The city has been making headlines recently for the planned closings of recreation centers and pools as outlined in Mayor Michael B. Coleman's proposed 2009 budget. However, other programs also will be cut back or eliminated next year if city council passes the budget as is.

One service in which residents likely will notice a decline is bulk trash pickup.

The city's public service budget is being reduced from $89.3-million in 2008 to $85.6-million in 2009.

To cope with that cutback, the department plans to begin collecting yard waste every two weeks instead of every week, and the number of staff members who collect bulk trash, such as furniture and appliances, will be cut back.

"We'll still do it; it will just take longer to do it," said Rick Tilton, assistant public utilities director.

The Department of Development will see an increase in its budget for 2009, because of an influx of federal money, but as that money can only be used to deal with home foreclosures, the department still faces program cuts next year under the proposed budget, said Cynthia Rickman, Department of Development spokeswoman.

For the past several years, the city has seen a reduction in the amount of money received through Community Development Block Grants, one of the department's three funding sources, Rickman said.

Under the proposed budget, that would mean the department would reduce its staff next year and would cut its mobile tool program, which allows residents to borrow tools from the city, Rickman said.

Despite the cuts to funding and personnel, Rickman said the department is going to work hard to keep programs going.

"We'll still retain those programs and do more with less," she said.

Another department due to make cuts is Columbus Public Health, which would see its budget reduced by 23 percent from last year. In 2008, the department's budget was $26.3-million, compared to $22.1-million for the upcoming year.

"These are very difficult times and what we have tried to do is look at our priorities and make cutbacks in areas that will least impact the residents," said Jos?© Rodriguez, spokesman for Columbus Public Health.

Rodriguez said the department will continue to run essential services such as disease investigation, food safety inspections and other services mandated by law.

Some of the areas that are expected to be hampered by the proposed budget are neighborhood health centers and the city-funded drug and alcohol program.

In addition, the city's rodent control program could be eliminated, as well a women's health clinic that offers prenatal services to the West Side.

The neighborhood health centers, which are nonprofits, receive a substantial amount of their budgets from the city. The centers received $5.5-million from the health department in 2008 and will receive $4.5-million next year, under the proposed budget.

Although money for drug and alcohol programs could be cut, the programs still will exist, Rodriguez said. Also, he said his department would work to inform women that the city operates other women's clinics.

Though the rodent control program could be eliminated, Rodriguez said it shouldn't affect the city.

"The good news is that Columbus didn't really have a huge rat problem," Rodriguez said.

dcross@thisweeknews.com

For the fourth consecutive season, there seems to be little doubt that the City League-South Division girls basketball championship likely will come down to a pair of matchups between Africentric and Eastmoor.

The teams won't meet until Jan. 9 when the three-time defending champion Nubians play host to the Warriors. That should give a new-look -- but still athletically gifted -- Eastmoor team time to shake off any growing pains it currently is experiencing.

Throughout the preseason, coach Jim Miranda was forced to split time between coaching the girls basketball team and the eventual Division III state runner-up football squad.

In addition, the Warriors won't have Ayana Dunning, now a freshman at Louisiana State, to pass the ball to inside for the first time since the 2003-04 season. Dunning was the Division II district Player of the Year and the ThisWeek Super 12 Captain last season.

"We're starting to understand that we have to look a little bit more intense," said Miranda, who has guided Eastmoor to four consecutive district titles. "Having been around Ayana the last four years, we're learning how to play without a dominant individual. They're all working hard.

"It's going to take a little bit of catch-up with me not being inside as much because of football. With me getting in there late, we're still not quite where we should be."

The Warriors have five seniors, including four players -- guards Michelle Miranda, Deja Marshall and DeAndra Hall and post player Samantha Whitmire -- who were key players last year. Whitmire and senior Asia Glenn, both 6-foot-1, are taking on increased roles in the post.

Juniors Brittney Boone, Camilla Carrera and Eboni Jackson and sophomore Chelsey Radcliff are others who should contribute.

Eastmoor opened City-South play with blowout wins over South (93-10 on Dec. 9) and Briggs (74-25 on Dec. 12), with Hall averaging 15.5 points and Marshall averaging 13.5.

