The clinic is part of a statewide initiative of the Tennessee Bar Association.

On April 4 private attorneys and legal offices will be holding free clinics in more than 50 sites across Tennessee.  A list of clinic sites is available from the Tennessee Bar Association, at www.tba.org/4all/4-4grid.

“You do not have to meet income guidelines to get this free help,” said Fowler. “Our goal is to help victims begin the process of making themselves safe and secure from their abuser.”

For more information about the clinic and services available, call Bradley M. Carter at (931) 647-3377.

The Legal Aid Society gives free civil legal aid to people who have nowhere else to turn.  Its Clarksville office serves people in Montgomery, Robertson, Dickson, Cheatham, Stewart, Houston and Humphreys counties.

In a letter submitted to Senator Tim Barnes and and Representatives Joe Pitts, Phillip Johnson and Curtis Johnson regarding action on the proposed charter revisions, Judge Smith voiced appreciation for their input and concerns regarding the city charter but suggested that their input would not be reflected in charter revisions.

Judge Smith  made an e-mail copy of his letter to Clarksville’s state legislators  available  to media and local civic and human rights organizations. In this missive,  Judge Smith acknowledges the work performed by the City Council but cites limitations to its ability and resources to adequately review information and issues on the Council table:

“Our City Council works hard, attends many meetings, and functions in a fashion that, in my opinion, is totally orchestrated and controlled by the executive branch of government.  The bulk of information utilized by the City Council in decision-making is prepared, edited, and shaped by the executive branch of government.  The current structure does not allow the City Council to have staff or resources to independently examine issues, obtain independent legal opinions or independent financial analysis.”

Judge Smith also criticized the city’s administrative structure, noting in his communique  that:

The Clarksville government structure provides no balance of powers, no checks and balances, and no separation of powers.  The executive branch (Mayor) controls the legislative branch by serving as a voting member, presiding over meetings of the legislative branch, and appointing and removing, at will, council committee members and chairpersons.  The judicial branch is equally under the control of the executive branch.  Except for the brief moment of rendering a decision in City Court, the executive branch controls all aspects of the docket, court personnel, and the enforcement or non-enforcement of judgments of the City Court.

Clarksville is the state’s fifth largest city, but, Judge Smith noted,  unlike the state’s top four municipalities, “the Clarksville City government structure is much more similar to cities or towns with a population of 1,000, rather than an expanding municipality with a population in excess of 100,000.” He added that no major city in Tennessee has its mayor as a seated member of the City Council, and summed the state of the city as “a monarchy.”

The Letter

Here is the complete text of Judge Smith’s letter:

Dear Senator Tim Barnes, Representative Curtis Johnson, Representative Phillip Johnson, and Representative Joe Pitts:

Thank you for your suggestions concerning the revised Clarksville City Charter.  The City Council’s analysis of the concerns you raised was, in my opinion, “one-sided,” much like the Charter revision process.  It appears that no meaningful change will occur.

I realize that municipalities in Tennessee exist at the pleasure of the State in their numerous and frequently unusual forms.  Unfortunately, the Clarksville City government structure is much more similar to cities or towns with a population of 1,000, rather than an expanding municipality with a population in excess of 100,000 (e.g. no mayor of TN Big 4 cities also sits as a council member).  The Clarksville government structure provides no balance of powers, no checks and balances, and no separation of powers.  The executive branch (Mayor) controls the legislative branch by serving as a voting member, presiding over meetings of the legislative branch, and appointing and removing, at will, council committee members and chairpersons.  The judicial branch is equally under the control of the executive branch.  Except for the brief moment of rendering a decision in City Court, the executive branch controls all aspects of the docket, court personnel, and the enforcement or non-enforcement of judgments of the City Court.

The revised Charter, in my opinion, conflicts with State law in several areas as it relates to the judiciary.  T.C.A. § 16-18-310(b) provides, in part, “the clerk of the municipal court shall maintain an accurate and detailed record of court proceedings… .”  T.C.A. § 55-10-306(a) provides, in part, “that every magistrate or judge of the court shall keep or cause to be kept a record of every traffic complaint, warrant, traffic citation… .”  The proposed Charter, Article V, section 1(f), provides, “the clerk of the City Court, under supervision of the Finance Department, shall keep or cause to be kept City Court dockets… .”  The proposed Charter assigns judicial statutory responsibility to the Finance Department.  T.C.A. § 16-1-102 provides, in part, that “every court has the power to compel obedience to its judgments, orders, and process… .” The proposed Charter, Article V, section 1(b), states, in part, that “the City Judge shall have power… to enforce the collection of all such fines and costs and, in default of payment thereof, to pursue collection of the same through the City Finance Department and City Attorney.”  The proposed Charter seeks to dictate, limit, or proscribe the method the Court would utilize to “compel obedience to judgments.”  The proposed Charter, Article V, section 1(d), ends with the language “the City Judge, with approval of the Mayor, may remit with or without conditions, fines and costs imposed for the violation of any ordinance or Charter provisions of the City or any part of the same.”  This language, and language in part (e) which states that “the Judge to certify to the Finance Department for collection of all fines,” is gibberish. The elected Judge does not require approval of the Mayor” to discharge judicial responsibilities, and further the Judge does not handle any funds and, unfortunately, all personnel who collect funds, establish dockets, and discharge any other functions related to the judiciary are supervised and accountable exclusively to the executive branch of government.  The Judge cannot “remit” or “certify” anything related to funds.

These are a few obvious conflicts the proposed Charter creates concerning State law and common sense as it relates to the judiciary.  The Charter Revision Committee did not ask for my input, the input of the former City Court Judge, or the input of anyone with judicial experience as they made Charter revisions.  The current Charter is admittedly obsolete and outdated in many areas; however, the proposed Charter does not address fundamental Charter shortcomings.

Without independent branches of government and separation of powers, there are no checks and balances, and the executive branch in Clarksville simply does as it chooses without regard to the proposed or current Charter, statutory law, or Constitutional law.  Our City Council works hard, attends many meetings, and functions in a fashion that, in my opinion, is totally orchestrated and controlled by the executive branch of government.  The bulk of information utilized by the City Council in decision-making is prepared, edited, and shaped by the executive branch of government.  The current structure does not allow the City Council to have staff or resources to independently examine issues, obtain independent legal opinions or independent financial analysis.

The proposed Charter further erodes the concept of independent branches of government and balance of power.  Unfortunately, there does not appear to be a method of accountability for the executive branch, given the total control exercised over the legislative branch of government.  The Mayor presides over the legislative branch, introduces legislation, and votes on any matters he chooses, which essentially creates a monarchy. Unfortunately, I do not see avenues for bringing about positive change unless you act.  Keep asking the hard questions.  Clarksville deserves it.

Thanks for your consideration.

Judge Charles W. Smith

Linda Shelton (center, in purple), holds tightly to her mother's hand as they stand surrounded by friends, watching the balloon release in memory of her daughter and grandchildren

In keeping with Christianity period of mourning, Lent, and in memory of lost loved ones,  clusters of deep purple balloons were assembled for the ceremony.  Included in the display were several colorful Disney balloons including Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, and a number of happy birthday balloons, since young Diamin’s birthday would have been celebrated March 17,  just weeks after her death.

Writing a note to friend lost.

Outside the church, a family car was decorated with photos of the family and messages to them.

As family and friends, many with young children who were classmates or playmates of Natalie’s children, assembled, they had the opportunity to write brief messages or love and rememberance to be attach to the balloons prior to their release.

On March Vullo, 30,  and her children Diamin,  8, and Paul,  3, were found murdered at their 901 Cal Court home  on February 19. Gerrard Exeter Robinson (B/M), 31, whose address according to  the Montgomery County Sex Offender Registry at that time was listed as 205 Hermitage Road, reportedly confessed to the slayings. He is expected to apprear before the Grand Jury in early April on three counts of first degree murder.

That is little comfort to the family, including Natalie’s mother, Linda Shelton, who spoke briefly to the friends and family gathered in mourning. The service included prayer, songs sungs by Tay Burton and Shirley Bish, and brief  words by Rev. Timothy Grant.

Outside, the mourners assembled close together, each taking hold of some of the hundreds of balloons, raising their hands heavenward, in a single movement letting the orbs rise to the clouds amid a mix of tears and a few smiles drawn from shared remembrances of happier times.

After the prayer service, guests prepared for the release of balloons.

“We continue to pray with you… to be strong and to march on,” Rev. Grant said.

The crowd stood silent, watching the ease with which the wind picked up the balloons and carried them aloft.

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I. CALL TO ORDER

II. ANNOUNCE MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE (VERIFY QUORUM)

III. ADOPTION OF MINUTES: January 28th, February 4th, February 25th
IV. COMMISSION UPDATES

1. River District Guidelines
2. Phase II Master Plan Design

V. EX-OFFICIO UPDATES

1. City of Clarksville
2. Regional Planning Commission
3. Parks & Recreation
4. Austin Peay State University

V. Commission Action Required: None

VII. City Council Action Required: None

VIII. ADJOURNMENT

IX. PUBLIC COMMENTS (5 minutes each)

"One" from "A Chorus Line"

NEHS Exit One, Concert and SSA Women’s Choir chosen to open for The Haywood Family Show in Branson, Missouri.

After two months of intensive rehearsals in both voice and choreography, to say nothing of the memorization involved, Broadway came to Clarksville Thursday evening as the Northeast High School Choral Department presented its Spring Show 2009 in the NEHS auditorium.

The show will also be presented Tonight at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, March 22, at 3 p.m. Admission is $5 per adult, $3 per student.

It’s a show that has something extra this year when the Exit One Show  Choir, the Concert Choir  and the SSA Women’s Choir travel to Branson, Missouri in April to perform as the opening act for the Haywood Family Show, with a selection of routines from the current show to be performed and taped “on tour.”

Choir Director Ms. Debbie Wilson with flowers from her students at curtain call

Choir mistress Debbie Wilson submitted tapes of last year’s show to officials in Branson, tapes impressive enough to win an invitation to appear in this famous family musical production. “It’s a first for us, and I am so proud of these kids,” Wilson said.

The current production features the Beginning Choir in a selection of music from Sinner Man to Turtle Dove and Send Down the Rain, with all choral groups in ensemble  — young men in black tuxedos , young women in black and whire gowns. An elegant start.

Shenteria Williams with a sultry rendering of "At Last"

Three students served as guest conductors for that segment of music: Khiry Wilson, Shenteria Williams, and Humberto Figueroa. Accompanist was Angel Broady and Lacy Wilson.

The Women’s Choir does a bit of Andrew Lloyd Webber before turning up the heat with a stunning, sultry rendition of At Last sung by Sheteria Williams. That “showstopper” was just the beginning.

As the three key choir began to strut their stuff, they honored “100 Years of Broadway,” beginning with Richard Rogers legendary  South Pacific, complete with rapid costume changes for lively presentations I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair and There is Nothing Like a Dame.

