Did Ya Know... Christian Home Educators of Carthage will meet at 7 p.m. today to discuss field trips and other activities for the coming school year. For information, call 358-7318.

Did Ya Know... The Fair Acres Family YMCA is taking registrations for the Fall Adult Sports program to begin Sept. 29 and Oct. 2.

Did Ya Know... Participate in America’s Walk for Diabetes "Walktoberfest" in Carthage on Sunday, October 5th. For information, call 1-800-254-9255.

Did Ya Know... Jasper County Youth Fair Board will hold their 1998 board elections today at 7 p.m.

Jay: I have half a mind to get married. Bufe: That’s all you need.

Speaker: "A horrible thing has happened. I’ve just lost my wallet with $500 in it. I’ll give $50 to anyone who will return it."

Voice from the rear: "I’ll give $100."

Professor: "If I saw a man beating a donkey and stopped him from doing so, what virtue would I be showing?"

Voice from the rear: "Brotherly love."

Her head is so swollen it has a waist!

The Baby Has a Home.

The baby abandoned in the yard of a North Maple street residence did not remain long without a home after being taken to the poor farm. The baby arrived at the farm and was taken the next day by a man and his wife named Dudley who lives on Cedar street in this City. They are excellent people and will adopt the child.

Tomatoes a Few Years Ago.

"I remember well - and I am not an old man either - when the tomato plant was considered poisonous," said Professor Blanton. "My mother used to call the tomato the love apple. The vegetable was cultivated for its ornamental value strictly, and while nearly every southern farmer had it in his garden he warned his children against it as if it contained arsenic or strychnine. I don’t think it has been longer than thirty-five years since the tomato was regarded in this light."

Ethics is the Question.

The "ethics ordinance" has been moved to City Attorney David Dally’s desk for clarification. The Finance/Personnel Committee struggled with exact wording for the ordinance last week and hope that legal assistance will clarify some aspects of the proposed legislation. The Committee has worked with the proposed regulations for several months.

The Committee voted to include all appointed City board members along with the elected officials in all aspects of the ordinance.

The bill would spell out what constitutes acceptable ethics for those covered.

The proposed ordinance would also spell out procedure for conducting meetings. This includes the authority of the Sergeant of Arms to expel anyone exhibiting a disturbance or disorderly conduct in the Council Chambers.

The bill, with language clarifications, is expected to return to the Committee for final examination before being submitted to the full Council for approval.

Tria Thomas proudly displays the shirt design supplied by her dad, Andy Thomas. The shirts and other apparel are available at the Chamber office on the Square.

"Andy has come up with a wonderful design which really shows the creative and fun-spirited feel of the Festival," say Chamber Director Heather Kelly.

Thomas works from Maze Creek Studio here in Carthage and has contributed his talents to may charitable causes including the Laubach Literacy Society, the American Cancer Society, The United Way and Project Graduation.

Baby Youth Contest Announced

Media release by the Carthage

Chamber of Commerce

The 1997 Carthage Maple Leaf Festival, now with a 31-year history of providing quality fun and entertainment for the entire family, has announced its Baby Contest as well as the Little Miss and Mister Maple Leaf Contest. "These youth contests give the youngest patrons of the Carthage area a chance to get involved in the fun and community spirit of the Festival," according to Heather Kelly, Executive Director of the Carthage Chamber of Commerce.

The Little Miss and Mister Maple Leaf Contest is open to all children in the Carthage, Avilla, and St. Ann’s school systems, ages two through eighth grade. Dress for the participants will be white T-shirts (with the option to decorate in any way) and jeans. The age contest divisions will be ages two to four for boys; and for girls ages two through four, five year-old to first grade, second through fourth grade, fifth to sixth grade, and seventh to eighth grade. To determine the appropriate age division, the child should be registered under which grade he or she is enrolled in this year. The 2 year-old should be 2 on or before October 1st. The $10.00 registration fee with application should be received before the deadline of October 6th. For more information on the youth contest, call the Chamber at 358-2373 or the event chairman, Pam Irwin, at 358-8509.

Registration is also underway for the Baby Contest, one of Maple Leaf’s most popular events. The contest is open to boy and girl babies in the categories of newborns to 3 months, 4 to 6 months, 7 to 12 months, 13 to 18 months, and 19 to 24 months. As in years past, babies will be judged in diapers only. For more information on the Baby Contest, call the Chamber at 358-2373 or the event chairman, Nita Robinson, at 358-5468.

My brother and a friend contracted to mow a teacher’s yard while the instructor was away for the summer. Bein’ still in Jr. High, the two boys split the summer down the middle. My brother was to take the responsibility the second half because he had other stuff goin’ on earlier. The deal was for the lawn ta be mowed ever two weeks.

The buddy mowed late durin’ his reign, that is until the last two week period. He mowed that early, by about a week. When my brother returned to begin his turn, there was close to a month’s growth of yard ta cut.

