Carter Learns about HIV, a new book by Dr. K (Dr. Kim Kelly) is drawing widespread acclaim and rave reviews from readers. Dr. K is sharing what she feels is knowledge that our youth need and can use. Dr. K wrote her book Carter Learns about HIV to help when children are young so that they can understand at an early age. The next stop for Dr. K’s Book Tour and book signing is October 14, 5:30 p.m. at the Little Professor Book Center, 2717 18th Street South, Birmingham, Alabama 35209.
The book helps young children understand basic knowledge of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). You may use this book to assist answering your child’s questions about the facts of HIV honestly but simply, avoiding confusion. Children will enjoy reading this book repeatedly as his or her interest arises.
“I just give the utmost thanks to my creator God, for allowing me the opportunity to gain and then share the knowledge that He has given me,” stated Dr. K. “I also thank my colleagues from Cooper Green, Jefferson County Department of Health, University of Alabama in Birmingham and the Veterans Administration who inspired and gave me unfailing support through difficult times.”
Dr. K has served over 25 years in various nursing disciplines. Her years of patient care and observations prompted her to found the VET-to-VET HIV support group, offering support to HIV infected veterans and their families. Her heart of those afflicted with HIV reaches from youth to adults in churches, schools, and clinical settings to those within prison walls.
Dr. K earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing; a Master of Science in Nursing from Samford University, Ida Moffet School of Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing. She has received rewards from quality management in public health. Dr. K notes her greatest rewards are her two children.
Dr. K’s book for children – Carter Learns about HIV is a great book to read for the young and young at heart.  Find more at www.drkwebsite.com.

 Dr. Barbara Rountree, retired educator from University of Alabama, Greg Hurst and Cathy Wooldridge, both of the Tuscaloosa area schools, were facilitators at the Shades Valley Zone Community meeting October 6.  It was the second of six meetings planned across Jefferson County to seek stakeholder information about how to improve the school system.  The district is engaged with Dr. Marcia Burke’s company in an ambitious strategic planning process which began in August and will conclude in November.
Here’s how you can participate:
All Jefferson County residents are encouraged to visit the JefcoEd website at www.jefcoed.com and take the most appropriate relationship that one has with the System. That would be either as a citizen at large, a parent of a JefCoEd student or an employee of the school district. All replies are anonymous and are important for they are feedback from the stakeholders of the school district.
There has been a productive meeting with the 26 mayors involved in the county school system, six community zone meetings which began September 29 and will conclude October 28. A report will go to the board before Thanksgiving.

Jefferson County Receives DOJ Funding to Establish Alabama’s First Day Reporting Center

BIRMINGHAM – The Department of Justice has awarded the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles a Second Chance Act grant of $687,176 to establish a Day Reporting Center in Birmingham, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and Pardons and Paroles Executive Director Cynthia Dillard.

The Day Reporting Center will deliver services to people on parole from state prisons to help them successfully return to society and reduce the likelihood of Birmingham area probationers committing new crimes.

“This grant demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to helping states that are on the path to curbing criminal recidivism,” Vance said. “The day reporting center will follow best practices that have curtailed the rate at which new crimes are committed by ex-offenders in other areas,” she said.  “Jefferson County contributes more inmates to state prisons than any other county in Alabama, so starting here is a strong step in the right direction.”

Since 2010, Vance has worked with state and local agencies and community organizations through the North Alabama Reentry Council to reduce crime by increasing successful reentry outcomes for newly released offenders.

Through the Department of Justice’s Smart on Crime initiative, the department promotes a holistic approach to reducing crime – prevention, enforcement and reentry. Smart on Crime prioritizes crime reduction efforts that are committed to data-driven, evidenced-based methodology, and that are collaborative efforts among all stakeholders. The DRC will collaborate with community-based service providers to improve reentry outcomes for ex-offenders.

The DRC services will include employment options, education, substance abuse rehabilitation, and behavioral training, all which have been proven to increase the chances that an ex-offender will avoid re-offending and returning to prison.

Community-based reentry services, such as DRCs, are effective in reducing criminal recidivism and are more cost-efficient, compared to incarceration. The Birmingham center will be modeled after DRCs in Georgia, where only 7 percent of DRC participants reoffend. Alabama’s current ex-offender recidivism rate is about 35 percent. The projected daily cost of the Birmingham center is a fraction of the $43 a day for each inmate within Alabama’s prison system.

Reentry programs that have proven effective in other states towards reducing crime and prison populations are a topic being reviewed by the Alabama Prison Reform Task Force. Taskforce Chairman, State Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, said, “Community-based, reentry services are the key component to reducing recidivism in our corrections system. These programs are crucial to the reform efforts under way in Alabama.”

State Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, a taskforce member, added, “We are appreciative of the Department of Justice’s support to help us reduce recidivism among our inmates under community supervision. The improved supervision measures created by this grant will not only help our prison overcrowding situation in Alabama, but also help newly released individuals get on the right track.”

Congress created the Second Chance Act in 2008. It has received broad bipartisan support within Congress, and from former President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama. The Second Chance Act is the first-of-its-kind legislation that authorizes federal grants to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide support strategies and services designed to reduce recidivism by improving outcomes for people returning from prisons, jails and juvenile facilities.

The Second Chance Act is administered by the Office of Justice Programs within the Department of Justice.

Program features accelerated GED® Tests preparation and provides youth with opportunity to gain work experiences skills

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Since 1984, Paxen Learning has offered an array of programs instrumental in changing people’s lives. Three years ago, Paxen Learning decided to branch out to Alabama; we partnered with Jefferson County Workforce Investment Board to offer an accelerated GED program to youth ages 17-21 who typically face economic or social barriers to academic and employment opportunities.
“We are motivated by the belief that we hold the key for providing fundamental life, education, and workforce skills that together lays the foundation for better lives.”  The program provides participants with the skills and confidence they need to advance into meaningful employment or post-secondary education opportunities.”
The program is delivered in 7-week sessions and best of all – it’s free to participants. Participants will also have the opportunity to earn incentives for reaching specific goals and completing specific milestones.
“Our goal is to help prepare these youth for the workforce or along a path toward postsecondary education, so that they can create new opportunities for themselves.”
For more information, please contact program manager TaMorya Johnson-Jones at 205-834-7471 or by email at tjohnson-jones@paxen.com.

M&M’S® brand rewards fans’ passion; plans to  re-release irresistible product nationally in January
HACKETTSTOWN, N.J.  – M&M’S® Brand has a message to all the diehard fans of M&M’S® Crispy Milk Chocolate Candies: They’re finally back … because of you.
After a decade of phone calls, petitions, Facebook posts and countless other pleas, Mars Chocolate North America has announced M&M’S® Crispy will return to stores nationwide in January 2015 following a 10-year hiatus.
M&M’S® Crispy feature a delectable, crispy center covered in rich, creamy milk chocolate, enclosed in a colorful candy shell. This crispy, crunchy and delicious treat is slightly larger than the original milk chocolate variety, and will be featured in a new, eye-catching, bright green bag.
The launch of M&M’S® Crispy is the biggest M&M’S® Brand launch since the introduction of M&M’S® Pretzel Chocolate Candies in 2010. M&M’S®Crispy was first available as a limited-edition item in 1998, and the product’s re-emergence is a testament to the unwavering loyalty shown by consumers and media who refused to let the beloved flavor variant go the way of laser disc players, dial-up Internet and other turn-of-the-millennium relics. According to records in Mars Consumer Care, M&M’S® Crispy is the No. 1 Mars variant no longer on the market requested to be “brought back.”
“When M&M’S® fans talk, we listen. And consumers have made it clear that M&M’S® Crispy are so irresistible, we had to bring them back,” said Seth Klugherz, Senior Director, M&M’S® Chocolate Candies. “We’re sure existing fans will be thrilled to see M&M’S® Crispy back in stores coast to coast, but we’re just as excited to introduce this delicious product to a new generation of chocolate lovers.”
M&M’S® Crispy will be available in early 2015 at retailers nationwide in Singles (1.35 oz.), Sharing Size (2.83 oz.) and Medium Laydown Bags (9.9 oz.). For more information, visit the M&M’S® Brand Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mms, the official M&M’S® Twitter handle @mmschocolate, or www.mms.com.

Mr. Foster Clinton Woodrick, Jr. and Bettye Jean Woodrick are celebrating their 67th wedding anniversary.  Their anniversary theme is “Look where God has brought us.”  They were married October 19, 1947 in Pratt City, Alabama. Mr. Woodrick served  in combat in the U. S. Army in Korea during the Korean conflict as Platoon Sergeant of an infantry  Platoon of the 25th infantry division. He was honorably discharged in 1954.  He is retired from U. S. Steel Corp. as Railroad Yardmaster and from the Birmingham Police Department as Lieutenant and Assistant Administrator of the Birmingham Jail. They are members of the Mount Moriah Baptist Church of Pratt CIty where he is  Chair of the Deacons Ministry she is President Emeritus of the Missionary Ministry. Mr. Woodrick is President of the Alabama Baptist State Congress of Christian Education and the Mount Pilgrim Baptist  District Congress of Christian Education. Mrs. Woodrick is the former Bettye Jean Byrd.