A touch of Leonard Bernstein comes in the form of I Feel Pretty from West Side Story. More costumes and choreography overruns the stage in Guys and Dolls, with a snappy Bushel and a Peck ( a terrific and charming performance by lead vocalist Sara Schichtel), and Luck be a Lady.

"Mama I'm A Big Girl Now" from Hairspray

After a brief intermission, the show continued with Dreamgirls, and a steaming medley from Smokey’s Joe’s Cafe. Pop numbers for Hairspray were followed by a spoof of Beauty and the Beast titled Beauty’s Been Decreased, performed by Humberto Figueroa.

Webber’s Jellicle Cat from CATS was the only “canned music of the night, a lively version to which the players spent all their energy of delightful choreography.

Hailey Johnson stepped into the spotlight for a lovely rendering of Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

Rounding out the night of music was the classic One from A Chorus Line, complete with sparkling fedoras and some precision footwork.

These students returned from their 2008 Christmas break to a grueling 2009 schedule in early January, working after school every night plus Saturdays for two solid weeks with choreographer Amanda Batts. A complex rehearsal schedule continued to keep  students at school dozens of extra hours a week, with a second round of choreography prior to the performance dates.  As grueling as the musical schedule is, acceptance into the choir also requires that each student maintain a certain grade point average to participate. And raise funds for their trip in the process. The thoroughness of their  training was evident Thursday evening: this was no “stand up and sing” show — these student worked, mastering dance moves including swing and the movements that accompany traditional Broadway song and dance shows. With this show on the heels of a stunning Christmas concert, NEHS and its choirs  have  raised the bar.

We at Clarksville Online wish them well in Branson, Missouri.

Photos by Christine Anne Piesyk

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A crowd of state and local dignitaries, members of the Fort Campbell, Ky., command group and APSU officials were on hand for the event. Dr. Sherry Hoppe, former APSU president, and Dr. Gerald Beavers, former executive director of the Fort Campbell Center, were among those attending. Both were involved in the initial planning stage of the building project.

The new classroom/office building is across the street from the SSG Glenn H. English Jr. Army Education Center, Bastogne Avenue on post. Until now, APSU has been hosting classses in an old and decaying building, making do with a structure that was obsolete and inefficient for its current use.

The building design includes oversized windows and a network of skylights designed to bring maximum natural light into the structure. Offices located in the interior core of the structure benefit from additional natural light through skylights, and the front walls and doorways on each office are glass, picking up additional lighting from the well-lit classrooms on the outer walls.

The classrooms are equipped with touch-sensitive “smartboards” — a 21st century twist on the blackboards of yesteryear. The touch-sensitive display connects to your computer and digital projector to show your computer image. You can then control computer applications directly from the display, write notes in digital ink and save your work to share later.

Photo APCFC ribbon cutting: Officials from Austin Peay State University and other dignitaries cut the ribbon to the new Austin Peay Center @ Fort Campbell on Tuesday. (Photo by Rollow Welch, APSU Public Relations and Marketing)

The project, approved by the State Building Commission in 2007, is unique in that, as far as can be determined, it marks the only time in history a state university has been granted permission to build an educational facility on federal property through a 25-year, long-term land lease with the U.S. Army, with an option to renew for an additional 25 years.

At the English Education Center, APSU—which has the highest enrollment of the four institutions offering classes on post—had filled to capacity all of its available classroom seats. APSU will use the same number of rooms in the English Education Center, but the new facility provides six additional classrooms, laboratory space and faculty offices.

Architects with Rufus Johnson Associates designed the new $3.4 million building. The University paid for the construction with bonds from the Tennessee State School Bond Authority. A&K Construction, Paducah, Ky., built the facility.

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Beth Britton with her daughter, "Elle-girl"

Beth Britton, a columnist for Clarksville Online,  has been asked to write a weekly column for the new site, Christian HomeKeeper Network.

“This website is a great place for women to go and be encouraged and to get to know other women with similar interests. I am excited to be joining with the other excellent writers in contributing to this site.”

– Beth Britton

In additions to her periodic essay on our site, you can read Beth’s  weekly postings at my personal on site blog http://christianhomekeeper.org/ravens-nest/

Christian HomeKeeping Network is a Christian blog for women that includes articles about cooking, crafts, child-rearing, books and faith. It has an extensive list of contributing writers

As always, you can still keep up with her own personal life and the goings-on of our family at my blog below.

Stop by for a visit at Beth’s personal blog, www.myredriverhome.blogspot.com

Beth’s work has appeared in Discover Clarksville and Discover Paris TN.  She  also writes for Clarksville Family. Beth is married to David Britton, a historian and park ranger at Port Royal State park, and is the mother of Elle-girl, the subject of many of her essays.  She is expecting her second child.

Suicide.  Self-inflicted death. The pain that drives an individual to commit suicide is mirrored by the pain experienced by those left behind to mourn.

In the past year, suicide has touched a number of families and individuals in our community. Two newly married men.  A high school boy. A college student. A friend. We react with shock that spirals into grief punctuated by a simple question: Why? And “was there something we could have done? Or noticed?”

Suicide is on the rise, both in the military and within our communities. By a margin of 2-1, it outstrips homicide as a cause of death in the United States, and is the 11th ranked cause of death in the United States. Statistically, more men actually succeed in killing themselves, while more women attempt suicide but do not die, in part because  men typically use more violent means (guns, hanging) to end their lives than women, who often use failure-prone methods such as overdosing.

