The Mornin' Mail is published every weekday except major holidays
Tuesday, May 28, 2002 Volume X, Number 241

did ya know?

Did Ya Know?. . .The Carthage Humane Society has the perfect pet for you. Pick from a variety of loving animals. Call 358-6402 for more information. If your pet is lost please call ASAP.

Did Ya Know?. . .The Grand Avenue Church of God, Grand & Macon, Carhage, will hold a Vacation Bible School at 6:45-8:45 p.m. from June 3rd to 7th.

Did Ya Know?. . .The Carthage First Church of the Nazarene, 2000 Grand Ave, will hold a Vacation Bible School from 6:00- 8:30 p.m. on June 3rd to 7th. For more information contact 358-4265.

Did Ya Know?. . .Sign-ups for a "Mysterious Summer" are being taken at the Carthage Public Library YPL desk.

today's laugh

Passer-by - "What would your mother say, little boy, if she could hear you swear like that?"
Boy - "She’d be tickled to death if she could hear it."
Passer-by - "How can you lie like that?"
Boy - "That’s no lie. She’s stone deaf."

Dear Old Lady - "Can your little brother talk yet?"
Small Boy - "Yes, mum: he can say ‘thank you’ for a penny."

1902
INTERESTING MELANGE.

A Chronological Record of Events as they have Transpired in the City and County since our last Issue.

STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

Chas. Budlong, Dr. Stewart and Others Felt
an Early Morning Shock.

A terrific thunder storm struck Carthage about 6:30 this morning and lightning threatened to do great damage. A tree in Chas. Budlong’s yard west of the park was struck and splintered. Mr. Budlong sat in a chair on his porch at the time and was rendered speechless and helpless for a moment.

Dr. J. W. Stewart was in his yard not far away and felt the shock, which sent him to his knees, not through fear or force of habit on such occasions, the good doctor declares, but because the lightning really made him weak-kneed for the instant.

Clarence Snyder, of Fitzer’s store was passing the Budlong place at the time and had the same experience as Dr. Stewart.

  Today's Feature



Scramble for a Quorum.



The City Council is scheduled for its regular meeting at 7:30 this evening in City Hall, but there is some question if there will be a quorum. Several members have indicated they may not be attending due to the Memorial Day holidays.

Mayor Kenneth Johnson decided to go ahead as scheduled last week in hopes the required six members will be available.

The items scheduled for vote include a change of policy that would increase the City’s participation in sidewalk improvements from $1.50 a square foot to $2.50.

Council bill 02-32 would authorize a contract with APAC for $75,085.15 to build a walking trail at Fair Acres Sports Complex.

Also scheduled for vote is Council bill 02-23 which would authorize a contract for the sale of the City owned property located at 116-128 W. Third to Mariposa Ranches for a sum of $101.

New business scheduled for first reading includes the proposed "grandfather clause" that would allow liquor licenses to be issued to any business that had obtained a license at the same location within one year proceeding application.


Commentary

Martin "Bubs" Hohulin
State Representative, District 126

Schools are getting out and summer activities are starting to get underway. One of those activities is getting a summer job. Teens all over Missouri are either looking for, or starting their summer jobs.

As a small business owner myself, I like hiring school kids because their hours are flexible, they are eager to prove themselves, and they haven’t yet developed bad work habits that need to be undone. Unfortunately, the State of Missouri seems to see things differently.

When I first started hiring I checked into the labor laws and was appalled at what I found. It is almost not worth it to hire anyone under the age of 16. In addition to regulatory requirements just to hire them, there are limits as to the hours they can work. One of those limits is that they can’t work after 7:00 pm before June 1 and they can’t work after 9:00 pm after June 1.

In the last week of Session I tried to change the law so that it would be 9:00 pm and 11:00 pm respectively. I couldn’t believe the opposition I ran into from big city liberal democrats.

They argued that I was against kids and wanted to bring back child sweatshops. That has become the technique of the liberals. They have to twist the facts and go for the fear factor because they realize they can’t win in a rational debate.

They said that a 15 year old belonged at home after 9:00 pm. I couldn’t agree more, but I asked them if they really thought a 15 year old would have no other choice but to go home during the summer after 9:00 pm. It isn’t even dark yet at that time. As a parent, I would rather have my child at work where it is safe, earning money, and learning responsibility than out cruising and getting into trouble. Is it any wonder that we have raised a generation of kids that view responsibility as the exception rather than the rule?

During the debate it was pointed out to me by one of the most liberal democrats that this law mirrored the federal labor law and that since the republicans controlled the White House and the House of Representatives that I shouldn’t complain. I shot back and asked him when the federal law was passed. He admitted that it was either in 1993 or 1994. I asked him who was President then and who controlled Congress. Too late he realized his mistake. Back then the democrats controlled the House of Representatives, the Senate, and Bill Clinton was President.

