This bear cub was one of 33 rescued by the Appalachian Bear Rescue in 2011

   While farmers appreciated the abundant rains of 2011, the additional precipitation wreaked havoc on the food supplies needed to sustain the bear population in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As  a result, the Appalachian Bear Rescue reports rescuing 33 bear cubs during 2011. These grim numbers represent a record number of rescues for the not-for-profit organization.

   According to Lisa Stewart, Curator of ABR, the excessive rains caused a failure of mast crops in the park. Mast is defined in two categories. Soft mast is berries, grapes, cherries and other soft fruits. Hard mast is defined as acorns, hickory nuts and chestnuts.

  As a result, bears have become desperate to find food. Naturally herbivorous, many bears have been reported eating carrion, the carcasses of dead animals. In one instance over the summer, one wayward bear broke into a Gatlinburg candy store in a desperate effort to seek out food before hibernation season.

   The ABR received numerous reports in 2011 of dead sows being found and orphaned cubs discovered nearby. The deaths of the sows have been attributed to malnourishment and, in some cases, bears have been hit by cars leaving the orphaned cubs to fend for themselves.  

   That’s when ABR comes onto the scene.

   “We get calls from police, state troopers and park rangers who know to call us when the cubs are found,” Stewart said. “Wild bears suffered a bad year in 2011. We had at least three that were hit by cars and the cubs were orphaned. In one case, the cub suffered a concussion. ”

    Fortunately, the small cub recovered and after several weeks at the bear sanctuary, he was released back into the wild.

    Stewart is a former paralegal from Mississippi who left her career behind in April 2003 to become curator and caretaker for the bears. Stewart jokes that April, 2003 was last time she had a day off. But, she doesn’t mind the demanding schedule as the care of the bears has become her top priority. Since taking the reins at ABR. Stewart has rehabilitated and reintroduced more than 100 bears back into the wild. Of the 33 taken in during 2011, 17 have since been released. The remaining 16 will be released in the spring of this year when the foliage returns and food supplies are ample.

   Several of the cubs brought into the ABR were so small that Stewart was forced to bottle feed the tiny bears. During the rehabilitation, Stewart is careful not to let the bear see her or hear a human voice. When bottle feeding the young bears she never speaks to the cub. She only mimics the sounds made by the young bears. When feeding the bears in the sanctuary, Stewart is careful to throw food over the fence from behind trees where she can remain undetected. 

   Prior to 2011, the record number of bears taken in by ABR was in 2009 when 23 abandoned cubs were taken in by agency. ABR is located on a 25 acre parcel in Townsend. The bears are quartered in a one-acre bear pen in the center of the property. The property is closed to the public for the safety of the bears. Stewart takes great pains to ensure the bears don’t receive any human contact. Such contact could result in “imprinting” in which case the bears become too comfortable around humans. In such cases imprinted bears may approach humans with disasterous results. Some imprinted animals have been known to approach hunters without   realizing the danger.  In addition, in decades past,  bears have been known to take food from humans which Stewart is quick to discourage.

   “In the past people have given food to bears and their intentions may have been good but the results have been horrible,” Stewart said. “Human food is bad for bears’ teeth. It causes decay and they eventually lose their teeth making survival in the wild difficult. Besides bears need to develop their skills to gather food in the wild and not rely on humans.

  Stewart has made numerous presentations about bears to local civic groups and events such as Wilderness Week.  One question she is frequently asked is why the park rangers don’t feed the bears when mast crops are insufficient.

  “The park has a strict policy against feeding wildlife,” Stewart said. “It causes the animals to be dependent on the humans and it would create a survival of the fittest scenario in which the larger animals, such as the bears, would get all the food and the smaller animals would get nothing.”

   Until Mother Nature can replenish the inadequate mast crop, Stewart and the ABR will continue taking in orphaned cubs. But the financial burden of caring for the young offspring is proving to be a tremendous burden. The ABR they relies primarily off donations from businesses and the private sector. Most recently, the agency received a grant for $5,000 from the Disney Corporation.  While the donation was deeply appreciated and much needed, it sustained the sanctuary for approximately one month.

  “Bears eat approximately 25,000 calories a day in the wild,” Stewart said. “They can eat up to 20 hours a day.”   

