Today's Feature

Budget Part II.

The Budget Ways and Means Committee continued the budget hearings for Fiscal Year 2008 on Wednesday evening. The committee heard budget requests for the following departments; Fire, Emergency Management, Police, Taxi, Parks & Recreation, Golf, Pool, Streets, Street Engineering Projects, Public Works, Landfill, Public Health, City Attorney, Administration, Memorial Hall, Civil War Museum, and Central Municipal Activities.

Almost every department has raised the budgeted amount for gasoline and utilities. The committee briefly discussed the changes with each representative.

One new addition to the budget process included the proposed Nuisance Abatement shift. Public Works Director Chad Wampler presented a budget showing the impact of moving the Nuisance Abatement officers under the direction of the Public Works Department from the Police Department, where nuisance abatement is currently enforced. This shift, if approved, would impact the budget by approximately $115 thousand, which includes the salaries for two full-time employees, two vehicles and two new computers in addition to several other expenses.

The City General fund, in the current rough draft budget, has an ending balance of $293,581. That figure represents no cuts being made to any department’s budget requests. The meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m.

CORRECTION: Who’s Jim Newly?

A typographical error appears in Thursday’s issue of the Mornin’ Mail, in the first paragraph of the feature story. The second sentence should have read; "Newly-appointed Mayor pro-tem Tom Flanigan assumed mayoral duties in the absence of Mayor Jim Woestman." However, the words "Mayor Jim" were accidentally added at the first of that sentence. Due to the capitalization of "Newly," the article appears to make reference to a "Mayor Jim Newly." Research of the Carthage phone book shows no presence of a Jim Newly, however, the Mornin’ Mail would like to apologize to any persons who may have been impacted negatively as a result of this error.

It’s always odd to run into folks ya know in a place ya didn’t expect to see ‘em.

I happened upon several at last year’s Acoustic Music Festival. Some of ‘em didn’t surprise me that they were attendin’ the event, just didn’t expect to see ‘em. Others I had no idea they had an interest in such things. Some were folks I hadn’t seen for several years, others I see ever now and then around these parts.

Then there were those that I was wantin’ to run into that I never found. I know they were there, just didn’t make contact.

There were also the three or four folks I didn’t know, but kept seein’ ‘em at various times. I wasn’t followin’ them around, but I wonder if they don’t think I was. Or maybe they were keepin’ an eye on me.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Natural Nutrition
By Mari An Willis

This is a wonderful time of year..... anytime can be when you are feeling well. However, when I was digging out my flowerbed, which had been neglected for several years, it had some wonderful dandelion growth. It was not an easy job until I decided to keep the roots and brew them up that evening with some of the mint that had taken over as well. What a great combination with dual reward. My flower bed is clean and I have enough tea to do a spring flush. Dandelion is well known in the traditional usage of herbs as a excellent survival food and is "also used as a diuretic and for diabetes. It has the ability to cleanse obstructions and stimulate the liver to detoxify poisons. The juice from the stem can be applied and allowed to dry to treat worts."*

It is also said to help nourish the blood, liver and spleen and contains many nutrients which may be useful in treating anemia

Lots of requests for this recipe. So simple and easy it is almost a shame to admit. It is one of those you start with basics and end with the basics. That easy and most nutritious.

One pkg. of smoked flavored tofu cut into one inch squares. Try It!

One pkg. frozen Easy Meal with organic vegetables and seasoning sauce.

Heat small amount of olive oil in wok or hot skillet stirring until browned (about one minute) add the vegetables, sauce mixed w/water, cover and steam for approx. 10 min. Easy and very nutritional, and faster than waiting in line at a fast food place!! You may add any other goodies you like to mix and serve with rice. Pkg. says serves 2. I serve 4 with side rice.

* Today’s Herbal Health, Louise Tenney, M.H.

artCentral
Art Notes from Hyde House
By Sally Armstrong, Director of artCentral

Mother nature, she is a dear! Our weather could not have been sweeter or fairer for the past weekend’s outdoor POTTERY FAIR at the Hyde House, and though we had a fairly nice attendance, I can’t help but think too many folks were lured by the weather to do other " nice weather activities", and SHAME ON THEM because our potters did put on a beautiful display of unique pottery, and produced some interesting and fun on-site demonstrations.

The evening before, the Opening of EXPRESSIONS IN CLAY, brought out quite a large crowd of patrons and guests who purchased a lot of the pieces, both inside in the gallery and outside in the booths. Several tents were pitched around the property, and three pottery wheels were put into use as the potters threw pieces and visitors watched. It was a very festive atmosphere, and someone commented that Miss Hyde would have been thrilled to have seen it! Another buyer was strong in complimenting the artists on the quality and reasonable prices of their work, saying that these pieces were as nice as they had seen back east, and certainly a heck of a lot cheaper! So there you are, folks, those of you who haven’t been by yet. Testimonials to a very nice show which will be open another 2 weekends for your visit.

Sunday we had the opportunity to show a display of member-artists works at the arts event held by the Carthage Council on the Arts held at Grace Church. I hope some of you were able to attend this special arts event which show-cased the different arts offered in Carthage throughout the year. The organizers were the Board of Directors and the thrust was membership growth and thanks, and an introduction to the future events of the organization.

I spent Monday morning removing the show hanging at the ATRIUM GALLERY at the Sirloin Stockade, and replacing it with the new show. John Fitzgibbon’s watercolors have been replaced by the pastel paintings of Mary Lou Reed for a few weeks, so I hope those of you who missed seeing these at the gallery will enjoy them at Sirloin. Thanks again to John for the use of his work in this venue.

The new quarterly newsletter is at the printer and will be going out to the membership in the next week. This is a full one, as we have a lot of activities and events coming up and details given for other scheduled shows and the children’s artCamp in July. Several classes are being proposed and a lecture/workshop being offered to artists by Michael Bell of Joplin on RESUMES AND STATEMENTS for the artist, so I hope all who have ever thought about a job or position in an art field will note the date of this free workshop, Friday evening May 25th, at Hyde House.

Next week I will tell you about a special event we have scheduled to happen on June 1st that we at artCentral are very excited about!