"Providence Academy's elementary art department hosted its 12th annual winter art exhibit last week, transforming the school into a 'Paris Exposition of 1889.' Called 'Mimes, Marionettees and Much, Much More,' the event featured hand-crafted marionettes, strolling musicians, a French cafe, and a French cirque. The whimsical art show focused on French Impressionism painters and their masterpieces while incorporating cirque music, dancing and food that recreated the World's Fair in Paris...." -- Herald & Tribune [Click here for professional photo gallery of costumed event participants], Jonesborough 2/16/10

"The oldest town in Tennessee’s preserved historic architecture and authentic ambiance combines old world hospitality and quaint southern charm to create the perfect setting for the most unforgettable day of your life. First to be listed on The National Registry of Historic Places, Jonesborough takes you and your guests out of this world into a place back in time. Stage your event in this colorful, romantic little town – and create a story worth telling for generations to come...." -- Annual Bridal Fair

Ravenous
 
No empathy, no sympathy.
Just beasts
who totally lost their humanity,
if ever they had any.
Survival of the least
amongst us
who'd take any measure
for the treasure of pyrite --
false gold, false gods.
All lost now, and lonely.
The only ones
without friends in high places.
Zombies.

"The Washington County Soil Conservation District Office and the Natural Resources Conservation Service Jonesborough Field Office were awarded the Area IV Outstanding Office of the Year for 2009 at a meeting in Knoxville. The office received the award for their efforts in providing outstanding technical service to the landowners and farmers of Washington County, for their community outreach and for their promotion of conservation education. The Jonesborough Field Office obligated over $200,000 in federal and state funds to landowners for installing various conservation practices on their farms. An annual Conservation Field Day for fourth graders is sponsored by the District and schools are visited doing conservation presentations using the enviroscape, Sammy Soil or Ruby Raindrop...." -- Herald and Tribune, Jonesborough TN, 1/26/10

! *************************************** ! "... At its February 8 meeting, the Jonesborough Board of Mayor and Alderman was expected to approve a "memorandum of understanding" for a $400,000 donation from James C. Martin in memory of his late wife. The money will help create the Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts at the McKinney Cultural Center at the Booker T. Washington School. 'Mr. Martin and his family have done many good deeds and this is just the latest of them,' said Mayor Kelly Wolfe. 'We hope to begin implementing this program even before we finish renovating the building.'... Plans for the school are included in the Town's Interpretive Master Plan [initiated through Ralph Applebaum Associates of New York in 2006], and are detailed as such: 'To provide instruction and hands-on experiences in the arts for Jonesborough residents and visitors, the Booker T. Washington School, now used only for storage, should be acquired and renovated as a cultural arts center.'... The school, 'housing the county's educational program for African-American children,' would offer a cultural enrichment program' in partnership with Washington County Schools and other area organizations and institutions,' the plan reads. 'Located in the neighborhood surrounding Booker T. Washington School, a network of exterior exhibits could also tell the story of the early residents of Jonesborough, including the town's African-American population. The Center and its program would honor the African-American community of Tennessee's first town...." -- Kate Prahlid for Herald & Tribune, 2/9/10 ! *************************************** !

"... '[Sugar Mountain NC]’s still been setting records for ticket sales even the last couple years on weekends. Everyone was worried with a downturn in the economy what was going to happen to the ski industry around here, and it has not been fazed.'... The study showed skiers traveled an average of 260 miles to the resort of their choice, and that just 40 percent came from within North Carolina. The average expenditure per skier was about $125, and direct spending was about $67 million, with indirect impact estimated at another $52 million.... 'The mountains of North Carolina have become the winter playground of the South,' the study concluded, adding that the timing, when summer crowds that flock to the mountains are absent, magnifies the impact.... 'We’re fighting for recreational dollars in everyone’s budget,' said Costin, whose resort can pull about 9,300 skiers up the lifts per hour and has the Eastern U.S.’s highest base lodge (4,675 feet) and summit (5,506).... 'They’ll say, I’ll use that extra money it would cost me to buy gas and go to North Carolina,' Jochl said. And while most of the visitors to North Carolina’s resorts have traditionally come by car, she said cheap airfares from Florida to the Tri-Cities Regional Airport in Blountville, Tenn., less than 90 minutes away, have actually created a new mode of customer.... 'We have the people who are avid skiers and snowboarders who are going to participate in the sport regardless, and we do a lot of group business through churches and Boy Scout groups and things.' Ultimately, Jochl said, 'creative management styles can make things work.' -- Jeff Keeling in Skiing Not Hit By Recession, Johnson City Press, 1/11/10

