The offices of the City of Charlestown will be closed on Friday, December 22 and Monday, December 25 in observance of Christmas. City offices will reopen on Tuesday, December 26 for regular business.
    Regular sanitation routes that would be normally picked up on Monday, December 25 will be collected on Tuesday, December 26.
    The offices of the City of Charlestown will also be closed on Monday, January 1 in observance of New Year’s. City offices will reopen on Tuesday, January 2 for regular business.
    Regular sanitation route that would be normally picked up on Monday, January 1 will be collected on Tuesday, January 2.

    The Charlestown-Clark County Library will host "Downloadable media at your library" at 6:30 to 8 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, December 14 at the Charlestown Library. Lawrence Mand, Vice Chancellor for IT and Community Engagement with Indiana University Southeast will be the guest speaker.
    Dr. Mand will discuss media that can be downloadable onto portable devices such as laptops, MP3 players and DVD players. The Charlestown-Clark County Library system offers various downloadable media for these devices through the library’s website, www.clarkco.lib.in.us.
    The program will contain a brief introduction to this new technology, followed by a question and answer session. This is a chance to experience the convenience of this new technology. Sign up to attend this free, informal discussion session and learn how to download different media at home or the library.
    Registration is required. To register go to the website at www.clarkco.lib.in.us, click on the calendar and chose the date, December 14, or call the Charlestown Library at 256-3337.
    For more information please contact June Kruer at 294-4246.

    Several members of Clark County’s emergency response agencies, municipal leaders and affected industries converged on Saturday morning, December 2, at the Clark Maritime Centre and conducted a "functional" exercise of the Clark County Local Emergency Planning Committee’s Comprehensive Emergency Response Plan For Hazardous Materials incidents.
    The overall goal of the exercise was to test the effectiveness of the Comprehensive Emergency Response Plan For Hazardous incidents. The exercise also provided a realistic opportunity for the 27 participating agencies to test the effectiveness of operating procedures, training and ability to respond interdepartmentally to a large scale incident.
    The exercise lasted approximately two and a half hours.
    Participants included: Jeffersonville Fire Department, McCulloch Fire Department, Utica Fire Department, Louisville Hazmat Team, New Chapel EMS, Yellow EMS, Jeffersonville Police Department, Clark County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, American Red Cross Clark County Chapter, Clark County Health Department, City of Jeffersonville Mayor, Sewer Department and Street Department, Port of Indiana, Consolidated Grain, Idemitec (Apollo Oil), Indiana-American Water Company, Clark Memorial Hospital, Saint Catherine Regional Hospital, Windsor Health Care Assisted Living, Chemtrec, Clark County EMA and Central Alarm. Agencies on notification only included the Indiana State Police, Members of EOC and Clarksville Fire Department.

    The 31^st annual Charlestown Girls Basketball Holiday Tournament has been set for Friday and Saturday, December 22 and 23. Games will be played at 6 and 7:30 p.m. both nights at Bill Dunn Sports Center at Charlestown High School.
   The draw set Clarksville battling Charlestown in game one with Silver Creek tackling Providence in game two on December 22.
   The following night, December 23, game one will consist of the losers of the previous night’s contest at 6 p.m. with the championship game set for 7:30 p.m.
   There will be no complimentary tickets issued. Coaches, players, managers, statisticians, scorekeepers and cheerleaders (in uniform) will be admitted free. Principals, athletic directors and other school officials are asked to sign in at the door. All other fans are required to purchase tickets. Tickets will be $5.
   Local basketball fans attending the event will help all schools participating. Charlestown, Clarksville, Silver Creek and Providence will split the net receipts with each school receiving 25 percent after all expenses are paid.
   Participating schools should send a roster to Charlestown High School Athletic Director David Null so programs for the event may be prepared. The deadline for submission of rosters will be Friday, December 15.
   The tournament will boast several awards including a championship trophy, an MVP award and a seven-girl All-Tourney team. The winning coach may pick two All-Tourney team members and the Butch Troutman MVP award. The two coaches that win one game may select two players for the All-Tourney team. The coach that fails to win a game may have one selection. There will be no ties.
   This year some past standouts will again be recognized. Past players to be honored include: MVPs- 1981- Jamie Harbin of Silver Creek; 1986- Kelli Tungate of Clarksville and Kelly Powell of Silver Creek; 1991- Kristin Mattox of Charlestown; 1996- Lisa Kleinert of Silver Creek and 2001- Jenna Rhodes of Silver Creek. Past All-Tourney team honorees will include: 1981- Kathleen Burke, Ann Renfroe and Melanie Heavrin of Providence; Jenny Perry of Charlestown and Tammie Logsdon of Clarksville; 1991- Abby Conklin and Gretchen Newton of Charlestown; Amanda Ahlbrand and Andrea Baker of Silver Creek and Stephanie Milliner of Providence and 2001- Sara Gavin and Brittany DeSpain of Providence; Candace Bain and Heather Branham of Clarksville; Cassandra Roach of Charlestown and Heather Hardman and Branda Grainger of Silver Creek.
   These past standouts will be honored between games on Friday, December 22.
   Officials scheduled for the 31^st annual Charlestown High School Holiday Tournament include: Mark Christman, Kevin Christman, Greg Barton, Steve Meyer, Scott Inman, Randy Eudy, Craig McCarty, Dan Morgan, Steve Corya and Kevin Moore.