   The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency conducts annual inspections of the sanctuary. However, the TWRA provides no funding for the ABR. The role of TWRA is to provide protection for wildlife, Over the decades, TWRA has been instrumental in protecting wild animals and bringing about changes in how animals in captivity are treated. Many tourists to the area remember a black bear named Bozo that was kept in a pen in Pigeon Forge. He became a popular attraction and was routinely fed an unhealthy diet of junk food and chocolate milk and chocolate drinks much to the delight of tourists.  Such activity is now illegal.

   The Appalachian Bear Rescue is in need of monetary donations to feed and care for the rising population of orphaned bears. Anyone who is interested in making a donation can mail donations to:    

         Appalachian Bear Rescue

        P.O. Box 364

       Townsend, TN. 37882

       Or donations can be made online at appalachianbearrescue.org.  For more information call ABR at 865-448-0143.

These two bear cubs will soon be released back into the wild.

Many locals may remember Bozo the Bear which was caged in Pigeon Forge in the 1970s. He was fed an unhealthy diet which included numerous chocolate drinks each day.  

     Want to ski for free and help out a local charity at the same time? Ober Gatlinburg is pleased to announce two exciting promotions which benefit the Sevier Co. Food Ministries. On Thursday January 26

th, they will be hosting Tennessee College Night from 6pm to 10pm. A current College ID from any college in Tennessee is required along with 6 canned goods or non-perishable items for a free 6pm-10pm Lift Ticket. Ladies Night will be held on Tuesday, February 7 from 6pm to 10pm. Ladies of all ages will receive a free 6pm-10pm Lift Ticket with 6 canned goods or non-perishable items. So whether you want to hit the slopes with your College Buddies or Gal Pals come out for a night of fun and recreation to support the Sevier County Food Ministries.

For more information, call 865-436-5423.

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College Pioneer Student Athlete Advisory Council (PSAAC) raised close to $600 at the College’s Pack the Arena Day.  PSAAC raffled off a HD Television at the Tusculum/Catawba College basketball doubleheader held on Jan. 14. 

The group raised $597 for the raffle, moving the group’s total up to $1,472.05 for this academic year, which will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation®, the organization’s chosen philanthropy.

PSAAC has already surpassed last year’s total of $1,146.68 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation®, which grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

PSAAC, the student athlete advisory committee for Tusculum’s 14 intercollegiate sports, has collected funds at home athletic events, while also holding theme based fundraisers for this worthy cause.

Since 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation® has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions through its wish-granting work. The Foundation's mission reflects the life-changing impact that a Make-A-Wish® experience has on children, families, referral sources, donors, sponsors and entire communities.

The purpose of PSAAC is to generate a student-athlete voice within Tusculum College, solicit student-athlete response to proposed NCAA Division II legislation, suggest potential NCAA legislation, organize community service efforts and create a vehicle for student-athletes’ representation on campus-wide and conference-wide committees.

During the 2010-2011 academic year, the Tusculum College athletic department performed over 1,300 hours of community service for Greene County and the East Tennessee region.

Tusculum College, located in Greeneville, Tenn., is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, USA and is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference which is comprised of ten colleges and universities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.

     Walters State Community College is seeking nominations for the 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award. The deadline to submit a nomination is Feb. 28, with the winners announced in May.

     Nomination forms can be found on the college’s website at www.ws.edu/foundation. Click on the link to foundation. More information can be obtained by contacting Wanda Harrell, coordinator of alumni services at Walters State.

     “Last year was the first year that we honored an alumnus in 10 years. Nominations were submitted by Walters State faculty and others in the community. We have alumni located in all 50 states and several foreign countries. Walters State alumni also serve in a wide range of professions,” Harrell said.

     “I am looking forward to receiving the nominations and learning where alumni are living and working.”

     Only three alumni have been honored with the award.

     In 2000, in connection with the college’s 30^th anniversary, Arthur Bohanan of New Market was named the Walters State Distinguished Alumnus. Bohanan’s accomplishments include inventing the super glue process by which fingerprints are recovered from bodies. He is an internationally recognized fingerprint expert. At the same ceremony, Meritorious Achievement awards were given to three other alumni who had been nominated: Louise C. Dyer, a nurse and business woman from Morristown; Judge Joyce Mills Ward, also of Morristown; and long-time law enforcement office Steve Oscar Watson of Sevier County. All were nominated by Alumni Chapter Organizations.

    Last year was the first year the college solicited nominations for an annual award. Honorees were Dr. Chris Baker, professor of sociology at Walters State, and Victoria H. Elsbernd, deputy director of the heliophysics division of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA. Baker is one of the nation’s leading experts on economic and social development in Appalachia. Elsbernd has supervised the design, construction and launch of 26 spacecraft and six separate science missions.     

