Ham radio class

Ham radio class

AUSTINTOWN — Area residents interested in becoming either amateur, or ham, radio operators will soon have their chance. A ham radio technician class is being sponsored by the 20 over 9 Amateur Radio Club and will begin Sept. 3.

The seven-week class begins at 7 p.m. and lasts until 9:30 p.m. and will be at the Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency headquarters on Industrial Road.

Amateurs who wish to upgrade can also earn general and extra class licenses. The fees will be $14 for Federal Communications Commission license examination plus the cost of license study materials.

Preregistration for the classes is encouraged. For more information, or to register, contact Al Avnet at (330) 549-3051 or e-mail him at ab8aa@arrl.net.

Solar energy discussion

CHAMPION — Jim Kilpatrick, a Warren Township farmer, will explain the solar energy device he installed on the roof of one of his farm buildings when he speaks to the Trumbull County Clean Energy Network from 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday in Room 117 of the Kent State University Trumbull Campus Technology Building. Kilpatrick installed a 6.7-kilowatt on-grid photo voltaic solar array in 2006. Such a device converts sunlight into electricity.

Kilpatrick will explain the planning for the system, installation and the reduction in his electric bill. The session is free.

Trumbull County Clean Energy Network is a regional affiliate of Green Energy Ohio. For more information, contact Dave Ambrose at (330) 647-3666.

County office up for sale

MERCER, Pa. — Now that District Justice Larry Silvis’ new offices are open, Mercer County commissioners plan to advertise the former District Justice office on Grove City-Sandy Lake Road for sale.

Bill Boyle, county Adminis-trative Services director, is preparing an advertisement for the vacant one-story, flat-roofed brick building, which includes about 2,000 square feet and was built in the early 1980s. It stands on about a half-acre and has no basement.

Commissioners agreed to offer for sale separately a shed that stands on the same property. The shed could be hauled away.

An appraisal also will be done on the building before its sale.

A new $1.32 million building was completed this year. It is located at 547 Barkeyville Road, Pine Township. Officials had wanted a new building because the former offices were too small and had security problems, a leaky roof and an inconvenient location.