WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2021

RAILROAD & HERITAGE EXHIBIT STARTS FRIDAY

Photojournalist Kari Greer studies a wildfire to determine her next shot at a West Coast blaze. Kari’s work will be featured in the “Facing the Inferno” exhibit that starts Friday at the Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum.

‘Face the Inferno’ exhibit focuses on wildfires through lens of Kari Greer

By DAVID STONE, Our Town exclusive

A hot new exhibit begins a nearly two-month run this week at the Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum.

“Facing the Inferno” features the wildfire photography of Kari Greer, a photojournalist with the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. Greer has been photographing wildland blazes across the American West sInce 1994.

The much-anticipated exhibit begins at 10 a.m. Friday and will run through Jan. 15. Local first responders can see the exhibit at no charge.

Greer’s work has appeared in Outside Magazine, National Geographic Adventure, Wildland Firefighter and The New York Times. And in 2018, she was contacted by the University of Idaho’s Forestry Department. They wanted her to photograph an exhibit on forest fires in America.

“Wildfires are directly affecting more and more of the population,” she said. “Smoke from these have a national impact — West Coast fires even affect air quality in Temple, Texas.”

According to Kari, shooting wildfires isn’t for the faint hearted.

“Patience is definitely required,” she said. “Fire has its own schedule and pays no attention to man’s wishes. Safety is a big issue. Obviously, fire is hot and dangerous. But it’s the small things that will get you into trouble. Falling trees, rolling rocks, thick smoke. It’s a dangerous job with a lot of moving parts that Mother Nature throws your way.”

It’s also quite a rewarding job.

“Not only do I take images of fire, but also of firefighters working in extreme conditions,” she said. “Sometimes it’s really smoky, but smoke lends itself to capturing the perfect fire image. Smoke has lots of tones. Photos taken through smoke can have incredible green and yellow hues.”

Kari said ‘Facing the Inferno’ has been curated to immediately grab the audience’s attention and hold it through the power of images and storytelling. It is an ideal bridge for conversations between the arts and the sciences. In other words, it’s not just a photo exhibit.

While Kari’s breathtaking photos are indeed the star of the exhibit, they are accompanied by scientific text panels written by Stephen Pyne, a professor at Arizona State University.

Pyne is the author of 30 books, 21 of them dealing with wildfire. He is considered an expert on American wildfires.

“In honor of our firefighters and first responders, we will have a week of free admission to the exhibit.”

‘Facing the Inferno’ runs Nov. 19 through Jan. 15 at Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum.

Wind fuels an out-of-control wildfire in Oregon in this Kari Greer photo. Kari has been photographing fires and firefighters since 1994.

Firefighters work to halt a wildfire’s progress in this photograph by Kari Greer of the National Interagency Fire Center in Idaho.

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AROUND TOWN: GROUND-BREAKING AT THE HAWN

Hard-hats rest on shovel handles just north of the Hawn Hotel in downtown Temple prior to today’s ground-breaking ceremony. About 100 people attended the event, including city officials, project personnel and interested residents. Turner Behringer Development plans to construct 57 residential apartments in the Hawn and Sears building, and renovate the old Arcadia Theatre into an events venue. The project also will include retail, restaurant and office space. David Stone | Our Town Temple

RAINBOW TROUT STOCKING IN LOCAL PONDS

Miller Park Pond in Temple will be stocked with rainbow trout during cold weather months. The first stocking will take place Dec. 20.

Temple pond to get 1,500 rainbows

By DAVID STONE, Our Town Temple

Texas Parks & Wildlife will begin restocking Texas ponds and small lakes with rainbow trout next week, and three locations in Bell County will receive a total of 4,400 fish.

Rainbow trout are delicious to eat, and these fish are meant to be caught and consumed — they prefer cold water and they won’t survive a Texas summer.

According to Kiara Nowlin, public relations coordinator for the city of Temple, Miller Park pond will be stocked with 1,500 rainbow trout, and a portion of those fish will arrive Dec. 20. More will be stocked into the Miller Park pond Jan. 25.

Two other Bell County locations will be stocked during cold-weather months.

Nolan Creek in Belton will be stocked Dec. 18 and Dec. 30 with a total of 1,400 trout. Carl Levin City Park Pond in Harker Heights will get 1,500 fish split over two days — Dec. 18 and Jan. 13.

