Today's Feature
Adult Video Restrictions Unlikely.

As a follow-up to a request by the local ministerial alliance, City Attorney David Mouton spoke on the efforts of his continued research for a course of action against local businesses that make explicit adult entertainment available to the public for rental and sale. Mouton addressed the Public Safety Committee to update on his findings.

According to Mouton the issue is currently a fairly widespread concern in the nation. Towns not wanting to encourage adult entertainment have little recourse against businesses selling and renting such material.

The ministerial alliance made a presentation before the Public Safety Committee over a month ago asking the City to help persuade businesses in Carthage to discontinue explicit adult entertainment from their selection of rentable videos. Representatives from the alliance were informed at the meeting that the City had already made contact with those businesses but had not achieved the desired results. The businesses have successfully cited the first amendment as protection. Mouton said that Carthage does have regulations in place, but the regulations guard mostly against businesses selling or renting adult entertainment as the primary merchandise, whereas the businesses in question as of late offer this material as only a minor percentage of their merchandise.

Mouton told the committee that he and Police Chief Dennis Veach had visited Family Video in Carthage, one of the businesses in question, to see what methods of restriction were in place to guard underage persons from the seeing any explicit material on the cases of the videos. Mouton said that the material is all contained in a partitioned area behind a privacy wall with a sign on the entry way forbidding persons under 18. Suspended above the room is a fish-eye mirror allowing clerks at the front desk to see down into the room. The committee discussed concerns of underage people wandering either unaware or sneakily into the room, but agreed that at this point protection must be provided by parents of those under 18.

Mouton said that the chances were not good for placing restrictions on the businesses, but told the committee that he would continue his research.

You don’t even see a small soft drink on menus anymore, ya start out with a medium, or fair to middlin’ size drink.

Most folks drive a fair to middlin’ size car or even SUV’s nowadays. Fill up with fair to middlin’ grade of gas and take fair to middlin’ trips.

‘Course we’ve all heard fair to middlin’ fiddlin’ from time to time. Or have a fair to middlin’ siblin’. Then there’s corn on the cob which makes fair to middlin’ nibblin’.

I suppose fair to middlin’ overall is a good thing. Not too extravagant, not too simple. A lofty goal for any politician.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

It has been a busy spring with time just flying by. I have seen more gardens this year than in the past. Little patch gardens popping up in yards. Suppose the price of gas may have effected that too...easier to grow groceries than to grow gasoline!

One may choose to plant some herbs for cooking/medicinal herbs. It is quite tempting to start with a little patch of peppermint or spearmint because the taste is so good and it is soothing for stomach aches, depress the appetite and it is great in salads. However, and this is a big however, it spreads rapidly and will soon take over a flower bed. Best to contain the mint family.

Sage has been used for soothing stomach, p.m.s. symptoms, and seasoning from dressing to sausage. It makes a beautiful garden bush and is quite easy to grow. It should not be used by pregnant or lactating women.

Chamomile is often used to calm nerves in both the young and old. It has a daisy like flower and is quite aromatic. Even smelling the flowers is said to be quite calming. The essential oil has been used to treat menopausal symptoms and aid in sleeping.

Garlic is known for it’s "antibiotic" like effects. Recent studies have shown it to be effective in the treatment of high blood pressure, cholesterol, and fighting colds and flus. As a prevenative herb, it is quite effective against the above mentioned. Garlic likes a nice sunny spot and will be graced with a nice bloom at the end of the season. You can divide the clove and start new plants off each one.

My yard looks somewhat ragged, but abounds in usable herbs. In just a small area, I can gather dandelion, polk, garlic (gone wild), plantain, clover and some dock and burdock. Even the dogwood tree has its uses. Folk usage included brushing the teeth with a dogwood twig for healthy gums and teeth.

artCentral

artCamp offers creative summer fun for kids

School’s out and children are sooooooooo thrilled to be free of classes and homework...until boredom sets in and parents hear the familiar whine, "There’s nothing to do." artCentral has just the remedy for the summer doldrums: 12 days of artCamp, July 18 - July 30, Monday-Saturday, 10am-2:30pm.

This year’s schedule is chock full of daily art sessions that are fun and educational for boys and girls, ages 8 to 14. Kids signed up for "Clay Day" will make pinch pots, coil and slab containers that will be glazed and fired. Along with classes in watercolor, printmaking, and sculpture, adventures in Egyptian art, Pop art, architecture, and kite making are offered. Youngsters learn about important famous artists and try out different styles and techniques of art making, with emphasis on fun and exploration. The instructors are "real, live art teachers" and working artists. The cost is $15 per day and includes materials. Best of all, you can pick and choose which art sessions for your child to attend. Preregistration is a MUST and class sizes are limited. The schedules are hot off the press, so give us a call (358-4404) and we’ll send you a copy.

If you’re wishing there were an artCamp for "Big Kids" your age, there is! It’s artCentral’s upcoming Adult Weekend Workshops in stone carving, blacksmithing, and ceramic surface design set for June 3, 4, 5. There are still places available, so call 358-4404 to get a brochure and registration form.