2 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
APPALACHIAN FAIR
Volume 30 • Issue #38 Publisher Luci Tate Editor Graphic Arts Director Don Sprinkle
happenings
Cover Design Bill May
4 The Appalachian Fair 6 Ensemble Seeking New Members
Advertising Dave Carter Patti Barr Sam Jones Shawn Hale Coco Enriquez Judy Mahler Contributing Staff Jim Kelly Andy Ross Ken Silvers Mark Marquette Brian McManus Joshua Hicks Brian Bishop Daniel Worley Jason Worley Langley Shazor Distribution Jerry Hanger Teresa Hanger
7 Visitor Center Gets Facelift 8 Turkey Trot Conditioning Program 9
10 Seats Remain For Fall Excursion
columns & reviews 20 21 22 22 24
Published by Pulse Publishing, LLC., P.O. Box 3238, Johnson City, TN 37602 Phone: 423/283-4324 FAX - 423/283-4369
26
www.theloaferonline.com info@theloaferonline.com
35
e-mail: editorial@theloaferonline.com (editorial) adcopy@theloaferonline.com (advertising) All advertisements are accepted and published by the publisher upon the
Call For Artists
28 29
Stargazer - Mars Update: Red Rovers Amaze Skies This Week Batteries Not Included - Prudent Events From The Last PTA Meeting The Casual Word - Grand Canyon Pop Life - Pete’s Dragon Mountain Movers - The Kelly Wolfe Interview Appalachian Wanderers - Let’s Catch ‘Em All Lock, Stock & Barrel - Rimfire Rifle Series Pt. 3 Remington 597 Kelly’s Place - Are You Ready For HDR-TV?
11 5th Annual Greek Fest 12 “My Dogs Go Everywhere With Me!” 13 Rick Strickland & Lesa Hudson To Perform 14 Billy Currington @ ETSU’s Welcome Week Concert 16 Three Dog Night @ NPAC 17 The Marcus King Band - Live At The Capitol Theatre 23 Inspirational Presentation By Hypnotists 25 Jonesborough To Host Storyteller Jim May 27 19th Annual Knap In 31 Pets Of The Week 32 Things To Do 33 Classifieds
U. S. Army Golden Knights (August 22nd - 24th) 7:00 PM Appalachian Fair
Michelle Leigh Thursday, August 25th - 50 / Fifty Sports Tavern
representation that the agency and/or advertiser is authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The agency and/or advertiser will indemnify and save the publisher harmless from any loss of expense resulting from claims or suits based upon contents of any advertisement, including claims or suits for defamation, libel, right of privacy, plagiarism, and copyright infringement.
Founder: Bill Williams
music & fun 18
Spotlight - Great Music & Fun Times 30 Puzzle Page
theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 3
THE APPALACHIAN FAIR AUGUST 22-27, 2016 - Open 3:00 p.m. - Monday through Friday and Sat. 10:00 a.m. 100 LAKEVIEW ST. GRAY, TN 37615 (Fairgrounds)
r01i6t|t8:00 PM T s i Trav 23rd, 2
t ) Stage ay, Augus d s e Tu (main
e| 8:00 PM M y c r 6 e 1 M t 26th, 20
, Augusain Stage) Friday (m
e r:0n o M P Osb |8 0 s r , 2016 e h t 4 h 2 tday, August Stage) BWreo e n d s (main
A fun, educational, entertaining event for all ages! Competitive exhibits for youth and adults, such as 4-H, FFA, FCCLA & CTE, Creative Arts, such as canning, arts and crafts, needlework, horticulture, creative cooking, photography and much more. Also, livestock - beef and dairy cattle and sheep. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Building with animals, fish and fowl in their natural habitat and the ever popular Barnyard Nursery! A Farm and Home Museum featuring past farm life and live demonstrations. Main Stage Country Entertainers, motor sports events, contests, and The Great James H. Drew Midway!
e| r n r :00 PM Tu 016 8 h 2 , s h t 7 Jdo t2 ay, Augus Stage)
Satur
(main
it:0h m S 0 PM r e g 16 | 8 0 2 , n h a 25t
t Gurr Augus Stage) sday, ain
Th
(m
appalachianfair.com 4 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
THE APPALACHIAN FAIR
AUGUST 22-27, 2016 - Open 3:00 p.m. - Monday through Friday and Sat. 10:00 a.m. 100 LAKEVIEW ST. GRAY, TN 37615 (Fairgrounds)
APPALACHIAN Arena ARMA er Mow n Law intg 2016 cugus 24th, Ra day, A es
Wedn
M 7:00 P
ull P k c Trrd,u :00 PM 4 x 016 | 7 2 4 ly, August 23 DieTusee d s a appalachianfair.com
n o i t i t e p| 7:00 PM m o C 6 1 k 0 cAugust 25th, 2 rsdu T , y TuffThur a
theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 5
Appalachian Men’s Ensemble Seeking New Members
A
ppalachian Men’s Ensemble (AMEn) invites male singers to join them for their 2016-2017 concert season. Open auditions will be held on Tuesday, August 30 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the Chapel at Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church, 201 E Market St, Johnson City. No appointment is necessary. Singers should prepare a brief solo (two minute maximum length) that is unaccompanied or self-accompanied. Music can be of any style. If you are interested but unable to attend the open audition, individual appointments can be scheduled with the Artistic Director. Contact AMEn at AppalachianMensEnsemble@gmail.com to schedule an audition appointment or for more information. AMEn is an all-male vocal ensemble of auditioned voices from throughout the greater Tri-Cities area. The group is dedicated to performing a wide range of choral repertoire – both sacred and secular – from the late Middles Ages to the present. AMEn’s programming and presentation of music is vast and varied, featuring a capella pieces, accompanied songs, rock and pop arrangements, and classical works from a variety of cultures. AMEn is unique in its formation and execution, representing one of the few American male choral ensembles of its size to perform music of such a demanding caliber while also programming popular arrangements and familiar standards. The group rehearses in a three week period prior to each concert. Rehearsal time vary but are generally Tuesday and Thursday evenings. AMEn was founded in the fall of 2014. Dr. Alan Stevens is the Artistic Director. Stevens is also currently the Associate Director of Choral Activities at East Tennessee State University. Concert updates and additional information about can be found at: www.Facebook.com/AMEnEnsemble
Kids Our Age rescheduled to play Winged Deer Park concert series
H
ead to Winged Deer Park’s Goulding Amphitheatre Thursday (Aug. 25) for an enthusiastic and contagious performance by Kids Our Age. This three-member band features some of our area’s most talented musicians who have performed for thousands over their long careers. Showtime is 7-9 p.m. The free Lakeside Concert Series takes place at Winged Deer Park, 4137 Bristol Highway, and the Goulding Amphitheatre is off Carroll Creek Road. Sponsors include Bristol Broadcasting, Johnson City Parks and Recreation, and the News and Neighbor. For more information, call (423)283-5815, email jcparksinfo@johnsoncitytn.org or visit www.facebook.com/jcparkstn. The last lakeside concert of the year is set for 6-8 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11, when the Johnson City Symphony will take the stage.
6 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
festival ABINGDON’S VISITOR CENTER GETS A FACELIFT INSPIRED BY HISTORICAL RESEARCH
T
he small town of Abingdon has been welcoming visitors for nearly 250 years, ever since it was a stop for weary travelers heading west on the Great Wilderness Road. Thousands of tourists are attracted to Abingdon each year to visit Barter Theatre, the Virginia Creeper Trail, and the beautiful historic downtown shopping district. Now, the town’s official Visitor Center has gotten a new paint job that restores its historic charm. The Abingdon Visitor Center is located at 335 Cummings Street, in a former private residence built in 1906. The house was in need of exterior painting, and town officials decided to try to determine the home’s original Victorian colors, in order restore the building to its original appearance. Using tiny core samples, a historic conservator was able to analyze the layers of paint and find the original 1906 colors. The Hassinger House, also known as The Grove, is a late Victorian clapboarded and decoratively shingled house built in 1906 by William Hassinger, who owned Hassinger Lumber of Konnarock, VA. The project used cross-section microscopy analysis techniques to determine the original exterior paint palette. The study showed that the house had gone through at least 17 to 18 paint jobs throughout the years, with up to 25 generations of paint in some areas. The earliest paints were then color matched for replication, and the results were dramatically different from the building’s 21st-Century appearance. Victorian homes were often affectionately called “Painted Ladies,” for their vivid, multi-colored appearances. The report found that the Hassinger House originally had a much more intense color scheme, “painted with an earth tone palette of deep red-brown, olive green and cream-color. No other colors were found during this research, but it is possible there could even have been a fourth color (based on suggested commercial palettes of the period.” Newly painted in green, red-brown and cream, the Abingdon Visitor Center will now give visitors a preview of the many historic sites the town has to offer. The Abingdon Visitor Center is open seven days a week, 9:00am to 5:00pm. 335 Cummings Street, Abingdon VA 24210. Find more information at VisitAbingdonVirginia.com or (276) 676-2282. The Town of Abingdon also operates a Welcome Center at the trailhead for The Virginia Creeper Trail, 300 Green Springs Road.
theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 7
YWCA Turkey Trot Conditioning Program
begins September 19
8 week conditioning program to prepare for a 5k with women of all skill levels
T
he YWCA fitness Spa will be offering an eight week conditioning program that will prepare ladies of all skill levels to participate in the YWCA Turkey Trot 5K on November 12th. Last year more than 30 women completed the training program and competed in the event. The program will beginSeptember 19th and run through the first week of November. Program participants will be able to choose from morning, evening and Saturdaygroup training runs, cross training classes designed to benefit runners, as well as full access to the YW Fitness Spa. Runners will train on the actual race route and other courses throughout downtown Bristol. The expert trainers at the YWCA will provide training schedules and nutrition advice, along with running techniques and best practices. The YWCA Turkey Trot and Gobbler’s Gait has grown in popularity each year with individual competitors in both running and walking, as well as the unique motherdaughter team competition. Last year 143 women of all ages walked or ran as part of the 35th Annual Turkey Trot which starts under the historic Bristol sign and ends at YWCA Bristol. The awards ceremony includes breakfast, door prizes and tours of YWCA Bristol to learn more about the programs and services. The conditioning program is open to women and girls 13 years of age and up. All skill levels are welcome, from walkers and beginner runners to advanced runners looking to improve their time. Registration for the eight week program is free for current YW Fitness Spa members and $80 for nonmembers. If you are interested in this year’s program please contact Aubree Cook, Director of Fitness at 423.968.9444 ora_cook@ywcabristol. org.