North Carolina Mountain Webcams

"... Nearly a foot of primo powder — the stuff that rockets real skiers into paroxysms of ecstasy — has fallen on the slopes during the past week’s frigid days and nights. It has lain on top of nearly 2 feet of heavier snow that fell a week before Christmas.... 'The people who have been here much longer than me say it’s what winter used to be like, and what winter is supposed to be like,' said Kim Jochl, a 17-year employee of Sugar Mountain and currently vice president of marketing and merchandising. 'It’s created a nice excitement throughout the town (Banner Elk) and the industry altogether,' said Ryan Costin, general manager at nearby Ski Beech. He added that the wet El Nino weather pattern has combined with the cold to give the area, which has elevations ranging from 4,600 to 5,500 feet, a head start on opening up all its trails and lifts...." -- Jeff Keeling in Hitting The Slopes, Johnson City Press, 1/12/10

! *************************************** ! The arts at East Tennessee State University will not disappear anytime soon thanks to several million dollars from a local donor. ETSU announced Monday afternoon a second $1 million gift from James C. 'Jim' Martin, who previously donated a $1 million endowment for the establishment of the Mary B. Martin School of the Arts at ETSU. Mary Martin passed away in 2008. Anita DeAngelis, director of the Mary B. Martin School of the Arts and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said the school was able to sponsor eight events through the endowment, including this past fall’s Spyro Gyra concert. 'It brings artists to ETSU and to our general community that we wouldn’t have here otherwise,' DeAngelis said of the school of arts and its endowment. 'We’d have to travel to some other location to see some of these artists. But in addition to that we’re also scheduling activities out in the community. We have opportunities with such things as master classes and workshops and all of these things will help the general community understand the arts a little bit better and participate with us a little more.' This second $ 1 million is considered an unrestricted grant, unlike the original endowment, and can thus be used more widely. Martin said Monday afternoon the first $ 1 million was intended to get the new school started.... Dr. Paul Stanton Jr., ETSU president, said Martin’s late wife would be proud of the school because she loved the arts. 'The Mary B. Martin School of the Arts has allowed ETSU to move forward more ambitiously than ever before in enriching our campus and community with cultural and artistic programs,' Stanton said in a news release and reiterated that sentiment at the news conference. Mary Martin earned her bachelor’s of arts degree in chemistry from ETSU while working at Eastman Chemical Company. The Martins were recently awarded the Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor’s Award of Excellence in Philanthropy and will be recognized Saturday during the ETSU Distinguished President’s Trust Dinner. Other upcoming events sponsored by the school of arts include performances by singer Freyda Thomas and the Juilliard String Quartet and two art exhibitions, the Society of Illustrators 51st Annual Exhibition and Mountain Visions 2010 Regional Juried Exhibition...." -- Rex Barber for Johnson City Press, 2/8/10 ! *************************************** !

Graphic below: Steve Cook -- artisan, musician, co-owner of Jonesborough Art Glass Gallery, and Founder/Creative Director of Music on the Square and the memorable Pangaea World Music Festival -- working on an art glass creation

"... [Johnson City] celebrated 20 years as Tennessee's first city to offer curbside recycling and retrofitted 44 buildings to be energy-efficient.... In my many years of being engaged at the civic level, I have never seen greater enthusiasm for giving back as I did in '09. Citizens, you came out in force to improve this beautiful place we call home. Thousands of volunteer hours were put in to beautify parks, clean up streams and improve play areas for our youth. These service projects were not requested but were sought out by people who simply want to make a difference. That, to me, is the greatest investment that can be made in our community. After all, it's our city. Each of us must commit to preserving it and improving it.... Your dedication to the environment has led us to a milestone of about 5,000 tons recycled in a single year. Recycling is an excellent way to preserve Johnson City's natural beauty and resources. Despite a depressed economy, the Salvation Army Angel Tree program just celebrated its best return ever. What heart Johnson City has. Many of you turned out in force to community forums so that your voice could be heard. Your input helped shape the future of our community -- what a true demonstration of civic engagement...." -- Mayor Jane Myron of Johnson City TN in Johnson City Press, 1/1/10