The daily bag limit for rainbow trout is five fish with no size limit.

Cheese, kernel corn, nightcrawlers, red wigglers and meal worms make good trout baits. If you’d rather use a lure, try a small inline spinnerbait or a spoon.

The Miller Park Pond is the only small lake in Temple scheduled to receive rainbows this year. Marvin Finn Pond, Lake Polk and Lions Club Park Pond are not being stocked this year.

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Steve and Sandy Smith stand among their Affordable Adornments handiwork. Their items are being sold at several area businesses including Razzle Dazzle and The Water Shack in Belton, and at Gooch Family Farm in Troy.

Crafting becomes business for local woman

By DAVID STONE, Our Town Temple

It’s a busy time of the year for Sandy Smith and Affordable Adornments, a Belton-area business that features crafts, wood items and festive holiday decor.

“I make homemade items to decorate the home,” she said. “Seasonal decor, farmhouse art, plush items, things that are hand-crocheted — I do a lot of everything.”

Sandy said she is blessed to have a husband who participates in her endeavor.

“Steve makes things out of wood that I embellish,” she said. “He has an interest in working with reclaimed wood, and that allows us to work on some items together. He loves building birdhouses and flags made of corrugated tin.”

Affordable Adornment has a large product line, including wooden cutouts of snowmen, Santa and Christmas trees, and more delicate items such as fingertip towels, dishcloths, notepad holders and pillows.

“One of our biggest sellers this time of the year are bow ties for pets,” she said. “Right now, we are making bow ties with a Christmas theme that fit right over their collars. They are a festive addition to just plain collars.”

Sandy, a part-time branch office administrator for Edward Jones Co., loves to set up shop at local markets, but her items also are available at stores that feature Central Texas-made items.

“You can find Affordable Adornments at Razzle Dazzle and The Water Shack in Belton, and at Gooch Family Farm in Troy,” she said.

In addition to crafting, Sandy is also a passionate teacher and she conducts crafts classes at the Belton senior center and once a month a La Luncheonette.

“We take time to explore our artistic abilities,” she said. “Classes are different all the time. We may make handmade flowers out of coffee filters or pick up a paint brush. We do various types of art that can be shared with seniors and adults.”

Sandy said she would like to expand her classes into area nursing and assisted living centers.

Here’s just a few of the items created by Affordable Adornments in Belton.

POSTCARD FROM THE PAST

Colonial Courts Tourist Home was between 1913 and 1915 for William Anderson Barclay at a cost of $65,000. It was sold to Louis J. Bryan in the 1930’s when he opened it as a hotel. The colonial revival home has 12 columns and much of its traditional architecture remains. The structure — also known as the Barclay-Bryan House — has stood at the corner of South 25th Street and Avenue H for more than a century.

WHAT’S HAPPENING, CENTRAL TEXAS?

Central Texas largest and most complete calendar of event:

November

November 18, Thursday - The Temple College Symphonic Band will present “Fall Back to Band (Returning to the ‘New’ Normal)” at 7:30 p.m. in the Mary Alice Marshall Performing Arts Center on the Temple College campus.

November 18, Thursday - Turkey Day Table Art. Need some centerpieces for your big Thanksgiving dinner? What’s better than an adorable handmade craft made by your little turkey? Kids will make different types of table art for you to display. Register at templeparks.com. Open to ages 2-6. $7 per child.

November 19, Friday -  Yuletide Tour of Homes. To purchase tickets, visit www.TempleChildrensMuseum.org/events.

November 19, Friday - Book Cellar Investigation. $20 per person. 8 p.m. to 11:55 p.m.

November 19, Friday - Justin Hewitt at O’Briens. 9 p.m.

November 19-20 - The Temple College Opera Workshop class, also known as Opera in a Box, will present a show titled “Mostly Mozart” on Friday, Nov. 19, and Saturday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the Jackson-Graeter Backstage Theatre.

November 19 through January 15 - Facing the Inferno wildfire photo exhibit opens at Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum.

November 20, Saturday - Casey Donahew at Bell County Expo Center’s Assembly Hall.

November 20, Saturday - Facing the Inferno wildfire exhibit opens at Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum.

