• 4-H isn't just about cows and cooking anymore
There's more to 4-H than cooking and cows.

• ARMED SERVICES
ST. CHARLES

• BEST BETS THIS WEEKEND
PATSY CLINE SHOW

• CALENDAR
THURSDAY

• CALENDAR
THURSDAY

• COMMUNITY REPORT
--- St. John ---

• CREATIVE KIDS
WELCOME TO LAKEWOOD

• ESJ High, SUNO join hands
Local students and adults can now take college courses at East St. John High School, thanks to a partnership developed by the prep school and Southern University at New Orleans.

• Festival celebrates culture of Nicaragua
A slice of Nicaraguan culture came alive in Kenner when more than 500 people converged on Kenner Heritage Park in Rivertown for the eighth annual Tope de Santo Domingo Festival.

• Festival will help Paulina resident
A fundraising festival, "Do it for Don," to benefit Don Vicknair of Paulina will be held Friday through Sunday at Longview Recreation Park in Grand Point.

• GOOD SPORTS
JUSTIN PFISTER

• Make note of dates for Sept. 6 election
Brian Champagne, St. Charles Parish registrar of voters, announced important dates to prepare for the Sept. 6 first Congressional party primary election for Democratic candidates.

• NEW BOOKS
--- St. John ---

• Nifty Fifties club installs new officers
The Nifty Fifties seniors social club at St. Charles Borromeo Church recently held its officers installation.

• Norco girl donates hair to Locks of Love
Daphne Campo, 9, of Norco recently cut off 10 inches of her hair to donate to Locks of Love during a cut-athon at Lakeside Mall in Metairie.

• 'Nutcracker' auditions slated for Sept. 6
River Region Ballet Inc. will hold auditions for its holiday production, "The Nutcracker," on Sept. 6 at 2 p.m. at River Region Performing Arts and Cultural Center, 15146 River Road, in Norco.

• Paralyzed kitten gets 2nd chance
Maria Alvarez wasn't looking to add to the menagerie of pets at her Metairie home, but when the need came to take care of a paralyzed kitten she affectionately named Bubba Lu, it was a story she was determined would have a happy ending.

• Riverside registering players for volleyball
Riverside Academy will hold registration Saturday for its 2008 River Parishes Biddy Volleyball League.

• SCHOOL NEWS
--- St. Charles ---

• SELF-HELP EVENTS
ONLY CHILD CLUB

• SELF-HELP EVENTS
ONLY CHILD CLUB

• SPORTS ROUNDUP
GOLF TOURNAMENT

• St. Gertrude plans Family Day Sept. 21
St. Gertrude Catholic Church's Catholic Youth Ministries will hold Family Day and new member sign-up Sept. 21 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Father Mac Community Center in Des Allemands.

• Tigerettes put best foot forward at camp
The LaPlace Elementary Tigerettes dance team recently won awards at the Universal Dance Association summer camp at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.

• Two doctors mark 30 years of service
Two doctors at St. Charles Parish Hospital in Luling celebrated 30 years of service in the community.

• 'Vikes on Spikes' classic set Sept. 15
St. Joan of Arc Catholic School will host its annual Frank Scorsone "Vikes on Spikes" Golf Classic Sept. 15 at Riverlands Country Club in LaPlace.

• Years of Rotary work bring respect to sheriff
St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne has been named the 2008 recipient of the Rotary of St. Charles' prestigious Four Avenues of Service Award, which is presented to a Rotarian for outstanding work and dedication in four service areas: club, vocational, community and international.

• 4-H agent will focus on youth development
Kali Boudreaux of Raceland has joined the LSU AgCenter in St. Charles Parish as the new assistant extension agent for 4-H youth development.

• 64 new teachers attend orientation
Sixty-four new teachers for St. John the Baptist Parish public schools recently attended a week-long orientation that included an introduction to the district's policies, a review of best teaching practices and a tour of the local schools and parish landmarks.

