This year’s banquet, which will honor all coaches in the Clarksville-Montgomery County area, will feature former Vanderbilt standout and current record-holder, Barry Booker.

Booker was a starting guard for three years earning Academic All-SEC Honors and he was named the University’s Most Outstanding Student-Athlete his senior year. He still holds the University and SEC all-time career three-point shooting percentage record — 46%.

Barry Booker

Booker has worked as an Analyst for SEC basketball broadcasts since 1993. In recent years, he has worked as a Commentator for the SEC Network, ESPNU, CBS Sports, and various media outlets.

Any coaches who were actively coaching in the Clarksville-Montgomery County area in 2011 are invited to stop by the Clarksville Parks & Recreation Office, located at 102 Public Square, to pick up a ticket for this free event. Tickets can be picked up between 8:00am and 4:30pm no later than Thursday, March 8th for the first 200 coaches.

For more details on the Clarksville Sports Festival, please contact the Clarksville Parks and Recreation Office at 931.645.7476 or visit recpro.cityofclarksville.com.

Clarksville, TN – The next meeting of the Clarksville (TN) Civil War Roundtable will be on Wednesday, February 15th at the Bone & Joint Center, 980 Professional Park Drive, right across the street from Gateway Hospital. This is just off Dunlop Lane and Holiday Drive and only a few minutes east of Governor’s Square mall. The meeting begins at 7:00pm and is always open to the public. Members please bring a friend or two – new recruits are always welcomed.

The meetings topic is “Nashville – Siren’s Song of the Confederacy”

Nashville then became the focus of no less than five Confederate offensives to capture it either directly, or indirectly, which dominated Confederate strategy in the west for the rest of the war.

In essence, this telegraphed the Southern playbook to the Union Army so that they were able to make their own plans to retain hold of the city. Beginning in April 1862 and ending in December 1864, with the Confederate Army of Tennessee literally on the doorstep, Nashville remained in Union hands, becoming the major supply depot for all western campaigns conducted by their army.

Our speaker, CWRT president Greg Biggs, will detail the importance of Tennessee and Nashville before going into each of the campaigns to retake the city by the Confederates. Some of these offensives might be a surprise considering where they went, but part of their goal was getting Nashville back. The program will analyze these movements and the corresponding events after they failed.

Greg Biggs, president of the Clarksville CWRT, is also a flag historian, tour guide and research historian for some notable authors. He has lectured across the country to CWRTs, conferences and other history groups and has lead tours for many of them as well as the US Army.

Please join us for Greg Biggs and his program on the attempts to retake Nashville, Tennessee.

Please join us for another informative meeting of the Clarksville Civil War Roundtable.

Directed by and featuring Ryan Bowie, along with Heather Anderson, Josh Bernaski and Ashley Laverty, this celebration of the mating game explores the journey from dating and waiting to love and marriage, and reveals the agonies and triumphs of in-laws and newborns, trips in the family car and pick-up techniques of the geriatric set.

"I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" opens Friday, February 10th at the Roxy Regional Theatre.

The performance on Saturday, February 11th, is part of our “Martinis at the Roxy” evening. Beginning at 6:30pm, patrons will enjoy drinks complemented by a menu featuring antipasto, smoked salmon, shrimp cocktail, blackberry chipotle chutney served over cream cheese, fruit skewers, and an array of desserts including raspberry tiramisu bites, sparkly cheesecake-stuffed strawberries, brownie turtle bites, red velvet cake balls, and bite-size chocolate chip cookies. The performance of “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” will follow at 8:00pm. Tickets for this event are $50.00.

The cast of "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change", (L to R) Ryan Bowie, Heather Anderson, Ashley Laverty and Josh Bernaski.

“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” runs February 10th through March 3rd, playing Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:00pm and Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, with a 2:00pm matinee on Saturday, February 18th.

Tickets are $20.00 (adults) and $15.00 (ages 13 and under) and may be purchased online at www.roxyregionaltheatre.org, by phone at 931.645.7699, or at the theatre during regular box office hours (9:00am to 2:00pm, Monday through Friday). Friday, February 10th, is our regular pay-what-you-can night; all tickets not pre-sold at the regular ticket price go on sale at 7:30pm for whatever price you wish to pay.

