Derby Madness to premiere at Krider Center

The world premiere of a demolition derby documentary movie called “Derby Madness! ® The Movie” will be held on Saturday, March 7 at 7:00 p.m. at the Krider Performing Arts Center in Paris, Tennessee.  Admission is free to the public and attendees are encouraged to arrive early to ensure availability of seating.

“DERBY MADNESS! ® The Movie” follows promoter Mike Weatherford, a Paris, TN native, along with his group of officials as they travel to various small towns in Western Tennessee and Kentucky for the Derby Madness® demolition derby competitions.  The movie, a documentary produced by DuMedia Lighthouse, also features Bill Reagor, Max Parrish, Wes Gargus, and many others who have participated in the Derby Madness® events.

Filmmakers John Dudley and William Middleton spent one year following the officials, car builders and drivers and have created an exciting, heart-felt and action-packed documentary.  “Along with many car smashes, including lots of smoke and fire, we’ve put together some very compelling footage of what goes on behind-the-scenes and in the dramatic lives of the drivers and officials.  It was a pleasure getting to know these people and making this movie.  We’ve done our best to capture the crazy, car-crashing world of demolition derby!” says John Dudley.

The Krider Performing Arts Center (KPAC) is located at 650 Volunteer Drive in Paris, TN  38242.  The website for KPAC is www.kridercenter.com.   For more information about the world premiere event, including information about how to purchase DVDs of the movie, please visit the website:  

www.derbymadnessmovie.com

Army of Tennessee Heritage Keepers announce 2009 events

The Army of Tennessee Heritage Keepers of America have announced their 2009 Civil War calendar of events.

A highlight of the coming season’s events will be the  Capt. James W. Irwin Secession Ball, the start of a new AOT/Heritage Keeper project. A portion of the proceeds from this event will go to the Capt. James W. Irwin Memorial Fund to offset the cost of keeping a First National flag flying over the graves of the Un-Known Confederates who are buried in the mass graves at Shiloh National Military Park.

The National Military Park will not maintain the First National flag sight without private funding. Everything Confederate will cease to exist if we do not remain vigilant. A local SCV camp has been maintaining the sight, but at present they need financial help to keep the flag flying.

More information will be made available about this important AOT/Heritage Keeper project during the Capt James W. Irwin Secession Ball. February 27, 28 & March 1st, – Battle of Sand Ridge  Re-enactment @ Sikeston, MO. [Read more]

UT-Martin Civil Rights Conference includes Native American Civil Rights struggles in Tennessee

Examining ‘Tennessee Segregation: Civil Rights’ focus of ninth annual Civil Rights Conference

MARTIN: “Tennessee in Segregation and Civil Rights” is the theme of the University of Tennessee at Martin’s ninth annual Civil Rights Conference  running through Feb. 27.

The Rev. James Lawson, who led the successful struggle against segregation in Nashville, will offer the conference keynote address at 7 p.m., Feb. 26, in Watkins Auditorium of Boling University Center. While at Vanderbilt University’s Divinity School, Lawson organized and trained students to challenge segregation in Nashville. Under his tutelage, the Civil Rights Movement made Nashville one of the first Southern cities in which segregation fell.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on visiting Nashville in 1960, proclaimed that, “I came to Nashville not to bring inspiration, but to gain inspiration from the great movement that has taken place in this community.” Lawson trained many future leaders of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, including Diane Nash, James Bevel, Marion Barry, Bernard Lafayette and John Lewis. [Read more]

Paris Health Expo focuses on YOUR health and well-being

Paris and Henry County has shown it loves a good expo, an opportunity to peruse the diversity of opportunities that abound within this geographic area. February 7th’s Health Expo proved to be no exception. The Paris Civic Center was filled with healthcare consumers visiting the over thirty healthcare providers and allied services present to display their various wares and services and discuss health care  information and options.

In a four hour block of time, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, the Paris Civic Center was a buzz of activity as over six hundred visitors passed through the center’s doors during the sixth annual Healthcare Expo .

Visitors were greeted by Paris Chamber of Commerce representatives Jenifer Williams and Stacie Plunkett, and asked to sign-in and register for free door prizes and give-a-ways. Each visitor received a free gift bag to fill with the free hand-outs and gifts provided by the diverse vendors. Stacie is chairperson of the Chamber’s Healthcare Committee which coordinates the health expo.

At the center of the expo hall’s setup was Henry County Medical Center’s free testing and screening multi-station. Blood pressure checks, blood sugar reading, cholesterol reading, hand grip strength testing and osteoporosis screenings were provided free. The results were recorded and given to each visitor for review with their personal medical care provider. [Read more]

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

The Cat in the Hat.

Green Eggs and Ham.

And to think I saw it on Mulberry Street.

Dr. Seuss’s ABC.

Fox in Socks.

Horton Hears a Who.

If I Ran the zoo.

Lorax.