Last season, Africentric beat the Warriors 67-45 and 75-61 and went 14-0 in the City-South, followed by Eastmoor (12-2), Independence (10-4), Marion-Franklin (8-6), Briggs (5-9), West (5-9), South (1-13) and Walnut Ridge (1-13).

The Warriors play host to Marion-Franklin on Friday and then are off until Jan. 3 when they meet Dayton Thurgood Marshall in the Braggin' Rights Classic.

Marion-Franklin finished 8-13 overall last season, including two losses to Eastmoor (68-48, 59-28).

Senior Catrice Mitchell, a 6-1 post player, is the top returnee. She was held to three points in an 89-32 loss to Africentric on Dec. 9 but had 24 points last Friday in an 87-20 win over South.

Other starters for the Red Devils include senior Ayshia Slaughter, junior Mykia Cross, sophomore Shard Davis and freshman Lydia Williams.

Senior Monique Taylor, junior Cinnamon Mack and freshman Danisha Barwick are other key players, as is 6-3 senior Mekiiah Macon, who joins Mitchell in the post.

"We're coming along," said 14th-year coach Gary Tucker, who is the second-longest tenured coach in the City behind Brookhaven's Reggie Lee (28th season). "We've got a few young girls on the team who are trying to jell with the veterans and trying to learn the system. Eastmoor, Independence and Africentric are the three teams that have been ahead of us the last couple years so we need to compete with them. We scrimmaged Eastmoor (in the preseason) and we seemed comparable with them. It should be a good one."

?WRESTLING NOTES -- One team which could have the potential to battle with two-time defending City League champion Marion-Franklin for the title is Centennial, although the Stars didn't have the type of offseason they were hoping for.

Both of Centennial's Division II district qualifiers last year, senior Francois Toure (112 pounds) and junior Shqiprim Hasani (140), are back, but four seniors who were expected to contribute are not.

"We're young but that's OK," coach Mark Shaffer said. "We have about 25 out, and last we had over 30, so that's a little disappointing, but they're all hard-working kids."

Centennial opened with wins over Linden-McKinley (60-24) and Northland (53-21) on Dec. 10.

Toure finished 23-6 at 112 last year and Hasani was 17-9 at 130. Both went 0-2 at the district tournament.

Other key returnees include seniors Devon Curtis (145) and Nick Knoblauch (152) and sophomores Craig Neutzling (119) and Greg Moore (160). Junior Brian Hummell (130) also should contribute.

Last season, Marion-Franklin won the City tournament with 291 points and Centennial (216) edged Brookhaven (214.5) for second.

"Marion-Franklin is really tough," Shaffer said. "We have all of the weight classes filled but 103 and I'm excited for these kids. They're working hard."

?ALSO -- Germantown Valley View won the Casey Fredericks Invitational last Saturday at Brookhaven with 250 points and Chillicothe Zane Trace was second (189).

In the midst of what could be an especially good season, the Reynoldsburg High School girls basketball team will be one of four central Ohio programs traveling out of state over the holiday break.

The Raiders will play three games Dec. 29-31at the Ida S. Baker Holiday Tournament in Cape Coral, Fla., and coach Jack Purtell believes his players will gain more than just basketball experience from the trip. Although there won't be much time to do anything other than watch and play basketball after making a drive of about 17 hours, the Reynoldsburg players should get at least a little time in the pool on their excursion.

The Raiders traveled to Cleveland each of the last five years over the holidays for games against teams outside central Ohio, but simply being in a new setting is enough for Purtell and the school administration to be excited about the situation.

"We've worked really hard having a tournament fund-raiser for something a little bit special," Purtell said. "I'm looking forward to them gaining a life experience. In 10 years they won't remember whether they won or lost but they'll remember going to Florida. This will be a good team-building trip."

"One thing I like about it is that it should be good exposure for some of our athletes," Raiders athletics director David Lewis said. "This experience is something the kids will talk about for the rest of their lives."

Purtell found out about tournament after crossing paths with Cape Coral coach Craig Witte. He learned that they were looking for an out-of-state team to compete in their annual tournament along with seven other teams, from mostly throughout the Fort Myers area.

