The Loafer May 3rd

24

13

4

The Marshall Tucker Band at Racks By The Tracks

NEW Live And Interactive Planetarium Program at Bays Mountain

Jonesborough Farmers Market Prepares To Open May 7th

2 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

RACKS BY THE TRACKS

Volume 30 • Issue #22

happenings

Publisher Luci Tate

4

Racks By The Tracks

Editor Graphic Arts Director Don Sprinkle

7

Art Show by Double Line Painters

8

“Charlotte’s Web”

Cover Design Bill May

9

Jonesborough Welcomes Megan Hicks

10

Contra Dance

Advertising Dave Carter Terry Patterson Lori Howell Beth Jinks-Ashbrook Patti Barr

11

Kingsport Chamber Golf Scramble

12

Ralph Stanley II at Carter Family Fold

Contributing Staff Jim Kelly Andy Ross Ken Silvers Mark Marquette Brian McManus Joshua Hicks Brian Bishop Daniel Worley Jason Worley 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 (editorial) adcopy@theloaferonline.com (advertising) 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 loss

15 Restless Heart at NPAC 27

Pets Of The Week

28 Things To Do

columns & reviews 14 18 19 20 19 22 23 25 31

29

Classifieds

Batteries Not Included - Pressure King 9000 Stargazer - Mercury Crosses Sun This Monday Skies This Week Pop Life - Game Of Thrones The Trivial Traveler - The Writing On The Wall Mountain Movers - The Sam Jones Interview Appalachian Wanderers - Porters Creek Trail: Wildflower Extravaganza!

Lock, Stock & Barrel - The One And Only Mosin-Nagant Kelly’s Place - Welcome To Mixed Reality

music & fun 16

Spotlight - Great Music & Fun Times

26

Puzzle Page

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

BIG DADDY LOVE at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room Friday, May 6th @ 8pm

theloaferonline.com | May 3, 2016 | 3

Saturday, May 14th: The Marshall Tucker Band, 10K & 5K Races, and Wine & Craft Beer Tastings

T

he Marshall Tucker Band performing in the Tri-Cities, over 70 unique craft beers, over 20 fine wines, and a wide variety of barbecue – this is what’s in store for attendees at the 9th annual Racks by the Tracks Festival on Saturday, May 14th.

With over 12,000 people attending Racks by the Tracks each year, the popular festival is one of the most popular events in the Tri-Cities.

This year’s headliner, The Marshall Tucker Band is one of music’s most influential southern rock bands, the group combines rock, country, and jazz, with most of their albums having gone gold or platinum. With hit singles like “Heard It in a Love Song”, “Can’t You See”, and “Fire on the Mountain”, the group has continued to write, record, tour and entertain fans from around the world.

In addition to the headliner this year, Racks is also giving attendees the opportunity to see the number one Bon Jovi tribute band in America. Wanted: The Bon Jovi Tribute Band has had such a successful career they have headlined shows at the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame and all over the U.S. Also on the lineup are fan favorite country/rock band Acoustifried and country singer Lance Stinson.

James Phillips, festival organizer, says, “We started working on the Marshall Tucker Band over a year and half ago and all the hard work paid off. Not only do they continue Racks’ history of great concerts, they even take it up a notch. And the Bon Jovi tribute band is better than any tribute band we’ve ever seen, you’ll forget it’s not really Bon Jovi up there. This is a can’t miss concert for anyone in the region, plus it helps to raise thousands of dollars for local non-profits.”

4 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

CRAFT BEER TASTING

WINE TASTING

As the region’s original craft beer tasting event, Racks will again bring some of the best craft beer selections to the Tri-Cities.

Part of what makes the Racks beer tasting so unique and fun are brewery representatives on-site who have never been to East Tennessee before as well as breweries debuting new beers.

This year, Unibroue, Southern Prohibition, and Redeberger will be among those making their first trip to East Tennessee for a tasting event. Southern Prohibition was named the best brewery in Mississippi in 2015 and Redeberger have the highest rated pilsner in Germany.

In addition, there will be a wide slate of local breweries and beers from all over the world. In total, there will be over 50 low gravity craft beers including gluten-free, ciders and more to sample throughout the day.

The popular High Gravity Tasting section also returns in 2016 after selling out its first three years. Featuring beers that are over 5% alcohol by volume, these beers are some brewers’ masterpieces. Some breweries, like Oskar Blues, only brew beers that are high gravity, so the only way to try them is in the High Gravity section. This is an exclusive area with only 500 tickets available and will feature over 10 high gravity beers and includes access to the 50 low gravity beers.

“Our tasting event patrons love attending Racks year after year because they get to meet brewery reps from around the nation, sample beers they’ve never tried before and connect with great local brewers. We work hard every year developing relationships in the craft beer industry, so that brewers can come to East Tennessee to showcase what they are creating, but also so that our East Tennessee residents can share with them what makes our community so great,” said festival founder Kanishka Biddanda.

The beer tasting area is open from 2pm-7pm and is both indoors and outdoors at the Kingsport Farmers Market. Each attendee to either the Low or High Gravity tasting receives a commemorative glass along with entry into the all-day concert.

The festival is expanding the wine tasting to now include four different wineries.

The Racks by the Tracks Wine Tasting presented by Reedy Creek Vineyards and Cellar will feature over 20 wines from Reedy Creek Vineyards, Collier Wine Group, Arrington Vineyards, and Stonehaus Winery. Each winery showcases diverse flavors and allow ticket holders to sample a wide variety of styles.

Operating just like the beer tasting, each ticket will get you a commemorative wine tasting glass and access into the all-day concert. The wine tasting event is in the same area as the beer tasting event, so friends and families can spend time together while having tickets to different tastings.

Tickets to the wine tasting are a very exclusive ticket as only 500 are available so readers are encouraged to order tickets early.

theloaferonline.com | May 3, 2016 | 5

10K & 5K RACE/WALK & CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT

Events also include the festival’s SPF 10K and 5K Race/Walk presented by Dermatology Associates along with a Cornhole Tournament.

Over 500 runners participated in last year’s races. Along with the fun environment, one of the appealing draws of the SPF race is its course is considered the fastest course in the region due to how consistently flat it is. In addition, there is a unique opportunity for runners to participate in The Boss Hog Challenge in which they run in the 10K and 5K back to back, and receive a special t-shirt to commemorate their completion.

Awards for all races are given for numerous age groups. All race registrants receive a commemorative race t-shirt along with complimentary entrance into the all-day concerts. Registration for the races and cornhole tournament are available on the festival’s website.

BBQ & KIDS AREA

For those looking to enjoy great food, the BBQ Competition will give attendees an opportunity to taste the best barbecue from restaurants and teams from across the region. Each attendee can cast a vote in 5 different Peoples Choice award categories. No ticket is required to access this section of the festival. Non-barbecue food vendors will also be on-site.

Kids have a section dedicated to them in the Kid’s Station, which features large inflatables. Kids can also enjoy having their faces painted and other fun activities.

SCHEDULE

The family-friendly festival opens for lunch at noon and lasts until 10pm. The craft beer & wine tasting events are from 2-7pm. The 10K begins at 9am and the 5K begins at 10:30am. The cornhole tournament begins at 2pm. The ticketed music concert is from noon to 10pm.

COST

Entrance to the festival grounds and Kid’s Station is free. Food can be purchased at menu prices.

Concert tickets are $10 in advance (kids under 5 are free) and $15 the day of the festival. The low gravity craft beer tasting and concert ticket combo is $45. The wine tasting ticket is also $45 and also includes access to the concerts.

TICKETING

To save money and avoid waiting in line, attendees are encouraged to buy their tickets in advance. All ticket types can be purchased at www.RacksByTheTracks.com.

Alternatively, concert or low gravity beer tasting tickets can be purchased at any Food City store.

Stay up-to-date on the festivities by joining the Racks by the Tracks on Facebook. While entrance to the festival is free, all attendees must have a ticket to get access to the special events.

The festival has generated over $60,000 for non-profits.

This year’s proceeds benefit several non-profit organizations including Relay for Life, Kingsport Ballet, Rotary Clubs of America, Keep Kingsport Beautiful, PEAK Young Professionals and Kingsport Chamber of Commerce.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.RacksByTheTracks.com or contact event organizers at (423) 863-3998.

The festival is sponsored by Food City, Cumulus Broadcasting, Libation Station, Reedy Creek Vineyards & Cellar, Dermatology Associates, Sierra Nevada, AccuForce, Eastman Chemical Co., Sapporo Beer, KCVB, Action Rentals, Uncorked, Barberitos of Kingsport, VIP Seen and ABC TriCities.

6 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

festival

“Life Along Route 11” Art Show by the Double Line Painters of the Blue Ridge

L

Opens May 4, 2016 at the Arts Depot in Abingdon. VA Reception, May 5th 6-8 PM

ife Along Route 11” Art Show by the Double Line Painters of the Blue Ridge will be held May 4 through June 11, 2016 at the Arts Depot in Abingdon, VA. A Meet-the-Artist Reception is scheduled during Abingdon’s “First Thursday” Gallery Hop on May 5 at the Arts Depot from 6PM-8PM. Everyone is invited to attend.

“Route 11 is a familiar and well-travelled highway through our home area and areas we visit in our plein air adventures of city, small towns and rural countryside,” explains member Mary Anne Meador.

“There are many similarities and other unique d i ff e re n c e s which we try to capture in the spirit of our paintings. It is a tribute to the places and people we meet on these journeys that we enjoy sharing in our paintings.

The Double Line P a i n t ers of the Blue Ridge, Mary Anne Meador, Judy Lochbrunner, Bonnie Mason, Sue Furrow and Linda Schaar, began as an informal group of artists wishing to gather to learn more about plein air painting. And it has evolved into an art group that also arranges shows, teaches workshops, and maintains several social media sites (blog, Facebook, Pinterest). The group’s mission has also grown to include sharing our art to highlight local business and organizations and to assist community groups and area non-profits.

“Our strength comes from the different paths we have each taken in our art lives: a life-long pursuit, a direction discovered late in life, a passion squeezed in between work and family, an opportunity to have a second career and a calling re-kindled after many years.” says member Linda Schaar. “Some of us work in traditional oil painting methods, others in watercolor, and still others in mixed media. Our work can be realistic or abstract, contemporary or in the style of the old masters, serious or somber and playful or fun.”

