State Sen. Bill Stouffer (R-Napton) has been named to head the Transportation Work Group to evaluate and select the best of an estimated 500 suggestions sent in via the “Rebooting Government” section on the Missouri Senate’s Web site.

With the state’s budget situation requiring difficult decisions to be made by the legislature, senate leaders invite public comment on ways to streamline government.

In addition to transportation, other senate groups of four each will look at agriculture, courts, education, retirement, social programs, tax structure and other areas.

Stouffer looks at the streamlining process as an “opportunity” to make “government do a better job with the resources it has.”

Ideas may continue to be submitted by contacting Stouffer toll free at 1-866-768-3987 or going to www.senate.mo.gov and clicking on “Rebooting Government.”

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Furnace motors generate smoke, but no fire

Coincidentally, two Fayette residents experienced faulty furnace motors which filled their homes with smoke Sunday and Monday. No injuries nor smoke damage occurred.

At about 9 p.m. Sunday, the Fayette Fire Department was called to 313 Shields St. The furnace motor had filled the house with smoke. Firefighters disconnected the furnace motor and dispersed the smoke with fans.

Then at 4 a.m. Monday, the fire department was called for the same reason to 1204 W. Davis. Again, it was determined the furnace motor had caused smoke to fill the home.

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Participants solicited for Glasgow Jamboree celebration

Lifestyles and practices from the 1860s to the 1900s will be demonstrated at the Glasgow Jamboree Celebration, Aug. 14, on 4th Street.

Sponsored by the Glasgow Main Street Organization, organizers of the event ask for demonstrations and exhibits from the past in the following areas: farming, cooking, blacksmithing, Native American traditions and more.

Interested participants should contact Greg Speiser at 338-2037 or e-mail gspeiser@socket.net, Megan Haskamp at 338-5055 or e-mail mhaskamp@yahoo.com or Nikki Gouge at 338-9978 or e-mail gougeaa@yahoo.com.

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Armstrong Choir to present 51st Easter Cantata

The Armstrong Community Choir will present its 51st Easter Cantata titled “The Third Day” by Michael Parks at 7:30 p.m. this Sunday at the Armstrong Baptist Church. The performance is free and open to the public.

Directed by Vanessa Miner and accompanied by Iva Banning, the choir members are Beth Shultz, Joy Rasche, Beverly Mattli, Stephanie Moore, Katie Mahnken, Mandy Goff, Christy Goff, Nina Jordan, Jerri Carter, Lori Shultz, Kelly Stahlman, Gwen Pope, Bob Shultz, George Rasche, Bob Edwards, Mike Thornton, Ted Spayde, Jeff Miner, Michael Pope, Ken Goff.

The Armstrong Community Choir was established in 1959 under the leadership of Frances Peveler. It included members from Yates, Armstrong, Roanoke and Fayette.

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H&R Group will provide tax assistance for donation

Members of the H&R Block tax team will be in the Fayette C&R Supermarket Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to answer tax questions in return for a non-perishable food donation to the Fayette Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry.

These tax preparation professionals from H&R Block also will provide tax preparation coupons for new clients, plus give persons a chance to enter a drawing for current clients.

Free “Second Look” coupons also will be available for anyone needing assurance on the accuracy of an already-filed return.

H&R Block staffers Jerri Carter and Rebecca Campbell had a display set up at C&R last Saturday to answer questions. They will be part of the group on hand this coming Saturday which also will include Mark Jarboe, Mary Ellen Woods, Catherine Johnson and Cheryl Adams.

Persons from H&R Block and The Tax Institute will staff phones and e-mail this Thursday, March 25, for 24 hours beginning at 12:01 a.m. to offer free “taxpertise. Call 1-877-HRBLOCK or e-mail taxtalk@hrblock.com for answers to tax questions. 

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Ideas for community service projects are sought by CMU staff and students

Community projects for the Fayette area are being sought for the April 15 Service Day being sponsored by Central Methodist University students, faculty and staff.

Community service projects could include window cleaning, painting, furniture moving, landscaping or anything requiring reasonable physical labor.

The CMU campus community will actively engage in the mission of CMU to “prepare students to make a difference in the world by emphasizing academic and professional excellence, ethical leadership and social responsibility,” a news release states.

Service projects are offered to area residents, Fayette businesses and area non-profits. The number and types of projects that can be handled by the CMU community will be limited by the availability of workers and the scope of the projects.

Suggestions and requests for assistance should be received no later than Monday and directed to CMU Professor  Maryann Rustemeyer at 248-6283 or  e-mailed to mrusteme@centralmethodist.edu, or to Teresa Argent at 248-6287 or e-mailed to targent@centralmethodist.edu.

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Howard County 2010 Plat books available

Howard County Assessor Woody McCutcheon has announced that the new 2010 Howard County Plat Books and Wall Maps are now available.

They can be purchased for $35 each from the Assessor’s office in the Howard County Courthouse, #1 Courthouse Square, Fayette, MO 65248. For information,  call  248-3400.

The 2010 Plat Book features property ownership in the unincorporated areas of the county. These new books feature two separate pages for each township. One is the traditional landowners page; the other is a detailed road map that is easy to read.

The book also contains maps for the fire, school, political townships and special roads districts in the county, city street maps, and a property owners’ index.