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NEWS
Key community stories of 2007 included riverfront development, birth of quints
At right, Brandi Jones, director of administration and finance for the city of Huntington, records ideas during a meeting at Huntington City Hall in November for people who would like to volunteer their time at Harris Riverfront Park. The planning meeting grew out of the pledges of community members to volunteer their time to bring the riverfront back to life following a community forum in October.
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People in the community were the key characters in many stories that are among the top Community stories of 2007.
The community came together to revamp the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center and to provide some impetus for starting to clean up the riverfront. And certain members of the community were instrumental in other top stories.
Here are some of those stories:
KEITH-ALBEE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER: The Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center got a makeover in 2007.
A $200,000 donation from the "We Are Marshall" premiere paid for a complete replacement of the theater's rigging system, allowing such shows as "Peter Pan" to fly the new, friendly skies.
Also, community members helped Junior Ross (building supervisor) and his crew complete a makeover of the lobby. They gutted the old concession stand and put down new, red carpet in the entrance to the Keith. The carpet was made possible thanks to a donation from Alex Vence.
Those 2007 upgrades to the historic grand movie palace that was built in 1928 came just in time as the Huntington Symphony Orchestra moved its concerts to the Keith from City Hall.
RIVERFRONT DEVELOPMENT: Members of the community came together this year to improve the safety, cleanliness and aesthetics at Harris Riverfront Park.
The Herald-Dispatch and WSAZ NewsChannel 3 hosted a community forum in October to gather input on ideas for developing Huntington's riverfront. Afterward, a group of community members pledged their time and ideas to bring the riverfront back to life.
During the inaugural planning meeting last month, a group of about 35 volunteers and city officials came up with a list of several tasks that they hope to accomplish at the park over the next six months. They agreed to start with planting flowers, fixing park benches, buying flags and doing some general cleanup at the park. They also agreed to form a committee that will raise money for their efforts.
A handful of volunteers planted hundreds of tulip bulbs near the 10th Street entrance, cleaned muck-filled grates, power washed concrete, cleaned graffiti off of bathroom walls, raked leaves and picked up litter. Also, Clear Channel Communications and Big Sandy Superstores have donated $700 to purchase new flags for the park, while the city's Public Works Department has identified funding in its budget to repair the wooden park benches
"WE ARE MARSHALL" HITS THE SMALL SCREEN: The film that gave Huntington and Marshall University the Hollywood treatment was still in theaters in early 2007, and, by late in the year, Herd fanatics could have their own copy.
The movie that chronicled the rebuilding of Marshall's football program following the devastating 1970 plane crash that killed most of the team came out on DVD Sept. 19, and was the top-selling DVD the week of its release. The movie also topped rental charts that week.
Since then, "We Are Marshall" has also been available through pay-per-view on cable and satellite providers, and will make its debut on HBO at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5.
QUINTUPLETS: Lori and Tim Baker of Barboursville gave birth to quintuplets Oct. 27 at Cabell Huntington Hospital, the first set of quintuplets to be born in the Tri-State.
A team of 40 doctors and labor and delivery nurses helped deliver Chloe Paige, Emma Lynn, Kailee Jo, Hunter Logan and Aiden James. All weighed between 2 and 3 pounds at birth.
The nearly 1-month-old Kailee Jo Baker died Nov. 23, after complications including pneumonia. She was buried Nov. 27 in Logan County, which is Lori Baker's home county.
Three of the surviving babies -- Chloe, Hunter and Aiden -- were home in time for Christmas. Emma was still working on meeting the feeding requirements.
WORLD'S SMALLEST DOG: Lana Elswick has always liked small dogs and now she has the smallest in the world, according to The Guinness Book of Records.
Her teacup Chihuahua, Boo Boo, a 20-month-old dog, weighs in at only 1.5 pounds.
The listing has led to attention on the Worldwide Web and a trip to New York for an appearance on "Live with Regis and Kelly" as well as dozens of radio shows across the country.
Elswick's father got her her first Chihuahua when she was 8, but she has been breeding them for about 20 years.
She submitted the required information about Boo Boo earlier this year and was notified in September that her little dog was determined to be the smallest in the world.
PUMPKIN FESTIVAL: Clear skies and temperatures reaching the 90s were the perfect blend to bring forth a record-breaking 2007 West Virginia Pumpkin Festival in Milton.
The early October fest broke attendance and monetary records.
Bill Kelley, president of the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival Inc. Board, said approximately 45,000 people attended the festival this year compared with last year's numbers reaching a little more than 40,000. "This was probably our best year yet. We had people from almost every state on the East Coast this year."
BLENKO GLASS: Making glass since 1921, Blenko Glass introduced three new lines this past year, and a host of new colors.
Under the direction of new designer Arlon Bayliss, a professor at Anderson University in Indiana, the Bayliss Design Team came up with the Strata collection, Victoria collection and Bravo!
The new Bravo! collection pays homage to the memorable 1950s and '60s designs at Blenko.
And the Blenko Glass came boldly shining out in such vibrant colors as Sunshine, Dreamcicle, Clover, Electric Blue and Vineyard.
Also at Blenko, there's been a complete revamp and upgrade of its retail shop -- a fresh new look to go along with its vibrant new colors.
