Scavenger hunt to help First United Methodist food bank

IRONTON — A benefit scavenger hunt on motorcycles will be held March 27 in Ironton.

All area motorcyclists are invited to participate.

The cyclists will collect Easter baskets and cash for the First United Methodist Church food Bank in Ironton.

Registration begins at 2 p.m. at Boomer’s on Third Street in Ironton.

The event will be held from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Dinner to benefit at risk children

PORTSMOUTH — Children at risk will be getting a boost come March 16 in Portsmouth.

The Counseling Center Inc. will host the 2nd annual Celebrity Dinner and Auction: Cooking for our kids.

The event will take place at the Southern Ohio Medical Center’s Friends Community Center in Portsmouth.

Proceeds from the dinner will benefit the Counseling Center’s prevention and outreach programs and activities for at risk youth throughout the counties of Lawrence, Scioto and Adams.

Celebrity chefs from across the three county region will be on hand to serve up some delicious food.

For more information about sponsorship and or reservations please Susan McComas at 740-354-6428, extension 225.

Premier says Q4 earnings more than double

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Premier Financial Bancorp’s earnings per share more than doubled due to a one-time gain from an acquisition.

Premier said Monday it earned $5.03 million, or 62 cents per share, in the period.

Premier earned $1.9 million, or 30 cents per share, in fourth-quarter 2008.

The fourth-quarter 2009 results include the one-time, $3.6 million gain. Without it, Premier says its profit would have decreased to $1.48 million.

Premier says the decline was due mostly to an 88 percent increase in expenses related to the acquisition of Washington, D.C.-based Abigail Adams National Bancorp.

Huntington-based Premier has approximately $1.1 billion in assets and banks in Washington, D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio.