James G. Haines, 64, of Milford, died Friday, April 10, 2009, in Montgomery. He was a maintenance worker for Scarlet Oaks Vocational School. Funeral services were held April 13, at Greenlawn Cemetery.

Valerie Susan Carpenter, 52, of Batavia, died Tuesday, April 7, 2009, in Batavia Township. Mrs. Carpenter was a homemaker. Funeral services were held April 10, at Evans Funeral Home, in Milford.

Amelia High School senior Morgyn Robinson addressed the Batavia Trustees at their April 7 meeting about her senior project. Robinson is raising funds to purchase an Automated External Defibrillator to be kept at Bachelier Baseball Park.

Batavia Township officials welcomed Ron Hill to their meeting Tuesday, April 7. Hill, a Clermont County historian, addressed the board with the possibility of publishing an updated history book about Clermont County.

The Batavia Local School District Board of Education is in the process of considering options to deal with inadequate space and aging facilities at the elementary and middle schools. Board members held a work session April 7 to look at half a dozen possible building plans to address the district’s needs.

A Loveland woman is promoting the idea of Sharing Gardens in the area and wants others to participate. During World War II, people planted Victory Gardens to help supplement their pantries when food was being rationed and today we hear about Recession Gardens, which are planted by families to help supplement their food budgets.

Batavia Township Service Director Ken Embry addressed the board of trustees about several issues during their meeting Tuesday, April 7. Embry had prepared a map showing the salt truck routes throughout the township. Each route had a breakdown of round-trip miles from the salt barn through the township.

Bethel Village Administrator Travis Dotson addressed residents’ concerns about the cost of utilities in Bethel during the council meeting on Monday, April 13. “A flier has been circulating around town about utility rates,” said Dotson.

The 17th annual Grassy Run Heritage Rendezvous will be held at the Williamsburg Community Park April 24-26. Sponsored by The Grassy Run Historical Arts Committee, the event celebrates the history of Clermont County and is an excellent educational opportunity not just for students, but for anyone interested in the area’s pioneer history.

April is National Autism Awareness Month and a “Walk Now for Autism” event is scheduled for Saturday, May 16. The event includes many families from Clermont County and is set to begin 8 a.m. Saturday, May 16, at Coney Island, in Cincinnati. The walk route will be approximately one to two miles, running through the park. Registration begins 8 a.m. at Coney Island, located 6201 Kellogg Avenue, in Cincinnati.