The Loafer January 16th by The Loafer

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

on the cover

Volume 32 • Issue #7 Publisher Luci Tate

Cards, Craps & Cocktails

Editor Graphic Arts Director Don Sprinkle

Advertising Patti Barr Paul Kavanaugh Janie Jarvis Carolyn Kestner Office Coordinator Amanda Lane

Contributing Staff Jim Kelly Andy Ross Ken Silvers Mark Marquette Brian Bishop Daniel Worley Jason Worley Langley Shazor Jon Lester Distribution Jerry Hanger Teresa Hanger Published by Pulse Publishing, LLC., P.O. Box 3238, Johnson City, TN 37602 Phone: 423/283-4324 FAX - 423/283-4369 www.theloaferonline.com info@theloaferonline.com e-mail: editorial@theloaferonline.com adcopy@theloaferonline.com All advertisements are accepted and published by the publisher upon the 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 lossof 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 Let’s Get Social!

columns & reviews

Social Media Manager Jon Lester

18 Stargazer John Young was NASA's & America's Best 19 Skies This Week 20 Batteries Not Included The Saint and The Falcon 21 Pop Life Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle 22 Appalachian Wanderers Everglades National Park 25 The Casual Word Wraith 26 Puzzle Page 29 Kelly’s Place Texting. Period.

your week’s line-up

CASINO NIGHT

Cover Design Bill May

4 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 14 16 23 24 25 27 28

Casino Night The Blue Moon Theatre "Things Stranger" JRT presents Meet Me in St. Louis Along the Horizon Exhibit Mountain Music Museum Reopens DIY Pallet Class Exhibit to Honor Local Artist & Illustrator Football Playoffs in Full Swing "What Happens in Vegas..." Foggy Valley Comedy The Buddz Bringing Rock & Roll to HRBC Spotlight Open Auditions for Neverending Story Welcome Back Contra Dance Benefit Ride for Jimmy Crain Pets Of The Week Things To Do

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

T Cards, Craps & Cocktails

CASINO Night

General Morgan Inn

Greeneville, TN

January 20th

hey don't call it G-Vegas for nothing! Join us Saturday, January 20th for a night of Cards, Craps, and Cocktails Presented by BoomCo, INC at the beautiful General Morgan Inn in downtown Greeneville, TN. Try your luck at any of our 10 Casino tables with "funny money" that you will be given when you arrive. You will also be able to "bet" our digital horse races! At the end of the night you will exchange your "funny money" for tickets you can use to win fabulous prizes! Some of the things you can look forward to are:

Heavy Hors d'oeuvres 10 Casino type tables for gaming entertainment and digital horse racing DJ and dancing Door Prizes Silent and Live Auction Cash Bar

Hosted by SteppenStone Youth Treatment Services

This event is possible because of our WONDERFUL Sponsors! Please do business with those that support our community! If you would like to sponsor this event please contact Dessi at 423-292-2919. We want to send a BIG THANK YOU to our Presentation Sponsor BoomCo, Inc! BoomCo, Inc Equipment Rentals Marathon/ QuickStop Market TEVET/ Capitol Theatre Edward Jones Cafe to Go Segmental Partnership Big Time Beverage Andrew Johnson Bank Parkway Discount Wine and Liquor Appalachian Printing Shell Signs and Wraps Livewire Radio 103.9 and 1420 Sports Radio

Your ticket also includes admission to the Capitol After-Party located at the Capitol Theatre next door immediately following the event. Tickets are $100 a person and can be purchased by going to Eventbrite.com or contacting SteppenStone Youth Treatenent Services. The proceeds from this event benefit SteppenStone Youth Treatment Services. PLAY AND STAY!!! Book your room at the beautiful General Morgan Inn for a special rate of $99 by calling 423-787-1000 or at www.generalmoraninn. com using the group code 59123 . (This rate is available for double occupancy on the night of the event only. ) SteppenStone is a continuum of treatment programs provided within a safe, caring, environment, for boys 1217 years old who have experienced significant trauma, abuse, and/or neglect and have developed emotional and behavioral issues. Services include year-round residential treatment, foster care, adoption, and a fully accredited school. The primary goal of SteppenStone is to help these young men heal and develop skills to become successful, healthy adults. SteppenStone has been taking care of adolescent boys since 2003.

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

The Blue Moon Theatre has a

STRANGE start to the New Year!

he Blue Moon Theatre Company located at 215 E. Main St., is bringing back the original murder mystery spoof Thing Stranger by popular demand. Playing Downtown Johnson City Friday and Saturday nights January 19th, 20th, 26th and 27th. When the rights to the hit TV series "Things Stranger" are purchased by the worlds biggest waffle company, famed director Kevin Spillburg threatens to quit the show due to recasting. Meet Justin, Barb and the real townspeople of Dawkins Indiana. Someone in town is murderously mad about the changes in store for season 2. Find out if a jaded television director can work with the real sheriff of Dawkins Indiana and a crew of misfits to help them solve a Murder Mystery that turns out to be a strange thing indeed.

“

When we re-opened the theatre doors last November with THINGS STRANGER, audiences enjoyed helping us solve the murder mystery so much we had to bring it back to the stage this year" Artstic Director Edward Breese

Things Stranger pokes fun at the 1980's and pop culture while giving the audience a chances to participate by answering trivia questions and voting on who done it. Tickets are just $17 tax included. This performance is show only, but candy and soda may be purchased before the show and at intermission. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the performance begins at 8 p.m. For more information or to reserve your tickets, call 926-1044 or visit us on Facebook for information about upcoming shows. The Blue Moon Theatre Company - Where The Stars Come Out To Shine!

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

The JRT presents

Meet Me in St. Louis

The Jonesborough Repertory Theatre is excited to present the classic musical, Meet Me in St. Louis. It will run January 26 through February 11 at the theatre located at 125½ West Main Street in Jonesborough.

ased on the heartwarming MGM film, Meet Me in St. Louis is a rare treasure in the musical theatre world: a wholesome and delightful portrait of a turn-of-thecentury American family. It is the summer of 1903, and the Smith family eagerly anticipates the opening of the 1904 World’s Fair. Over the course of a year, the family’s mutual respect—tempered with good-natured humor—helps them through romance, opportunity, and heartbreaks. Memorable musical numbers include “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Boy Next Door,” “The Trolley Song,” and “Whenever I’m with You.” This delightful show is directed by Karen Elb, with music direction by Jennifer Ross. It is sponsored by Ferguson, and by Sonia King and Mary B. Martin. Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00. Tickets are $16 general admission, $14 for students and seniors. To purchase tickets, call the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center at 423.753.1010 or go online to www.jonesboroughtheatre.com.

Festivals

Got an event coming up?

