Kara Hodge - Entertainment Beat

Those who enjoy movie classics or just want something to do on a weeknight can enjoy the Private Screenings Film Series this semester.

The series offers 11 nights of Hollywood films ranging from suspense and film noir to rock 'n' roll musicals and comedies. The 16 mm theatre-quality films are projected and shown in the filmÕs original format.

The series includes such classics as "Goldfinger," "Frankenstein" and "Pinocchio."

The series began with Don Siegel's classic "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," which was shown yesterday in Tradewinds Coffee House located on the first floor of Plemmons Student Union.

"Loving You," Elvis Presley's autobiographical film, tells the story of Jimmy Richards, a gas station attendant who is propelled into musical stardom by publicists and an iron-willed manager. "Loving You" will show in Tradewinds on Wednesday, Jan. 24.

The next film in the series is "Goldfinger," a film featuring the real James Bond, actor Sean Connery. "Goldfinger" will show Thursday, Feb. 1, in IG Greer Auditorium.

"The Scarlet Claw," a thriller about another one of Sherlock Holmes' and Dr. Watson's adventures, will show in Tradewinds on Wednesday, Feb. 7. "Nightmare Alley," a film noir that critics have called "sick and twisted" will show in I.G. Greer Thursday, Feb. 15.

A classic about the dysfunctional lives of a few oil heirs, "Written on the Wind," will show on Wed., Feb. 21, in Tradewinds and Disney's classic about a puppet that tries to be a real, live boy, "Pinocchio," will show in I.G. Greer on Thursday, Mar. 1.

Buster Keaton, one of America's greatest silent comedians, plays a weak-kneed son working for his steamboat-captain father in "Steamboat Bill Jr." Watch for scenes of Keaton's physical humor. The film will show Wednesday, Mar. 21, in Tradewinds.

The classic monster-movie "Frankenstein" will show in Tradewinds Wednesday, Apr. 11, while "White Heat" will show in I.G. Greer Thursday, Apr. 19.

The last movie of the series is "Libeled Lady," a comedy featuring Spencer Tracy as Warren Haggerty, a newspaper editor who sends his fiance and lady-killer friend into a compromising situation when they go after an heiress. "Libeled Lady" shows Wednesday, Apr. 25, in Tradewinds.

All showings begin at 8 p.m. and are free and open to the public.

For more information about the Private Screenings Film Series call Craig Fischer at 262-2325 or 262-0533.

Local ski resorts enjoy early snowfall and record-setting sales

Brandi Burnett - Contributing Writer

Students came back to Appalachian State University expecting a cold January walk to first-day classes on Monday. Many students, however, were not expecting four inches of snow Sunday night and early Monday morning to travel through as well.

Not everyone is upset about the cold weather. Local ski resorts are optimistic about the recent snowfall. Laurie Karr, the office manager for French Swiss Ski College, said, "We are delighted about the weather and the snow and we hope it keeps up."

About 1,100 students can register for a five-week skiing or snowboarding class this semester. French Swiss Ski College will be instructing the Appalachian students. Karr said, "We have been teaching skiing for Appalachian State University for 30 years." The classes will be held on Appalachian Ski Mountain starting Jan. 18.

Local ski resorts are also excited about the weather. Several business places are hoping for record-setting sales this season. Appalachian Ski Mountain said they have had a record pace for sales this year. Brad Moretz, the general manager of Appalachian Ski Mountain, said, "All of this snow has been nice. We have actually had to cut off our ticket sales on some days."

Hawksnest Ski Resort and Beech Mountain, like Appalachian Ski Mountain, have sold out of rental equipment several times over the holiday season.

Kathy Evans, one of the office personnel at Hawksnest, said, "We have sold out of skis and snowboards. So many people have come to go skiing or snowboarding and we didn't have any equipment for them. Conditions are good right now so a lot of people have been coming in to go skiing."

First Tracks, a ski shop in Boone, has also enjoyed the extra business the weather has brought. Travis Wheyman, a sales representative, said, "We have already sold out of some stuff. Certain skis and boards have all been bought and we can't get anymore in."

Students looking for after-season discounts this year will have a hard time finding them. Jeff Kattner, the general manager of First Tracks said, "Because of the great season and so many sales, there will not be a lot of equipment left after the season. Many manufacturers have already sold out of the equipment they are selling this year. Pretty soon, they will start making the equipment for next year."

Another ski and snowboard shop, Fusion, has had a great year in sales. Todd Henderson, a sales representative, said, "We have done three months of sales in three days this season. It has been great."

Local ski resorts and shops may not get a record-setting year, but this season has definitely started out strong and cold. Fred's General Mercantile, the company that records snowfall and temperatures for Beech Mountain, said the average high for temperatures in December was 31.6 Celsius. About 28 inches of snow fell from December through Jan. 7.

Gil Adams, public relations director at Ski Beech Mountain, said, "If you are a student at Appalachian, you should really take advantage of what is in the mountains. Going out on the slopes is something everyone should try."

A prediction from the Weather Channel says there are about 4 more inches of snow in the forecast for Boone for the rest of the week. With more cold weather on the way, it looks like Appalachian students will be enjoying cold weather for awhile.

Kara Hodge - Entertainment Beat

The mayors of Boone and Blowing Rock and Francis T. Borkowski have proclaimed Friday, Jan. 12 through Sunday, Jan. 21 as "I Have A Dream Week."

