This week

A quick note before we launch into August. Not in the paper (but now online) is a brief mention of Cedar Ridge football practice, repeated below. My apologies that it did not appear in print:

Cedar Ridge football practice begins Aug. 1
Cedar Ridge football will kick off its first official practice on from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug. 1. Athletes will need to have a current physical and meet with Coach Lou Geary in the wrestling room. For more information, call Coach Geary 245-4000, ext. 21605.

OK, so I am going to be back and forth between the courthouse and the office for a good part of the next 1.5 weeks or longer. Thankfully, I have wireless access at the courthouse, meaning I can get around to some e-mails and some additional work. But, I will be following the Alvaro Castillo trial, which is expected to move past jury selection today/tomorrow and get into the thick of proceedings. I'll attempt to make daily updates.

You can reach me via e-mail pretty much all the time, and if you leave a message at the office, I will return calls at the end of the day once I'm back in here. Thanks.

Also, for this week, I will be working on:

• An update on the town's potential smoking ban in publicly-owned spaces. You'd be surprised by what towns can or can't actually ban under current state law.

• I'll have a quick follow-up on the 4-H Youth Voices program.

• I'll finally have some information about the Orange Literacy Council and "the need" in Orange County.

• I'll be taking some pictures at Last Fridays.

There are plenty of other items floating around, and it is only Wednesday, so more is likely to come ...