     This year, an alumna and an alumnus will be honored. Any student who has completed 30 semester hours (or 45 quarter hours for students who attended prior to the college’s switch to semesters) is eligible.

    The selection criteria includes noteworthy contributions to one’s profession, professional awards or recognition; contributions to the vision and values of Walters State Community College; and an enduring commitment for the betterment of mankind through volunteerism or professional service. The final selection will be made by the WSCC Alumni Recognition Committee.

    “I encourage everyone to consider nominating a worthy alumnus. Walters State students have gone on to do so much and this is one way of celebrating that legacy,” Harrell said.

    For more information, contact Harrell at (423) 585-6976 or Wanda.Harrell@ws.edu. Alumni are also encouraged to visit the Walters State National Alumni Association’s facebook page. Just click on the alumni logo on ws.edu.

     A man found dead in a cabin has been identified by Authorities. The deceased was identified as Ronald Troy Haun, age 50, of 2515 Ridge Road Pigeon Forge.

    According to Sheriff Ron Seals, after an investigation and autopsy, foul play has been ruled out. Seals states that it appeared that Haun had been living in the abandoned cabin that had no power or water since being reported missing to Pigeon Forge Pigeon Department in December and authorities cannot rule out that Haun may have died from exposure to the elements or natural causes. The exact cause of death will be determined at a later date by the medical examiners office. The investigation is ongoing by the Sheriffs Office Criminal Investigation Division and the Sevier Co. Medical Examiners Office.

    Jeff Dunham brings his madcap, zany comedy to the Knoxville Civic Coliseum this Sunday at 5 p.m. for one show only.

     In a recent feature article in Time magazine, the newsweekly declared him “perhaps the most popular stand-up comedian in the U.S.” Over the last decade, Jeff has risen from the standup comedy clubs to charm the world. Dunham was a finalist on the popular TV series “America’s Got Talent.”

   Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium-Coliseum Box Office, or through Knoxville Tickets: Charge by Phone (865) 656-4444 or toll free (877) 995-9961, through the web site below, and at all Knoxville Tickets in store outlets. Please note that all in store outlets are CASH ONLY! Tickets purchased through Knoxville Tickets are subject to additional Service Charges.

   This week's winner of the make me laugh for the movies contest is Lisa Carter of Newport. 

   "My brother is a cop in Memphis. He recently told me of an unusual case he had to investigate. A man had robbed a convenience store and led the police on a foot chase into a wooded area. They lost him in the woods and were about to give up when they heard a phone ring. The policemen looked up and saw the robber in a tree. He had answered his phone and was looking down at the officers. He told the person on the phone "I can't talk right now, this is a bad time."  

                                                Lisa Carter, Newport                                 

      Make Me Laugh For The Movies is a weekly contest sponsored by Reel Theaters. The rules are simple. Send us a funny story or anecdote about a personal experience and if we publish it we will send you two free tickets to Reel Theaters Movies on the Parkway.

  Please make the stories brief and suitable for the family. The Sevier County News reserves the right to reject any story for objectionable content. Winners will announced each Wednesday.

 Send all entries to Sevier County News

                                  635 Wall Street,

                                  Sevierville, TN. 37876

  Reel Theaters is located at 713 Winfield Dunn Parkway in Sevierville. For more information call (865)453-9055  or visit them on the Web at reel-theatres-sevier.com.

   Detectives with the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office  are investigating the discovery of a body found in a rental cabin on Monday evening.  Sheriff Ron Seals stated that officers were dispatched to an address on Millers Way off Upper Middle Creek after the owner of the cabin found the body of a white male in the bedroom of his cabin.

     Seals states that the owner was not renting the cabin and had not been there since November 2011. The body was transported to U.T. Forensic Center for an autopsy to determine the cause and time of death. No signs of foul play was found at the scene by Investigators at the scene. Detectives believe the deceased man may be a man that was reported missing to the Pigeon Forge Police Department. on Dec. 29th 2011 and a positive ID will be made at the conclusion of the autopsy. The investigation is continuing.

 Overkill bodyslams Chase Owens in a match to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project 

   A host of ring warriors stepped into the ring Saturday night at the National Guard Armory on Ridge Road in Pigeon Forge to engage in battle for the Wounded Warrior Project.

