C M Y K 50 inch

Questions? Call Maureen Johnson at (304) 526-2788 Local Sunday, December 28, 2008 3A

News in brief
Fire damages vacant
house Friday night
HUNTINGTON — Hun-
tington Firefighters spent
about two hours quelling down
a small blaze at a vacant home
at 151 Baer St., Friday night.
The call came in at 8:17
p.m. Friday, and crews who
responded got the fire under
control pretty quickly, said
deputy chief Tony Hazlett.
The fire flared up in the
walls, and firefighters had
to work to knock the flames
out before it spread to other
parts of the house.
No injuries were reported.
No-kill shelter seeks
donations for expansion
Max and Stella’s No-kill
Shelter for abandoned com-
panion animals houses 23
dogs and is expanding to
accept more.
A fence for the eight acre
perimeter surrounding the
shelter is under construc-
tion, and items (new or used)
required are fencing and con-
struction materials, large dog
houses and supplies, tennis
balls and items for the Thrift
Store and rummage sales.
Stardust Dance Club looks for new venue
By CHRISTIAN
ALEXANDERSEN
The Herald-Dispatch
calexandersen@herald-dispatch.com
HUNTINGTON — Satur-
day night’s New Year’s Dance
marked the last time the Star-
dust Dance Club foxtrotted,
mambaed, tangoed and waltzed
at the YWCA in Huntington.
Club Treasurer Mary Barnett
said the club is looking for a new
facility to hold their ballroom
dances following the sale of the
YWCA property. But before
they begin their search for their
next dance hall in town, Barnett
and about 20 others danced one
last night at the YWCA.
Barnett said the club has
existed for more than 50 years
in Huntington and has used a
number of local facilities to hold
their four annual holiday danc-
es. The club has held dances at
the YWCA in the past because
of its kitchen, easy accessibility
to members around the Tri-
State and its smooth wooden
dance floor.
Though she’s confident they
can find another place to dance,
Charlie and Isabelle Bonecutter dance as the Stardust Dance Club holds its New Years Dance at
the YWCA on Saturday in Huntington.
Barnett said she’s going to miss
dancing at the YWCA.
WEB EXTRA
For more photos from the
New Year’s Dance, go to
www.herald-dispatch.com.
dancing because it’s a wonderful
facility to hold dances in.”
While many of the club mem-
bers are older, Barnett said their
dance experience is evident by
the fluidity of their movements
with their partners and their
knowledge of the dances. Sev-
eral of the members, many of
whom were in the 60s and older,
go out dancing several nights a
week, Barnett said.
“The people who come here
are really into dancing,” she
said.
While the members took
breaks following the dances,
every time musician Jimmy Ste-
vens began another song, they
Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch were back up on their feet and
gliding along the dance floor.
Barnett said the atmosphere
and environment at their events
“I hate to give it up because said. “I’m sorry to see the facil- are a throwback to the era of
of the wooden dance floor,” she ity no longer be available for ballroom dancing.

Oh the weather outside is ... balmy?

To donate, call Terri at
304-429-2053 or e-mail to
animalfriends3@aol.com.

