Tuesday, July 1, 1997 Volume 6, Number 10,


did ya know?

Did Ya Know... The University Extension Center will provide a workshop on "Childhood Sexual Behavior: What Are You Seeing and How to Respond" on Sat., July 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Freeman Hospital in Joplin. For information, contact University Extension at 358-2158.

Did Ya Know... There will be a Neighborhood Watch meeting today for Clinton street residents at 7:00 p.m. at the Memorial Hall . For information, contact Peg Wingert at 358-0733. Did Ya Know... At a special meeting of the Carthage R-9 Board of Education, approval was given to the Alumbaugh Construction Company to proceed with the district track improvements and stadium lights. Teachers, Connie Anderson and Brooke Roberts-Higgins were employed.

today's laugh

A budget is a formula for determining that you need a raise.

By the time a man can read a woman like a book he needs bifocals.

My wife went on a banana and coconut diet. She didn't lose any weight, but she can climb a tree like crazy.

I never repeat gossip, so please listen carefully the first time.

1897

INTERESTING MELANGE.

A Chronological Record of Events as they have Transpired in the City and County since our last Issue.

Strawberry Shipping.

The express office sent out sixty crates of strawberries yesterday evening and about forty crates this morning. All went to northern and western points.

Special strawberry trains from Arkansas points continue to pass through on the Frisco nightly, and the trains now comprise four and five express cars each. They make better time even than passenger trains. Last night's train passed here shortly after 10 o'clock - just behind the regular west bound passenger train.

Mrs. Sarah Badgley leaves this evening on the Missouri Pacific for Warrensburg to attend the W.R.C. state convention at Pertle Springs. She goes as a delegate from Stanton Corps.

The Great Eastern mining company began work this morning sinking a shaft on the Cholwell land southeast of town.

Just Jake Talkin'

Mornin',

Saw one a those little bits a trivia on tv the other day. Said that more people get hurt by television sets that are injured by fireworks.

I don’t know what that says, but it sure goes ta show ya. I’d guess that it could be interpreted to mean that we should be blowin’ up more tv sets. Or we should be watchin’ more fireworks. That’s one a the problems with just knowin’ a little bit of the facts. Ya never really know what ta make of ‘em.

It’s like the old story of the Russian and American auto race. The Russian newspaper was said to report that the Russian came in second and the American came in next to the last. Never mentioned the fact that only two cars entered the race.

One thing for sure, there will be plenty a fireworks watchin’ for folks in this part of the woods this weekend. The traditional City display on Friday the 4th, and the Precious Moments display on Saturday the 5th. Might consider turnin’ off the tv for a couple a hours.

This is some fact, but mostly, Just Jake Talkin’.

Henry Pushes for Contract.

Council member Nolan Henry again raised the question of the arrangement between the City Police Department and the hosts of the Marion Day’s celebration in Carthage at last Tuesday’s Council meeting. Over the last two years, Henry has been bothered by the lack of written agreement and some specific details of the Police Department’s function at the event. The annual tradition brings over 40,000 visitors to the community each year.

Henry began talking about the “flower fund” some months ago. The account was originally opened as a depository for small contributions that were used for flowers of ill police officers or family members. Henry says the account was also used as the account in which funds contributed by the Congregation of the Mother Co-Redemptrix to help defray security expenses were deposited. The organization has paid approximately half of the direct expenses relating to police personnel assigned to the event for the last several years. Last year their share was reportedly a little over $13,000. A portion of that amount was used to pay local police officers for hours worked during the event and expenses for out of town officers.

Henry’s main objection was that the payment was not included in this year’s budget, nor, according to Henry, has it ever been.

Mayor Riley told the Mornin’ Mail that he looked into the question raised by Henry and found that all funds had been accounted for. He said that the City auditors had raised no questions about the accounting methods and therefore could see no problem.

Riley did say that he would look into Henry’s question about whether the local officers should be receiving overtime pay for their time. Officers volunteer for the extra duty, and are paid the same hourly rate as other officers recruited.

The Mayor said that he was accessing the possibility of coming up with a written agreement of some sort with the religious organization, as suggested by Henry on several occasions.

Chief Ellefsen told the Mornin’ Mail that he thought that was a bad idea. He thinks the understanding and trust built over the years between the City and the Congregation might be jeopardized if such a notion was presented. The Chief holds that the organization has no legal responsibility to contribute to the cost of the police effort, but contribute as a gesture of good faith toward the community.

Henry also feels that the practice of searching cars before they are allowed to enter the event is questionable.

Chief Ellefsen says the searches are only made on vehicles where the occupants consent, but that no car is allowed on the grounds if consent is requested and not given. Individuals walking onto the grounds are not stopped. Ellefsen says the practice was implemented in an effort to keep contraband that could be hidden in a vehicle out of the festivities. The Chief points to the relatively small number of police incidents at the event as one reason for continuing the practice.

Henry says steps should be taken to address his concerns.

“The whole thing is just set up wrong,” said Henry. “It’s not run like the City ought to run it’s business. When you have a verbal agreement - what other head of a department in the City could make a verbal agreement with a private organization? If you hire Pinkerton to watch your place, you have a contract with them.”

Henry has presented his views to the Mayor, the Council, and the Chief of Police. Ellefsen says the Council has always been apprised of how the event was handled.

Intro to the Internet.

