News in brief — 3/23-11

Published 10:48 am Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Body found in home three days after fire

PORTSMOUTH — (AP) Officials say a body has been found in an Ohio house three days after firefighters responding to a fire there were told by a homeowner that no one was inside.

The state fire marshal’s office says neither accidental nor intentional causes have been ruled out in the 6:30 a.m. Saturday fire at the rental home in Portsmouth in southern Ohio.

The adult male body was found Tuesday by officials who returned to the home to continue their investigation into the fire. The man’s identity is unknown and the Montgomery County coroner’s office is examining the body.

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The fire marshal’s office says firefighters had no reason to believe the home was occupied when they found it engulfed in flames on Saturday.

No smoke alarms have been found.

Council to discuss budget, contract

IRONTON — The Ironton City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday at the city center for its regular meeting. The following ordinances are on the agenda:

• An ordinance authorizing Mayor Rich Blankenship to extend the contract for health insurance to city employees. According to the proposed contract, city employees will pay 4.68 percent more for health insurance compared with last year.

• An ordinance authorizing and directing Blankenship to execute a collective bargaining agreement between the city and the Local 771 AFSCME union. The union, which incorporates city workers with the exception of the police and fire departments, has agreed to no salary increases for the year 2011 and to the 4.68 percent increase in health insurance costs, Blankenship said.

• An ordinance adopting the permanent annual operating budget for the city for the 2011 fiscal year.

– Lori Kersey

Presbyterian church to have Bible study

IRONTON — First Presbyterian Church, Fifth and Railroad streets will start a six-week adult Bible study, led by pastor Jan Williams, tonight at 5:30 p.m. It will run through April 20. The study will center around the sermon on the mount in the Book of Matthew and will examine how Jesus’ words teach us to be citizens of the earth as well as citizens of Heaven. The church extends a cordial welcome to anyone who wants to attend and join in the discussion.

Book Donation Day slated for Saturday

CANNONSBURG, Ky. — Boyd County Public Library Friends is hosting a book drop-off day at Kyova Mall this Saturday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Books can also be dropped off at the Main Branch, 1740 Central Ave., during regular library hours. All funds raised from the sale will help fund library programs and services.

The book sale will be Saturday, April 16. If there are enough materials remaining, the sale will continue Sunday, April 17.

To find out more, call Friends President Traci Nolen at (606) 369-3810.

Pianist to perform at SSU

PORTSMOUTH — Internationally acclaimed concert pianist, Mariangela Vacatello, a 2009 Van Cliburn Competition finalist, will be performing on her first United States tour at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 7 at Shawnee State University’s Vern Riffe Center for the Arts.

Vacatello is winner of numerous awards including winner of the Internet Audience Award at the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, 2009; winner of the Top of the World International Piano Competition, 2009 and more.

The press has praised her for “steely control, fastidious phrasing, a fine pearly tone, and total mastery” of the piano.

For ticket information, call the McKinley Box Office at (740) 351-3600 or purchase tickets at any Ticketmaster outlet or online.

Comedian ‘Fluffy’ Gabriel Iglesias to perform at SSU

PORTSMOUTH — “I’m not fat, I’m fluffy,” is the catch-phrase of the popular comedian “Fluffy,” Gabriel Iglesias, who will be coming to Shawnee State University at 8 p.m., Wednesday, April 6, at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts.

He wears Hawaiian flowered shirts or T-shirts with his nickname, “Fluffy” across the front. Iglesias’ comedy is from his everyday life and he has been selling out comedy clubs across the country.

Iglesias has been described as “unbelievably funny, electrifying and a gifted performer with an uncanny knack for hilarious storytelling.”

He has won several prestigious awards including Comedy Central’s Special of the Year for 2003, the youngest commedian to receive the award, and he was the favorite comic of the year for two consecutive years.

The public may purchase tickets on Thursday, March 31 at $35 each. The event is sponsored by the Shawnee State University Student Programming Board.

All tickets may be purchased at the McKinley Box Office in the Vern Riffe Center or by calling (740) 351-3600.

Local Papa John’s franchise earns top national honor

Louisville, Ky. — The Southern Ohio franchisee for Papa John’s has been honored as the company’s Small Franchisee of the Year for 2010 at the Papa John’s worldwide Operators Convention in Orlando on March 8.

Super Quik, Inc., with its corporate office now located at the Bellefonte Pavilion in Russell, Ky. which is headed up by President G. Lynn Rice and Operating Partner Gary W. Fisher, received the award from Papa John’s founder John Schnatter in recognition of Super Quik’s outstanding sales growth, pizza quality, customer service and excellence in store operations and restaurant image. Super Quik, Inc. recently re-located the Ironton, Ohio location to a larger facility in nearby Flatwoods, Ky.

“This is the highest honor a franchisee can receive and demonstrates Super Quik’s desire to deliver on our company’s commitment to better ingredients, better pizza and caring customer service,” said Tony Podboy, midwest division franchise business director. “This award showcases the focus that has been put towards an excellent restaurant image, great pizza scores and customer service as rated in our mystery customer program.”

Headquartered in Louisville, Ky., Papa John’s is the world’s third largest pizza company, with nearly 3,800 restaurants in all 50 states and 32 international markets. Ten out of the past 11 years, consumers have rated Papa John’s No. 1 in customer satisfaction among all national pizza chains in the highly regarded American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).

For more information, visit Papa John’s at www.papajohns.com.

Chesapeake High alum graduates from basic training

Army National Guard Pvt. James J. Eldridge 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, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and field training exercises.

Eldridge earned distinction as an honor graduate.

He is the nephew of Robert Eldridge of Chesapeake.

The private graduated in 1997 from Chesapeake High School.

Library Girls’ Night film to be ‘Red’

ASHLAND, Ky. — This month’s Girls’ Night Out at Boyd County Public Library features the movie, “Red.”

The March 30 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.

Girls’ Night Out takes place the last Wednesday of each month. Men are welcome to attend, but the Girls’ Night Out program is not intended for children. The April GNO selection is “Country Strong.”

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

Scioto Guild Taking Orders for Annual Flower Sale

Members of the Scioto Guild, part of the Friends of Southern Ohio Medical Center, are now taking orders for their annual Flower Sale.

Flowers for sale include hanging baskets of Ivy Geranium, New Guinea Impatiens, Purple Wave Petunias, Blue Angel or Million Bells at a cost of $15 each. Baskets of eight Geranium plants will be sold for $20 and hanging ferns for $12.

All orders must be placed by March 28 and proceeds will benefit the SOMC Breast Center and other hospital projects. To place an order, please call Rosalee Greene at 740-353-2075 or Ann at 740-353-8337.

Orders will be available for pickup May 1 and 2 at the SOMC Friends Community Center, 1202 18th St. in Portsmouth.