VOL. 10 NO. 52
BUZZ
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December 28, 2016
The gift of giving
Goodbye 2016!
Give 2016 the old heave-ho at New Year’s Eve on Market Square, beginning at 9 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31. The family-friendly celebration to usher in 2017 includes music, midnight fireworks, a ball drop, an “Auld Lang Syne” sing-along and a new lighted “2017” sign. This year’s celebration is presented by Lloyd’s Electric Service Inc. “This is the night when Market Square feels most like Times Square,” says Judith Foltz, the city’s director of special events. The Temper Evans Band of Harriman will perform covers from 10:30-11:45 p.m. A slideshow of memorable events from 2016 will screen above the Market Square stage. The countdown begins at 11:55 p.m., followed by the ball drop and fireworks at midnight. The Holidays on Ice skating rink will be open 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and 1-9 p.m. on New Year’s Day. Restaurants on Market Square, including those participating in the Peppermint Trail, will be open and offering specials; call ahead for dinner reservations. No mobile food or alcohol sales will take place on the square.
Take a hike
Tennessee state parks are offering ranger-led hikes Sunday, Jan. 1. Local hikes include: Norris Dam State Park, midnight-2 a.m., meet at the Tea Room, located on the east side of Norris Dam; Big Ridge State Park, 1-3 p.m., meet at the stone building at the park entrance; Tellico Blockhouse (part of Fort Loudoun State Historic Area), 1-3 p.m., meet at the Blockhouse. Info/reservations: tnstateparks.com
Get smart(er)
Learn basic computer skills at no charge 8:30 a.m.-noon Tuesday and Thursday, Jan. 17 and 19, at the Knoxville Area Urban League, 1514 E. Fifth Ave. Learn Windows basics, files management, tools, programs, documents, email, internet and more. Small class, personal attention, certificate from Pellissippi State upon completion. Space is limited and registration is required. Call Bill or Jackie, 524-5511.
Instructional assistant Tami Vollmar wraps gifts as first-graders Josh Thompson and X’zevian Tracey wait patiently. Photo by Wendy Smith
Pond Gap store offers opportunity to give By Wendy Smith Many local organizations work hard to ensure that even the neediest kids have a gift to open on Christmas day. But such kids often miss out when it comes to giving gifts, says Ann Glandorf, a first-grade teacher at Pond Gap Elementary School. “These kids don’t have opportunities to be givers.” Glandorf heads up the Pond
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class who didn’t have a dollar were initially upset. But after he explained that they could earn dollars, they happily pitched in. None of the students in Donna Mitchell’s second-grade class had to bring a dollar because the entire class helped her move into a new classroom. Pond Gap is in the middle of a major renovation, and second- and third-grade students moved into a new wing two weeks ago. Guidance teacher Jennifer Ray also got a new office. Her previ-
ous office, in a portable classroom behind the school, was plagued by leaks and poor insulation. She’s thrilled with her new space, and says she’s seen improvements in behavior as children move into larger classrooms. The expansion, which will include a new entrance, cafeteria, gym and special education classrooms, is expected to be completed by fall of 2017. The wrapping team seemed to To page A-3
‘East Tennessee PBS Scholars’ Bowl 2017’ gets new hosts By Carol Z. Shane Ernie Roberts is excited about the “East Tennessee PBS Scholars’ Bowl 2017.” A longtime Old North Knox resident and current director of educational services for East Tennessee PBS, Roberts is well known; he’s semi-retired Ernie Roberts a high school math teacher and host of “TN Learn: Mathline,” music director at two churches, annual Front Page Follies funnyman, high school football announcer and tireless volunteer for many worthy causes. This year Roberts has chosen WNOX’s Frank Murphy and
Merle FM’s Jack Ryan to co-host the Bowl. “They both bring great skill sets to engage students, and they have the ability to make some good drama,” said Roberts. “And they dress well.” The series has been led by a single host, but with the fast-paced filming and high-energy levels of competition, Roberts felt that two hosts would be a better fit. Murphy and Ryan agree. “After just two or three games I’m physically and mentally exhausted!” said Ryan. “And I didn’t have to buy as many ties,” cracks Murphy. Anyone who observes the way these three get along in such a joshing, lighthearted way will certainly want to tune in when the first episode airs on Monday. They’ll bring the same quick-
ness to the games, which consist of rapid-fire questions in 38 academic categories for each four-person team. This year, the 53 teams come from 22 counties in East Tennessee and one in Southeast Kentucky. The series was shot over a month, four to six shows a day. There are 52 episodes, with the last three episodes being rerun at the end. For the hosts, it was a blast. “I have secretly harbored the desire to be a game show host since I was a child,” said Murphy, who admits he would set up bells on a table and force his sisters to answer trivia questions. “I’m the complete opposite,” said Ryan. “I was never a scholar.
So the only way I was ever going to be a part of the Scholars’ Bowl was to host it! To me, it’s exciting. We had some very close games – very few blowouts. Some went into overtime. Another one ended right at the buzzer.” Both say they’re looking forward to “how many complaint calls Ernie will get because of the way we mispronounced words.” Roberts laughs and takes it all in stride. “These kids answer a lot of questions. It’s like ‘Jeopardy!’ It’s educational and it’s entertaining.” Now in its 33rd year, the “East Tennessee PBS Scholars’ Bowl 2017” begins at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2, and continues weekly at the same time through Friday, March 17, on ETPBS.
Eddie Mannis: 2016 Person of the Year By Betty Bean
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Gap Elementary School Christmas Store to address that need. Every year, teachers, churches and other organizations donate items to the store, and for one dollar, each student can pick out two gifts, which are wrapped by volunteers. The money goes to the school’s PTA. Students who can’t bring a dollar are allowed to earn admittance to the Christmas Store by doing odd jobs around the classroom, like cleaning or organizing. First-grade teacher Chase Valentine says the two kids from his
The day after wildfires ravaged Sevier County, Eddie Mannis, president and CEO of Prestige Cleaners, Prestige Tuxedo and the Downtown Grind Coffee House, interrupted his cheery holiday Facebook announcements to post this message: “Sending prayers to our neighbors located in and around Gatlinburg. We are ready to help however needed. I have guest rooms and plenty of space and happy to do whatever I can.” Later that day, he translated
words into action, listing supplies being collected at Prestige Cleaners or Prestige Tuxedo locations to be delivered by another of Mannis’ businesses, FRSTeam Eddie Mannis by Prestige Cleaners (Fabric Restoration Service Team). Soon he was swamped with donations. He took the following Saturday morning “off” to serve as grand marshal of the Fountain City Op-
timist Christmas Parade (and to participate with his employees in the Knoxville Christmas Parade the night before), but was soon back at the relief work, posting photos of the fabric restoration team serving lunch to adjustors and contractors at the centralized disaster relief location in Pigeon Forge. Later that day, he announced that Prestige Cleaners will donate $5 from any gift certificates sold in December to Pi Beta Phi Elementary School in Gatlinburg, which lost two students, Chloe
and Lily Reed, who died along with their mother, Constance, when they were unable to escape the flames that took their Chalet Village home. Many other Pi Phi students have been left homeless. “The school where the two little girls went still had 95 families who were homeless,” Mannis said. “The gift card sales came about because I want to help the school directly and I don’t know what resources they have. My concern is there are a lot of people in the service indusTo page A-3
from the staff of the