Sponsored by Computer Minded/On The Net

Twelve percent of American adults, or an estimated 20 million people, say they have access to the Internet, according to a recent Roper Poll. While many have described the new technology as the "information superhighway," for others, the Internet is fast becoming "Information RFD."

Rural Americans have an opportunity to tap into a vast sea of information about every topic imaginable by hooking up to the Internet. Rural small businesses - ranging from farmers and ranchers, to budding entrepreneurs - are keeping in touch with the latest business know-how, watching the markets, or advertising their products. Fact is there are thousands of sites already set up that provide information specifically geared toward rural Americans, and finding that information is as easy as starting with a few good web sites.

Communicating for Agriculture, a national nonprofit rural advocacy group offers a few of the most user - friendly sites: Communicating for Agriculture at http://cainc.org, U. S. Census of Agriculture at http://govinfo.kerr.orst.edu/ag-stateis.html, North Central Regional Center for Rural Development at http://www.ag.iastate.edu/centers/rdev/RuralDev.html, Progressive Farmer Online at http://pathfinder.com/FP/, Farm Safety 4 Kids at http://www.fs4jk.org/, and New Uses Council at http://ag.arizona.edu/OALS/NUC/NUCHome.html.

PRIME TIME WITH KIDS

by Donna Erickson

Are you hitting the road this summer? Here’s a fun car game that has become our family favorite because all ages can play it together. And best of all, your kids won’t get carsick craning their necks hunting for words on road signs and license plates, or get dizzy looking for lost pieces from their car bingo game.

My daughter taught us to play “Going to the Moon” on our trip to beautiful Breckenridge, Colo., last March. It got us through two snowstorms, slippery mountain roads and being asked one too many times, “Are we there yet?”

Here’s how to play. The person who is It thinks of three things that have something in common. For example, the items might be a mango, a pineapple and a papaya (all tropical fruits). The person who is It then says to the other players, “I’m going to the moon and taking a mango, a pineapple and a papaya. Who wants to come with me?” Given the clues, the first player tries to figure out what the items have in common and then thinks of a fourth item. If that person says banana, for example, the person who is It responds, “You may come with me.” If the player states an incorrect item, he/she may try again on the next turn. The next player names another item. When everyone finally learns the common element, the round is over. Game topics can be as simple or as complicated as you choose. Try to accommodate even the youngest in the family when playing.

The Chopping Block

by Philomena Corradeno

Some years ago, a chocolate cake arrived in our office with a note asking me to have our staff taste-test it without telling them the secret ingredient. Everyone raved. It tasted and crunched like a coconut cake.

Picture the surprise when I told them it was sauerkraut that gave it its coconut-like texture. There were a couple of ughs and much disbelief, all followed by requests for the recipe. Now, the Pickle Packers Assn. tells us that this is a much-requested recipe from folks who have lost their originals. For them and for those who’ve never heard of this cake, here it is. SAUERKRAUT CHOCOLATE CAKE 2/3 cup margarine or butter 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa 2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup water 2/3 cup rinsed, drained and chopped sauerkraut Whipped Cream Frosting* Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease and flour two 8-inch square or round baking pans. Thoroughly cream margarine with sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add dry mixture alternately with water to egg mixture. Stir in sauerkraut. Spoon into prepared baking pans. Bake about 30 to 35 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan. Let cool. Spread with Whipped Cream Frosting (recipe follows). Yield: 8 servings. *Whipped Cream Frosting Whip 1 1/2 cups well-chilled heavy cream with 3 tablespoons sugar until soft peaks form. Makes about 3 cups.

SAUERKRAUT APPLE CAKE 16 ounces sauerkraut 1 Granny Smith apple 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 4 large eggs 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans Rinse sauerkraut well and squeeze thoroughly dry. Peel, core and coarsely grate apple. Squeeze thoroughly dry. Set kraut and apple aside. Preheat oven to 350F. Line bottoms of two 8-inch round cake pans with waxed paper. Grease and flour pans.

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in medium bowl; set aside. Mix sugars in large bowl, breaking up any lumps. Whisk in eggs, then oil, until blended. Stir in sauerkraut, apple and nuts. Add flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Spoon into prepared pans. Bake about 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan. Let cool 10 minutes in pan then invert cakes onto wire racks to cool completely. Spread with Cream Cheese Frosting. Yield: 8 servings.

Health Notes

Sponsored by McCune Brooks Hospital

Some tips to help travelers avoid problems associated with food are:

1. Avoid eating shellfish that may have come from contaminated waters, especially in countries where sanitation may not be very good.

2. Do not eat raw vegetables, or drink unbottled water. Microorganisms from the soil and in water can cause diseases such as dysentery and typhoid. Examine the bottled water carefully to see if the seal had been broken.

3. Make sure all fish and meat dishes are well-cooked. Do not eat local dishes that feature raw or partially cooked fish or meats. Bananas and other fruits that you can peel, are considered safe since their rinds seal the fruit from organisms.

4. Distinguish between boredom and hunger. Often people eat when they’re bored, which can lead to weight gain.

5. If you eat a basically healthy, low-fat diet, keep in mind that you may not be used to the richer foods you’re likely to encounter on vacation.

6. Finally, be careful with that first drink on the airplane. Stress can make it hit you harder than you think. Stick with a soft drink or juice and water. Nonalcoholic beverages also reduce dehydration.

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Copyright 1997 by Heritage Publishing. All rights reserved.