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Saturday, March 18 marked the offi-cial kick-off for the new ecoExplore pro-gram at the Madison County Public Li-brary (MCPL) in Marshall. Jointly spon-sored by MCPL, the Marshall NativeGarden Initiative, and the North Caroli-na Arboretum, ecoExplore is an incen-tive-based citizen science program thatcombines science exploration with kid-friendly technology. The program wasconceived and launched by the NC Arbo-retum about a year ago as a way to en-courage kids from kindergarten toeighth grade to observe nature and rec-ord their findings. By sharing their ob-servations, students earn points that canbe traded for field tools. To date, morethan 300 children in the WNC regionhave registered.

Each season, one of four areas of fieldecology will be highlighted as the focusof a special program — the first is bota-ny. In a few months, there will be a pro-gram on herpetology (reptiles and am-phibians). Other areas of focus are orni-thology (birds), and entomology (in-sects).

Mega HotSpot“The ecoExplore HotSpots are desig-

nated areas where kids are encouragedto make observations,” says LibbieDobbs-Alexander, the citizen sciencespecialist at the North Carolina Arbore-tum. There will be six HotSpots at the li-brary, making the Marshall branch oneof three ecoExplore Mega HotSpots inWNC. The others are in North Ashevilleand at the NC Arboretum. Prominentlyplaced in the Marshall Native Gardenssurrounding the library, visitors to theopening visited each of the library’s Hot-Spots. Their locations on the librarygrounds include: Native Songbird Gar-

den, Forest Farm, Butterfly Garden, Na-tive Grasses Garden, Rain Garden andFern Garden.

Learning ToolsTo assist participants in making ob-

servations, the ecoExplore “LoanSpot”at the library offers tools such as Discov-ery Packs that include butterfly nets,pond nets, binoculars, and more; theycan be checked out for use off property.A trail camera is also available for loanso students can record observationsover a three week period; to check thesetools out, you’ll need a library card.

The ecoExplore “GetSpot” is openduring the library’s normal hours. It al-lows students who have accrued suffi-cient points to trade them in for fieldtools to use in further eco-explorations.Butterfly nets, bug collecting jars, snakehooks, window bird feeders, and an iPodTouch are just some of the tools studentscan earn with their points.

After students collect and take a pho-to of their observation, they email it tothe Arboretum. “They send it to me, Iprocess the observations and forwardthem to iNatuaralist, an international cit-izen science network,” explains Dobbs-Alexander. In this way, students aregathering data for scientific use.

Saturday’s kick-off also included liveanimal demonstrations, a microscopepresentation and more. For more infor-mation about ecoExplore, visitwww.ecoexplore.net.

EcoExplore comesto Madison CountyRITA PELCZARMARSHALL NATIVE GARDENS INITIATIVE

Laying out his long-term vision for asmarter, more sustainable Tarheelstate, Gov. Roy Cooper rebuked a gener-al lack of legislative cooperation by Re-publican lawmakers during his State ofthe State address March 13.

In an attempt to promote bipartisancooperation among the state’s GeneralAssembly, Cooper, a Democrat, un-veiled what he calls “common groundlegislation” during his speech at theN.C. Legislative Building in Raleigh.The phrasing is also found on the coverof Cooper’s proposed state budget forthe next three years, entitled “CommonGround Solutions for North Carolina.”

“We have to work together, when wecan, to look beyond ourselves to seewhat’s right for our state, regardless ofwho’s in power,” Cooper told legislators.“That’s what the people of North Caroli-na want us to do, and what commonsense demands us to do.”

Cooper defeated incumbent PatMcCrory, a Republican, by 10,000 votesin a contentious 2016 election, which in-volved a 94,000-ballot recount in deeplyblue Durham County and a fierce de-bate over the future of controversial“bathroom bill” House Bill 2 (HB2).

‘Aggressive goals’While Cooper briefly advocated for a

full repeal of HB2, calling the law “adark cloud hanging over our state ofpromise” and promising to sign a repealbill the same day that it was passed, thegovernor’s remarks were part of a larg-er discussion around his unofficial statebudget for fiscal years 2017-19.

The budget contains no tax in-creases, Cooper said, and would save“hundreds of millions of dollars” for thestate while simultaneously committingto future projects.

The budget includes a number of re-forms to the state’s public educationsystem, designed to increase the stan-dard of living for North Carolina teach-ers, resulting in a higher quality of edu-cation for each student. Changes wouldmostly affect teachers - present and fu-ture - and recent high school graduateswith plans to attend one of North Caroli-na’s myriad community colleges.

“Improving education is an areawhere we can find common ground,”Cooper said. “We have to measure ourprogress and hold ourselves account-able.”