The Arts Depot is located at 314 Depot Square in Abingdon, VA. Additional information in the show can be found at abingdonartsdepot.org or by calling 276-628-9091.

The community can follow the group’s adventures and view many of the stories behind the paintings on the group’s blog: doublelinepaintersoftheblueridge.blogspot.com. The art group can also be contacted through doublelinepaintersoftheblueridge.com. theloaferonline.com | May 3, 2016 | 7

“CHARLOTTE’S WEB”

Wilbur the pig takes center stage.

8 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

TO BE PERFORMED BY BARTER PLAYERS

A

favorite of young and old alike, the beloved children’s tale “Charlotte’s Web” is coming to Barter Theatre for a limited time May 3-June 4.

A tiny pig named Wilbur is saved from an untimely death by a little girl and taken to live in her uncle’s barn. In the barn, Wilbur meets many wonderful friends, the best of whom is Charlotte, a kindly spider who takes it upon herself to save Wilbur’s life yet again. Experience the joy and the wonder of this beautiful story of friendship at Barter Theatre.

Artistic Director of The Barter Players, Katy Brown, said, “’Charlotte’s Web’ is the Barter Players’ very favorite book in all of children’s literature. It has everything you could possibly want in a story: friendship, loyalty, love, life—We can’t wait to share this with audiences this spring.” The Barter Players have previously performed “Charlotte’s Web” to sold out crowds.

The story has proven to be an audience favorite for years.

Tickets to “Charlotte’s Web” begin at just $12. While there are still plenty of seats available, tickets for “Charlotte’s Web” are going fast. Book yours today before they are gone.

This classic tale, adapted from E.B. White’s beloved book, will be performed by: Angie Fisher, Jenna Haimes, James Hendley, Jeff Sundheim, Michael Vine and Sarah Vishnev.

The Barter Players are a group of professional artists who perform world-class theatre for young audiences. The troupe presents high-energy and original productions that capture the imagination of today’s youth while providing the best in classic literature and beloved story adaptations.

M

Jonesborough Welcomes Megan Hicks

egan Hicks, a master storyteller who specializes in fairy tales, family stories, and origami will soon appear in downtown Jonesborough as part of the International Storytelling Center’s live performance series.

The Storytelling Live! veteran will offer daily matinees during her weeklong residency. Shows are May 10 – 14, Tuesday through Saturday, at 2:00 p.m. in the Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall.

Hicks is known for her lively retellings of Western European fairy tales, which she describes as part of her DNA. She finds connections between these old stories and contemporary life everywhere. “I think that if you look at any story, even true stories, you see so many themes from fairy tales represented,” she says.

“A lot of our movies and TV shows lean heavily on fairy tale imagery and symbols. They address issues that are common to everyone no matter your cultural background. That can be really, really powerful.”

A lifelong performer, Hicks stumbled into storytelling in the late 1980s, making the transition from the world of folk music to her one-woman show quickly and seamlessly. At the time, her career as a songstress was going well except for one small setback: severe stage fright. “Singing in public terrified me,” she says. “I don’t know why. But the very first time I stood up to tell

a story, that stage fright just wasn’t there.”

In recent years, Hicks has developed more personal stories after realizing her happy family wasn’t so boring as she imagined. “It was a lot more interesting than I ever gave it credit for,” she says. “I remember being three years old and watching my mother get baptized by immersion. I thought the preacher was trying to drown her.”

Hicks loves performing in Jonesborough during the “off season,” and is particularly fond of the International Storytelling Center’s state-of-the-art theater. The intimate venue suits her style and makes the laughs more contagious. “I love playing to a small, crowded house,” she says. “It’s physical. You can just generate a whole lot of warmth and humor. It’s molecules under pressure, you know? They’re a little more volatile.”

Storytelling Live! tickets for all performances are just $12 for adults and $11 for seniors, students, and children under 18. Walk-in seating is available, but advance purchase is recommended.

All ticketholders 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.

The second performer in ISC’s acclaimed Storytelling Live! series, Hicks will be followed by 24 more “tellers in residence,” who each take a turn on the stage through the month of October.

Information about all performers, as well as a detailed schedule for 2016, is available at www. storytellingcenter.net. The premier sponsor of Storytelling Live! is the Mountain States’ Heart & Soul program. Additional funding comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the East Tennessee Foundation, Eastman Credit Union, the Mooneyhan Family Foundation and the Niswonger Foundation.

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 | May 3, 2016 | 9

Contra DancE

T

10 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

in Jonesborough Featuring Ohio Touring Band!

he Historic Jonesborough Dance Society will present a community contra dance on Saturday May 7, 2016 at the Jonesborough Visitors Center at 117 Boone Street. Class for beginning contra dancers will happen at 7:00 pm. The dance will run from 7:30-10:30 pm with a waltz and Klondike Bar break at 9:00pm. Coming to Jonesborough to perform for the dance will be the Zeke’s Fancy from Athens, OH. Calling for the dance will be the ever popular Diane Silver from Asheville.

Now that contra dance has become so popular all over this country, there are many step-by-step guides on how to do contra dance on the internet. “Even though we teach a brief workshop prior to the dance, there are other resources including contra dance videos, essays and other instruction available all over the web” states event organizer David Wiley. “We also encourage newcomers to partner with experienced dancers for the first few dances to build their confidence and show them how easy and fun contra dancing is”. You can bring the whole family to dance.

Zeke’s Fancy takes traditional dance music from Appalachia and the British Isles, combines it with swing, and creates driving music for contra dance. The members of Zeke’s Fancy combine rich musical backgrounds in traditional, bluegrass, classical and jazz and bring it all to the dance.

Zeke Hutchison, mandolin, grew up with music all around. Both his grandfathers played the fiddle and his father and uncle performed nationally as the Hutchison Brothers. Zeke recently recorded with Tim O’Brien on his Short Order Sessions, and writes that Zeke “is one of the very best unsung mandolin players in the world.” Listen to Zeke on one tune and you will agree.

Mark Barsamian started out playing classical violin and viola and now brings wonderful tone and powerful technique to old-time, contra, Irish and Scottish tunes. A long-time contra dancer, Mark knows which tune to match with which dance for maximum dance drive.

Paul Brown is a two time Ohio state champion banjo player and has placed in the top 5 at the National Bluegrass Banjo Championships in Winfield, Kansas twice. His highly melodic style is heavily influenced by his fiddle playing, for which he also has won numerous awards. He currently teaches advanced banjo at Denison University.

Dave Borowski is a guitarist and bassist whose deepest musical roots are in country, swing, jazz, and blues. He also plays with Zeke’s uncle in J.D. Hutchison and Realbilly Jive, and in the rootsrock Athens-based band, The Wing Nuts.

Nick Weiland started out as the drummer in a 60’s garage band and has taken a long musical road to arrive at contra dance. He is also the bassist for the Hotpoint Stringband who have performed in Jonesborough on three occasions. Nick brings the rhythm and drive of Hot Point to Zeke’s Fancy.

Come as you are; wear soft flexible shoes for dancing. Come to dance, join the potluck dinner or just to listen. No partner is necessary. All dances are taught. As always, our dances are smoke and alcohol free. Admission to the dance is $7, $5 for HJDS members and $5 for full time students.

Families with their own children are all admitted for only $15.

For further information call event organizer, David Wiley, at 423-534-8879 or visit www.historicjonesboroughdancesociety.org or Historic Jonesborough Dance Society on FACEBOOK.

T

Kingsport Chamber Golf Scramble

set for Monday, May 9

he Kingsport Chamber 24th Annual Golf Scramble is set for Monday, May 9 at Ridgefields. at Ridgefields Due to the popularity of the event, two rounds will be available with tee times at 8:45 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Sponsored by Food City, Pepsi and Hunter, Smith & Davis, the tournament benefits the Kingsport Chamber and its Keep Kingsport Beautiful and Leadership Kingsport programs.

Texas Roadhouse is the lunch and dinner sponsor and Lexus of Kingsport serves as the hole-in-one sponsor. Breakfast will be provided by Food City.

Media sponsors include the Kingsport Times-News, My 19 WKPT/MeTV Tri-Cities WAPK and AM 640 WXSM Xtreme Sports Monster.

“The Kingsport Chamber Golf Scramble is one of our most popular events,” Kingsport Chamber President and CEO Miles Burdine said. “This is an important fundraiser for two of our programs – Keep Kingsport Beautiful and Leadership Kingsport. We are so appreciative to Food City, Pepsi and Hunter, Smith & Davis for being the title sponsors and to all of the other sponsors and individuals who participate in support of their Kingsport Chamber and these two vital programs.

We invite everyone to enter a team or sponsor a hole and join us for what promises to be another fun and enjoyable day on the golf course.”

Awards will be given to the top three places in two flights in both the morning and afternoon rounds.

Hole competitions include prizes for longest drive on two holes, most accurate drive on two holes, closest to the pin on each of the four par threes and hole-in-one on each of the four par threes.

Hole sponsorships are available for $250 and individual player entry fees are $150 per player or $600 for a team of four.

A chairman’s discount package is offered for $775 and includes a team of four and hole sponsorship.

To enter the Kingsport Chamber 24th Annual Golf Scramble or to sponsor a hole, call the Kingsport Chamber at 392-8800 or send an e-mail to Shana Al Hadi, Kingsport Chamber communications and events coordinator, at salhadi@kingsportchamber.org.

“We are most grateful to Ridgefields and its outstanding and talented team for hosting the Kingsport Chamber Scramble again,” Burdine added. “Ridgefields is a wonderful club and it’s a huge asset for our community. We hope golfers will take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful and challenging DonaldRoss golf course at Ridgefields.”

The Kingsport Chamber is a private, non-profit business organization composed of nearly 1,000 members. The Kingsport Chamber’s mission is to utilize resources and focus efforts on enhancing a strong and viable business environment for the Kingsport area.

Programs of the Kingsport Chamber include: Communications & Development; Downtown Concert Series; Education & Workforce Development; Fun Fest; Government Relations; Healthy Kingsport; Keep Kingsport Beautiful; Kingsport ChamberZone; Kingsport Convention & Visitors Bureau (KCVB); Kingsport Leadership Programs (Leadership Kingsport and S.H.O.U.T.!®); Kingsport Office of Small Business Development & Entrepreneurship (KOSBE); Membership; Move to Kingsport; Santa Train; and Tennessee/Virginia Scholars.

