Today's Feature

Constitutional Amendment 3.

The Ballot for the upcoming general election Tuesday November 2 contains a proposed amendment to the Missouri Constitution which reads;

"Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to require that all revenues from the existing motor vehicle fuel tax (less collection costs) be used only for state and local highways, roads and bridges, and also require that vehicle taxes and fees paid by highway users be used only for constructing and maintaining the state highway system (less collection costs, refunds and highway patrol law enforcement costs), except that up to half of such vehicle taxes and fees, phased in over four years, will go into a state road bond fund to repay state highway bonds?

The constitutional amendment has a zero net fiscal impact. The amendment increases funding for the Department of Transportation to be used for transportation purposes only and limits the use of highway user fee revenues by other state agencies. The indirect fiscal impact on state and local governments, if any, is unknown."

Of the six County offices up for election, four of ‘em have opponents. Incumbent Coroner J.D. Love is the lone Democrat currently in a Jasper County office and is opposed by former Sheriff Deputy Jerry Neil.

Darieus Adams (R) and Dana Williams (D) are runnin’ for Western District Commissioner, while Jim Honey (R) is bein’ opposed by Brent Erwin for Eastern District Commissioner. Former Commissioner Ben Johnson (D) is attemptin’ to remove Jeannie Wells as Treasurer, and Mark Rains (D) wants to assume the Assessor position from Don Davis.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing

This Is A Hammer

By Samantha Mazzotto

Septic System Maintenance

Q: We just bought a home out in the country that uses a septic system rather than sewer service. The seller said that all we need to do to keep the system working well is to put an additive down the toilet once a month. Is there anything else we need to know? — Sarah and Calvin Y., Gadsden, Ala.

A: There are a few things you need to know, and a few things you need to do immediately, to make sure the septic system is really working as efficiently as the former owner claims it is.

First, a quick course on septic systems. In a home that isn’t hooked up to a municipal sewer system, liquid and solids drain from the home’s central drain waste vent into a submerged tank, located outside the house and ideally at a higher level than the ground beyond it. This tank is a very efficient primary waste processing unit.

Wastewater and solid waste "rest" in the tank, separating into three distinct tiers: solids in the bottom, liquids in the center and a crusty, funky foam at the top. Bacteria at all three levels consume and digest the waste products, dissolving them further and adding to the strata. Meanwhile, the liquid in the middle (effluent) drains into wastewater pipes that feed into drainage lines, located down the slope in a prepared field. Layers of gravel and dirt are in place below the sod, and the effluent filters down through these layers, which purify the liquid before it reaches the water table.

Rather than continuing to put additives into the system and hoping that does the trick, have a septic tank technician come out, inspect the tank and the drain field, and pump the tank if necessary. Ask him how often a biological additive should be put in — many technicians don’t recommend it at all.