MORLEY – To celebrate National Library Week and usher in spring in the North Country, the Morley Library Association will host a gardening discussion at the Morley Library Wednesday, April 13 at 6 p.m.

Dan Kent of the Kent Family Growers, found weekly at the Canton Farmer’s Market, will share his experiences in North Country gardening, discussing topics such as organic gardening, small fruit and vegetable varieties, extending the short Northern New York gardening season and other topics of interest to area gardeners.

CANTON - Melody Meozzi, award-winning author of War on Error: Real Stories of American Muslims, will give a talk titled "A Jihad for Peace: Islam as a Foundation for Democracy and Human Rights" Wednesday, April 13, at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of Hepburn Hall, Room 218, St. Lawrence University.

Meozzi's talk will focus on the true meaning of jihad, understood as both an internal spiritual struggle to maintain faith and improve the soul, and as an external struggle against injustice and oppression.

CANTON -- NNYMarketing is moving from its first location at 109 Main St. to 73 Main St., above Clark Insurance.

Owner Craig Basford, who opened his business directory and promotion enterprise in February, said the move was prompted by a layout better suited to his business, and room for other businesses to share space.

RUSSELL -- Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush’s mobile office will be at the Russell Library, 24 Pestle St. from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 30.

He recently opened his district office in Jefferson County.

“The 122nd Assembly District is sprawling, covering hundreds of miles and spanning at least three hours in driving time from border to border,” the assemblyman said.

“The open house and mobile office hours are good opportunities for constituents to meet with me in person,” he said.

POTSDAM – Cinema 10 continues its Spring 2011 season Monday, April 11 with a screening of Marwencol, a 2010 USA documentary about the backyard fantasy world created as a form of therapy by a mentally disabled man.

Cinema 10 films screen on Mondays at 7:15 p.m. at the Roxy Theatre in Potsdam.

Tickets are $3.50 individual/$25 season tickets for students and seniors, and $4.50 individual/$35 season tickets for general admission.

LAWRENCEVILLE – The North Country Fiddlers Dance will be held Sunday, April 10 at the Lawrenceville Fire Hall, CR 54 from 1 to 4 p.m.

There is a $4 admission fee. The kitchen opens at noon.

To the Editor:

I am twelve years old, a seventh grader attending Madrid Waddington and maintain an average in the nineties. I am going to tell you a story of what will happen to the good people here at Madrid-Waddington Central School if you choose to cut music, gym, art and other such classes.

In response to the March 22 Sound Off entitled: “Fix Canton Roads:” I must agree with the assessment regarding the poorly maintained roads, streets, rail crossings within the Village of Canton. I, too, drive on those streets each day several times to and from work. But this is where our agreement ends. The writer argues that, “These are heavily traveled roads but they are so bad they can damage tires and the steering on your car.” However, I would argue that it is driver habit and their actions that cause damage to car tires, steering, and other suspension/frame parts.

Any taxpayer should wonder how budget cuts are decided and if the sacred cows are touched at all, I feel that there is not enough cuts in extracurricular sports. After all, are our children there to play or to learn? I know personally here in Potsdam after the school wasting a million dollars putting in a football field lit enough to blind anyone. I wonder after reading about the cuts that were made in the arts and music departments if any major sports cuts were made to make things fair and equitable.

I am getting so sick of reading the argument about teachers’ salaries week after week. Obviously we are never going to get a consensus about this topic, so let’s just lay it to rest already. The same goes for all the hoopla about making dads pay child support, loud snowmobiles, dissolving villages, etc, etc. I am so tired of people telling others to “get out of Oz” and “take off the rose-colored glasses” and realize how bad things really are. You think things are bad here? Go move to Japan!