Calling all Star Wars enthusiasts

This Saturday, the Kentucky Star Wars Collectors Club will be hosting its 2010 Fall Festival at the Westwood Christian Church Family Life Center in Ashland-Westwood. The event will be from noon to 6 p.m. at the center which is located at 424 Wheatley Road.

The Fall Festival is an annual statewide gathering of all club members and their families and friends. Activities at the festival include raffles, door prize giveaways, custom action figure and diorama competitions, children’s crafts and activities, food and drinks and buy/sell tables.

Special guests this year include former Kenner and Hasbro toy photographers, Kim and Scott Simmons and Star Wars artist, John Lara.

The festival is open to the public, however a paid membership is required for participation in the door prize giveaways. Anyone interested in the Star Wars Universe and the collectibles that is has inspired is invited to attend.

For more information, contact Ashland Region Director, Dwayne Steele, at 606-571-6738 or darthsteele@roadrunner.com.

Fall cleanup days set for Oct.

COAL GROVE — Fall Cleanup Days are back in Coal Grove.

With proof of residency, Coal Grove residents can take their unwanted junk to the water plant on Riverside Drive on Oct. 11-19.

All items will be accepted except air conditioners, batteries, gas tanks or anything that has ever contained Freon.

To provide proof of residency, Clerk Deborah Fields said that residents must provide a current water bill that includes trash pickup fee. Coal Grove auxiliary officers will be onsite to check the bills.

Drop-off at the plant will be from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. each day except Saturday. Saturday’s drop-off will be from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

— By Michelle Goodman

Tri-State literacy council seeks tutors

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Tri-State Literacy Council offers free tutor training for volunteers interested in teaching adults who want to improve their reading. Fall training sessions will be held Thursday and Friday, Oct. 7 and 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cabell County Public Library.

“Volunteers are the backbone of our program. They make it possible for Tri-State Literacy Council to give adults a second chance at learning to read,” says Lynn Ormiston, program director. “Volunteer opportunities are available for both one-to-one tutoring and small group tutoring. Individually matched tutors meet their students for an hour each week at a public location convenient to both.

Small group tutors join a tutoring team and share weekly tutoring time. We have flexible options to meet the needs of students and volunteers.”

Volunteers are needed for all literacy levels—from beginning to pre-GED preparation—throughout the Tri-State area.

“Tutors make a real difference in the lives of adult learners who struggle with shopping, filling out forms, helping their children with homework, or who are working to achieve their GED or get a job or advance at work,” Ormiston says. “Tutors teach, support, encourage and celebrate accomplishments.

At Tri-State Literacy Council, tutors have the option of attending tutor discussion groups, workshops, and of becoming a member of our tutor advisory board.”

For more information, call 304-528-5700 or e-mail literacy@cabell .lib.wv.us. Pre-registration is required.

Rep. Evans to host public meetings

COLUMBUS — State Representative Clyde Evans (R- Rio Grande) will be holding open door public meetings for constituents in southern Ohio.

The meetings will provide an opportunity for the general public to discuss their views and opinions with Rep. Evans on state government issues.

The following meetings will be held at the following times on Friday, October 1st:

• 9 a.m. at the Community Building in McArthur, in Vinton County

• 11 a.m. at the Wellston City Hall, in Jackson County

• 1:30 p.m. at the Rio Grande Village Hall, in Gallia County

• 4 p.m. at the Proctorville Branch of the Briggs Library, in Lawrence County

All are welcome and encouraged to attend

$48.5M W.Va. dam project contract awarded

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a $48.5 million contract to upgrade the Bluestone Dam.

Shaka Inc. of Jeannette, Pa., won the contract for the third phase of a project to bring the dam near Hinton up to modern safety standards and reduce the risk of failure.

Officials said Wednesday in a release that construction is expected to start this year and will take about four years to complete.

W.Va. receives artifacts found during lock project

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — About 450,000 artifacts spanning more than 10,000 years of human existence in the Kanawha Valley have been given to the West Virginia Division of Culture and History.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the artifacts were found during archeological excavations at the Marmet Lock replacement project.

They include knives and tools dating from as early as 8500 BC; 15th century tools and artifacts from a 19th century slave cabin at a salt plantation.

Culture and History Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith and corps District Commander Col. Robert Peterson signed an agreement Wednesday turning over the artifacts to the state.