Suicide may occur for a number of reasons, including depression, shame, guilt, desperation, physical pain, emotional pressure, anxiety, financial difficulties, or other undesirable situations. The World Health Organization noted that over one million people commit suicide every year, and that it is one of the leading causes of death among teenagers and adults under 35. There are an estimated 10 to 20 million non-fatal attempted suicides every year worldwide. It is estimated that each suicide in the United States leaves an average of six people intimately affected by the death, either as a spouse, parent, significant other, sibling, or child of the deceased person. These people are referred to as survivors.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The predominant view of modern medicine is that suicide is a mental health concern, associated with psychological factors such as the difficulty of coping with depression, inescapable suffering or fear, or other mental disorders and pressures. Suicide is sometimes interpreted as a “cry for help” and attention, or to express despair and the wish to escape, rather than a genuine intent to die. Most people who attempt suicide do not complete suicide on a first attempt; those who later gain a history of repetitions have a significantly higher probability of eventual completion of suicide.

Common Suicide Risk Indicators

• A previous suicide attempt, even if it seemed staged or designed to get attention, or boasts of past or secret suicide attempts.
• Talking about being dead or wishing they were dead, how others would be happier if he/she were dead or how much better off others will be when he/she is gone.
• Repeatedly engaging in very risky or dangerous thrill seeking behavior.
• “Getting the house in order” – making plans for the care of loved siblings, parents, relatives or pets and giving away cherished belongings to close friends.
• Extreme mood swings; very depressed episodes followed by happy episodes with no clear reason for the change.
• Regular expressions of worthlessness, helplessness, sadness and/or loneliness.
• Drastic changes in habits, friends, or appearance, ie: new friends, skipping school, dropping out of favorite activities, and no longer caring about appearance or cleanliness.
• Changes in weight, sleeping habits, and physical activity.

A risk-assessment quiz designed for teenagers is available online.

When someone dies by suicide the people left behind can wrestle with a terrible emotional pain. Teens who have had a recent loss or crisis or who had a family member or classmate who committed suicide may be especially vulnerable to suicidal thinking and behavior themselves.

If you’ve been close to someone who has attempted or committed suicide, it can help to talk with a therapist or counselor — someone who is trained in dealing with this complex issue. Or, you could join a group for survivors where you can share your feelings and get the support of people who have been in the same situation as you.

What if this is you?

If you have been thinking about suicide, get help now. Depression is powerful. You can’t wait and hope that your mood might improve. When a person has been feeling down for a long time, it’s hard to step back and be objective.

Talk to someone you trust as soon as you can. If you can’t talk to a parent or a friend, talk to a coach, a relative, a school counselor, a religious leader, or a teacher. Call a suicide crisis line (such as 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-999-9999) or your local emergency number (911). These toll-free lines are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by trained professionals who can help you without ever knowing your name or seeing your face. All calls are confidential — no one you know will find out that you’ve called.

What if this is someone you know?

It is always a good thing to start a conversation with someone you think may be considering suicide. It allows you to get help for the person, and just talking about it may help the person to feel less alone and more cared about and understood.

Talking things through may also give the person an opportunity to consider other solutions to problems. Most of the time, people who are considering suicide are willing to talk if someone asks them out of concern and care. Because people who are depressed are not as able to see answers as well as others, it can help to have someone work with them in coming up with at least one other way out of a bad situation.

Even if a friend or classmate swears you to secrecy, you must get help as soon as possible — your friend’s life could depend on it. Someone who is seriously thinking about suicide may have sunk so deeply into an emotional hole that the person could be unable to recognize that he or she needs help.

Trauma, PTSD, and Suicide

In a survey of 5,877 people across the United States, it was found that people who had experienced physical or sexual assault at some point in their life also had a high likelihood of attempting to take their own life at some point:

• Nearly 22% of people who had been raped had also attempted suicide at some point in their life.
• Approximately 23% of people who had experienced a physical assault had also attempted suicide at some point in their life.

These rates of suicide attempts increased considerably among people who had experienced multiple incidents of sexual (42.9%) or physical assault (73.5%). They also found that a history of sexual molestation, physical abuse as a child, and neglect as a child were associated with high rates of suicide attempts (17.4% to 23.9%)

People with a diagnosis of PTSD are also at greater risk to attempt suicide. Among people who have had a diagnosis of PTSD at some point in their lifetime, approximately 27% have also attempted suicide.

Suicide has also become an item of serious concern within the military, which has recorded epidemic levels of suicide in the past year. The stress of repeated deployments  on both military personnel and their families has triggered a surge of emotional/psychiatric issues, including surges in both suicide and domestic violence. The surge in numbers has  forced the Pentagon to focus more intently on suicide prevention among its personnel.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Source Material:

• TeensHealth: The Nemours Foundation
• World Health Organization
• SAVE: Suicide Awareness Voices of  Education
• Suicide.com
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
• National Institute of Mental Health

Despite heavy rains, the Nashville Peace Coalition held a planned Peace street  rally at Centennial Park in Nashville today, just days before the anniversary (March 19) of the Iraq War.

The Nashville Peace Coalition has called  for peace in Afghanistan and Iraq on the sixth anniversary of the occupation of Iraq; the street protest went on as planned but rain washed out plans for an accompanying concert and speaker program that was to have from noon to 4 p.m.

“Now is the Time for Peace” was intended as an appeal to President Obama and the Democratic House and Senate to withdraw all troops from Iraq including non-combat troops and reverse the recently announced troop surge in Afghanistan. 

