Today is Friday, July 8, 2011. Here are five things you need to know:

Support Troops Headed to Afghanistan

From July 1 - August 31, Navigant Credit Union is sponsoring a care package drive to support a local Marine Corps company set to deploy to Afghanistan in September.  Requested items include current books/magazines/DVDs; games; footballs; soccer balls; gum; candy; protein/energy bars; coffee grounds; face/neck warmers; deodorant; AAA batteries; disposable razors, as well as encouraging letters. (No aerosol cans or sprays are allowed.) Conlon Moving & Storage Inc. is donating the storage bins.

Donations will be collected at all Navigant Credit Union branches throughout Rhode Island during branch hours, including the Woonsocket branch at 1280 Park Avenue. Jenna Rondeau, a Navigant Credit Union employee whose husband is a member of the unit, developed this care package drive initiative to bring a sense of "home" and show a token of gratitude to the local soldier community fighting abroad.

Board of Regents Approves First Ever Charter School for Nurses

The Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education gave final approval last night to the Rhode Island Nurses Institute (RINI) Middle College Charter School, scheduled to open on September 7, 2011. As the first-ever nursing charter school in the country, the RINI Middle College will serve over 100 students in its inaugural year, at the 150 Washington Street campus, located in downtown Providence.

Proposed by the Rhode Island Nurses Institute (RINI), the Middle College Charter School will attract prospective nursing students from communities across Rhode Island. The school’s curriculum will challenge students to earn a high school diploma, Certified Nursing Assistant’s (CNA) credential, and will better prepare students for a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.

The RINI Middle College will have a statewide acceptance policy, and will enroll students from any city or town in Rhode Island. Every qualifying applicant is required to have passed 9^th grade English and math and be heading into the 10^th grade. Although the school will be a statewide public school of choice with blind admissions policies, specific efforts have been made to target recruitment to students from demographics that are traditionally underrepresented in Rhode Island’s colleges and universities.

The four-year degree that students earn will include eight semesters of work, as well as summer sessions and January intercession, and provide concentrated study in writing, math, computer, capstone projects, portfolio compilation, career exploration and study skills. For more information or to complete an application, visit www.tomorrowsnurses.org.

Free Art Exhibit/Fundraiser

Tonight, from 6 to 9 p.m., visit Stage Right for the opening of "Kerri's Visitors," a compilation of photos taken in the memorial garden built in memory of Frank & Karen O'Donnell's daughter, Keri-Anne who died in an accident at the age of 15.

O'Donnell's love and passion for dance, theater and the arts are being perpetuated through the Keri-Anne O'Donnell Fund, which provides scholarships for young artists.

All proceeds from the sale of the photos will be donated to the fund, with prices range from $35 to $175.

If you are unable to attend and would like to make a donation, make your check payable to The Keri-Anne O'Donnell Fund and mail it  to: Walter Matiswewski, CPA, Inc., 1011 Smithfield Avenue, Lincoln, RI 02865

DMV To Send Out 500 Notices

The Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (RIDMV) has identified nearly $1 million in uncollected revenue due to checks written on closed accounts or insufficient funds.  Lisa S. Holley, Interim Administrator, has announced that the DMV will be taking formal action to collect fees owed to the DMV and the Division of Taxation.

Within the next several weeks, over 500 notices will be sent to parties owing fees to the DMV because of bad checks.  The notices will reiterate the suspension status of licenses and registrations paid for with insufficient funds.

“This effort will not only generate money owed to the state but will also ensure that vehicles are properly registered and drivers are issued the appropriate credentials to safely operate a motor vehicle,” noted Holley.

Debtors will be afforded a two-week period to resolve the outstanding checks prior to the matter being turned over to a collection agency or the Rhode Island State Police for criminal charging under a violation of banking laws.  In the event the debt remains unpaid, the DMV will utilize all available means of collection, including seizure of license plates as authorized by law.

To repay the debt and avoid further penalties, all parties who receive notice will be directed to contact the Cashier’s Office at DMV to determine the amount owed as penalties and interest may be applicable.  To make a payment, cash, certified check or money order will be accepted at the Cashier’s Office, located on the third floor of the Division of Motor Vehicles, 600 New London Avenue, in Cranston.

And for your final Friday "thing to know," Reflections with Connie Lemonde

REFLECTIONS                                     

His name is JoJo.
Beside his cage I stand
And watch my little budgie--a real homebody,
Who stays in his cage, door open, or not;
Who chooses to stay home, when away he could fly,
And I think: Is he happy in there,
All alone?

Then I hear him tweet and twitter merrily,
As he swings about from perch to perch,
Carefree--with no concern at all
That someone is observing him.

Just as I'm watching this little dance,
And wondering  how he can seem so happy,
All by himself,
He starts to screech, wings his way
To his food dish, and looks at his reflection
In the mini mirror attached to it.
Relishing what he sees, he kisses his image,
And in a savory salad of  happy bird sounds
He talks to it, as if to a best friend!

A magical moment! A luminous light!

Now I  realize why JoJo
Does not--and may never--
Know loneliness. He is happy with himself.

Have a great day, and may you be happy with yourself.  After all, you're the only person who's with you all the time!

My short inspirational, surprising and humorous stories about local people can be heard on radio station WOON 1240 AM every Friday at 9:05 a.m. and Saturday at 8 a.m. Also available online at www.onworldwide.com anytime--at C'est La Vie.  Do you have an inspiring or interesting story to tell? Contact me at conlemonde@gmail.com. SUBJECT: RADIO.