Card party is April 16

The Portsmouth Business and Professional Women will have their annual card party at 6 p.m. April 16 at the SOMC Friends Center, 1202 18th St. Cost will be $6 per person. There will be food prizes and 50/50 drawing. To purchase tickets or obtain additional information call Diana Musick at (740) 354-1426 or Geneva Varney at (740) 574-8153. Proceeds will go to the Portsmouth BPW Scholarship Fund.

EMS training is offered online

The Ohio Division of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, has launched an online training center that provides first responders of all levels free online training opportunities for career development through continuing education (CE) requirements, which are needed for renewal of EMS and Fire certifications in Ohio.

“The online training program allows completion of applicable courses from any location with an Internet connection at the provider’s convenience,” said EMS Executive Director Richard Rucker. “It is hoped that this addition to the site will serve as another effective mode of communication for our EMS and fire providers and a one-stop shop for current EMS and fire-related information.”

This online learning resource provides training materials that are available 24-hours a day and users can enroll and take training in several categories. They can track personal training history, obtain transcripts of their participation, and obtain copies of the certificate of completion at any time.

The initial online training program, EMS CHEMPACK, has been posted and is available to be taken by logging on and signing up as a member.

The division is preparing additional classes for the online training site to assist first responders in accruing their CE hours for EMS and fire service certification and renewal. New fire rules requiring the CE credits were filed in January 2008. The Division plans to offer an Ohio Trauma Triage course, a hospital CHEMPACK course and firefighting courses in the future.

Easter egg hunt set for Saturday

Wheelersburg Kiwanis Club will conduct an Easter egg hunt beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday. The event is for children pre-school to third grade. Participants are asked to enter at the high school main entrance and meet in the cafetorium. Dozens of eggs with different prizes will be available.

A pancake breakfast will be served from 8 a.m. to noon. The cost is $4 per person.

Tom Adkins to present for Genealogy Society

Tom Adkins, director of the Garnet Wilson Public Library in Waverly, will present the program for the April meeting of the Scioto County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the Meeting Room of the Portsmouth Public Library.

This program, “Finding Violet: A Family’s Quest,” details how Adkins solved the mystery of his great-great grandmother’s parentage. Violet Pennington was born in Lawrence County, Ky., in 1855. She was married to Nathan Hylton and also was the grandmother of Kentucky’s author and poet Jesse Stuart.

Adkins is a past president of SCCOGS. He recorded many gravestone inscriptions in Scioto County cemeteries for SCCOGS publications. He was formerly employed at the Portsmouth Public Library. Everyone interested in family history is invited to attend.