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Residents urge town to find options to preserve Howell Theatre after reported sale
Summary
Citizens told the council they fear the historic Howell Theatre will be gutted if a reported sale to a church goes forward; speakers urged the town to explore options though staff said the transaction is a private sale and town authority is limited.
Several residents asked the Town of Smithfield to explore options to preserve the Howell Theatre after learning the property is under contract with a church that some speakers said intends to gut the building.
Amy Plant Purdue, a downtown resident and volunteer, told council she started a petition opposing the theater’s destruction that had gathered more than 1,200 signatures…
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