The Top 10 Entertainment stories of 2008

1 The Youngstown Playhouse goes dark for the winter. A drop in grants from foundations, coupled with the coming winter and its high heating bills, force the action.

2 The Mahoning Valley Historical Society announces plans for new museum.

The group purchased the historical Ross Radio building downtown and is in the process of raising funds to turn it into the Mahoning Valley History Museum.

3 The Main Street Theater opens. A shuttered movie theater is purchased by Don Arthurs of Turning Technologies and is beautifully renovated and reopened. It has met considerable success as a venue for performing arts and movie theater.

4 The “Get Out and Vote” concert. Strange things can happen during a political season. This tour wanted a northeast Ohio location and found one in Youngstown, dropping an amazing lineup into our laps that would otherwise never have hit town: The Beastie Boys, Sheryl Crow, Ben Harper, Norah Jones and Perry Farrell

5 “Hot Ice, Cool Sounds.” Another instance where the stars lined up over Youngstown. This October show at the Chevrolet Centre featured ice skating stars, the Cleveland Pops Orchestra and singer Peter Cetera. It was broadcast nationally on Christmas Day, with segments about Youngstown, giving the city a chance to look good in front of a national audience.

6 Carrie Underwood concert. The country mega-star comes to Chevy Centre and sells the place out.

7 Warner Bros. exhibit at the Butler. Original film cels and artworks from Looney Tunes glory days are amassed for this unique exhibition.

8 Nevels Sisters. This local gospel act finally breaks out with a nationally-distributed CD entitled “Beautiful.”

9 “Fine-tune.” Warm-hearted, breezy movie made by Youngstowner Chris Rutushin, shot in Youngstown and with Youngstown actors, is released and screened before audiences in Youngstown and Columbiana.

10 Not one, but two Youngstown girls wind up as competitors in the NBC reality dating show "Momma's Boys." Misty Alli and Vita Alexander never even knew each other when they lived in the Mahoning Valley.