Celtic Calling kicks off today in Charleston
Plus: Dunbar store closing, recent arrests and more Kanawha Valley community news
Good Wednesday, neighbor!
It’s Feb. 26, 2025. Here’s what you need to know today:
Celtic Calling kicks off today in Charleston
Dunbar craft outlet set to close
Plus, put this “modern Creole” chef’s pop-up on your calendar
Today’s weather: 🌤️ Partly sunny. Highs in the low 60s, lows in the upper 40s.
Now, on to the news!
Five-day ‘Celtic Calling’ festival returns today
If the spring-like weather we’ve had lately has you yearning to get out of the house, you’re in luck: the ninth Celtic Calling festival returns to the capital city today (Wednesday, Feb. 25). It runs through Sunday, March 2 this year.
The gathering is a showcase of Gaelic culture, filled with music, dance, theater, sports, and other events daily. Many of the programs are free.
Celtic Calling reaches its climax on Saturday, with activities taking place most of the day, many in the vicinity of Capitol Street in downtown Charleston. On March 1, Slack Plaza will be turned into a virtual Celtic village, and nearby Summers Street into a Gaelic marketplace. That’s followed by the annual Kirkin’ of the Tartan kilt blessing ceremony at Kanawha United Presbyterian Church on Sunday.
For more, see this day-by-day calendar of Celtic Calling events.
What else you should know:
Closing: The Dunbar location of craft outlet Joann (formerly Joann’s Fabrics) is closing. The retailer is shuttering all locations nationwide after previously declaring bankruptcy.
Arrests: The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department announced they had made arrests in two separate cases. Deputies said they have identified and arrested two suspects caught on video allegedly stealing nearly $2,000 worth of items from the Cross Lanes Rural King on February 13. In a separate case, two suspects who allegedly broke into a Jefferson salon were apprehended following a traffic stop.
Sirens: It’s the fourth Wednesday of the month. As per usual, the Kanawha County Emergency Management along with Metro 911 will be testing the outdoor warning sirens around the county today at noon.
Today
7 a.m. to 6 p.m. — Bucket Drop Flood Relief Drive, WVRC Media, 1111 Virginia St. East, Charleston.
Noon — Harvest of the Month Cooking Class, South Charleston Public Library, 312 Fourth Ave., South Charleston.
Noon — Black History Month Event: Charleston’s Triangle District, WVSU Center, 107 Capitol St, Charleston.
1 p.m. — Hike With A Naturalist, Kanawha State Forest, 7500 Kanawha State Forest Dr., Charleston.
Upcoming
Friday, Feb. 28 — 7 p.m.: Country Two-Step Workshop & Social Dance, American Legion Post 73, 1011 Pennsylvania Ave., St. Albans.
Saturday, March 1 — 6:30 p.m.: Fly Fishing Film Tour, LaBelle Theatre, 311 D St., South Charleston.
Sunday, March 2 — 5-8 p.m.: Chef’s Pop Up Featuring Modern Creole Cuisine, Mea Cuppa Coffee, 715 Bigley Ave., Charleston.
Today, we remember the following neighbors who have recently passed:
Chelsea Jonna-Marie Acey, 32, of Charleston, died Feb. 22, 2025.
Carol Wilson Bryan, 87, of South Charleston, died Feb. 19, 2025.
Laverne Gregor, 84, of Charleston, died Feb. 10, 2025.
Donald Charles Hamm, 79, of Charleston, died Feb. 21, 2025.
Melvin Preston McVey, 84, of Charleston, died Feb. 20, 2025.
William R. “Mississippi Bill” Riddle, 68, of Glasgow, died Feb. 20, 2025.
Opal Mae Webb, 82, of Winifrede, died Feb. 23, 2025.
Bernard “BJ” White, 94, died Feb. 21, 2025.
Jerry Allen Widner, 84, of St. Albans, died Feb. 22, 2025.
That’s all for today. Thanks for reading! Looking for more locally-made news content from around the Kanawha Valley? Make sure you:
📱Download the FREE NewsBreak app
🏠 Be my neighbor on Nextdoor
👍 Like my local news page on Facebook
📷 Follow my multimedia on Instagram
🎞️ Watch my video journalism on YouTube
Have a question, comment or story idea? Write ramsburgreports@gmail.com or call/text 304-370-3067.