Livestock Commission - first Tuesdays, 5:30 pm, City Hall

Library Advisory Board - first Thursdays, 5 pm, Library

Planning Commission - second Wednesdays, 7 pm, City Hall

City Council - second Thursdays, 7 pm, City Hall

Cemetery Board - third Tuesdays, 5:30 pm, City Hall

Athena Library Friends Association Board - quarterly meetings -- usually third Thursdays (October, January, April, July) at the library at 6:30 pm; contact Nancy Parker at bank or phone 566-2520 for more information

GEM Theater board - contact Joe Schenck or Rob McIntyre 566-0117 for information

Ambulance Board - contact Kevin Schreibner for information

School Board - second Mondays, rotates among schools, call 566-2551 to confirm place and time.

Old Quilt Batts - contact Doreen Munck or Lela Morton 566-9442 or Charlene Webb 566-2032 for information; usual work sessions held at Sacred Heart church hall on first Thursdays and third Saturdays starting about 8:30 a.m.

Helping Hands - contact Judy Weidert for information

Good Samaritan Ministries - contact Deborah Johns for information

Athena Civic Memorial Association - contact Karen Montee 566-3418 for information

Athena-Weston Lions Club - contact David Lynde 566-3887 or Dean Parker for information

American Legion Post - contact Eric Pickard 566-2480 or Irene Boatright for information

K-4 Winter program on Dec. 15th, 7 pm and 5-12 winter program Dec. 17th at 7 pm --- both at Weston Middle School gym.

UPCOMING NO SCHOOL DAYS: Dec. 21-Jan.1, Jan. 18th, Feb. 12 and 15. Spring break is March 22-26.

DECEMBER DATES TO NOTE!!

• Dec. 10th, Thursday afternoon, HERITAGE CALENDARS will be in the library available for pickup.
• Dec. 10th, Thursday, 4 - 5 :30 pm, SANTA AT THE LIBRARY. Have your picture taken with him and whisper your wish list at same time. Please have an adult accompany your smaller children.
• Dec. 9th, Wednesday, a visit and performances by two member of Oregon Shakespeare Festival in the high school gym ... public welcome (but check in at office before you go to gym, please) ... two different "shows" ... at 9:15 am and 12:20 pm ...
• Dec. 20th, 5:30 pm, at the Baptist Church -- Community Choir concert. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Jan. 25, 6:30 pm, Christian Church, the Chamber of Commerce annual banquet with award presentations for Citizen of the Year ...

An outreach program from Portland Arts Center will begin in mid-January at the library, working with photo collages. The workshops will be Saturday mornings for 10 weeks. It's free to youth, but adults will pay a $5 tuition. See Carrie Bremer at library for schedule, details, and to sign up.

Along with holiday information and displays about Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Chanukah, the art exhibit at the library continues that features the wonderful cloud paintings by Carole McCarty. You can see some of her work at: http://www.pendletonarts.org/index_files/exhibit_highlights2.htm or read about her: http://eastoregonian.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=421&ArticleID=58905&TM=44948.66

Please pack your water meters with leaves or styrofoam "popcorn" or similar material in a plastic bag to avoid freezes over the winter.

Thanks to all the workers and sponsors of the Community Thanksgiving dinner at the elementary school cafeteria. It was great!

2010 heritage calendar PHOTO ID CONTEST entries will be due Feb. 1st; see calendar for rules, entry forms, etc.

Kim King has been hired in the Public Works department. Four finalists are in the running for the Police Dept. vacancy.

Athena Library book club's next meeting will be a discussion of holiday books of each participant's own choosing on Dec.by 21st, 6:30 pm at the library. Come one, come all! You are welcome to participate ... even if you cannot always attend and even if you have not finished reading the book.

The City Council has authorized a committee to completely overhaul the personnel policies for city staff. The Council is also reviewing a draft of job descriptions for Council members.

If the snows come, please remember that adjacent property owners are responsible for clearing their sidewalks.

Please contact Rob McIntyre if you are able to contribute time, energies, or money to the GEM Theater restoration project.

If you know out-of-town folks coming to town who want a place to put their RV, do contact Everett Pixler for reservations ... rates start at $20/night with reductions for longer stays.

Hodaka Owners group has set Hodaka Days for the weekend after Father's Day in June 2010.

ALFA is looking for assistance -- needed are volunteers interested in working on oral histories and to help do next level of organization of the always-expanding Local History room archives.

Thanks to the volunteers who put out and take in the American flags along our streets for holidays like 4th of July, Flag Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, etc. It looks great and is much appreciated.

The library's music CD storage has been installed!! Thanks, Blattner Energy!

For a low cost entertaining evening, how about borrowing (free) DVDs or VHS tapes from library and hosting a movie night? A little popcorn, some chips, lemonade ... and you've got a fun evening with family, neighbors, friends. Over 150 new DVDs have been added at library as well as about 2 dozen classic movies .. the latter are definitely in the "oldy-but-goody" category!

BUSINESS OWNERS -- remember to renew your business licenses at City Hall in December to cover 2010!

Public safety info from the city is now available from a service that messages you as you select--cell phone, email, text. Check it out at www.nixle.com ... or ask Officer Marc Calvert to explain it to you.

The American Legion needs donations of wheelchairs, crutches, and walkers in good condition. Contact Tim Kennedy at 566-1919 if you can help out.

Cats and dogs both require licensing; see City Hall. And remember to keep yards mown and weeded ... the police officers can give tickets if if areas become too overgrown, especially the portion between front of yard/sidewalk/street.