Sugary sweet sodas and greasy, salty, fried foods may be on their way out in school cafeterias, at least if the Institute for Medicine has its way. We hope it does. Last week the group recommended new standards for school food and snacks that would sharply limit sugar, calories and fat while encouraging more nutritious eating.

HIGHWAY PATROL * A U.S. 250, New London, resident's car was hit by a rock that came from a tire of a tractor-trailer Saturday. No one was injured.

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Matthew Barrett (D-Amherst) said today he intends to vote for a two-year state operating budget plan that would mean hundreds of dollars in property tax relief for senior citizens in the 58th House District. The $52.1 billion budget plan, scheduled for a vote of the full House sometime today, includes Gov. Ted Strickland's plan for senior citizen property tax relief and several other major changes in state policy, including:

CLEVELAND The new family theatrical live tour "Go, Diego, Go Live! The Great Jaguar Rescue" will make a stop in Cleveland next month. Playhouse Square Center's Allen Theatre will host shows at 7 p.m. Friday, May 4, 11 a.m., 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday, May 5 and 11 a.m., 2 and 5 p.m. Sunday, May 6. Ticket prices range from $15 to $39. Based on the top preschool series "Go, Diego, Go!," the national tour kicked off Feb. 1. The live-action stage show follows Diego, his sister Alicia and cousin Dora on an action- packed, special mission to get Baby Jaguar's growl back from the Bobo Brothers. They'll need the audience's help to rescue animals, navigate through the rainforest, and pass a giant waterfall to get to the Animal Carnivale. Featuring the familiar songs and characters from the award winning television show that fans have come to love, this live action theatrical will take preschoolers on an interactive, high-stakes journey inspired by the rich environments of Latin America and by the animals that make their homes in those habitats.

COLUMBUS Numerous FFA members from across Huron County will receive honor awards at the upcoming State FFA Convention May 3 to 5. It will be at the grounds of the Ohio State Fair. During the convention several thousand FFA members in blue and gold coats will gather for the annual convention and once again Huron County will be well represented. Josh Weaver of the New London FFA chapter will be vying for a place on the prestigious Ohio FFA officer team; he is running for the office of District 2 President, which represents this area. Some 27 youth from schools across the county will be receiving the prestigious "Ohio FFA Degree", which is the third-highest degree in the FFA. The highest degree in the FFA association is that of the "American Farmer Degree," four youth from around the county will be recognized for that prestigious degree, as only 2 percent of the FFA members from across the U.S. receive that degree. Those youth receiving the state degree include:

It's been a strange year for farm pond fishing. Traditionally, the fish follow a routine scenario of moving here and there as waters warm, then moving again as the thermocline turns over before heading shallow again for spawning. But this year has been an almost never ending round of warm weather, bitter cold, monsoon rains, more cold, then warm again. The fish in our area's little lakes are probably saying "Where am I and where do I go from here?" Still, until the weather stabilizes, ponds are the best game in town and your best chance for catching some fish. Largemouth bass always are going to be fairly easy. If you're a lazy person who just wants to loaf along a pond bank, watch blackbirds swaying on cattails and soak in warming sunlight, a very good way to go is with 2- to 3-inch minnows. In some bait shops you can purchase fair sized golden shiners or just hit a local little creek and seine some chubs. Then lip hook the lively bait on a No. 4 hook, flip out two rigs about 3 to 4 feet below a float and splitshot and just let them swim. It's best to cast gently and concentrate your casting on the shallower half of the pond. But with this rig, the float should sink with fair regularity, given a good pond with serious bass, and you'll have a fun day. Do return the bass and if you simply must keep a couple for dinner, keep it at that a couple.

Greenwich resident Elizabeth Gravely has been awarded a $4,000 director's scholarship to attend Ashland University based on her academic achievements. A senior attending South Central High School, she has been a member of the choir for the past five years. She is also an active member in the FFA. This past year she was named student of the year by South Central. She is the daughter of Robert and Rose Gravely of Greenwich. The renewable director's scholarship is presented to incoming freshman students based upon high school grade-point averages and ACT/SAT scores.

FFC drive-thru reopens Firelands Federal Credit Union drive-thru located at 346 Milan Ave. in Norwalk will be reopening.

COLUMBUS For the second year, biologists will track walleye movement during spring spawning runs in the Sandusky River and Bay to better understand why the population of this important sportfish has declined the past 30 years. The project is slated to continue through next year. Fisheries biologists with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife implanted radio transmitters in 50 walleye during 2005-2006 and will monitor individual fish, using a combination of remote data logging stations, as well as boat-based and aerial tracking.

This Norwalk couple currently lives in northern Africa. While befriending the people there, they are teaching English and training others to teach English. He also helps the locals drill wells in search of water. We are not naming the two for security reasons. They are partially funded by the Geotrac Foundation. This is the third in a series of articles about their lives in Africa. I've been mulling over the different ways our culture impacts the way we view life. Suddenly I find myself living among people who see life differently in both big and small ways. Thanks to several cultural anthropology courses, I know that people have reasons underlying their actions. Though it's tempting to look at another's actions and evaluate them according to my own values (which have been developed largely by my cultural background), I will never come to the right conclusion by doing this. Sounds mainly theoretical so far. How does culture impact those around me? Not much is more important in sustaining physical life than water. How does my culture impact my thoughts regarding water? To be honest, as a relatively affluent American, I'm not so sure I have many thoughts about water. That reality speaks volumes. What do I know or assume about water? Water flows when I turn on the tap. I don't know where my water comes from, but I believe it's clean, drinkable and abundant. It's not just that water flows when I turn on the tap water flows at whichever temperature I desire. Clean, drinkable, clear, safe, hot, warm or cold water, at my disposal. And I forgot abundant. Enough for a bathtub full, or a warm shower just to relax. Enough to wash my car until it sparkles (not that I do that very often).