EVENING NEWS BRIEFS: Tue., Dec. 15

Clark County

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December 14, 2009

EVENING NEWS BRIEFS: Tue., Dec. 15

Anonymous The News and Tribune Mon Dec 14, 2009, 08:51 PM EST

Jeffersonville

Community Action awarded grant

Community Action of Southern Indiana Inc., will receive a $483,486 grant as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The funding was allocate through the U.S. Department of Health and Human services, and will be used for Community Action’s Early Head Start Expansion Program.

“We’ve been doing Head Start for 40-some years now and we appreciate additional components to work with low-income families,” stated Fred Mitchell, executive director for Community Action, in a news release.

“The Head Start program Community Action offers is vital to our community,” said Rep. Baron Hill, D-Ind., in the release. “I’m very pleased they have been selected to receive this rather significant grant, and I know the money will be well spent.”

— Staff Writer Daniel Suddeath

Clarksville

Plan commission to meet

The Clarksville Plan Commission will hold a work session at 5:45 p.m. Jan. 6

The meeting, which is open to the public, will be in the second-floor executive conference room at Clarksville Town Hall, 2000 Broadway.

— Staff reports

Indiana

Deer hunts again cull Hoosier heard

Volunteer hunters helped the effort to restore habitat during the recent controlled hunts at 17 Indiana state parks, taking a total of 1,334 deer, a press release says.

The controlled hunts took place Nov. 16-17 and Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at Chain O’Lakes, Charlestown, Harmonie, Lincoln, Ouabache, Pokagon, Potato Creek, Prophetstown, Shades, Shakamak, Spring Mill, Tippecanoe River, Turkey Run, Versailles, Whitewater Memorial, Fort Harrison, and Clifty Falls.

Versailles had the highest number of deer taken in the special hunts with 202, followed by Potato Creek (186), Charlestown (133), Tippecanoe River (119), and Harmonie (111).

DNR biologists evaluate which parks require a deer reduction each year, based on the recovery of vegetation that deer eat and previous harvest information at each park. The state parks are home to many unique natural communities and rare plants. The controlled hunts help reduce browsing by deer to a level that helps ecosystems and associated vegetation recover.

“In spite of poor weather during the first reduction and expanses of standing corn adjacent to many parks, our effort in 2009 was successful in maintaining the comfortable trend we’ve seen in recent years,” said Mike Mycroft, chief of natural resources for the DNR Division of State Parks and Reservoirs, in the release. “Though hunters aren’t taking as many deer as they once were, that’s a good sign for the vegetation. These reductions are about managing habitat.”

Not all parks require reduction every year. Approximately one-third of the parks have achieved maintenance status since the program began and regularly take a year off from reductions.

— Contributed

Southern Indiana

Job Corps accepting applications

Job Corps, a U.S. Department of Labor education and career skills training program, is seeking applicants interested in being certified, without cost, as a nurse’s aide, medical assistant, phlebotomist or trained in medical office support.

Job Corps helps young, economically challenged men and women between the ages of 16 and 24 prepare for a career and take control of their lives.

Established in 1964, Job Corps has trained and educated more than 2 million young people to date, serving about 64,000 young adults each year. Applicants must meet eligibility and other requirements.

Contact Lynn Harper at 812-945-4916 for more information.

— Contributed

SIRA hosting annual gala

The Southern Indiana Realtors Association will install its 2010 leadership team at its holiday gala from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at Horseshoe Casino in Elizabeth.

The event will include a guest list of regional business leaders, public officials and Realtors. Lisa Feiock of Semonin Realtors will be installed as the 2010 board chairwoman.

E-mail events@sira.org for questions or ticket information.

— Contributed

Clark county

Drug Court plans graduation

The Clark County Drug Treatment Court Program will host its 11th graduation at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, with the Rev. Charles Harrison as keynote speaker.

The Clark Superior Court No. 2 operates one of only 25 adult drug courts in the state, certified by the Indiana Supreme Court. The court will honor seven graduates for their rehabilitative efforts over the last three years. Since 2002, the program has provided services to 124 participants without a taxpayer-funded budget.

The program graduation will begin at 3:30 p.m. in Clark Superior Court No. 2. A reception will follow at 4:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

— Contributed