8 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
MICHELLE LEIGH
BWC Recording Artist To Perform at 50/Fifty Sports Tavern for Bike Night
I
t’s Country with Southern Rock Sass when BWC Recording Artist Michelle Leigh brings her unique sound to Johnson City’s 50/Fifty Sports Tavern, August 25th! With Southern Rock classics mixed with her originals, Michelle’s show has something to fit all ages and tastes. Michelle Leigh was named Nashville’s 2015 Country Blast Southern Rock Artist of the Year and is nominated in 2016 for Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and Entertainer of the Year with the Josie Show awards. Come on out to 50/Fifty Sports Tavern August 25th for hot bikes, cold beer & sizzling lots of cool prizes tunes! Enter your bike in Best Show starts at 7pm, 50/Fifty Sports Tavern of Show for a chance to win 2102 North Roan Street, Johnson City, TN
T
Call for Artists
he eighth annual Fine Art in the Park held on the International Storytelling Center grounds Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 15 and 16 and is now taking applications for new artists now through September 9. The goal of this show is to highlight the fine art produced in our region. Featuring nearly 50 artists located inside the International Storytelling Center and the surrounding Storytelling Park, the juried and judged event accepts unique fine arts and crafts from around the region. In keeping this a fine art event, the attempt is to offer a venue for professional artists to showcase their artwork. Booth space is limited to approximately 50 artists. The inside booth fee is $125 for both days, plus a $20 jury fee. Lawn/Park booth fee is $100 for both days plus a $20 jury fee. For more logistical information: http://www.jonesboroughtn.org/ images/2016_Call_to_Artists.pdf Eligible artists can find an application by visiting the Town of Jonesborough’s website: http://www.jonesboroughtn.org/images/2016_Vendor_Application. pdf. Or contact Theresa Hammons, theresah@jonesboroughtn.org. Another popular aspect of Fine Art in the Park includes the tasting area complete with wine samples, mouthwatering chocolates, tempting sauces and savory bread samples complete with the area’s own marketplace where folks can sample before they buy. The ever popular Best of Show honor will be given amongst the regional artists that includes $1,000, second place will be awarded $500 and third place $300. Two Honorable Mention certificates will be awarded and one Best of Tasting certificate. There is also space available in the Best of Tasting area for new culinary artists. Interested vendors should contact Director, Theresa Hammons. theresah@jonesboroughtn.org or 423.753.0562.
theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 9
Seats remain for ETSU Carter Railroad Museum’s
E
ast Tennessee State University’s George L. Carter Railroad Museum and the George L. Carter Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society have a few seats remaining for a two-night train excursion leaving Saturday, Sept. 3, and returning Monday, Sept. 5. On the day of the excursion, passengers should arrive at ETSU’s parking lot 22a on Go Bucs Trail by 6:15 a.m. for check-in and loading. There are no refunds for those who miss the bus. The motor coach will drive to Elkins, West Virginia, where passengers will check into the Holiday Inn Express before going to dinner and evening entertainment at the Gandy Dancer Dinner Theatre.
10 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
two-night fall train excursion
Sunday morning includes traveling to Cass Scenic Railroad State Park to ride the Cass Scenic Railroad. The original railroad was established in 1901 to bring timber to a mill, and some of the same locomotives are in operation in the park today. A ride up Bald Mountain includes a stop at Whittaker Station to see an outdoor display of vintage logging equipment before heading to Old Spruce to transfer to the Cheat Mountain Salamander for a ride back to Elkins, with a stop at High Falls of the Cheat before returning to the hotel. On Monday morning, after a bus ride to Durbin, West Virginia, passengers will board the Durbin Rocket, powered by a rare Climax engine built in 1910. The 10.5 mile ride takes about 2.5 hours. After disembarking, passengers will have lunch at a local restaurant and journey back to Johnson City. A fee of $450 for double occupancy includes the bus ride from and return to Johnson City, all train fares, the dinner theatre, a hobo lunch on the Cheat Mountain Salamander, a buffet dinner at the Railyard Restaurant on Sunday night and two hot continental breakfasts at the hotel. Ticket order forms and liability waivers can be picked up at the Carter Railroad Museum on Saturdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or printed by visiting www.memrr.org, choosing NRHS News and then Ticket Order Form or by going to the excursions section at www.glcarternrhs.com and printing ticket order and waiver forms. Checks or money orders should be made payable to George L. Carter Chapter, NRHS, and mailed, along with the ticket request and liability waiver forms, to George L. Carter Chapter, NRHS, 519 Headtown Road, Jonesborough, TN 37659. The groups reserve the right to cancel if the trip has too few participants. For further information, contact Charlene McLeod at 386-717-2925 or chardanmcleod35@comcast. net.
5th Annual Tri-Cities
Greek Fest
T
he ancient Greeks asked one thing after a man died: Did he have passion? At the fifth annual Tri-Cities Greek Fest, the passion and celebration of Greece, its culture, food, and all things Greek is something you do not want to miss. This year on Saturday, Aug. 27, from 11 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., the public is invited to partake of the philoxenia (Greek hospitality) that lasts all day and never wears thin. Neither does the Opa. Hosted by Christ the Savior Greek Orthodox Church, the church’s own dance troupe will perform a variety of dances from the Greek islands and mainland. The dancers even have some surprises in store that are sure to amaze any audience. Live entertainment will be provided by “Greek Music by George Karras” throughout the day. Karras will even let you try on his bouzouki for photographs, but you better be sure to wear your dancing shoes if you want to be part of the fun that has everyone kicking up their heels like Zorba. Got Ouzo? Try it once and you’ll be an honorary Greek for the day, boasts the Fest’s Taverna. Attend this year and see what the hype over this Grecian liqueur is all about. Now in its fifth year, the Tri-Cities Greek Fest has several things in store for its guests. Once again this year, patrons will have the chance to win door prizes. Drawings start at noon and continue each hour of the festival. Best of all, door prize tickets are free. The rummage sale portion of the event will be the largest yet. Once again, it will be underneath a large tent outside providing space for more items and larger ones such as furniture. Tent opens at 11:00 a.m. No Early Birds! Tempting pastries will be available at the Bakery. We will have more than twice as many pieces as last year of the always popular baklava. Items such as kok, two round vanilla sponge cakes filled with Bavarian cream and topped with chocolate ganache; ergolavos, an almond cookie with apricot filling; tsourekia, braided loaves of Greek sweet bread; and baklava cheesecake will again be served this year. Be sure to pick up a package to take home and enjoy. Combination platters including traditional Gyros and Souvlaki sandwiches, plus Loukanikos, mildly smoked Greek sausage, are also on the menu again for those who want to try a little of everything in our Fast Food area. In the Kouzina (kitchen), Greek chicken, Moussaka, Pastitsio, Spanakopita and Tiropita are featured. Tasty vegetarian dishes are also available. So join us for lunch and dinner and allow us to tempt your palate. New this year is Loukoumades, little yeast-risen dough puffs deep-fried to a golden brown, then drizzled with honey syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon. As always, guests are invited to take a church tour to learn about the Greek Orthodox Church. These are so interesting that even Greeks attend. Plenty of seating will be available allowing for an up-close and personal look at Orthodox iconography and worship. A children’s area, open from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., will once again be located behind the church, but still very much a part of the festivities. Children are invited to enjoy the inflatable and to have their faces painted. Guests will not be able to resist the unique delights of the retail area. Cookbooks, jewelry, handmade crafts, lotions and jams, and of course, the Tri-Cities Greek Fest’s own T-shirts will be for sale. Patrons should note that this event only accepts cash and personal checks. Come one and all. Grab your parea (group of friends) and put a little Greek in your week. The memories made at the Tri-Cities Greek Fest will last longer than Zorba’s Dance. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/TNTriCitiesGreekFest or www.ChristTheSaviorOrthodox.org/GreekFest
theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 11
“My dogs go everywhere with me!”
by Dr. Kate Zimmerman at Tri-County Veterinary Hospital
Sounds like the perfect owner, right? Not when it’s HOT! Many fail to realize that a beautiful 75o(F) day outside can lead to inside car temperatures of over 100o(F) or higher in just minutes! With the windows cracked an inch or two, it still becomes dangerously hot in the car, leading to heat stress and/or heat stroke to any left inside. When temperatures are truly hot (like recently), it’s impossible to keep a pet safe in the stopped car - even with all windows down - unless the engine AND A/C are running – and leaving both running when you are nowhere near the car has its own large risks (such as car theft or stalling out). Owners frequently tell me “I cracked the window and my dog will be fine!” The truth is, even with a cracked window and a breeze; temperatures can soar much faster than many want to believe. When the humidity is high or the car is parked in the sun, temperatures climb to life threatening levels even faster. Recent, heartbreaking headlines show us how easily fatal heatstroke is in both dogs and children. Even if treated, heat stroke may cause permanent brain damage in both species. It’s common to want your best friend to join you and many dogs love to ride. Go ahead! Take the pup for a ride in the fall, winter and spring when it’s cool. But since there is no way to guarantee you will not have to leave your vehicle for some reason on any trip, realize your absence can kill your pal in mere minutes! So, if the temperature is over 70o(F), leave the dogs at home. Then drive at ease knowing they will be safe, healthy, and happily greet you when you return.
12 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
Rick Strickland & Lesa Hudson to Perform at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
A
ward winning singer/songwriters Rick Strickland & Lesa Hudson will perform at The Acoustic Coffeehouse in Johnson City, TN on Sunday August 28 at 8pm. This is their first appearance at The Acoustic Coffeehouse. Based out of the Myrtle Beach, SC area, Rick & Lesa perform all over the Southeast with their band, The Rick Strickland Band, as well as showcase their songwriting and vocals for many Duo performances. Rick & Lesa will be arriving in Johnson City on the heels of 2 performances at the Smoky Mountain Songwriter Festival in Gatlinburg, TN. Well known for their entertaining on stage antics, lyrical storytelling, and pristine vocal harmonies and musicianship, Rick & Lesa’s music taps into an eclectic blend of musical genres and inspirations including R&B Soul, Classic Rock, Blues and a touch of Country/ Americana that form a musical bed for their lyrical themes that range from downright quirky to feel good peppy to soul wrenching love songs which all culminate into their own special brand of music often referred to as “Rhythm & Romance.” Some of their most famous & requested songs which also receive lots of airplay on regional and internet radio include: Something Smooth, So Do I, She Can’t Fix Grits (which was featured on the John Boy & Billy Radio Show), When You Look At Me and Amazingly Amazing. It’s not uncommon for folks to be motivated to get up and dance to some of their peppier tunes as well as their beautifully
executed ballads, or just simply sit back and enjoy the music while sipping on their favorite beverage. However you enjoy your music, Rick & Lesa will surely entertain, make you laugh, make you want to sing along and have a good time when they take the stage.
theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 13
Billy Currington
Country star to perform ETSU’s Welcome Week concert
A
ward-winning country artist Billy Currington will perform the Welcome Week concert at East Tennessee State University on Saturday, Aug. 27. Georgia native Currington has scored nine No. 1 singles since the release of his self-titled debut album on Mercury Records in 2003. His hits include “Good Directions,” “Let Me Down Easy,” “Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right,” “People Are Crazy,” “That’s How Country Boys Roll,” “Hey Girl” and “We Are Tonight.” His accolades include the “Hottest Video of the Year” honor at the fan-voted CMT Music Awards for “Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right” in 2006. That same year, he received an Academy of Country Music nod for “Top New Male Vocalist.” “Party for Two,” his hit duet with Shania Twain, earned nominations from both the ACM and Country Music Association. The single “People Are Crazy” took Currington’s career to another level, earning Grammy nominations for “Male Country Vocal Performance” and “Best Country Song,” as well as CMA nominations for “Single of the Year” and “Song of the Year.” Currington, who recently released his sixth studio album, “Summer Forever,” has come a long way from his rural Georgia roots. He spent his early years on Tybee Island before his family moved inland to Rincon. He grew up listening to vinyl records by Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kenny Rogers, and when his mom took him to one of Rogers’ concerts, 10-year-old Billy knew immediately that he wanted to someday be the one on stage performing. However, he was not sure how he was going to get there. “To be honest, I never even heard of Nashville ‘til I was 17 or 18,” he said. All that changed when Currington’s pastor recognized his talent while he was singing in church and decided to give the youngster some career guidance. “He had been living in Nashville at one point,” Currington recalled. “He said, ‘Man, there’s a town called Nashville (where) you can get a record deal. Your dreams could come true. I’m going to take you there.’ So he took me and showed me the town. He introduced me to people. When I got back home, I totally made up my mind that when I graduated from high school, I was going to go back.” And so he did. He made the move to Music City and began “paying his dues” by pouring concrete and working as a personal trainer at a gym during the day while getting a musical education playing in bars at night. He met other aspiring songwriters and artists. He began writing songs, and his warm, strong voice made him one of the town’s most in-demand demo singers. “I was doing 10 demos a day,” he said. “Before you know it, I started getting deal offers from record labels.” After signing with Mercury, he immediately garnered attention with his debut single, “Walk a Little Straighter.” The autobiographical song about life with his alcoholic stepfather peaked at No. 8, and was followed by his first top five hit, “I Got a Feelin’.” Though Currington has grown in knowledge and confidence, his goal in making “Summer Forever” was the same as when he recorded his debut album. “Music is a snapshot of people’s lives, and most of all, I want to leave people in a happy place,” he says. “Whether they’re sitting on a beach listening to this album or they’re walking around their house or cleaning their house or whatever – wherever they’re at listening to this album, I want to leave them with a happy and peaceful feeling.” This Welcome Week Major Concert, sponsored by ETSU’s Student Govern-
BILLY . . . continued on page 15 14 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
BILLY . . . continued from page 14 ment Association, begins at 7:30 p.m. on the lawn of ETSU’s Wayne G. Basler Center for Physical Activity. Gates will open at 6:30 p.m., and the Ticket Office/Will Call opens at 4 p.m. Public tickets go on sale for $25 each on Monday, Aug. 8, and may be purchased online only. Day of show tickets will be $30 at the gate. There will be no charge for parking at ETSU. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs, but no umbrellas. For public tickets and complete concert information, visit www.etsu.edu/concerts. The first day of fall classes is Aug. 22, and Welcome Week provides a full schedule of special activities from Aug. 2129 to help new and returning students feel at home, make new friends and get into the swing of the semester. To see a listing of events, visit www. etsu.edu/students/nsfp/welcomeweek.aspx. For more information, call the Student Organization Resource Center at 423-439-6633. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-4398346.
theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 15
Three Dog Night brings iconic hits to NPAC
N
iswonger Performing Arts Center kicks off the 2016-17 season with a sold-out performance featuring legendary music icons, Three Dog Night. Best known for their hit “Joy to the World,” these 1970’s rockers take the NPAC stage at 7:30 PM on Saturday, August 27th. Few bands from the 1970’s are more instantly recognizable or widely beloved than Three Dog Night, whose hits “Mama Told Me (Not To Come),” “Joy to the World,” “Black and White,” “Shambala,” and “One” are classics even to new generations of listeners. The Grammy® nominated band’s hits wind through the fabric of pop culture today, whether on the radio, in TV commercials or in major motion pictures. From 1969 to 1974, no music act charted more top ten hits, moved more records, or sold more concert tickets than Three Dog Night. Forty years later, the band remains as energetic as ever, recording new projects at London’s famous Abbey Road studios and maintaining an aggressive international touring schedule. Three Dog Night’s eclectic taste, combined with their ability to recognize and record hits in a distinctive and appealing style, helped them dominate best-selling charts for years. Boasting chart and sales records that are virtually unmatched in popular music, Three Dog Night had 21 consecutive Top 40 hits, including three #1 singles, 11 Top 10 hits, seven million-selling singles and 12 straight RIAA Certified Gold LPs. Now, as they mark more than 40 years on the road, Three Dog Night continues to grow their fan base. Since 1986, they have performed more than 2,200 shows, including two Super Bowls.
16 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
Three Dog Night’s popularity stands the test of time, with the 2000 release The Best of Three Dog Night: 20th Century Masters landing on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart. In late 2009, Three Dog Night released two new songs, “Heart of Blues” and “Prayer of the Children.” Three Dog Night performs to a sold-out audience at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in historic downtown Greeneville, TN on Saturday, August 27th at 7:30 pm. This performance is sponsored by Fatz Café of Greeneville. NPAC offers online seat selection with no processing or delivery fees. There is a $1.50 ticketing fee per ticket regardless of purchase method. The box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 am until 5 pm. The 1150 seat performing arts center is located adjacent to the campus of Greeneville High School in Greeneville, TN. For venue information, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.npacgreeneville.com.
The Marcus King Band –
T
Live at the Capitol Theatre of Greeneville
he Capitol Theatre in historic downtown Greeneville, TN welcomes The Marcus King Band on August 27th at 8:00PM. King has been making waves in the jam band / southern rock scene over the last couple of years and has played such festivals as SXSW, Mountain Jam and the Austin City Limits Music Festival. At only 20 years of age, Marcus King’s dazzling musical ability is evident throughout The Marcus King Band, the young phenom’s 2nd full-length LP and first for Fantasy Records. Operating within the fiery brand of American roots music that King calls “soul-influenced psychedelic southern rock,” the album highlights King’s gorgeous, rough-hewn vocals, soaring guitar work and heartfelt songwriting all amidst a group of masterful musicians who, together, are quickly becoming one of the country’s most sought after live acts. Joining the band on the new album are a number of mentors and collaborators, including Derek Trucks (who plays guitar on “Self-Hatred”). King was brought up on the blues, playing shows as a pre-teen sideman with his father—bluesman Marvin King. Going beyond the sonic textures of his acclaimed 2015 debut album, Soul Insight; The Marcus King Band broadens its sound, touching upon everything from funky R&B to Southern soul and Americana in the process. “The majority of our songs are specific to situations I’ve lived,” King explains. “I write as a form of therapy, to release my emotions into a musical expression. I want people to know they’re not the only ones going through that pain. Music is the true healer. And when we perform, we want the audience to leave feeling as tired and as emotionally freed as we do. It’s all about getting the stress of the day off your chest. It’s like therapy.” No guest plays a bigger role than Warren Haynes, though. A longtime champion of King’s songwriting and guitar prowess, Haynes produced every track on The Marcus King Band (and contributed his trademark slide guitar on “Virginia”), expertly capturing the group’s live sound for a cohesive collection reflecting the band’s expansive explorations. “Marcus is the first player I’ve heard since Derek Trucks to play with the maturity of a musician
well beyond his age,” Haynes says. “He’s very much influenced by the blues, but also by jazz, rock, soul music, and any timeless genres of music. You can hear the influences, but it all comes through him in his own unique way. He has one of those voices that instantly draws you in, and his guitar playing is an extension of his voice and vice versa.” Tickets for the show are $10. For more information on this show, or other events at the Capitol, visit www.capitolgreeneville.org .
theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 17
S O LG T P
T I
- FRIDAY - Aug. 26th -
- TUESDAY - Aug. 23rd -
MOLLY HARDIN / BOURBON EXPRESS
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
GUIDO AU’SOME & THE OPEN MIC PLAYAS at O’Mainnin’s Pub
TRAVIS TRITT at Appalachian Fair DOWNTOWN COUNTRY at Jiggy Ray’s 6:30pm - WEDNESDAY - Aug. 24th SHILOH HILL / TIM PEPPER
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
]REVEREND HYLTON at Sleepy Owl Brewery 8pm BROTHERS OSBORNE at Appalachian Fair 8pm SINGER SONGWRITER NIGHT w/ SCOTT TUCKER at Our House Restaurant OPEN MIC at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 6pm ALLI & I at The Harvest Table 6:30pm
CHILD SOUP w/ LAURA THURSTON at O’Mainnin’s Pub OPEN MIC at WoodStone Deli
- THURSDAY - Aug. 25th BENNY WILSON at Sonny’s Marina 7pm JANGLING SPARROWS at Bone Fire Smokehouse MARCUS BOYD at O’Mainnin’s Pub SALSA at Studio Brew ADAM MCMILLAN (A little bit of everything) at Rainbow Asian Cuisine
GRANGER SMITH w/ EARL DIBBLES JR. at Appalachian Fair 8pm
SONGWRITER NIGHT at Capone’s KIDS OUR AGE (50’s - 90’s, rock n roll, country, a bit of
everything) at Winged Deer Park 7pm MIDNIGHT RIDERS (Allman Brothers Tribute Band) at Full Moon Jam - Downtown Bristol
- FRIDAY - Aug. 26th GRANT MEREDITH at Sonny’s Marina 7pm FOLK SOUL REVIVAL at 50 Fifty Sports Tavern 9pm
COREY HUNT
at Bone Fire Smokehouse 8:30pm ASYLUM SUITE at Marker “2” Grille NIGHTSHIFT (Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) at Lion’s Club 7pm
SHOOTER
(Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at Elizabethton Elks Lodge 9pm ADAM MCMILLAN (A little bit of everything) at Hungry I Apex
18 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
H
If you or your band are playing in the upcoming week and would like to be in The Spotlight, call in advance to (423) 283-4324 or go online to: theloaferonline.com. Due to last minute cancellations or changes, please call the location to confirm.
