Financial woes force Ohio Boychoir to close

Financial woes force Ohio Boychoir to close

CLEVELAND — The Ohio Boychoir will close its doors after a free final concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Berea United Methodist Church, 170 Seminary St., Berea. The decision was forced by financial pressures and a decline in membership over the past two years, according to a news release from the choir’s board.

The Ohio Boychoir was founded in 1974 by Alexander Musichuk and has performed in churches and concert venues throughout North America, Europe and Australia. More than 850 young male singers passed through its ranks over the years. The choir sang for three U.S. presidents and performed at the White House. Members of the group appeared in the movie “A Christmas Story” in the early 1980s. The group toured Australia and New Zealand in 1994 and won the top award at a boychoir festival in Munich, Germany, in 1995.

Sawyer says goodbye

NEW YORK — Diane Sawyer exited ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Friday with an emotional moment that recalled the biggest story of her time on the show: meeting the children born after their fathers were killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

It was a sobering interlude during a nostalgic two hours of video clips, celebrity goodbyes and tearful hugs. The morning news show devoted almost its entire broadcast to a salute to Sawyer, who is replacing her retiring former partner, Charles Gibson, as “World News” anchor.

Sawyer will be replaced by ABC’s chief Washington correspondent, George Stephanopoulos, on Monday. In a slightly awkward moment, Stephanopoulos was congratulated by Chris Cuomo, the newsreader who also was considered for the anchor job. It was Cuomo’s last morning, too. He is to become “20/20” co-anchor and will be replaced on “Good Morning America” by Juju Chang.

Baby No. 19 is born

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — An Arkansas couple featured on the reality TV show “18 Kids and Counting” now has 19. Cable network TLC says 43-year-old Michelle Duggar gave birth to a 1-pound, 6-ounce daughter Thursday night during an emergency cesarean section. She had been due March 18. TLC says the child is in stable condition in the neonatal intensive care unit for extended care at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

The network airs the show starring Duggar, her 44-year-old husband, Jim Bob, and their brood.

Today’s birthdays

Game-show host Bob Barker is 86. Singer Connie Francis is 71. Singer Dionne Warwick is 69. Singer-guitarist Dickey Betts (Allman Brothers) is 66. Actor Bill Nighy (“Pirates of the Caribbean”) is 60. Singer-percussionist Sheila E. is 52. Actress Mayim Bialik (“Blossom”) is 34.