Augusta News You Can Use:

---Congratulations for 30 years to R. Gordon Smith

Yes, it's true. Our Gordon Smith is TV 12s weatherman, Bob Smith. He will be retiring this year after leading the WRDW weather team for 32 years. Wouldn't it be fun to have one of his last live reports from our Friday night event at the Julian Smith Casino!?!

Channel 12's website has these paragraphs about Bob:

Bob has experience in a variety of fields, including flight instructor, Armed Forces Radio and Television, business owner of an audio visual center, drug prevention law enforcement as a pilot and civil air patrol pilot. He is also involved in the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association, the Experimental Aircraft Association and the American Meteorological Society. Bob holds a Meteorology Degree from Mississippi State University and has received advanced certification for his studies of Doppler radar. Smith is also a recognized member of the National Weather Association.

In his free time, Smith has devoted time to dozens of area businesses, organizations, churches and schools as a speaker. Smith laughs, “I’ve probably given a couple thousand talks over the past 30 plus years. It’s not unusual for grown adults to tell me I spoke to their class when they were young.”

The full story is here. WRDW TV-12
Photo of Bob from WRDW TV website

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---The Songs of Peggy Lee at the Morris

If our TopTen list of music has you in the mood for more, drop in at the Morris Museum of Art on Sunday, March 15, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. The Music of Miss Peggy Lee will be presented by Kate Stevenson. It's free as are most of The Morris's Sunday programs. (Before you wonder, Ms. Stevenson is not a 59Musketeer.) http://www.themorris.org

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---Larry Jon Wilson in Concert

It's a Closing Party at the Art Museum for a show of black-and-white portraits of country music legends which includes one of our Larry Jon Wilson. Last year, LJWilson made quite a hit in London where he played to rave reviews. He will perform songs from his new self-titled album and photographer Jim McGuire will answer questions about this photographs and his experiences. Enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and conversation with both artists in the galleries at the Morris Museum of Art. Members, $10; nonmembers, $20. Includes lecture, concert, food, and two drink tickets. Space is limited; register early by calling 706-724-7501.

Friday, April 24, 2009
Nashville Portraits Closing Party
6:00–9:00 p.m.

Link to 2008 song "Shoulder"

Article by Don Rhodes, "LJW is a Musical Hero Abroad"


AAB

Eve and the Miller

Sounds a little like a Chaucer's Tale, doesn't it? Well, it IS classic stuff.

You (and hundreds of your closest friends) are invited. It's a celebration of both the 50th Anniversary of the World Premiere of "The Three Faces of Eve" and the renovation-in-progress of the Miller Theater. The event is a fund-raiser to refurbish and maintain features of the Imperial Theatre.

• On September 18 from each half hour from 2:00-6:00, there'll be tours of the Miller.
• Then at 8:00, across the street at The Imperial Theatre, there will be a special presentation which will include our own classmate Dan Miller, the grand nephew of the theater founder.
• The screening of "The Three Faces of Eve" will begin at 8:30. Tickets (which include the Miller tour) are $15 with a VIP ticket of $50.

The Chronicle editorial closes with this about the Miller. "It is a grand structure that stands not only for the best of what Augusta was, but the best of what it can become. And it begs for whatever outpouring of support Augustans can give to that end." The same could be said of the Imperial as well. The full story is here.

It seems to me that "Eve and the Miller" is a good reason to relive some old memories of 'our days.' And maybe make some new 'tales' worth telling.

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Jimmy is UGA VI !?!

I got this email from Cheryl Melton . . .

Hi Everyone,

I thought you might be interested in seeing a funny photo of Jimmy that appears in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution! Go to ajc.com and click on "sports" and then "uga." He hasn't seen it yet; I can't wait to show him the photo and caption. Cheryl

. . . so I followed the link and this is what I found.

Jimmy Melton sits in UGA VI's dog house on Saturday during Countdown to Kickoff. Thousands of fans attended the charity event where they got a chance to get autographs and meet past and present Bulldogs players.

