Rutherford Weekly

Page 8 - Rutherford Weekly 828-248-1408 www.rutherfordweekly.com Thursday, June 29-July 5, 2017 We Want Your Outdoor Photos! We Want Your Outdoor Photos! Hunting, Fishing, Playing Ball, Etc. Hunting, Fishing, Playing Ball, Etc. Sportsman's Corner Sportsman's Corner Email: Photos@RutherfordWeekly.com Mail: 369 Butler Rd. • Forest City, NC 28043 Phone: 828-248-1408 *Publisher has the fi nal decision of which photos appear in print, per available space. OUTDOOR TRUTHS This is one of my favorite stories from a few years ago. I thought I'd share it again. In the outdoor world, not every lesson has to come from hunting and fi shing. Take the recent events in Major League Baseball. Just last week Armando Galarraga was pitching the perfect game. He had re- tired the fi rst twenty-six batters and when the fi nal man hit an infi eld grounder, everyone was certain the perfect game was intact. Then came the call at fi rst. The call was "safe" – even though the runner was clearly out. The pitcher looked in disbe- lief at what had just happened. It was not until he looked at the replay did he realize how bad the call was missed. And after looking at that same replay, the umpire, Jim Joyce, understood that he had made the wrong call and had taken a once-in-a- lifetime chance away from a young pitcher. What happened next is a lesson for all of us. After acknowledging his mistake, Joyce made his way to the Tiger's locker room. There he met Galar- raga and apologized with tears for his error. Instead of meeting that heartfelt confession with animosity, the pitcher hugged the umpire and told him, "We all make mistakes." Because of how Galarraga responded to Joyce, the rest of the baseball world followed suit and welcomed the repentant umpire back with open arms, understanding, and forgiveness. It is truly amazing what can happen when one party is willing to say "I'm sorry" and the other is willing to respond; "I forgive you." It takes both parties being willing to shed the chest protec- tor of pride and the mask of arrogance and face each other with humility and consideration. Can you imagine what the outcry would have been if Galarraga "demanded his rights," or if Joyce would have stood unfl inchingly by his call? The baseball com- munity would have been in an uproar. But because two individu- als took the high road, the rest of the sports world has taken notice of true sportsmanship. Because two individuals took the high road, perhaps the rest of us will be reminded of just how important it is to say "I'm sorry" and "I forgive you." By By Gary Miller Aiming Outdoorsmen Toward Christ ller ller ller ller GARY MILLER gary@outdoortruths.org ~ www.outdoortruths.org Not Just Oil, Pennzoil Brought to you by: Brought to you by: 828-245-0434 293 S. Broadway St., Forest City FAST FAST FAST FAST WAY WAY WAY WAY ©Community First Media Community First Media SPORTS SPORTS So, it is summer and things are a little slow. Everybody seems to be on vacation. Which reminds me, who wants to take a vacation? I do!! Enough about me. Well, baseball is still going on between Legion, the Owls and Little League All-Stars. I hope all will support those efforts during the summer months. Here is a quick update from the Owls and a couple other notes. The Forest City Owls As of late, the Owls are now 15-6 and a game ahead in the Coastal Plain League West. They have seven games until the half way mark on July 1st. Should Forest City win the fi rst half of the West standings, they automatically qualify for the Pettit Cup Playoffs. It's going to be a battle with Gastonia and Florence still in the mix. Daytona It's supposed to be Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s last race at the Daytona. So, why not pencil him as the favorite this weekend. He already was excited about it a couple of weeks ago, which makes me think that he won't be playing around. Junior is coming to win on Saturday night. We will see. And per script from a year ago, Jimmie Johnson might not be "The King" or "The Intimidator," but he might just be "The Man." The seven- time champ won a couple of weeks ago at Dover and is sixth all-time in career wins with 83. There has never been a more balanced race car driver to ever come through NASCAR. There likely never will be again. The guy is 41 and 100 wins is possible if he stays around long enough. I doubt it. He wins his eighth championship this season, I think I'd head to the house and spend more time relaxing with the wife and kids. He has nothing else to prove now. The argument of who the best the sport has ever seen will always be up for debate. Football Don't adjust your eyes, I said the word: football. One month from now, High School Football will be back to practicing. It's crazy as to how a year continues to go by. I'm interested to see how it goes as all four schools in Rutherford County have changed into new conferences (three school aligning in that same new conference) and completely different schedule of opponents. R u t h e r f o r d W e e k l y R u t h e r f o r d W e e k l y By KEVIN CARVER Summer Notes and Daytona Email your questions, pictures, scores, etc. to photos@rutherfordweekly.com Forest City 828-247-1871 2410 US 221S; Hwy 74 bypass to exit 178 (Hwy 221), south 1 mi on right. Corner of Hwy 221 & Shiloh Rd. M-F 8am-5pm • Sat 8am-12pm MAYSE MFG. CO., INC. www.maysemfg.com www.maysemfg.com Storage Buildings, Gazebos, Carports, Garden Flags, Man Cave Decor, Concrete Statuary, Concrete Steps, & Poly Outdoor Furniture! ©Community First Media Community First Media 18' x 21' Carport 18' x 21' Carport We are a We are a Big Green Egg Distributor Big Green Egg Distributor. . 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Celebrate July 4th with The US Fish and Wildlife S e r v i c e r e c o g n i z e d North Carolina W i l d l i f e Resources Commission biologist Rachael Hoch with its Recovery Champion award, recognizing her signifi cant contribution to the recovery of federally threatened or endangered animals. For the past fi ve years, Hoch has coordinated the state's Conservation Aquaculture Center at the Marion Fish Hatchery, where she oversees the propagation and rearing of some of the rarest fi sh and mussels in the state. Inside a non-descript converted shed at the hatchery are racks fi lled with tubs of water, with a network of PVC pipe circulating purifi ed water through the entire network. Hoch walks the aisles, pointing out the tub that has young endangered Appalachian elktoe mussels, destined to augment the population in Graham County's Cheoah River. Another tub holds Carolina heelsplitters – a mussel so rare, she's holding these to ensure North Carolina's population doesn't completely disappear even if wild populations disappear from the state's rivers. "When a plant or animal is placed on the endangered species list, the goal is to recover it so it no longer needs that protection," said Jason Mays, aquatic biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "Rachael's work, along with the work of many wildlife commission staff, is key to that effort. The work done in Marion is really foundational to getting some of these animals off the endangered species list." Hoch's work in mussel conservation began as a graduate student at Appalachian State University, producing mussels for her master's thesis in the converted tool shed that would become the Conservation Aquaculture Center. After graduation, she became a technician at the newly-created center, and later became the Commission's statewide coordinator for mussel propagation activities. Not only has Hoch played a key role in developing the capabilities of the state's Conservation Aquaculture Center, she's been able to share the knowledge and experience gained with the Orangeburg National Fish Hatchery, helping them successfully start production of imperiled mussels. The award comes as the Commission is in the process of moving the aquaculture center, along with trout production, into a new facility at the Marion Hatchery, enabling them to expand their rare fi sh and mussel rearing and propagation efforts. North Carolina Biologist Recognized for Work North Carolina Biologist Recognized for Work to Recover Endangered Species to Recover Endangered Species Article provided by: http://www.ncwildlife.org

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