    Sevier County paramedic Todd Spence worked with KFW president Tommy Henry and wrestling promoter Mathew Henry to put together a night of hard-hitting professional wrestling action for a capacity crowd of fans to honor veterans who have suffered both physical and mental injuries on the battlefield.

   The Wounded Warrior project assists wounded veterans with programs and services designed to meet their needs. All proceeds from the event were donated to the not-for-profit organization.

   The Wounded Warrior Project is of special significance to the Henry family. The Henrys’ grandfather served in Vietnam and they have a cousin that served four tours of duty in Iraq. Spence said he hopes to make the event an annual one.  

 Pigeon Forge Mayor David Wear discusses the layout of the new park.

    Pigeon Forge Mayor David Wear was among several local officials on hand Thursday for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Wear Farm Park on Wear’s Valley Road in Pigeon Forge.

   Construction is set to begin immediately on the 117 acre park with Phase I expected to open in the spring of 2013.

   The location of the park is in the shadows of the picturesque Mount LaConte next to Walden’s Creek.

    With idle tractors sitting nearby on a rain-soaked field, Wear explained the layout of the facility to an anxious crowd of supporters who braved the rain and the brisk winds.

    Once completed the park will feature a basketball court, picnic shelters, a football field, a baseball field, battling cages, a playground and a dog park.  Seven acres is being set aside for wetlands  

  The final cost of the project is $16 million. The cost of the property was $8 million and construction is expected to cost an additional $8 million.

  Property for the complex was purchased from Charlotte Wear, the widow of the late Dr. Robert Wear. The Wear family had farmed the land for five generations. The property was valued at more than $8 million which exceeded the expected cost of the land. Wear donated a portion of the property to the city so that the project could be completed.

   “I can’t say how excited I am to see how all this turns out,” Charlotte Wear said. This has been a blessing to be a part of this.”

   The Wear family settled in the area 232 years ago.   Mayor Wear made it clear that although he was related to Dr. Wear, the purchase of the property would not benefit him personally and he had no stake in the land.

  “We have the same family tree but a different branch,” Wear said.

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Civic education has long been a cornerstone of the liberal arts educational program offered through the degree programs at Tusculum College, and with the publishing of a recent U.S. Department of Education Report on the decline of similar programs, is an example of how civic education can be integrated across curriculums and assimilated as part of the culture of an institution. 

 The recent report, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education and presented Tuesday, January 10, by the National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement, was reported on this week in the “Chronicle of Higher Education.”

The article, “A Crucible Moment: College Learning and Democracy’s Future,” states that “American democracy will confront an increasingly bleak future unless colleges make civic learning a central part of students’ education.”

            It continues, stating, “Civic learning and democratic engagement should become explicit goals of college, and take more forms than civics courses. For example, every discipline should teach relevant civic issues and debates.”

            Tusculum College is uniquely prepared to offer education that leads to effective citizenship through its focus on the civic arts, integrated throughout its degree programs, according to Dr. Melinda Dukes, vice president for Academic Affairs at Tusculum College.

            “At Tusculum we have developed the term civic arts to recapture the original meaning of the phrase ‘liberal arts’ as it was first used by Cicero. The original meaning referred to those skills, attitudes and abilities appropriated to citizenship in a democratic society.”

            The new report called for colleges to promote a spirit of public-mindedness, openness and civility and to train students to be civically literate and encourage them to continue working for the public good after graduating.

            “Emphasis at Tusculum College is placed on problem-solving with reflective judgment, tied in with the idea of practical wisdom from Tusculum’s history,” said Dr. Bill Garris, assistant professor of psychology.

            “At Tusculum College, there has been a 218-year history of civic education and through the years the College has revised and refined its efforts to help students learn to be learners, engaged citizens and servant leaders,” said Garris.

Tusculum College was founded 1794 by a pair of preacher-scholars who ventured to the frontier of their times because they believed this fledgling nation would need citizens, educated and prepared in the civic arts to sustain the new republic. Since that time, the challenges facing the United States have changed, but the need for men and women of character, liberally educated and skilled at prudent, public argument and decision-making has never been greater.

To this day, Tusculum still takes very seriously this charge to educate men and women to work together in groups to solve issues in a way that maximizes good for the community. In the past, these ideas would have found their home in the Roman forum or in the community town hall. 

“At Tusculum, these ideas are equally at home in History 201 and Biology 480, as we mentor students to harness course skills and content and work together  through discipline-related problems which might occur within a community,” said Garris.

