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weekend chili cook-off has been canceled, but a Monday ribbon-cutting and public lunch is still on (as of this writing). Here’s the 411 from communities around the region, including Charleston, Marmet and Nitro.
Cook-off Canceled: A Charleston chili cook-off scheduled for this weekend has been canceled, according to organizers. The competition was scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center on Donnally Street. “This was not an easy decision, and we understand how much excitement and anticipation surrounded this event,” organizers wrote in a social media post announcing the cancellation. Officials did not give a reason for the cancellation in the post, but weather forecasts are calling for possible inclement weather that day. The contest is expected to return next winter.
Open House: The Upper Kanawha Valley Economic Development Corporation (UKVEDC) and the Charleston Area Alliance will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a Marmet business in Marmet on Monday, Jan. 29, 2026. Valley Renovations, LLC will hold an open house and lunch from noon to 2 p.m. at their shop at 9702 MacCorkle Avenue. The public is welcome to attend. More information on Monday’s event can be found on the UKVEDC Facebook page.
Call Stats: Another local fire department has released call stats for the previous year. On Thursday, the Nitro Fire Department announced it had responded to a total of 1,907 calls in 2025. EMS responses accounted for 1,211 calls, and firefighters responded to 238 fire calls. Other responses included motor vehicle accidents (200), alarms (148), hazardous conditions (30), fire investigations (43) and rescues (37).
