The open-ended plea agreement struck between Carthage’s James Myers and the Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office clearly shows that road rage doesn’t pay.

To: Carthage municipal officials for placing stronger emphasis upon cleaning clutter and debris with particular attention to removing fallen leaves as well as trash, garbage and other debris and thereby improving the appearance of the community.

Every community has a history, but not many communities can match the colorful history of Carthage.

For any of you familiar with the great football film “Friday Night Lights,” you know a high school football coach’s relationship with a tradition-rich community can run hot and cold; love and hate.

To: Members of the Jasper County Commission for acting to complete contract agreements for construction of 14 new bridges and repair a 15th to help make certain of safe passage through drainage areas via the county’s system of roads.

Flu season is a serious thing every year, but the emergence of a new strain of H1N1 influenza virus makes this season very different from flu seasons in recent memory.
For several years, experts have been warning that the H5N1 “avian” influenza virus could mutate to transmit easily among humans and become a serious, even fatal, problem.

 To: All the artists who prepared to be among exhibitors in the annual Midwest Gathering of the Artists. Their annual visit here is an inspiration to all of us and all our neighbors.

 To: The expert paraders registered for the annual Maple Leaf Festival parade, a major highlight every year in the life of Carthage and the entire region.

Topic: Remembering 9-11
Our opinion: We honor those who died on 9-11 and since.

To: Staff of Leggett & Platt Wellness Center and Rehabilitation and Prevention Center at McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital in reaction to a major contribution toward improving the quality of life for many in Carthage and the area.

The idea met with resistance at first, but the city of Carthage has decided to cut down a tree along Morgan Heights Road that has been the scene of a number of vehicle crashes over 15 years.

One crash in the 1990s killed two teenagers. One in May 18 sent two more teens to the hospital and could have ended more tragically if not for the bravery of Carthage resident and Leggett & Platt CEO David Haffner, who pulled the passenger out of a small SUV that hit the tree seconds before the vehicle burst into flames.

Dear Editor
Congress will soon return to Washington and consider the lingering issue of health reform.

Dear Editor
The below quote from John Stuart Mill is more timely today than ever due to American citizens’ almost total dependence on government (“I got myself in credit card debt, get me out; I bought a house I could not afford, bail me out; I’m a poor businessman, etc. Take someone else’s money and help me.”)

Dear Editor
As retired educators, we are amazed at the Carthage R-9 Administration and School Board’s action in terminating the employment of Lynda Homa on the grounds of “immoral conduct.”

Kudos to Carthage Water and Electric for taking the initiative to look at the former McCune-Brooks hospital building at Centennial Avenue and Hazel Street as a new headquarters and customer service office.

The sands of time have not been kind to the historic old hospital since McCune-Brooks moved its operations to the new building on Dr. Russell Smith Way.

TO Sally Armstrong and Carthage’s very own artCentral who does such a marvelous job invoking — though oils and colors and ceramic and yarn — a deep and everlasting love for the arts inside the hearts of Carthage children during the annual Kid’s Camps.

Yes, we know the economy is bad right now and yes, we know folks are always a bit defensive when words like “bond” and “issue” are brought up in everyday conversation, due to the subject matter’s inevitable link with taxes.

To artists Brenda Sageng, Rachel Wilson, Gregory Krepps and Martha Goldman, top award winners in the recent annual membership show at artCentral.

To all involved in management of the recent Kids Fishing Day under sponsorship of the Missouri Department of Conservation. The educational and recreational aspects of the event were significant.

During the month of May, which is National Preservation Month, Carthage Historic Preservation adopted the National Trust for Historic Preservation theme, “This Place Matters”.

To the members of Bykota Church for their excellent volunteer work in cleaning, clearing and improving the appearance of many lawns and gardens, assisting with application of muscle power to demonstrate the reality of faith and one of the dimensions of its practice.