“Good luck, you’ve come a long way to get here. You’ve earned it,” he said to Byron Pitts.

Pitts was about to make his first on-camera studio open for the CBS News Broadcast “60 Minutes.” Pitts thought to himself, “if only Fagan knew.” His mind flashed back to elementary school, when a therapist informed his mother, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Pitts, your son cannot read.

Byron Pitts

A news veteran with over 20 years of experience, other major stories include the war in Afghanistan, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the military buildup in Kuwait and the refugee crisis in Kosovo, to name but a few. Pitts realized a lifelong goal when he was named a contributing correspondent to CBS’ “60 Minutes” in 2009.

Pitts will share how his faith saw him through his many struggles and how a few key people “stepped out on nothing” to help him change his life at 7:00pm, Monday, February 20th in the Clement Auditorium on campus at Austin Peay State University.

His talk is free and open to the public. His memoir, “Step Out On Nothing: How Family and Faith Helped Me Conquer Life’s Challenges,” released in 2009, will be available for sale, and he will conduct a book signing following his talk. His memoir was praised by “60 Minutes” Correspondent Lesly Stahl as “truly moving.” Katie Couric also praised Pitts’ work, saying, “No wonder he is such an inspired storyteller—his own story is inspiring.”

Pitts’ many achievements are all the more extraordinary when he tells of the many obstacles he faced as a child.

Raised by a single mother in a working class neighborhood in Baltimore, Pitts was illiterate until the age of 12 and had a persistent stutter. Capitalizing on his desire to play football, his mother mandated he receive Bs or above in school in order to play. With that focus, Pitts learned to read and went on to attend Ohio Wesleyan University.

[320left]With the help of his roommate and a college professor, Pitts found the support and encouragement necessary to pursue a career in broadcast journalism, a field that demands excellence in writing and speaking. By staying focused, setting simple and achievable goals and finding strength in faith, Pitts overcame his powerful odds and his disability. He graduated in 1982 with a B.A. in journalism and speech communication.

Pitts has won several prestigious awards including a national Emmy Award for his coverage of the Chicago train wreck of 1999, a National Association of Black Journalists Award and second national Emmy Award for individual reporting of September 11th. He is also the recipient of four Associated Press awards and six regional Emmy Awards. Pitts lives with his wife in Upper Montclair, NJ.

For more information about Pitt’s speaking event, call the APSU Office of Student Affairs at 931.221.7341.

Dr. Mike Gotcher, chair of the APSU Department of Communication, Dr. Anna Filippo, assistant professor of communication, Tracy Nichols, communication instructor, and Dr. Melony Shemberger, assistant director of communication in the APSU Public Relations Office, judged various individual events and debate rounds at the Northeast High School Speech and Debate Tournament held February 4th at the school in Clarksville.

Dr. Gregg Steinberg, professor of health and human performance, was interviewed by several news organizations for sports stories leading up to the Super Bowl held February 5th. He was featured in the Kansas City (MO) Star and on WSMV Channel 4 News in Nashville.

Clarksville, TN – The Wyatt-Johnson Automotive Group has officially announced their acquisition of Joe Heitz Toyota and will add the world’s largest automobile manufacturer to their list of fine quality automotive brands the longtime Clarksville business offers. Wyatt-Johnson already offers GMC, Buick, Subaru, Hyundai, and Mazda new and used vehicles, and effective immediately, now will also offer Toyota cars and trucks as well.

“We’ve been interested in the Toyota franchise for several years. Toyota is a very strong brand and its customer base is very loyal,” said Wyatt-Johnson owner and Dealer Principal Katherine Cannata. “Their product is so dependable and quality-built. We are extremely proud to add them to our fleet.”

“The Joe Heitz Toyota staff are a great group of people and really pride themselves on delivering quality customer service, said Cannata. “We are anxious and excited to bring them into the Wyatt-Johnson family and join our wonderful staff. We have a tremendous team of leaders, including Sidney Johnson, Dealer Principal, and Bill Powers, General Manager of Hyundai Subaru Mazda, and with their help we will make this transition as smooth as possible.”