Events

Send it to The Loafer! info@theloaferonline.com

Concerts

Exhibits

‘Along the Horizon’ exhibit draws together artists, styles

ennessee is 440 miles across with six very different geographical regions – plains, plateau, basin, valleys, ridges and mountains. Even when discussing visual arts in the state, the distance and differences often overshadow the conversation. Before advances in transportation, the rugged and varied terrain and elevations separated the state’s people and products. It still does, say Vanessa Mayoraz and Andrew Ross, ETSU Art & Design faculty members who have curated a new-year exhibition titled Along the Horizon: Contemporary Drawing in Tennessee, on display at East Tennessee State University’s Reece Museum Jan. 16 through Feb. 23 and at Slocumb Galleries through Feb. 16. “As soon as you say you’re going to do something that’s going to connect all Tennessee, all [artists] talk about is how different it is,” Ross says. “While picking up the artwork, I found that the artists themselves were making clear differentiations between the regions, where they were and where other artists are … But one thing that was also very clear is that everyone would say that they feel very disconnected.” So the two ETSU art professors decided to close the gap a bit with a Tennessee drawing exhibition. “We thought it would be very nice to come together over the idea of drawing and sort of bringing Tennessee together through a medium,” says Ross, assistant professor of drawing. Visual artists featured in Along the Horizon are: Ben Butler, Memphis; Nick DeFord, Knoxville; Althea Murphy-Price, Knoxville; Rob Matthews, Nashville; Joel Parsons, Memphis; Jonathan Adams, Johnson City; Paula Kovarik, Memphis; Dawn Martin Dickins, Clarksville; P.A. Turner, Telford; Wade Guyton, formerly Knoxville/ currently in New York; John Hilton, Johnson City; Denise Stewart-Sanabria, Knoxville; and Richard A. Lou, Memphis. Adams and Hilton are ETSU Art & Design alumni, while Lou is chair of the Department of Art at University of Memphis and DeFord is program director at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Lou will also serve on a panel that will convene Thursday, Feb. 15, at 5:30 p.m. in Ball Hall room 127 to discuss drawing as a medium and drawing in Tennessee. Joining him, says Ross, will be Knoxville artist Stewart-Sanabria and Stephen Wicks, Barbara W. and Bernard E. Bernstein curator

at the Knoxville Museum of Art. The panel discussion in Ball Hall is free and open to the public and will be followed by a reception in Reece Museum, starting at 7 p.m. The discussion and the dualgallery exhibition are designed to expand perspectives – on drawing and mark-making, as well as the bond it creates across a vast state such as Tennessee, despite the inherent geographic silos. Along the Horizon is an exhibition for all levels of viewers – from arts novice to practitioner, Ross says. “If they want to know more about drawing as a medium to begin with, this is a really good place to see that, to see the spectrum of what drawing has to offer contemporarily,” he says. “I think it will challenge their ideas of what drawing is. Reece Museum at 363 Stout Drive and Slocumb Galleries at 232 Sherrod Drive are open MondayFriday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Other hours are on case-by-case basis. Parking and handicapped access are available. For information about the Along the Horizon: Contemporary Drawing in Tennessee exhibition, please call the Reece Museum at 423-439-4392 or visit www.etsu.edu/reece or visit Slocumb Galleries, on the web at etsu.edu/cas/art/galleries or call 423-483-3179. For more information on Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, visit www.etsu.edu/martin or call 423-439-8587.

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

So Close Yet So Far

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

MountainMusicMuseum Reopening in Kingsport

Celebration will include performance by Ralph Stanley II & the Clinch Mountain Boys.

hree months after closing in Bristol, Tennessee, the Mountain Music Museum is gearing up to reopen at its new home at 316 Broad Street in nearby Kingsport, with special guests and new exhibits, on Saturday, January 27, from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. The celebration will include a live performance by Grammy-winner Ralph Stanley II & the Clinch Mountain Boys, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Other performers throughout the day will include bluegrass artist Tim White, country singer Kaitlyn Baker and Master of Ceremonies will be Rick Dollar! Admission to the museum, which is usually $5, will be free during the grand reopening. “Our region is rich in the traditions of mountain music,” said Kingsport Mayor John Clark. “From bluegrass to gospel to old time and classic country music, we are excited to see them on display in Downtown Kingsport. The Carter Fold is just across the ridge on the ‘sunny side’ of Clinch Mountain in Hiltons, Virginia, and their instruments were purchased right here on Broad Street. The Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville has the lyrics of the Carter Family song ‘Will the Circle Be Unbroken’ etched on its walls. Today, country music a multibillion industry. That started here. I’m excited to see it come full circle.” “We are excited about our new location,” said Rick Dollar, the museum’s newly appointed executive director. “There is more space for more exhibits. We have a lot of great things planned for 2018.” One new exhibit at the Mountain Music Museum will be a collection of memorabilia related to the late Dr. Ralph Stanley, who lived in McClure, Virginia, about 60 miles north of Kingsport. “Ralph II offered to donate some of his personal items to us,” Dollar said. “When we saw them, we knew right away that they deserved to be in a museum. We are grateful to the Stanley family.” The museum was established in 1998 by the nonprofit Appalachian Cultural Music Association (ACMA). Dollar said he hopes the new location will help to further distinguish the Mountain Music Museum from the Birthplace of Country Music

Museum in Bristol, which people sometimes confuse. While both museums celebrate the history of country music, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is focused primarily on the 1927 Bristol Sessions, the famed recordings produced in a makeshift studio in Bristol that launched the country music industry. The Mountain Music Museum in Kingsport celebrates the evolution of country music, by reaching farther back in history, to when immigrants settled in the surrounding mountains in the 1800s, bringing their Irish, Scottish and African rhythms with them. “It’s no coincidence that bluegrass music sounds similar to a lot of Irish and Scottish music,” chairman of the ACMA board, museum cofounder as well as host of the nationally syndicated public television concert series Song of the Mountains. "What people think of as American mountain music is really an off-shoot of music that immigrants brought with them from other countries.” In addition to historical exhibits, the Mountain Music Museum also features live music on a regular basis, most notably “The Pickin’ Porch,” a weekly show hosted by Rick Dollar. Performances by national artists will take place at the Kingsport Renaissance Arts Center, while emerging artists will perform at the museum. Additionally, the museum is planning an outdoor concert series called Bluegrass on Broad. Details will be announced at a later date. The Mountain Music Museum is managed and promoted by the all-volunteer, nonprofit Appalachian Cultural Music Association, which Tim White founded with area business owner James Bryant. The Mountain Music Museum will reopen on Saturday, January 27, from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., at 316 Broad Street, Suite 102, Kingsport, Tennessee 37660. Ralph Stanley II & the Clinch Mountain Boys will perform at 7:00 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.AppalachianCulturalMusic.org or call 423797-0275.

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

DIY Pallet Class Choose Your Design Hammers, Drills and Nailsâ&#x20AC;ŚOh My! Join us for one of our DIY Wood Pallet Classes! In this class, you can personalize with your name, stain and more.

hoices include pallet sign, tray, circle or lazy susan. You will start from scratch and construct the entire project. So much fun! We have tons to choose from. Like a design that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see on the list? No problem, let us know what you would like to say. Please make sure to arrive to the studio 15 minutes prior to class start. DIY Pallet is limited to ages 13 and up. We allow our guests to bring food and beverages, guests over 21 may bring adult beverages (please have your ID available). Please double check the spelling of your pallet upon registration. Any spelling changes or pallet selection changes after registration will result in a $10 reprint fee. DIY pallet classes are super fun and turn out incredible and look like you bought them in the store! Each registration is personally designed for our guests. Because of the time and cost involved, registration fees are non refundable. Cancellations made 72 hours in advance will receive a credit to attend a future DIY workshop with the piece they registered for. We understand that sometimes very unfortunate things happen in life (they happen to us too). However, because of the very limited seating involved in these classes and the time and cost involved in making in stencil, there are absolutely no exceptions

Thursday, January 18 at 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM Masterpiece Mixers JC 101 E Unaka Ave, Johnson City Register at: www.masterpiecemixersjc.com

FAR AWAY AND CLOSE TO HOME

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

Exhibit to Honor Local Author and Illustrator Rhea Wells

From the Austrian Alps, to the coast of Sicily, to a village in Spain, words and art have the power to transport us around the world.