• Bell Baptist celebrates family, friends
Bell Baptist Church of Luling hosted Friends And Family Day July 20.

• BIRTHS
Parents in the River Parishes reported the following births at River Parishes Hospital in LaPlace:

• CALENDAR
MONDAY

• COMMUNITY REPORT
--- St. John ---

• Faithful gather for praise, worship
The famous, the faithful, and the famously faithful gathered recently at Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church in Reserve for a praise and worship service as part of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's 50th annual convention held last month.

• Family reading program planned
The St. John the Baptist Library will host a family reading program in August and September.

• KEEPING THE FAITH
WOMEN'S DAY

• LSU AgCenter greets new extension agents
Cynthia Lewis Clifton, a native of St. James Parish, has been named St. John the Baptist Parish's new LSU AgCenter associate extension agent for family and consumer sciences.

• MONICA JONES
School:East St. John Elementary fourth-grade teacher.

• NEW BOOKS
New books at the St. John the Baptist Parish Library:

• NEW BOOKS
New books at the St. John the Baptist Parish Library:

• ON THE AGENDA
ST. CHARLES

• Patsy Cline lives on in musical tribute
St. John Theatre in Reserve will bring a country music legend back to life in its upcoming tribute, "Always, Patsy Cline."

• REPORT CARD
Upcoming school events:

• SCHOOLS
--- River Parishes ---

• SELF-HELP EVENTS
Only Child Club, where parents of only children can talk openly about the experiences and challenges they face raising an only child. If you have an only child, ages 5-12, and would like to join the support group, call Des at 504.638.1294.

• SPORTS ROUNDUP
SOCCER REGISTRATION

• Stepping into that tangled web called insurance
It dawned on me the other day that my husband and I are insurance poor.

• Teen, Miss Andouille pageant contestants sought
The St. John Andouille Pageant Committee is seeking contestants for the Teen and Miss Andouille pageant in September.

• Theater workshop draws 60
Nearly 60 people participated in the River Region Drama Guild's summer theater workshop held recently at the River Region Performing Arts and Cultural Center in Norco.

• Two doctors mark 30 years of service
Two doctors at St. Charles Parish Hospital in Luling celebrated 30 years of service in the community.

• WEEK IN REVIEW
ST. CHARLES

• Chamber members, guests take outing to Zephyrs Field
Several members and guests of River Region Chamber of Commerce recently enjoyed watching the New Orleans Zephyrs play Las Vegas 51 at Zephyrs Field in Metairie. Unfortunately, the Zephyrs lost 4-2.

• Church chefs compete to raise funds, spirits
St. Charles Borromeo Church's Men of Manresa will hold its annual Top Chef social fundraiser Aug. 24 at the church and Family Center on River Road in Destrehan.

• COMMUNITY REPORT
--- St. Charles ---

• CREATIVE KIDS
INNOCENCE

• Donor, nephew doing well after kidney transplant
There's good news to report about Wallace natives, Dramal Saul and Darrell Gordon.

• GIRL POWER
Catholic Charities' St. Charles Regional Office in Luling recently hosted its annual Girl Power summer camp.

• Girls invited to join Ladies First Foundation
The Ladies First Foundation is inviting girls in St. Rose and neighboring communities to join the group.

• GOOD SPORTS
SAVANNAH ST. PIERRE

• It's easy to get school news published
Now that school is back in session for most students, I would like to offer school officials an assignment: Help us publicize your school.

• NEW BOOKS
--- St. John ---

• Night Out brings out neighbors
Several local families enjoyed neighborhood parties in Ama and Hahnville in observance of Night Out Against Crime.

• Parents meeting set at St. Gertrude
St. Gertrude Catholic Church will hold a parents meeting for its religion program Monday at 7 p.m. in the church's Religion Building in Des Allemands.

• Punt, Pass, Kick contest Saturday
The Norco Lions Club will hold the annual NFL-Pepsi Punt, Pass and Kick competition Saturday at 9 a.m. at Sacred Heart School, 453 Spruce St. in Norco.