These staples of children’s literature, created by author  Theodor Seuss Geisel (a.k.a. Dr. Seuss), were created in the mid 1950’s as a response to concerns about  literacy in young schoolchildren.

Youngsters can join in a birthday celebration of Dr. Seuss at the W. G. Rhea Public Library in downtown Paris, on Saturdsay, February 28, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

Here are a few fun facts about Dr. Seuss:

• In 1936 on the way to a vaction in Europe,  he came up with And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, which was rejected by the first 43 publishers he showed it to. Eventually in 1937 a friend published the book for him, and it went on to at least moderate success.
• In May of 1954, Life (magazine) published a report concerning illiteracy among school children. The report said, among other things, that children were having trouble to read because their books were boring. This inspired Geisel’s publisher, and prompted him to send Geisel a list of 400 words he felt were important, asked him to cut the list to 250 words (the publishers idea of how many words at one time a first grader could absorb), and write a book. Nine months later, Geisel, using 220 of the words given to him published The Cat in the Hat, which went on to instant success.
• In 1960 Bennett Cerf bet Geisel $50 that he couldn’t write an entire book using only fifty words. The result was Green Eggs and Ham. Cerf never paid the $50.
  His first wife, Helen Palmer Geisel, died in 1967. Theodor Geisel married Audrey Stone Diamond in 1968.

Theodor Seuss Geisel, who was born on March 2, 1904, died  September 24, 1991.

Spring: An opportunity for spiritual renewal

Only a few more weeks and our trees will be budding with new leaves for the year 2009. It is fascinating to watch their transformation in the spring. This budding will be swiftly followed with out brilliantly colored songbirds building their nests among the newly sprung to life branches of the trees. The trees closest to the house will be occupied first, trees that enhance our lawns and the countryside.

In building our house six years ago, we had regular contractors for the project. We went the mile and invested thousands of dollars in the lawn and yard. We hired Tim, a professional landscaper, to plant shrubbery, sod and trees.

For us an appealing and robust lawn was a priority for the property. In childhood, I recall climbing, scaling the robust trees that grew on grandpa’s farm in the Ozarks of Missouri. I recall too climbing the persimmon tree to retrieve the ripened fruit for a snack. My cousin Leroy example emboldened me to climb to the highest branches. [Read more]

Celebrate Elvis with “Tribute to the King”

A “Tribute to the King” concert event will be held Saturday, February 14, at the Grove School Auditorium, 215 Grove Bl., in Paris. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with showtime promptly at 7:30 p.m.  This is a one-night-only event produced by and starring by Tim Dudley.

Tim, now 24, became an Elvis fan when he was about three-years-old. It all started when his Mom rented the “Elvis – Aloha From Hawaii” video. Before you knew it, he asked his grandmother to pin a towel on his shirt, and just after one day of that costume (plus the fact he ripped holes in his shirts) his grandmother decided to make him his first Elvis suit.

Elvis said in 1971, “Every dream I have ever dreamed has come true 100 times, so I will keep singing a song.” Now, Tim’s dream has come true, and that is to pay tribute to the best singer of all time, Elvis Presley. Tim hopes to keep singing the songs of Elvis as long as he is able, even if it is a hundred years from now.

Tim does this totally out of love to Elvis and to keep his memories alive to people younger than he is. He’s met a lot of great Elvis fans and Elvis’ friends in the four years he has performed his Tribute to Elvis.

Elvis and his music have helped Tim through the good and bad times in his life. He is the only singer, in Tim’s mind, who poured his heart and soul into every song he performed. Elvis never forgot his fans who made him the outstanding performer who lives in our hearts and minds today. He always remembered to “thank” them for their love and support.

Tickets are $10 per person, with proceeds to benefit Forever Friends Animal Sanctuary and the Henry County Humane Society.

For ticket information, call Brenda at 731-645-42999, Teri at 731-644-1508, Diane at 731-593-0922 or Nancy at 731-247-3042. Some tickets will be available at the door.

Here’s a clip of Tim Dudley as Elvis.

Used toys exempt from new safety mandate

August 14th, 2008 former President George Bush signed and set in motion The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008.  This Act was brought about by the large amount of recalled toys and baby products in the year 2007.

The CPSIA calls for any children’s product exceeding the amount of 600-ppm (parts per million) lead content cannot be sold in the United States.  Items that fall under this Act are children’s toys, cribs, pacifiers, children’s jewelry, baby bouncer seats, walkers and jumpers. Any product that can be mouthed, or ingested by a child under the age of twelve must be tested for safety.

This Act will begin today. One year following this date the lead count will drop to a strict 300-ppm, then continues down to 100 ppm. This law will also prohibit against children’s items containing PVC (polyvinyl chloride ) and the chemical phthalate.

This is exciting for parents in that with in the year we will be able to purchase toys and products for our children and have peace of mind that it will not cause long term health problems or that a favorite, beloved toy will have to be taken from our children because of another recall. [Read more]