Today's Feature

R-9 Board Approves Option to Purchase.

A news release from the Carthage R-9 Board of Education confirms that the board approved a $25,000 option to purchase 80 acres of real estate at the January 9 meeting. The property is bordered by Airport Drive, Fir Road, River Street and Pearl Street. This is the lot which was named by the board to be the prospective building site for a new high school at the previous meeting. The option will expire on December 31, 2006 unless the option is extended. The price of the property is listed at $1.65 million.

The State of the State.

State Senator Gary Nodler news release

The Missouri Senate joined the members of the House of Representatives Wednesday night in welcoming Governor Matt Blunt for his State of the State Address. Governor Blunt delivered good news: the difficult decisions that we made last year have paid off for the citizens of the state, and Missouri’s economy is strong.

For the first time in five years, we are beginning the year with a small but real budget surplus, rather than a shortfall. The budget choices that we made last year are paying off with improved funding for education, job growth and an improved business climate as a result of tort reform and workers compensation reform. The Governor called on us to continue down this path of efficient, effective and responsive government.

Governor Blunt’s budget reflects the right priorities, ensuring that our children receive a first-class education is number one. The Governor has requested a $167 million increase for K-12 education, fully funding our states new foundation formula. The Governor also called on the legislature to find ways to assure that education spending puts the dollars where they need to be, which is in the classroom.

I applaud the Governor’s proposal for an increase for funding for public two- and four-year colleges and universities. That proposal would increase the higher education budget by more than $17 million and enabling us to provide resources needed to provide a quality education and hold down tuition costs.

The Governor also called for a comprehensive energy action plan. We will be working to develop a wide-ranging policy that will focus on rising heating costs, home-heating assistance for low-income Missourians, and agriculture-based fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, to produce renewable energies that decrease dependency on foreign resources.

The Governor has requested further scrutiny of Medicaid to completely eliminate waste, fraud and abuse. He also asked the General Assembly to take additional steps to ensure that low-income Missourians have access to health care. Additionally, the Governor requested more funding for residential-care facilities, smoking-cessation programs and in-home health care.

The Governor would also like to see Medicaid restructuring incorporate advanced technologically to improve efficiency in benefits. To achieve this, he has requested the creation of the Health-Care Technology Fund that would invest funds from the revenue surplus to accomplish this streamlining.

Additional gubernatorial priorities include increased funding for law-enforcement facilities and increased penalties for criminals. This fight against criminals includes crime lab funding, drug courts and stronger penalties for sexual predators and those who abuse seniors.

I look forward to working with my fellow lawmakers and the Governor to guarantee that the state of the state remains healthy, strong and forward looking.

The Missouri Senate will stand adjourned on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 16, and will reconvene on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

Stench Report:
Friday,
1/13/06

No Stench Detected

After all these years and the money and time spent by the car manufacturers to come up with a better batt’ry we don’t seem ta be much closer. Some things just don’t get any better.

Seems like they always want ta tinker with the light bulb. Tryin’ ta make ‘em use less electricity and last a hunderd years. But when it gets down to it, bulbs haven’t changed much for the average folks. Neither has the speech that all fathers give the kids ‘bout how much it costs to leave ‘em on.

Now there’s a fella I’d like ta meet, the first guy that gave the "turn off the lights" speech. Can’t improve that.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Snow-Shoveling Tips

We’re in the depths of winter now, and while some areas of the country are already knee-deep in snow, others are expecting a good deal of it anytime now. If you’re new to the snow-shoveling game, or just haven’t done it in awhile, keep a few things in mind before heading outside to clear the driveway.

--Dress in layers: You’ll warm up as you shovel, but when you break out in a sweat your clothing will get damp and quickly cool off. Then you’ll get chilled, and won’t be able to continue. So instead, wear an inside layer of "wicking" clothing (like thermal underwear), a second layer of street clothes, a wool sweater or fleece jacket, and a water-resistant heavy coat. Wear a warm hat, and water-resistant gloves and shoes.

--Warm up before starting: While still inside the house, get your blood pumping a little bit by stretching out, jogging in place, or other exercise for about five minutes. This seemingly unimportant step can prevent muscle pulls and even heart attacks during shoveling.

--Prep your equipment: Depending on conditions, in addition to a snow shovel you might need a spade or a hoe to break up compacted snow, a heavy-duty broom to sweep off steps, and a sand/ice-melt mixture to scatter over an icy walk. Spray a light coating of lubricating oil or plain old cooking oil along the edge of your snow shovel, so that snow slides on and off the shovel more easily.

--Have a plan: Decide exactly where you’ll begin shoveling, what areas you will tackle first, where and when you will end, and where you will place the snow as you shovel it.

--Don’t load the shovel: When you begin shoveling, remember to fill the snow shovel only about halfway. Filling the shovel will tire you out quickly and make you vulnerable to injury.

--Don’t "throw" the snow: Rather than lifting the shovel high and tossing the snow several feet, save your energy by lifting it only a few inches and moving it to the right or left of the path. Your arms and back will thank you.

--Recognize the symptoms of cold injury: Monitor yourself and helpers continually for signs of developing hypothermia, frostbite or other dangerous injuries caused by cold. If you’re cold and just can’t get warm despite the work, go indoors immediately. If exposed skin feels "weird" -- numb, tingling, itching, burning or cold -- or has a white or frozen appearance, get indoors immediately and contact a doctor for advice.

HOME TIP: Winter is a good time to clean and prepare outdoor tools for next season, so take an afternoon or two to scrub away dirt and rust, coat metal parts with an all-purpose oil, and rub a thin coat of linseed oil on wooden handles.