For more information on the Kingsport Chamber, go to KingsportChamber.org or call (423) 392-8800. We’re social too; follow us on our Facebook page, Your Kingsport Chamber, and on our Twitteraccount, @kptchamber.

theloaferonline.com | May 3, 2016 | 11

S

aturday, May 7th, 2016, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert by Ralph Stanley II. Admission to the concert is $10 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free. Carter Family friend Ronnie Williams will also be on hand to do some Carter Family tunes.

If you were to gather together an average cross-section of people and ask them if they thought it would be an advantage for a performer to be the child of a living legend, most would probably conclude that

RALPH STANLEY II AT CARTER FAMILY FOLD it would have to be a definite plus. After all, the doors of opportunity would be quicker to open, and the spotlight of public attention that so many artists spend years trying to cultivate would be yours because – well – just because. Famous by default, so to speak, and doubtless those are very real and tangible advantages. But then there’s the downside – pressure. The learning curve, the whole growth process with all its potential missteps and pitfalls, is a public document. Most artists get to take those perilous first steps of their careers in relative anonymity, a nameless face in the crowd.

As one might expect for the son of a renowned banjo player, the first instrument Ralph II ever held was a banjo. At the ripe old age of three, Ralph (or simply “Two” as he is called by his family and friends), had his first lesson from the elder Stanley, learning a simple finger roll. It turned out, however, that he would not be following in his father’s footsteps when it came to his choice of instrument. He soon fell under the spell of the undisputed king of boyhood musical desires, the guitar. He spotted one under his sister’s bed, and according to Ralph, “I wanted to play it. When I was five years old, I started with the guitar and I’ve been playing it ever since.”

But despite his interest in the guitar, and the fact that he was occasionally traveling with the Clinch Mountain Boys on the road,

RALPH II ... continued on next page

12 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

RALPH II ... continued from previous page

he had not yet developed an ambition to play professionally. It took until age twelve and an old 1977 video of the late Keith Whitley during his tenure as lead singer for the Clinch Mountain Boys to inspire him to become a professional musician. After seeing Whitley with the elder Stanley, he was hooked and spent hours in the family basement honing his skills, and weathering the comparisons to his late Uncle Carter. His persistence paid off, and he took the stage as lead singer with Ralph Sr. and the Clinch Mountain Boys in June of 1995. Since then, he has earned the respect of Stanley fans everywhere and has garnered praise as a strong new artist in his own right.

Ralph II has had two Grammy nominations on previous albums he recorded with Rebel Records. In 2002 he earned his first Grammy along with his father, Dr. Ralph Stanley, for their collaboration with Jim Lauderdale on Lost in the Lonesome Pines. Ralph II has proven to be an accomplished songwriter and has six solo albums under his belt, along with the newly released and highly acclaimed duet album with his father titled Side by Side. Ralph II’s newest release Born to be a Drifter is his most recent release.

His newest CD is available through his website, and will also be available at the show.

This will mark Ralph II’s seventh performance at the Fold with his band – now an annual event.

The Stanley and Carter families have been pivotal in preserving the region’s rich musical tradition and carrying the music of the mountains throughout the world. Come see this legendary performer in one of the region’s most historical venues – the Carter Fold! Go to either www.ralph2. com/ or www.drralphstanleymusic.com for additional information.

Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, rural arts organization established to preserve traditional, acoustic, mountain music. For further information on the center, go to http://www.carterfamilyfold.org. Shows from the Carter Family Fold can be accessed on the internet at http://www.carterfoldshow.com. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054. The Fold is on Facebook – page Carter Fold – and Twitter – @carterfoldinfo. To speak to a volunteer Fold staff member, call 276-594-0676.

New live and interactive planetarium program, “The Transit of Mercury featuring ‘Solar Quest,’” now showing!

On May 9th, the planet Mercury will transit the Sun. This event happens when Earth and Mercury are in just the right positions for alignment with the Sun. Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium presents a new program to bring attention to this rare celestial event.

Bays Mountain Planetarium is proud to present “The Transit of Mercury featuring ‘Solar Quest.’” In this new, live and interactive program, visitors will explore the small, rocky world of Mercury from its rare glimpses in the twilight skies to recent explorations by the Messenger spacecraft. The powerful nature of our Sun is presented through a short segment entitled “Solar Quest,” which was produced by the Buhl Planetarium at Carnegie Science Center. A live activity demonstrating the relative sizes and distances of Mercury, Earth and Sun highlights why transit events are somewhat rare occurrences. The program concludes with information about the upcoming transit and how to observe this event safely. “The Transit of Mercury” will show at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

“The Transit of Mercury featuring ‘Solar Quest’” was written and produced by Bays Mountain Planetarian, Jason Dorfman.

The live content is rich with great full-dome animations, use of the Carl Zeiss ZKP-4 star projector, and a fun activity!

theloaferonline.com | May 3, 2016 | 13

I

Pressure King 9000

was at home on a Tuesday afternoon trying to figure out if I could convince people to pay money to watch me juggle forks when I got a text. “I’ve rented a power washer and I’d like some help with washing off the back deck of this house.

I know tonight is usually the night you stay in and ponder how to juggle items for financial gain, but if you come and help I’ve got a 1986 Parker Brothers VCR game I’d like to give you as thanks.” My friend Chris, who sent the text, flips houses for a living, and he knows my weakness are board games—vintage Parker Brothers games especially.

I found myself following the directions of Siri out to the house.

It was somewhere in the country, so it was going to take about 20 minutes to get there. The address was a long driveway, the opening of which was flanked by some brick posts with a light on the

14 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

top of each post. The light on the top of the left post was on, and the one on the right was missing the bulb. At the end of this long driveway stood the house. A largish house that from the outside must have been built in the very early 1990s at the latest.

From the outside the house looked weathered, but together. The kind of house a little bit of TLC could easily renew. The landscaping the front of the house was scraggly and overgrown, dead leaves were all over the front porch—along with other dirt. There was a sign on the door which read “doorbell broken, knock loudly.” I did knock loudly, which after a pause was followed by Chris opening the door, and welcoming me to his latest venture.

The interior of the house was bare and mostly dated. The carpet that ran all around the living areas looked old and dirty, it was half ripped up from the living room “I’m going to put down hardwood” Chris said. Chris led me into the kitchen, where the appliances were gone, and my game was waiting for me on the countertop near where the stove would be. There was also a set of french glass doors in one part of the kitchen, it was one of two that led to the back deck.

The deck was big, you could easily fit twenty people out there, it ran the length of the house. The wood was weathered and dirty, cracked in a few places. “I think there’s a couple of rotten boards which will have to be replaced, not sure where they are, but I think a good washing can do this wonders.” There were two power washers on the deck. Chris was going to take the left side, and I was going to take the right.

I started in at the outside right of the deck, and a stream of dark water was coming off clearing away decades worth of dirt. Chris had told me this house was one that got caught up in legal issues stemming from the will of a family, and had sat abandoned for eight years—which explains why a house as nice as it is was needed the attention it needed. Things were going along well with the washing. Just a routine spray in one direction slowly, spray in the other direction slowly, repeat.

About a quarter of the way into the deck, I came across this one section of wood that seemed particularly dirty. As I held the washer over it, the debris coming off darkened deeper in color than it had in the other parts of the deck. Making small back and forth movements I kept going over the same spot till it seemed the debris water was running clear. As I started to move on down the deck, I discovered that I had done such an excellent job of washing this section, I had actually knocked a chunk right out of a plank.

“Hey! I think I just found a rotten board!” I yelled over to Chris. Chris turned off his washer, and walked over “Yep, that’s a rotten board alright.” Chris then began to walk around the area, hitting on the deck with the heel of his right foot. “I figured all the rotten ones must me closer towards the inside. There’s nothing but dirt underneath all of this, with lattice around the sides.”

As Chris was kicking around, he knocked another plan or two loose, one of which split right in two. We stood there observing, Chris thinking of how much replacement work would be needed, when I noticed a faint humming sound. “Do you hear that?” I asked, “Hear what?” Chris asked.

“That sound. It’s like a humming or a buzzing sound. Truthfully it sounds a bit like…” As I started to say the word “wasps” a whole horde of them came flying up from the broken board.

Chris and I bolted for the house, we quickly got inside, closed and locked the door behind us. It seems there was a nice little brood of wasps living under that part of the deck, and soon they were swarming all around the house. “I guess we live here now” I said to Chris as we walked around and wondered how to survive now that the before times was fifteen minutes ago. Trapped, for what may be days, we decided to check out the rest of the house. We wandered around upstairs, then the main floor then down to the basement.

Chris hadn’t done much in the basement yet, but down there we found a musty aroma, lots of space, and almost hidden away in the far back—an old TV/VCR combo deal. Chris looked at me, I looked at him. “What else are we going to do?” I asked. We hauled the TV upstairs, plugged it in, discovered it worked, and played the VCR game. Chris won the game, the wasps left by nightfall, and the house is currently on the market. It’s really a lovely little home, and I can assure you, no wasps are there. See you next week.

Country music sensation

N

Restless Heart

to perform May 7 at NPAC

iswonger Performing Arts Center welcomes country music super group Restless Heart to the stage on Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 pm.

The five original band members of Restless Heart are going strong and still giving fans the same vocal quality as they did over thirty years ago. The group has earned six consecutive #1 hits, four certified RIAA Gold albums, and a wide range of awards from many organizations including the Academy of Country Music’s Top Vocal Group Award. Their recordshattering string of 26 Billboard and 14 Top Ten Hits include “That Rock Won’t Roll,” “Let The Heartache Ride,” “I’ll Still Be Loving You,” and “Wheels.” The band is humbled to still be inspiring fans from all across the country and enjoys being a part of the power of music. The men who make up Restless Heart have enjoyed one of the most successful careers in country music history.

The story of Restless Heart is far from over, according to band member Larry Stewart. “Restless Heart still has a lot of history to make. We are still at the top of our game when it comes to singing and playing together. We have some projects we’re working on, and we want to put the Restless Heart brand out to music fans again – to let them know we’re still here and making good music.”

Most recently, Restless Heart has released a cover of “Wichita Lineman,” in honor of one of their musical heroes, Glen Campbell.

Hear the classic country hits from Restless Heart at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in historic downtown Greeneville, TN on Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 pm. This performance is sponsored by South State Contractors. Tickets are $35 for orchestra level seating, $30 for mezzanine seating and $25 for balcony seats. Tickets may be purchased online at www.npacgreeneville. com, in person at the NPAC box office, or by calling 423-638-1679.