• Reserve residents celebrate Night Out
Many Reserve residents participated in the 25th annual National Night Out Against Crime Aug. 5.

• SCHOOL NEWS
--- St. John ---

• SLU'S TOP STUDENTS
Several students from the River Parishes were named to the summer honors lists at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.

• ST. CHARLES PAGEANT WINNERS
Winners in the ninth annual St. Charles Parish of Plenty Pageant held July 26 at the Knights of Columbus Home in Norco are:

• St. Charles park gets grant of $70,000
With a $70,000 grant from the Entergy Charitable Foundation, St. Charles Parish will buy new playground equipment and make other improvements at a community park in Montz.

• St. John Sugar Queen chosen Saturday
Danielle Champagne of LaPlace has been named the new St. John the Baptist Parish Sugar Queen.

• ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST READING PROGRAM
The St. John the Baptist Library's 2008 summer reading program ended last month.

• SUNVILLA SHARKS HONORS
The SunVilla Sharks swim team of Norco recently held its annual awards banquet.

• VERB helps 'tweens become more active
If your child slips into the blahs, take him or her to an online activity called VERB, LSU AgCenter nutritionist Beth Reames said.

• WILLOWDALE HONORS
Willowdale swim team recently recognized its high point and runner-up swimmers.

• A NIGHT TO MEET, GREET NEIGHBORS
The Chauvins in Reserve were among more than 40 local families who hosted parties for National Night Out Against Crime. The St. John the Baptist and St. Charles parishes sheriffs' offices encouraged neighborhoods to show they care about their community by participating in the 25th annual National Night Out Against Crime. The yearly event, sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, helps raise awareness of crime prevention and brings neighbors and police together in the fight for safer streets.

• A NIGHT TO MEET, GREET NEIGHBORS
The Dufrenes in Bayou Gauche were among several local families who hosted parties for National Night Out Against Crime. The St. Charles and St. John the Baptist parishes sheriffs' offices encouraged neighborhoods to show they care about their community by participating in the 25th annual National Night Out Against Crime. The event is held each year to raise awareness of crime prevention and brings neighbors and police together in the fight for safer streets. The event, sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, is designed to unify communities against crime.

• COMING UP
ST. JOHN

• COMMUNITY REPORT
--- St. Charles ---

• Family, friends plan 'Do it for Don' fest
A fundraising festival, "Do it for Don," to benefit Don Vicknair of Paulina will be held Aug. 22-24 at Longview Recreation Park in Grand Point.

• Festival queens honored at game
Several local queens were recognized during the fifth annual Ballpark Beauties Night with the Zephyrs on Aug. 1.

• Fret-free life is no life at all
I am a certifiable fretter. I fret over everything. The other day I was sitting around fretting over why I fret so much.

• Good time lined up for preteens
Willowdale's swim team will hold a back-to-school preteen dance Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the club in Luling.

• Health center offers special programs
St. Charles Community Health Center in Luling is planning special programs this week as part of its fifth anniversary celebration as well as National Health Center Week.

• KEEPING THE FAITH
WOMEN'S DAY

• NEW BOOKS
--- St. Charles ---

• ON THE AGENDA
ST. CHARLES

• SCHOOL
--- St. Charles ---

• Spice wins third Dizzy Dean title in row
The New Orleans Spice under 19 baseball team won its third consecutive Dizzy Dean state championship title and was named runner-up in the Dizzy Dean World Series.

• St. James pageant panel crowns pair of queens
The St. James Parish Sugar Queen Committee presented the 57th annual Miss St. James Parish Pageant and 17th annual Miss Teen St. James Parish Pageant July 19 at Lutcher High School.

• Varied mowing pattern improves look of lawn
If your lawn has ruts or stripes caused by mower tires then the solution is to mow the way the pros do it: alternate or vary your mowing pattern.

• VOLUNTEER SALUTE
BUDDY GRAVER

• YOU CAN HELP
-- Churches and schools.Volunteers are always needed. Call the school or church nearest you.