WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2021

A sticky situation comes to Central Texas

Dog owners: Beware of The Quill

By DAVID STONE, Our Town Temple exclusive

Have you seen a porcupine lately? Belle has, and it’s not an encounter she will soon forget.

The curious golden retriever ran across a juvenile porcupine on a weekend lake excursion and moved in for a closer look. Two hours later she was in emergency surgery to remove at least 100 quills from her face, neck and chest.

Belle was lucky. Her eyes were spared.

Porcupines are native to Texas, but primarily in western and far northern areas of the state, according to Texas & Parks Wildlife biologist Jonah Evans. But now they are expanding into new territory — central Texas.

“We don’t have any scientific studies on porcupine populations … but there are more porcupines around central Texas than there were 15 years ago,” he said.

In the past few years, Texas Parks & Wildlife has been contacted by numerous people reporting porcupines in central Texas. So far in 2021, porcupines have been sighted near Lake Belton, Moody, Killeen, Copperas Cove, The Grove and on Fort Hood. Experts agree that most sightings probably aren’t reported.

Cullom Simpson, a TP&W biologist serving Bell, Coryell and Williamson counties, said increased development is contributing to human and canine encounters will porcupines and other wildlife.

“The more we build, expand and urbanize, the more conflicts we’re going to have,” he said. “People need to be aware: If you let your dog roam at night in the country, it’s just a matter of time before they meet up with a porcupine.”

“The best way to know what lives in your area is to look at what’s dead along the highway,” he said. “I’m seeing more and more dead porcupines.”

Belle certainly isn’t the only local dog to experience porcupine pain first hand. At least two other central Texas canines also have had encounters, and one is now blind in both eyes as a result.

Dr. Gary Gosney of Temple Veterinary Hospital has seen the damage porcupine quills can do.

“Yes, I’ve seen a few,” he said. “Removal can be quite painful — it depends on how many quills are in the dog and how deep they are.” 

He explained that quills have a one-way barb, meaning they go in much easier than they come out.

“Usually I have to anesthetize the pet to remove them or it’s just too painful,” he said.

According to Evans, porcupines are not aggressive but they are drawn to humans.

“The are attracted to canoe paddles, backpacks and clothing that has a human scent and has absorbed human sweat,” he said. “Salty sweat acts as a porcupine magnet.”

If a porcupine finds its way onto your property, campsite or favorite spot at the lake, there’s no need to panic. You might, however, put your dogs out of harm’s way. 

Despite the popular myth that they can propel dorsal spears into your face from several feet away, a porcupine isn’t much of an assailant. 

Man or beast must make first contact with the giant rodent — only a beaver is bigger in North America — before its barbed hairs can loosen from follicles.

“If a porcupine feels threatened, he will bristle to make his quills stand erect and swat with his tail in defense,” Evans said. “Respect this gesture, and appreciate porcupines from a safe distance.”

Dance! Dance! Dance, the Night Away

Studio gets Temple’s feet moving!

By JENNIFER WILSON, Our Town Temple exclusive

Are you a Dancing Queen? How about a Dance Monkey or a Dancin’ Fool? Maybe you’re more of a Helpless Dancer, a Tiny Dancer, or even a Private Dancer? 

Whichever the case may be, there is a brand-new business in Temple that is giving everybody Permission to Dance.

Mary Jacq Kirchhoff, or MJ, is the franchisee of the new Arthur Murray Dance Center, 2102 SW H.K. Dodgen Loop. The culmination of a life long love of dance, MJ grew up in Temple and has danced her way throughout the community — appearing in many productions at Temple High School and Temple Civic Theatre during her high school and college years. 

She met Johnny Gonzales, her competitive dance partner and an instructor at the Temple studio, during a production of West Side Story at Vive Les Artes in Killeen.

Although she has been living in Connecticut and managing an Arthur Murray Studio there, when given the opportunity to open her own franchise she didn’t hesitate as to where it would be located. 

“Temple is home,” she said. “When it came time to chose a location for the studio, it was really a no brainer — Temple was it.” 

“Simply put, I love to dance,” she emphasized. “Even more, I love to share it with others, and this is such a great way to do that. It’s a unique thing that I can bring to the table — not only share with others, but contribute to the community I grew up in.”

Arthur Murray was born April 4, 1895, and began teaching dance in 1912 at the Grand Palace in New York. He became so popular that in order to reach the masses, he invented a kind of mail-order dance class —sending students “dancing footprints” to place on the floor and follow in order to learn the dance pattern. 

Eventually, Murray sought a more practical route, and in 1938 his first franchised dance studio opened in Minneapolis. By 1946 there were 72 dance centers across the country, and today there are more than 270 franchises worldwide. That number continues to grow.

Lest you think ballroom dance is nothing more than an excuse for old people to reminisce about their youth as they shuffle along the dance floor with their walkers and canes, it’s not. This type of thinking is nothing but a tired stereotype. 

MJ said she is always coming up against a litany of misconceptions about ballroom dancing: “It’s boring, it’s old people music, I would need a partner for lessons, Texas men don’t dance, my husband won’t like it.” 