Activities include the following:

A Kwanzaa Celebration will be held Sunday, Jan. 14 from 11 a.m. to noon at the Boone Unitarian Universalist Fellowship located at 381 King Street in Boone. Contact Maggie Black at 963-7990 or Ben Edwards at 264-5274 for more information.

The MLK Challenge is on Monday, Jan. 15. The MLK Challenge is a full day of service projects in the Boone community from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Pre-register with the Volunteer Outreach Center at 265-3337.

Uniting the Human Family, A Baha'I Perspective includes a covered dish and program on Sunday, Jan. 14 at 10 a.m. For details contact Mary Gray at 264-5620.

The fourth annual Musical Unity Service will be held Monday, Jan. 15 at Henson's Chapel Methodist Church on Old Highway 421 in Cove Creek. Contact Sue Morgan for more information at 297-3568.

Appalachian State's 17th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Program will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 16 in the Grandfather Mountain Ballroom located in Plemmons Student Union. A reception will start off the night at 5:30 p.m. and the program will start at 7 p.m. Harvey Gantt is the featured speaker. Contact Tracey Wright at 262-6252.

The family-oriented Unity Festival will be on Saturday, Jan. 20 from 11 a.m. till 3 p.m. at the Boone Mall. Local religious, civic and educational groups are planning a variety of musical, dramatic and visual arts and dance projects celebrating our racial and ethnic diversities. Contact Cindy Pacileo at 297-6222 for details.

The Mennonite Brethren Church Choir and Service will be held on Sunday, Jan. 21 and is dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr. All are welcome for the service at 11 a.m. The Mennonite Church is located on Church Street in Boone.

The Appalachian State Equity Office is planning a diversity workshop in cooperation with the Boone Quakers and Mountain Alliance. Contact Susan King at 262-6643.

For more information about "I Have A Dream Week" or the programs offered contact chairperson Mary Gray at 264-5620.

Sean Oakley - Features Beat

Appalachian State University students awoke to freshly fallen snow on Monday, the first day of classes. For students who spent their winter break in Boone, the weather at the start of the week was nothing new.

Hordes of winter tourists enjoyed the area's ski slopes which benefited greatly from the consistently accumulating snow of December.

According to William Brown, an employee at Appalachian Ski Mountain, all of the trails at Appalachian were open by mid-December.

He said, "Last year we didn't even open the mountain until Dec. 17 and it wasn't until early January when all of the runs were actually covered and open."

Western North Carolina has not been the only area with an abundance of snow this year. Most of the country has experienced a much colder winter when compared to the last few years.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), on Jan. 5, NOAA scientists announced that the U.S. National average temperature for November / December 2000 was 33.8 F -- the coldest on record. They began keeping records in 1895.

November was the second coldest on record and December, with an average of 28.9 F nationally, was the seventh-coldest national temperature on record. Data was collected from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center, located in Asheville.

The National Weather Service (NWS) warns Americans that this winter could have a little bit of everything. At a Dec. 19 conference in Washington, D.C., NWS Director Jack Kelly said that more precipitation, including snow, would be in store from Texas to New England and into the Carolinas.

According to a press release from the NOAA, "The recent cold spell, including the ice storms, is an example of what most of the nation will likely face throughout the winter," Kelly said.

Ironically, the year began during one of the warmest winters on record. Actually, the winters of the 1990s were some of the warmest yet. The famous El Nino of 1998 played a big part in the warmer weather.

El Nino is a disruption in the ocean-atmosphere system of the Equatorial Pacific Ocean. The effects of this phenomenon are felt around the globe. Normally, trade winds traveling westward carry warm surface water away from the eastern Pacific.

But during an El Nino, these trade winds reverse direction and push the warm water eastward. The shifted mass of warm water affects the ecologies of the Pacific and directly affects the atmosphere and weather.

According to the NOAA, La Nina is the exact opposite. Where El Nino is characterized by warmer than usual temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific, La Nina is characterized by colder ones. The two phenomena also have opposite effects on the continental United States.

During an El Nino, northern states have warmer than usual winters while the Southwest and Southeast experience colder ones.

With a La Nina, the north gets to experience colder winters and the south experiences warmer ones. Most El Ninos are followed by a La Nina.

El Nino and La Nina are the two phases of the El Nino Southern Oscillation Cycle, also known as ENSO. This cycle has been disrupting winters for the past several years, which is why the idea of a harsh, blisteringly cold winter had almost been forgotten.

But this semester began without the presence of an El Nino or La Nina. Instead, only the icy roads and bitter winds of a less than familiar "normal" winter were found Monday morning. According to the NWS, it would be wise to invest in an ice scraper and a large bag of salt.

Forty-three states recorded below-average temperatures in the months of November and December according to NOAA statistics. Chicago, Milwaukee, Marquette, Mich., and Amarillo, Texas, all set records for December snowfall in 2000.

This winter has already dropped more snow than its recent predecessors and according to predictions from the NOAA, this winter has really only begun.

For students around Boone, this may be good or bad news. Some may find the trek to class whimsically scenic while others may just find it treacherous. Yet whether winter means mornings spent cursing at helplessly spinning tires on patches of ice, or afternoons laughing and sledding down hills, take heart -- only eight more weeks until Spring Break.