Features

A renewal of sorts is under way with the Lancaster Chamber Choir. Having seen a drop in both membership and concert attendance the last two years, they are trying to get the “we’re back,” word out.

When former director Michael Miller left to pursue a doctorate degree out of state, the choir lost its leader. Margaret Walsh, music director at First United Methodist Church, temporarily took over.

Ron Smart knows a lot about choices.

Smart, an ex-death row inmate, had the opportunity to speak to students at Buford Middle, Andrew Jackson High and Buford High schools about that very thing Thursday.

“I can tell you plenty about making the wrong ones,” Smart said during a telephone interview Wednesday. “I spent 46 of the 50-plus year span from March of 1955 to September of 2005 in prison for the bad choices I made. I would say that makes me an authority on what not to do.”

With their distinctive four-part harmonies and combination of country and bluegrass-tinged tunes, Little Big Town is sure to lure a few more fans into their fold on Saturday.

That’s when the up-and-coming country group performs as part of See Lancaster’s Performing Arts Series at the University of South Carolina at Lancaster’s Bundy Auditorium. The four-time Grammy Award-nominated band is the third act to be featured in the 2009-10 series.

These days, consumers are trying to stretch every dollar as far as possible.

But if you have thoughts of partially reusing in the kitchen what you scoop from a Halloween jack-o’-lantern this year, you may be disappointed by the results.

Why?

Pumpkins intended for carving don’t taste good; they are only meant as  decorations for ghosts and goblins.

Dr. John Griffin, distinguished professor emeritus at the University of South Carolina, has always been fascinated by the life (and death) of Abraham Lincoln.

But through the years, Lincoln’s life has grown to such heroic and epic proportions that it’s hard to separate fact from fiction.

Now Griffin has put together another biography on the 16th president entitled “Mr. Lincoln and His War.”

Griffin will make a 30-minute slide presentation and sign copies of his latest book at 7 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Lancaster County Library. 

Janie McManus loves historical fiction.

For the seventh grade social studies teacher at South Middle School, it’s a way to make the textbook come alive.

Right now, she is reading “Breadwinner” by Deborah Ellis, to her classes, which is about the Taliban in Afghanistan.

“Will it be on that big test at the end of the year? Probably not,” she said.

“But it’s timely and they need to know this stuff.

Everybody loves it when a “local” makes good, and Lancaster has its share of bragging rights of those who have made their mark.

You can now add Vickie Bailey Ebbers to the list.

The Lancaster native is now a nationally-recognized artist who has turned her love of family, friends and even cherished pets into a long list of award-winning paintings.

Her artwork is now showing in Charlotte as part of the “Carolina’s Got Art,” exhibition at Atherton Mill in the South End Area.

The Vivian Major Robinson concert on Oct. 4 will be a first for Lancaster.

LearnTV will record the recital for playback and also provide the audience with an up-close look at organist Robert P. Glick via a viewing screen during the 2:30 p.m. concert that day at First Presbyterian Church.

Glick is associate professor of church music and organ at Erskine College and Theological Seminary,

This is a big change from a normal organ concert.

For perhaps the first time, you’ll get to see something other than the back of the organist’s head.