Today's Feature

Crisis Center Ribbon-Cutting.

News release

The Carthage Crisis Center and the Carthage Chamber of Commerce will host a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony celebrating the site of the Center’s future home on Friday, April 6 at 3:45PM. An open house will be held from 2:30PM-4:30PM. The new Crisis Center is located at 100 South Main Street.

"The Crisis Center is a faith-based non-profit organization that helps those who are homeless to become self-supporting members of our society," said Brian Bisbee, Director of the Center. "This new facility will allow us to triple our efforts."

The new Center boasts of 43,000 square feet, nearly 40,000 more square feet than the organization’s current facility. When complete, the renovated Center will have space for families in addition to their current men and women residents. A playground, study room, community meeting space and recreational area are all part of the new Center’s design. Additional on-site staff will also be hired to help manage the Center which will increase its occupancy from 16 to 57 beds.

The Crisis Center will be kicking off the renovation of their new facility at the Open House with the construction of a wall. All those in attendance will be invited to help with the building and raising of the first project of the Center’s renovation. In addition, families, organizations and businesses are encouraged to donate their time to help renovate, clean and decorate the Center over the next several months.

Complimentary refreshments will be provided. Carthage residents and Chamber members are invited to attend. Reservations are not required but would be appreciated.

For additional information contactBrian or Marilyn at 358-3533

While travelin’ to see relatives, I have the habit of stoppin’ at one particular convenience store that is located about half way. It allows for stretchin’ of the legs and the use of the rest room facility. I say facility ‘cause it has one a those unisex bathrooms. This in itself isn’t a big problm with me, although I think it has little to do with the equality of the sexes, and much to do with the savin’ the expense of two separate facilities. The problem is that because of its convenient location, many travelers stop for the same reasons that I do. As the inevitable line forms, it’s nearly always composed of members of both sexes with a common pending crisis that has been developing over the last thirty miles or so.

Perhaps the fight for equality will not be fought in the high courts through the process of litigation, but in the convenience stores through the process of elimination.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Natural Nutrition
By Mari An Willis

Interesting information presented by Stephen A. Levine, Ph.D.: I want to share this with you.

Q: How do bioflavonoids help strengthen blood vessels?

A: Collagen is the primary protein component of the connective tissue which gives strength to the blood vessels. Collagen in the blood vessels can be degraded by free radicals and enzymes which are released during inflammatory conditions. Bioflavonoids have been studied for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties. Bioflavonoids are thought to support the stabilization of collagen due to their capacity to form hydrogen bonds among different protein chain. It seems bioflavonoids bind tightly to collagen and modify its structure to help make it more resistant to inflammatory-induced breakdown.

Q: I am currently being treated for intestinal parasites. Can family members be infected and should they be treated?

A: Intestinal parasites can be passed from one to another...family or not. Treatment for parasites is recommended on an occasional basis.

Q: Can the absence of nutrients cause gallstones?

A: Deficiencies of vitamins C & E may be associated with cholesterol gallstones. Essential fatty acid supplementation has helped in some cases. Lecithin can also help by increasing the capacity of bile to dissolve cholesterol. Individuals with gallstones have an abnormally low phospholipid-cholesterol ratio in the bile. Taurine supplementation may be of some benefit. *used with permission

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

The shows at our Atrium Gallery inside the Sirloin Stockade will change again soon. Since the end of February we have been pleased to feature the prints and one watercolor original of John Fitzgibbon of Webb City who was the featured artist for us in the month of February. I will soon be changing that show to feature a group of the pastel paintings of Sarcoxie artist Mary Lou Reed and that group of originals will remain hanging through the early spring. Both of these artists were very well received here at the gallery and promise to be equally successful at the satellite gallery. Stop by and see them, John’s to remain up another 2 weeks and Mary Lou’s to go up in mid April.

The ceramic pieces and pottery will begin arriving at Hyde House tomorrow and will all be in house by the weekend. Then begins the process of my going over the 3-5 pieces per artist and choosing 2 each to remain in the Main Gallery Show which will actually be hung and placed in both galleries this time equally. There are 18 artists totaled and I will tell you a little bit about a few each for my next three articles leading up to the show’s opening.

Curtis Adkins is from Miami Oklahoma and is a member of the Midwest Clay Artists, the group that is exhibiting their pottery for this show. His pieces range from hand built utilitarian pieces such as mugs and plates to unusual wall hung masks and slab built and pinch built wall hangings and wall pockets. These pieces are quite sculptural.

Gregory Krepps is a well established St. Louis ceramic artist, who moved his studio-gallery to Pittsburg, Kansas four years ago. He has been a full time artist for nearly 30 years, has won many awards, and given many demonstrations and lectures throughout his career. Using the oldest form of making ceramic vessels, dating back at least 6,000 years, his sculptural pieces are one of a kind: pinched pots, stone-burnished, and pit-fired.

The "clay bug" hit Daria Claiborne almost six years ago. She started working with clay under the direction of Helen Ryan, resident potter of Carthage on the square inside The Emporium, and furthered her studies with Dewane Hughes, Jed Schlegel and Frank Pishkur at MSSU. "I love being a potter. Potters are the most supportive, innovative and creative people around. I appreciate all the encouragement given to me and it has gotten me through some tough times."

Daria is a member of artCentral and SPIVA and has participated in numerous membership shows, earning a Best of Show at artCentral in 2004 and Honorable Mention at SPIVA in 2006.

When he is not making smiles brighter, Rich Reed has for 10 years been creating pottery. He especially enjoys the "raku" method of finishing his work, which is the ancient Japanese method of glazing that incorporates burning leaves, saw dust, paper and other combustibles along with specialized raku glazes in an outdoor kiln. Raku literally means "happy surprise" as no two pots ever turn out the same. His pottery has been featured in area shows and the demand has kept him busy!