            In addition to graduating individuals who have the knowledge and skills necessary for continued learning, an education in the Civic Arts tradition at Tusculum College seeks to graduate students who are prepared to participate in the public discourse that is at the heart of any democratic society and to strive for the continuous improvement of their communities and of the emerging global society, and that is the mission of the Commons Curriculum, said Jeff Lokey, assistant professor of management and director of the Commons Program for Tusculum College.

According to Lokey, the Commons Curriculum is designed to be an integrated curriculum that establishes intellectual common ground through a series of courses and experiences employing both theory and practice, to develop students’ abilities as engaged learners in both the classroom and the community, and to develop the knowledge, skills, perspectives and practical wisdom crucial to effective citizenship. Most specifically, Tusculum seeks to graduate individuals who will become engaged in their communities in various ways and who will know how to most effectively achieve the common good and justice in a global context.

The Commons Curriculum is made up of both theory and practice courses that include courses in arts and humanities, service learning, political and religious traditions, and engaged citizenship. Also as part of the Commons Curriculum, students are required to earn Arts and Lecture Series credits by attending lectures, debates, concerts, plays, readings or other approved events and activities on campus.

In addition, the assessment plans for the Commons Curriculum includes not only the assessment of foundational skills such as writing, public speaking and reflective judgment, but also include the assessment of practices of virtue, which includes self-knowledge, civility and ethics of social responsibility.

Student Ryan Barker, a history and creative writing major from Laurens, S.C., has enjoyed the Commons Curriculum classes and the broad liberal arts curriculum of Tusculum College in general. Currently he is enrolled in Political Traditions of the West, taught by Dr. David Key, assistant professor of history.

“One way Tusculum is great about implementing civic virtues in the classroom is by making it appealing to us. You can’t go wrong when your professor combines Aristotle and zombies.”

He added that the professors believe in the importance of the civic arts and teaching civic virtues and constantly encourage discussion, debate and student engagement.

“We have a very robust core curriculum and have specific courses which are content-related to the civic arts,” said Lokey, adding, “Tusculum remains firm in our commitment to the cultivation of citizenship skills and virtues, and this extends through the coursework and through the assessment process.”

The federal report encourages programs like those at Tusculum and suggests federal grants to encourage other institutions of higher education to build civic learning and democratic engagement into their academic programs.

For more information on the programs of Tusculum College’s Residential or Graduate and Professional Studies programs, contact the Office of Enrollment Management at 800-729-0256.

Tusculum College, the oldest college in Tennessee and the 28th oldest in the nation, is a liberal arts institution committed to utilizing the civic arts in developing educated citizens distinguished by academic excellence, public service and qualities of Judeo-Christian character. Approximately twenty-two hundred students are enrolled on the main campus in Greeneville and three off-site locations in East Tennessee. The academic programs for both traditional-aged students and working adults served through the Graduate and Professional Studies program are delivered using focused calendars whereby students enroll in one course at a time.

                               Rev. Harold Middlebrook 

    Walters State Community College will host the Rev. Harold Middlebrook, a civil rights leader, at 12:30 p.m. Jan. 25 in the Lyceum, located inside the Student Services Building on the Morristown campus. Middlebrook plans to talk about “Martin Luther King Jr.: the Man, the Message and the Memorial.” The presentation is free and open to everyone.

     Middlebrook was among a handful of people with King at the Lorraine Motel on April 4, 1968. King stepped out onto a balcony to speak to supporters when an assassin’s bullet killed the Nobel Peace Prize recipient.

     The two first met early in the civil rights movement in an Atlanta jail cell. Both were arrested for participating in sit-ins at the city’s lunch counters. Middlebrook was attending Morehouse College and promoting nonviolence as the method to pursue social justice. He was employed as one of the first field workers by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. His field work took him to many of the cities known for their violent response to the SCL’s nonviolent protests, including Birmingham and Selma. He was also involved in union organization with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and as a special representative for the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union.  

    Middlebrook was ordained as a minister in 1966 and went on to serve as youth minister at Ebenezer Baptist Church, under both King and his father. He later moved to Memphis and served as an assistant pastor to Rev. Benjamin Hooks at Middle Baptist Church in Memphis.

    While in Memphis, Middlebrook was part of the leadership of Community on the Move of Equality and was involved in both the Black Monday campaign and the sanitation workers’ strike.

    Middlebrook moved to Knoxville in 1977 to pastor Mt. Calvary Baptist Church. He is the founding pastor of Canaan Baptist Church of Christ in 1980 and is senior pastor. Under his leadership, the church’s ministry has included education, housing and healthcare projects.