hey also have the power to bring us back home to a farm in Washington County, Tennessee. Children’s book author/illustrator Rhea Wells ventured far and wide throughout his life, but he always held his hometown of Jonesborough near and dear to his heart. Wells’ work will be showcased in the exhibit Far Away and Close to Home: The Art and Words of Author/Illustrator Rhea Wells which will be on display at the McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School from January 26 through February 23. The exhibit will be open to the public from 9-5 Monday-Friday and 10-3 on Saturday. Far Away and Close to Home is presented by the Heritage Alliance and is funded in part by a grant from Humanities Tennessee, an independent affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Far Away and Close to Home will feature artwork from Wells’ art school portfolio, as well as illustrations from some of his books. What parts of his childhood in Washington County did he write about, and where did his inspiration for Beppo the Donkey and Ali the Camel come from? Wells was writing in the 1920s and 1930s, when the field of children’s literature was just developing. What is his legacy as an author? What is his legacy to Jonesborough, and does it still stand today? The answer to these questions and more can be found in Far Away and Close to Home in the McKinney Center, and in a companion exhibit on Wells’ life in the Jonesborough/Washington County History Museum at the Jonesborough Visitor’s Center. A series of programs are planned around the exhibit, beginning with an opening night reception

and art/history talk at 6:30 on January 26 at the McKinney Center. Children will be able to make and illustrate their own books at the Jonesborough Library on Saturday, February 3. To carry on Wells’ tradition of advocacy for libraries and literacy, the Heritage Alliance will host a panel discussion with local librarians and educators on February 16 at 6:30 at the McKinney Center. Wells was a community builder, and Far Away and Close to Home is a partnership with the McKinney Center and the Town of Jonesborough, the Reece Museum at ETSU and the Jonesborough Public Library. We hope that Wells’ art and books will help to inspire a new generation of authors, illustrators, artists, and readers. The Heritage Alliance is dedicated to the preservation of the architectural, historical, and cultural heritage of our region and to providing educational experiences related to history and heritage for a wide range of audiences. For more information, please call our office at 423.753.9580. You can contact the organization via email at info@heritageall.org. Additional information can also be found online at www.heritageall.org.

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

Football Playoffs Are In Full Swing

By Paul Kavanaugh

It’s getting exciting as the NFL playoffs are close to settling on the Super Bowl participants. Since at press time I do not know who won over the weekend, let’s see what kind of prognosticator I am.

tlanta was going to Philly to play the Eagles. With the quarterback issues in Philly, I predict that Atlanta will win this game. The other NFC matchup had New Orleans heading North to Minnesota. This should be one great game with good defenses and offenses on both sides of the ball. As much as I like Drew Brees, I just think the Vikings will prevail at home. Adding to the pressure here is the fact that Minnesota has a very good chance to become the first Super Bowl participant to play the game in their home state. In the AFC, our own Titans travel to New England to take on Tom Brady and the Patriots. I like Tennessee, don’t get me wrong, but I give them very little chance of winning this game. New England is just too good. But, as they say, that’s why they play the game.

Go Titans!

The other matchup is quite interesting. Jacksonville travels to Pittsburgh, taking on the Steelers for the second time this year. The Jaguars won the

first meeting handily, intercepting Ben Roethlisberger five times. I don’t think it will be near as easy this time. Pittsburgh has been playing well of late and Jacksonville, while winning, seems to be struggling. I must go with the Steelers in this one. So, let’s say I am right. That would mean that Minnesota is playing Atlanta for the right to represent the NFC. My pick here would be the Vikings, although I hate to bet against Matty Ice in a big game like this. Should be a tight, close game. The other conference has, or should have, the dream matchup everyone has been talking about for weeks. New England vs. Pittsburgh. Oh baby! Touchdown Tommy vs. Big Ben! Both offenses are high powered, but both teams have solid defenses as well. My guess in a very close game is the Patriots. There’s just something about Tom Brady at home that makes me think they will prevail. Let’s see how I do and then we can start talking Super Bowl after this. Pop a cold one and get ready for some football!

s n e p p a H ” t a … s h “W in Vega Foggy Valley Slapstick Comedy

A new Foggy Valley Gang production is prepping to hit the stage at LampLight Theatre in January with “What Happens in Vegas…”

he Goodin Family and their friends have been invited to participate in “Hosanna National Talent Search.” The winner of the competition will be taking home a grand prize of $10,000. And where do you think the competition takes place? Las Vegas. Known to most people as “Sin City”, the Foggy Valley Gang is determined to help redeem the town through their godly talents. Needless to say, the rivalry between self-inflated family members causes tension and some fierce competition. Instead of working together, each person is out for themselves. In the midst of the chaos, Ura Goodin (youngest daughter), develops a gambling addiction. Unbeknownst to the family, she ends up owing money to femme fatale loan shark and organized crime leader, “Muggsy” Malone. Family Friend, Rev. Clyde T. Humperdinck, tries to pressgang his cousin and Las Vegas legend, Englebert, to come to the family’s aid before “Muggsy” comes for her money. Some of the family’s farcical acts will include “Viva, Las Vegas” by Elvis impersonator, Clovis Bodine. A Vegas showgirl act by nemeses Mama Goodin and Cleopha Blair is guaranteed to bring the house down. Florence Rakestraw will “bring it” with her questionable song interpretation number. The scandalous diva and family outcast, Willa Lovewright, will be competing as well. “Wanna be” country star, Otis Purdy, is ready lend his vocal talents to the competition. Nydifer, Spoolie, and some surprise acts will also stumble upon the stage. “What Happens in Vegas…” should stay in Vegas, but unfortunately, some scandals are hard to keep secret. “What Happens in Vegas…” will be presented every weekend through February 4, at LampLight Theatre at 140 Broad Street in Kingsport, TN. Nightly performances will be at 7:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Matinees on Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. Dinner & Show Package: Saturday, January 27, 2018 at 5:30. Choose to eat after the matinee or before the evening show. Dinner will be served at The Emporium Banquet Hall (Next door to theatre). The cost is $30 per Adult and $17 per Student (12 & Under)/ Children FREE (3 & Under). Show Only: Admission is a suggested donation of $10 Adults, $5 Students, and FREE for children 5 and under. Doors will open one hour prior. For reservations and information, please contact the LampLight box office at (423) 343-1766, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or online at www. lamplighttheatre.com.

theloaferonline.com | March 28, 2017

Friday, Jan. 19 at Holston River Brewing Company

The Buddz share the stage with Big Mister

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

ugh

l o t s i Br

na ava ul K

a By P

dz Bud e h e all, T ging th f o n t bri Firs ng. they are i ts n e t men ev a e t l h t a e e y ey r he all t onies th e f a g ike to sa o h t i s ark arm ad th 6. W ey l ife! earm ow. Th ack to l ne in 200and big hz have h tours e h ll t the sh Roll b ck sce alists, Budd r own Go as a i e o c n g o his h adlinin of Rock nto the r , four vo ands. Thining theisky A G ing d i e s l b h r k s h d y t are lement heir wa ing trac curren ith hea s The W tly reco man. t n a k r t e w c e e r true crashed live ba ng oth along es such re curr ave Fo knot,

