ODOT continuing road repair projects

County Road 1 (Old U.S. 52) is closed between the 9.32 and 9.48-mile markers for a dual bridge replacement project. The project site is located just south of U.S. 52 and its junction with C.R. 144 (Charley Creek Road) at Sybene. Throughout construction, traffic will be detoured into the village via T.R. 276 (Sandusky Road), and all traffic will be maintained within the community. The scheduled completion date is October 15.

State Route 7 has been reduced to one lane near the 4.50-mile marker, between Chesapeake and State Route 243 at Bradrick, due to an emergency slip adjacent to the shoulder of the highway.

Traffic will be maintained in one lane with the use of temporary traffic signals until the slip has been repaired and the pavement has been restored.

A slip repair project is under way off the south (right) side of State Route 7, approximately one mile north of Chesapeake. The project site is situated between State Route 7 and the Ohio River. Traffic on State Route 7 is now being maintained with temporary traffic signals, and traffic on C.R. 3 (Old State Route 7) will be maintained by flaggers as needed. The scheduled completion date is June 30.

State Route 217 is reduced to one lane between its junction with State Route 218 and State Route 7 for a two-lane resurfacing project. In addition, State Route 218 will be reduced to one lane between State Route 217 and the Gallia County line for resurfacing. Throughout construction on both routes, traffic will be maintained in one lane with the use of flaggers when crews are at work.

Construction for a bridge repair and resurfacing project on U.S. Route 52 continues, and contractors will be completing paving operations from the state Route 650 exit at Hanging Rock to the eastern corporation limit of Coal Grove. Traffic is reduced to one, 11.5-foot lane in each direction. The scheduled completion date for all work is August 31.

The exit ramp from U.S. 52 to the southbound Ashland, Ky. (Ben Williamson/12th Street) Bridge will be closed during the overnight hours of June 17-18 for construction crews to set a parapet wall.

Weather permitting, the closure will be in effect from 9 p.m. Wednesday, until approximately 5 a.m. Thursday. While the ramp is closed, motorists will be detoured via U.S. 52 East to the County Road 18/Solida Road exit at South Point, and then back to the bridge via U.S. 52 West.

Champion reports lower profit margin

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Commercial printer and office furniture seller Champion Industries says its second-quarter profit fell more than 50 percent on lower sales.

Huntington-based Champion said Friday it earned $636,000, or 6 cents per share, in the three months ended April 30, compared with $1.4 million, or 14 cents per share, in second-quarter 2008.

Revenue fell to $35.3 million in the period, from $39.3 million a year earlier.

The lone analyst polled by Thomson Reuters expected a profit of 10 cents per share.

Champion last month eliminated 24 jobs, or 15 percent of the workers at The Herald-Dispatch newspaper in Huntington due to the economy.

Coal Grove soldier completes training

Columbia, S.C. — Army Pfc. Eric S. Lambert has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.

During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics and much more.

He is the son of Joseph Lambert of South Point, and brother of Shanna Hall of Ironton.

Lambert is a 2004 graduate of Dawson-Bryant High School, Coal Grove.

Belle of Cincinnati to visit on tour

IRONTON — BB Riverboats has announced that its flagship, the Belle of Cincinnati, will be embarking on a 12-day Summer Cruise Tour to five river cities this July 14 through July 25.

They will be offering lunch, dinner, and sightseeing cruises throughout the tour as well as a half-day trip from Charleston, W.Va., to Pt. Pleasant. Cities that are scheduled for cruises include Charleston, Gallipolis, Huntington, W.Va., Ironton and Maysville, Ky.

“We are excited to be bringing the Belle of Cincinnati to all of these great river cities this summer,” says Alan Bernstein, owner of BB Riverboats. “It’s very nostalgic traveling from city to city and entertaining the residents of each individual community. It’s a lot like the old steamboat days!”

For more information, visit www.bbriverboats.com or call 800-261-8586.

