VOL. 54 NO. 5
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NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ
Halls Breakfast Club this week
Marcy McMillan and the staff at Elmcroft Senior Living Facility on Andersonville Pike will host the Halls Breakfast Club, 7:30 to 9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 5. This is McMillan a networking event for members of the Halls Business and Professional Association. Info: Bob Crye, 922-2793.
FC Town Hall
Fountain City Town Hall will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9, at the Lions Club building, on Broadway at Fountain City Park. Jim Hagerman, city director of Hagerman engineering, will bring everyone up to date on work done at Fountain City Lake. Students from Fountain City Elementary School will be honored.
IN THIS ISSUE Chili chowdown
The Halls Crossroads Women’s League honored volunteers and installed new officers last week. The community can meet these outstanding women at the annual Crossroads Chili Chowdown Friday, Feb. 6.
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See Ruth White on page A-3
Tech for students
The most compelling argument for putting computers into the hands of all Knox County students came from Vine Middle Magnet School principal Cindy White. On Sundays, her students line up along the outside walls of the school to use Wi-Fi Internet access, a commodity lacking at home for many.
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See Wendy Smith on page A-5
What happened to the low bid?
For old-timers, the kerfuffle over the E-911 board’s rejection of its evaluation committee’s recommendation for a new radio system begged this question: Whatever happened to taking bids and accepting the lowest one?
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See Betty Bean on page A-5
7049 Maynardville Pike 37918 (865) 922-4136 NEWS news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sandra Clark | Ruth White ADVERTISING SALES ads@ShopperNewsNow.com Patty Fecco | Tony Cranmore Wendy O’Dell | Sara Whittle
Coffee with the pastor By Cindy Taylor Folks at Salem Baptist Church are stirring their coffee and listening as God stirs their hearts. The Rev. Allen James has designed Coffee with the Pastor as a way to connect and spend intentional time with various age groups. As the new pastor, James says he is challenged with understanding the personality of the church to which God has called him. “I am convinced that every church is unique, so this understanding is an essential step for the future,” he said. “One of the ways I have attempted to connect with our church family is to create an opportunity to listen and learn what God is already stirring in the hearts of our people.” The church has hosted independent meetings representing each generation from ages 20-35, 35-50, 50-65 and 65 plus. At each gathering, James asked the group four questions. What is God doing now in the life of our church that is bringing
Salem Baptist Church member Michelle Wilson (left) shares thoughts for the future with pastor Allen James and church members Joey McCoy and Debbie Woodall. Photo submitted excitement? What are some next steps you sense God leading us to take as a
church family? What are some things we need to not do anymore as a church?
What are the greatest challenges facing our church in the next five years? James says it has been fascinating to hear several themes consistent throughout every generation, as well as some that are unique. He has concluded every gathering with an opportunity for those present to ask him any questions. “Through the last month, I sense God building a deeper unity among our church family and allowing me to take one more step from just being the preacher to becoming the pastor of Salem Baptist Church.” Salem will host its eighth annual chili cook-off at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, featuring comedian Tim Lovelace. The event is free. Girls Night Out at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, will be a fun-filled evening of painting with Blissful Art for moms and daughters of all ages. Cost is $15 for supplies. Salem Baptist Church is at 8201 Hill Road. Info: 922-3490 or www.salembaptisthalls.org.
Emory Road opens By Sandra Clark State Rep. Bill Dunn says the new Emory Road from Norris Freeway to Clinton Highway is the result of hard work over a long time by many individuals. He seemed almost embarrassed to stand for a photo two days before the last leg opened on Feb. 2. “The bridge makes the difference,” said Dunn, gesturing toward the sweep of concrete that veers off the old Emory Road at Gill Road. The bridge moves traffic over the railroad tracks and out of any chance of Beaver Creek flooding (we hope). Workers on Saturday put final touches on the pavement. Dunn said TDOT and the contractor, Potter SE out of Huntsville, are not quite finished. He anticipates
additional work on the new road that takes motorists down to the Powell business district. Emory Road will continue on its present course. The new stretch from Gill to Clinton Highway will be named Powell Drive. Halls guy John Jones said it should be called “Food City Freeway,” given its terminus at the new Food City store. Dunn recalled talking with the late Ralph Teague, then a Knox County commissioner, about the route through Powell. The plan was to widen Emory State Rep. Bill Dunn stands near the bridge on along the existing route. “Then we the new Powell Drive which opened this week. had a meeting and it all blew up,” said Dunn. Residents strongly favored a “Clark Hamilton, Carl Tindell vocacy group) had a lot to do with new route, south of Beaver Creek, and David Lambert (members of this,” said Dunn. “They never gave and that plan was adopted. BRINK, a road-improvement ad- up.”
Understanding Insure Tennessee By Wendy Smith Gov. Bill Haslam came to town last week to educate state legislators before a special session being held this week regarding Insure Tennessee, his proposed Medicaid expansion program.
Analysis Legislators aren’t the only ones who need to be educated. Citizens need to have a basic understanding of the program so they can pass their thoughts on to their elected officials. Haslam spent two years crafting Tennessee’s program to specifically address the spiraling cost of healthcare. It leverages federal dollars to provide health insurance to those whose income is less than 138 percent of the poverty level, which translates to approximately $16,000 for an individual and $27,000 for a family of three. The program is expected to cover roughly 280,000 people. Over half
of them have jobs. This group falls into a coverage gap because they don’t qualify for Medicaid and they either don’t make enough to qualify for tax credits to help them buy coverage or can’t afford it even with tax credits. Bill Haslam The controversy surrounding the plan comes from its utilization of federal dollars. Affordable Care Act (ACA) funds would cover 100 percent of the cost of the expansion through 2016. By 2020, the federal contribution will drop to a permanent rate of 90 percent, but Tennessee hospitals have committed to covering the state’s contribution once federal funding drops below 100 percent. Some fear that Tennessee taxpayers will be left on the hook if federal funding dries up or hos-
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pitals don’t follow through with their commitment. In the event of an emergency, Haslam has packed a parachute. The two-year pilot program will automatically terminate in either case. Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery and the head of the federal health department agreed last week that the state could legally opt out. Haslam says he’s not a fan of the ACA because it didn’t do anything to address the rising cost of healthcare, as his plan does. Here are the nuts and bolts of his plan. Those eligible for Insure Tennessee would have two options. Under the Volunteer Plan, participants would receive a fi xed contribution voucher that will enable them to buy into private health insurance offered by their employer. The voucher would go toward out-of-pocket expenses associated with the coverage. The benefits of private insurance coverage include a broader range of providers and possible
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participation in Health Savings Accounts, which encourage healthy choices, Haslam says. The other option, the Healthy Incentives Plan, differs from Medicaid because it has premiums and co-pays. But participants get credits for healthy behaviors, like regular screenings, and using the health system appropriately, such as going to a clinic rather than the emergency room. If participants make good choices, they can cover their healthcare costs with credits. But they can also be disenrolled if they don’t cover copays or premiums, Haslam says. From his perspective, Insure Tennessee is a win-win because it’s a step toward true healthcare reform and provides insurance to 200,000 residents who wouldn’t otherwise have it − without raising taxes. Detractors say Haslam is supporting Obamacare by taking advantage of federal funding. You decide.
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