n i e m i T t Firs

dz oll, no d amo l acts ry stag ddz a cer D k, Slip ic u a s r Bud u n The rock n ue sou nation legenda . The B g prod d Smac test mu s q a n o e e h i a i r r t g l h i G n n u o n of p a very u uring w s, playi any m my win cluding s. Their ck Tide et, a r y e o m l n t e t e i m z hav ure of ted Sta ia and th Gra artists ss oth roup B Budd g i i le n l s he plea s the Un Califor lbum w jor labe d count ed rock ard of T ard s a a s n m e e l o a a h m f r h y g e, his h es ac s Ange -lengt n't n n n T i i e a r . a v r u v m a t ll d o h elv ste in L new fu ed with lan, Mu wn" fea . If you g Mi thems and i B o k s g i ! e P r r thei has wo imple ng Me D countin ou next Bristol describ e party is S h y n fri d t i e , l r B ace n v e e e g o " a c s a f D en single views ming rst tim They to brin ame pl c s e s Evan for the million ey're co for the fi ethton. , ready s in the ry. h b 1 o e d ee rewe s vide ed over open. T ain stag m Eliza enness ck ban B e e h s T ro h ro at T ully mix y reac your eye on the m hails f m East ese two . w o f t d s sh ro vet h ar keep ing them roll ban oming f aving t Tri Citie notch Band and vel tle n p Join rock n sound c n Roll. H re in the ther to n Jaxo rscore ow gen e o f g ro unde omeh e k n o n a h i c , th a A a v s o i r r s dr letho into R rocke y see N, the rgan , s ar solos ves e c r p l e a o t k T as a ess bac r all the , Saturd n City, soulful abs of fi que gui themse rd y o o t n s f h s n s g e d a t g y n n a o a i u L n h t m tre â&#x20AC;&#x2122;t eno of Jo f with tacca ppeli , find ntry, ion, a y f l k e s u t i sure that isn the hills uitar r empo, d Led Z nd roc elm co mbina ou t o a g As if g from lectric m high- ggerate untry evon H uite a c night y L o n a q i e o c er , x r n s h â&#x20AC;&#x2122; e F n g t t n Rei rgotte wang. eeply moder oeticism ! Tha ly ano w fo p re ,d lt the th voca tended scends Dylan el. Whe ht is su n x r g o p i a e a s r o n e t sm ies to and oad n rch go urday B u r t od mel Jaxon a dirt town ch bly. Sa a n n ll c o o c a r e e a A sm f imp er f and ewh som rd rock pull it o ry! y e s Skyn ese guy he Brew T h t yet to be at t wan

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

Spotlight

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

- TUESDAY - January 16 -

- FRIDAY - January 19 -

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 - January 20 -

Adelitas Way Capone’s

Shooter Band Memorial Park Community Center

Smokin Suthern Boyz The Eagles Club

Aaron Jaxon Band Holston River Brewing Company

Stemwinder Rock’s Wood Fired Pizza & Grill

Blue Highway Down Home

Rusty Steel w/ Quarter Bounce Bristol VFW Post 6975

Nothing Special Band Bears Bar

The Black Jacket Symphony Paramount Center for the Arts

Alli Epperson Quaker Steak & Lube

Ali Randolph Country Club Bar & Grill

David Grisman & John Sebastian January Jams at The Barter Theatre

Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen w/ Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley January Jams at The Barter Theatre

415 in Progress Woodstone Deli

- WEDNESDAY -January 17-

Redleg Husky O’Mainnin’s Pub Logan Kolarick Wild Wing Cafe Open Mic The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room - THURSDAY - January 18 -

Zephaniah Ohara w/ Appalachian Hippie Project The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room Momma Molasses Bone Fire Smokehouse Jam w/ The Diamonds Wellington’s Restaurant Mark Schimick Sleepy Owl Brewery Wolf Hills Jazz Quartet Blackbird Bakery Donny and the Dry Heavers Model City Tap House - FRIDAY - January 19 -

Rhythm & The Roosevelts The Hideaway Hip Gypsy Wild Wing Cafe Indighost and The Mercury Arcs Bloom Cafe and Listening Room

The Trongone Band The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room

Shiloh Hill Bone Fire Smokehouse

Victor Lawson Quaker Steak & Lube

Broke-N-Busted Silver Spur

Kids Our Age Johnson City Senior Center

JV Squad Jiggy Ray’s Pizzeria

Tuatha Dea Capone’s

Smokehouse Crickets Sleepy Owl Brewery

Borderline CJ’s Sports Bar

Straight Shootrz Band Kingsport Eagles

The Buddz w/ Big Mister Holston River Brewing Company

Lauren Cole Band Gypsy Circus Cider Company

Soul Swagger Country Club Bar & Grill

Shooter Band Hansonville Music Barn

Crazy Like Lexi Woodstone Deli

Sundown Band Willoughby Ruritan

Wealth of Knowledge Men Model City Tap House

Borderline CJ’s Sports Bar

Boarderline CJ’s Sports Bar

Cross Road Formerly Southern Countrymen Moose Lodge

Shadowgrass, ETSU Bluegras Pride Band Renaissance Arts Center & Theatre - SATURDAY - January 20 -

Doctor Ocular Capone’s

Phoenix Band David Thompson’s Produce

Unknown Rythym Model City Tap House The Tides Rock’s Wood Fired Pizza & Grill Boarderline CJ’s Sports Bar - SUNDAY -January 21 -

The Steele Wheels The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room Buried Country Capitol Theatre

Shiloh Hill Saturday, January 20 Bone Fire Smokehouse

for show time & more details, visit

theloaferonline.com

TUESDAY

Family Night Karaoke at CJ’s Sports Bar Karaoke w/ Crossroads & Josh Blevins at Dawg House Tavern Karaoke w/ Marques at The Cave Karaoke at Numan’s

WEDNESDAY

Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at American Legion Karaoke at CJ’s Sports Bar Karaoke w/ DJ Brad & Top Shelf Entertainment at Quaker Steak & Lube Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Smokey Bones - Johnson City Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City

THURSDAY

Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Macado’s - Kingsport Karaoke at CJ’s Sports Bar Karaoke at Numan’s Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at New Beginning’s Karaoke at Jiggy Rays Pizzaria

FRIDAY

Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at Sportsman’s Bar & Grill Karaoke w/ Shane Rouse at Bear’s Bar Karaoke at Kingsport Moose Lodge Karaoke w/ Reverb Karaoke at The Cottage Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Moe’s Original BBQ Karaoke w/ Toddzilla at Sportsmans Pub Karaoke w/ DJ Brad & Top Shelf Entertainment at BoBo’s - Damascus, VA Karaoke at Elizabethton VFW Karaoke w/ DJ Marquez & Top Shelf Entertainment at Holiday Inn (Exit 7) - Bristol VA Karaoke at Numan’s

SATURDAY

Karaoke at The Horseshoe Lounge Karaoke w/ Toddzilla at Sportsmans Pub Karaoke at Kingsport Moose Lodge Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Macado’s - Kingsport Karaoke at Numan’s

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

John Young

Was NASA's and America's Best

Stargazer

By Mark Marquette since 1996 stargazermarq@ gmail.com

America lost one it’s greatest explorers, astronaut John Young, one of the best and most liked of all NASA’s unique space fliers.

pollo 16 moonwalker Young died at age 87 of complications of pneumonia and Alzheimer’s. Until his illness, he was one of the great ambassadors of space exploration. His six spaceflights included two Gemini mission, two Apollo trips to the Moon and two Space Shuttle launches. I met John Young twice, 20 years apart, and they were encounters I’ll never forget. He told me the Moon smelled like gunpowder, and the fluffy soil was itchy, like fiberglass. And when you hear the stories from the space workers and his fellow astronauts, you’ll realize what a special man and indispensable asset John Young was to the success of the American space program. NASA had a public memorial service for Young at the Kennedy Space Visitor Complex on Jan. 11th, attracting tourists, space lovers and three of his good friends; KSC Director Robert Cabana and four-time Shuttle pilot/commander; and retired Shuttle pilots Jon McBride and Mike McCulley. Each hand-picked for space duty by Young, their praise went beyond his capabilities as a spaceman and emphasized his leadership and loyalty. “John Young was one of my heroes,” said KSC Director Cabana. “He was a great man and a true American.” The former Shuttle commander said he was trained by Young and had a “quest for safety and attention to detail.” When he was named Chief of Astronauts, Young became famous for his frequent memos called “Youngrams” that told it like it was about the space vehicle and astronaut performance. Shuttle pilot Jon McBride flew in 1985 and retired to pursue business during the down-time following the Challenger accident. He is a fixture at the Florida visitor complex giving public talks and tours and having fun bragging about being West Virginia’s only astronaut. McBride called John Young “one of the world’s greatest human beings. To me, he was Mr. Astronaut.” Mike McCulley said Young “had 51 per cent of the say in who became a pilot” when you went to the intense interview part of being an astronaut. He recalled a flying with Young in the astronauts’ taxi, the two-man T-38, around KSC on a moonlit night. “I asked John what it was really like on the Moon. He is known for his long answers, and after an unusually long pause, he finally replied, “It was a weird place.” The Moon Race of the 1960s was a flowing work in progress as everything was invented along the way. Each Mercury, Gemini and Apollo mission pushed the knowledge of space travel to the next level, most times successfully and a few