    He continues to honor the memory of his friend, founding the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Commission of Greater Knoxville.

    PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (January 2012) – Wilderness Wildlife Week, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.’s, annual salute to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, expanded its reach by attracting visitors from 33 states and the District of Columbia. That’s six more states than in 2011.
 
   In addition, travelers from New Zealand, England and Canada also registered their attendance.
 
  “The international guests were an unexpected treat. More important, however, is that this special event appealed to travelers from so many states. That really validates the reach of tourism during Pigeon Forge Winterfest,” said Leon Downey, executive director of the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism.
 
   The 22nd annual presentation of Wilderness Wildlife Week offered 288 programs, hikes, excursions and owl prowls from Jan. 7-14.
 
It began in 1991 to draw attention to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and to attract winter visitors.  It is part of the city’s Winterfest celebration that runs November through February.
 
  Cumulative attendance at the week’s programs totaled 24,630, a record. Snowy weather held that figure to 18,450 in 2011.
 
   “We had a little rain this year, but that didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits. It didn’t even deter the hikers,” Downey said.
 
   Forty-eight hikes and excursions of varying lengths ventured into the national park and attracted 630 participants who collectively hiked 3,705 miles. Hiking mileage has been tracked for eight years, and the total now is 21,223 miles.
 
  “Wilderness Wildlife Week hikes help people burn a lot of calories. We have 57 people who have hiked more than 100 miles with us, 10 who have hiked more than 200 miles, one who has hit 300 miles and two who have recorded 400 miles,” Downey said.

   More than 150 experts in wildlife, photography, mountain history, wildflowers and other subjects volunteered their time to lead programs. All of the week’s indoor programs were at the Music Road Hotel and Convention Center.
 
  Pigeon Forge’s next special event is Saddle Up, a celebration of cowboy poetry, western music and chuckwagon cooking. Dates are Feb. 23-26, and details are available online at www.MyPigeonForge.com/saddleup <http://www.MyPigeonForge.com/saddleup> or by calling toll-free to 1-800-251-9100.
 

 The Brannon family found their 1,000th geocache find 

GATLINBURG, Tenn. – During the recent holiday season, Fred and Kathy Brannon of Candler, North Carolina along with their family from Chattanooga, Tennessee celebrated their 1000^th Geocache find on Rafting in the Smokies’ Family Adventure Island at their Pigeon River Outpost in Hartford, Tennessee.

                                                            Dolly Parton    

Nashville, Tenn. –Two of the biggest names in Tennessee tourism are teaming up to bring a major family entertainment zone to Nashville.  Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET) and Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Company have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a 50/50 joint venture to develop  a 114-acre family entertainment zone adjacent to the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.     

    The Dollywood Company will serve as the operating partner.  Phase one of the project is a yet unnamed approximately $50 million water and snow park, the first of its kind in the U.S.  A late 2012, early 2013 groundbreaking date is expected with the park opening slated for summer of 2014.
      The water and snow park will anchor the project which offers room for future expansion.   The park will provide a mix of high energy water activities for the summer season and designated snow activities for winter play.  Once open, first year attendance is projected at 500,000, a large portion of which will come from out of state, bringing in substantial tourism revenue to Tennessee and Nashville.  Dollywood expects to employ 450 full- and part- time employees.
This proposed attraction furthers Gaylord’s focus on growing the leisure side of its business and continuing to drive revenue through its top-notch entertainment attractions throughout the year. 