November 20, Saturday - Game Show Night by Texas Red at Fire Base Brewing. 7-9 p.m.

November 20, Saturday - Belton Market Days. Downtown Belton. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

November 20, Saturday - The Gathering. Native American music, dancing, food. Bring a lawn chair or blanket for picnicking and fun. Yetti Polk Park in Belton. 11 a.m.

November 21, Sunday – Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), free movie at Cultural Activities Center. King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table embark on a surreal, low-budget search for the Holy Grail, encountering many, very silly obstacles. Shrubberies not required.  The event will include a pre and post-movie discussion with Professor Dr. Joseph Taberlet. 2 p.m.

November 25, Thursday - Thanksgiving Outdoor Movie Night at Barrow Brewing in Salado. “A Christmas Story.” 6 p.m.

November 27-28 - Kris Kringle Mart presented by KC Council 3444, 2218 W. Avenue D, Temple. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

December

December 2 — Die Hard at The Beltonian. It IS. a Christmas movie!. 6 p.m.

December 3, Friday - Sammy G’s Toy Drive Block Party at Fire Base Brewing. 7 p.m.

December 3-5 — Disney’s Aladdin Jr. at Temple Civic Theatre.

December 4, Saturday - Barrow Brewing Christmas Market, Salado. Noon.

December 4, Saturday - Santa at the Depot, Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum, 5-8 p.m.

December 4, Saturday - Lance Wade Thomas rocks O’Briens. 9 p.m.

December 4, Saturday - Temple Symphony Orchestra Holiday Concert featuring soprano Priscilla Santana and tenor Brian Joyce. Temple High School. 7:30 p.m.

December 4, Saturday - Chisholm Trail Christmas Ball featuring Rick Trevino. Bell County Expo Center. 6 p.m.

December 4-5 - Kris Kringle Mart presented by KC Council 3444, 2218 W. Avenue D, Temple. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

December 6, Monday - The 75th Annual Christmas Parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. This year's theme is “The Magic of a Traditional Christmas." Details will be made available on templeparks.com.

December 10, Friday - TISD Jazz Band – Merry Christmas and All That Jazz at Meridith-Dunbar Early Childhood Academy Auditorium, 5:30 p.m.

December 10, Friday - Bone at O’Briens. 9 p.m.

December 10-12 — Disney’s Aladdin Jr. at Temple Civic Theatre.

December 11, Saturday — Downtown Temple Holiday Market & Food Truck Frenzy. We are excited to partner our market with a Food Truck Event! Come join us and support local businesses in our area! 2 N. Main Street. 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

December 11, Saturday - 5th annual Holiday Extravaganza at the Troy Community Center. Shop with local small businesses. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

December 11, Saturday - Tucka Texas Takeover with LJ Echols, Fat Daddy and Mr. Smoke. VFW Post 1820, Temple. 7 p.m.

December 12, Sunday - Temple High School Band Winter Concert in the THS Auditorium, 2:00 p.m.

December 13, Monday - Temple High School Orchestra Christmas Concert at THS Auditorium, 7 p.m.

December 14, Tuesday - Temple High School Choir Holiday Gift at THS Auditorium. 7:30 p.m.

December 17, Friday - Matt Cearley & The Rowdy Few, O’Briens. 9 p.m.

December 19, Sunday – When Harry Met Sally… (1989), free movie at Cultural Activities Center. Boy meets girl, boy sees other girls, and girl sees other boys.  Maybe boy and girl should have seen each other.  “I’ll have what she’s having.”  The event will include a pre and post-movie discussion with Dr. Joseph Taberlet. 2 p.m.

December 23, Thursday - Santa & Elvis at Fire Street Pizza. 6-9 p.m.

December 31 - January 1 - Texas Elite Pole Vaulting. The Expo Explosion, the second largest indoor pole vaulting event in the country. Bell County Expo Center’s Garth Arena.

December 31, Friday - New Year’s Eve at O’Briens with the Jason Custer Band. 10 p.m.

December 31, Friday - New Year’s Eve at Bo’s Barn with the Craig Howell Band. 9 p.m.

January

January 29, Saturday - Parker McCollum Red Dirt Mardi Gras at Bell County Expo. 8 p.m.

LIST YOUR EVENT! 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.

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