With laws that discourage work, it is no wonder we have the mess that we do. One of my businesses is close to the building that houses the welfare office. I see many of the folks that come into the office. Most are even more overweight than I am, dirty, dragging a long string of kids, and are there in the middle of the day. That tells me they are eating well off of us, irresponsible, needing more to do and not somewhere working. With liberals defending labor laws passed by the Clinton administration is it any wonder?

By the way, my attempt to change the law failed 63-71. Close only counts in horseshoes. Go by the park in the middle of the day. Chances are you will see someone living off you in the middle of a game.

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.

 

 

CAPITOL REPORT.

Political Exploitation 101.

by Steve Hunter
Representative District 127

It is absolutely amazing how educators have recently been so betrayed by Governor Bob Holden. Is this the man who campaigned as the "pro-education" candidate? Is this the man who duped most educators into supporting him for Governor?

The Governor has known for weeks, if not months, that there were insufficient votes in the House of Representatives to use the Rainy Day Fund. The reason there were insufficient votes is simple: excessive spending on the Governor's part does not create an emergency on the taxpayer's part.

The Rainy Day fund should be reserved for true emergencies such as the flood of 1993 or recovery from other natural disasters or terrorist attacks. If it keeps raining, we may truly need the Rainy Day fund to assist flood victims.

It took our state from 1821 to 1992 to accumulate a nearly $10 Billion budget. Amazingly, our budget has almost doubled in the last 10 years. Our budget is growing at the rate of $1 Billion per year. If this isn't runaway government spending, I don't know what is! Somebody had to have the backbone to stand up to this Governor and say "No. You can't have anymore money."

When the Governor realized he couldn't raid our state emergency fund, he responded with a political temper tantrum. Instead of working with Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate to arrive at a consensus solution, he began putting a bull's-eye on politically sensitive groups. If the Governor couldn't have his way, he threatened to withhold money from elementary and secondary education, higher education, state employees salary developmentally disabled children and Meals on Wheels. The decision to withhold any money at all rests with the Governor alone.

The decision of which groups to withhold money from rests with the Governor alone. If anyone has a problem with what group is in the crosshairs for withholding, they need to contact Governor Bob Holden as these decisions rest solely within his discretion. We brought enough pressure on him to get him to take elementary and secondary education off his hit list. Now its time to get to work on the rest of the proposed withholdings.

Here's the Governor's targets are for withholding:

Cut higher education $82.9 Million

Furlough state employees $1.7 Million

Cut nursing homes $20 Million

Funds from other agencies $125.4 Million

TOTAL $230 Million

Here is the House Republican idea to make up the shortage:

Interest from dedicated funds $84.6 Million

Lapsed funds $20 Million

Funds from other agencies $125.4 Million

TOTAL $230 Million

Why doesn't the Governor want to discuss the House proposal? The answer is simple: The Governor thinks he can make a lot more political hay by targeting education, nursing homes and state employees and blaming any hits on the Republicans.

Remember Governor Holden was our State Treasurer for 8 years prior to becoming Governor. Of all people, he should know and lead the way toward the least painful budget adjustments. Instead, he has chosen the path of political exploitation.

As usual, I can be reached at (573) 751-5458 or at Room 103 BB, State Capitol, Jefferson City, MO 65101, or by email at shunter@services.state.mo.us if you have any questions or comments.


Just Jake Talkin'

Mornin',

One of the great things about warm weather is the choice of foot wear.

‘Course some folks choose ta wear boots year round. Those who work in the outdoors and especially those who out with livestock or high grass need the protection whatever the weather.

There are a lotta boot wearers that just like boots. Prob’ly the most popular in this part of the country is the "cowboy" boot. I put that in quotes ‘cause there just aren’t many real cowboys left. I’m not talkin’ bout the ideal of a cowboy, but those who actually live the part. Nonetheless, the boot lives on although "tennis shoes" are often seen danglin’ on the legs of horse riders. Again, a tennis shoe is seldom worn, usually "athletic" or "walkin’" shoes.

Bare footin’ at least doesn’t change.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Sponsored

by

McCune- Brooks Hospital

Weekly Column



Health Notes

by Judith Sheldon

SMOKING AND CERVICAL CANCER: Last month, two studies concerning women smokers were released. The first (which I reported in this space three weeks ago) involved research at Emory University showing that women who smoked during pregnancy were more likely to give birth to retarded children than non smokers.

The second fact involves verification of a link between smoking and cervical cancer. According to data gathered and studied by scientists at the American Health Foundation in Valhalla, N.Y., and Dr. Steven Waggoner of the University of Chicago, there is evidence that tobacco carcinogens may be deposited in the cervix where they could damage the cellular DNA, which may lead to the onset of cancer.

So far, the verification deals with women who smoke. Some scientists believe inhaling passive smoke may also be associated with an increased presence of tobacco carcinogens in cervical tissue.

GOOD NEWS FOR ANIMALS: Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have successfully grown neurons, the nerve cells making up the brain and the whole central nervous system, outside the body - on glass plates, actually. These neuron networks will eventually replace animals for testing pharmaceuticals.

   

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