In February, President Obama announced a troop surge of 17,000 troops to Afghanistan.  In response, the Peace Coalition organized legislative visits to Federal representatives in Nashville to urge them to press the current administration to withdraw combat troops from Afghanistan, citing no clear mission for the troops and the extreme costs of continued occupation during a time of economic crisis.

March 19th marks the actual anniversary of the beginning of the Iraqi War and although the Peace Coalition does acknowledge the announced withdrawal of 70,000 combat troops from Iraq under the current administration, they call for a complete withdrawal of all troops from Iraq including the 50,000 who will remain after the announced drawdown and a closing of all military bases in Iraq.

In addition the Peace Coalition calls for a withdrawal of all troops from Afghanistan. The Nashville Peace Coalition is a project of the Nashville Peace and Justice Center. participating in this event were the Firebrand Community Center, Veterans for Peace, Vanderbilt Students for Nonviolence, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the Cumberland Greens, Eric Schecter for Congress, Tennessee Alliance for Progress, Peace Roots Alliance, Clarksville’s Freethinkers for Peace and Civil Liberties, and the Nashville Greenlands.

Across the nation millions of people will be participating in peace rallies and demonstrations during the week of March 14th – 21st to mark the sixth anniversary of the occupation of Iraq.  On March 21st tens of thousands of peace activists will converge in Washington DC for a march on the Pentagon organized by national anti-war protest organizations including ANSWER and the Declaration of Peace.

In a release to the media on March 1st, ANSWER called for widespread demonstrations on the anniversary of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, saying that:

“The Iraq and Afghanistan war will drag on for years unless we act now. The cost in lives and resources is criminal regardless of whether the Democrats or Republicans are in charge of the government. The Pentagon has employed 200,000 foreign contractors (mercenaries) and 150,000 U.S. troops to maintain the occupation of Iraq. They have no right to be there. A few thousand are being brought out of Iraq only to be redeployed to occupy Afghanistan. The people of the United States want change. We are sick and tired of wars of aggression waged abroad under false slogans of “national security.” The occupation of Iraq alone costs $12 billion each month. This amounts to $400 million each day, $16.7 million per hour and $278,000 per minute.”

PHOTOS by Debbie Boen

The dark purple of a pansy against the snow.

What a difference a day makes! On Tuesday the region basked in 80 degrees of summer-like warmth and sunshine. Barbecue grills were dragged out and fired up, just as area residents hustled to find “cool” clothing to don for this brief taste of seasons yet to come.

Adhering to the adages of the weatherwise, if you don’t like the weather, wait a minute.

So it is that northern Middle Tennessee saw temperature drop by 50 degrees, viewed a sky of thickening  clouds, and watched in awe as winter took what may be its last punch of the 2008-09 season.

Snow. Sleet. Freezing rain. Salt brine and sanding trucks, even a snow plow on Fort Campbell Boulevard.  The snow line moved south over the course of the day, arriving in lower Clarksville in mid-afternoon, some time after north Clarksville was already eyeing light accumulation.

In New England, this kind of snowfall is “sugar snow,” a late season wet snowfall that comes even as the springtime rush of sap is surging through the sugar maples, sap that is gathered in buckets, pouring into wood-fired arches to boil — 40 gallons of sap makes a gallon of syrup in a 24/7 marathon that only works in late winter on the cusp of spring, when days are warm and nights are cold. Light golden Grade A syrup is considered the finest, with the dark amber B (or less) syrup as the “end of season fare (I actually like the darker richer taste of the Grade B). Today’s snow was a light coating of “sugar snow.”

I miss New England, and this snowfall was a gift of sorts. Being out in it was, for me, a treat.

Snow-covered bridge at Billy Dunlop Park

The National Weather Service gave the region ample notice. Though it was a bit later getting her, once it started, the winter storm  revved up quickly, piling over an inch of snow (of the wet snowman-making kind) across downtown, somewhat more  toward the Kentucky border.

A spider web on the bridge at Billy Dunlop Park

Having already transitioned my closet from winter-ready to summer-anticipation, I rummaged hastily  for something “warmer” to wear, something to layer as I prepared for a photographic circuit of Clarksville.

Even as the storm was shifting between snow, sleet and freezing rain, and winding down from the west, Clarksville Online captured images of a wonderland that will be gone with tomorrow’s predicted 45 degree high.

On the cusp between winter and tornado season,

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Patricia Racette as Madame Butterfly. (Photo: Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera

The Met Live in HD continues to captivate a worldwide audience, bringing live, high definition productions of the world’s greatest opera to millions of worldwide viewers. The series continues  with Puccini’s hauntingly beautiful love story, Madama Butterfly, which will be screened at several Nashville venues on Saturday, March 7 at 12 noon (CST).

Opry Mills Stadium 20 Plus IMAX, 570 Opry Mills Drive and  Green Hills Stadium 16, 3815 Greenhills Village Drive, both in Nashville, will screen the live broadcast. In addition, for those who will miss the Saturday showing, Green Hills will screen encore showings on March 18 at 7 p.m. and March 18 at 1 p.m. Running time is three hours and 21 minutes, with two intermissions.

Patricia Racette returns to the title role of Anthony Minghella’s stunning production, a new classic of the Met repertory, opposite Marcello Giordani. Conducting is Patrick Summers, with production by Anthony Minghella, Patricia Racette and Marcello Giordani.

