Around The Region

Democrats select Mason to run against Dodge in District 51 \nASHLEY, Ind. -- A former DeKalb County Council member will be the Democratic candidate on the November ballot in state House District 51.\nIn a slating contest Tuesday, Democratic precinct officials in the northeastern Indiana district chose Jim Mason over Jerry Smith, both of Auburn.\nThe district covers Steuben and DeKalb counties.\nMason, 61, served on the DeKalb County Council from 1986-98 and the Auburn City Council from 1976-80.\nHe will run against Republican Dick Dodge in the Nov. 2 general election.\nDodge was selected by Republican precinct officials on May 18 to fill the seat of Dennis Kruse, who left in April to fulfill the state Senate term of the late Senator Charles "Bud" Meeks, who died in March.\n"The way I see it, it's a way open seat at this time," Mason said. "We're both new. Dick will have a little jump on me, though."\n FEMA designates 13 Indiana counties for aid \nINDIANAPOLIS -- Thirteen more Indiana counties are now eligible for federal disaster relief, the Federal Emergency Management Agency.\nBrown, Clay, Delaware, Greene, Henry, Jasper, Lake, Madison, Monroe, Newton, Owen, Putnam and Tipton counties have now been included in the June 3 disaster declaration, FEMA coordinator Justo Hernandez said on Tuesday.\nA total of 53 counties have been designated for individual assistance to clean up damage from tornadoes, flooding and severe storms that hit at the end of May into early June.\nResidents and business owners can apply for state and federal disaster assistance programs ranging from temporary housing assistance to low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration.\nResidents and business owners in the counties covered by the disaster declaration can apply for assistance between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. by phoning (800) 621-3362. The number for the hearing and speech impaired is (800) 462-7585.\n Maggie Kernan announces new \nmentor program \nINDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana first lady Maggie Kernan announced a new pilot program Tuesday that will match 1,000 seventh-graders in Indiana with mentors from local businesses or organizations.\nThe students will come from 16 schools in 13 communities, and will meet with their mentors at least one hour each week, preferably at lunch time, during the upcoming school year. The program is aimed at preparing students for success in school and for post-secondary education options.\nMentors will receive training before the start of the school year, and will be given suggested meeting subjects, timelines and other support. The students who will participate are scheduled to graduate from high school in 2010.\nKernan, wife of Gov. Joe Kernan, has been a mentor in South Bend for 10 years. She said the pilot program stems from her belief "that it is possible to make a difference, one child at a time."\n"Kids in middle and junior high school must make a number of critical decisions that will affect their future," she said in a news release. "For some kids, having someone to offer encouragement and help them weigh their options and determine what's right for them can make all the difference."\nMaggie Kernan made the formal announcement in Evansville.\nIn its pilot phase, the program will receive about $200,000 in funding from GEAR UP, a federal grant program that helps at-risk youth access post-secondary opportunities.\nThe students chosen will be from schools in Columbus, East Chicago, Elkhart, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Gary, Indianapolis, Jeffersonville, Kokomo, Muncie, Plymouth, Terre Haute and Vincennes.