The Raiders, who are 3-1 and were third in the first ThisWeek Hoop It Up Super 7, play the host school at 7 p.m. Dec. 29 in their opener. Reynoldsburg will begin traveling Dec. 28 and plans to switch bus drivers a little north of Atlanta.

"We don't know much about the teams there, but I know there will be some very good players," Purtell said. "The host school is very good. It looks like Jupiter (Fla.) might be the best team. They shoot a lot of 3s.

"We were going to go down a day early but the cost squashed that. I look at this as kind of a reward for their hard work. This should be better than going to Cleveland."

?EXPANSIONS -- Seven area tournaments -- the Bobcat Holiday Classic at Grandview, Gahanna Cage Classic, Heath Holiday Hoopla, Kroger Holiday Classic at Pickerington North, Olentangy Invitational, Lady Viking Holiday Classic at Teays Valley and Watterson Holiday Tournament -- return in the same format, and two multi-team events have expanded their schedules and one new shootout also will be held over the next two weeks.

The Phil Brown Rotary Holiday Shootout, which featured six teams and five games over two days last year, will hold three girls and three boys games Dec. 29-30 at Otterbein. Unlike last year when there was a four-team boys tournament, each of the six boys and six girls teams will play one game. The boys and girls teams from Westerville Central, North and South will be in attendance.

Also adding to its numbers is the fifth Braggin' Rights Classic. After being held last year at Gahanna, the event has moved to Harvest Prep and will feature 11 central Ohio teams and 23 games overall Jan. 2-3.

A new boys event over the break is the Delaware County Shootout, which will feature four games Dec. 27 at Olentangy Liberty. Big Walnut, Delaware, Buckeye Valley and all three of the schools from Olentangy will be joined by Beechcroft and Caledonia River Valley. Beechcroft coach Scott Davis is a former Delaware assistant.

"It gives us a chance to get a lot of people here," Liberty athletics director Tom Gerhardtsaid.

"It's kind of a nice thing for the coaches from this area to be able to spend the day together."

?ALSO IN FLORIDA -- DeSales, Dublin Jerome and Westland will join Reynoldsburg in Florida.

All three will compete in one of the KSA event's holiday tournaments in Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.

Last year, there were more than 40 teams from throughout the nation competing in one of several brackets, although no area teams participated.

Jerome coach Chris Carlisle was coaching Johnstown in 2005 when the Johnnies made the trip to Orlando and the Stallions also have competed at one of the holiday tournaments there in past years.

"We had a really good experience there when I was at Johnstown," Carlisle said.

"Not many schools get to play in these types of events. One thing I really liked was that you get to have a cook-out which has about 3,000 student-athletes. They also have soccer, wrestling and girls basketball tournaments there. It's just a good experience."

Westland athletics director Greg Burke was in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in November and got a chance to check out what he calls Disney's "very classy" facilities.

Although attendance at most games at the event sometimes barely surpasses 100, college scouts often attend one of KSA's tournament while recruiting.

"This KSA tournament has gotten kind of big and has a good reputation," Burke said.

"This is just a reward for all of their hard work. We also have on our team Anthony Jackson, who's a talented player, so this will be a good chance to showcase him."

At a glance

Below are holiday multi-team events and tournament which include area participants:

BOYS

Bobcat Holiday Classic

?Where: Grandview High School

?Schedule: Dec. 29 -- 6 p.m.: Hartley vs. Wellington; 8 p.m.: Grandview vs. Northridge; Dec. 30 -- 6 p.m.: Consolation; 8 p.m.: Championship

Celina HALLiday Shootout

?Where: Celina

?Schedule: Dec. 29 -- 6 p.m.: Ready vs. Greenville; 7:30 p.m.: Celina vs. Bryan; Dec. 30 -- 6 p.m.: Consolation; 7:45 p.m.: Championship

Claymont Classic

?Where: Uhrichsville Claymont

?Schedule: Dec. 29 -- 6:45 p.m.: West Lafayette Ridgewood vs. Hartville Lake Center Christian; 8:30 p.m.: Newark Catholic vs. Claymont; Dec. 30 -- 5 p.m.: Tuscarawas Central Catholic vs. Newark Catholic; 6:45 p.m.: Sugarcreek Garaway vs. Massillon Perry; 8:30 p.m.: Claymont vs. Lakewood St. Edward