times tragically. The glory of riding a rocket to space is attained after hundreds of hours of training in spacecraft simulations, learning in actual spaceships, rehearsing events in real-time. Dozens of smart people training the astronauts on flight hardware, guidance computers, survival systems and living in space suits had unique, daily access to the early astronauts of the Apollo era. Some of the two dozen astronauts were more helpful in these training sessions than others; some were easy learners, some were not. Some astronauts were easy to get along with, others were difficult. Astronaut Young was one of those that everybody liked and drew the respect from his working peers. What do the American people need to remember about John Young? First might be his incredible bravery. Twice he flew maiden voyages of NASA spaceships: the first two-man Gemini flight with Gus Grissom; and the first launch of a Space Shuttle, the untested Columbia. That manned flight of Second thing to remember is John Young is one of only three humans to make two trips to the Moon. Apollo 10 in May1969 was a dress rehearsal and did everything Apollo 11 did but land; on Apollo 16 in April 1972 he camped out 3 days on the Moon with Charlie Duke. The other astronauts to see the Moon up close twice are James Lovell, 87, Apollos 8 & 13; and Gene Cernan, deceased, Apollos 10 & 17. Almost everyone has seen a photo of John Young on the Moon. He is saluting the American flag, moon ship Orion and the Rover in the background. Young is 3 feet off the ground, the lunar video showing him jumping up not once, but twice in exuberance to salute our nation’s flag. Young’s complete space resume of six flights was finally eclipsed by two Americans and a Russian taking their seventh rocket rides. He joked he also had seven rocket launches—the blast off from the Moon’s surface counting just as much! He was training for his seventh mission, a Hubble Telescope maintenance mission, when Challenger derailed the timeline and he ended up stuck behind the desk as Chief of the Astronaut Office until 2004. He continued his advocacy for a return to the Moon and a plan to send humans to Mars. There are many brave and outstanding people that have pioneered America into space, leading us to the orbiting International Space Station and its occupancy for the past 18 years. John Young was one very best and admired by all. His memory lives among the stars, never to be forgotten in the history of NASA.

he Moon is New phase on Tuesday, returning to our evening skies to dazzle our senses. The evening is absent of planets, but the morning skies have Jupiter and Mars, both to be featured this Summer. Saturn is too close to the Sun, and Venus has just wheeled around the Sun and will be the bright, evening “star” beginning in February.

Tuesday, January 16 On this 1969 date in space history, the Soviet Union performed the first outer space docking of two manned spacecraft, Soyuz 5 and 6. Two cosmonauts in Soyuz 5 left their commander and spacewalked to the two empty seats beside the Soyuz 6 commander—the first and only transfer of crews by spacewalks. NASA’s Apollo and Lunar Module were linked by docking hatches. In 2003 Columbia was launched on the 113th flight of the Space Shuttle program-which ended 17 days later in disaster. During launch, a hole was punched in the left wing by a piece of insulation off the big fuel tank. The hole went unnoticed and created a weakness during the fiery reentry, destroying the spaceship as it flew over Texas the morning of Feb.1. Wednesday, January 17 Looking southeast at 9 pm you immediately Orion and several more bright stars, include the brightest, Sirius, above the horizon. Sirius makes a “Winter Triangle” with Procyon high to the left and red Betelgeuse to the right, the

shoulder of Orion. Sirius and Procyon are in the Big and Little Dog, respectively (officially Canis Major and Canis Minor). Thursday, January 18 The thin crescent Moon is hanging above the evening twilight, ready to make another cycle through our night skies. Everyone has a pair of binoculars—turn them toward the Moon and enjoy the view. Than turn them to the Pleiades Star Cluster high overhead and count more stars than just the Seven Sisters. Friday, January 19 Happy 88th birthday to Apollo 11 moonwalker Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, who landed on the first historic Moon landing with commander Neil Armstrong, deceased. Aldrin is the astronaut standing in the small crater on the Moon in the iconic image that has Armstrong reflected in the helmet faceplate. He is very active on Twitter with his globe-trotting adventures as one of the world’s VIPs.

Sunday, January 21 All month and into February the predawn sky has bright Jupiter with red Mars to it left. They climb into the eastern darkness by 4 am in the constellation Libra the Scales, ahead of Scorpius. They are washed out by sunlight by 6:45 am, but will dazzle our Summer nights ahead. Monday, January 22 On this 1978 date in space history, the resupply ship Progress 1 docked with the Salyut 6 space station; in 1992 Discovery was launched with seven astronauts who worked for 8 days in the Spacelab module in the cargo bay, mostly on effects of microgravity on a variety of organisms. In 1998, Endeavour became the eighth of eventually nine Shuttle missions to Russia’s Mir space station and the fifth exchange of American astronauts. And in 2003 last signal received from grandfather of interplanetary spacecraft, Pioneer 10 now escaping the Solar System 12 billion miles away.

19 theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

THIS WEEK

SKIES

Celestial events in the skies for the week of Jan. 16-22, 2018 as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

The Saint

and The Falcon Leslie Charteris’s character of Simon Templar—AKA The Saint—has been adapted numerous times over the years from his original book form, perhaps most memorably in the 1960s UK TV series that stared a pre-James Bond Roger Moore.

Batteries Not Included

By Andy Ross aross@ theloaferonline.com

ut starting in the late 1930’s— some ten years after the character’s debut in 1928— American studio RKO bought rights to the character and made, “The Saint in New York,” starring Louis Hayward. The film was a surprise huge success for the studio, inspiring RKO to launch a B picture series of Saint films. Hayward wasn’t interested in coming back to do a B picture series, so they cast the always elegant George Saunders in the role. In some ways, B picture series of the ‘40s were a preamble to today's connected cinematic universe films and the coming of television. Films running an average time of 65 minutes— selfcontained, but with some continuity between one another. RKO’s Saint films have been sporadically released on home video over the years, but Warner Archive has gathered the five films Saunders made as the suave, gentleman thief/detective into a twodisc set titled “The George Saunders Saint Movies Collection.” These five films make for a perfect pre-bed movie, not too long, and not too short. Light, not too frothy, and above all—fun. Mysteries with elegant settings and plenty of style. As the ‘40s began, RKO set about starting another B picture series with “The Falcon” a character molded in the

same vein as Simon Templar, created by writer Michael Arlen. RKO wanted to make sure they set up their new Falcon series for success by having Saunders play the role. The Saint's creator, Charteris couldn't help but notice what a rip off The Falcon was from his character, he sued the studio, but that didn't stop The Flacon series from continuing or becoming a success. All in all, RKO made 13 films in their Falcon series, running from 1940 to 1946. Saunders, growing tired of being in B-pictures, departed the series in the fourth film “The Falcon’s Brother” in which

