Today's Feature

Master Gardeners Complete Training.

News release

Twenty area residents have completed the University of Missouri Extension Master Gardener training in Carthage. The Master Gardener program is for people who may or may not have gardening experience, but are eager to acquire knowledge and share it with others. They have completed approximately 30 hours of training including topics such as vegetable and fruit production, insects, lawn care, trees and plant diseases. At the end of the training, they are asked to provide 30 hours of volunteer service to their communities during the coming year. The program is sponsored locally by Jasper County University of Missouri Extension Council.

Those completing the 2007 training program are Mel Anderson, Barb Huddleston, Brenda Kaiser, Susan Knost, Richard "Bud" Rogers, and David Shull, Carthage; Charlie Bentlage, Lou Anne Daniels, Ande Houser-Merrell, Dawn Patterson, Lee Rodriguez, Ted Strote, and Valenya Wilson, Joplin; Mary Claflin, Bronaugh; Don Marston, Diamond; Glenn Moll, Jasper; Dusty Parrill, Webb City; Becky and Kirby A. Plank, Goodman; and Rick Slifer, Sarcoxie.

Additional information about the program can be obtained by contacting the Jasper County University of Missouri Extension Center in Carthage at 417-358-2158.

University of Missouri Extension improves people’s lives with education and research from the four campuses of the University of Missouri System and Lincoln University that focuses on high-priority needs of people throughout the state. Each County Extension Center, with oversight by locally elected and appointed citizens, is your local link to these unbiased resources.

Safety Committee to Meet.

The City Council Public Safety Committee is scheduled to meet this evening at 6:30 p.m. in the Carthage Fire Department building.

Made the spring rounds to assess the winter damage to the home place the last couple a days. All in all there hasn’t been too much ground lost from the projects started last summer. The biggest problem is the projects are still there, just waitin’ on me.

Usually durin’ the winter there are a few warm days to finish up those loose ends that got postponed. This winter not much got done to the outside after the first frost. Spent most of the time just keepin’ the inside tightened up and huddlin’ by the fire.

With the daylight in the evenin’s now, I suppose it’s time ta start workin’ out the long list of leftovers and get to ‘em.

This year it’s a lot of little ones. Hopefully as the days grow shorter next fall, the list will be shorter too.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

This Is A Hammer
By Samantha Mazzotta

National Poison Prevention Week

March 18-25 is National Poison Prevention Week, an observance that calls attention to the more than 2 million accidental poisonings that are reported each year at the 61 Poison Control Centers in the United States.

More than 90 percent of all poisonings occur in the home, and are a leading cause of death among adults. Children under 6 are most at risk from ingesting chemicals or medicines that, even if not fatal, can cause permanent injury. In 2004, about 85,000 children visited emergency rooms due to unintentional poisonings; 30 children died.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Association of Poison Control Centers offer these tips to lessen the risk of accidental poisoning:

• Separate cleaning products, medicines and food/beverages by placing in separate storage cabinets or in separate rooms.

• Keep chemicals and medicines in their original containers and close securely after use.

• Always clean up work areas promptly and store materials securely.

• Turn on the light when giving or taking medicine, to make sure you are using the correct dosage listed on the package.

• Avoid taking medicine in front of children, and never refer to medicine as "candy."

• When answering a phone or doorbell, take young children along with you so they do not have the opportunity to explore unsupervised.

• Teach the entire family how to responsibly handle cleaning products and medications, and urge older children to watch out for their younger siblings.

• Write and post emergency numbers in a visible place, including the number of the national Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222).

The National Poison Prevention Week Council maintains a Web site with information on how to reduce the risk of poisoning at www.poisonprevention.org.

HOME TIP: Program the number of the national Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) into your phone’s speed dial and post the number and the speed dial setting on an emergency list next to the telephone.