VOL. 8 NO. 6
IN THIS ISSUE
Valentine Specials
www.ShopperNewsNow.com |
February 10, 2014
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Thunder rolls with music based on
Appalachian roots
on pages A-8 and A-9
‘Elixir of Love’ Eric White, chorister with the Knoxville Opera Company (KOC), describes the plot of “The Elixir of Love” in a few phrases: “Romantic comedy. Village idiot attempts to woo smartest, prettiest, richest girl in the county away from handsome soldier using love potion from quack doctor.” Carol Zinavage previews the upcoming performance.
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Read Carol’s story on B-2
Haslam plan funds the dream High school graduates could attend two-year colleges or tech schools free of charge under a proposal by Gov. Bill Haslam. “Tennessee Promise” makes college accessible to all and will change the face of Tennessee.
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Read Sandra Clark on page A-5
NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ
State of the Schools address Superintendent Dr. Jim McIntyre will deliver his third annual State of the Schools address at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11, at Hardin Valley Academy. The event is open to the public and Jim McIntyre refreshments will be provided. The address will overview academic progress in Knox County Schools, update on implementation of the five-year strategic plan and outline educational goals for the coming year. The address will be broadcast live on KCS-TV, Comcast Cable Channel 10 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99. It will also be broadcast live on WBIR’s 10News2. On the web, it will be streamed live at knoxschools.org, and wbir.com. It can be heard on WKCS radio 91.1 FM and WKCS Retro Radio.
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The Hardin Valley Thunder currently includes, from left, Joe Mahler, Larry Vincent, Shelby Warford, Matt Cowen, Mac Beightol, Josh King, Nathan Curtis, Kelsey Morris, Jon Caldwell, Zeb Phillips, and Daniel Day. Photos by Laura Cline
By Laura Cline
Thunder “father” Larry Vincent helps out on banjo at a recent rehearsal.
The musical traditions of Appalachian bluegrass continue to thrive among a group of Pellissippi State students. On Monday and Wednesday afternoons, bluegrass tunes can be heard echoing through the halls of the music building at the Hardin Valley campus. The bluegrass group, Hardin Valley Thunder (HVT) was formed in 2009 by Pellissippi professor Larry Vincent. The student ensemble is part of a year-long course. The group plays both traditional bluegrass and bluegrass-inspired renditions of modern popular music. “The ensemble was formed in order to strengthen the ties between our college and the community, as well as a way for our students to embrace their local cultural heritage,” says Vincent. The size and make-up of the group vary from semester to semester. Currently five vocalists and five
instrumentalists who play guitar, banjo, mandolin, or bass are the Thunder. Vocalist Shelby Warford has been in the group for three years but confesses that bluegrass wasn’t always one of her musical loves. “My dad, who is from Kentucky, always listened to bluegrass, and I didn’t like it very much then. But when I went to one of Hardin Valley Thunder’s concerts a few years ago, I got hooked,” she says. “It’s a lot of fun. We have a lot of freedom. We can pick our songs and sing whatever harmonies we want.” To page A-3
‘Eyesore’ billboard concerns Karns By Jake Mabe
A 24x25-foot double-sided billboard being built at the intersection of Oak Ridge Highway and Byington Beaver Ridge Road has residents complaining that it is an unwanted eyesore and a potential safety hazard. The small lot property at the intersection was purchased from the Clara Gallaher estate by Amanns Properties Diversified, which specializes in billboard placement at high traffic intersections. They then lease billboard space to advertisers. Knox County Commission chair Brad Anders, who represents the 6th District, says the billboard was purchased by Outdoor Displays and meets state and county codes. “There is a lot of vehicle traffic there, so it’s a dream location for them, “Anders said. “The location is not in a perfect position, in my opinion. It’s out into the
A large billboard being erected at the intersection of Oak Ridge Highway and Byington-Beaver Ridge Road is legal, but has residents concerned about its placement and the number of billboards popping up in Karns. Photo by Nancy Anderson intersection.” Karns resident Carolyn Greenwood says this is the third billboard erected in the community,
and residents say they do not want The small building underneath Karns to “become another Clinton the sign houses a florist who has Highway,” with a large number of nothing to do with the billboard. Nancy Anderson contributed to this report. the signs.
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