Whether you are a seasoned stage veteran or a newbie entertaining the thought of entering the entertainment arena, the Alban Arts Center in St. Albans can enhance your theatrical skill sets early in 2020.

The second season I started covering the West Virginia Power, I got to chat with a highly touted player in the Pittsburgh Pirates farm system. After finishing up my interview with Austin Meadows, I had a feeling that I was going to be seeing him play in the Major Leagues in the very near future.

Like a lot of families, we’ve been decorating the house for Christmas. While doing it, we’ve been playing Christmas music. (I’m certain it’s against the law not to do so, but I can’t seem to find it in the state code.)

We were out of bread last week at a time when I knew grocery stores would be crowded with customers making last minute purchases for their Thanksgiving meals.

Wednesday, Dec. 11

Wednesday, Dec. 11

Longtime Sissonville resident and recently published author Sue Bonham will sign copies of her newly released book, “Angels in the Garden,” from 6 until 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, at the Sissonville Volunteer Fire Department.

Aboard more modernized modes of transportation than the traditional reindeer-powered sleigh, volunteer motorcycle riders will be delivering toys throughout the region this weekend.

All male and female athletes who played their respective sports at East Bank High School are invited to a reunion in the town coming up this month.

Cranberries are seasonal, tart, red berries. They are used in sauces, baked goods and juice. They are a great snack in the dried form.

Wednesday, Dec. 4

Wednesday, Dec. 4

A few months ago, I was at the Capitol Market and met Kenneth Tyree, the West Virginia Fire Marshal. We have a mutual friend who introduced us. I was surprised when he mentioned a column I wrote a couple years ago about smoke detectors.

Camp Virgil Tate, in conjunction with the Kanawha County West Virginia University Extension Service, will host the seventh annual Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 14.

Black Friday didn’t live up to its name for the entire day this past Friday in St. Albans.

Nitro city officials and members of the Nitro Historic Commission broke ground on Monday, Dec. 2, for a Doughboy Monument located along the westbound side of Interstate 64 in Putnam County.

Tickets for the Charleston Ballet and West Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s annual holiday classic, “The Nutcracker,” are available through the Clay Center box office, by calling 304-561-3570 or online at www.tickets.theclaycenter.org

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 520 Kanawha Blvd., W., on Charleston’s West Side, will host the 17th annual River Arts Show this weekend.

The holiday season will become a lot brighter this week and for several evenings to come, as St. Albans City Park will again present the dazzling St. Albans Festival of Lights in 2019, beginning on Friday, Nov. 29.

My husband and I were recently inundated with lots of cultivated mushrooms. One way to use a large quantity of mushrooms is to make a mushroom meatloaf. As I was searching for meatloaf recipes, I came across a recipe for a creamy rosemary mushroom sauce. The note that accompanied the recipe …

It comes rumbling down the tracks every year, puffing smoke, with all the bells and whistles, as the holidays near.

Thursday, Nov. 28

Thursday, Nov. 28

A couple months ago, I wrote a column about Columbus Day and discussed some of the myths we all learned in elementary school about Christopher Columbus. There are a lot of situations like that where there is a big difference between what we all “know” and reality.