Woman with local ties earns doctorate in theatre

Bethany Banister Rainsberg graduated with her Ph.D. in theatre from Ohio State University on June 13th.

She was accepted into the highly competitive program on full scholarship and was a Fellow 2006-2007.

Her study area was theater history, literature, and criticism. She specialized in classical Greek tragedy with English translation and performance.

Rainsberg is the daughter of former Ironton resident Sharon Geibel Banister and her husband, John, of Ladonia, Texas. She is the granddaughter of the late Roswell and Irene Geibel of Ironton.

Rainsberg and her husband reside in Columbus.

Young entrepreneurs plan September visit

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — A group of young entrepreneurs will visit Huntington next month as part of a national tour.

The event will take place on Sept. 23 at Marshall University’s Foundation Hall.

The tour features entrepreneurs who have made their marks before the age of 30. One scheduled speaker started a dozen profitable businesses and became a self-made millionaire while he was still a teenager.

One of the tour’s goals is to inspire college students to start their own businesses.

Registration to the event is limited to Marshall University students, faculty and staff, and to students of high school age and younger.

www.extremetour.org/marshall

Huntington council expected to vote on tax plan

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia’s second largest city could have new tax structure if a proposed reform is adopted.

Huntington City Council is expected to vote on the proposal Monday night.

The proposal would replace the existing $3-a-week user fee with a 1 percent occupation tax, establish a 1 percent sales tax and reduce the city’s business and occupation tax.

The 1 percent sales and the 1 percent occupation taxes are part of a five-year experiment state lawmakers approved that gives several West Virginia cities home rule — or greater control of their destiny.

Last month, council modified the occupation tax proposal to cap the tax at $125,000 a year in annual income.