Under the proposed budget, the aver-age pay for Tarheel teachers would in-crease by 5 percent in the first year, fol-lowed by another 5 percent hike thenext year, North Carolina’s educationwould become the best in the Southeastby 2019, in theory, and with teacher payreaching the national average by 2021.Cooper said that unlike past budgets, hiswould provide more money for everyteacher, “valuing experienced teachers,as well as those new to the job.”

“We entrust our teachers with their(children’s) futures every day,” Coopersaid. “Let’s put our money where ourtrust is and raise teacher salaries.”

Public school teachers would also be

issued a $150 annual stipend to offsetclassroom costs that many teachers payfor out of pocket.

Another provision, the NC GROWscholarship, would cover in full the costof any North Carolina community col-lege’s tuition and fees for recent highschool graduates. The scholarship isprojected to be used as a last resort — tobe eligible, an applicant must havemaintained a 2.0 grade-point averageand have first applied for all otherforms of existing financial aid.

In 2014-15, one in nine adult NorthCarolinians attended one of the state’s58 community colleges. But accordingto Cooper, that’s not enough.

“I’ve laid out aggressive goals tomake North Carolina a top-10 educatedstate by 2025,” Cooper said to a cheeringchamber.

Outside of education, the new budgetwould place spotlights on workforcetechnical training; the encouragementof renewable energy implementation;bringing back the film industry thatlargely vacated the state in the wake ofHB2; and improving high-speed inter-net accessibility for citizens in ruralareas. It would also pay special atten-tion to the improvement of state-fundedhospitals and the repair of infrastruc-ture that was damaged or destroyed byHurricane Matthew in 2016.

‘We will be the firstto extend a hand’

As Cooper called for cooperationfrom the General Assembly podium,N.C. Republicans had a fiery response,criticizing a slew of entities, includingthe press and Gov. Cooper himself, asthe reason for their less-than-amorousattitude toward the left.

The pre-recorded response, deliv-ered by Senate president pro temporePhil Berger, R-Rockingham, attackedCooper’s credibility in a scathing mes-sage.

“Roy Cooper has treated his electionas a mandate to fight Republicans, rath-er than to work together,” Berger said.“... Gov. Cooper talks often of compro-mise, but works behind the scenes to killreal compromise.”

Berger was referring to a Dec. 21special session between N.C. Demo-crats and Republicans, called to createan emergency replacement for HB2.The session ended with no new bill, andtwo frustrated parties.

“If Gov. Cooper wants to work to-gether, we will be the first to extend ahand,” said Berger. “But he has to bewilling to work with us.”

Cooper asserted that while the twosides may fundamentally disagree, thetime for discord has passed. He said thatthe state’s well-being depends on elect-ed representatives collaborating for thegood of their constituents.

“We will find this agreement,” Coop-er said. “Because too much at stake if wedon’t… Over the next few months, let’sfulfill our promise to North Carolina,and beyond, that there is room for all ofus on that common ground.”

Cooper calls for‘common ground’ inState of State addressCALEB PEEKCALEB@NEWSRECORDANDSENTINEL.COM

begin breaking ground at 9 a.m. on April1, pausing for a lunch break around noon,and resume afterward with remainingteams until all have served their turn.

Musicians are welcome to bring theirinstruments and provide entertainmentwhile the plows roll, and food options willbe fittingly simple, according to Kraft.

“Usually what Buster has done in thepast is make up a pan of beans and a cakeof cornbread,” Kraft said.

To Kraft, Plow Day embodies a spiritof community in a way that few eventscan, bringing people across demograph-ics together for a common cause. That’swhy he calls the day a “celebration of theland.”

“It’s really more of a ‘celebrational,’festive thing,” he said. “It’s almost like abarn-raising, in some ways, but it’s a funthing. It’s a community thing.”

The Plow Day site, two to three acresof Norton’s farmland, is located on Fish-er Branch in Grapevine. By Norton’sjudgment, it should be hard to miss.

“You’ll see the field,” he said. “It’s thesecond road on the left past Center Com-munity Center (if coming through Pe-

tersburg). You’ll see the horse trailersand things.”

In case of rain, Plow Day will be post-poned one week until April 8. Otherwise,April 1 is the day that Madison farmerscan return to their roots, if only for a fewhours.

“Just bring a team and come plow,”Norton said with a chuckle. “I’ll haveplows here for you.”

Plow DayContinued from Page 1

CALEB PEEK/CALEB@NEWSRECORDANDSENTINEL.COM

Buster Norton and daughter Kendra (left, inblue), advise a young equestrian during a July2016 4-H Horse Camp. It’s proof thatagricultural traditions run long — Buster is amultigenerational farmer, while Kendraworks as an agriculture agent for N.C.Cooperative Extension.

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