With the acquisition, Wyatt-Johnson will now be able to offer such quality Toyota vehicles such as the Toyota Camry (the top-selling car in the U.S. for the past nine years), the Prius (the best-selling hybrid vehicle in the world), as well as Toyota trucks and SUVs such as the Tacoma, the Tundra, and the FJ Cruiser.

“Although there are plenty of expansion opportunities nationwide, we are happy to be investing in another Clarksville area business,” said Cannata. “Clarksville’s new vehicle sales are up 19% over 2010 and has proven time and time again to be a stable growing market and we are pleased to be able to expand in this wonderful city.”

About the Wyatt-Johnson Automotive Group

With more than 60 years in the automobile business, the Wyatt-Johnson Automotive Group is proud to be the premier dealership in Tennessee. Today, the family-owned business offers Buick, GMC, Subaru, Hyundai, and Mazda new and certified pre-owned vehicles. Comprehensive services also include repair and maintenance, parts and accessories, and auto-financing. Stores are located at 2425 and 2600 Wilma Rudolph Blvd and 809 Kraft Street in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Visit the www.WyattJohnson.com to learn more.

Classes are held Monday through Saturday from 8:00am until 9:00am. The price is $10.00 per class, or $40.00 for the entire week.

The Roxy Regional Theatre is located at 100 Franklin Street in Downtown Clarksville Tennessee. Box office hours are 9:00am to 2:00pm, Monday through Friday. The website is www.roxyregionaltheatre.org. For more information on classes call 931.645.7699.

To schedule a private or small group session, please contact Travis directly at www.traviskendrick.com

Of the total funds awarded, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) contributed more than $1.5 million, supported with an additional $250,000 from the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA). APSU matched an additional $250,000 toward the $2 million project.

The safe rooms are designed to protect students from the threats of inclement weather, such as strong winds and tornados.

“Emergency preparedness is more important than ever,” said Jim Bassham, director of TEMA. “APSU is taking the lead in making its campus safer and we hope more organizations follow its example.”

Al Westerman, director of facilities planning and projects at APSU, said each of the three safe rooms will hold a maximum of 1,400 students.

“These safe rooms will provide greater safety for our students when we are faced with tornados and high winds,” he said.

The safe rooms will be built to FEMA standards and to withstand winds up to 250 mph, according to the award letter from the TEMA.

Clarksville, TN – The Annual Barbara Johnson Unity Day Breakfast was held at the Quality Inn Hotel on Wilma Rudolph Boulevard. Many elected officials, pastors, and active members of the community were present to show their commitment to unification for the betterment of the Clarksville Tennessee community.

Awards were presented to former City Council Woman Barbara Johnson and several others to recognize their achievement in addition to elected officials addressing those in attendance.

LEAP Founder/Executive Director Richard “Reason” Garrett (left) and NAACP President Jimmie Garland (right) spoke at the Annual Barbara Johnson Unity Day Breakfast.

After presenting Reason with a donation on behalf of the NAACP, Jimmie Garland made an appeal for all those present to support the organization. By the end of the breakfast, over $950.00 had been raised to support LEAP in its efforts to strengthen families and encourage youth to be productive and responsible citizens.

“I’m am truly in awe at the blessing that God has bestowed upon the LEAP Organization by touching the hearts of those in attendance to contribute to our cause. I appreciate State Representative Joe Pitts for inviting LEAP to be his special guests and sponsoring several at risk youth to be able to attend the event. I am extremely grateful for Mr Garland providing us the platform to share information about our programs and of course special thanks to the participants who believed in the organization and supported it” commented LEAP Board President Tamira Cole.

She started working at APSU almost 16 years ago as an admissions counselor, and today, she is now the University’s director of admissions.

Deaton, of Clarksville, was named to her new post recently by APSU officials. Serving as interim director since August 2011, she said she is eager to help continue the enrollment growth seen in recent years at The Peay.

After working as an admissions counselor for two years, Deaton was hired as the admissions manager at APSU. Then for the next eight years, from 2000-08, she became assistant director. Until mid-2011, she was the associate director before assuming interim director duties.

A native of Calvert City, KY, Deaton earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro and a Master of Science in health services administration from APSU.