After several days of attackin’ the lawn with the mower, a farmer was called in with a tractor and hay cycle. After cleanin’ up the hay, the lawn was mowed back to normal.

The two entrepreneurs never partnered in any business enterprises after that. They both had their own ideas ‘bout who’s fault the whole mess was. The teacher returned to a nice lawn, but prob’ly wondered ‘bout the occasional tractor tire imprints.

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

by Martin "Bubs" Hohulin

State Representative, District 26

Think with me for a moment about a possible scenario. Let’s say a person takes a cat and holds it so it can’t move. The person then takes a scissors, stabs the cat in the head, wallows out the hole, and then uses a vacuum and sucks out the cat’s brains. Can you imagine what would happen to this person if they were caught doing this? Under Missouri law, they would probably be charged with felony animal abuse and do time in jail plus pay a fine. Yet, thanks to Governor Mel Carnahan and 12 members of the Missouri Senate (11 of them democrats) that very act can be performed on a baby only inches away from delivery and it is all right.

Back up with me if you will to the last legislative session. Despite Gov. Carnahan’s and House Speaker Steve Gaw’s best attempts to keep us from taking up the legislation, we passed a bill outlawing what has come to be known as partial birth abortions. The bill passed by wide margins in both chambers, 28-3 in the Senate with 3 members absent. Right away there was speculation that Gov. Carnahan would veto the bill. Without a doubt, we have a Governor that is more committed to killing babies than any Governor in the history of Missouri.

Now, it only takes 23 votes in the Senate to override the governor’s veto. Remember, the vote on the original bill was 28-3, five more than needed to override the veto. Enter into the picture Gov. Carnahan. He immediately starts saying he is against partial birth abortion but couldn’t sign it because there were no exceptions to allow for the procedure to be used for the health of the mother. There was a clause in the bill to allow for the procedure if it was necessary to save the life of the mother, but many doctors have stated over and over there is never a time when it is necessary to use it to save the mother’s life. It stands to reason; either way the baby is coming out of the womb, why does it have to be killed first?

The out the Gov. used, nothing to allow for the health of the mother, is a loophole big enough to drive a truck through without even watching the mirrors! Courts have already ruled that could be used for things such as stress or anxiety. Imagine a human life depending on whether the mother was having a bad day. Passing a bill with that exception would be worse than doing nothing because then the supporters of the procedure could say the problem is fixed when in fact it would practically be sanctioned under legislation with that exception!

Anyway, after weeks of threats, promises of goodies given or withheld, arm twisting, and cajoling, seven Senators switched their vote from yes to no; one that was absent voted no; and two that were absent voted yes. So much for convictions. How can you want to protect babies that are 99% born and then 5 months later decide Gov. Carnahan’s allegiance to the abortion providers is more important?

I’m sure by now some of you are getting tired of my preaching but maybe I have been quiet too long. I have always been pro-life but it hasn’t been my out front issue. Matters of money and taxes are what I devote most of my legislative time to. I do however, get phone calls every day asking for help in matters dealing with child custody, criminal court proceedings, welfare recipients, and any number of situations usually stemming from the fact that someone didn’t take personal responsibility for themselves. What does this have to do with partial birth abortions you ask? I’m not for sure, but once we as a society and as a nation lose respect for the sanctity of life, especially life that is 3 inches from being a human being separated from the womb, how can we respect anything else that has made this country into the greatest country in the world. It is time we reverse the immoral slide Gov. Carnahan, 11 democrat Senators and 1 liberal republican Senator have taken us down this week.

As usual, I can be reached at 1-800-878-7126 or House Post Office, State Capitol, Jefferson City, MO 65101 or mhohulin@services.state.mo.us for your questions, comments or advice.

Health Notes

Sponsored by McCune-Brooks Hospital

MEDICAL ALERT: Dr. C. Everett Koop has joined with the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases in a campaign to alert people to the risks of hepatitis A, a contagious viral infection of the liver. "There is no cure for hepatitis A," says Dr. Koop. "But this debilitating illness can and should be prevented through vaccination. I urge those who are at risk to consult their physicians about getting vaccinated. There’s no excuse for getting hepatitis A." The campaign urges people who plan to travel - especially to areas where hepatitis A is endemic - to be vaccinated. These areas include Mexico, parts of the Caribbean, South and Central America, Africa, Asia (except Japan), the Mediterranean basin, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. Hepatitis A is the most common vaccine-preventable travelers’ disease. This means you can probably escape infection if you are vaccinated before you’re exposed to it. HAV can be transmitted by ingesting contaminated food or water. Potential sources include eating raw or undercooked shellfish, salads, fruits, ice, or food washed in HAV contaminated water, or by food handled by an infected food worker. The virus is tenacious: It can survive on and be transmitted through improperly cleaned eating or cooking utensils, as well as on toys, toilets, and laboratory equipment.