt, Jasper County Collector, has announced $613,133.54 was collected by his office for the month of May 2002.

This amount includes $327,370.24 in 2001 real estate taxes, $101,642.93 in 2000 real estate taxes and $813.00 in 1999 real estate taxes.

Also collected was $166,106.10 in 2001 personal property taxes, $9,058.55 in 2000 personal property taxes, and $3,748.47 in 1999 personal property taxes.

$514.00 in duplicate receipts, $3,650.00 in merchants licenses, $208.00 in auctioneer’s licenses, and $22.25 in miscellaneous fees.

Distribution of the $442,416.27 allocated to schools in Jasper County is as follows:

Carl Junction R-I, $53,376.21; Sarcoxie R-II, $9,331.25; Golden City R-III, $426.53; Diamond R-IV, $807.66; Jasper R-V, $9,836.76; Webb City R-VII, $92,197.09; Joplin R-VIII, $196,849.04; Carthage R-IX, $76,111.34; Avilla R-XIII, $3,480.39.

NASCAR to the Max

Following Sunday’s Pocono (PA) 500, Ricky Rudd has to be thinking he is jinxed. Rudd, who has been in contention for a win three of the last four weeks, was again the victim of poor racing fortunes. This time Rudd’s luck went south while he was leading the race. With only five laps remaining, Rudd had a tire go flat. While trying to nurse the car to the finish, Rudd made contact with the wall bringing out the caution flag with only one lap remaining. Teammate Dale Jarrett took the victory under caution at a leisurely 65 mph as the checkered waved. Rudd finished 17th, the last driver on the lead lap, a difference at the pay window of over $120,000.00! The win marked Jarrett’s first visit to the winner’s circle this year.

This week’s race takes the teams to Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, MI. MIS is a 2-mile, D-shaped oval with fairly steeped banking in the turns. The length and banking makes the track one of the fastest on the circuit. The track is also very wide which allows for numerous opportunities to pass. There are usually very few caution periods at MIS making fuel mileage and quick pit stops a key part of the strategy. Look for the high horsepower, multi-car teams to have a leg up on the competition this weekend. Of particular interest will be the Yates teams of Jarrett and Rudd. Yates is known to build one of the strongest motors on the circuit. Also, Jeff Gordon, who won this race last year, could break out of his winless slump and pace the field of 43.

Silly Season, the time of the season when rumors of driver and crew changes are overshadowed only by the actual changes, has gotten off to an earlier than normal start. Dale Earnhardt Inc. driver Steve Park will likely depart the team at seasons end with teammate Michael Waltrip’s release coming sooner rather than later. Richard Childress has swapped the entire crews of his cars driven by Kevin Harvick and Robby Gordon.

Can ya hear me now?

Possibly onea the most recognized commercials in recent years. May grow to be as popular as the "Where’s the beef?" slogan of past.

‘Course others have become such ever’day slang. Here are a few that will test your memory as well as your age. Fill in the blanks.

"You’ll wonder where the yellow went........"

"Winston tastes good.........."

"N-e-s-t-l-e-s, Nestles makes the very best....."

"Aren’t you glad you use Dial, don’t you wish........."

"............, a little dab ‘ll do ya."

And of course, "....... the breakfast of Champions.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click & Clack
TALK CARS

Dear Tom and Ray:

I have a ’94 Dodge Shadow. When I stop at a red light and I have my foot on the brakes, I can feel the brake pedal slip and go down a little. I called my mechanic, and he said it could be the master cylinder and told me to take it back to the dealer.

The dealer checked it and told me that nothing’s wrong. They didn’t charge me for the checkup. What do you think? Should I be concerned? - Ellen.

Ray: It could still be a bad master cylinder, Ellen. Leaky master cylinders are notoriously difficult to diagnose.

Tom: But it could also be absolutely nothing. We see this on a lot of modern cars with electronic engine management systems. When you come to a stop, the engine management system may increase or decrease the idle speed slightly for a variety of reasons.

When that happens, the engine vacuum changes and, since the power brakes are vacuum-assisted, you could feel a slight sinking of the brake pedal.

Ray: The problem is, how do you know whether it’s normal or not? The answer is that you don’t. But your mechanic should be able to tell. And if he’s unsure about it, I would suggest he put in a new master cylinder and see fi the problem goes away.

Tom: If it does go away, then you know the master cylinder was, indeed, starting to leak. If the brakes do exactly the same thing with a new master cylinder, then we’d have to conclude that their diagnosis was correct and there’s nothing wrong.