on screen the role is handed off to The Falcon’s brother—played by Saunders’ real life brother Tom Conway. Rarely during this time would you see a role in a film switched to another actor on screen. Saunders would go on to a most respectful leading man career, staring in films right up to his death in 1972. Saunders perhaps made his most indelible mark on the pop culture landscape by becoming the first actor to portray Mr. Freeze on the legendary 1966 “Batman” TV series. The Falcon films have been split into two collections by Warner Archive, “The Falcon Mystery Movie Collection” Volume One and Two, respectively. I was a little more familiar with The Falcon films than I was The Saint series—Turner Classic Movies aired the Falcon films fairly regularly. Much like “The Saint,” the films in “The Falcon” series are great fun, completely delightful from start to finish. There's a familiarity to the films, even if you've never seen them. Like cozying up with a well-loved book by the fire. Warner Archive brings the films over both series to DVD in an unrestored, but perfectly watchable form. Picture quality varies film to film, but overall it’s fine. This is another case where it’s nice to have these on home video, collected together—regardless if they’ve been restored or not. Even if some may not swim beyond “Casablanca,” there are still lovely little oases of classic Hollywood to be discovered. Warner Archive makes it easier by having these film available. Combined “The Saint” & “The Falcon” make for the perfect kind of viewing on the cold, wintery nights we’ve been having lately. Easily digestible and bingeable in two or three film blocks. Both sets from Warner Archive come highly recommended. See you next week.

Welcome to the Jungle

Pop Life

By Ken Silvers ksilvers@ theloaferonline.com

Rated PG-13 3 1/2 Video Games(out of 4)

ohnson is featured in the second installment of the new "Jumanji" franchise that started back in 1995(!). I can't believe it has taken Hollywood this long to formulate a sequel. As you may recall the original featured a character becoming trapped in the board game Jumanji, and the sequel has 4 teenagers becoming trapped in an old video game they find while cleaning a storage room in their high school. After dealing with the fact they have become trapped in the Jumanji video game, they discover each of them have actually become the characters they chose to play. The character of Spencer (Alex Wolf) becomes Dr. Smolder Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson), Bethany Walker (Madison Iseman) becomes Professor Sheldon Oberon (Jack Black), Anthony Johnson (Ser'Darius Blain) becomes Franklin Finbar (Kevin Hart), and Martha Kaply (Morgan Turner) becomes Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan). When the group of avatars discover they must find a jewel called the "Jaguar's Eye" and return it to a huge jaguar statue in the jungle, and yell "Jumanji" in order to escape the game. If that challenge isn't enough, the group must deal with the villain of the film, Russel Van Pelt (Bobby Cannavale), who was corrupted by the jewel allowing him to control the animals in the jungle. As the group journey through the game (jungle) they come in contact with Jefferson "Seaplane" McDonough (Nick Jonas), who is also trying to escape the game. Thus, the avatars are dealing with the wild animals of the jungle and the constant pursuit from Van Pelt. Each of the avatars have special skills, and are given 3 lives each in the game. The only problem is, if the lose their third life, they actually die in real life. So needless to say, the stakes are high for the players. As with a typical video game, the films action is fast and furious, while featuring plenty of humor mixed in with the thrills. While all the actors are great in the film, the two highlights for me were Jack Black, playing the professor as possessed by a prissy girl, and Hart, hilarious as the character whose weaknesses are cake, speed and strength. His avatars only positive aspect is being the weapons valet for Bravestone. Even though Johnson is considered the lead in the film, and does a fine job, he is frequently overshadowed by his smaller in stature, but far better co-stars. I do give kudos to Johnson for allowing his costars to steal many scenes from him as he mainly plays the action hero. Of all the actors involved, I felt Gillan was the weak spot, and while doing a capable job, I would love to have seen how Jennifer Lawrence would have handled the role of avatar Roundhouse. That bit of nick picking aside, I had a blast watching this film, and you can bet there will be more "Jumanji" films in our future. If you seek a film with the feeling of an amusement park attraction, "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" is your ticket.

21 theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

Jumanji:

How can a movie go wrong when the story features Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson running lose in a jungle? Thankfully, the new film "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" does not.

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

Everglades National Park It may not seem like it, but four months have already passed since Hurricane Irma ripped a path of destruction through the Caribbean islands and deep into Florida

Appalachian Wanderers

By Jason & Daniel Worley jdworley@ theloaferonline.com

he category four storm devastated Puerto Rico and the Florida Keys with high winds before dumping a torrential rainstorm across the Southeast. The powerful cyclone’s wrath was felt by millions, and even today, many in the hardest hit areas are still without power. Thousands more have been left homeless. Humans were not the only ones who faced the impact of this intense storm. Coral reefs in the Virgin Islands were demolished, swept away by powerful waves. Dry Tortugas National Park saw a portion of Fort Jefferson collapse into the sea. As mentioned in a recent article, Biscayne National Park had trails closed, and downed trees littered the visitor areas. Everglades National Park, the crown jewel of South Florida’s wild areas, saw the worst damage. Mangrove forests along the shore of Florida Bay were stripped of all foliage, leaving branches dry and bare in the hot sun. Park trails, roads, and visitor areas were submerged under feet of water that would take months to recede. Visitor centers were severely damaged and remained closed for months. The Everglades are a resilient ecosystem, so it will simply be a matter of time before the effects of Irma are discernible only to a trained eye. When we visited the park in early December, many areas had already begun the long road to recovery. Alligators swam in the pond at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center. White Egrets rested in the trees above the park entrance sign, and the resident mosquitos occasionally buzzed in our ears. Visitors who were willing could drive the thirty-eight miles to the Flamingo area on the shores of Florida Bay, but they would find no visitor facilities open. Most other park areas were closed to the public as the flood waters had yet to recede. Now a month later, much of Everglades has reopened and is ready for visitors who want to take advantage of the area’s dry season. See, Everglades is the only subtropical area in the continental U.S. and has only two seasons. From December until April, sunshine prevails. Fields are dry as water levels recede. Daily thunderstorms, rising waters, and unbearable humidity throughout the summer and fall months make outdoor activities a challenge during the wet season. Not to mention the clouds of giant mosquitoes!

Visiting during the dry season also allows park guests to witness the greatest variety of birds, as many species migrate here to raise their young. Spoonbills, hawks, and the resident anhinga all flock to the park in huge numbers during this time. While the birds are perhaps the most famous residents of the Everglades and the impetus for the park’s establishment in 1947, don’t forget to look for the park’s other inhabitants. River otters frolic in the waters of Shark Valley. You won’t be seeing any sharks here, but keep your eyes open for alligators. Dolphins and manatees are friendly and always fun to see; your best chance to spot them are near the mangrove forests along the shoreline and farther out in Florida Bay. Crocodiles, Florida Panthers, and non-native anacondas are some of the more nefarious creatures which call the park home, although it’s very rare to see them. The park is divided into three main areas: the Gulf Coast south of Fort Meyers, Shark Valley on the northern side of the park, and the main park entrance near Homestead. The visitor facilities in Gulf Coast suffered the most damage from the storms and are scheduled to be completely demolished in the imminent future. The National Park Service has set up a visitor contact station to serve as a makeshift visitor center until the amenities can be rebuilt. This area serves as the gateway to the Thousand Islands, perhaps the best example of a healthy mangrove estuary. It is the northern terminus of the Wilderness Waterway, a canoe trail which meanders almost a hundred miles along the southern shore to connect with Flamingo. Shark Valley is accessible from U.S. 41 near Big Cypress National Preserve and is home to the park’s main observation tower. Similar to the spire atop Clingmans Dome, it offers a supreme vantage point to take in the amazing sight of the River of Grass as it flows from Lake Okeechobee down to the bay. A park-operated tram takes visitors along a loop road, also open to the more adventurous who may wish to walk or bike it and have a closer look at the wildlife. While much of this area was flooded, it finally reopened soon after our visit. Main Park Road offers a scenic drive through the largest variety of ecosystems, beginning in the pine forests just outside Homestead

alling all performers! Northeast State Community College Department of Theater announces open auditions for its spring production of The Neverending Story. Actors are invited to two open auditions scheduled Jan. 23 & 24 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Wellmont Regional Center for the Performing Arts on the Blountville campus next to Tri-Cities Regional Airport. The production seeks to cast adults in the character roles. The play is being presented by special arrangement with The Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Ill. Performers are asked to gather in the lobby of the WRCPA Theater. All actors should be familiar with the story and are asked to prepare a one-minute monologue to be read at the audition. Callbacks will be made on Jan. 25 between 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and posted on the Theatre Department's Facebook page. The play’s production dates are April 12 to April 15. For more information, contact Northeast State Theater at 423.354.2479 or e-mail emsloan@NortheastState.edu.