I asked Cheryl for permission to share it here. She wrote back that he would gladly autograph copies at the fall BBQ in Trenton!

Although I didn't recognize other fans in the other photos of the event, you might.
http://www.ajc.com/uga/content/sports/uga/index.html

Road Angels

I'm always glad to see news of old classmates which is happy.
Today's Augusta Chronicle has photos of Charles Durand and his 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray split-window coupe before the First Friday car show in Downtown Augusta. Nobody does cars better than Charles and, yeah, he still has great legs.

You have to click here to see the legs. . .
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/070707/met_134983.shtml

Charlie Harris Storms the Gates Again

This week, Charlie Harris died. He was not a 59 Musketeer, but many of us knew him when he was on the winning football teams in earlier years. I have occasionally run into him and have heard the whispers "he's an ex-con, you know" about his time in prison and his crazy actions which put him there and the quiet comments "he's a hard worker in his church."

But I also learned that he was a hard-drinking buddy of my uncle before he stormed the gates of the Augusta National Golf Club in his old blue pickup to see President Reagan about his concerns for American Workers and overseas jobs. I learned that after he stood before our classmate Judge Dudley Bowen to hear his charges and later served a portion of his sentence, he began a prison ministry which he continued after he became a regular citizen again. I learned that he was a quietly respected member of his community who could always be counted on.

I'm glad I had a chance to get to know the adult Charlie Harris. I'm sure he's storming another Gate this week. This time, I don't think he'll need to take hostages to see The Big Guy.

Addendum: 7/26/07 This week I visited my sister and passed by the church where my Story great-grandparents are buried. I thought this photo needed to be added to Charlie's obituary. AAB

Charlie's Obituary
APPLING, Ga. - Entered rest Wednesday, July 4, 2007, Mr. Charles R. "Charlie" Harris, 68, beloved husband of Eleanor Harris for 47 years. Funeral services will be at 2:00 PM, Saturday, July 7, 2007, at Dunn's Chapel United Methodist Church, Appling, Ga., with the Reverend Jeffrey Freehof officiating. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Mr. Harris, was born in Newberry, South Carolina to the late Harry Raymond Harris and Almena Harris. He was a retired Millwright from Austin Industries. He was an avid sportsman and loved hunting, fishing, and football. He was devoted to his family and friends and lived his life to the fullest. He graduated from Richmond Academy where he was a star football player with scholarships offered, but was unable to continue due to injury his senior year. He did later play semi-pro ball with the Augusta Eagles. Mr. Harris was a good Christian man who touched many lives with his testimony. He was a member of Dunn's Chapel United Methodist Church where he served as Sunday School teacher and Lay Leader of the church. In addition to his wife, survivors include his children, Sandra H. Vandeventer, Evans, Bonnie H. Bussey and husband, Scott, Grovetown, Charlene H. Fulcher and husband, Carlton, Appling, and Ramsey R. Harris, Augusta; grandchildren, John J. McDaniel, Jr., Amber Bussey, Brent Bussey; and Morgan Fulcher; brother, Michael L. Harris and wife Peggy, Appling; sister Harriett Garrison and husband Butch, Evans; his mother, Eulalie Sales, of California; and brother, Russell Remero, California. He was predeceased by brother John Curtis Harris. Pallbearers will be Fred Richard Bussey, John McDaniel, Ray Fulcher, Ernie Hammond, Jack L. Fitzgerald, and Steve Hutchins. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Charlie's memory to Dunn's Chapel United Methodist Church, 6563 Ridge Road, Appling, Ga. 30802. Mr. Harris will lie-in-state at the church one hour prior to the service. Friends may call at the residence. Visitation will be held Friday evening from 7 to 9 PM at Starling Funeral Home, Hwy 78, Harlem, Ga. -

Related story in Augusta Chronicle
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/070707/met_134992.shtml
1983 Story in Time Magazine

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,921354,00.html