During the West Clermont Board of Education meeting March 23, the board announced $5 million in cuts that will be implemented July 1 if the May 5 substitute levy fails to pass. The board will need to cut $5 million prior to the start of the 2010-2011 school year for a general fund reduction of 14 percent.

The US Marine Corps Eastgate Recruiting Substation held a ‘family night’ at the Clermont County Fairgrounds March 20 for the families of about two dozen young men and women entering the US Marine Corps.

Cincinnati Bengals legend Anthony Munoz will be the featured speaker at the 58th Annual Clermont County Township Association banquet to be held Thursday, April 16 at Grant Career Center, in Bethel. The event begins with a social time 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. with the program following. Munoz is a Cincinnati sports icon with a record of excellence in professional football.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has issued unemployment figures for Ohio for the month of February and the current rate of unemployment is 9.4 percent, up from 8.8 percent in January. According to the data, Ohio’s nonfarm wage and salary employment decreased by 7,600 over the month from 5,208,000 in January to 5,200,400 in February. The percentage of Clermont County unemployed workers is now at 9.7 percent.

On Saturday, April 11, Emmanuel United Methodist Church, in Batavia, will open its doors from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and invite young women to visit its first free prom dress shop. Organizers have been accepting prom dress donations since February and have more than 100 dresses ready to give away.

A friendly competition between the morning and afternoon Curves members and staff brought in more food during the month of March than owner Lee Ann Hermann ever imagined. Each year, in March, Curves participates in an international initiative to help stock local food pantries. Curves has a staff of four who coached the 142 members of the club to bring in food and toiletries during the month of March.

Union Township Administrator David Duckworth reported on the progress of the State Route 450 Gateway Project to the trustees during their meeting Tuesday, March 24. The required Ohio Department of Transportation modification study is expected to be done sometime in April.

The parish community of St. Bernadette Catholic Church gathered Sunday, March 29 to break ground for a new, long-awaited church building. A cold breeze and drizzle did not dampen the spirits of the hundreds of parishioners who sang and prayed, shovels in hand, as they stood around what will be the outside wall of the new church. “The sun in shining down upon us, we just can’t see it right at this moment,” the Rev. Bill Stockelman said as the ceremony began.

ril is National Volunteer Appreciation Month. This got me to thinking about the first time I served as a volunteer. I grew up on country back roads and, as a poor family, we were more likely to be the recipients of the volunteer kindness of others than to volunteer helping others.

Baseball season is now upon us and even though I am not a baseball fan, I can appreciate a good baseball joke.