"... Located in Johnson City, Tennessee, East Tennessee State is the only four-year university in the world with a comprehensive bluegrass music program. It offers a variety of bluegrass and country music courses, both performance-oriented and academic. Minors in both Bluegrass and in Appalachian Studies are offered, to which bluegrass courses can be applied. In addition, we offer the first-ever Bachelor of Arts degree in Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music." --ETSU Center for Appalachian Studies and Services

"Noelle Sibley hasn't received her high school diploma yet, but the senior at Providence Academy in Johnson City already has college credit under her belt thanks to the dual enrollment program at Milligan College.... The courses cost $100 per credit hour, which is a discounted rate for high school students. Tennessee residents may qualify for a dual-enrollment grant of up to $300 through the Tennessee Lottery program, making it possible for some students to take a course at no cost to them.... Sibley found out about the program when she joined the Milligan College Orchestra as a violinist.... Students in the dual enrollment program enjoy the same privileges as all other Milligan students.... Classes available for dual enrollment this spring include: New Testament Survey, Speech Communication, Rhetorical Composition, Cultural & Ethnic Geography, Fitness for Life, Lifeguarding, Folk Dance & Rhythmic Activities, Spring Season Team Sports, Snow Skiing, Horseback Riding, Principles of Math, Applied Study music courses, Civic Band, Jazz Ensemble, Orchestra, String Quartet, Earth & Space Science and Fundamentals of Voice & Stage Movement.... 'The dual enrollment class at Milligan has helped me calmly accept and enjoy the concept of college. I'm ready and excited for it now.'..." -- Johnson City Press, 1/1/10

Tri-Cities TN/VA's resident orchestral genius is "Kenton Coe [who] studied with Paul Hindemith and Nadia Boulanger. He is the first American to have an opera (South, from the play by Julien Green) produced by the Paris Opera. His opera Rachel was produced in Nashville and Knoxville by the Knoxville Opera. His opera Le Grand Siècle (on a text of Ionesco) was produced by the Opera of Nantes. Kenton Coe writes in almost every format: orchestral, choral, and chamber music. He has written the scores for all the Ross Spears documentaries, including Agee which was nominated for an Academy Award. He wrote the score for Universal's Birds In Peru starring Jean Seberg and directed by Romain Gary. He has been performed by major symphony orchestras, including the Chicago and Baton Rouge Symphonies. His suite for jazz trio and symphony Purcellular was commissioned by the City of London-Westminster for the Purcell Tercentenary. After living a number of years in Paris and New York, he now resides in his native Tennessee." -- Lorenz Heritage Music Press

"One of the most important things people can do is support local small businesses. When they start to expand, they'll come back to community banks for loans." -- Mary Anne Carson, Senior Vice President, Santa Cruz [CA] County Bank, speaking for The Institute for Local Self-Reliance

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Graphic above: Photograph of winter scene at river

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"The Niswonger Foundation formed by Landair and Forward Air Founder Scott M. Niswonger has selected five high school seniors to join its scholarship and leadership training program.... Scholars are not limited to a particular college or area of study. They are required to participate in leadership development activities and encouraged to pursue internships and study abroad. Most importantly, they commit to return to Northeast Tennessee for at least one year of service in the career of their choice for each year they receive scholarship support...." -- Johnson City Press, 1/1/10

"Born in Barlett, Tennessee [1928], Cora Walton earned the name Koko because she loved chocolate candy as a child. She and her five brothers and sisters became orphans by the time Koko was 11 years old. At an early age her father encouraged her to sing gospel music, but Koko loved blues singers like Bessie Smith and Memphis Minnie. When she was in her early 20s Koko and her soon-to-be-husband, Robert 'Pops' Taylor, moved to Chicago looking for work.... Koko's first break came in 1963 when songwriter and arranger Willie Dixon signed her to USA Records and then secured a Chess recording contract for her. He produced several singles and two albums for her, including her huge 1966 hit single Wang Dang Doodle, firmly establishing her as the number one female blues talent in the world.... Some of her work includes: Basic Soul, From the Heart of a Woman, Force of Nature, Royal Blue and Old School. Koko passed away on June 3, 2009, in Chicago." -- AT&T Tennessee African-American History Calendar (May) 2010
"Deep Soul, Raw Vocal Power, Blustery Swagger... The Great Female Blues Singer of Her Generation." -- Rolling Stone Magazine