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. theloaferonline.com | May 3, 2016 | 15

S O LG T P

T I

- TUESDAY - May 3rd -

DYLAN EARL at Acoustic Coffeehouse 8pm SICK PUPPIES at Capone’s

TN HIGH SCHOOL MIGHTY VIKING BAND

at Paramount Center for the Performing Arts 7pm DOWNTOWN COUNTRY at Jiggy Ray’s 6:30pm

- WEDNESDAY - May 4th OPEN MIC at Jiggy Ray’s SCOTTY MELTON at Hungry I at the Apex 6pm BILL MIZE at Down Home ALLI AND I / DIGISAURUS at Acoustic Coffeehouse - THURSDAY - May 5th MEG MULHEAM, AMYTHYST KIAH, CHELSEA KINSER at Capone’s SMOKEY MOUNTAIN SIDESHOW

at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe 7pm BENNY WILSON at Marker “2” Grill THE SLOCAN RAMBLERS at Down Home BELOW 7 (Rock) at Quaker Steak & Lube

HERO JR w/ SANG SARAH

at Sleepy Owl Brewery 8pm LIVE MUSIC at Bone Fire Smokehouse STEFAN KEYS featuring THE FARM BUREAU at Holston River Brewing Company 8pm LAURA THURSTON (Folk) at O’Mainnin’s Pub OPEN MIC at Acoustic Coffeehouse

- FRIDAY - May 6th -

CRAZY LIKE LEXI at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe 7pm AARON JACKSON BAND at Capone’s HERO JR at 50Fifity Sports Tavern ACOUSTIFRIED at Marker “2” Grill SHOOTER (Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at State Line Bar & Grill 7pm

CHRIS JONES & THE NIGHT DRIVERS at Down Home

HIDDEN VALLEY BOYS at The Family Barn 6pm

H

- FRIDAY - May 6th -

AMERICAN GONZOS

at Acoustic Coffeehouse 10pm

- SATURDAY - May 7th ACOUSTIFRIED (Rock n Roll)

at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe 7pm

CALAMITY JONES (Formerly The Jones Boys) at Marker “2” Grille

THE TWANG BANGERS at 50Fifty Sports Tavern

SUNDOWN BAND (Country)

at David Thompson’s Produce 7pm

BRYAN SUTTON BAND at Down Home BELOW 7 (Rock) at Barbarosa (Del Rio, TN)

SAVING ABEL w/ SMILE EMPTY SOUL, KIRRA, THE BUDDZ & DIRTY WHITE LIES at Bristol VFW Post 6975

MEGAN JEAN & THE KLAY FAMILY BAND

at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 8pm

COREY SMITH

at Cumberland Square Park

TENNESSEE LARUE at Greeneville VFW 8pm

SOUTHERN 76

at The Family Barn 6pm SHOOTER (Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at The ShowPalace 7pm

JIMMY & THE JAWBONES

at Holston River Brewing Company 9pm

THE LEDGERWOODS at Bristol Brewery 8pm

HERO JR

at O’Mainnin’s Pub

RALPH II

at Carter Fold

EXIT 23

DEMON WAFFLE w/ THIS PERFECT WORLD & GHOST CAB

BIG DADDY LOVE w/ JUBAL

VIRGINIA REMNANTS

JOE LASHER JR.

BRIAN DOLZANI CUMBERLAND RIVER HUMANE SOCIETY BENEFIT SHOW

A GREAT DISASTER

at Yee Haw Brewing Company 8pm at Bone Fire Smokehouse

at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 8pm at Holston River Brewing Company 8pm NIGHTSHIFT (Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) at JC Moose Lodge 8pm

3.0

at Country Club Bar & Grill

16 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

at Sleepy Owl Brewery

at Bone Fire Smokehouse

at Acoustic Coffeehouse

WYLDEHEART

at Country Club Bar & Grill

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.

- SUNDAY - May 8th -

IVY ROAD at Marker “2” Grille MARK LARKINS at Sonny’s Marina 7 Cafe JAM SESSION at The Family Barn 1pm LIVE MUSIC at Bone Fire Smokehouse

SUNSHINE NIGHTS / MATT HECTORNE at Acoustic Coffeehouse

- MONDAY - May 9th GARY HUNLEY & THE POWELL VALLEY MTN BOYS at Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch THE STRUTS at Capone’s MOUNTAINS LIKE WAX at Acoustic Coffeehouse

KARAOKE

TUESDAY Karaoke at 50Fifty Sports Tavern Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Boomershine’s Pizza - Bluff City *********************** WEDNESDAY Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at American Legion 8pm Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Smokey Bones & Marker “2” Grille Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN *********************** THURSDAY Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City Karaoke at Bristol VFW Karaoke at Holiday Inn - Johnson City Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Mellow Mushroom & Poor Richard’s Campus *********************** 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 Bristol VFW Karaoke at Elizabethton VFW Elizabethton TN Karaoke w/ DJ Marques at Holiday Inn (Exit 7) - Bristol VA Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City *********************** SATURDAY Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Macado’s - Kingsport Karaoke at Bristol VFW Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City TN

Spotlight Directory 50 Fifty Sports Tavern 2102 N. Roan Street Johnson City Acoustic Coffeehouse 415 W Walnut St. Johnson City 423/434.9872 Biggies Clam Bar 417 W Stone Dr Kingsport 423/765-9633 Bone Fire Smokehouse at the Hardware 260 W Main St Abingdon Va 276/623-0037 Bristol Brewery 41 Piedmont Ave Bristol VA 276/ 608-1220 Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch 620 State St Bristol 423/573-2262 Buffalo Ruritan 200 Willowbrook Dr. Bluff City 423/391-7382 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 David Thompson’s Produce 251 Highway 107 Jonesborough 423/913-8123 The Dispensary 271 Oak Avenue, Spruce Pine NC 828/765-0050 Down Home 300 W. Main St. Johnson City 423/929-9822 Elizabethton Elks Lodge 1000 N. Sycamore St Elizabethton 423/ 543-2341 Family Barn 15559 Lee Hwy Bristol VA

Holiday Inn (Exit 7) 3005 Linden Dr Bristol Va 276/466-4100 Holston River Brewing Company 2621 Volunteer Pkwy Bristol TN Jiggy Ray’s 610 E. Elk Ave Elizabethton Kingsport Moose Lodge 301 E. Main St. Kingsport The Lions Club 116 Industrial Park Rd. Chilhowie VA 276/646-3916 Marker “2’ Grill at Lakeview Marina 474 Lakeside Dock, Kingsport 423/323-4665 The Mecca Lounge 117 Spring St Johnson City Northeast State Community College 2425 Highway 75 Blountville TN 423/928-9360 O’Mainnin’s Pub 712 State St Bristol 423/844-0049 The Outdoorsman 4535 Highway 11W Kingsport Paramount Center for the Arts 516 State St. Bristol TN 423/ 274-8920 Shelbees Vintage Café 504 State Street Bristol TN 423/ 652-1000 Sleepy Owl Brewery 151 E. Main St. Kingsport 423/390-8476 Sonny’s Marina & Café 109 One St. Gray TN 423/283-4014 Washington County Moose 15605 Porterfield Hwy Abgindon VA 276/628-2756 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 Woodstone Deli 3500 Fort Henry Dr Kingsport 423/245-5424 Yee Haw Brewing Company 126 Buffalo St. Johnson City

BELOW 7 Thursday, May 5th Quaker Steak & Lube Saturday, May 7th Barbarosa (Del Rio, TN)

theloaferonline.com | May 3, 2016 | 17

Mercury Crosses Sun this Monday

F

Photo by MarQ

irst planet Mercury passes in front of the Sun beginning in the mid-morning of Monday, May 9th, always an exciting event in the world of astronomy.

CAUTION: Never look directly at the Sun with any telescope, binoculars or other optical device or permanent eye damage will occur. Trust only experienced amateur astronomers with showing you the Sun at any time.

You can safely view this transit of Mercury with the Bays Mt. Amateur Astronomers at the campus of East Tennessee State University. Their solar telescope will be set up at the “CPA Yards” from 10 am to 3 pm. The Yards are located on ETSU grounds in Johnson City at the intersection of Go Bucs Trail and Jack Vest Drive. This is very close to the intersection of W. State of Franklin Road and Jack Vest Drive. So grab a sandwich and drink for lunch and take in some Sun as Mercury slowly crosses the globe of our favorite star.

The planet will bisect the bottom third or the Sun, and take a full 7 hours to transit. Mercury first touches the edge at 7:12 am and leaves the Sun at 2:42 pm in this dramatic display of celestial motion. There may even be sunspots to see, some probably larger than Mercury!

The next transit of Mercury will be on Nov. 11, 2019, and then won’t occur again until Nov. 13, 2032.

There are usually 13 or 14 transits of Mercury every century, the celestial motion dictated by the movement of the Earth and the first planet around the Sun. The last one was Nov. 8, 2006. So, don’t miss this opportunity and hope for clear skies!

An object passing in front of another celestial body is called a “transit” by astronomers, and we only see Mercury about every eight years and more rarely planet Venus (every 168 years) transit the Sun. But we can see on many nights one or more moons of Jupiter transit its globe, and some astrophotographers relish the challenge of capturing the International Space Station in transit across the face of the Sun or Moon.

Because it is so small against the Sun there are no recorded transits of Mercury before the invention of the telescope, and it was Galileo the first to see it as a tiny disk in 1610.

The first transit of Mercury recorded is credited to Pierre Gassendi in Nov. 7, 1631. He used calculations by Johannes Kepler, who was convinced both Mercury and Venus had to pass in front of the Sun at some point of their orbit.

Mercury is a small, dense world that has one of the most cratered surface in the Solar System. No wonder, it is an easy target for all the incoming comets, asteroid and smaller meteoroids that are sucked into the Sun by its tremendous gravity.

Yet, only Earth is denser than Mercury, which is heavy like a bowling ball thanks to a dense iron core at least two-thirds the size of the planet, the center of which is probably molten. So close to the Sun but with no atmosphere, the surface temperature varies from 800 F. degrees in the sunlight while it can be nearly -300 F. degrees below zero in the dark.

Thanks to the four years that NASA’s Mercury Messenger spacecraft orbited

18 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

the planet (2011-2015) the entire surface has been mapped to about a half-mile in detail.

The big surprise is the discovery of ice at the poles, trapped in the bottom of craters that never see sunlight—just like our Moon. The source of the water? Most likely comets that have bombarded all the worlds of our Solar System.

