Community briefs

Art opening at Silver Coast Winery
The Coastal Carolina Camera Club will exhibit its members’ photographs in the art gallery of Silver Coast Winery beginning Saturday, Jan. 5, through the end of the month.
An opening reception is planned from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5.
The Coastal Carolina Camera Club meets at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at Shallotte Presbyterian Church, 5070 Main St. in Shallotte. Membership is open to photographers of all skill levels using both film and digital cameras. Meetings consist of informative programs on photographic techniques and software usage, member photo presentations and critiques, guest speakers and much more. Guests are always welcome. Visit its website at www.coastalcarolinacameraclub.org or call 287-6311 for more information.
Silver Coast Winery is a full-winemaking facility housing an art gallery, gift shops and picnic grounds.
Tours and tastings are available in January and February on Monday and Tuesdays by appointment, from noon-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday and noon-6 p.m. Fridays; and March through December from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon-5 p.m. Sundays.
For more information, visit www.silvercoastwinery.com or call 287-2800.

UFOs: Are they out there?
A YouTube search for “unidentified flying objects” results in thousands of posts of grainy videos that show unexplained objects in the sky. Are these popular sightings hoaxes or are they genuine? Is planet Earth really being visited by aliens from outer space?
Ingram Planetarium will debate the existence of alien visitors when it presents “UFOs: Are They Out There?” at 7 p.m. Jan. 19.
Planetarium educator Ed Ovsenik will argue that UFOs do not exist. Guest speaker Rob Kutch will argue that they do. Planetarium director Mark Jankowski will moderate the debate.
Images of the alleged UFO sightings under discussion will be displayed on the Sky Theater’s dome ceiling. In addition to UFOs, you will also learn about the science of distant space travel; in particular, the effects such travel has on equipment and the human body.
Come to Ingram Planetarium on Jan. 19 and decide for yourself.
Visit Ingram Planetarium at 7625 High Market St. in Sunset Beach. Admission is free for planetarium members. Non-member admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and students, $4 for children ages 3-4, and free for ages 2 and younger. For more information, call 575-0033 or visit www.MuseumPlanetarium.org.

Miller earns bachelor’s degree
Justin Miller of Leland graduated from York College of Pennsylvania on Dec. 19, earning a bachelor of science degree in sports management.
York College offers more than 50 baccalaureate majors in professional programs, the sciences and humanities to its 4,600 undergraduate students. The college also offers master’s programs in business, education and nursing, and a doctorate in nursing practice.

New books at Rourk Branch Library
The following books are now available at Rourk Branch Library in Shallotte. Reviews are courtesy of Friends of the Library.
Non-fiction
“Life Is A Gift” by Tony Bennett. In this entertaining and thoughtful memoir, via a collection of soulful reflections, Bennett shares stories of friends and family, and the essential lessons they have taught him.
“38 Nooses” by Scott W. Berg. Shows the pressures facing Dakota Indians in 1862, the conflicts between white settlers and native people in the upper Midwest, and the flawed judgments of local and federal officials during the Civil War years.
“Charles Dickens In Love” by Robert Garnett. In celebration of his bicentennial, an intimate and engaging portrait of the great author and the women he loved.
“Churchill” by James C. Humes. Winston Churchill was one of the most remarkable statesmen in history, but more than that, he had an uncanny ability to predict future events. This is the first book to examine this extraordinary aspect of Churchill’s character.
Fiction
“The Black Box” by Michael Connelly. Riveting and constantly accelerating, this is the most profound case yet for the unrelenting Harry Bosch.
“Safe House” by Chris Ewan. An exciting, well-crafted thriller.
“Dear Life” by Alice Munro. A brilliant new collection of short stories.
“Life Among Giants” by Bill Roorbach. A story of grand emotions and grand events, a story about murder, money and madness, but also about the worlds of dance, food, sports and romance.
“Supervolcano: All Fall Down” by Harry Turtledove. One of nature’s most destructive forces released its ferocity on an unsuspecting world. This story reveals how the survivors of the disaster adapt to their new environment.