23 theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

for The Neverending Story

Park officials want everyone to know that the park is safe to visit, but that guests should still take precautions. Bring all water you will need, as potable water has not yet been fully restored to all areas. Many guided tours have resumed operation or are scheduled to in the near future. Speak with a ranger or check the park’s website at www.nps.gov/ever to get the latest info on park services and conditions. While it will take years for Everglades National Park to recover, we can still enjoy everything that this unique American wilderness has to offer.

Open Auditions

and ending at Flamingo on the edge of Florida Bay. Visitors should stop at the Ernest F. Coe or Royal Palm Visitor Centers and speak with the rangers to best plan their trip. There are still many areas which suffer damage and may present hazards to the unprepared. Hiking trails, picnic areas, and overlooks line both sides of the highway as it winds its way toward the coast. The visitor center and amenities at Flamingo have resumed operation within the last few weeks, but it’s best to come prepared, as many services are still quite limited.

theloaferonline.com | Decem ber 5 2017

Welcome back Students

Contra Dance in Jonesborough!

The Historic Jonesborough Dance Society will host the next contra dance of the season on Saturday January 20, 2018 at the Jonesborough Visitors Center at 117 Boone Street at 8:00 PM.

he featured band is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Flying the Tuneâ&#x20AC;? from Asheville. Charley Harvey is the caller. Admission is $7, $5 for students and children. We are inviting all Area College, high school or professional school students to come at 6pm for pizza and social time. There will also be small group instruction leading up to the group lesson at 7:00pm. Students get into the dance for $5. For an additional $1 they can have at least two slices of pizza and probably more. If you are a student, please let organizers know you are coming by calling or texting 423-5348879 or indicating so on the Facebook event. The caller will teach a class for beginners at 7:30 PM and the dance will run from 8:00-11:00 PM. Come to dance or come to listen. No partner is necessary. It is customary at contra dances to change partners after each dance. As always, our dances are smoke, alcohol and fragrance free. Families, students and singles are welcome. All dances are taught by the caller. No previous dance experience is necessary. Flying the Tune is a band with two very experienced contra dance musicians. June Advincula, an early childhood teacher from Black Mountain, NC. has been playing piano for contra dances for over twenty years. Lew Gelfond is a violinist and fiddler who has been teaching and performing for over 35 years. He has been the mainstay for the Dancing Bears for many years. For more information, contact David Wiley at 423-534-8879, or email to david@historicjonesboroughdancesociety.org. Also visit the Historic Jonesborough Dance Society on FACEBOOK.

Hooded and cowled Shrouded Concealing your villainy Masked marauders Specters Once upon a time… That story met an abrupt end

The Casual Word

By Langley Shazor Follow Langley at TheCasualWord

Frantically I search for the opening chapters In a book without covers Burned to the spine Ingenious I could never find out Who you were Before who you are

Benefit Ride for Jimmy Crain

immy Crain, well known in the local biker community, suffered a stroke recently. To help him out during this period of obvious financial distress, Bear’s Bar out on 421 is hosting a ride on Saturday the

20th. Length will be determined by the weather, and all vehicles are welcome to participate. It is just $5 per hand with all proceeds going to Jimmy. There will be a pot luck supper back at Bear’s, and you are encouraged to bring a dish. It all starts at 1:00, and if you find yourself still at Bear’s in the evening, the Nothing Special Band will be performing. See all of you from the community out there!

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

Wraith

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

Answers on page 28

Oreo is a 3 year old male domestic short hair. He is neutered and up to date on all vaccines. He is such a friendly and sweet kitty! Loves to be petted! Please consider him for your family!

Patches ia a 2 year old domestic short hair female. She is spayed and up to date on all vaccines. This loving girl is quite the lap cat! Come visit Patches and all the cuties at the Bridge Home!

he Bridge Home has an ongoing aluminum can can collection in front of the shelter at 2061 Hwy 75 in Blountville, TN 37617 and a second aluminum can collection site at Airworks Heating and Cooling, 5633 Memorial Blvd Kingsport. 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 12pm6pm Sat 12pm-3pm and Sun 2pm-4pm. Website is www.bridgehomerescue@ gmail.com or like them on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/bridgehome

27 theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

PETS

OF THE WEEK

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

THINGS TO DO Big Brothers Big Sisters Looking for Community Volunteers Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Tri-Cities (BBBSGTC) is looking for community volunteers to make a difference in a child’s life. Spending approximately 4 hours a month with an at-risk youth can help them improve in school, their behavior and their self-esteem. “Our kids have a need, and we are looking for caring adults to step up and volunteer,” said Kathy Lowdermilk, Regional Director of BBBSGTC. “If you have a few hours a month and the desire to make a difference, we want to talk with you about our program.” Our local Big Brothers Big Sisters office, which serves the Bristol, Kingsport, and Johnson City area, 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. •••••••••••••••••••••••••• Blood Drive Marsh Regional Blood Center will conduct public blood drives at the area locations. Visit http:// tinyurl.com/n4aujx9 to find a lo-

paring a business to hire, including different types of workers and knowing which type will meet the needs of the job. She will also provide tips for writing job descriptions and posting openings, creating an interview process and conducting effective interviews. “Advanced Facebook Techniques” will be offered Thursday, Jan. 25, from noon to 1 p.m. This workshop, designed for Facebook users with business pages, will focus on Facebook’s Power Editor. Each workshop is $25, and pre-registration is required. To register, or for more information, contact Teresa Shipley of the TSBDC at 423-439-8505 or shipleyth@etsu.edu. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services Thursday, Jan. 18, from noon to at 423-439-8346. 1 p.m. In this workshop, par•••••••••••••••••••••••••• ticipants will learn about recent changes to Twitter as well as the Sew Crazy Meeting latest tools available for small The next Sew Crazy meeting will business owners to manage Twit- be held on Saturday, January 20, ter and how to develop a strategy from 10 a.m. -2 p.m. The group to engage new audiences. will be meeting at Bethlehem Lu“Hiring for Your Small Business: theran Church, 201 E. Watauga Getting Started” will be held Ave., Johnson City. This will be a Wednesday, Jan. 24, from 10-11 Sit and Sew session to complete a.m. Ashley Cox, human resourc- the current project making 100 es partner for small businesses at draw-cord backpacks for use by sproutHR, will cover steps for pre- UMCOR - United Methodist Com-