    The Dollywood Company is responsible for managing Dolly Parton’s Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, as well as her dinner theatre attraction, Dixie Stampede.   Annually, these attractions attract approximately four million visitors and have won some of the industry’s most coveted awards including “world’s best theme park” and “America’s most beautiful water park.”
     “I’m so excited about this opportunity,” Dolly Parton said.  “I am confident that partnering my Dollywood Company with a great company like Gaylord will create something truly special.  We’re all working on new types of entertainment to do in the daytime and nighttime for the whole family so we bring new folks to the area year round.”
     “We are thrilled by the prospect of bringing to Nashville a family focused entertainment center with one of the preeminent theme park owners and operators in the country,” said Colin V. Reed, chairman and chief executive officer, for Gaylord Entertainment.  “I am confident this proposed attraction, which will be a destination not only for our hotel guests but for the entire Nashville community, will meaningfully enhance our transient and leisure strategy by providing a fun, family environment at the doorstep of the Opryland Hotel.  With Dolly Parton’s country music legacy and strong ties to Nashville, we can think of no better partner for this venture than Dolly’s Dollywood Company.”
      “We hope that some other developers with great ideas will join us for phase two of this project.We’re saying the water and snow park are the first phase, but who knows, if we see some great ideas we could be developing the entire zone by the time the snow and waterpark open.Wouldn’t that be great for Nashville and the state,” Parton said.
     “We are in the early stages of planning and will make certain that any project we pursue is done so under the appropriate economic conditions and provides adequate returns for our shareholders,” said Reed.  “We are reserving approximately 35 acres for expansion and complimentary regional attractions and we have been working closely with state and city officials to ensure we have the proper infrastructure agreements in place for the project to move forward. We are looking forward to working on the next steps of this project and to it becoming a valuable part of the Nashville tourism community."
      Based in the picturesque Great Smoky Mountains, Dollywood is a 150-acre family adventure park which operates nine months a year (late March through December) and offers more than 40 rides and attractions; award-winning live entertainment featuring country, bluegrass, gospel and mountain music; and a dozen crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. A family-friendly vacation destination, Dollywood also includes the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country, voted America’s “Must-See Waterpark.” Dollywood offers all-inclusive vacation planning with a variety of overnight lodging options. For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit dollywood.com.   
     Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET), a leading hospitality and entertainment company based in Nashville, Tenn., owns and operates Gaylord Hotels (www.gaylordhotels.com), its network of upscale, meetings-focused resorts and the Grand Ole Opry (www.opry.com), the weekly showcase of country music's finest performers for 85 consecutive years. The company's entertainment brands and properties include the Radisson Hotel Opryland, Ryman Auditorium, General Jackson Showboat, Gaylord Springs Golf Links, Wildhorse Saloon, and WSM-AM. For more information about the company, visit www.GaylordEntertainment.com.
 

     GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Charles Tunstall will perform a program of guitar music from the Renaissance to the present on Thursday, Jan. 26, at Tusculum College.

      “Charles Tunstall’s World of Guitar” will be presented at 6 p.m. in the lobby of the Thomas J. Garland Library and feature a variety of styles including classical, sacred, folk, popular songs from the 1960s and Broadway show tunes.

      Tunstall, reference and instructional services librarian at Tusculum, has more than 50 years experience in playing guitar. His program will introduce the audience to classical (nylon-string) guitar and pieces from several periods and provide an understanding of the acoustic style of music and playing. The versatility of the classical guitar will be demonstrated by presentation of a number of different playing styles, various voicings, chords, playing techniques and discussion about leading guitarists.

      Primarily self-taught, Tunstall has had a large number of individuals who have mentored him. Though preferring to entertain as a solo act, he has played in a variety of bands over the years.

      Skilled on several types of guitars, his main focus is in finger-style playing on the classical nylon-stringed guitar. He came from a country-bluegrass background and now enjoys playing and learning music from a variety of periods.

      His guitar idols include Christopher Parkening, Chet Atkins, Rick Foster and Charlie Byrd, and he has personally met Parkening and Byrd.

      Admission to the program is free and refreshments will be served. It is an arts and lecture credit program for Tusculum students.

     Sevier County, TN. – For several years, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee has invited students in the local school system to participate in a contest. The students were invited to submit either an essay or a poster about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Students could draw a poster focusing on Dr. King, his life, or one of his memorable quotes. Students submitting essays discussed the impact of Dr. King and his guidance in striving to change the ways of segregation by non-violent methods of protest and change.
    This year, almost 150 Sevier County students submitted posters for the contest. No essay submissions were received by the MLK Jr. Day Celebration Committee chaired by Judge Dwight Stokes. The winning entries for grades 1 – 4 are: 
   1) First Place: Jonah Kelley, 4th Grade, Sevierville Intermediate
   2)      Second Place: Savannah Chambers, 2nd Grade, New Center Elementary
   3)      Third Place: Keanon Born, 2nd Grade, New Center Elementary
The winning entries for grades 5th – 8th are:
    1) First Place: Sofia Phan, 5th Grade, Sevierville Intermediate
    2) Second Place: Chyenne Holcomb, 5th Grade, Sevierville Intermediate
    3) Third Place: Chase Lawson, 5th Grade, Sevierville Intermediate
    Honorable Mention Winners include: Thomas Atchley, Dalton Mitchell, Sarah J. Clark, Savannah Lee, Luis Garcia, Briana Moore, Heaven Cates, Hannah Hamilton, Rebekah Hemphill, Iris Fleming – all students are 5th grade students at the Sevierville Intermediate School.
    Certificates for all students who entered the contest will be delivered to the schools. For more information about the event or the winning entries, please call Robin Cogdill at (865) 365-1417.