The cruise schedule is:

July 14 Charleston

July 15 Charleston

July 16 Charleston

July 17 Charleston

July 18 Charleston

July 19 Charleston to Pt. Pleasant Cruise

July 21 Gallipolis

July 22 Huntington

July 23 Huntington

July 24 Ironton

July 25 Ironton

July 26 Maysville

Color Guard clinic set for June 20

RACELAND, Ky. — The 2nd Annual Rivertown Color Guard Clinic will be held Saturday, June 20 at Raceland-Worthington High School.

The educational clinic is open to area color guard and winter guard members who are interested in learning new skills.

Clinic registration is $35, which includes instruction in in flag, rifle, saber and dance. Beginner, intermediate and advanced classes will be offered.

The color guard clinic is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is hosted by Rivertown Performing Arts League, Inc. and Ability! Winter Guard.

More information is available by calling Bill Burroway, President at (606)-922-2982; or online at http://abilitywinterguard.org.

Steel of W.Va. plans big upgrade

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Steel of West Virginia is planning a multimillion-dollar investment in its Huntington plant following workers’ approval of a new contract.

Members of United Steelworkers Local 37 voted 217 to 83 Thursday to approve the five-year contract.

Huntington-based Steel of West Virginia designs and manufactures special steel products for use in the construction of truck trailers, solar panel farms, guard rail posts, manufactured housing and other products.

‘Girls’ Night Out’ at BCPL on June 24

ASHLAND, Ky. — The monthly Girls Night Out program at Boyd County Public Library features the movie “Confessions of a Shopaholic.”

The June 24 program starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Main Branch, 1740 Central Ave. Entry to Girls Night Out is a food dish to share, or $2. All funds collected go to purchase refreshments for the program.

The movie, rated PG, stars Isla Fisher as a college grad with a shopping addiction who lands a job as a financial journalist and falls for a wealthy entrepreneur.

Men are welcome to attend, but the Girls Night Out program is not intended for children. The July GNO selection is “He’s Just Not That Into You.”

For more information, call (606) 329-0090 or visit www.thebookplace.org

Sen. Carey named to budget committee

COLUMBUS—Ohio Senate President Bill Harris recently appointed State Senator John A. Carey Jr. (R-Wellston) to serve on a joint conference committee charged with working out the differences between the House and Senate versions of House Bill 1—the state operating budget for fiscal years 2010-2011.

“This has been a very difficult and contentious budget process, and it is likely that more tough decisions will have to be made in the coming weeks to ensure the Legislature passes a balanced budget,” said Carey, who is chair of the Senate Finance & Financial Institutions Committee and has spent dozens of hours this spring listening to testimony and meeting with stakeholders on HB 1.

“But I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate during the conference committee process to tackle these challenges and do what’s right for the future of our state.”

Carey is one of only a few members ever to serve as chair of the Finance Committee in both the House and Senate and as a conferee for both the House and Senate on a budget conference committee.

He will serve on the conference committee for HB 1 with State Senator Mark Wagoner (R-Toledo), State Senator Dale Miller (D-Cleveland), State Representative Vernon Sykes (D-Akron), State Representative Jay Goyal (D-Mansfield) and State Representative Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster).

A conference committee consists of three members from each chamber appointed by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate, who are responsible for working to reach a compromise between the House and Senate versions of a bill.

June 19 program for fathers, sons

ASHLAND, Ky. — A special evening for fathers and sons is planned at Boyd County Public Library on Friday, June 19.

Boys can treat their dad (or grandpa or favorite uncle) to a night out for Father’s Day. The free evening will include pizza, snacks and showing of “A Goofy Movie,” an animated film about a father and son and their attempts at a camping trip.

The program takes place after the library closes for the day, at 6 p.m. at the Main Branch, 1740 Central Ave.

Ironmasters event set for June 19-20

IRONTON — The 11th annual Lawrence County “Ironmasters” Antique show will be June 19 and 20 at the Ironton Hills Plaza on the corner of State Route 93 and U.S. 52.

On Friday there will be engine running exhibits, a tractor drive at 6:30 p.m. and a camp fire session starting at 9 p.m. Saturday will feature more engine running exhibits, a tractor parade at 11 a.m., afternoon games and a Kiddy pedal tractor pull at 3 p.m.

There is no admission to the event. For more information, contact Lee Nance at (740) 533-1925 or Don Mootz at 532-4974.