VOL. 52 NO. 29
IN THIS ISSUE
Rysewyk gets new job at KCS A young man has a new job with Knox County Schools. Dr. Jon Rysewyk will work on innovation and school improvement. Indya Kincannon calls him “smart and patient enough to build and sustain true grassroots reform.”
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See story on page A-11
Tibet comes to Fountain City A peek inside the culture of Tibet and the life of monks was shared when the Fountain City United Methodist Church Sunday school class, Twenty-first Century Christians, hosted a contingent of monks at the church last week.
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See Libby Morgan’s story on A-2
Remembering Jenkins & Jenkins For them, the demise of the Jenkins & Jenkins name is one more marker of the end of an era. The firm that was founded in 1933 by the unrelated Ray H. Jenkins and Erby Jenkins (Erby’s brother Aubrey didn’t join up until 10 years later), has become Quist, Cone & Fisher. The legendary firm hasn’t dissolved, says J&J managing partner Michael Fitzpatrick, who has been a partner with the firm since 1980. “It’s just changing names.”
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See Betty Bean ’s story on A-5
High on Charlie “Until further notice,” Marvin West writes, “Charlie High is my favorite Tennessee football walk-on. “Nobody can match his quarterback statistics – back-to-back state championships for Christian Academy of Knoxville, 74.4 completion rate, 10,978 yards, 131 passing touchdowns against 22 interceptions, astounding success.”
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See Marvin’s story on page A-6
Interns end on high note The Shopper-News interns ended the summer on a high note, hearing Cas Walker stories and classic country music at Ciderville, eating at Lulu’s Tea Room and touring Weigel’s. Read about their last adventure.
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See pages A-8-9
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Rodeo
at Red Gate
By Jake Mabe
The 10th annual Red Gate Festival and Rodeo was a big hit July 12-13 at Red Gate Farm in Maynardville. Organizer Butch Butcher says the good weather helped bring big crowds on Friday and Saturday, with an estimated 4,000 attending the second night. “It being outside, it all depends on the weather,” Butcher said. “But it’s good family entertainment for the people of Union County and other surrounding areas.” Spur ’N S Rodeo Company of Blaine (Mike Stalans) spearheads the rodeo and Butcher says the outfit does David Cunningham and his son, Cooper, 4, get ready to enjoy the 10th annual Red a great job. “He hires No. 1 rodeo Gate Festival and Rodeo. people. Mike Wentworth, the clown, lives in South and a game area for children. Halls Carolina and grew up in Blaine. native Greylan James (Egan) was Rodeo MC, Mark Northal is also the featured entertainer this year. the MC at Dixie Stampede. They “We may split it off and have a work well together and that’s what separate area for music in the fumakes the rodeo.” ture, perhaps have an area for the Butcher says the event began as bands to play after the rodeo. just a rodeo and evolved to include “We plan to keep it going.” music, food, merchandise vendors
Seven seek HPUD post By Sandra Clark Seven applicants including Commissioner Bob Crye will be interviewed for a position on the 3-member board of commissioners for Hallsdale Powell Utility District. Crye, Mayor Tim Burchett’s first appointment, is finishing out a 2-year term. Applicants: James Chesney, 72, of Charmwood Way, Halls, holds a bachelor’s degree from Carson-Newman College and spent his career with Gulf Oil and Exxon. He owned and operated Magnolia Exxon from 199298. Robert G. Crye, 70, of Emory Pointe Lane, Halls, is retired from an engineering career with Alstom Power and TVA. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineer-
ing from UT and is active at Beaver Dam Baptist Church, Halls Republican Club and Halls Business and Professional Association. J. Michael Francis, 56, of LeClay Drive, Halls, is a certified public accountant with a bachelor’s degree from UT. He has been chief financial officer for several companies with revenues ranging from $20 million to $240 million. James Howard Phillips, 73, of Clinton, owns and operates Powell Auction and Realty on Pleasant Ridge Road in Powell. A former Winn Dixie store manager, he has been self-employed in real estate and development since 1975. William A. Roehl, 27, of Ashley Road, Powell, is a project manager with Joseph Construction Company. He holds two degrees
A cowboy arrives for the Red Gate rodeo, which is contracted through Spur ’N S Rodeo Company (Mike Stalans) of Blaine. Photos by J. Mabe
from UT including a bachelor’s in landscape design and construction. He chairs the Young Republican Club of Knox County and attends Gospel Baptist Church. William E. Johnson, 77, of Widdecomb Road, Powell, holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from UT and a master’s in business administration from National University in San Diego. After a 20-year military career, he worked as maintenance department superintendent for the Las Vegas Valley Water District for two years. He is active in Halls Christian Church. Thomas Wenning, 28, of Country Run Circle, Powell, is a program manager at Oak Ridge National Laboratories. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Dayton. His community involvement is science-related, including service as a science fair judge at St. Mary’s School.
Community mourns Bud Coomer By Sandra Clark Bud Coomer was such a Fountain City fi xture that we all expected him to be there forever, sitting with his buddies at Litton’s round table, telling tales and knowing everybody who walked by. That tie to Fountain City’s past ended July 17 when Walter E. “Bud” Coomer Sr. passed away at Tennova Residential Hospice. He was 84.
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Ronald Hill worked with Mr. Coomer at Mynatt Funeral Home since 1961. “We spent a lot of days together,” he said. “He and Bill Payne helped me get my start.” Hill was part of the Mynatt lunch bunch, men in suits who ate together, always at a Fountain City restaurant. “We started going to the Blue Circle. Bud’s wife was a part of the Blue Circle family and she worked there in the office until they sold out. “Then we went to Stevens Drug Store, and then Ray Acuff’s and then the Amber. Lately, since
Mary died, the only place Bud wanted to eat was Litton’s. We ate there every day,” Hill said. Bud was president of Mynatt Funeral Home, where he had worked since 1948. His son, Buddy, continues to work there. Services were held over the weekend, and Mr. Mynatt was buried at Greenwood Cemetery. He was a member of Salem Baptist Church. Survivors include his son, Walter E. “Buddy” Coomer Jr.; grandchildren Ashley and Andrea Coomer; sister-in-law Ruth Coomer.
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He was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Mary; parents, Walter C. and Clara Mynatt Coomer; sister and her husband, Helen and Charles Kem; and brother, Charlie Coomer. Mynatt Funeral Home was established in 1900 in Halls by Earnest Mynatt. His son, Kyle Mynatt, moved the business to Fountain City in 1929. In 2005, a second location was opened at 4131 E. Emory Road, very near the first site at the original Halls Crossroads. Over 113 years, Mynatt Funeral Home has touched every family in these parts. “Bud was good at funeral work,” said Ronald Hill. “He knew how to do things and he liked to work with the common people. We still try to do that.”
ROOFING
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A committee of four – Commissioners Kevin Julian and Todd Cook and two staff members selected by CEO Darren Cardwell – will interview the applicants and recommend three to the board. The board will then submit three names to Burchett who can select one or reject all, throwing the process back to HPUD for three more nominees. On a motion by Cook, the interviews will be open to the public. Also, at a somewhat raucous meeting Thursday, three citizens voiced concerns and HPUD attorney John Valliant fired back at one. Robert Hammond of Halls asked if HPUD leaders had served in the military. Valliant told him that was not relevant. Hammond then challenged Cardwell on his salary and benefits. “I make $154,000, and bought my own car and pay for my gas,” said Cardwell. State law says board
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