RIPLEY — The 12th annual West Virginia Chocolate Festival on Saturday will feature 248 feet of chocolate-related vendors at Epworth United Methodist Church in Ripley. This is the largest event in the 12-year history of the celebration, according to Ripley Mayor Carolyn Rader. “We are ...

PARKERSBURG — The VanDevender Student Art Exhibit will be on display during April at WesBanco Bank at 415 Market St. in downtown Parkersburg. The exhibit can be viewed during regular business hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday. The VanDevender ...

NELSONVILLE, Ohio — Stuart’s Opera House will host an evening of music with Bob Boilen of NPR Music presenting Tank & The Bangas on Friday at 8 p.m. After becoming the crowd favorites at the 2018 Nelsonville Music Festival, Tank & The Bangas return, this time to the Stuart’s ...

AUBURN — Filmmaker Richard Anderson will premiere his latest film “What About Auburn?” at the Smoot Theatre in Parkersburg on May 10 at 7 p.m. Anderson, of Baltimore, combines location footage, historic photos, aerial photography and personal interviews to paint a portrait of a ...

PARKERSBURG — The 2019 Parkersburg Spring Easter Celebration will be held Thursday at 6 p.m. in the horseshoe at Parkersburg High School. West Virginia University at Parkersburg President Chris Gilmer will welcome attendees. Entertainment will be provided by the Parkersburg High School ...

PHOENIX — Jason Swarr has found his niche in the publishing world. Swarr, a Parkersburg native, is editor of Skillset, a quarterly magazine he founded two years ago in Arizona. Skillset, described as “redefining the alpha lifestyle,” was purchased by Athlon Outdoors in January. Swarr, ...

PARKERSBURG — The Wood County Recreation Commission will hold the annual Parkersburg Fishing Derby on April 20 at City Park and Southwood Park in Parkersburg. The derby will be 9 a.m.-noon at the ponds at both parks. It is free to all children ages 3-14. Prizes awarded for first, second ...

PARKERSBURG — Middle school students throughout the region visited downtown Parkersburg Friday to participate in the sixth annual Arts Encounter. The program, sponsored by Artsbridge, is a special day of arts experiences for middle school students from Wood County and Washington County, ...

VIENNA — The Mid-Ohio Valley’s 10th annual Easter Parade Bonnet Contest judging and announcement of winners was Thursday at Grand Central Mall in front of the Pottery Place. There were a record number (37) of registered contestants. The winners rode on the Grand Central Mall Train with ...

PARKERSBURG — The Montclaire String Quartet will perform for Artsbridge’s Artists-on-Tour series Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in elementary schools in Wood, Pleasants and Ritchie counties, Belpre City Schools and Warren Local Schools. The performance is suggested for ...

PARKERSBURG — The story of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection will be presented through images and song during the “Shadow Passion” at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church at 2500 Dudley Ave. at 7 p.m. Monday. A light Lenten dinner consisting of bread and 10 soups will be served prior ...

WILLOW ISLAND — Sam, a former Pleasants County resident, is now a member of the Columbus Division of Police. Sam, a Percheron horse who will be 4 years old in June, has joined the Columbus Police’s Mounted Unit. Tuesday morning, members of the Columbus police department placed Sam in ...

PARKERSBURG — Almost 50 years ago a newly married young couple in Canada got a telephone call from a church in Parkersburg to come to speak about their call to become missionaries in Costa Rica. Surprised, and knowing no one in West Virginia, Pat and Jim McInness, arrived here. That visit ...

MARIETTA — Escape artist Michael Griffin hopes his show ends with a bang Friday night in Marietta. The Houdini-style performer who once jumped off the Showboat Becky Thatcher into the Muskingum River while bound in chains will resurrect an old act in honor of his 7 p.m. Friday performance ...

PARKERSBURG — Parkersburg High School will be performing “Carrie: The Musical” tonight through Sunday in the PHS Auditorium. Show times will be 7 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets will be available at the door for $8 for adults and $5 for students. The ...

MARIETTA — Racks of clothing were filling up Monday evening as five women sorted incoming donations in the Marietta Township Recreation Center. Skirts, dresses, sweaters, shoes and even some men’s wear went out on display. The spring Unique Boutique opens Friday afternoon, offering ...

NELSONVILLE, Ohio — Stuart’s Opera House presents a Backstage Evening with Haley Heynderickx on Friday at 8 p.m. She will perform a solo set with the audience sitting right on the Stuart’s stage with the her. Sheers will open the show. Heynderickx is a 2018 Nelsonville Music ...

NELSONVILLE, Ohio — Singer/songwriter Hayes Carll will be performing at Stuart’s Opera House on Tuesday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m. A Texas native, his style of roots-oriented songwriting has been noted for its plain-spoken poetry and sarcastic humor, Stuart’s said. He was nominated for a 2016 ...

Used book sale VIENNA — The Vienna Public Library will hold its spring Friends of the Library book sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the library on River Road. For Friends members, the sale will begin early from 6-8 p.m. today. Memberships are $5 per year. Prices will be 50 ...

WESTON — The International Union Painters and Allied Trades District Council 53 will hold its seventh annual Coating and Corrosion Expo 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. today at the FTI Training Center, 117 Label Lane, Weston, to provide free training related to surface preparation and coating ...