- SATURDAY - Aug. 27th -
GOAT WHISKEY DELUXE at Jiggy Ray’s 7pm A GREAT DISASTER
FLIPSIDE RUNNER
STATE OF SLEEP WAITING FOR PAVEMENT THE PYTHIA
at Sonny’s Marina
at Yee Haw Brewing Company 8pm
at Capone’s
KIDS OUR AGE
(50’s - 90’s, rock n roll, country, a bit of everything) at Jonesborough Visitor’s Center
RAILROAD ANGELS
(Old & New Country w/ a bit of bluegrass and pop) at Appalachian Fair ACOUSTIFRIED (Rock n Roll) at Country Club Bar & Grill
ADAM LAWSON
(Americana, Folk, Alternative Country) at Gypsy Circus Cider Company 6:30pm JACKDAW’S 7 (Appalachian Alternative) at Sleepy Owl Brewery 8pm
THE GREAT AFFAIRS at O’Mainnin’s Pub
TERRY LEWIS at Down Home
AMY STEINBERG
at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 8pm
LOGAN FRITZ
at Bristol Brewery 8pm
MERCY ME
at Appalachian Fair
BREADFOOT
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
- SATURDAY - Aug. 27th DEAD FARMER / THE GO DEVILS DEAD WOOD DRIFTERS at Capone’s
THE MARCUS KING BAND at Capitol Theatre 8pm
SMOKEHOUSE CRICKETS at Marker “2” Grille
THE OLD REGULARS
at Laurel Marina 7pm NIGHTSHIFT (Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) at David Thompson’s Produce 7pm
THREE DOG NIGHT
at Niswonger Performing Arts Center 7:30pm
PAUL LEE KUPFER
at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 8pm APPALACHIAN TRAIL at Elizabethton Covered Bridge Jams 7pm
MONK & MALONE at Jiggy Ray’s
at O’Mainnin’s Pub
CALAMITY JONES SOUTHERN REBELLION
(Country, Classic Rock, Southern Rock) at Painter Creek Marina SHOOTER (Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at Elizabethton Moose Lodge 9pm
HILLBILLY GYPSIES at Carter Fold
SKULL PUNCH (Alternative Rock) at Hungry I at Apex
THE FORCE FIELD
at Sleepy Owl Brewery 8pm
FARMHOUSE GHOST
(Americana, Alt. Country, Jam Band) at Damascus Brewery 7pm
MARK STUART at Down Home
BILLY CURRINGTON at ETSU 7pm
JOSH TURNER
at Appalachian Fair 8pm
SIX STRING SUNDOWN at East Coast Wings - Kingsport
FIRESIDE COLLECTIVE
at Bone Fire Smokehouse 8:30pm
RAILWAY EXPRESS
(Souther Rock, Blues, Old & New Country) at Quaker Steak & Lube
ASYLUM SUITE
at Country Club Bar & Grill
FREESTONE AUGUST JASON D THOMPSON at Acoustic Coffeehouse
- SUNDAY - Aug. 28th MAUREEN RENIHAN & FRIENDS JAZZ BAND at Studio Brew
IVY ROAD at Marker “2” Grille BILLY BOB THORTON & THE BOXMASTERS
at The Paramount Center for the Arts
9TH STREET STOMPERS at Bone Fire Smokehouse
RICK STRICKLAND BAND at Acoustic Coffeehouse
- MONDAY - Aug. 29th THE FOXFIRES at Acoustic Coffeehouse
Spotlight Directory Appalachian Fairgrounds 100 Lakeview St. Gray 423/ 477-3211 Bone Fire Smokehouse at the Hardware 260 W Main St Abingdon Va 276/623-0037 Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch 620 State St Bristol 423/573-2262 Capitol Theatre 104 S. Main St. Greeneville TN 423/638-1300 Capone’s 227 E Main St Johnson City 423/928-2295 Carter Family Fold 3449 A. P. Carter Hwy Hiltons VA 276/594-0676 Country Club Bar & Grill 3080 W State St Bristol 423/844-0400 The Damascus Brewery 32173 Government Rd. Damascus VA 276/469-1069 David Thompson’s Produce 251 Highway 107 Jonesborough 423/913-8123 Down Home 300 W. Main St. Johnson City 423/929-9822 Elizabethton Elks Lodge 1000 N. Sycamore St Elizabethton 423/ 543-2341 Elizabethton Moose Lodge 288 Lovers Lane Elizabethton 423/542-5454 The Harvest Table Restaurant 13180 Meadowview Sq Meadowview Va 276/944-5140 The Hideaway
235 E. Main St Johnson City 423/ 926-3896 Holiday Inn (Exit 7) 3005 Linden Dr Bristol Va 276/466-4100 Hungry I at the Apex 604 W. Market St. Johnson City Jiggy Ray’s 610 E. Elk Ave Elizabethton Laurel Marina 191 Shady Ford Rd. Bristol 423/ 878-3721 Marker “2’ Grill at Lakeview Marina 474 Lakeside Dock, Kingsport 423/323-4665 Niswonger Performing Arts Center 212 Tusculum Blvd Greeneville TN 423/ 638-1328 O’Mainnin’s Pub 712 State St Bristol 423/844-0049 Our House Restaurant 4903 N. Roan St. Johnson City 423/ 282-1555 Painter Creek Marina 766 Painter Creek Rd Bristol TN 423/878-5775 Paramount Center for the Arts 516 State St. Bristol TN 423/ 274-8920 Quaker Steak & Lube 629 State St Bristol VA 276/644-9647 Rainbow Asian Cuisine 2412 N. Roan St. Johnson City 423/ 232-6688 Rock’s Wood Fired Pizza & Grill 3119 Bristol Hwy. Johnson City 423 / 262-0444 Sleepy Owl Brewery
KARAOKE TUESDAY Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Boomershine’s Pizza Karaoke w/ Marques at Painter Creek Marina Karaoke at 50Fifty Sports Tavern Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN *********************** WEDNESDAY Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at American Legion 8pm Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Smokey Bones - Johnson City TN Turn the Page Karaoke At VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN *********************** THURSDAY Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Macado’s - Kingsport Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN Karaoke At Holiday Inn - Johnson City TN Karaoke at Jiggy’s Rays Pizzaria Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Mellow Mushroom - Johnson City ***********************
151 E. Main St. Kingsport 423/390-8476 Sonny’s Marina & Café 109 One St. Gray TN 423/283-4014 Wellington’s Restaurant Carnegie Hotel 1216 W State of Franklin Rd Johnson City 423/979-6400 The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 216 E Main St Johnson City Winged Deer Park 4137 Bristol Hwy Johnson City 423/ 283-5816 Woodstone Deli 3500 Fort Henry Dr Kingsport 423/245-5424 Yee Haw Brewing Company 126 Buffalo St. Johnson City
FRIDAY Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at Sportsman’s Bar & Grill 9pm Karaoke w/ Reverb Karaoke at The Cottage 8:30 pm Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN Karaoke At Elizabethton VFW - Elizabethton TN Karaoke w/ DJ Marques At Holiday Inn (Exit 7) - Bristol VA Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN *********************** SATURDAY Karaoke at The Horseshoe Lounge Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment At Macado’s - Kingsport Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN *********************** SUNDAY Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment At Biggie’s Clam Bar ***********************
theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 19
MARS UPDATE:
RED ROVERS AMAZE OVER AND OVER
M
ars has dazzled the Spring and Summer skies of 2016 as seen from Earth, and continues to bedazzle planetary geologists and their armada of active orbiters and rovers working the Red Planet. Directly south in the mid-Summer 2016 August nights, Mars has been moving through Scorpius while robots from Earth have the planet under surveillance. Those interplanetary extensions of human senses have sent back incredible photos and made discoveries that have changed the thinking of man about Mars, the one planet that has occupied our minds for centuries. Tonight as you look at Mars you can think about the three American orbiters, another from Europe and yet another from India that are actively surveying the planet. And don’t forget the two hardy robotic rovers, golf-cart-sized Opportunity in its 12th year and SUV-sized Curiosity, just having its fourth Martian birthday on Aug.6th. Curiosity is at the foot hills of Mt. Sharp, the central peak inside a 96-mile-wide crater called Gale. It has spent the past four years at the base of the mountain, after discovering smooth-rocked creeks that once flowed with water and ice mixed in mud just inches below the surface. Opportunity has outlasted its original 90-day mission like no other NASA robot. Driving more than 28 miles in 12 years, it has spent nearly five years moving around a 14-mile-wide crater Endeavour, a treasure-trove of various rocks and a deep look inside the Red Planet’s surface. Martian orbiters Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (2006), Mars Odyssey (2001), and MAVEN (2014) have been flawless and productive; Mars Observer of the European Space Agency (ESA) is nearing its end after 13 years; and India’s first interplanetary spaceship, MOM, is also a great success after two years in orbit. All five Mars orbiters have special equipment and a specified objective, as well as cameras for important imagery. The rovers use the orbiters to relay their precious data to Earth, with complexities of where orbiters are relative to Earth’s receiving data dishes. Collectively, the orbiters and rovers have put together our understanding of Mars: During the first billions of years our Solar System all the planets and moons were formed and mercilessly battered by developing cosmic matter. And Mars, like Earth, became a world with oceans. Though half the size of Earth (7,926 miles to 4,212 miles), one hemisphere of Mars was bulged by a vast volcanic plain that belched a half-dozen of the largest volcanoes in the Solar System, including one 14 miles high, Olympus Mons. The other hemisphere of Mars was filled with seas much saltier than Earth’s today, and clouds with wind and rain and consequent erosion created an active world. Somewhere in the second billion years of Mars’ 4 billion-plus year history, its atmosphere disappeared. The seas of water evaporated and mixed with the soil and froze at the poles or maybe settled underground. The Red Planet became the super-cold, desert we see today. This is the basics of what 50 years of unmanned exploration of Mars has yielded. Or so think NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab scientists. But the Roman warrior is still fighting to keep its secrets. Mars is more like the Western United States deserts with Antarctica’s frigid temperatures. A summer-time high temperature can be 50 F. degrees at your feet (for a brief hour or two), but at your knees it might be a freezing 32 F. degrees, and at the top of your head it could be 0 F. degrees! That’s because the Martian atmosphere is super-thin and lacking any density, the surface air being weak like the top of Mt. Everest. Yet, Mars is still a dynamic world with four seasons, thin clouds, dust devils, frost, frozen polar caps that evaporate carbon dioxide and wicked dust storms that can be global. But there are no thick cumulous clouds, rain or rivers. Snow does fall in the sky but never reaches the ground. And it is confirmed that salty water oozes up from the ground to flow down walls of craters and canyons. Mars has lots of ice underground in the North Pole. The South Pole is a combination of
20 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
frozen water and carbon dioxide that shrinks in the summer and grows in the winter. The many Martian craters are the result of the thin atmosphere and proximity to the asteroid belt. Some of the craters have daily frost and fog. At least one has a frozen 10-mile lake inside. And what about the big question—is there life? The answer is: we don’t know yet. Curiosity and Opportunity don’t have life-detecting laboratories on board. But in 1976, the first two stationary landers, Viking 1 and 2, had simple laboratories on-board to search for life. Their positive readings of soil samples were attributed to a chemical, not organic, reaction. But four decades later debate still wages if the NASA landers did find life. All the rovers and orbiters have found the solid evidence that Mars does have all the ingredients to support life. Today! And the proof is very compelling that Mars could have supported life in its watery past two billion years ago. So, where is life on Mars? Probably underground. As in caves and tunnels. Given the gigantic volcanoes that ripped the Martian surface with a 2,000-mile-long canyon, there must be an extensive underground system of caves, caverns and lava tubes. Just like Earth’s underground caves, subterranean Mars would have livable temperatures in the 40-60 F. degree range. That opens up a whole new concept for Martian life—from single cell organisms to blind crickets! The orbiters have found hundreds of “skylight” holes and cave openings to the sky from lava tubes and caverns. The possibility is very real that underground Mars has subterranean water flowing into lakes full of aquatic life. And fantastic caverns of exotic life, even Martian stalagmites and stalactites. It occurs on Earth, so why not Mars? NASA’s next Mars mission for 2020 has a complex lab on board to test soil and rocks for traces of life, living or dead. We are witnessing the greatest era of robotic exploration throughout the Solar System. Mankind is at the precipice of discovering life off planet Earth. Looking up at the Summer night at Mars, we see a red “star” in our sky. What we don’t see 60 million miles away are the unmanned robots from Earth watching for Martians. Look up, use your imagination and keep those hopes alive for alien life. In some form. Somewhere.
