Farragut Shopper-News 090213

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VOL. 7 NO. 35

IN THIS ISSUE

Miracle Maker

Leslie Howe didn’t write the book on math, but she did write the computer program on it. Make that “programs.” A math and computer science teacher at Farragut High School since 1985, Howe has written more than 400 computer programs to help teachers help students find the best path to learning.

See Betsy Pickle’s story on A-9

Town reaches settlement with Ruth Hawk Move along … Nothing to see here. Perhaps that “Star Wars” quote best sums up a week of random speculation, comments and concerns following the quick departure of Ruth Hawk, community development director, after more than 19 years with the town of Farragut. Hawk left employment on Aug. 16, and news of her departure hit the next week. Sherri Gardner Howell was there and has details.

Read Sherri’s story on A-5

MOPS for moms Now that school is back in session, some moms are able to enjoy just a bit more “me” time. But what about those mothers of preschoolers?

Read Ashley Baker on A-5

Improvement is coming (soon) There are reasons to believe even the immediate future will be better than the past. As you may have heard, Tennessee football is facing a trap game in Western Kentucky and things really get tough after that. “No matter what happens at Oregon and Florida, keep believing that success is again in sight, out there on the horizon. If you can’t see it, get out your telescope,” Marvin West writes.

See Marvin’s story on page A-6

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September 2, 2013

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Slater to help

with water quality programs By Sherri Gardner Howell Gwen Slater, a University of Florida graduate from West Palm Beach, has joined the town of Farragut as the third member of the AmeriCorps Water Quality Assistant program. She will serve for one year through AmeriCorps and will be involved in facilitating and promoting educational opportunities as they relate to water quality. Jason Scott, Farragut stormwater coordinator, said Slater will have the opportunity to work on programming for the new outdoor classroom. “Once she gets up and running, Gwen will be critical in facilitating volunteer service opportunities in the space helping to assure con-

sistent and high-quality usage,” said Scott. She will also oversee the Adopt-A-Stream program, including recruiting and retaining volunteers and coordinating educational programs and events like Earthfest, Waterfest and River Rescue. Slater’s degree is in anthropology with a particular interest in biological anthropology, the study of human health and disease. Her decision to join the AmeriCorps program was largely based on the fact that people are heavily influenced by the environment in which they live. Farragut is in its third year as a participant in the AmeriCorps national service program.

Gwen Slater, a University of Florida graduate, is the town of Farragut’s new AmeriCorps worker. Photo submitted

Pellissippi refocuses

College is focusing on reaching students where they live and taking them where they want to go. “Historically, we have viewed our site campuses as access points and as a way of bringing courses and offerings to students in particular communities,” says Anthony Wise, PSCC president. “One of the things that we’re really focused on this year is making sure that we’ve got all the pieces of a program in place to help students graduate from their particular campus. “For example, we want a student who starts at Magnolia to be able to finish at Magnolia, so we’re looking at … what kind of resources we need to put in place, what kind of faculty we need to put in Dr. Anthony Wise, president of Pellis- place to make sure that we’ve got sippi State Community College, complete degree offerings at each stands at the main campus off Har- of our campuses throughout Knox din Valley Road to greet students and Blount counties.” In addition to the main camand answer questions on the first pus at Hardin Valley, PSCC has day of the Fall 2013 semester. Photo campuses in Blount County, on submitted Magnolia Avenue near downtown Knoxville, on Division Street and By Betsy Pickle As the new fall term gets start- at Strawberry Plains in East Knox ed, Pellissippi State Community County.

Thanks to what Wise describes as a “supportive” yet “rigorous” faculty, Pellissippi prepares students to continue their education at four-year schools. “Based on conversations we have with students who graduate – and we need to get more of them to graduate – but those who do graduate from Pellissippi State are very well prepared to transfer successfully either to our public partners or our private college partners like Maryville (College) or King (University) or CarsonNewman (University).” The outlook is good for PSCC students heading straight to the workforce as well. “Our students who are in our technical programs are doing well in terms of job placement,” says Wise. “Our placement rate for employment for the last year we have data was 96 percent. It’s gone up each of the last three years, so we’re pleased that we’re providing the kind of training and education that allows those students to complete an associate’s degree and move directly into the workforce.”

Betty Bean takes a look at “Coup,” the new book by Keel Hunt that discusses the early swearing-in of Gov. Lamar Alexander, back in 1979.

Read Bean on page A-4

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

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Allen Morgan: the guy can’t keep a job tor to First Baptist Church of Chickamauga. He and wife Melanie are proud parents to a daughter, Collins. That name has a story. But then everything about Allen Morgan has a story.

By Sandra Clark

‘Coup’ is good read

Much of the success is due to working with area businesses and addressing their needs. “We’ve always had as part of our mission to do workforce training for local business and industry,” says Wise. “We continue to do that. In fact, we had a presentation with Denso yesterday where they’re asking us to create for-credit programs, either certificate programs or degree programs or portion-ofdegree programs to offer to their employees. “Those conversations often start with business and community services, but we’re bringing our faculty into those conversations so they can help design the curricula for programs for companies like Denso and Green Mountain (Coffee) and Y-12. “We’re working on apprenticeship programs and degree programs and creating certificate programs as well. That’s something that’s really picked up in the last year, and I imagine that that will continue.”

It’s been 15 years since Allen Morgan’s surprise resignation as superintendent of Knox County Schools. It was a jolt for KCS, especially when his top assistant, Shirley Underwood, followed. Morgan was our last elected superintendent. Morgan, now 66, then joined Jim Clayton and worked 10 years as president of CMH Parks, leading a team of 300 to develop some 22,000 homes in communities across the country. He retired again, taking four years off to earn a pilot’s license and lower his golf score. Then, on March 12, 2012, he accepted a new job as athletic director at Carson-Newman University. The guy is full of surprises. Underwood, now 70, claims al-

Morgan-isms

■ Satellite dish – the state flower of West Virginia. ■ Experience – the ability to make good decisions, learned after first making bad decisions. ■ Getting hired – You be the very best at what you are and they’ll come and find you. ■ God needed a big stick in each hand to beat me out of retirement. ■ Being a grandparent is great, but the downside is I have to live with Granny.

most retirement after a decade of education consulting. She’s given away her home office desk and boxes of folders. There’s a good chance both made more money in the 10 years after retirement than in their 30 years as educators. They’re not talking. Allen and Phyllis Morgan are

rumored to have set up a fund to help kids at Carson-Newman. They’ve also bought a house in Jefferson City just four doors from the campus. Allen can walk to work, and he’s given all the players his cell phone number. Phyllis called in the decorator. Their son, Chris, is senior pas-

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Allen arrived at C-N in the fall of 1964. He made the baseball team under legendary coach Frosty Holt and played sparingly that first season. The team won the 1965 NAIA national championship, the school’s first. Allen said his main job was to roll out the batting cage, a chore he relinquished the next year to Dale Rutherford of Halls. (Dale went on to set records that still stand, but

To page A-3

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