“The excuses go on and on, and every one of them can easily be refuted,” she said. 

There is certainly no shortage of dances to learn. Swing styles, salsa, country western, waltz and tango are just a handful of the over 30 dances for which they have a written syllabus, and they can also help couples prepare for weddings, special events, and even competitions. 

Lessons are broken into three categories: private/personal lessons, group lessons, and parties/practice sessions. Each is important to the overall learning process. 

MJ explains: “Private lessons provide individualized and personalized attention; the groups help reinforce the patterns, timing and lead/follow skills; and the parties provide a practical setting allowing students to use skills and patterns they’ve been learning.”

“We have at least eight groups throughout the week and parties on Friday night,” she said. “Anyone can attend a group lesson or a party, and let me emphasize again: No partner or experience is required.”

Perhaps the best way to get a taste for what you like or don’t like is to take an introductory lesson. 

“This is a one-on-one lesson that allows students to sample different dance styles, experience the Arthur Murray system, and see what dance lessons are like,” MJ said. “All of our programs are personally tailored to the student’s desires and designed to help them accomplish their goals. Our goal is to make dancing fast, fun, and easy, and the only way we can do that is if someone gives us the chance.”

So, whether your goal is Dancing in the Dark, Dancing in the Moonlight, or Dancing in the Street, or maybe learning the latest steps to the Last Dance, the Neutron Dance, the Mummer’s Dance, or even the Safety Dance, I Hope You Dance on over to Arthur Murray Dance Center. You just might end up Dancing the Night Away. 

Now, Shut Up and Dance!

Sammy Bough, an NFL quarterback for Washington, had Temple roots.

Slingin’ Sammy inspired Duvall’s Gus

By DAVID STONE, Our Town Temple exclusive

On Feb. 5, 1989, an estimated 26 million homes tuned in to watch Lonesome Dove, and America was immediately captivated by the story of two former Texas Rangers portrayed by Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones.

Most people don’t know that Duvall’s character was at least partially inspired by former Temple resident Sammy Baugh.

Duvall visited the NFL Hall of Famer at his West Texas ranch as the actor was preparing for the role of Gus McCrae.

“About a month before filming I looked up an old classmate — a rancher near Rotan — and he took me to see Sammy,” Duvall said. “I thought, ‘Wow!.’”

Duvall said he listened to Baugh’s rusty drawl and observed his gestures as he spun stories.

"In two hours, Sammy Baugh gave me the finishing touches for Augustus McCrae,” Duvall said of his TV miniseries character, "and he didn't even know it.”

Baugh was known to be very animated with his hands, and Duvall’s study of the football legend was largely about those large, strong hands.

In the 1930s and '40s they were the hands of the most versatile and, perhaps, heroic, player in football. In the rain and mud, in the icy cold, he transformed the forward pass from a novelty to a primary, any-down weapon.

Baugh changed the game, forever.

Samuel Adrian Baugh was born March 17, 1914, on a farm outside Temple, and he moved to Sweetwater as a teenager. Recruited to play baseball at Texas Christian University, his coaches saw raw athletic talent when he tried out for football in the off-season.

Nicknamed "Slinging Sammy" because of his rifle-accuracy passing skills, he went on to break every record in Southwest Conference football (1934-1936) and play professional football for the Washington Redskins (1937-1952).

Our Town Classifieds

EPSON PRINTER — Workforce Pro WF-3820 all-in-one printer. Only been through one ink cycle. Like new. $50. (254) 624-4010

ARMORED FITNESS RESISTANCE SLED — This beast has an electric brake system that increases resistance as you increase your effort. Great workout. Very lightly used. $300 is a steal. (254) 624-4010

HORSE-STALL MATS — Two 4x6 super heavy-duty reinforced rubber mats. Perfect for home gyms. $35 each. (254) 624-4010

Free classifieds up to 25 words. Email info to OurTownTemple@gmail.com

Our Town Deals

FREE COFFEE WITH PURCHASE OF ANY BREAKFAST ITEM — Easy As Pie, 1217 S 1st St A, Temple. 

To list your business in Our Town Deals, call (254) 624-4010.

What’s Happening, Temple?

July 21, Wednesday - Open Mic Comedy. Up and coming comics get 5 minutes to show their stuff. Corky’s, downtown Temple. 8 p.m.

July 22, Thursday - Taproom Trivia, Fire Base Brewing Co., 7 p.m.

July 23, Friday - Hot Summer Sounds, Lions Park, 7:30 p.m

July 24, Saturday - Name That Tune Bingo: Women Who Rock!, Fire Base Brewing Co., 7:30 p.m.

July 24, Saturday - Earle Nelson & Morgan Lee Powers, O’Briens Irish Pub, 9 p.m.

August 7, Saturday - Dig It! Family Day. Will include a sand pit for unearthing treasures. Learn what it’s like to be an archeologist or a paleontologist and the difference between the two fields of science. Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum. 10 a.m.

Have an event you would like to promote? Email info to OurTownTemple@gmail.com with “What’s Happening” in the subject line. Keep it short and sweet — what, when and where. You may include a short description. You must include a phone number for verification purposes. The phone number will not be published unless requested by submitter.