Celestial events in the skies for the week of Aug. 23rd - 29th 2016, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.
T
Photo by: MarQ
his week watch planet Mars split the stellar uprights formed by its red rival, Antares, and yellow Saturn above it. That’s a “score” on celestial motion before your very eyes! And don’t forget to try and see the Milky Way high overhead and peaking at midnight before moving westward to set around 4 am. Dark skies and a pair of binoculars will give some breath-taking views of one spiral arm of our Milky Way Galaxy. Tues. Aug. 23 Mars is directly south just above the heart of Scorpius, Antares. You can see it move night-by-night to the east (left) towards Sagittarius as it speeds in its orbit two-year orbit around the Sun. Above Mars is slow poke Saturn, stuck in Scorpius a few more years in its 30-year solar orbit. Wed. Aug. 24 Last Quarter Moon is today, rising after midnight and now part of the early morning. Thurs. Aug. 25 The Summer Triangle is an asterism of three constellations: to the north is Deneb in the tail of Cygnus the Swan, also looking like a giant Northern Cross; distinctly white Vega is the brightest in Lyra the Harp, and Altair is the southern point in Aquila the Eagle, a small cross of stars. Fri. Aug. 26 The night skies are dark for Milky Way watching all weekend until the Moon rises after 2 pm. Those trying their hand at astrophotography will find the next two weeks the best until mid-September. Tip: use very high ISO, a tripod, 30-second exposures, use self-timer to eliminate camera shake, get something in the foreground, and manually focus. Don’t delete any images until you see them on a monitor—you’ll be amazed! Sat. Aug. 27 On this 1985 date in space history, NASA launched Space Shuttle Discovery on a “pay for delivery to orbit” mission for three clients. Communications satellites were deployed for Australia, American Satellite Co and the US Department of Defense at about $50 million each (plus cost of the satel-
lite) as the Space Transportation System of NASA began ramping up to pay for itself. This mission even retrieved and repaired in the cargo bay another satellite of DOD that was deployed and failed in April 1985. NASA was on a roll as five more missions with paying customers—one a month—was launched. The commercial business of NASA for the Space Shuttle ended in January 1986 when Challenger blew up 70 seconds after launch. Sun. Aug. 28 On this 2009 date STS-128 with orbiter Discovery was rocketed into orbit for the International Space Station. The seven crew members spent 10 days docked to the ISS delivering the Leonardo logistics module loaded with physics and chemistry experiments to be conducted in zero gravity, correctly called “micro gravity.” Mon. Aug. 29 Mercury, Venus and Jupiter are clustered together in the evening twilight in Virgo.
theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 21
Prudent Events From the Last PTA Meeting
7
:00 PM: Meeting called to order, pledge of allegiance held. 7:05 PM: The source of the squeaking sound was determined to be the science class pet ferret loose in the ceiling—Mr. Fiveash called to deal with situation. 7:08 PM: Overwhelming majority votes to defund high school chorus trip to New York City. 7:09 PM: Overwhelming majority votes to fund water polo team trip to Disneyland. 7:15 PM: Meeting opened up to questions from parents. 7:17 PM: Concerned parent asks PTA “Why are we teaching science to our children? Don’t you understand you are placing them in league with the devil?” 7:18 PM: Citizen who supports the question asked by the parent speaks out of turn, demands to know the size of the PTA Chairperson’s hands. 7:19 PM: Awkward silence falls upon the room. 7:25 PM: Bored with the meeting, one PTA board member asks if it would be possible to postpone the rest of that day’s business, and play with a parachute from the PE class. 7:26 PM: PTA votes on who will go and retrieve the parachute from the PE class. 7:28 PM: Member voted to retrieve parachute returns and informs meeting gym door is locked. Asks if anyone has a bobby pin. 7:30 PM: As parachute is brought into meeting area, chairs are cleared and put away. 7:50 PM: After twenty minutes of parachute play, members of the school board arrive and try to stop it. Someone in the room was broadcasting the fun on Facebook. 7:52 PM: As word of the meeting’s play break spreads on social media, and the unsuccessful attempts to stop it, more teachers and area principals arrive. 7:54 PM: The PTA chairperson refuses to stop the parachute play, states “I’ve never felt so alive!”
the casual word
By Langley Shazor
Follow Langley on FB & Youtube at TheCasualword
22 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
7:55 PM: A computer class student hacks the PA system and uses it to play Beyonce. 7:56 PM: Dance party breaks out under the parachute. 7:58 PM: The school superintendent arrives, he is seen phoning the police. 7:59 PM: Angry parent, who approves of the fun dance party, squeezes the contents of a Capri Sun at the superintendent. 8:01 PM: Police arrive, they attempt to break up the party. PTA Chairperson refuses to stop, punches officer in the face as they attempt to remove them from the parachute. 8:02 PM: PTA Chairperson is arrested for assaulting a police officer. 8:05 PM: Police have arrested most of the PTA board, a number of the meeting attendants, while many others have fled. 8:10 PM: Local media begins to salivate over the biggest story of the year. 8:20 PM: Jailed together, those responsible for the parachute fun stage a protest singing of “The Times They Are A-Changin’.” 8:45 PM: All are released, resignation letters are drawn. 9:00 PM: Press releases for the following day are prepared. This concludes the events of the last PTA meeting.
Grand Canyon
Majestic and awe inspiring That is what onlookers see The beauty of centuries A living time capsule I can be seen from miles Seen for miles They say pictures do no justice Living water Birthed from a far off land Giving life Sustaining it I am a great wonder Do they see the scars
Do they see the chaos The instability Which lives deep beneath my skin A dynamic ecosystem Symbiotic and parasitic Depleting nutrients Though it shines bright Beams of light Dance across a tattered Whithered, eroded Soul
Inspirational presentation by hypnotist on Aug. 29 to kick off Acts, Arts, Academia series at Tusculum College
W
ayne Lee will bring his hilarious mix of hypnosis and inspiration to Tusculum College on Monday, Aug. 29, in the kick-off event of the 2016-17 Acts, Arts, Academia performance and lecture series. Lee’s performance will be at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Building on the Greeneville campus. The Acts, Arts, Academia performance and lecture series is a program of Tusculum College Arts Outreach and supported by the late Dr. Sam Miller in memory of Agnes Ault Miller, Hearts for the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, Arts Outreach and generous donors and volunteers. In his presentation, “Set your GPS for Success,” Lee challenges audiences to set their “Great Programmable Subconscious” to reach their goals. While keeping his audiences in stitches, Lee blends in encouraging and thought-provoking points in his presentation. Over the years, Lee has used hypnosis to entertain, excite and mesmerize audiences across N o r t h America in thousands of
shows and p re s e n t a t i o n s and helped people to explore the unlimited potential of the human mind. Beginning with a childhood fascination with magic and visualization, Lee’s driving passion is to help people discover their potential, and acting on that passion has resulted in his opportunities to make presentations worldwide. As a former five-time Canadian amateur wrestling champion and a classroom instructor, Lee has practiced what he teaches. The Acts, Arts, Academia series will continue on Tuesday, Sept. 30, with a lecture by Dr. Deborah Bryan, associate professor of art at Tusculum College. “Looking: Art Around You” will be presented at 7 p.m. in the Behan Arena Theatre on the lower level of the Annie Hogan Byrd Building (side entrance). Theatre-at-Tusculum will hit audiences’ funny bones with its fall production, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” Performances are scheduled for Nov. 4-6 and 10-13 in the Annie Hogan Byrd auditorium. The Christmas season will be marked by performances by the Tusculum College Band Program and Tusculum College Community Chorus. The band program’s holiday concert will be on Tuesday, Nov. 29, in the Annie Hogan Byrd auditorium. The Community Chorus will perform its annual holiday concert under new director Kathy May on Monday, Dec. 5. The first performance in 2017 will be Central Ballet Theatre’s presentation of “Sleeping Beauty: True Love’s Kiss.” Performances are scheduled for Jan. 27-29 in the Annie Hogan Byrd auditorium. On Tuesday, Feb. 7, audiences will have an opportunity to enjoy an evening with esteemed Southern author Crystal Wilkinson. Theatre-at-Tusculum’s spring production will be “Disney’s My Son Pinocchio JR,” the classic tale of an aging toymaker and his beloved wooden puppet. Perfor-
HYPNOTIST . . . continued on page 27
theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 23
Pete’s dragon (3 Dragons out of 4)
A
live action version of the 1977 animated film “Pete’s Dragon” has hit theaters, and the two movies are very different. The animated-musical was set in the 1900’s and the new version is set in the early 1980’s with no singing to be found. In addition, the dragon in this film is a polar opposite from the dragons in “Game of Thrones”. The dragon is this film is named Elliott, and is covered in green hair, while most dragons in entertainment have scales. The film begins when a five-year-old boy named Pete (Levi Alexander and later Oakes Fegley) is in a horrible accident with his parents, which results in him being left alone in a remote forest. That is until he is rescued by the green dragon he later names Elliott. The film then flashes forward six years, and we see how Pete and Elliott have been living in the deep forest and surviving just fine. While he is wondering about one day, Pete sees a forest ranger, Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) in the woods, and manages to steal a locket from her. He is not seen by Grace, but later when Pete sees a tree fall over near his tree house home, and spies the lumberjack crew responsible for the action, Grace’s daughter spots the woods dweller and chases after him. The girls actions leads to a series of events that find Pete in the hospital and then in the home of Grace. Later the lumberjacks, led by Gavin (“Star Trek” star Karl Urban) capture Elliott much to the displeasure of Pete and his new human friends. Thus begins the effort to free Elliott and reunite the fuzzy dragon with his human best friend. The film ends on a positive note and all the characters have happy endings. While the star of the film is definitely the CGI dragon, the film also features award winning actor Robert Redford in the role of Grace’s grandfather, and he is used to great effect. All the actors were great, and Fegley is wonderful in the role of Pete, considering how much time he had to spend pretending to interact with a dragon. As one might expect, the special effects were superb, and Elliott was a well defined and expressive dragon. While you would think he would be a talking dragon like the one in the “Hobbit” movies, the only thing Elliott does is emote and make expressive sounds. Personally I am glad he doesn’t talk, or even sing in the movie, especially considering this is a Disney film. However, Disney does not skip on pulling at our heartstrings, something the company excels in. I, however, refused to tear up over a fictional CGI dragon, even though that could have happened. So if you bring the kids, make sure they have some tissues. Don’t worry, the dragon doesn’t die. I found “Pete’s Dragon” to be a fun family film, with just enough action to keep adults interested, while kids fantasize about having a fuzzy pet dragon. You know, it would be awesome to have a dragon that could fly you to work, so maybe the kids have the right idea. (Rated PG