A scene in Act I, with Patricia Racette at Madame Butterfly. 2008 Dress Rehearsal. (Photo: Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera)

ACT I: Madame Butterfly is set in 19th century Nagasaki, and tells the story of Lieutenant B. F. Pinkerton, U.S.N., who is about to  contract a “Japanese marriage” with Cio-Cio-San,  called Butterfly by her friends. Even as Pinkerton explores the little house in which he plans to live with Butterfly,  his plans fall into immediate disfavor with the American Consul, who fears that what may be a mere matter of pastime to the American Naval lieutenant, may have been taken seriously by the Japanese girl and, if so, may prove a matter of life or death with her. In truth, Butterfly is in love, and has renounced faith and family to be with Pinkerton, placing her life in his hands.

A dancer ion the opening scenes of Madame Butterfly. (Photo: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera)

It is customary with Puccini to create “atmosphere” of time and place through the medium of the early scenes of his operas. It is only necessary to recall the opening episodes in the first acts of “La Bohème” and “Tosca.” He has done the same thing in “Madam Butterfly,” by the employment of the Japanese theme already referred to, and by the crowded episodes attending the arrival of Butterfly and the performance of the ceremony. These episodes are full of action and colour, and distinctly Japanese in the impression they make. Moreover, they afford the only opportunity throughout the entire opera to employ the chorus upon the open stage. It is heard again in the second act, but only behind the scenes and humming in order to give the effect of distance.

The love scene between Pinkerton and Butterfly is extended. From its beginning, “Viene la sera” (Evening is falling), to the end, its interest never flags. It is full of beautiful melody charged with sentiment and passion, yet varied with lighter passages, like Butterfly’s “I am like the moon’s little goddess”; “I used to think if anyone should want me”; and the exquisite, “Vogliatemi bene” (Ah, love me a little). There is a beautiful melody for Pinkerton, “Love, what fear holds you trembling.” The climax of the love duet is reached in two impassioned phrases:– “Dolce notte! Quante stelle” (Night of rapture, stars unnumbered),
and “Oh! Quanti occhi fisi, attenti” (Oh, kindly heavens).

Act II, Part I: Three years have elapsed. It is a long time since Pinkerton has left Butterfly with the promise to return to her “when the robins nest.” When the curtain rises, after an introduction, in which another Japanese theme is employed, Suzuki, although convinced that Pinkerton has deserted her mistress, is praying for his return. Butterfly is full of faith and trust. In chiding her devoted maid for doubting that Pinkerton will return, she draws in language and song a vivid picture of his home-coming and of their mutual joy therein: – “Un bel di vedremo” (Some day he’ll come).

Patricia Racette as Cio Cio San, with her son, as seen in a final dress rehearsal in 2008. (Photo: Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera)

In point of fact, Pinkerton really is returning to Nagasaki, but with no idea of resuming relations with his Japanese wife. Indeed, before leaving America he has written to the Counsul asking him to let Butterfly know that he is married to an American wife, who will join him in Nagasaki. The Councel attempts to deliver his message, but is unable to do so because of the emotions aroused in Butterfly by the very sight of a letter from Pinkerto, which throws her into a transport of joy. The money left by Pinkerton with his little Japanese wife has dwindled almost to nothing, and poverty stares her in the face. Offered marriage to a Japanese man, she will not hear of such an alliance and protests that she is already married to Pinkerton, and will await his return.

Marcello Giordani as Lt. Pinkerton. (Photo: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera).

Act II, Part II. When the curtain rises, night has passed, dawn is breaking. Suzuki and the baby are fast asleep, but Butterfly still is watching. Again Puccini employs a Japanese melody (the “vigil” theme).

When Suzuki awakes, she persuades the poor little “wife” to go upstairs to rest, which Butterfly does only upon Suzuki’s promise to awaken her as soon as Pinkerton arrives. Pinkerton and Sharpless appear. Suzuki at first is full of joyful surprise, which, however, soon gives way to consternation, when she learns the truth. Pinkerton himself, seeing about him the proofs of Butterfly’s complete loyalty to him, realizes the heartlessness of his own conduct. There is a dramatic trio for Pinkerton, the Counsul, and Suzuki. Pinkerton who cannot bear to face the situation, rushes away, leaving it to the Counsul to settle matters as best he can.

Butterfly has become aware that people are below. Suzuki tries to prevent her coming down, but she appears radiantly happy, for she expects to find her husband. The pathos of the scene in which she learns the truth is difficult to describe. But she does not burst into lamentations. With a gentleness which has been characteristic of her throughout, she bears the blow. She even expresses the wish to Kate, Pinkerton’s real wife, that she may experience all happiness, and sends word to Pinkerton that, if he will come for his son in half an hour, he can have him.

The Counsel and Mrs. Pinkerton withdraw. In a scene of tragic power, Butterfly mortally wounds herself with her father’s sword, the blade of which bears the inscription, “To die with honour when one can no longer live with honour,” drags herself across the floor to where the boy is playing with his toys and waving a little American flag, and expires just as Pinkerton enters to take away the son whom thus she gives up to him.

The Met Live in HD  has been seen in almost 850 venues, with several performances remaining in the current season. A special presentation of The Audition, a documentary about the Met’s 2007 National Council Auditions, will be seen in select theaters. Don’t miss the chance to experience the Met at your local movie theater!

This theatre classic depicts the  anatomy of the relationship between ambition and corruption. Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most bloody and fear-filled tragedies. Often regarded as archetypal, the play tells of the dangers of the lust for power and the betrayal of friends. Based loosely on the historical account of King Macbeth of Scotland many superstitions are centered on the  belief the play is  “cursed,” referring to it instead as “The Scottish play”.

