VOL. 11 NO. 2
FIRST WORDS
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January 11, 2017
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It’s a woman’s world
Do you know your roots? Kizzy said, “My pappy real name Kunta Kinte. He a African.â€? “You don’t say!â€? Miss Malizy appeared taken aback. “I’se heared my greatReneĂŠ Kesler gran’daddy was one dem Africans, too.â€? This dialogue between a young slave girl and a slave matriarch was taken from an excerpt of the book “ Roots, The Saga Of An American Familyâ€? by Pulitzer Prize w inner Alex Haley. Kizzy demonstrates the grit of a young slave girl determined to be defined not by her current enslaved situation, but rather by her strong ancestral heritage. What’s more, Kizzy’s staunch affirmation of her heritage aroused and inspired an elder to recall the stories told of that same proud lineage. Do you know your roots? Discovering our roots is about uncovering the stories of hidden treasures buried in our history while also unearthing layers of one’s self. Zack F. Taylor Jr. has researched and written five volumes of “African American Family Genealogy for Jefferson County, Tennessee,â€? and it is an extensive work. His dedication to uncovering the black families of Jefferson County is extraordinary. Additionally, Robert A. McGinnis has researched and compiled many books, including “Gone and All but Forgotten, The AfricanAmerican Cemeteries of Knox County, Tennessee.â€? Neither my friend Zack nor Robert resembles the people they have researched. Yet, when I asked them why they choose to do this work, both reply among other things, “It’s important.â€? To page A-3
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Megan McNeil was home for school break when she stopped in with mother Laura McNeil to visit Betsy Segraves, behind the counter.
By Margie Hagen It never started out to be an all-woman staffed business, but Farragut Pharmacy has the distinction of being that and more. “I didn’t purposely mean to have only women working here, it just kind of evolved,� says owner Betsy Segraves.
“We hire through word of mouth, mostly from the community and friends,� continues Segraves. High school and college students get their first jobs here, and Segraves is proud of the fact that three former employees have gone on to become pharmacists. The pharmacy, located at 11424
Kingston Pike, was originally owned by Jack and Mary Bevins. Segraves purchased it in 1992, and for the past 25 years has had a front-row seat watching the town of Farragut grow up around her store. A lot has changed over the years, but one thing that has remained the
Photos by Margie Hagen
same is the friendly, small-town atmosphere that is evident whenever someone walks through the door. Most are greeted by name; customers run into friends and take time to catch up on family news, church activities, and even how the dog is doing! To page A-3
OsteoStrong opens in Farragut A new business will hold grand opening festivities and a ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m. today, Jan. 11, at 11110 Kingston Pike, Suite 125, Aspen Square near Sam & Andy’s. The Farragut franchise of OsteoStrong is owned by Dee Matchett, who says, “OsteoStrong is a safe, natural, proven way to increase bone density without the potentially harmful effects of medication.� Writing on Facebook, Matchett says osteo- Dee Matchett porosis runs four generations deep on the pa-
ternal side of her family. And despite her heavy regimen of bone-healthy foods, recommended supplements, weight lifting and high impact exercise, she was diagnosed as high risk for fracture. “Although my prevention regimen had delayed the onset and slowed progression of the disease, genetics were
getting the upper hand.� Matchett has been trained as a peer educator for American Bone Health, the nonprofit educational arm of the Foundation for Osteoporosis Research and Education. She also certified as an osteogenic technician to assist people with the patented Spectrum equipment designed by Dr. John Jaquish. She invites everyone to stop by the grand opening event. Info: osteostrongfarragut. com or 423-839-6600.
Knoxville to state: Get us some money and leave us alone By Betty Bean Mostly, what legislators heard at their annual breakfast with city officials is that Knoxville wants the state to help pay for a new treatment facility and otherwise stay out of city business. Yes, they’d like the state to help foot the bill for a behavioral health urgent care center (formerly called the safety center). The sheriff and the police chief and the attorney general and the city and county mayors all want this facility, which they say will take the pressure off the Knox County Jail by removing mentally ill inmates and substance abusers from the jail population and placing them in a short-term treatment facility. But Mayor Madeline Rogero politely informed the local lawmakers that what she wants most from Nashville is for the state to
stay out of the city’s business. She doesn’t want any “deannexation� laws, and said the city of Knoxville has not attempted any involuntary annexations for more than a decade. “The prospect of allowing deannexation for properties that have been part of the city and receiving city services and investment for more than a decade raises complicated legal and financial questions that would likely take years to resolve� is how a handout summarizing the city’s legislative wish list put it. City officials would also like for the state not to attempt to regulate short-term rentals (like Airbnb), and refrain from interfering with the city’s ability to jumpstart redevelopment projects by using tax abatement tools like TIFs and PILOTs.
The majority of the lawmakers present pledged their support for the behavioral health urgent care facility, led by Sen. Becky Massey, who outlined a threepronged plan to get it done, with her preferred option being for the governor to include it in his budget from the get-go. Plans B and C would be a “backup� bill she and Rep. Eddie Smith are sponsoring and, as a last resort, a budget amendment. The general sentiment was that chances are good that the state will support the facility, which is also strongly supported by county Mayor Tim Burchett this session. Rep. Bill Dunn said he’d like to hear more specifics. There was little pushback from the lawmakers until Rogero brought up diversity. “We consider diversity a
strength,â€? she said, citing the difficulties North Carolina ran into after its Legislature passed a so-called bathroom bill. She said North Carolina’s losses were other localities’ gains, including Knoxville’s. “We got an event because of that ‌ Please keep Tennessee opening and welcoming,â€? she said. This plea struck a nerve with Dunn, who said the North Carolina legislators were forced to act to counteract an ordinance passed by the city of Charlotte. He said he believes in “the diversity of the individual,â€? and cautioned against telling people how to run their businesses. Rep. Martin Daniel told Rogero that he hears complaints about the city disregarding property rights and being “ultraregulatory.â€? To page A-3
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