Before the spacecraft Messenger, NASA also targeted Mercury with Mariner 10 in 1974-75, providing the best images until updated by the orbiter 30 years later. Mariner 10 made three huge, looping orbits of Mercury during its year-long mission, but faced the same side of the planet.

Messenger made three flybys of Mercury and began orbiting in March 2011 it lasted until it ran out of fuel and was intentionally crashed into the planet on April 30, 2015.

The images for this successful NASA spacecraft showed a varied terrain of craters, Mercury is named for the Roman god known as the “messenger.” His fleet foot was perfect to dispatch information among the gods.

The 3,032-mile Mercury is 36 million miles from the Sun. It takes just 88 days to circle the Sun once, that’s whipping around its racetrack of an orbit at a speed of 30 miles per second. Against the 800,000-mile-wide sphere of our Sun, Mercury’s ration in size is that of a small vegetable pea against a basketball.

And the orbit is the most eccentric of all the planets coming as close to the Sun as 29 million miles before looping away at 43 million miles distant. Why this is so being still a mystery.

Mercury is surpassed in size by Jupiter’s moon Ganymede (3,270 miles) and Saturn’s moon Titan (3,201 miles). Earth’s Moon is 2,160 miles wide.

Mercury is unique that it is in what orbital astronomers call a 2:3 resonance: every three revolutions around the Sun the planet’s axis turns twice. This creates a day twice as long as its year. So from the surface, sunrise to sunrise lasts 176 days!

Mercury has no moons and has a magnetic field probably generated by a churning, iron molten core.

The NASA rover Curiosity witnessed a transit of Mercury from the surface of Mars on June 3, 2014, a unique celestial event set up by different orbital parameters. Other rovers on Mars have watched the two small moons, Phobos and Deimos, pass in front of the Sun. Mercury is the focus of a legend that the great Polish astronomer Copernicus never saw it, though he was first to correctly write in a book that all the planets orbited the Sun and not the Earth. That’s probably just an astronomy “urban legend” as Mercury isn’t that hard to see at all.

Though it is never far from the Sun and therefore only seen from sundown to twilight’s end—or twilight’s beginning to sunrise—it is an easy object with the aid of a star map—easily found by googling “Planet Mercury position charts.”

Mercury yings and yangs back-and-forth between the morning and evening skies, making at least two appearances a year in each. Orbital alignments on these Mercury “apparitions” determine how high above the horizon the planet will be seen. Monthly astronomy magazines like “Sky & Telescope” and “Astronomy” keep up with the positions of all the planets with easy to understand charts for the year.

The first planet is always a rewarding one see, and its apparitions are always a “now-you-see-it-now-you-don’t” situation as it moves so quickly. So take advantage and see Mercury cross the Sun—it’ll be something you’ll definitely remember.

T

he first planet Mercury passes in front of the Sun on Monday, May 9, an event that will be seen around most of the world and won’t happen again until November 2019. Bays Mt. Amateur Astronomers will safely show the public the “transit of Mercury” at the campus of East Tennessee State University from 10 am to 3 pm near the physics building. Meteors seen all week could be pieces of the famous Comet Halley as the Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower is in progress.

Tues. May 3 Between Hydra along the horizon and Virgo in the high south are two constellations, Corvus the Crow, and Crater the Cup. Both are faint, but Corvus is recognizable as a lopsided square in dark skies. Crater has some stars that curve, and is a star pattern that is supposed to be the goblet of god Apollo.

Wed. May 4 Mars and Saturn are spectacular as they stand nearly side by side above red star Antares (rival of Mars) in Scorpius. They rise in the east around 1 am and will be well placed this Summer directly south. Watch as red Mars moves eastward (left) and eventually passes golden Saturn later this month. Mars is close to Earth for a few months and its surface is easily visible in backyard telescopes. And, of course, Saturn’s rings are always spectacular!

Thurs. May 5

Celestial events in the skies for the week of May 3rd - May 9th as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.

On this 1961 date in space history, America’s first spaceman, Alan Shepard, was launched on a rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida for a short 15-minute ride to the weightless environment of space and back to the Atlantic Ocean.

Fri. May 6 New Moon is today, perfect for tonight’s peak of the Eta Aquarid Meteor shower, and you might see up to 20 meteors an hour after midnight—and a bunch of strays throughout the evening. These “shooting stars” are sand grain-sized pieces of Halley’s Comet as Earth passes through its orbit. Halley’s Comet was last seen in 1986, and will return in 2061.

Sat. May 7 On this 1992 date in space history, Space Shuttle Endeavour was launched on its maiden flight that had a daring mission: capture the large Intel VI satellite and put a new “kick motor” on it to relaunch it to proper height. Three astronauts grabbed the satellite in the cargo bay and successfully relaunched it—the motor working perfectly a day later.

Sun. May 8 Mother’s Day. Which has nothing to do with astronomy…except you could hug your Mom to the Moon and back! End the special day by enjoying a beverage and watching the stars come out in the beautiful celestial canopy above.

Mon. May 9 Mercury passes in front of the Sun today beginning at this afternoon from 7:12 am to 2:42 pm.

The transit is visible from Western Europe to the Americas, however west of the Mississippi River the Sun will rise with Mercury in transit. But DO NOT ever look at the Sun with optical aid or eye damage will occur.

theloaferonline.com | May 3, 2016 | 19

Game of Thrones ****

G

out of 4 stars

ame of Thrones” is back! Fans of the HBO series, like myself, have waited patiently for season 6 to begin so we can follow the latest happenings of our favorite characters from the fictional lands of Westeros and Essos. If you are a fan of the show and/or books the series is based on, you know no character is safe in this world featuring various exotic locales, dragons, white walkers (dead creatures that appear to be frozen solid but “alive”), and really large wolves. Oh yes, and the show also features giants and the famous Iron Throne everyone is after. Over the course of 5 seasons, viewers have seen Kings die, major characters offed, and dragons grow from eggs to full size fire-breathing terrors . The show is so filled with characters you sometimes need a playbook to keep up, and that is half the fun. In case you aren’t familiar with the show, the series is based on the fantasy novels of George R.R. Martin, and features various characters from several noble houses in the fictional lands of Westeros and Essos fighting to claim the Iron Throne in order to rule over the Seven Kingdoms. The show is epic, and feels like you are watching a mini theatrical movie each week. The epic nature of the show has yielded 26 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Best Drama Series for 2015. As season 6 begins, episode one featured updates of the major characters, including the much loved Jon Snow (Kit Harington), who was supposedly stabbed to death last season, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), who flew away on one of her dragons

20 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

after an attempted assassination, Cersei Lannister (Lena Heady), who was last seen doing what amounts to a walk of shame in her city, Cersei’s brother Jamie (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) dealing with the shocking death of an immediate family member, and Cersei and Jamie’s dwarf brother Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) dealing with the disappearance of his new ally Daenerys. Meanwhile separated sisters Sansa Stark (Spohie Turner) and Arya (Maisie Williams) are dealing with their own issues, an abusive husband and sudden blindness respectively. Don’t worry, this review will be spoiler free for those who have yet to catch up. I will just say the first episode of season 6 certainly was full of the typical shocks and plot twists the show is famous for. Two of the major shocking moments involve some new characters from the city of Dorne and the mysterious Melisandre (Carice van Houten). The current season of the show is the first to feature original content not found in Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” novels. The show, at least in the first episode, doesn’t appear to be suffering from being “ahead” of the novels that have yet to be finished. If you have yet to watch the show and love fantasy/ drama’s, it’s not to late to catch up, as the seasons only consist of 10 episodes each, and are available in various formats, including Blu-ray and DVD. Episode 1 of season 6 for “Game of Thrones” got the show off to a rousing start, which will not doubt lead to another series of epic adventures for the characters and viewers. (Viewer discretion advised)

M

The Writing on the Wall

Montana. Big Sky Country. Home of Sitting Bull, Gary Cooper, and the occasional serial bomber. The Treasure State is a big place (4th largest among US states) with a small population (around 1 million when the weather is nice). But as interesting as all this might be, Montana is also the place to find Pompeys Pillar – a national monument dedicated to the preservation of graffiti.

Of course, this particular graffito (MS Word insists that’s the correct singular form) isn’t just your garden variety gangland tag or profession of love from Cletus to Brandine. Nope. In fact, it’s the last remaining physical evidence to be found along the route traversed by Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and their Corps of Discovery more than two centuries ago. As such, it’s been preserved behind Plexiglas – which isn’t exactly the usual approach to dealing with graffiti.

Pompeys Pillar, as it has come to be known, is an impressive rock formation (primarily 75-million-year-old sandstone) that is vaguely reminiscent of Devil’s Tower - though the latter is older and much, much larger. It overlooks the Yellowstone River, rising 150 feet with an area of about 1 acre at its base. It’s marked by numerous Native American petroglyphs, but the best known defacement came about at the hands of expedition leader William Clark, who signed his name alongside the date: July 25, 1806.

For those who don’t know much about the Lewis and Clark mission (a truly engaging tale of adventure, exploration, and patriotism), here is the backstory: Following the Louisiana Purchase, President Jefferson funded an expedition to be led by the conveniently-named Meriwether Lewis and William Clark for the purpose of learning more about the land he’d just acquired (terrain, flora, fauna, etc.) for the fledgling nation. For three years, beginning in 1804, they did just that, discovering the source of the Missouri River and making it all the way from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean and back.

Of course, they were helped along by their hired guide, a Shoshone woman named Sacagawea, who you may recognize from those gold dollar coins that you have no idea what to do with. Along the way, Sacagawea gave birth to a little boy who she named Jean Baptiste Charbonneau and to whom William Clark took an instant liking.

Clark nicknamed him Pompy, or simply Pomp, and eventually named the aforemen-

tioned rock formation for him. As an aside, Pompy appears on those coins as well.

Today, Pompeys Pillar is a significant tourist attraction, boasting a new interpretive center with exhibits on the Corps of Discovery and Sacagawea. It’s only 25 miles from Billings, which is a pretty big city by Montana standards, so it’s relatively easy to get to. And I suppose you could add your name to the rock as many others have, but I wouldn’t recommend that you further descecrate a national monument. Not even you, Cletus.

theloaferonline.com | May 3, 2016 | 21

THE SAM JONES INTERVIEW

A

As the old saying goes, “Still waters run deep.” You can see this in some people who have the laid back demeanor our region is known for. They greet everybody with a smile and kind words.