24 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
Jonesborough to Host Storyteller Jim May
E
mmy award-winning storyteller Jim May, a performer known for his satisfying, intricate personal stories, will be the next teller in residence at the International Storytelling Center (ISC) in Jonesborough. During his weeklong series of live matinee concerts, May will perform a broad selection of folk tales and world myths alongside his signature stories. The entertainer is widely celebrated for his tales about the Nippersink Creek community, the farming enclave in northern Illinois where he’s lived and worked for most of his life. “My family has been here since the 1840s, with these beautiful rolling hills and the trees and the rivers and the lakes and the creeks,” he says. “It’s a hard place to leave when it kind of gets in your blood, I think.” May’s performances in Jonesborough will run August 30 – September 3, Tuesday through Saturday, in downtown Jonesborough. All performances begin at 2:00 p.m. sharp in ISC’s Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall. Tickets are just $12 for adults and $11 for seniors, students, and children under 18. Ticketholders for all performances can present their ticket stubs for a 10 percent discount on same-day dining at JJ’s Eatery and Ice Cream or Main Street Café, two popular eateries in Jonesborough. From May’s vantage in Nippersink Creek, he sees a clear connection between grand myths and simple folk tales. “Traditional stories are not just simple folk tales about everyday life,” he says. “They were these great myths that told about the arch of human civilization. That connected with
the old stories I had heard growing up.” A pragmatist, he sees storytelling as not just an art form, but an essential tool for human survival. “I think a lot of stories were passed from mouths to ears before written language,” he observes. “Before the printing press, people had to go to some effort to remember these stories. Clearly, there’s an implication that they were really necessary for the survival of the human race. Storytellers went to so much trouble and effort to learn them and pass them on.” It’s high storytelling season in Jonesborough, and many Storytelling Live! concerts are selling out. Advance purchase is strongly recommended, though walk-in seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The latest performer in ISC’s renowned Storytelling Live! series, May will be followed by another storyteller each week through the month of October. Information about all performers, as well as a detailed schedule for 2016, is available at www. storytellingcenter.net. The website also features information about the upcoming National Storytelling Festival, which will be October 7 – 9. The premier sponsor of Storytelling Live! is the Mountain States’ Heart & Soul program. The International Storytelling Center is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information about Storytelling Live! or to make a group reservation, call (800) 952-8392 ext. 222 or (423) 913-1276.
theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 25
The Kelly Wolfe Interview
Y
ou know this smiling face and I want you to know the guy behind it. Kelly Wolfe is a familiar face in the region and his family roots run as deep around here as any of us. You have seen marketing for his business and seen people like me put him in the news over the years talking about issues when they arose. But take a few minutes and read up on Kelly Wolfe. His Story is one of a guy from here, successful here and happy here. BRIAN: Kelly, you are definitely from here and those roots run deep. Tell folks who don’t know you a little about your family and what it was like growing up around here. KELLY: Well, as a kid I grew up in and around Jonesborough, technically in a suburb of Jonesborough called Leesburg (bet you didn’t know Jonesborough had suburbs!) and had a wonderful time exploring the outdoors on my bicycle, playing baseball and hunting and fishing pretty much all of the time. Mom made sure we took music lessons and had at least a handful of table manners. Dad taught my brother and me his passions of tennis and baseball and how to be both a good winner and good loser in each. My brother and I were very fortunate to have two parents who loved us. We also had an extended family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who played a big role in our life. I remember running the streets of Jonesborough as a little kid, playing in the creek in my church clothes (much to my mother’s dismay!) and generally having a great time growing up in a small town with lots of good people, young and old, influencing you and making you a better person for the experience. Stories played an important role in transferring knowledge and identity between the generations of our family so it only makes sense that some of my service today involves Jonesborough and its storytelling brand. BRIAN: How did growing up around here influence the type of person you became and the type of people you choose to be around? KELLY: We were instilled with a good sense of right and wrong and learned those lessons from previous generations thanks to having such a close knit family. BRIAN: Lot’s of us who grew up here have a strong sense of faith because we have been brought up in it. What role does faith play in your life? KELLY: Faith plays a very important role in our family life. We attend the Presbyterian Church right here in Jonesborough where my parents joined in the mid 1960s. Growing up I had the great privilege of making many life-long friends and being influenced by some great people thanks to our church life experience. Thanks to my Presbyterian roots I often joke about being “predestined” to have some thing or another happen in life, but the reality is that God is in charge and we just have to have the faith and good sense to believe that He will guide us. I feel called to service because I’m a believer. And if you believe, faith should have a role in every aspect of your life. Jenny and I chose to send our girls to a Christian School to make sure they, too, had the best foundation possible and will better understand the role of God in their lives. Our faith that Jesus provided redemption for us is really the only way that you can look at the world today and have any real sense of optimism at all. BRIAN: Right there beside God for those of us from here is family. I know you are a proud family man, tell us a little about them. KELLY: Jenny and I have two wonderful girls – Audrey, who is 18, begins college this fall and Emma, who is 13, is in the eighth grade at Providence Academy. They’ve been blessed to grow up around their cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents just like we were here in Jonesborough. We try to take time each day to enjoy the journey of life with them and talk about the little things going on in each of their lives. And, as you hope always is the case, eventually they grow up and move on with lives of their own – just as our oldest is doing now. Jenny and I really enjoy time with the girls. BRIAN: I can’t end this interview without giving you a chance to talk about work and community. You are so involved and busy, I have just watched in amazement over the years. Would you tell folks a little about what you have going on in the work and community arenas these days
26 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
and how they can get ahold of you if they want to know more? KELLY: Well we run a homebuilding and property management business, Wolfe Development, and are based here in Jonesborough. We might build 25-35 houses in a year and have several apartments and commercial developments that we have constructed that we manage as well. I’ve been the unpaid but duly elected mayor of the Town of Jonesborough for the past eight years and it has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience. It’s one of those jobs that you go into thinking your time and energies will be spent for the public good and that you’re there to serve and give and that’s the end of it. The secret is, however, that you are really the one gaining from the experience in totally unexpected ways. I’m a better person today for having been involved with the great staff here in the Town and the projects and experiences we’ve taken on together have helped me grow as a leader. Plus the folks in Jonesborough are just awesome. Our citizens are exceptional at pitching in and helping one another on a daily basis and I’ve made so many great new friends from having been involved in this type of community service.
19th Annual Knap In at Fort Watauga
Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park
J
oin Flintknappers from across our region for a weekend long demonstration and gathering of primitive technologists at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park on Saturday and Sunday, August 27 & 28 from 10 am to 4 pm each day. This fun, family weekend only happens once a year so we hope you will stop by! The art of flintknapping is the process of making stone tools, such as arrowheads, spear points and other survival tools, using traditional tools. This skill has been passed down through generations and for the annual Knap in at Sycamore Shoals, you will have the opportunity to enjoy demonstrations of the craft along with other tools used by primitive cultures worldwide. Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park 1651 W. Elk Avenue Elizabethton, TN 37643 423-543-5808 www.sycamoreshoalstn.org
HYPNOTIST . . . continued from page 23 mances are scheduled for Feb. 17-19 and Feb. 23-26 in the Behan Arena Theatre. The Tusculum Band will present its winter concert on Tuesday, Feb. 28, in the Annie Hogan Byrd auditorium. The Malprass Brothers will bring their brand of traditional country music to the stage on Thursday, March 16, in the Annie Hogan Byrd auditorium. During the Old Oak Festival, Theatre-at-Tusculum in conjunction with the college’s English Department will present “5 x 10,” five-ten minute plays by Tusculum students. Performances will be April 20-23 in the Behan Arena Theatre. The series will conclude with the spring concerts by the Tusculum Band Program and Community Chorus. The Community Chorus will perform on Monday, April 24, and the band program’s presentation will be Sunday, April 30. Admission to the events is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors above the age of 60 and $5 for children 12 years of age and under except for the presentations by Dr. Deborah Bryan and Crystal Wilkinson and the “5 x 10” plays , which will be $7, and the band and Community Chorus concerts which have no admission charge. For more information on any of these events, or to reserve tickets for the Wayne Lee performance, call Tusculum College Arts Outreach at 423-798-1620, or email jhollowell@tusculum.edu. theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 27
Let’s Catch ‘Em All!
