‘White Christmas’ on the big screen at the Paramount

ASHLAND, Ky. — Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney will generate some true Christmas spirit when they hit the screen during Paramount’s Second Sunday film classic.

“White Christmas,” the classic film from 1954, is filled with song-and-dance acts and a series of romantic mix-ups that culminate in a beautiful Christmas story.

The film begins at 4 p.m. today. Admission is $4. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

For more information call 606.324.3175 or visit the website at www.paramountartscenter.com.

Entrepreneurs to open Firehouse Grille in early 2011

Teays Valley, W.Va. — Three local entrepreneurs have secured the location and are in the midst of preparing a building for a new regional restaurant. The Firehouse Grille is slated to open in Teays Valley in early 2011.

Marc Brown, Rob Sydenstricker and Judie Sydenstricker secured the property that housed the former Uno’s Chicago Grill at 4170 State Road 34 in Hurricane, in late November and have been busy renovating the property for their new restaurant since.

“We recognized that the area was underserved for casual dining in a sit-down, comfortable atmosphere and seized the opportunity. We are looking forward to giving the region a fantastic, affordable experience in unique and welcoming atmosphere,” said Brown.

The Firehouse Grille will feature an American menu with both lunch and dinner services. The 10,000 square-foot facility sits on a 2.6 acre lot with ample parking and access off I-64.

The restaurant will have the capacity for 300 plus diners and has special sections for meetings and special events. The building features an outdoor patio dining area as well as a room complete with large doors that can open to the outside for a fresh air dining experience.

In addition to the dining and event areas, the restaurant will feature a full-service bar that will also serve a limited late-night menu for those looking for a quick place to stop before finishing the evening.

“The Firehouse Grille will be a very family-friendly restaurant. We have installed a children’s area that is adjacent to the main dining room that includes a wall of windows so that parents can send their children to the room and enjoy a quiet dinner with adults. The room will have video games, safe hands-on activities and more and most importantly, there’s only one door to the room, kids can’t leave without being noticed by Mom and Dad. Safety is foremost with us,” said Judie Sydenstricker

Some of the more interesting aspects of the restaurant will be the expansive firehouse features installed throughout the building. There will be fire features – including pits, grills and more –installed before the grand opening. The restaurant will also feature memorabilia from local, regional and statewide historic and sporting events and teams.

“We have many people to thank for us getting this all together. Our vision is to give the region a great restaurant, a great meeting space and a place that they’re very comfortable coming back to again and again. We plan to be very involved in our community and make the Firehouse Grille a key location in the region,” said Brown.

For more information, please contact Mr. Marc Brown at (304) 633-5068.

Chesapeake United Methodist to host Christmas party

CHESAPEAKE — The Chesapeake United Methodist Church is celebrating receiving a new pastor this year by throwing a Community Christmas party.

Rev. Charles Case followed retiring pastor Rev. Daryl Fourman on July 1. He received his Master of Divinity at Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Ky., and has served as a United Methodist pastor in Southern Ohio since 2003.

On Saturday December 18 the church invites everyone to come and meet him, along with his wife Christine, and children Nathan and Sarah.

There will be free horse drawn carriage rides, pictures with Santa, ornament making, and refreshments. Also, door prizes will be given away. The party begins at 1 p.m. and continues until 4 p.m.

Chesapeake United Methodist Church is located at 501 Second Ave. in Chesapeake.

Urbanologist Max Grinnell to be at BCPL on Dec. 19

ASHLAND, Ky. — As the cold and snow of winter settles in, what better time to think about doing some traveling?

Max Grinnell, noted traveler and writer, will speak at the Main Branch of Boyd County Public Library on Sunday, Dec. 19, at 2 p.m. The program is free and open to the public.

Grinnell, who currently lives in Chicago and Boston, has designed and taught courses on urban studies and geography at the University of Wisconsin, Boston University, the University of Chicago, and the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. As an urbanologist, geographer, historian and raconteur, Grinnell says his goal is to describe, critique and analyze the urban condition.

Since 2002, Grinnell has written and edited The Scout Report, a weekly publication on web sites which profile interesting happenings in cities around the world. Grinnell has also published architectural guides to Chicago and Boston, and a book on Hyde Park, one of Chicago’s most diverse neighborhoods. His most recent book is “24 Great Walks in Chicago.”

For more information on Grinnell’s visit to BCPL, call Amanda Clark at (606) 329-0518, ext. 1140.

Ironton teen tops local competitors at Pokémon event

DANVILLE, Ky. —After a full day of head-to-head Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) battles in Danville, Ky., Anthony Harper of Ironton clenched third place, earning a top city ranking and a City Championships medal.

The 2010 Danville Pokémon City Championship provides an opportunity for players to test their Pokémon TCG skills, strategy, and creativity.

The City Championship tournaments are the first events in the Pokémon Championship Series, and Premier Rating Points awarded there go toward a potential invitation to the 2011 Pokémon World Championships held in San Diego, Calif., next August.

Competitors are divided equally into three divisions: Junior (born in 2000 or later), Senior (born in 1996–1999), and Masters (born in 1995 or earlier).

Players in all divisions were competing for exciting Pokémon prizes, including Pokémon TCG booster packs, a City Championships medal, and the honor of being named City Champion.

Community Choir rehearsals to resume at SSU

PORTSMOUTH —The Shawnee State University Community Choir will resume rehearsals for the Spring Semester at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011, at 6:30 p.m. in the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts, Room 130. Openings are available for all voice parts and tenors are especially needed. New members should arrive at 6:15 p.m. for a short interview and brief audition.

Returning members are asked to return all Fall Semester music at that time. Plans are being made for the Spring Semester concert.

Gift wrapping event to help food bank

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — This holiday season, gift wrapping will go a long way.

The Huntington Area Food Bank (HAFB) and Macy’s are partnering to end hunger through holiday gift-wrapping initiatives.

Volunteers will wrap gifts at Macy’s at the Huntington Mall today, as well as Dec. 16 through Dec. 19. Teams of volunteers will wrap gifts from noon to 8 p.m. each day.

All proceeds from the gift wrapping event will benefit the Huntington Area Food Bank.

Interested volunteers may contact Kaylin Adkins at 304-523-6029 or kaylin@hafb.org. For more information about the Huntington Area Food Bank, visit www.hafb.org. Type in “Huntington Area Food Bank” on Facebook to join the group. Follow the HAFB on Twitter at hafbfood4all.

The Huntington Area Food Bank (HAFB) is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1983. The HAFB is affiliated with Feeding America, the country’s largest hunger-relief organization. The HAFB serves approximately 250 agencies in 17 counties in West Virginia, southeastern Ohio and northeastern Kentucky.

The HAFB’s main mission is to curb the hunger problem by distributing nutritious food products through its member agency network. The HAFB currently helps to feed 91,000 people per month in the Tri-State.

Ironton in Bloom set to plan for 2011

IRONTON — The Ironton In Bloom group will hold its last public meeting of the year at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the city center on Third Street.

Project plans for next year will be discussed. The public is encouraged to attend and offer any ideas and support for the beautification efforts.