UC Clermont College will offer accelerated real estate pre-license classes in a new weekend class format to prepare students to take the Ohio Real Estate Sales Exam beginning Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010 at the campus in Batavia. The four required state of the art courses have been developed in consultation with local real estate professionals.

Project Lead the Way has awarded Grant Career Center National Certification signifying that its College Tech Prep Engineering Design Program has met stringent, national quality standards. Grant Career Center has joined an elite group of nationally recognized secondary schools that provide a cutting edge engineering design curriculum for their students.

As our nation honored our veterans on November 11, so did Batavia Township. A new memorial, which features a Humvee, was dedicated amidst current service men and women, veterans and family and friends. In front of several hundred people the Humvee, which displays its headlights and talelights at night, was unveiled.

The Batavia High School Girls Ensemble traveled to Morehead State University on Nov. 9 and 10 to participate in the 50th annual Choral Festival. While there, they sang in a 150-member choir, learned many new singing techniques, learned some great music, and had a great time.

The Nov. 7 Clermont County Humane Society fund-raiser was held at the Norlyn Manor in Batavia Township; the silent and live auctions featured over 300 items including original artwork, deluxe vacation accommodations, and Cincinnati Bengals signed items.

More people are calling Clermont County home. Since 2000, the county has experienced a 10 percent increase in population, growing from an estimated 177,977 to 195,385 residents today. In a recent land use planning survey, Clermont County citizens indicated a desire to balance future growth and development while protecting specific land uses, such as open space.

Clermont County Auditor Linda Fraley is a recipient of the “Distinguished County Auditor” award, presented by the County Auditors’ Association of Ohio (CAAO). The award recognizes County Auditors who have completed 100 or more hours of continuing education during their term of office. Fraley was recognized and received the award from CAAO President Doug Green, Brown County Auditor, during the CAAO Winter Conference on Nov. 17.

Ohio State Highway Patrol Dispatcher Rebel Martin has been selected for the 2009 Ohio State Highway Patrol Telecommunications Award at the Batavia Communications Center. The selection of Dispatcher Martin is in recognition of outstanding service during 2009 at Batavia as a Dispatcher. The selection of Dispatcher Martin is in recognition of outstanding service.

Robert O’Brien has been named to the CASA for Clermont Kids! – Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children board. CASA For Clermont Kids! is a local non-profit agency that is working to improve the lives of abused, neglected and dependent children of Clermont County.

The summer of 2009 was the season of restoration for the renowned 1885 Koehnken & Grimm pipe organ in historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Hillsboro, Ohio. The historic pipe organ had been rebuilt in 1933 to update it from the original “tracker action” to an enlarged instrument.