News you can use

­Activities and entertainment events scheduled for today include:

• Photos

Basketball skills clinic: The Summer Madness Preseason Skills Clinic will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. today through Thursday at Garrett Community Center, 1110 Eisenhower Drive. Registration fees cost $50 for the first 50 participants. Lunch will be provided. For more information, contact Shaun Bradley at 786-5549 or shaun99@bellsouth.net.

Christmas Tree Recycling: Columbia County Clean and Beautiful is sponsoring Bring One In for the Chipper Day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Home Depot, 499 Bobby Jones Expressway , through Jan. 8 for people who want to recycle their Christmas trees into mulch. Those dropping off trees Jan. 8 will receive free mulch and a dogwood or red maple seedling, while supplies last. For more information, call Columbia County Clean and Beautiful at 868-3484.

Christmas tree drop-off locations: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers J. Strom Thurmond Dam and Lake will accept Christmas trees to be used for fish and wildlife habitat through Jan. 12 at the following locations: Amity Boat Ramp, Cherokee Boat Ramp, Keg Creek Boat Ramp and Scotts Ferry Boat Ramp. Please remove all decorations, tinsel and lights before dropping of f the trees. For more information, call the J. Strom Thurmond Dam and Lake Project Office at (800) 533-3478, ext. 1130.

Christmas tree drop-off: The Columbia County Landfill, 590 Baker Place Road, Grovetown, will accept Christmas trees from

6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. to

3 p.m. Saturday through Jan. 31.

HELPFUL PETS

Some advantages to having a four-legged friend:

- Grieving adults who don't have a close source of human support have been found to be less depressed if they have a pet.

- Dog owners tend to be less afraid of being a victim of crime when with their pet.

- Pets help people relax and focus attention away from worries.

- Pets decrease feelings of loneliness and isolation.

- Pets make us more active as we get exercise walking and playing with them.

- Pets provide consistency , giving us something to look forward to each day.

Today in regional history:

Dec. 28, 1978

Augusta's Bush Field is one of 12 airfields in the Southeast that will take part in Phase 1 of the Federal Aviation Administration's new safety radar program, expected to be completed in December 1979.

The radar system is intended to provide increased protection against in-flight collisions and "near collisions," according to administration officials.

TO SUGGEST an idea for News You Can Use,

contact Metro Editor Bill Kirby at 823-3344 or bill.kirby@augustachronicle.com.

TO SUGGEST an event listing for Around Town, send an e-mail to announcements@augustachronicle.com or send a fax to 722-7403. Briefly describe the event and include the day, place and time, plus a contact name and number for more information.

To suggest a photo, call 823-3230 or send e-mail to rob.carr@augustachronicle.com.