Today's Feature

Record Power Usage.

The heat of the summer has had a major impact on electrical usage, in addition to hydroelectric power availability. On Wednesday of this week the Carthage Water and Electric Plant set a City record for most power usage per hour. During the 4:00 hour and the plant used 58 megawatts, 18 of which were generated by the Carthage plant. On Monday at 4:00 and 5:00 and on Tuesday at 4:00 the plant beat the previous record, set in 2003 by reaching 57 megawatts per hour. The 2003 record was set when 56.3 megawatts were used, also during the 4:00 hour.

The plant has been using the 5 of the 9 available generators recently, to compensate for a voluntary reduction of hydroelectric power usage. Using the generators is more cost effective for the City than purchasing from the market. Market prices are variable but have been averaging around $125 per megawatt lately. Generation has been shown to cost approximately $64 to $80 per megawatt, although this cost is also variable depending on cost of the fuel used to power the generators.

According to Tony Choate of CW&EP the generators are running well. Maintenance for the units was done in the winter to ensure good performance during the summer, according to Choate.

In 1998 CW&EP generated and sold power to help compensate for a shortage of area power plants. Choate said that the plant is still capable of selling power on a contingency basis, if the power is not being used by the City. However, there has not been any interest from area communities yet this summer.

The plant is capable of producing up to 35 megawatts per hour at peak, but it is not recommended that long-term production exceed approximately 32 or 33 mw/h. Full production requires all nine generators to be used.

Chamber Hosts Sale-Bration.

News release.

The Carthage Chamber of Commerce will host a Summer Sidewalk Sale-Bration on Saturday, July 22. A variety of activities are planned for the community-wide event that is designed to encourage residents and others to "Shop Carthage First."

The day will begin with a Sale Bration Bingo at 7 a.m. Bingo cards can be picked up at the chamber office or at any of these participating retailers;

A Little More Pizzazz, 319 South Main Street; All Things Grand!, 1204 Grand Ave.; Annie’s, 116 West Third Street; Block-By-Block Quilt Shop, 424 West Fir Road; Burggraf’s Discount Tire & Wheel, 2504 Grand Avenue; CD’s Pancake Hut, 301 South Garrison Avenue; Candy House Gourmet Chocolates, 2408 South Grand Avenue; Carthage Hardware, 119 East Third Street; Central Pet Care Clinic, 224 West Central Avenue; The Corner Closet, 327 South McGregor; Emporium on the Square, 311 South Main Street; Front Page, 141 East Third Street; Powers Museum, 1617 West Oak Street; UMB Bank, 300 Grant Street; The White Rose Winery, Restaurant and Bed & Breakfast, 13001 Journey Road.

Players must visit four locations on their card to make bingo to be eligible to enter a prize drawing. Official rules and information is located on the bingo cards.

Other scheduled activities include the British Car Show on the Historic Carthage Square, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Over 100 cars and motorcycles will be on display for the show. For more information contact Debra Smith at the Carthage Chamber of Commerce, 358-2373.

Stench Report:
Wednesday,
7/19/06

No Stench Detected on Carthage
Square

I have been known to spend a Sunday afternoon sittin’ on the couch watchin’ a match on tv. Looks like good exercise.

Some get the idea that golfers are fanatical about the sport, but I see the same enthusiasm in tennis players, bowlers, dart throwers, and pool and softball players. And curlers. I suppose all sports take a particular set of physical skills and mind set, but mainly ya have ta like the game, and then be willing to invest the time to get good at it.

I kinda like the idea of whackin’ a ball as hard as ya can, I’m not so keen on the idea of chasin’ after it.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Dear Tom and Ray:

What is the primary reason why car manufacturers have switched to lighter-weight oils? I’ve heard several explanations. But once and for all, what is the real reason for this change? I would feel truly blessed to receive your thoughts and opinions relating to this question! I know you guys have the answers. Thanks. - Dan

RAY: They’ve switched over to lighter-weight oils because the guys at Kmart were continually complaining of backaches, Dan.

TOM: Actually, the main impetus for using lighter (lower-viscosity) oil is to improve gas mileage.

RAY: The thicker, or more viscous, the oil, the harder it is for the moving parts of the engine to "push" their way through it. The more resistance those parts get, the more fuel that is required to make them move. So, by lightening up the oil, you make it easier for the parts to move, and you reduce your fuel consumption.

TOM: It used to be that thicker oil was used because it provided more protection to those moving parts, especially at higher temperatures, when all oil thins out. But oil technology has improved so much that today’s 5W30 oils provide even more protection than yesteryear’s thickest glop.

RAY: It’s also true that the tolerances (spaces between parts) have gotten smaller over the years as quality has improved. And those big, old, fat, porker oil molecules can’t get in there as well as the thinner ones.

TOM: In the old days, you used to be able to fit, say, a Maine coon cat in the spaces between the bearings on an old Chevy. But today the spaces are measured in fractions of a millimeter. And today’s thinner oils are exactly what’s needed to get into those spaces.