VOL. 8 NO. 10
‘ROUND TOWN
www.ShopperNewsNow.com |
March 10, 2014
www.facebook.com/ShopperNewsNow
TDOT chief sees rough road ahead By Betsy Pickle
➤ Tree time – and
they’re free Farragut is hosting a spring gardening workshop from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 22, and will give away free trees or shrubs to community members. The trees were purchased with funds from a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency grant. Available will be blackguy, beautyberry, buttonbush and American plum. The workshop and giveaway will be in the Longstreet Pavilion at Founders Park at Campbell Station. If you don’t know where that is … it’s Campbell Station Park with its new name. The program and giveaway are sponsored by the town’s Stormwater Matters Program and Office of Sustainability, in conjunction with the Knox County Master Gardeners.
Farragut Mayor Ralph McGill, TDOT Commissioner John Schroer and former Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale get into a discussion after Schroer’s presentation to the Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce breakfast. Photos by
A native landscaping presentation will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by a planting demonstration. Presenters will include Gwen Slater, Farragut’s 2014 AmeriCorps service member, and members of the Knox County Master Gardeners program
Betsy Pickle
Info: Lori Saal at lori.saal@ townoffarragut.org or 966-7057.
➤ Few days left
for primary art The 2014 Farragut Primary Schools Art Show comes down on Friday, March 14, so stop by town hall and look at the work of our future artists. Children from Farragut Primary and Intermediate, Concord Christian and St. John Neumann Catholic schools are in the spotlight. Visitors can enjoy the exhibit during regular town hall business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
➤ Meet Women of
Courage writers Farragut Folklife Museum will host a presentation by writers and editors of the book, “Tennessee Women of Vision and Courage” at 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 14, at town hall. The free program looks at the lives of 22 women profiled in the book and how they contributed to the rich heritage of Tennessee. Books will be available for purchase.
➤ Upcoming at
Town Hall Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA) – 7 p.m. Thursday, March 13; Personnel Committee – 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 18; Farragut Planning Commission – 7 p.m. Thursday, March 20; BOMA – 7 p.m. Thursday, March 27.
10512 Lexington Dr., Ste. 500 37932 (865) 218-WEST (9378) NEWS news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sherri Gardner Howell ADVERTISING SALES ads@ShopperNewsNow.com Shannon Carey Jim Brannon | Tony Cranmore Brandi Davis | Patty Fecco
Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer’s visit to the Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce bypassed some potential controversy, but nevertheless Schroer’s message was – in his own words – “depressing as can be.” The launch of the chamber’s 2014 Breakfast Speaker Series last Wednesday at Fox Den Country Club brought out about 100 members and guests. It also attracted a handful of Britton Bridge employees who held up a banner at the Kingston Pike entrance to Fox Den that chided Schroer for not meeting with them about their safety concerns. Schroer downplayed the mini protest with a quip, saying he was “glad somebody noticed that I came to Knoxville.” But it appeared that he did feel a bit of a sting as first he said, “We have met with those people, at least two or three times,” and later insisted that the issue belonged with the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration, not TDOT. Schroer didn’t want to make light of the deaths of two workers during the renovations of the Henley Bridge, but he also had an agenda: to shed light on the state of TDOT. He has a budget of about $1.8 billion a year, and “yet I still have a half-billion-dollar backlog.” He referenced a CNBC study
Chamber members Sonya Roy, Leslie Godfrey, Marlene O’Hanlon and Marianne Morse discuss the hotel business after the meeting.
To page A-3
Town takes applications for community grants The town of Farragut is accepting applications for its FY 2015 Community Grants Program (July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015). At the discretion of the Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen, the town may award grants to nonprofit charitable organizations or nonprofit civic organizations. These grant
monies are intended to be used to promote the general welfare of the residents of the town and must be expended under the discretion of the FBMA. Additional requirements, as well as an application and instruction sheet, can be found at www.townoffarragut.org/ communitygrants.
Applications must be Adam received at the Farragut Price has been hired Town Hall, 11408 Municipal Center Drive, faxed as a codes to Farragut Community officer for Grants at 675-2096 or the town. emailed to allison.myers@ Price earned an townoffarragut.org by (not postmarked by) 5 p.m. associate Monday, March 31. degree in Adam Price c omput e r Info: Allison Myers at 966-7057. drafting and design as well
as a bachelor’s degree in technical project management, both from ITT Technical Institute in Knoxville. He was a residential designer for Saddlebrook Properties LLC for more than nine years and has more than 20 years of experience in commercial and residential construction.
Lupton describes ‘toxic charity’ By Wendy Smith Bob Lupton was enjoying his first Christmas as a resident of inner-city Atlanta when he witnessed something that changed his entire ministry. When members of a suburban church brought Christmas presents to a poor, urban family, the kids were ecstatic, the mom was embarrassed, and the dad vanished out the back door. The charitable gift exposed the dad’s inability to provide, and it was more than his fatherly pride could handle, he said. Lupton, the author of “Toxic Charity,” shared insight he’s gained from more than 40 years of ministering to the poor at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church’s 2014 Global Mission Conference.
After that Christmas, Lupton examined the ministry’s other charity programs and noticed a pattern. If someone received something once, they were appreciative. If they received it twice, there was some anticipation. When they received it a third time, it created expectation, and after the fourth time, it created entitlement. If someone received something five times, the result was pure dependence. That, he says, is toxic charity. From then on, he adopted the position that charity is helpful only in a crisis situation. After the crisis has passed, it’s time to rebuild. “Development is the right response to chronic poverty issues,” he said. Defining “crisis” is
the city, I’ve never seen a starving person. I’ve seen food insecurity, but not starvation.” Lupton’s response to the chronic needs of his neighbors was to build healthy relationships, something that isn’t accomplished through one-way giving. He began to see both the needs and the resources in his neighborhood, and utilize the resources. Nobody is so poor they don’t have something to contribute, Bob Lupton, author of “Toxic he said. Even the homeCharity,” speaks at Cedar bound elderly can serve as Springs Presbyterian Church’s the neighborhood watch. 2014 Global Mission ConferHis golden rule is “Nevence. Photo by Wendy Smith er do for others when they have the capacity to do for themselves.” The ministry’s protricky. Hunger, he said, is grams evolved into neighnot a crisis. bor-run organizations that “In 42 years of living in meet needs and empower.
PPreserve those old reels, slides & vhs tapes today!
$10 OFF EVERY $50 SPENT
Bring your VHS, slides, film and more into Cannot be combined with any other discounts or offers. the digital age. Coupon must be presented at time order is dropped off. Discount will
Audio
not be applied to previous orders or orders that are being processed. Expires 03/15/14 & Video Conversion SN031014
686-5756
www.DigitizeItNow.com 12752 Kingston Pike, Renaissance Farragut, Ste 103, Bldg E
A free clothing closet became a business when customers were required to purchase items. The new business provides employment, and customers feel appreciated rather than demeaned. A food pantry became a food co-op when neighbors pooled resources to have more purchasing power at a local food bank. The arrangement led to a weekly potluck lunch where neighbors show off their cooking skills. Christmas has changed, too. Generous church members still purchase items, but the unwrapped gifts are placed in a store where parents can shop for their children at reduced prices. To page A-3
SALES • SERVICE • MAINTENANCE
Family Business for Over 20 Years 5715 Old Tazewell Pike 687-2520 Financing available through TVA Energy Right program* *Restrictions May Apply
Cantrell’s Cares