President Clinton has declared CRAWFORD and SEBASTIAN counties disaster areas after recent severe storms, making the counties eligible for federal disaster relief.
LARIMER COUNTY Commissioner James Disney received the 1996 Rocky Mountain National Park Stewardship Award on Earth Day, April 22.
The award recognizes Disney’s advocacy for the protection and preservation of Colorado’s public lands, particularly Rocky Mountain National Park. Disney was commended for his work on behalf of the Gateways to the 21st Century Conference held in 1993, when some 130 people representing regional city and county governments met to explore issues relating to gateway communites and the borderlands of the park.
President Clinton has declared CHAMPAIGN and MACON counties disaster areas after recent severe storms, making the counties eligible for federal disaster relief.
BALTIMORE COUNTY police and local residents have joined forces to fight crime. They recently opened a new Citizens On Patrol/Police Center at a local shopping mall. The center is equipped with a desk, telephone, restroom, police report forms and coffee.
“This citizen-oriented center offers a wonderful opportunity for police and Citizen On Patrol groups to work together in crime prevention efforts,” said County Executive C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger.
(For more information, call Michael Davis at 410/887-2470.)
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY recently held a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day. Sponsored by the county’s Department of Environmental Resources, county residents were asked to clean out their garages and basements and bring such items as old pesticides, used motor oil, antifreeze, household cleaners, batteries, etc. to a site where they were to be disposed of by a licensed hazardous waste disposal company.
(For more information, contact Jennifer Peterson at 301/883-5045.)
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY recently celebrated its 300-year anniversary. In addition to participating in the usual festivities, county residents also received a 64-page booklet about the county with an official county seal to display. The tricentennial was advertised on area billboards and on its own “home page” on the World Wide Web. Community channels on cable TV also carried the celebration.
The county asked each citizen to display the county seal and later, write information about their family and background on the back of the seal. The county was expected to collect for a time capsule to be opened in 100 years.
The UNION COUNTY Division on Aging cosponsored a senior prom for senior citizens, May 10. Students from Elizabeth High School hosted the event in the school cafeteria. Music, entertainment, refreshments and decorations were donated. Tickets were free.
(For more information, contact Dennis Panchyshyn at 908/527-4419.)
Add PITT COUNTY to the growing number of local governments establishing their own cyberspace “home page.” The new service, MetroPOLIS or Metro Pitt On Line Information Services, was launched during national County Government Week, April 21–27.
Susan Moran, public information officer for the county, said the home page “creates an impression for potential businesses and industries that Pitt County is contemporary and progressive, a player in the Information Age and a force in a global marketplace.”
Visit the page at http://www.co.pitt.nc.us/Pitt/.
Tamra Rice, public information coordinator for HENRICO COUNTY, has won a 1996 Gold Quill Award of Excellence for the county’s 1994–95 annual report, “Right Here, Right Now.”
The award-winning program is sponsored by the International Association of Business Communicators. Rice’s entry was in competition with thousands from 18 different countries. Last year’s winner was VISA International. This is the first time a county employee has won the award.
One of the judge’s remarks, returned to Rice, said the report was “well done! A visual pleasure — I’d like to live in your county.”
(News From the Nation’s Counties is compiled by Mary Ann Barton, senior staff writer.)