Today's Feature

Annual Award Nominees Wanted.

News release

The Annual Banquet Committee of the Carthage Chamber of Commerce is busy planning the 2005 Annual Banquet scheduled for Friday, January 21st 2005, at the Carthage Memorial Hall.

In preparation for this year’s event, the committee is asking residents to submit candidates for the 2004 Richard M. Webster Citizen of the Year Award, 2004 Small Business of the Year and 2004 Spotlight Award.

The Richard M. Webster Citizen of the Year Award, given in memory of the late Senator Richard M. Webster, is presented to an individual who has devoted much of their time to the improvement and enhancement of the Carthage community as a whole.

The Small Business of the Year Award is presented to one business each year that has provided a positive image and been a vibrant entity within the Carthage business community. Recipient must be a Chamber Member in good standing.

The Spotlight Award is given to a business that has contributed to the overall enhancement of the business community of Carthage through revitalization or improvement made to their business location. Recipient must be a Chamber Member in good standing. All nominee forms are available the Carthage Chamber office, 402 South Garrison Avenue, and are due to the Chamber by Friday, December 10th.

For more information Chamber office at 358-2373 or Debra Smith at 358-2373.

VNA Bring Flu Shots to Area.

News release.

The Visiting Nurse Association of Tulsa (VNA) in collaboration with multiple community partners, including a donation for the use of Hammons Trade Center, are announcing a community flu vaccination clinic for high risk individuals in this area.

The clinic will be held at the Hammon’s Trade Center located next to the Holiday Inn at I-44 and US 71 in Joplin.

Clinic dates and times will be: Wednesday, Dec. 8th from 9 a.m to 7 p.m. and Thursday Dec. 9th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Vaccine supply is plentiful and anticipated to accommodate the needs of high risk individuals during this two-day event. With the shot being given in the arm, individuals should wear loose-fit clothing or short sleeves.

Cost of the flu shot is $20 cash or check. VNA will also accept Medicare Part B as full payment if you are not a member of any Medicare HMO. Those 65 or older will need to present a Medicare card and a claim will be filed with Medicare on their behalf.

The flu vaccine is for high-risk individuals only. Individuals will be screened for risk. Those considered at high risk (according CDC guidelines) are:

• Persons 65 years of age or older

• Age 2 to 64 years with any of the following conditions: A chronic disorder of the pulmonary or cardiovascular system, including asthma; A chronic disease of the blood, kidneys, or immune system (including HIV), or diabetes that has required medical follow-up or hospitalization in the preceding year; A woman who will be pregnant during the influenza season; A child or teenager receiving long-term aspirin therapy.

• Children 6 through 23 months of age.

• Household contacts or out-of-home caretakers of children less than 6 months of age.

• Healthcare workers involved in direct, hands on, face-to-face patient care.

Onea my favorite sayin’s by the business consultant Peter Drucker is that there are always more opportunities that there is money or manpower to take advantage of them.

‘Course most folks have had a good idea or two about an opportunity that is out there just waitin’. Time and money was all that stood in the way.

I suppose that is onea the attractions to all of the work at home type businesses that are advertised. They seem to offer a short cut to the time/money dilemma.

The real point of Drucker’s statement is that there are always opportunities for those willin’ and able.

‘Course, as the old sayin’ goes, when opporknockity tunes, open the door.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Natural Nutrition

By Mari An Willis

Such confusion...another side of the Vit. E story is presented here by Dr. Clark. Dr. Clark, MD. and his wife have seen remarkable results using nutritional support in the treatment of their son, Devons, own health challenge. I believe this shows another side of a scientific study which has been "tweeked" and reported from only one view. Here is a look at another side.

To E or not to E?

Alan Clark, M.D.

The recent study published this November stating that vitamin E in doses over 400 IU was associated with increased death rates sent an undeserving chilling effect on many users of vitamin supplements.

This chilling effect was totally unnecessary. First, the study by Dr. Miller and colleagues was based upon their own selection of studies which only showed patients with a slight increased death rate. Several important studies which showed a decreased death rate were ignored by the investigators. Next, the authors used studies of the synthetic (alpha form) of tocopherol (vitamin E); while it is well known to the nutritional community that vitamin E exits in 7 other natural forms, which, when taken together, do have a benefit in health maintenance. Lastly, most of the subjects in the studies were elderly patients taking this less than effective form of vitamin E in combination with known medications which have been known to interfere with the effectiveness of any form of vitamin E and which can raise their cholesterol by such interference.

Expect more of this twisted science in the next few months. There is a formidable attack on nutritional supplements by organized medicine and pharmaceutical companies that would have us believe that the answers to our health lie solely in their chemical compounds. The end result will ultimately be that our nutritional supplements will be banned unless they are prescribed by physicians and made only by pharmaceutical companies in very limited quantities, doses and with much less effectiveness

artCentral

Sponsored by artCentral

Busy season at artCentral, too!

The Hyde House is all decked out with swags of color lights along the front porch and a wreath on the front door to welcome visitors. Greenery and small white lights wind up the stairway banister, and our three trees are decorated with lights and various bulbs.

Downstairs in the Main Gallery are the festive watercolors of John Fitzgibbon. The show, "A Celebration of Life", enjoyed a full house opening reception on November 19, with many friends, family members, previous students, colleagues and peers in attendance to peruse John’s latest work and honor his accomplishments. Available for viewing through December 22, the show draws several visitors a day.

Upstairs in the Members Rooms is the Holiday Bazaar, where you can find original art, one-of-a-kind items, the beautiful, and the bizarre for the hard-to-please on your list. The handblown glass ornaments are still available, as are several select pieces of jewelry. Lowell Davis’s signed and numbered print, "Spark of Talent" will thrill anyone who attended the old Mark Twain School here in Carthage. And everyone must see the exquisitely fashioned Three Bears and other animals created by Joe and Monty Sours. They have promised to do an entire exhibit for next year which I am already looking forward to!

If you have yet to visit our lovely artCentral home, please come by between now and December 23. We’re open Wednesday through Sunday, 11-5pm weekdays and noon -5pm on weekends. We are located at 1110 East 13th Street, Carthage.