1/14/2010 - West Side Leader
     

OSU Extension offers horticulture, agriculture workshops

RICHFIELD/WOOSTER — The OSU Extension in Summit County is offering a series of one-day workshops for professionals in the horticulture and agriculture industries.

These classes, which target professionals in the Summit County and Western Reserve areas, will take place Fridays during the winter and early spring months.

Individual sessions will focus on winter tree identification, soils, growing organically, pruning, diagnostics, high tunnel production and pest and turf updates. A series on urban farm management for new and emerging farmers in Akron also will be offered.

The cost for each one-day class session is $30, with the exception of $50 for the Soil Fundamentals Class (additional materials provided) and $125 for the Urban Farming Initiative Series. Registration fees include lunch and class materials.

Classes will take place at Furnace Run Metro Park and the Richfield Fellowship Hall in Richfield, and at Secrest Arboretum in Wooster.

The class schedule includes:

• Winter Tree Identification I, Jan. 29;

• Fundamentals of Landscape Soils, Feb. 5;

• Introduction to Growing Organically, Feb. 12;

• Greenhouse Growers’ Update, Feb. 19;

• Winter Tree Identification II, Feb. 26;

• Pruning Trees and Shrubs, March 5;

• Summit Urban Farming Initiative, March 11-22;

• Insect Diagnostic Update, March 12;

• Disease Diagnostic Update, March 19;

• Weed Diagnostic Update, March 26;

• Diagnostic Fundamentals, April 7;

• Turf Update, April 9; and

• High Tunnels 101, April 16.

Professional continuing education credits are available for many of the sessions, according to Extension officials.

Class descriptions and registration forms are available at summit.osu.edu on the Horticulture page. Preregistration is required. For further information, contact Denise Ellsworth at (330) 928-4769, ext. 21, or ellsworth.2@osu.edu.

Automobile Dealers’ Association takes new name

AKRON — After 82 years, the Akron Area Automobile Dealers’ Association has changed its name to the Northeast Ohio Automobile Dealers Association (NEOADA).

This change reflects the need of the NEOADA to broaden its reach and encompass its members who are located outside of the Akron area, according to NEOADA officials.

“The name change signifies growth and a new beginning,” said Terry Metcalf, executive vice president of NEOADA. “We’re no longer an association limited to representing dealers in one city or county. Given that the dealerships we work with are located in multiple counties throughout Northeast Ohio, the name ‘Akron Area’ is simply no longer accurate. In fact, dealers across a much larger geographic area are using many of our programs and finding them to be of significant value.”

NEOADA offers memberships to new franchised automobile dealers and an associate membership for used car dealers. Other dealers, as affiliate members, can use one or two of NEOADA’s services.

During the last few years, NEOADA has added programs and services including the Autoview report, a shredding program, background checks, fingerprinting, passport photos, an energy cost-savings program, credit card processing and others.

In addition, NEOADA continues to offer a license bureau, runners and title services.

For more information, visit www.neoada.com.

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