Delaware County Shootout

?Where: Olentangy Liberty

?Schedule: Dec. 27 -- Noon: Big Walnut vs. Caledonia River Valley; 2 p.m.: Buckeye Valley vs. Olentangy Orange; 4 p.m.: Beechcroft vs. Olentangy; 6 p.m.: Delaware vs. Liberty

Fairfield Christian

Holiday Tournament

?Where: Fairfield Christian

?Schedule: Dec. 29 -- 3 p.m.: Hemlock Miller vs. Shekinah Christian; 7 p.m.: Fairfield Christian vs. Granville Christian; Dec. 30 -- 3 p.m.: Consolation; 7 p.m.: Championship

KSA Holiday Tournament

?Where: Orlando, Fla.

?Schedule (area teams only): Dec. 27 -- 8:45 a.m.: Owasso (Okla.) vs. Dublin Jerome; 12:15 p.m.: DeSales vs. Albany (N.Y.) Alexander; 3:45 p.m.: Westland vs. Beaver Dam (Ky.) Ohio County

Of note: DeSales, Jerome and Westland will play three games over three days in separate brackets.

Ohio Youth Sports

Holiday Tournament

?Where: Dayton Meadowdale

?Schedule: Dec. 26 -- 6:15 p.m.: Africentric vs. Cleveland John Adams; 8 p.m.: Harvest Prep vs. Meadowdale; Dec. 27 -- 6:15 p.m.: Consolation; 8 p.m.: Championship

Phil Brown Rotary

Holiday Shootout

?Where: Otterbein College

?Schedule: Dec. 29 -- 5 p.m.: Delaware vs. Westerville North (boys); 7 p.m.: New Albany vs. Westerville Central (girls); 9 p.m.: New Albany vs. Westerville South (boys); Dec. 30 -- 5 p.m.: Westland vs. Westerville South (girls); 7 p.m.: Beechcroft vs. Westerville North (girls); 9 p.m.: Jonathan Alder vs. Westerville Central (boys)

Strongsville Holiday Tournament

?Where: Strongsville

?Schedule: Dec. 29 -- 6 p.m.: Shaker Heights vs. Marion-Franklin; 7:30 p.m.: Strongsville vs. Cleveland Collinwood; Dec. 30 -- 6 p.m.: Consolation; 7:30 p.m.: Championship

GIRLS

Braggin' Rights Classic

?Where: Harvest Prep

?Schedule (area teams only): Jan. 2 -- (Gym one) 11:30 a.m.: Marion-Franklin vs. Dayton Thurgood Marshall; 1:15 p.m.: Northland vs. Trotwood Madison; 3 p.m.: Gahanna vs. Xenia; 8:15 p.m.: Africentric vs. New York City St. Michael; (Gym two) Noon: Dayton Meadowdale vs. Harvest Prep; 1:45 p.m.: Dayton Dunbar vs. Independence; 3:30 p.m.: Cincinnati Mount Healthy vs. Columbus East; 7 p.m.: Dublin Coffman vs. Troy Christian; Jan. 3 -- (Gym one) Noon: Northland vs. Akron Kenmore; 1:45 p.m.: Brookhaven vs. Akron Copley; 8:45 p.m.: Africentric vs. Toledo Start; (Gym two) 12:45 p.m.: Marion-Franklin vs. Cleveland Glenville; 2:30 p.m.: Wellington vs. Garfield Heights; 4:15 p.m.: Mifflin vs. Shaker Heights; 6 p.m.: Harvest Prep vs. Cleveland JFK; 7:45 p.m.: Eastmoor vs. Thurgood Marshall

Fairfield Christian

Holiday Tournament

?Where: Fairfield Christian

?Schedule: Dec. 29 -- 1 p.m.: Hemlock Miller vs. Shekinah Christian; 5 p.m.: Fairfield Christian vs. Granville Christian; Dec. 30 -- 1 p.m.: Consolation; 5 p.m.: Championship