signings, Q an A's, and round table talks. This event is drop in and all are welcome. There will be drawings through the day for door prizes. Don't Miss it! • 10 a.m.: Question and Answers with our publishing teams. • 12 p.m.: Author Book Signings. cation near you. In addition to • Door prizes every hour, on the scheduled blood drives, donors hour: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. are welcome at Marsh Regional’s •••••••••••••••••••••••••• collection centers: 111 W. Stone Drive, Suite 300, Kingsport, 2428 Workshops for Entrepreneurs Knob Creek Road, Johnson City The Tennessee Small Business and 1996 W. State St., Bristol. Development Center (TSBDC) For more information about at East Tennessee State Universcheduling a blood drive at a lo- sity will offer three workshops cal business, church, school or for entrepreneurs in January at community organization, please the ETSU Innovation Laboratory, call 423-408-7500, 423-652-0014 2109 W. Market St. or 276-679-4669 or visit marsh- “Twitter: Planning Your Business blood.com. Strategy for 2018” will be held ••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The Casual Word Adult Creative Writing Class Join us for a free, fun, engaging, and different look into writing. In this class, we will not focus on structure, form, or rules, but on the freedom of writing. It is the goal of this class to open the mind to its full creative potential by allowing participants to write what they want, how they want to write it. Sessions will be student lead; we will engage in topics and subjects that are of interest to the students. The atmosphere is casual and jovial. This class is designed for all those 18 and up who wish to try their hand at creative writing. Thursdays @ 6:00 p.m. Jones Creativity Center. Bristol Public Library. •••••••••••••••••••••••••• Author Fair Sure Fire Publishing teams up with The Casual Word publishing to host their first annual author fair at the Bristol Public Library, 701 Goode St. on Februrary 10th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Casual Word and Sure Fire will be there to answer any questions for anyone who is interested in writing and/or publishing. Several authors will be at the event for book

mittee on Relief. There is no cost to attend this meeting; sewing materials and notions are provided. For more information, please contact Donna Horowitz at 423434-0424 or info@sew-crazy.org . •••••••••••••••••••••••••• UMOJA Homeless Drive UMOJA has partnered with W Market St Walmart to prepare "get warm" bags for the homeless in our community through January 31st. The bags contain different items including scarves, gloves, hot hands, blankets, etc. and are priced under $10. Visit the W Market St Walmart today to purchase the "get warm" bags to help those in need this winter season. Your purchase will benefit our local community. Stay connected visit Facebook. com/UMOJAFESTJCTN for distribution dates and locations. •••••••••••••••••••••••••• Markerspace @ JCPB Families with children of all ages are invited to make craft stick snowflakes, Thursday, January 18 at 6:00 p.m. For more information about this free program or other Youth Services programs, please call 423-434-4458.

Cryptogram: The two maxims of any great man at court are, always to keep his countenance and never to keep his word. DropQuote: "Science does not know its debt to imagination. Goethe did not believe that a great naturalist could exist without this faculty."

Texting. Period As has been my custom for several months, I begin preparing for my weekly visit to “Kelly’s Place” by flipping--literally--through the digital pages of my Flipboard app. Here I have curated a pretty eclectic array of topics, from today’s top news, jazz, and archaeology to celebrities, design, and student-centered learning.

B Kelly’s Place

By Jim Kelly since 1989 jkelly@ theloaferonline.com

ecause my column is about that ever-changing and elusive topic of pop culture, I never run out of topics, although some weeks produce better results than others. Last week, I came across a very interesting little thought piece written by Lauren Collister, “Why Does Using A Period In A Text Message Make You Sound Insincere Or Angry?” Although this article originally appeared in conversation.com on July 19, 2016--ancient history by today’s standards--I think it still holds up well and gives me something to reflect on this week. And it made me rush to my bookshelf to retrieve Tom Wolfe’s fascinating book, THE KINGDOM OF SPEECH (also published “back in the day” in 2016). More about this later. Apparently texting (and its first cousin tweeting) has gone from being denounced as the harbinger of civilization’s decline to a more or less accepted way of expressing our thoughts, however brief and fleeting. And, along with this recognition, comes the realization that we should start applying some sort of literary standards to this new form of expression. Surely, the day will come when term papers will appear as texts and tweets, much to the horror of literary teachers everywhere, so we should prepare ourselves for this brave new world. But I digress. According to Collister, who focuses on the lowly and often-ignored period, “people have begun noticing slight changes to the way our smallest punctuation mark is deployed, from declarations that it’s going out of style to claims that it’s becoming angry.” How can a period express anger, you ask? Unlike the more accustomed forms of grammar and punctuation, texting has created its own personality and expectations. So, “textspeak” and “textese,” as new ways of speaking, should be seen as “situational code-switching,” to use a phrase by linguist John J. Gumperz. This rather imposing term describes “when we change how we talk depending on where we are, who we’re talking to or how we’re communicating.” Texting is in some ways a different language with its own set of rules and guidelines. For instance, Collister observes that there are dramatic differences between “the way we talk in a job interview versus at a bar with friends.” Of course, some of us might have witnessed job interviews that blurred these lines. Whereas written expression has traditionally been divided into two large categories--formal and informal--textese (and tweeting and social media) has redefined language itself and has made informal and emojilittered forms of expression the new norm, with more traditional form of literary expression being seen as outside the norm. The kind of thing I do each week with this column probably seems boring and unnecessarily

lengthy to those who have adopted textese as their official language. So where does our friend, the period, fit into all this? Collister says that the “use of the period is one example of situational code-switching: When using one in a text message, it’s perceived as overly formal. So when you end your text with a period, it can come across as insincere or awkward, just like using formal spoken language in a casual setting like a bar.” And, as we have noted previously, it can make someone downright angry. Closely related to this new view of the period (or lack thereof) is the use of capital letters, extended words and exclamation points (i.e. “sooooooo,” “youuuuu,” and “stopppp!!!!”). Texting is certainly an emotion-filled form of expression and it is understandable that this new language has grown up with emoticons. Wonder what archaeologists will make of all this in a few hundred years? Will the cave paintings at Lascaux and Altamira pale by comparison? To make all of this clear (hopefully, that is), Collister summarizes her case by saying “It’s a bit counterintuitive, but using formal language may undermine the sincerity of the apology; in order to convey the ‘right’ message, it’s important to know the proper protocols. This may explain why some people’s text messages seem stilted or awkward: they’re used to writing with a formal style that doesn’t translate to the casual medium.” I guess this explains why my daughter always chides me for creating grammaticallycorrect text messages. Yes, I use periods, semicolons, and even quotation marks. And what about the well-worn argument that text messaging is ruining our literary skills? Well, research is showing that “a person’s ability to code-switch can signal social competency, can affirm one’s sense of identity or membership in a community and may be an indicator of high intellectual ability in children.” So, there. The jury on this case is still out, however. Wonder if the same can be said of tweeting? Probably shouldn’t go there this week. Now back to Tom Wolfe’s book. If you are interested in the power of language and speech, I urge you to read it. For Wolfe, language is the artifact that defines what it is to be human. As he puts it, “ . . . .speech, the font of all artifacts, had a life no other artifact would ever come close to. . .Speech is what [human beings] pay homage to in every moment.” And who knew that even the lowly period had such power? I will let you contemplate all this until next week when we meet again. And please note that I am not ending this sentence with a period, to reduce the risk of making someone angry

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

NIGHT OUT in

VISIT ANY ONE OF THESE PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES ON FACEBOOK 1

BRISTOL

Paramount ticket purchases now have another perk! Not only do you get to see a great show but you also get exclusive offers from these downtown establishments the day of the show, before or after!

The Paramount Center for the Arts has gained the support of these downtown Bristol establishments. These offers are exclusive to this partnership and you MUST present your ticket or ticket stub to receive the offer. See Paramount Theatre schedule on back page.

TO RECEIVE A PROMO CODE FOR $ OFF YOUR PARAMOUNT TICKET.

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018

State St

5 5th St

State St

7 Bank St

6th St

Moore St

State St

Piedmont Ave

3 7th St

State St

Moore

8th St

Vol. Pkwy MAP NOT TO SCALE

theloaferonline.com | January 16, 2018