The play begins with the brief appearance of a trio of witches and then moves to a military camp, where the Scottish King Duncan hears the news that his generals, Macbeth and Banquo, have defeated two separate invading armies. Following their pitched battle with these enemy forces, Macbeth and Banquo encounter the witches as they cross a moor. The witches prophesy that Macbeth will be made thane (a rank of Scottish nobility) of Cawdor and eventually king of Scotland.

Lady Macbeth desires the kingship for her husband and wants him to murder Duncan in order to obtain it. When Macbeth arrives at Inverness, she overrides all of her husband’s objections and persuades him to kill the king that very night. While Duncan is asleep, Macbeth stabs him, despite his doubts and a number of supernatural portents, including a vision of a bloody dagger.

The story continues with an intricate of plotting, murders and prophecies unfurled.

For tickets, call the Box Office at 931-645-7699,  Monday through Friday, from 9:00 am – 12 noon.

Harvesting the season's lettuce crop

“…to develop a thoughtful and productive community of young people who can change the world in a lasting and positive way…”

With a $5,000 matching gift from the Dandridge Trust, “Mission Clarksville”  made its formal debut Monday evening with a video presentation and a “meet and greet” with program administrators and more than two dozen  representatives of  Clarksville businesses, schools and media. The initial funding is directed to offset start-up costs for this ministry. The Dandridge Trust is a charitable organization closely related to the Episcopal Church.

Patrick Smith, Executive Director of Mission Clarksville,   urged listeners to “raise expectations,” noting that our children “will rise to the occasion.” His message is simple: create a healthy outlook on life, on relationships, on leadership, on responsibility by working hard, working as part of a team and a community, and giving back to that community.

Christ Presbyterian Church has offered the group free office and meeting space, including internet access.

“We are in this together. Our partners believe in us.  They see us drawing together teenagers from all kinds of diverse backgrounds. They see how we create a safe environment where young people learn to be producers and not just consumers, where they can discover the value of rigorous work and the emotional rewards of relevant community service,”  Smith said.

A hard day's labor: harvesting food for the hungry

Mesina Bullock, Student Wellness Coordinator for the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System,  said the program is “right in line with our state standards for health education…this will reinforce and apply over the summer what our students are learning during the academic year.”

Mission Clarksville is a “triple play,” a series of connected programs designed to impact the lives of teenagers ages 14-18 by providing a summer work program, a year-round internship program and a monthly wilderness program, with component designed to strengthen confidence, raise awareness of hunger and hunger relief programs, and build self-confidence, self-esteem and fitness.

In its mission statement, Mission Clarksville defines its purpose: “…to develop a thoughtful and productive community of young people who can change the world in a lasting and positive way. Our programs do this by connecting rigor (demanding physical labor) with relevance (meeting local community needs).”

Three youth interns carry boxes of fresh organic produce

Dr. David Haase, whose businesses, MaxWell Clinic and Health Tools, are each supporting a youth intern in Summer, 2009. Haase addressed the gathering, praising the values espoused by Mission Clarksville in terms of  mind, body, spirit and community, needs that together create whole and healthy young people. “Wat we do can make a difference.” Haase, in emphasizing the need to create challenge and foster healthy activities for Clarksville youth, noted that Tennessee has now dropped from 47th to 49th place in ranking on health. In terms of industrialized nations, the United States is dead last. “That has to change,” he said, with the note that change can be here, one teenager at a time.

Though the program is only now being publicly launched, it already has a track record of success in its pilot phase, and that is attracting other sponsors.

The goal of creating productive and responsible citizens” is what drew Clarksville Attorney Peter Olson to the program and triggered his decision to sponsor a youth intern.

“I felt it was a way I could give back to my community. Young people need mentors, someone who can give them the tools for success.”

The program is designed to develop “sustainable community” and is rooted in four standards for success:

• Rigor (hard work)
• Relevance (meaningful service)
• Relationship (caring community)
• 100% Responsibility (shared and mature commitment)

Watering, weeding, thinning: steps to a bountiful harvest

The Food Initiative Program launched in Summer, 2008, brought together 12 teenagers from across the city for a four day Food Initiative/Into the Wild pilot program. Participants attended classes on environmental issues and then harvested, assembled and distributed shares of fresh organic vegetables to the Clarksville CSA and boxes of produced to Loaves and Fishes.

The Food Initiative is based on the highly successful, Boston-based Food Project. This summer, working on acreage graciously provided by a donor, two groups of teens will maintain and harvest locally grown organic produce, one group working in June, the second in July. Food Initiative internships are paid work supported by sponsorships. Sponsorships (donors) are being sought to cover the cost per student:  $1300 per student, a sum from which $900 is paid directly to the student for work done,  with the balance being used for the requisite 4 work-T-shirts with the Mission Clarksville logo, $12.50 for educational supplies, $50.00 for transportation (students will be picked up and transported to their work site), and $157.44 designated for payroll tax.  The student pay is based on $6 per hour for a 40 hour week.

The second component is called The Edge, an internship that run throughout the school year. This component employs teenagers from diverse backgrounds for community work projects including yard maintenance and even building wheelchair ramps for those in need of such assistance.

Into the Wild is a monthly wilderness experience that combines ropes courses, camping, caving and mountain climbing, tools that build teamwork and leadership by challenging young people “beyond their comfort zones.”