But when you really take the time to stop and get to know them, these folks have some of the most amazing stories you will ever hear. They have often lived lives of heroism, tenacity and genuine dedication to serving people. Sam Jones is one of those individuals. He served our country in Vietnam. Now he serves military and veteran families through the Tri Cities Military Affairs Council. Get to know Sam. BRIAN: Sam, first of all thanks for taking the time to talk with me and let folks get to know you better. Tell us about your experience growing up in this region and how it shaped who you are.

SAM: I grew up in the Fairview Community, behind Tri-City Airport. I attended Holston Elementary and High School. This was a great place to grow up. You knew everyone in your community and most every in the school. We were a farming community, but many of the fathers worked at Eastman, the paper mill (Domtar), the book factory or Mason-Dixon trucking. I was a member of a great class (1966) from Holston and we still are a pretty tight group.

BRIAN: You headed to college but that was interrupted briefly as you were called away. Talk about Vietnam and what that experience was like while you were there. And what was your experience like when you came home?

SAM: I enrolled at Milligan College after high school and spent one year there. In June 1968 I received my draft notice and entered the military.

I had the minimum 16 weeks of basic training and advanced training and was ordered to Vietnam.

Going over was my first flight of any distance.

I imagine many were like myself, leaving home for the first time. Most of us were ages 18-20, and going to a battlefield not knowing if we would return. We only knew what we had learned from our instructors. The heat and smell as we stepped out the door of the plane was the first assault on our senses, it’s something you never forget. I was sent to the port city of Qui Nhon. We operated the port which included petroleum, ammo, and all the needs to support the combat troops in the central highlands area, including Pleku and AnKhe. BRIAN: Once you came back you went right back to school and then into the business world since then. Did you end up where you had envisioned?

SAM: When I first got back, 1971, a lot had

22 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

changed in how the public treated returning veterans. We were told to change into civilian clothes before we left our return bases for our own protection on our way home. Protests were going on all around the country. This was a trying time for returning veterans. We had just left a combat zone, where many of us felt we were fighting to protect the freedoms of our country, but were treated with contempt as we came home. I enrolled at ETSU and received a degree in Social Work in 1976.

I was married and had a new daughter and needed to go to work. I worked for the State of Tennessee in child and adult protective services. This job was became more stressful than the military and I left after 8 years to enter the insurance business. I’ve spent 34 years in this business and have found it to be a rewarding way to help clients and earn a good living.

BRIAN: Let’s talk about faith. Were you raised in church? How does your faith impact your activities and decisions?

SAM: Our family grew up in the Church of the Brethren. The COB is one of the “peace” churches, similar to the Quaker and Mennonite.

I am sure the teachings I received had an impact on my life decisions. I made the decision to accept Jesus into my life at age 8. I attended church camp as a child, had many wonderful experiences and made friendships that continue today. My mother instilled in my sisters and me that giving back was a requirement in life. Today our family attends Cornerstone church in Johnson City.

BRIAN: There is a list of volunteer activities and projects that have your fingerprints all over them. The problem for this interview is, the list is too long to go into. Your main focus in on veteran issues and building the support for them in the region. TCMAC is the premier organization for veterans in this region and you are on the board. Talk about TCMAC and what you do.

SAM: When we started TCMAC in October 2012, there were just a handful of people involved. Ernie Rumsby was elected President at the first meeting and has held that position since. One of the first things Ernie did was to meet with Miles Burdine at the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce and explain our vision of being a liaison between civic, veteran and military communities. Miles saw the benefit, believed in what we are doing, and his support quickly grew to support from throughout the region. The rest, as they say, is history. At our

MOVERS ... continued on page 24

Porters Creek Trail:

F

Wildflower Extravaganza!

Photo and article by

or hundreds of years, the Southern Appalachian Range has always been a natural magnet of exploration for trailblazers, naturalists, and vacationers alike. From Hernando de Soto, who was possibly the first European explorer to pass through the region, to more recent conservationists such as John Muir, who visited these wildlands on his famous “Thousand-mile Walk to the Gulf,” all those who feast their eyes on this sea of endless hills are filled with awe and wonder.

While some might point out their low stature of our mountains or remark on the absence of soaring cliffs, snowcapped peaks, and glaciers possessed by the more impressive ranges of the Rockies and Sierra Nevada, what they miss is the fact that this region is world-renowned as a place of unparalleled biodiversity. Countless species of flora and fauna make their home here, many of them being endemic to this region. (Endemic means they occur nowhere else in the world).

The unique ecology of this area is lost to many, as a first-time visitor probably won’t get the chance to see the elusive and endangered red-cockaded woodpecker or catch the endemic mountain avens in bloom. Throughout the months of March and April, however, one can get a partial glimpse of this biodiversity during the ephemeral spring bloom. This is the peak time for wildflower lovers to get out of their cars and hit the trails, as the warming air and growing forest canopy allow just a short time to experience some of these mountains’ most valuable treasures.

Long known as a wildflower hotspot, Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers some of the greatest concentrations and variety of blooming species as can be found in the Appalachians.

Ask any park staff at the visitor centers and one will probably be pointed to a half dozen trails in all different directions that are said to offer the best display. One that always makes the list is Porters Creek Trail.

Tucked away in Greenbriar, a particularly wild portion of the park located just off U.S. 321 in Gatlinburg, this lovely trail is often overlooked in favor of its more popular neighbor, Ramsey Cascades. Featuring a portion of old-growth forest, its own waterfall, and a great camping location at its end, this trail normally receives surprisingly little use.

That story changes throughout the spring months.

When we decided to hike this trail last weekend, we forgot how popular the first portion of it has become with wildflower enthusiasts. Best to arrive early, as the parking is very limited and you’ll be hiking a portion of the road as well. The hike begins on a

wide, graveled path t that immediately begins a gentle ascent through the open forest. You’ll soon forget about the path, however, as the wildflowers quickly close in on both sides. With every step, new species are discovered, and we heard the nonstop chatter of excited visitors as they marked another flower off their checklist. Within the first half mile we encountered the white plumes of false solomon’s seal, delicate florets of spring-beauties, and spectacular blossoms of the showy orchis, one of the park’s amazing native orchids.

At mile 1.0 one will reach what seems to be a junction in the trail. Continue either way, as in fact it’s just an old traffic turnaround where this portion of the trail used to be a road. Soon the Brushy Mountain Trail can be seen coming in on the right, while the rest of Porters Creek Trail continues to the left. Both are marked clearly with signs to avoid confusion.

For most, this area makes a great turn around spot. You’ll want to go on, however, as the most spectacular display lies further on. It’s apparent that this portion of the trail is much less travelled, as it shrinks down to a mere footpath. Carefully cross a bouncy footlog over Porters Creek, and you’ll soon be within an endless carpet of flowers. Yellow trillium, mayapple, foamflower, bishops cap, wild geraniums, and wild toothwort, the list goes on and on. Don’t forget to look up occasionally, otherwise you’ll miss the old growth tulip poplars or Fern Creek Falls, a great wet weather cascade that lies to the left of the trail. As you cross the branch, look for the unique blooms of wild stonecrop on nearby boulders, or the unusual cones of squirrel corn poking up from the leaves covering the trail further on.

The distance from the falls back to the trailhead is just at 2 miles, making it a 4 mile round trip. If you want to keep going, even more species can be found as the trail ascends the valley. It ends another 1.7 miles past the falls at backcountry campsite #31. Don’t be fooled by the path that continues beyond; its a manway that isn’t officially built by the Park Service and eventully dead ends further up. Hiking to the official end of the trail is 3.7 miles, or a grand total of 7.4 miles once you return to your car.

However far you decide to roam, always remember the rule every naturalist should follow: “Take only memories. Leave only footprints.”

Directions: To reach Porters Creek Trail from Gatlinburg, follow U.S. 321 North from downtown 6 miles before turning right onto Greenbrier Road. Follow this road 4 miles as it shrinks down to gravel and finally a one-way loop road. A small parking lot is available immediately adjacent to the trailhead. If it is full, park alongside the roadway, being careful not to block traffic or disturb native growth.

theloaferonline.com | May 3, 2016 | 23

MOVERS ... continued from page 22 last meeting we filled the main level meeting room at the Kingsport Chamber and had many members standing in the back. That is a testament to the people of this region and the amount of support for our military and veterans. Another thing we commissioned at the beginning was through a study we did to determine the military economic impact within a 50 mile radius of Tri Cities Regional Airport. We found an impact of $2.2 billion annually. That number is huge, but we found in the years following that there was more that could have been included and it would have been substantially higher. We plan to commission a new study and expect that number will go up quite a bit. So the importance of TCMAC is undeniable and issues regarding the military and our veterans touch us all in this region. Supporting the organization is the absolute right thing to do and I count it as an honor and privilege to serve on the board. I encourage folks to find out more about how to get involved because the needs are many and we need the support of everyone to accomplish our work. You can find us online at www.tcmac.org or look us up on Facebook.

Jonesborough Farmers Market Prepares for May 7 Opening

O

24 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

n Saturday, May 7 the Jonesborough Farmers Market will kick off their 2016 season on Courthouse Square in downtown Jonesborough from 8 a.m. to noon.

This year, the market expects to have at least 50 vendors over the course of the summer, with nearly 25 vendors featured during their weekly Saturday market.

“We will be welcoming both new and existing vendors,” Market Manager Debbie Kruse said.

“You’ll see some new products including produce farmers and the earliest tomatoes we’ve ever had from McAnally Farm located in Grainger Co.”

Kruse will be sharing her duties as market manager with Beth Finnegan of the Appalachian Farmers Market Association. The AFMA develops regional promotion of farmers markets and Jonesborough will be a stop on their “Road Show” which will bring children’s activities, giveaways and local food information to Jonesborough on June 18.  Another new vendor at this year’s Market is Crow Bar Farm from Little Switzerland, NC, who will be selling jams, jellies and baking mixes. Local favorite, Free Reign Farm from Elizabethton will also be expanding to sell their GMO-free chicken and pork.

“At the first Market, customers can expect goat cheese, baked goods, plants and herbs, spring produce including greens such as baby kale, lettuce mix, bok choi, bunching onions, watercress as well as eggs, chicken, pork and beef,” Kruse said.

The Jonesborough Farmers Market also features select crafts and live acoustic music starting at 9 a.m. with breakfast and coffee from 8 to 10 a.m. each Saturday. Breakfast items include local products from a joint venture between Boone Street Market, the Farmers Market and community volunteers.