  1st place winner grades 1-4 created by Jonah Kelley

1st place winner grades 5-8 created by Sophia Phan

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Faculty at Tusculum College have been notified that they have received a research grant from the Appalachian College Association to complete an undergraduate research project focused on the Greene County tobacco market.

The grant, which totals $10,000, will be used to conduct a cross-discipline project involving professors from the English, digital media, mathematics and psychology departments and several Tusculum College students have been selected to participate in the project.

According to Chris Jacek, assistant professor of digital media, the research project will focus on tobacco farming in Greene County, with the goal of collecting the information on video and producing a documentary of their findings.

“We will be collecting information in a variety of areas,” said Jacek. “We do not have a defined direction, but will let the story tell itself.”

Students, under the direction of the faculty, will research both historical and living documents. According to Dr. Clay Matthews, assistant professor of English, students will conduct a wide range of interviews to gage general public perception of tobacco, smoking and the economic impact tobacco has had on the region.

In addition, under the direction of Dr. Brian Davis, assistant professor of mathematics, students will investigate the economic impact the tobacco market has had on Greene County. “We will look at economic impact and look at Greene County as a microcosm of the nation’s economy overall.”

Students in Tusculum psychology department will conduct a survey on the attitudes toward smoking and look at it in the context of behavioral health concepts. They will be mentored by Dr. Jennifer Harper, assistant professor of psychology.

The results of the various components of the research project will be compiled and presented at the annual Appalachian College Association Conference. According to Jacek, the documentary will not be completed at that time, but they will present their research findings and report on their work toward completion of the documentary. The documentary, however, will give students in the College’s digital media division the opportunity to work on a polished product to be produced and presented to the public.

“This grant is a great opportunity for our students to gain experience in their fields through a comprehensive research project while undergraduates,” said Dr. Melinda Dukes, interim vice president for Academic Affairs at Tusculum College. “It is also an opportunity, through the cross-curricular component, for students and faculty to work together in combinations that do not always occur naturally.”

According to Dukes, students involved in the project will work closely with their faculty to conduct the research. Faculty will mentor the students and provide guidance as the project moves forward.

            “We will be focusing on the philosophy that research is an interpretive act rather than a means to prove a preconceived notion,” said Jacek.

            Student participants will include students from all four departments and will be a mix of residential students and adult students in the Graduate and Professional Studies program.

Tusculum College, the oldest college in Tennessee and the 28th oldest in the nation, is a liberal arts institution committed to utilizing the civic arts in developing educated citizens distinguished by academic excellence, public service and qualities of Judeo-Christian character. Approximately twenty-two hundred students are enrolled on the main campus in Greeneville and three off-site locations in East Tennessee. The academic programs for both traditional-aged students and working adults served through the Graduate and Professional Studies program are delivered using focused calendars whereby students enroll in one course at a time.

    The Titanic Museum became a veritable winter wonderland Saturday as ice sculptors from around the world competed in the second annual ice sculpture contest.

 These two pieces were created in less than 15 minutes as a demonstration of speed sculpting.

     Patrons could literally "chill" while having their photos taken in this life size chair carved with the Titanic logo.

The City of Pigeon Forge will break ground on a new park, Wear Farm Park, on Thursday (Jan. 19) at 2 p.m. The public is invited.
 
The park is on Wears Valley Road near the traffic light for Henderson Springs Road.
 
Wear Farm Park is a 116-acre multi-purpose park that will provide facilities for residents and visitors. Its athletic facilities are expected to expand the city's popularity for youth sports events.

Phase 1 will use 40 acres for five baseball/softball fields and a concession stand, a football field with bleachers and a concession building, a multi-purpose field, two playgrounds, two shelter buildings and a basketball court.

Phase 2 will cover 76 acres and will be a more natural area. It will include an interpretative center. There will be a paved trail around the entire park.
Pigeon Forge officials, including Mayor David Wear, city commissioners, City Manager Earlene Teaster and Director of Parks and Recreation John Wilbanks will participate in the groundbreaking.

Park opening is expected in March 2013.
A related project is rehabilitation of the current city park's six tennis courts and the upgrading of lights for the courts.