Today is election day and polling locations will open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. First Ward’s first and second precinct is the Grace Episcopal Church at 820 Howard; Second Ward’s first and second precinct is Memorial Hall; Third Ward’s first precinct is the north entrance of the Fire Station, second precinct is Columbian School; Fourth Ward’s first precinct is the Junior High, second precinct is Fairview Elementary; and Fifth Ward’s first and second precinct is Fairview Christian Church.

The election is for Carthage City Council members, R-9 School Board members and the proposed .67 cent operating levy increase for the R-9 School District.


City Wide Clean Up.

The Public Works Department announced that the annual City Wide Residential Spring Clean Up will be Saturday May 8th. This annual event is sponsored by the City of Carthage, under contract with American Disposal Services.

For more information, contact the Public Works Department at 237-7010.

American Boating Course.

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary will offer its American Boating Course April 24th from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the conference room at the First United Methodist Church at 617 South Main, Carthage.

There is no charge for the course and exam given at the end of the course. There are textbooks and CD’s available for $25.

According to Coast Guard Auxiliary member Harry Weissenberger, successful completion of the course is accepted by most insurance companies, and will satisfy the educational requirements for the permit that the Missouri Water Patrol will require next year for all boat operators born after January 1st, 1984. A proctored written exam will cost $5 to cover the cost for the Auxiliary to certify successful completion of the course.

For more information, contact Harry Weissenberger at 358-5737.

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is an organization of adult men and women voluteers of all ages who are interested in boating safety, preservation of the marine environment and homeland security. The Auxiliary was started in 1939 to assist the Coast Guard in promoting boating safety.

If ya haven’t made it to the polls to cast your vote, be sure and plan to make it by today. Polls are open until 7 p.m. and, as always, your vote will make a difference.

We have received a couple a letters to the editor concernin’ the question of raisin’ the school levy. Due to space limitations, we cannot publish long letters. Rather than edit someone elses thoughts, we just don’t print letters over thee hunderd words.

As always, we are glad to print anyone’s opinion, it just has ta be signed with a phone number we can verify and be a length that will not dominate the entire paper.

The Mornin’ Mail is the small, town newspaper, but we do appreciate big ideas stated in a concise format. Keep those cards and letters comin.’

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

McCune- Brooks Hospital

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH

By Paul G. Donohue, M.D.

Lupus — A Distant Cousin of Arthritis

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I was recently diagnosed with lupus. My medical dictionary doesn’t give me answers to my questions. Could you address this illness? My joints are always painful. — S.M.

ANSWER: Although the cause of lupus has not been identified, evidence points to the immune system coupled with hormones and genes as being integral to its onset, which is usually between the ages of 16 and 55.

Lupus erythematosus, its official name, is remotely related to rheumatoid arthritis. Both target joints. Lupus, however, affects many other organs: skin, lungs, heart, kidneys, red and white blood cells, the brain and nerves.

Signs and symptoms correspond to which organs are involved. Frequently a red rash appears on the cheeks, and it crosses the bridge of the nose to connect the cheek rashes. It looks something like the silhouette of a butterfly. Hair can thin, and bald patches can appear on the scalp. The kidneys might fail. Red blood cell numbers drop, and that produces anemia. White blood cells also take a dip that leaves the person vulnerable to infections. Fever and fatigue engulf patients. Of course, joints are painful and often swollen.

Strange antibodies, products of the immune system, are found in the blood, and they serve as lab markers of the disease.