Northampton County's Citizens' Academy is accepting applications. Northampton County Executive John Stoffa said the second annual behind-the-scenes look at county government will be held Sept. 4 to Nov. 14.

Information and a registration form for this tuition free, 11-session course are available at the county's website, www.northamptoncounty.org or by calling or emailing Tom Harp, director of administration, at tharp@northamptoncounty.org or 610-559-3192. Registration deadline is Aug. 16; the academy class is limited to 25 participants.

With a goal of improving communications between county government officials and their constituents and educating citizens about how the county operates and where the taxpayer's dollars go, the sessions include tours of the juvenile justice center, the county jail, the 911 center and Gracedale, the county's nursing home. Other topics of information will focus on branches of government, elections, recycling and the county's authorities, boards and commissions. Another goal of the Citizens' Academy is to provide a foundation for greater participation on a volunteer basis on these advisory boards to the county executive.