River Cities Chorus presents free concert

ASHLAND, Ky. — The River Cities Chorus will present a free concert of seasonal music at Centenary United Methodist Church, 29th and Winchester Avenue in Ashland, on Tuesday, May 5, at 7 p.m.

The Spring Concert will be an eclectic program including sacred works along with folk songs, spirituals, and patriotic works.

The River Cities Chorus is sponsored by Ashland Community and Technical College, and is open to community members as well as students. For information, call 606-329-9281 or 304-429-1562.

Vending machine theft case solved

CAMBRIDGE — A Charleston, W. Va. family of three are facing felony charges today after Patrol investigators with the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Cambridge District Investigation Section arrested the husband, wife and their 21-year-old son yesterday at approximately 3:40 a.m. in Guernsey County in connection with a string of vending machine thefts at interstate rest areas.

The Patrol began investigating these thefts at rest areas along Interstates 70 and 77 in southeastern Ohio in August 2008.

Investigators set up surveillance operations involving cameras and arrest teams in the involved rest areas.

The suspects were identified as the individuals responsible for the break-ins when they arrived at the I-77 northbound rest area in Guernsey County.

After leaving the rest area, marked patrol units were called to conduct a traffic stop and the suspects were taken into custody.

Several tools that were observed on previously-recorded video as being used in the break-ins were observed in the vehicle along with cash and coins.

Museum offering $20 membership

ASHLAND, Ky. — The Highlands Museum & Discovery Center is now offering a new level of membership.

The Advantage Membership is $20 per year and includes two adults and all dependent children under the age of 18. To qualify, you must provide photo identification and proof of participation in Kentucky, West Virginia or Ohio’s WIC program, Medicaid program, or Food Stamp program.

Museum tours are available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

For more information, call 606-329-8888, email us at highlandsmuseum@yahoo.com, or visit our Web site at www.highlandsmuseum.com.

Regular admission is $5.50 for adults and $4.50 for seniors, students and children. Members and children under 2 are free.

A yearly membership provides free admission to the Highlands Museum along with reciprocal admission to over 325 museums around the country including COSI, the Clay Center, the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History, Lexington’s Explorium and many more.

Housed in the historic Parsons Department Store, the museum is located at 1620 Winchester Avenue. Museum tours are available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Regular admission is $5.50 for adults and $4.50 for seniors, students and children. Members and children under 2 are free.

For more information, call (606) 329-8888, email us at highlandsmuseum@yahoo.com, or visit our Web site at www.highlandsmuseum.com.

Play ‘whodunit’ at May 2 program

ASHLAND, Ky. — Enjoy some tea and a little mystery at Boyd County Public Library the first Saturday in May.

Mystery author Rebecca Benston brings her popular “Tea & Mystery” program to the Main Branch, 1740 Central Ave., at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 2.

The event includes a lively discussion of mystery writing and a game of ‘whodunit,” with prizes awarded for the best guess.

Benston, from Springfield, writes the Rona Shively mystery series (In the Wash and Lock and Key).

No advance registration is needed. For more information, call Amanda Clark at (606) 329-0518, ext. 1140. To find out more about library programs and services, visit the online branch at www.thebookplace.org

Author to lecture, sign books at OUS

IRONTON — Prize-winning young adult author Wendy Mass will lecture and sign books at Ohio University Southern in Ironton on Wednesday, May 6 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Spriggs Auditorium. Mass is the author of eight novels for young people, including “A Mango-Shaped Space” which was awarded the Schneider Family Book Award by the American Library Association. Read more about Wendy Mass at www.wendymass.com.

This event is sponsored by the Departments of Education and English at OU Southern. It is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Dr. Hayley Mitchell Haugen Assistant Professor of English Ohio University Southern at 740-533-4553.

Concert series this Saturday at OUS

IRONTON — Ironton Council for the Arts/Lawrence County Concert Series will be Saturday at Ohio University Southern Riffe Center Mains Rotunda at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults and $7 for students and seniors.

The Brass Band of the Tri-State (BBTS), under the direction of Gary Clarke, derives its members from Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia and includes music educators, high and college students, professionals in all fields and retirees.

The band provides an outlet for serious amateur brass and percussion musicians.

The music performed by BBTS includes original compositions for brass band, transcriptions of orchestral music, and arrangements written for symphonic and concert band.

Visit Tri-State Brass on-line at www.tri-statebrass.com for additional information.