Public Health Service Policy Change -- The NIH has changed the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals to permit institutions with PHS Animal Welfare Assurances to submit verification of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval for competing applications subsequent to peer review but prior to award. This change in PHS Policy is effective as of Sept. 1.

For more information contact Anthony Demsey, senior adviser for policy, Office of Extramural Research, NIH, at 301-496-5127. E-mail to demseya@od.nih.gov or go to the Hopkins Office of Research Administration Web site at frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname= 2002_register&docid=02-19867-filed.

Sickle Cell Awareness Month -- The Sickle Cell Support Group's next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 5, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in 2140 Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center. Dr. Sophie Lanzkron will answer questions about sickle cell disease.

The group is sponsored by the Sickle Cell Program for Adults at Johns Hopkins. For information, call 410-502-7770.

Photography Program for Inner City Youth -- Kids@Cameras, a photography program for inner city youth operated out of the Community Relations and Volunteer Services Office at Homewood, is looking for volunteers, photography instructors and used photographic equipment of all kinds. To learn more, call Matthew D'Agostino at 410-516-4777 or e-mail to dag@jhu.edu.

New Welch Services Center -- On Tuesday, Sept. 3, the Reference, Circulation and Reserve Room desks of the Welch Library will be merged into one service point, the Welch Services Center. This center will be located on the second floor of the Welch Library.

Recipients of Blood Donations Sought -- Have you or a family member ever received a blood donation? The Homewood campus blood drive coordinator is seeking Hopkins faculty, staff, students and retirees who would be willing to share their stories in order to encourage eligible colleagues to give blood. If you have a story you would like to share, please contact Caterina Provost-Smith at 410-516-0138.

Hopkins Night at Camden Yards -- Hopkins faculty, staff and students can reserve tickets to be part of the Hopkins cheering section at the Baltimore Orioles/New York Yankees game on Saturday, Sept. 28. Seats in the upper reserve behind home plate are being held for Hopkins faculty, staff, students, retirees, alumni and their guests. The game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. but may be changed to an afternoon game.

Tickets are $13 per seat for all ages and may be reserved by calling Matt Smith, program coordinator in the Office of Faculty, Staff and Retiree Programs, at 410-516-0345. After you have confirmed ticket availability, you may purchase your tickets by sending a check or money order made payable to JHU-Orioles to Orioles Tickets, Evergreen House, 3rd floor, 4545 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21210-2693. Please be sure to include your name, Hopkins affiliation, number of tickets desired and address where tickets should be mailed. Checks may be sent by campus or U.S. mail.

Mentors Needed -- The Take Charge! Youth Violence Prevention Project needs mentors to keep children safe and free from injury through mentoring and community resource linkages. Each mentor will be trained in a violence prevention curriculum and will meet with each youth at least six times. A stipend of $240 will be given to each mentor upon completion of the project. Male mentors are especially needed.

For more information, call Peggy Miller at 410-614-6415.

Health and Fitness Classes -- The Department of Occupational Health Services and the Office of Benefits Administration are offering the following classes on the Homewood campus for JHU faculty and staff:

Yoga classes (all levels), Mondays/Wednesday beginning Sept. 9. The cost for the 10-week sessions is $30-$50 for classes once or twice a week.

Seated massages will continue to be offered on both the Homewood and Eastern campuses. Cost for a 15-minute massage by a certified massage therapist is $10.

Muscle conditioning and toning classes will be held Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 12:15 to 1 p.m. on the Homewood campus. Cost for the eight-week session is $20-$40 for classes once or twice a week.

A smoking cessation class is forming; there will be no charge for the six-week program.

For more information or to register, call 410-516-0450.

Temporary Road Closure in East Baltimore -- The 1700 block of East Madison Street will be closed during the month of September from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning, Sunday through Thursday. Access to and from the Rutland Garage will not be affected. Vehicular detours will be posted.

These closures are due to construction for the new Broadway Research Building. For additional information, contact Rich Sebour, director of support services, 410-614-9605.