Museum continues
KidsArt program
HUNTINGTON — The
Huntington Museum of Art
continues its KidsArt pro-
gram in 2009. The program,
for children in kindergarten
through fifth grade, takes
place from 1-3 p.m. each
Saturday in the Education
Gallery.
Sponsorship and support
from Heiner’s and B’Nai
B’rith Lodge No. 795 mean
there is no admission fee.
The program includes an art
project and an hour of theater.
The museum is located at
2033 McCoy Road. For more
information, call 304-529-2071.
Two booked on felony
charges Saturday
BARBOURSVILLE —
Two men were booked into
the Western Regional Jail
early Satur-
day morn-
ing on felo-
ny charges,
according
to booking
records.
Jeremiah
Scott Walker,
18, was Walker
booked into
the jail at 4 a.m. by Cabell
County law enforcement. He is
charged with a felony count of
nighttime burglary, two counts
of misdemeanor battery and a
misdemeanor count of weap-
ons brandishing.
Charles Michael Adkins,
29, was booked into jail at 2:18
a.m. by Mason County law
enforcement. He is charged
with a felony warrant for
wanton endangerment.
Neither man was arraigned
as of 7:30 a.m.
Corrections
BigTime Wrestling pro-
moter Fred Cornell does not
run the Cabell County 4-H
camp, as stated Friday’s
article about an event held
there Christmas night. He
has rented the camp for the
past three years. The cur-
rent director is Matt Keefer.
The Herald-Dispatch will
correct any reporting or edit­
ing errors that appear in its
news columns. For correc-
tions, please call the city
desk at 526-2798 or (800)
444-2446.
Unseasonable weather
draws folks outdoors
By BILL ROSENBERGER
The Herald-Dispatch
brosenberger@herald-dispatch.com
HUNTINGTON — It didn’t matter that the side-
walks were wet or the ground was muddy, nothing
could stop the hundreds of people that visited Ritter
Park or spent time outside Saturday.
With a high nearing the mid-70s, most said there
was just no way to stay indoors.
“This is a blessing, man,” said Huntington resident
Brent Gist, who was enjoying Ritter Park with his
wife, Stephanie, and their two sons. “You can’t ask
for a better day.”
Gist’s oldest son, 5-year-old Brent Gist II, was
one of many checking out the new island play-
ground. It’s not quite done, but the rock bridge
and hammock were enough to keep many kids
happy.
The slides and swings also were popular, as was
the walking path around the park.
Other children used the nice day to ride new bikes
they got for Christmas. Three-year-old Makinzy
Smith was excited to be out with her new Dora
the Explorer bike, while her dad, Andrew Smith,
snapped pictures. Her mom, Terri Smith, cheered
her on and was happy her little girl didn’t have to
wait until spring to ride outside.
ABOVE: Three-year-old Jacob “We were in Lewisburg for Christmas, but we
Spears plays on the swing came back into town because of the weather,” Terri
with his mother Alycia Spears
Smith said. “She loves this. She’s been riding the
at Ritter Park on Saturday in
Huntington. bike in the house.”
Many other folks simply wanted to jog off the
RIGHT: Children play on the holiday meals, play some football or give their dog
rock climbing structure at a much-needed walk.
Ritter Park on Saturday. For At Harris Riverfront Park, more folks went for long
more photos of families in walks, while others fed ducks. And those with motor-
the park, go to www.herald- cycles also could be found riding around town.
dispatch.com.. According to the 10-day extended forecast on
www.weather.com, the Tri-State is headed back to
Photos by Mark Webb/ normalcy in the coming days with highs in the low
The Herald-Dispatch to mid-40s.
1937 Flood’s benefit concert helps Huntington arts
The Herald-Dispatch
HUNTINGTON — Performing arts are alive and well
in Huntington as music lovers packed into the Hunting-
ton High Renaissance Center on Saturday night for The
The 1937
Flood per-
1937 Flood’s benefit concert. forms at the
All proceeds from the concert and dinner will go ARTS Benefit
to the Arts Resources for the Tri-State, the umbrella Concert at
arts organization that puts on musical shows, hosts the Renais-
after-school arts enrichment classes, has a high school sance Center
All-Star Show Choir and a children’s choir. Before the on Saturday
show kicked off at 7:30 p.m., a barbecue dinner was in Hunting-
served. ton. The
ARTS organi-
The mountain music band was scheduled to feature
Charlie Bowen, Dave Peyton and Joe Dobbs along with zation spon-
Doug Chaffin, Sam St. Clair and Dave Ball. Fifteen-year-
sors multiple
performing
old guitarist Jacob Scarr and Michelle Walker were arts groups.
scheduled to be special guests for the show.
Before the show, Bowen said he was excited about Mark Webb/The
holding a benefit concert for an organization that Herald-Dispatch
promotes fine arts performances and education in
the Tri-State.

Doctors at St. Mary’s performed the Tri-State’s first

open-heart surgery in 1979, and our physicians are
still leading the way in heart care. No other heart
program in the region has more experience.
184737

2900 FIRST AVE., HUNTINGTON, W.V. 25702 • WWW.ST-MARYS.ORG • (304) 526-6029