Gahanna Cage Classic

?Where: Gahanna Lincoln

?Schedule: Dec. 29 -- 6 p.m.: Brookhaven vs. Independence; 7:45 p.m.: Gahanna vs. Bexley; Dec. 30 -- 6 p.m.: Consolation; 7:45 p.m.: Championship

Gilead Christian

Holiday Tournament

?Where: Gilead Christian

?Schedule: Dec. 26 -- 4:30 p.m.: Danville vs. Cincinnati Summit Country Day; 6 p.m. Centennial vs. Gilead Christian; Dec. 27 -- 2 p.m.: Consolation; 3:30 p.m.: Championship

Heath Holiday Hoopla

?Where: Heath

?Schedule: Dec. 29 -- 6 p.m.: Logan vs. Marion Pleasant; 7:30 p.m.: Heath vs. Columbus School for Girls; Dec. 30 -- 6 p.m.: Consolation; 7:30 p.m.: Championship

Ida S. Baker

Holiday Tournament

?Where: Cape Coral, Fla.

?Schedule: Dec. 29 -- 2 p.m.: Naples (Fla.) Palmetto Ridge vs. North Fort Myers (Fla.); 3:45 p.m.: Brooksville (Fla.) Central vs. Lehigh (Fla.); 5:15 p.m.: Jupiter (Fla.) vs. Cape Coral (Fla.) Mariner; 7 p.m.: Reynoldsburg vs. Cape Coral (Fla.) Baker; Dec. 30 -- 2 p.m.: Palmetto Ridge-North Fort Myers loser vs. Brooksville Central-Lehigh loser; 3:45 p.m.: Jupiter-Mariner loser vs. Reynoldsburg-Baker loser; 5:15 p.m. Palmetto Ridge-North Fort Myers winner vs. Brooksville Central-Lehigh winner; 7 p.m.: Jupiter-Mariner winner vs. Reynoldsburg-Baker winner; Dec. 31 -- 2 p.m.: Seventh-place game; 3:45 p.m.: Fifth-place game; 5:15 p.m.: Third-place game; 7 p.m.: Championship

Kroger Holiday Classic

?Where: Pickerington North

?Schedule: Dec. 27 -- 3 p.m.: Kettering Fairmont vs. Knoxville (Tenn.) Webb; 4:45 p.m.: Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame vs. Warminster (Pa.) Wood Catholic; 6:30 p.m.: Whitehouse Anthony Wayne vs. Chicago Bogan; 8:15 p.m.: Pickerington North vs. McMurray (Pa.) Peters Township; Dec. 28 -- 3 p.m.: Fairmont-Webb loser vs. Mount Notre Dame-Wood Catholic loser; 4:45 p.m.: Anthony Wayne-Bogan loser vs. North-Peters Township loser; 6:30 p.m.: Fairmont-Webb winner vs. Mount Notre Dame-Wood Catholic winner; 8:15 p.m.: Anthony Wayne-Bogan winner vs. North-Peters Township winner; Dec. 29 -- 3 p.m.: Seventh-place game; 4:45 p.m.: Fifth-place game; 6:30 p.m.: Third-place game; 8:15 p.m.: Championship

Lakota West Holiday

Hoops Tournament

?Where: West Chester Lakota West

?Schedule: Dec. 27 -- 5:30 p.m.: Dublin Coffman vs. Cincinnati Walnut Hills; 7 p.m.: Toledo Central Catholic vs. Lakota West; Dec. 28 -- 5:30 p.m.: Consolation; 7 p.m.: Championship

Olentangy Invitational

?Where: Olentangy

?Schedule: Dec. 29 -- 6 p.m.: Northland vs. Waynesville; 7:45 p.m.: Olentangy vs. Whitehall; Dec. 30 -- 6 p.m.: Consolation; 7:45 p.m.: Championship

Lady Viking Holiday Classic

?Where: Teays Valley

?Schedule: Dec. 29 -- 6 p.m.: Grove City vs. Jonathan Alder; 7:30 p.m.: Ready vs. Teays Valley; Dec. 30 -- 6 p.m.: Consolation; 7:30 p.m.: Championship

Watterson Holiday Tournament

?Where: Watterson