Also located in downtown Jonesborough, the year round farmers market store, Boone Street Market, will open at 10 a.m. so customers can complement their Jonesborough Farmers Market purchases with Boone Street Market’s local products such as milk, butter, cow cheese, lamb, cheese, crackers, coffee, ice cream and chocolate.

The Jonesborough Farmers Market started in 2008 by residents and is known for being a producer-only market. The Market offers 100% local products and customers have the opportunity to meet the farmer that grows their food every week.

For more information visit www.jonesborough.locallygrown.net or call 423-458-2122.

The One and Only Mosin-Nagant

T

he Mosin-Nagant is a Russian bolt-action battle rifle. It features a five round internal magazine that can be clip, or hand fed. It is one of the most iconic rifles ever made, it has served in conflicts for over 100 years, and has even been used in recent conflicts. It is also one of the most widely produced firearms ever made with over 37 million produced. It was the standard issue rifle for Russian troops in WWII and although phased out after the war many countries continued using the rifle seeing action in many countries under the Iron Curtain including Vietnam.

Ironically, considering the US’s decade’s long conflict with the Soviet Union during both the Cold War and in the Middle East the rifle found its way to our shores by the thousands. Still packed in military crates and cosmoline these rifles could be purchased very inexpensively. Even as recently as five years ago these guns sold for as little as $89.00 at gun shows. So why are they so popular with American shooters? Well they are inexpensive to buy and inexpensive to shoot. They can also be upgraded with more modern tactical stocks. They are also very accurate reliable, and tough. Designed for warfare in the some of the harshest climates they have seen action from the Saharan desert to the snow laden Stalingrad. They can be modified to accept modern scopes, although if you come across an original sniper version with the scope intact you should not attempt to modify it as these rifles are worth more and highly sought after.

Another reason the Mosin took off in the US is because it is a highly suitable round for hunting. The 7.62x54R is comparable to an American .308 and competes nicely against the 30.06. Many hunters use Mosins for hunting today despite a recent increase in price because modern ammunition manufacturers such as Winchester are making brass-cased 7.62x54R that still costs less than both .308 and 30.06.

One thing to avoid when shooting a Mosin-Nagant is ammunition that seems too good to be true. If you can buy 1000 rounds for $200 there’s a really good chance it’s going to be berdan-primed corrosive ammunition that can destroy your rifle if you’re not careful. No not all military surplus 7.62x54R is corrosive, however it’s up to you to check for yourself, ask questions. Muzzle breaks are available that greatly reduce the recoil of the Mosin, combine with a Limb Saver and your shoulder will thank 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://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosin%E2%80%93Nagant

theloaferonline.com | May 3, 2016 | 25

Answers found on page 28

26 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

pets of the week

Ripley is a 3 year old male Beagle mix. He is neutered and up to date on all vaccines. This sweet boy really needs a home!

Bear is a male 4 year old Beagle mix. He is neutered and up to date on all vaccines. Bear is such a great dog. He has been at the shelter the longest. He is ready to go home with a special family!

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 12pm-3pm and Sun 2pm-4pm. Website is www.bridgehomerescue@gmail.com or like them on Facebook: www.Facebook. com/bridgehome

SELL .... YOUR .... STUFF

www.theloaferonline.com theloaferonline.com | May 3, 2016 | 27

things to do

1st Annual SPAY-GHETTI Dinner Fundraiser

The Animal Defense League of Washington County, Virginia announced it will host its 1st Annual Spay-ghetti Dinner, Saturday, May 7, 2016 at The Abingdon Senior Center and Virginia Ballroom at 300 Senior Drive NE, Abingdon, VA 24210 from 5:00pm to 8:00pm.

Cost is $15 per adult and $10 per child.

All proceeds go to the Animal Defense League.

The event will feature dinner, prepared by Chef Crystal Dykes, including spaghetti with meat or marinara sauce, salad, bread, dessert and beverages.

Music will fill the grand ballroom while a silent auction and 50/50 raffle occur.

The event will collect funds to ensure the spay/neuter financial program continues to help those in our area in an effort to control pet overpopulation and unnecessary euthanasia. In 2015, ADL assisted with over 3,020 surgeries at Margaret B. Mitchell Spay Neuter Clinic as well as area veterinarians. “Spaying and neutering our pets is the real solution to stopping the pet overpopulation,” said ADL President Linda Fritsch.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.adlwashcova.org or by contacting Debbie Robinson at 724-244-1109 or debbierobinson@outlook.com.

LAST CALL for Christmas Connection– Arts & Crafts Fair- Vendor applications!

Deadline is JUNE 1st, 2016.

Seeking ARTISTS, ARTISANS, & CRAFTSMEN of all trades… Now accepting applications from those interested in exhibiting at the 37th Annual Christmas Connection– Arts & Crafts Fair. Christmas Connection--Arts & Crafts Fair: Nov. 11 – 13, 2016. Calling all artists, artisans, and craftspeople of all trades! Kingsport’s Christmas Connection, an event sponsored by the City of Kingsport Office of Cultural Arts, is celebrating 37 years of arts and crafts in 2016! Applications are now being taken for those wishing to exhibit in this 3-day event, which is by invitation only.

Application deadline: June 1st, 2016.

Christmas Connection has been a staple in the community for over 30 years. It is

28 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

a very well established cultural event in Kingsport, hosting the region’s best arts and crafts vendors.

DATES/HOURS: FREE Admission to the public!

Fri. Nov. 11: 12Noon - 6PM Sat. Nov. 12: 10AM 6PM Sun. Nov. 13: 12Noon - 5PM Applications will be accepted thru June 1st, 2016. To access the vendor application from the city website, and for more information visit: http://arts.kingsporttn.gov/cc or call 423-392-8415

Mindful Recovery Group Open To the Public

Anyone recovering from any type of addiction, including alcoholism and drug addiction, is invited to attend the Mindful Recovery Group. The group can serve as an alternative or addition to traditional 12-step recovery meetings and does not require any particular belief or spiritual practice.

Mindful Recovery meets every Thursday from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Appalachian Dharma & Meditation Center (ADMC), 108 W. 10th Ave., Suite 3, Johnson City, TN. The meeting is free and confidential. For more information, contact mindfulrecovery4et@ gmail.com.

ADMC offers opportunities to explore Buddhism, meditation of various forms, mindfulness and much more.

For more information about ADMC, visit the website www.dharma4et.org or contact dharma4et@gmail.com.

Sassy Stitchers meet at Gray Library in May

Adults interested in doing any type of hand crafts, such as cross-stitch, crochet, or knitting, are invited to join the Sassy Stitchers at Gray Branch Library on the second and fourth Monday of each month, from 6 to 8 p.m.

The library encourages adults at all skill levels to come and bring their own projects to work on, while providing assistance and encouragement to others in the group.

This month the Sassy Stitchers will meet on May 9 and 23. For more information, call the library at 477-1550.

Senior Services offering Life-

long Sports Journey – Golf

Senior Services at Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St., will offer a Lifelong Sports Journey program featuring golf for adults from 10:3011:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, May 3-26. Participants will learn the basics of golf. Pre-registration and payment must be made in advance by May 2 at the Senior Services desk. Cost is $25 for 8 sessions. Participants are asked to bring their own clubs; a limited number of clubs will be available for those who don’t have their own. Please call (423)434-6237 to reserve a seat.

2016 Kingsport Spring Spectacular Photography Contest Kicks Off 14th Year Event

The 14th Annual Kingsport Spring Spectacular Photography Contest and Exhibition will be held at the Kingsport Art Guild Main Gallery and the Atrium Gallery located in the Kingsport Renaissance Center in Kingsport, TN. The Kingsport Spring Spectacular Photography Contest and Exhibition is looking for entries for this year’s event.

There are three levels of competition: Youth, Amateur, Proficient. Competition categories are: Nature, Pictorial, and the Carrie Penley Special Theme.

This year’s theme is, “ADVENTURE TIME.” The photographs can be in color or monochrome (black & white).

Cash Prizes and ribbons are awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places, People’s Choice, Best of Show and the Jerry Penley “I Love the Blue Ridge/Appalachian Region.” Honorable Mentions

will receive ribbons.

Entries can be turned in MondayFriday May 2-13 from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. and on Saturdays May 7 and 14 from 10 a.m. till 3 p.m. at Rainbow’s End Floral and Gift Shop located at 214 E. Center St. Kingsport, TN. Deadline is Saturday May 14th at 3 p.m. Entries may be shipped to Ann Fortney 154 W. Wanola Ave, Kingsport TN 37660, but entries need to arrive by the deadline.

Judging will be Saturday May 21 from 10 a.m. till finished. Times depend on number of entries. Judging will be at the Kingsport Renaissance Center located at 1200 E. Center St. Kingsport, TN and is open to the public.

The Kingsport Spring Spectacular Photography Exhibition will be from May 29-June22, 2016. The exhibit will be at the Kingsport Art Guild Main Gallery and the Atrium Gallery located inside the Kingsport Renaissance Center and will be open during regular business hours. The Reception Awards Ceremony will be Sunday May 29, 2016 from 2-4p.m. All awards will be presented that day with the exception of the People’s Choice Award; which will be presented June 11, at 3:30 p.m.

Deadline for voting for the People’s Choice award is June 11, at 3 p.m.

For more information contact Ann Fortney at 423-914-5453, email anniepenjacc2@aol.com or Facebook: Kingsport Spring Spectacular Photography Contest and Exhibition.to sign in and pay before each class.

For more information, please call (423)434-6237.

DROP QUOTE: “In the perfect wedlock, the man, I should say, is the head, but the woman is the heart, with which he cannot dispense.”

CRYPTOGRAM: You can come to understand your purpose in life by slowing down and feeling your heart’s desires.

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.

01 General Items 49 Electronics

Nikon D3200 Camera, Lens, Various Accessories

Phone: 423-408-0424 Price: $ 600.00 Nikon D3200 camera body, Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D, speed light flash, fisheye/ macro lens attachment, ND filters, a strap, sync cable, camera battery charger and grip , camera sync cable, 16 GB SD card, lg and sm camera bags, lg and sm tripods and camera/flash mounts. Very good condition, well cared for. If interested in an individual item, will consider. For more information, call or text Elijah.