Participants are recommended by teachers and counselors who assess which students might reap the greatest benefit from this program. The nominees then go through a process of screening and interviews before a determination is made. By selecting a diverse group from all city and Fort Campbell schools,  Mission Clarksville is immediately “building bridges” throughout the community.

On the Mission Clarksville Team are:

• Patrick Smith: Mission Clarksville  Executive Director
• Catherine Smith: Program Director, the Food Initiative
• Devon Jones: Program Director, The Edge
• Adam Lewis: Program Director, Into the Wild
• Sandra Schwartz: Administrator
• Richard Schwartz: Chairman of the Board
• Board Members: Jennifer Ellis, Regina Clift, Robert Jones, and Tim Catchim,

For more information on Mission Clarksville, or to become a sponsor, contact the organization at the following: www.missionclarksville.org.

The public is encouraged to stop  by and get your picture taken with the team’s mascot “Trixy”, make a Donation, get your 2009 “Fox Fun Card”, and get your 2009 Season Fox Schedule and sign up for the Fox newsletter and register to win one of five 2009 season Fox home game ticket packages, and the grand prize of a $100 Governor’s Square Mall Gift Certificate. No purchase is necessary.

The Fox is an Amateur Women’s Sports Organization which means All of the coaches, other staff, and players are volunteers. The team operates off of donations, sponsorships, ticket and merchandise sales, and fundraisers.

The largest fundraiser the Fox does is the sell of “Fox Fun Cards”. The card costs $10.00 and provides discounts at selected merchants and restaurants; present the card at any of the  participating places in Clarksville and  get that free offer.

All of these locations in Clarksville have generously put their business on the card in support of the Fox and for the community.

Karst Hydrology Initiative--Study area showing major karst hydrogeologic settings in the Interior Low Plateaus physiographic region. Areas underlain by Lower-Middle Ordovician limestones shown in brown, and areas underlain by Mississippian limestones shown in green. (USGS Map)

Karst topography describes a landscape abundant in sinkholes, disappearing streams and caves.

According to Dr. Phillip Kemmerly, professor of geology at Austin Peay State University, Clarksville sits in one of the most interesting areas of karst topography in the world.

Clarksville is part of a region known to geologists as the Western Highland Rim Plain. This region includes northern middle Tennessee and extends into western Kentucky where it is called the Pennyroyal Plain and Mammoth Cave Plateau. The only region in the world with more karst features is Slovenia in southern Europe.

Kemmerly divulges that of karst features, sinkholes pose the greatest risk to new and existing construction sites.“A sinkhole is like a wide-mouth, funnel shaped depression,” says Kemmerly. “This funnel is connected to a Swiss cheese-like system of underground channels that run through the bedrock.” Sinkholes are created when the surface collapses after supporting rock is dissolved and sediment passes through the channels in the bedrock.

Sinkholes at APSU

APSU has had plenty of experience with sinkholes. The area in front of Harned Hall and Woodward Library were prone to sinkhole collapse until a few years ago. There have also been collapses under Drane Street, Henry Street, College Street and the northeast corner of the McCord Building. There is also the very real possibility of undiscovered holes appearing with little notice virtually anywhere on the campus.

Many of these sinkholes have been repaired—or remediated—but not all of the remediation methods have been effective. Over the course of 30 years, approximately 40 truckloads of rock and gravel were dumped into the sinkhole in front of Harned Hall. These temporary fixes lasted a few months and then the sinkhole would re-emerge.

Eventually a group of engineers was hired to repair the sinkholes. Using Kemmerly as a consultant, they devised a plan to line the sinkhole with a carpet-like material called geotextile. This material functions like a coffee filter because it keeps the gravel and soil used to fill the hole from being washed away by the flow of groundwater.  To assist with runoff, a drain was also installed.

What to watch for…

Unchecked, a sinkhole can grow and threaten the foundations of buildings, collapse roads and lead to serious property damage and injury. Some sinkholes are preventable; others can become worse by uneducated attempts to fill them. If you are concerned about the risk of sinkholes, Kemmerly provides some cautionary advice.

Watch for standing water. If you want to reduce the likelihood of a sinkhole forming, make sure you have adequate drainage. “Collapses usually occur shortly after significant periods of rainfall,” Kemmerly says. If water pools around the foundation of your home or office, you may be assisting in the formation of a sinkhole. Make sure that gutters and downspouts carry water away from your house.

Watch what you fill them with. Resist the urge to fill in a sinkhole with junk and refuse. “Something in us wants to fill a hole,” Kemmerly says, “but that’s not always a good thing.” The reason you should not fill sinkholes with refuse is because sinkholes feed the groundwater. In most areas, the groundwater flows at a rate of a few inches to several feet per day. In the karst areas of the Western Highland Rim and Pennyroyal Plain, however, groundwater moves at a rate of 1,000-8,000 feet per day. What pollutes a sinkhole inadvertently pollutes the groundwater, and what pollutes the groundwater in one area can impact the entire groundwater system. Dumping trash in sinkholes not only harms the environment, it is illegal.

Watch where you build. As Clarksville grows, it pushes deeper and deeper into what could be unstable lands. According to Kemmerly, countries in Europe have stricter building codes, making it less likely for homes and businesses to be built over sinkholes. Until stricter building practices are put in place in the U.S., it is up to landowners and contractors to do the research, contact geologists and discover the geological features lurking under ground.

For more information about karst topography or sinkholes in the Clarksville area, contact the APSU School of Geosciences and Agriculture, (931) 221-7454.