R
Photo and article by
ecently you may have asked yourself why everyone seems to always be on their phones. Children and adults alike can be seen huddled in groups at street corners, cheering in front of churches, and running to the nearest park they can find. Well this week we have decided to change things up. We’re going to put up our hiking boots and trade them in for a pair of running shoes as we wander off the beaten path. What we’re going to bring you this week is the latest craze that has swept the country, none other than Pokémon
Go! First up, you should know what a Pokémon is. No, it’s not just the adorable yellow mouse you see almost every day known as Pikachu. Pokémon is in fact a media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, a Japanese Consortium between Nintendo and Game Freak. Still unsure? Let’s look a little deeper into the name. According to The Pokémon Company, Pokémon (short for pocket monsters) are creatures of all shapes and sizes who live in the wild alongside humans. For the most part, Pokémon do not speak except to utter their names. They are captured, raised, and trained by their owners (called “trainers”). During their adventures, Pokémon can grow, gain experience, and even evolve on occasion into a stronger Pokémon. While there are currently 145 Pokémon waiting to be captured in Pokémon Go, over seven hundred species which inhabit the Pokémon universe so far, with more being added with each new game title released. So what makes Pokémon Go so addictive? Is it the scavenger hunt trying to find every species, spending time outdoors and exploring new areas, or perhaps the competition? The answer can be all of the above and so much more, depending on who you ask. For many players, battling their Pokémon against each other at “gyms” to gain its control gives them that adrenaline rush they crave. Players also compete to level up faster, catch more monsters, and evolve new species before their friends. Many others find the mobile game to be a fun stimulus for exercise. Being GPS based, Pokemon Go requires players to walk and explore different areas in order to collect supplies, hatch eggs, and find more Charmanders to catch. A majority of participants have noticed a sharp increase in their daily activity levels, with some walking upwards of five miles each day. That’s a lot of calories burned just to hatch another Eevee! Perhaps at this point your interest in the game has grown, and you may be wondering how you can start playing. Well the good news is, you can play the game any way you want. There is no right or wrong way to play. You can play slow and take your time, or you can buy extra items in the online store to push you ahead and allow you to level up much faster. You can focus on completing your Pokedex (an encyclopedia on every Pokémon species) or see how quickly you can take over all the gyms in your neighborhood. However you decide to play, soon you will be forced to choose a team that you will represent and fight for throughout the rest of your game. There are three teams to choose from: • Team Instinct, which is led by Spark and their beloved mascot, the equally disheveled Zapdos. With his legendary bird by his side, Spark encourages players to trust their instincts as well as their Pokémon. • Team Mystic, which is headed by Blanche, is all about wisdom. Articuno, the legendary bird of ice, serves as a regal emblem for the team which emphasizes a logical and academic approach. • The inimitable Team Valor, which is awash with the color of fiery passion, has a formidable leader in Candela and is driven to do and be the very best. Keen on power and strength while also emphasizing grit and determination, our squad is led by the fiery-feathered Moltres. Soon after picking your team you’ll know if you will be around for the long haul. Many miles will need to be walked and hundreds of Pokémon must be caught before you’ll reach the upper ranks and be able to battle in the gyms. With patience and a bit of luck, however, you’ll soon be capturing much higher level Pokémon and be well on your way to becoming a Pokémon master. As much fun as the game can be, however, please remember the rules of the real world still
28 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
A Pokemon sits on the sidewalk inside the Dollywood Theme Park awaiting to be captured. apply. Cars will still hit you, sewers can be fallen into, and your grumpy neighbor still wants you to stay off his grass. Also, please do not play while driving. Not only is it unsafe, but it’s also illegal. Trespassing is one of the major faults found with players, so please don’t climb fences or try to go in restricted areas. You’ll have another chance to catch that Blastoise farther down the road. For your safety, don’t play alone in unfamiliar areas or anywhere after it gets dark. Be aware of who you’re with and also of your surroundings, and you’ll have a great time. We wanted this to serve as an introduction to the game while also providing you with just a small idea of how much fun it can be! It really has helped us stay more active, encouraging us to go for morning runs before work, walk instead of driving to the store, and explore new areas of our community we never would have seen otherwise. With all the fun, exercise, and exploration in store (not to mention all those wild Pikachus!) how can you say no? We hope you have as much as we are! And remember…not all those who wander are lost.
Rimfire Rifle Series Pt. 4: Remington 597
S
o far in the Rimfire Rifle Series we’ve looked at the Canadian Savage 64F, the Brazilian Mossberg 702 Plinkster, and the Czech made CZ 512, this week we look at the all American Remington 597. While I am a huge fan of both the 64F and the Plinkster, and I’m falling fast for the CZ 512 I’d be lying if I didn’t admit the Remington 597 is the finest rifle we’ve looked at. It simply surpasses the others in quality, reliability, accuracy, and value for the money. First let’s look at some of the more common features of the 597. The first is its synthetic stock, available in different styles from black, gray, camo and pink camo. Next we have the barrel which is the standard 20 inches, it is important to note the barrel is a high quality carbon steel. The 597 also comes with a standard 10 round detachable box magazine, and open sights. Now let’s look at some of the unique features that sets the 597 apart. The first of which is the sight system, while not as sophisticated as the CZ 512 sight system, the sights on the 597 are adjustable and it comes standard with a fiber-optic front sight. While we’ve primarily focused on the specs of each of the rifles we’ve looked at including barrel length, weight, etc. I’d like to take a moment to talk about the internal components of the 597. To quote Remington “The difference starts with our proprietary boltguidance system, which features a unique set of twin tool-steel guide rails for better stability, feeding reliability and greater out-of-the-box accuracy.” I couldn’t have said it better myself, it’s no secret that Remington rifles have best actions of any rifle brand on earth. There’s a reason America’s elite snipers build their rifles around Remington actions, and have been for decades. The improved action in the 597 allows for reduced recoil and therefore increased accuracy. While the 597 comes with a 10 round magazine high capacity magazines are available. The weight of the 597 is 5.5lbs which is common for Rimfire rifles with synthetic stocks. As impressive as the 597 is it does have a flaw, I used to own one of these rifles and was impressed
with every aspect of it except one. The factory 10 round magazines are made of aluminum and at that time at least had weak springs which resulted in failure to feed quite often. Now this was about five years ago so the problem may have been fixed, at any rate a higher capacity aftermarket magazine might be advisable. In all honesty though the 597 is the finest rimfire rifle I ever owned and I’m not alone, the online reviews for this rifle are consistent and positive. Although a bit more expensive than the 64F and the Plinkster the 597 actually comes in below the CZ 512 with an MSRP of $309.00. I don’t know about you but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this series. Having researched and owned a few of the rifles in this series, If I were to go buy a rimfire rifle today, I would go with the Mossberg 702 Plinkster with the walnut stock and a 25 round magazine. But if you’re in the market for a rimfire rifle I encourage you to go to your local gun store and pick each one up, handle it, and whichever one feels the best go with it. None of the rifles in this series are of poor quality, so you can’t go wrong, just pick the one that’s right for you. As always I hope you enjoyed this article, if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me, I look forward to your feedback. Sources: https://www.remington.com/rifles/rimfire/model-597/model-597-pink-camo
theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 29
Answers on page 32
30 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
pets of the week
Albert is a 3 year old Great Pyrenes mix. He is neutered and up to date on all vaccines. This sweet boy needs a home and loves to play!
Ripley is a 4 year old hound mix. He is neutered and up to date on all vaccines. This cutie is looking for his fur ever home!
The Bridge Home has an ongoing aluminum can can collection in front of the shelter at 2061 Hwy 75 in Blountville,TN 37617. The cans are collected by a volunteer and the money from the aluminum goes towards badly needed food and supplies for the animals The Bridge Home No Kill Animal Rescue has started a pet food pantry for people that have had financial hardships because of job loss or medical problems and are struggling to feed their pet. They can come by the shelter and get cat or dog food to get through the tough time. Donations can be sent to The Bridge Home Shelter PO Box 654 Blountville, TN 37617 Every animal in their care is spayed or neutered and fully vaccinated before being adopted. Being a non profit the shelter is funded entirely by membership dues and private donations. They always need volunteers or monetary donations. Other always needed items:pet food, cat litter & cat toys dog treats & dog toys,paper towels, cleaners, office supplies,Purina weight circles. Phone: 423.239.5237 Hours are Mon-Fri 12pm-6pm Sat 12pm3pm and Sun 2pm-4pm. Website is www.bridgehomerescue@gmail. com or like them on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/bridgehome
theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 31
things to do
Do Something BIG Bringing Hope Through Mentoring: Big Brothers Big Sisters
Have you ever wondered how you can do something BIG to make a difference in the life of a child in need? Sometimes just having someone to talk with can turn a path of hopelessness into one of survival. That’s one of the compelling premises behind the work of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Tri-Cities. Spending 2 to 4 hours a month with an atrisk youth can help them improve in school, their behavior and their self-esteem. Our local Big Brothers Big Sisters office is part of one of the oldest and largest youth mentoring organizations in the United States. It’s a system that has been proven to work and transforms the lives of children who might not otherwise ever get the support they need to grow and successfully meet life’s challenges. Child-volunteer matches are made based on in-depth and comprehensive interviewing with parents, children and
potential volunteers. Stringent safeguards are in place to assure that all parties are safe. Volunteer and parent engagement and training also play a big role. Anyone wanting to find out more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Tri-Cities should contact the office by calling 423-247-3240, or visiting TennesseeBig.org.3, 2016. Free. Info: www.folkheritage. org or (828)258-6101 x345.
Still Life Painting Class, Taught by Donna Bird
Wednesdays 6-8pm July 13 - August 31 $25 per session This class will cover basics of still life painting in this casual once a week “drop in” class. Discover the beauty of painting still life with oil or acrylics as we work through the elements of a painting including:
studies in basic drawing, direction of light, value, mixing color, design and proportion. There is a lot to learn! Donna Bird moved to East Tennessee in 2008 and has established herself firmly in the arts community. As the manager of Art in the Heart Gallery she holds a BFA in Graphic Design and has continued to pursue her love of painting through classes and workshops with local and nationally known artists Art in the Heart Gallery 246 Broad Street Kingsport, TN 423-480-9702 www.EngageKingsport.com
Computer Classes @ the Jonesborough Library 10:00 – 11:00 am
The Jonesborough Library will offer a series of computer classes in August: Aug. 26 Introduction to Social Media These classes are free and open to the public. Space is limited and registration is required. To register, please call the Jonesborough library at 753-1800.
Cryptogram: The story of a love is not important - what is important is that one is capable of love. It is perhaps the only glimpse we are permitted of eternity. Drop Quote: “When one loses the deep intimate relationship with nature, then temples, mosques and churches become important.”
32 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
Open To The Public
First Broad Street United Methodist Church, located at 100 East Church Circle in Kingsport, will be offering several small group classes that will be of interest to and open to the community. “Financial Peace University with Dave Ramsey” is being held at First Broad Street UMC and started on August 31 with an Orientation. The series itself will begin on September 7 at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday nights in the church’s theater. Dave Ramsey is America’s “trusted voice on money.” In this nine week class, you will learn Ramsey’s seven easy-tofollow steps to create a budget, get out of debt, and make a plan for your money. Learn important basics of a healthy financial life through engaging videos and meaningful homework assignments. This class will be facilitated by Les Heaton and J.D. Poe, both of whom are experienced Financial Peace Advisors. The materials for this class cost $95. Limited partial scholarships are available. Please call 423224-1502 with your name and contact information to register your intent to attend. “Parenting: 21st Century Style” will be led by Dr. Michelle Estes, an experienced pediatrician, and her husband, Rob Estes, who is a career educator with more than two decades of experience in serving two school systems, Knox County and Kingsport City Schools. The class will meet on Wednesdays beginning September 7 from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. The class will be held at the church and will run for six weeks. There is no fee to attend “Parenting: 21st Century Style.” Please call 423224-1502 with your name and contact information to register your intent to attend. “Alpha” will be offered at First Broad Street UMC on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. beginning September 14. “Alpha”
will be of particular interest to those who are not familiar with the Christian faith or are new to the faith but seeking to better understand the foundations of Christian belief. The sessions will be facilitated by Rev. Harrison Bell. Alpha is a series of sessions typically run over eleven weeks. Each talk looks at a different question around faith and is designed to create conversation. Alpha is run all around the globe, and everyone is welcome. Please call 423-224-1502 with your name and contact information to register your intent to attend. There is no fee to attend these sessions. For details about these and other small groups at FBSUMC, visit www.fbsumc.org or contact Rev. Misti McCreary at mmccreary@fbsumc.org. For general information about FBSUMC, contact the church office at 423-246-4471.