73 Real Estate

72 For Sale

***Condo for sale ***

Price: $ 94,900.00 Woodstone Condos - 2 bedroom / 1.5 bath. Listing by Wayne and Debi Bartley, Remax Checkmate Johnson City. For more information contact them at 423-282-0432 (office) or 423-676-6180 (cell) Wayne & Debi Bartley, RealtorsRe/max Checkmate, Inc.

73 Real Estate 1,080 sqft. Completely remodeled with features including hardwood floors throughout the home, updated bathroom, recessed lighting, crown molding, new roof in 2010, multi zone surround sound system wired to every room and outside the home, ADT pulse security system with motion sensors and video cameras. Listing by Wayne and Debi Bartley, Remax Checkmate Johnson City. For more information contact them at 423-2820432 (office) or 423-676-6180 (cell) Wayne & Debi Bartley, RealtorsRe/max Checkmate, Inc.

85 Jobs You’re important. Let us show you how! Hiring Drivers: OTR, Regional, Teams, Owner Opps.

Morristown Drivers Service, Inc. 844-MDS-Jobs. www.MDStrucking.com

85 Jobs screening and background check required. Apply at Dawn of Hope, 500 East Oakland Avenue, Johnson City or send Resume to P.O. Box 30, Johnson City, TN 37605-0030 Website: www.dawnofhope.com

of activities. Emphasis placed on assisting individuals in accomplishing responsibilities at work in the community. Must have transportation & work flexible hours.

Starting $9.00 & up depending on experience. Pre-employment drug screening & back ground check required. Must have high school diploma/GED & valid driver’s license. Apply at: Dawn of Hope, 500 E. Oakland Ave, Johnson City

103 Sales/Marketing

Account Representative

85 Jobs 91 Caregivers/Nanny

DIRECT SUPPORT PROFES- 99 Medical / Health Care The Dawn of Hope is an affirmaSIONALS Full, Part time, and PRN tive action/equal opportunity emDIRECT SUPPORT PROFES- LPN’s needed. ployer.

SIONALS NEEDED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED ADULTS IN A RESIDENTIAL SETTING. 3RD SHIFT NEEDED WITH MINIMUM PAY OF $9.00 PER HOUR & EXCELLENT BENEFIT PACKAGE AVAILABLE. PREEMPLOYMENT DRUG SCREENING & BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIRED. APPLY AT: “DAWN OF HOPE” 500 EAST OAKLAND AVE, OR PRINT & E-MAIL APPLICATION ONLINE AT: www. dawnofhope.com The Dawn of Hope is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

85 Jobs

Low stress environment; $15.00 per hour & up based on experience; affordable medical/dental insurance with 30 full-time weekly schedule; nurse/patient ratio of 1:2 or less. Pre-employment drug

Phone: 423-283-4324. The Loafer is seeking motivated account representatives to service various territories throughout Tri-Cities.

Must be enthusiastic, hardworking, positive, successful. Part time - Full time. Flexible hours. Must have reliable transportation, smart

106 Teaching / Education

Job Coach - Greeneville Area

Duties include providing assistance for individuals with developmental disabilities in all aspects

93 Drivers/Delivery

Homes like this don’t come available often!

Phone: (423) 612-1367 Price: $ 132,000.00 306 Mockingbird Place, Blountville, TN. 3 bedrooms, 1 bath -

26 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

theloaferonline.com | May 3, 2016 | 29

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.

85 Jobs

107 Services

107 Services

phone & self-motivated. Join The Loafer team today! Email resumes to info@theloafeornline.com

107 Services 110 Beauty / Salon A Style 4 U.

We are a full service salon owned and operated by by Sandi Smith, with hair stylist Renee Gibson on board, that offers professional cuts, styles, colors, and perms at affordable prices. The best prices in the Tri-Cities area. Men’s haircuts are $10. Women’s are $12. We have over 32 years experience in the business and we want to help you get your style on! We are located at 943 Volunteer Parkway in Bristol, Tennessee, near Auto Zone. Call us at 423-534-9825.

Walk ins welcome!

121 General Services

NOTHING MAKES A PROPERTY LOOK BETTER THAN A NICE SLATE-BLACK PARKING LOT OR DRIVEWAY!! Asphalt

Sealing • Crack Repai • Line 138 Transportation Striping! Book your appointment today for a free quote! 141 Motorcycle/Scooters 423-383-3553 2004 Honda XR50 Phone: 423-383-3553 128 Lawn & Garden Price: $ 600.00 Mowing starting at $25!

Great running bike Contact Majestic Lawn Care Small yards start at $25. We also offer general landscap- 145 Mind, Body & Spirit ing such as mulching, small 149 Natural Alternatives tree/bush removal, sprucing Stop Smoking Naturally up flowerbeds, general yard with Hypnosis. Tired of being cleanup. For a free estimate chained to the deadly habit of contact us at 423-268-7319 or smoking? Are you motivated majesticlawnserivces@yahoo. to stop smoking without uscom Visit our Facebook page at ing chemicals or chewing gum www.facebook.com/majesticor wearing patches? I can help mowing. motivate you to stop this ex129 Legal pensive, negative, unhealthy SOCIAL SECURITY DIS- habit. Call us today at A New ABILITY BENEFITS. Unable Path Hypnosis, 423-341-8898 to work? Denied benefits? We or visit www.anewpathhypCan Help! WIN or Pay Noth- nosis.com to get started living ing! Contact Bill Gordon & As- a healthier life today. Free insociates at 1-800-864-9032 to formation session for all new start your application today! clients.

30 | May 3, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

177 Yard Sales 178 Yard Sales

HUGE Estate Sale

Huge Estate Sale in Johnson City. Indoors.

1829 Waters Edge, Johnson City.7am Saturday, May 7th Fully furnished house. Everything inside must go. Doors open at 7am sharp. No early sales!!

107 Services

107 Services

T

WELCOME TO MIXED REALITY

his morning, when I updated the USA Today app on my iPad, I felt the ground shifting beneath my feet. Not literally, of course, but metaphorically. What had happened was the realization that my/our definitions of reality were about to change. The occasion for this was a new feature in my USA Today app that allows me to “visit” selected places, such as ski slopes, roller coasters, and the streets of Havana (replete with American automobiles from the 1950s). Without having to wear a pair of those VR dorky Oculus-type headsets, I was able to receive a sort of virtual reality tour of these selected places and activities. For instance, while I was riding in the car traveling down those Havana streets, I was able to look around and act like a real tourist. These kinds of 3D views have been available for some time in Google and Apple maps (along with one of my favorite features, the flyover tours of major cities available in Apple maps). Another stand alone USA Today app is designed to be used with those cheap-looking cardboard VR glasses. So it seems that while we are sitting at the breakfast table and eating our cereal we can immerse ourselves in the news rather than just reading about it. While these kinds of immersive features have been to available to video game players for some time, and while virtual reality is no longer a new concept, it seems that these virtual reality enhanced things are on the verge of becoming commonplace.

Kevin Kelly’s (no relation, d column, “Hypervision,” appearing in the current edition of Wired magazine, takes us on a tour of a company called Magic Leap and describes its visions of the VR future. Although it has yet to sell a single product, Kelly believes the company, like others in the VR business, just might be on the verge of becoming one of “the largest companies in history.”

Innovators like Magic Leap are ushering in a new era in computing and redefining what it means to be online. As Kelly writes, “virtual reality is creating the next evolution of the Internet.” The first iteration of the Internet was a pretty uninspiring place. If you can remember back that far--to the mid 1990s--you might recall the Internet as little more than a very big library, chocked full of information that you could access in a more or less passive way. Then along came Web 2.0, and for the first time you could actually interact with the information and create things yourself. Web 2.0 spawned social media, blogs, online gaming, and hundreds of cat videos. Now, if the predictions are accurate (and they seldom are), we should be preparing for the advent of the “Internet of experiences,” a world beyond Web 2.0 that allows us to become part of the online world in ways we can only begin to imagine. This is what Kelly calls the world of “Mixed Reality.”

In order to understand, in a general or vague sense,

what mixed reality is all about, you probably should rewatch The Matrix trilogy, but for starters consider what Kelly has to say about this brave new world. “Experience is the new currency in VR [virtual reality] and MR [mixed reality]. Technologies like Magic Leap’s will enable us to generate, transmit, quantify, refine, personalize, magnify, discover, share, reshape, and over-share experiences. This shift from the creation, transmission, and consumption of information to the creation, transmission, and consumption of experience defines this new platform.”

To put Mixed Reality into perspective, we should consider the nature of its predecessors, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. Think of VR as simulated reality, the kind we are used to in video gaming. AR went a step further by integrating elements of virtual reality into our everyday lives. A good example is the still-not-mainstream Google Glass that gives the user an overlay of virtual reality (i.e. Internet sites, Facebook updates, weather, etc.) mixed in with the “real” world. In this environment, just like in VR, the user can clearly discern what is virtual and what is real (hopefully, we can only trust). Mixed Reality (MR), on the other hand, blurs and even erases the line between “virtual” and “real” by immersing us in a world where virtual and real or interchangeable and interactive. So, we are moving from simulated and integrated reality to something that can best be described as one seamless experience. Instead of thinking in terms of visiting the Internet we should think of being inside the Internet and experiencing total immersion in a world that redefines “real.” An example given in the Wired article is that of a tennis ball under your desk. “In technologies like Magic Leap’s, virtual objects are integrated into--and responsive to--the natural world. A virtual ball under your desk, for example, would be blocked from your view unless your bent down to look at it.” Replace the word “integrated” with “immersed” in the previous sentence and you get the idea. Time to revisit and revise the old “Is it real or is it Memorex?” ad from “back in the day.”

As you might expect, developments like those just described lead to the inevitable conspiracy theories, especially those linked to ideas expressed in the “Matrix” movies. One of my favorites comes from Rich Terrile, Director of the Centre for Evolutionary Computation and Automated Design at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (see the May 11, 2015 edition of the Express). According to Terrile, “The idea that our Universe is a fiction generated by computer code solves a number of inconsistencies and mysteries about our cosmos.” Needless to say, subscribers to this theory attribute this illusion of reality to the handiwork of aliens--the catch all explanation for the generation of people who have grown up in the shadow of the atomic age.

Believe what you want, but I urge you to think more deeply about how our definitions of reality are being transformed. Who knows--maybe one day in the not too distant future, you can immerse yourself in a mixed reality version of “Kelly’s Place.” Scary thought, isn’t it?

See you (virtually or actually) next week. theloaferonline.com | May 3, 2016 | 31