Children's Christmas Fund.

The Annual Carthage Christmas Parade is scheduled for tonight at 7 p.m. This year’s theme is "Grand Ole Christmas." The Carthage Technical Center Chapter of Skills USA-VICA is this year’s sponsor.

Dr. Charles Johnson will serve as this year’s Grand Marshal of the parade. He was chosen by the Carthage Technical Center because of his many years of service to the Carthage R-9 School District.

The Center received about 65 entries for the 2003 parade. In addition to the entries the parade will include Carthage Senior High band , Junior High band, and several other bands from around the area. Also scheduled to appear at this year’s parade is Ole Saint Nick.

The City Council made a name change at Tuesdays Special Work Session. Council members voted to name the Engineering Department the Public Works Department.

City Administrator Tom Short felt the department needed a new name soon. The City has an opening for a Public Works Director and ads for the position are needed.

LAND TRANSACTIONS.

Byron L. Freeman and Lisa B. Butler, husband and wife, sold the property at 7176 Highway 96, Carthage, MO, to John G. Brewer and Shannon Brewer, husband and wife. The sale was handled by Donal M. Myers with Donal M. Myers Realty.

Lotta folks on the road last weekend. After drivin’ close to 500 miles without seein’ an accident and only a couple a patrol cars, I start figurin’ I might be the statistic. Fortunately the trip was pulled off without incident.

‘Course gas prices were hoverin’ round a buck forty-five where I was travelin’. Always fill up here in town ‘fore gettin’ out in the rest of the country. Still the best prices around as far as I can tell.

Back when my dad was takin’ a holiday trip with the family, we’d spend some extra time stoppin’ at all the three or four local gas stations. He’d put in a dollar or two worth at each station so as ta spread the wealth. I doubt that it made any of ‘ems day, but he got ta chat at each stop and catch up on the latest. Slower times I suppose.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

McCune- Brooks Hospital

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH

By Paul G. Donohue, M.D.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I take my blood pressure with my own blood pressure machine. In the morning, when I first wake up, it is at its highest. During the day it returns to a normal reading. Is this normal? — B.B.

ANSWER: Not exactly normal. Blood pressure normally hits a low point in the early morning hours while people are still sleeping. It rises during the day. Yours is a pattern that is a reversal of the usual blood pressure cycle.

Is there any significance to it? Some blood pressure experts feel that a blood pressure rise of 50 points greater than its lowest reading in any 24-hour period might be a warning sign for a future stroke.

It’s impossible for you to take your blood pressure while you sleep. There are, however, round-the-clock blood pressure monitors that can take and record pressure throughout the day and night. Check with your doctor to see if he or she can locate such an instrument for you and if he or she feels that it is truly necessary for you to obtain this information.

Short of using a 24-hour monitor, the same experts who preach the above warning suggest a substitute test. They say that if blood pressure is higher than 140/90 within the first hour after rising, that is an equally valid prediction of the possibility of future stroke. Don’t take the blood pressure immediately after the alarm clock jolts you to wakefulness. An alarm clock going off raises my blood pressure considerably.