Start Smart Lacrosse registration open
Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St., will offer Start Smart Lacrosse, an introductory lacrosse sports program, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Sept. 1-Oct. 6. The program, instructed by Parks and Recreation staff, will teach children ages 7-9 the basic skills of lacrosse with developmentally appropriate equipment and stations. Parents or guardians are required to be involved one-on-one with their child during the one-hour instruction. Space is limited to 15 participants, and registration is now open online at www.johnsoncitytn.org/parksrec. Program fee is $25 for City residents and $30 for non-City residents. Each child will receive a Start Smart T-shirt. Participants should wear appropriate athletic clothing, tennis shoes, and bring a water bottle. Please call 434-5749 for more information.
PLACING A CLASSIFED LINE AD:
Go to: www.theloaferonline.com, create an account, and enter your classified. Call 423282-1907 or email: classifieds@theloaferonline.com if you have any questions.
107 Services
70 Real Estate KINGSPORT LOT for sale by owner. 423-247-7959 $ 8,500.00
107 Services
Pet Grooming Professional Pet groomer for most dog breeds and cats. Over 20 years experience. I can have most pets groomed and ready to go home in 2 hours. This eliminates stress on your pet. Groom includes trim,bath,blow dry,ear cleaning,anal gland expression and nail trim. Located at 410 Hazelwood St Bristol TN. Visit our Family Pet Grooming Facebook page. Prices start at 25.00 Give is a try, you Will be glad you did. Call or text for an appointment 276-591-0877
107 Services NOTHING MAKES A PROPERTY LOOK BETTER THAN A NICE SLATE-BLACK PARKING LOT OR DRIVEWAY!!
For The Best Hair Services In The Tri-Cities Area 423-534-9825 We are a full service salon owned and operated by hair stylist Sandi Smith, that offers professional cuts, styles, colors, perms, waxing, manicures, and pedicures all at affordable prices. The best prices in the Tri-Cities area. Mens haircuts are $10. Womens are $12. Sandi has over 32 years experience in the business and she wants to help you get your style on! We are located at 943 Volunteer Parkway in Bristol, Tennessee, near Auto Zone. Appointments available and Walk-ins welcome.
107 Services
107 Services
experience needed. The male for an edgy masculine portrait shoot, the female for a glamour portrait shoot. Your shoot will take place on a weekday at a local outdoor public park/ venue in the Tri- city Tn area. For modeling you will receive a complimentary photo shoot, professional makeover, 2 fin**N&N Photography ished images on a dvd disc and Model Call** the experience to be a model Phone: 423-956-0820 Model Call: We are looking for for a day! Email us today to re2 models, one male 18+ and serve your space! one female 18+. No modeling
venue in the tri-city area, TN. For modeling you will receive a complimentary photo shoot, professional makeover, 2 finished images on a dvd and the experience to be a model for a day! If you are interested please email us. Thank you!
Affordable Professional Wedding & Event Photography Phone: 423-956-0820 • Asphalt Sealing N&N Photography offers Af• Crack Repai fordable Professional Wedding • Line Striping! Book your and Event Photography in appointment today for a free Johnson City, Tn and surroundquote! 423-383-3553 ing areas. We photograph Interior Painting (Senior Spe- Events, Engagements, Weddings, Prom, Senior, Glamour cials ! ) 315-725-0562 Interior Painting - A new paint Portraits, Sports, Graduation, job inside will make your Family, Sweetheart, Individual home feel like a million bucks Portrait Shoots (male or fe! Beautiful soothing, appealing male), & more. See our website www.nandnphotoshoot. COLORS ! Bedrooms, Living at: Rooms, ALL Rooms, Whole com and our Facebook page at: House ! High Quality Paint- https://www.facebook.com/ ing Service. SENIOR SPECIAL nandnphotoshoot/ for more ! Call / text David TODAY @ information and pricing. “Let our Passion, Capture Yours.” 315-725-0562 -N&N Ph Model Call** Phone: 423-956-0820 **Model Call: I am looking for 2 models, one male 18+ and one female 18+. No modeling experience needed. One for a male edgy masculine portrait shoot, the female for a glamour portrait shoot. Your shoot will take place on a weekday at a local outdoor public park/
Follow us on
theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 33
PLACING A CLASSIFED LINE AD:
Go to: www.theloaferonline.com, create an account, and enter your classified. Call 423282-1907 or email: classifieds@theloaferonline.com if you have any questions.
145 Mind, Body & Spirit Stop Smoking Naturally with Hypnosis Tired of being chained to the deadly habit of smoking? Are you motivated to stop smoking without using chemicals or chewing gum or wearing patches? I can help motivate you to stop this expensive, negative, unhealthy habit. Call us today at A New Path Hypnosis, 423-341-8898 or visit www.anewpathhypnosis.com to get started living a healthier life today. Free information session for all new clients.
Like us on
63 Community Tri Cities Ladies Only Board Game Group - 423-609-575 This is a Meetup group for ladies either bi, lesbian or straight who are serious about playing board/card games. We want ladies who will actually attend game nights. The goal of the group is for ladies to meet, get to know each other, form friendships while playing different types of games: Cards Against Humanity, Masquerade, Nanuk, Coup, Cash
63 Community N Guns, Dixit, One Night Ultimate Vampire, Smart Ass, The Game of Baloney, The Game of Things, Salem: A Card Game of Deception and Exploding Kittens.
137 Transportation 1999 Mazda Miata for sale Price: $Â 1,600.00 Needs some work. Black on black. 131,000 miles. $1,600.00. Call 423-833-2095
34 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com
Follow us on
ARE YOU READY FOR HDR-TV?
I
n his provocative and entertaining new book, OVERCOMPLICATED: TECHNOLOGY AT THE LIMITS OF COMPREHENSION, Samuel Arbesman (author of the equally thought-provoking THE HALF-LIFE OF FACTS), reflects on a topic that is very familiar to most of us— the ever-increasing complexity of technology and our ever-increasing inability to understand what all this technology is about. Just think about it—how many of us can give a coherent explanation of how a smartphone or a remote control works? And, with the advent of the Internet of Things, we are surrounded and perhaps threatened by a host of incomprehensible gadgets. Add the coming era of robotics and machine learning to the mix and we might as well be actors in a remake of the 1957 classic, “The Incredible Shrinking Man” (a movie I happen to be watching as I write this). According to Arbesman, “We are of two minds about all this complexity. On the one hand, we built these incredibly complicated systems, and that’s something to be proud of. They might not work as expected all the time, but they are phenomenally intricate edifices. On the other hand, almost everything we do in the technological realm seems to lead us away from elegance and understandability, and toward impenetrable complexity and unexpectedness.” In other words, we have a love-hate relationship with the gadgets we create. And, needless to say, we are also more than a little fearful that our machines will become smarter that we are, making us very dispensable indeed. One example of this love-hate relationship is our TV sets. Of course, we don’t refer to these as “sets” any longer, but there is something oddly comforting about reverting to “back in the day” descriptions of technological objects. TVs are, like most of the gadgets in our lives, constantly competing for our attention and instilling in us the anxiety that comes from fearing we are not keeping up with the latest trends. Although we are surrounded by screens, that thing with a screen that still dominates our living rooms commands a great deal of our attention after all these years. And ever since the 1930s, it has undergone many transformations, none of which have been as rapid or as incomprehensible as what we are witnessed today (as if there ever was a time when we could explain how a TV set works). Get ready for yet another transformation. In a recent issue of Reviewed. com, Lee Neikirk informs us about the next stage in TV development. Remember 4K, the development that was reported to be the last word in TV realism? Well, as might be predicted, this was not a very accurate prediction. Neikirk tells us that “4K/UHD has moved from buzzword to mainstream, and has been replaced by yet another confusing acronym: HDR,” which stands for “High Dynamic Range.”
I don’t pretend to understand what all this means, but I do know, from reading Neikirk’s article, that HDR promises to give us the ultimate (beware that word) in “chromatic resolution.” This means that an HDR picture is more colorful than anything we have ever seen—except perhaps reality itself. Of course, in our digital universe, reality often pales in comparison to virtual reality (which is in itself a version of reality). In his column, Neikirk uses the example of a glass Coca-Cola bottle. Interestingly enough, the “classic red of Planet Earth’s most popular soda is one of those super-vibrant hues that traditional TVs actually can’t display.” After an excursion into the technicalities of producing color by digital means, Neikirk gets around to explaining how chromatic resolution is the key to HDR being able to do more than we have imagined in color reproduction. To make a long story short, “HDR TVs should (and will) be capable of 10-bit color depth, which allows for over 1 billion colors.” I guess until we watch an HDR image we can’t truly comprehend what this means. But I’m sure it will be impressive, especially when we are watching Coke bottles. Of course, all this impressive visual imagery will not be cheap. Like any other technological breakthrough, the first HDR TVs will be affordable only to the fortunate few. If the rest of us mortals will just wait a year or two, at the point where something new and better than HDR should be coming along, we will see the prices of HDR plummet. It is only just now that I can think about purchasing a 4K TV to replace my now Jurassic 42” 1080i (not p) TV, which I think still looks pretty darn good. Even if it can’t accurately convey the true color of a red Coke bottle. But, I suppose I should long for “a future with brighter lights, deeper shadows, and more saturated colors. . .” Is this Utopia, or what? In another review from TrustedReviews, I found a summary of what we should look forward to with our new HDR TV: “But if you want to get technical, LED TVs will give you an HDR image with better peak brightness but less deep blacks, while OLED TVs will give you an HDR image with lower peak brightness but deeper blacks.” Is that perfectly clear? If only reviews of HDR TVs were as vibrant as the actual HDR image is reputed to be. But wait, there’s more. In the same TrustedReviews review, we learn that “Sony is rumoured to be preparing for the release of the world’s first HDR smartphone.” Darn, I guess I should cancel my order for that long-awaited Galaxy Note 7. How can I possibly use it without an HDR display? Should I wait another year? This is the dilemma presented by modern technology, and a case in point of what Arbesman has to say about our love-hate relationship with all the technological complexity (and incomprehension) that surrounds us. I will leave you to reflect on these grand questions while I bring this week’s column to a close. In the meantime, we can only hope you will soon be reading this column in glorious HDR on your smartphone. See you (no pun intended) next week. theloaferonline.com | August 23, 2016 | 35
36 | August 23, 2016 | theloaferonline.com