• Due to a lack of rain, a project to add sidewalks along South Sam Houston Blvd. is running ahead of schedule.
• The Southern Ozarks Community Orchestra will perform “Skooktacula V” at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Star Theater in Willow Springs. It is the fifth year for a Halloween production. Those attending are invited to join the orchestra by dressing in costume.
The orchestra is a volunteer group of 30 musicians of all ages from Licking, Houston, Mountain Grove, Ava, Willow Springs, Mountain View, West Plains, Springfield and Mountain Home, Ark.
Jodie Forbes, a retired Houston music educator, is the director. The orchestra is sponsored by the Willow Springs Arts Council and a grant from the Missouri Arts Council.
The group is expected to perform at the Melba Theatre in Houston when the venue opens following the installation of seating.
• Youth from Houston High School and community leaders associated with the Community Betterment and Arts Council of Houston were among those attending this year’s Missouri Community Betterment Conference on Monday in Columbia. About 200 looked on as Houston won the top honor — the grand champion award, which comes with a huge trophy.
• Odds and ends: A Springfield firm on Friday installed a screen and projector at the Melba Theatre. It will be used for meeting presentations and vintage movies that will be shown. Another company completed neon work on the exterior a day earlier.
The last major project is installation of new seating. That likely won’t happen until late November.
Persons and businesses still have time to adopt a seat that includes a recognition plaque on it. The cost is $250 and can be mailed to Downtown Houston Inc., P.O. Box 170, Houston, Mo. 65483.