Waterbury, CT -- Residents who live near or drive by the old Valley Diner -- moved from South Main Street to Willimantic and now the subject of litigation -- want the debris left on the site cleaned up.

Jean Mann said the lot is an eyesore to anyone traveling by the property.

"I go by it every morning taking my daughter to school," Mann said. "It doesn't look right. We are trying to improve the city and not leave garbage behind. It gives people coming into Waterbury a bad impression of the city."

Spring Valley, MN- When the lights dim in the old downtown movie theater, Hollywood's golden era comes alive.

Sitting in the Nostalgia Theater, patrons are treated to cartoons, a serial and a black and white feature film.

"This is the way movies are meant to be seen — on a big screen with other people," said Brian Barnes, 45, who started Nostalgia Theater in hopes of attracting more people to the Pierce County community of 1,189 by offering a "fun family night out."

If things go well, Barnes hopes to add more movie nights, but for now, the theater features classic films from the 1930s through the 1950s on the last Friday of every month.

With plans for the renovation of the Dreamland Theater recently approved by the Historic District Commission, the developers of the restoration project purchased the historic theater last Friday for $6 million.

Dreamland Realty Trust signed a purchase agreement last July with the four families which owned the 175-year-old building. The Anastos, Flanagan, Gray and Ruben families had been asking for $6.5 million, but decided to close with the developers for $6 million, said Liza Ottani, a sales associate with Atlantic East Real Estate.

The owner of the former Michel's restaurants is set to lease, renovate and reopen the Miss Portland Diner at a new location on Marginal Way.

Michel "Sal" Salvaggio of Falmouth plans to expand and adorn the landmark diner with stainless steel, glass and neon. He wants to preserve and accentuate the 56-year-old diner's period architecture and make it the centerpiece of ongoing redevelopment in the Bayside neighborhood.

Portland officials have negotiated a three-year deal with Salvaggio that the City Council will consider Monday. He plans to spend $350,000 to $400,000 on the venture and have three of his six children run the business, which he hopes to open by June.

Although tours have been continually offered over the last three months, and a “virtual tour” posted on the Museum’s web site, we are working to put the final touches on the original 4800 sq. ft. space. The addition of another 1700 sq. ft. in early January has expanded the museum to more than 6500 sq. ft. This newly acquired space will increase the lobby area and enable an indoor garden for displaying more of the collection’s larger signs.

LAMAR, Mo. — Betty Kuhn remembers watching all the Elvis movies, along with the old westerns and even “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing” at the Plaza Theater.

When she was a teenager, she went on her first date with her future husband to the summer vacation movies at the Plaza.

“It was the place to be when you were a kid my age, but you have to understand that was a long time ago — back in the ’50s and ’60s,” said Kuhn, who spearheaded the job of restoring the 70-year old theater.

The Plaza is an artifact from a different time.

Owners polish up diner in preparation for 25th anniversary

For almost a quarter of a century, the Palace Diner on Washington Street has been a popular gathering spot in the City of Poughkeepsie.

The local eatery has a reputation for providing an uninterrupted atmosphere with noshables for business meetings, a meeting place for families, a site for friends to catch up, a late-night spot for Marist students to grab a plate of French fries with melted cheese and gravy, and a quiet place to read the paper while drinking a cup of coffee.

An early morning two-alarm blaze destroyed a vacant local diner on old route 17 in Damascas. Forty-five fire fighters from five departments were on scene. Investigators attribute the case to an over-head furnace internally combusted setting fire to Damascas diner. The Windsor fire investigator notified owner Joseph Lombardo of Pennsylvania. According to neighbors, he does not visit the diner often.

The Hawthorne address where Beach Boys Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson grew up has won recognition as a state historical landmark and will be honored with a small monument May 20.

The Beach Boys were a uniquely Southern California story — and so is their monument.

It will sit in front of a Century Freeway sound wall, which is where their since-demolished home, at 3701 W. 119th St., once stood.

The sound wall, of course, is supposed to help prevent residents from feeling bad vibrations.

orginally published online here: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-only11mar11,1,1742956.column?ctrack=1&cset=true