North/East Shopper-News 021716

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NORTH / EAST VOL. 4 NO. 7

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BUZZ Sylvia Cook grows a neighborhood Sylvia Cook has always had the heart of a civil servant. She followed her family to Knoxville a few years ago, bringing along her expertise in all things community related. When her East Knoxville neighborhood began looking at forming a Neighborhood Watch it made perfect sense for Cook to lead it. Cook called the first Eastport/Lee Williams Neighborhood Watch meeting in November 2013 with seven residents present.

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Read Cindy Taylor on page 3

North Knox biz club cancels Bad weather caused cancellation of the North Knoxville Business and Professional Association set for Feb. 12. The next meeting is in March.

Candidates to meet at Sterchi School board candidates from District 2 will speak at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19, at Sterchi Elementary School off Cedar Lane. The PTA president is J. Brent Morrison. Early voting is underway with the election March 1. The race is non-partisan. Candidates are Grant Standefer and Jennifer Owen. Tracie Sanger chose not to seek re-election. Schools in District 2 include: Central and Fulton high schools; Whittle Springs and Gresham middle schools; Christenberry, Fountain City, Inskip, Shannondale and Sterchi elementary schools; and special schools Paul Kelley Volunteer Academy, Richard Yoakley and the adult high school. Info: sterchipta@gmail.com

Middle school groundbreakings Knox County officials will break ground for two new middle schools on Friday, Feb. 19, with the Gibbs event at 11 a.m. and the Hardin Valley event at 1 p.m. Those attending the Gibbs event are asked to park at the Gibbs Ruritan Park for a shuttle ride to the site as parking is limited. The Hardin Valley event will take place in the north parking lot behind Hardin Valley Academy, near the baseball field. If schools are closed, the events will be rescheduled.

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February 17, 2016

‘Legends and Legacy’ at Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Academy By Sandra Clark Sarah Moore Green Magnet Academy will host Legends and Legacy Day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, with programming that includes school tours, a museum walk with light refreshments and a reception from 4-5 Greene p.m. for former and current staff. The tours are available from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. The school was named for the late Sarah Moore Greene, who served on the former Knoxville school board and was a leader in the NAACP. From 5-6 p.m. all are invited for a special presentation in the school’s gym. It will include music, a time capsule and the unveiling of a traveling exhibit by the Beck Cultural Center. The school is located at 3001 Brooks Avenue. The school is undergoing a resurgence under the leadership of principal Susan Espiritu. One reason is the dynamic after-

Jervece Steele (in red) conducts a meeting of the Community School Steering Committee. school program labeled Community School. It’s headed by Jervece Steele of the Great Schools Partnership and Terreka Holloway, who works with ProjectGrad. Steele is more visible, organizing the program based on her longSteele time connection to the community. “My degree is in education, but I’ve always been

in the ‘community’ part of it,� she says. She started at Sarah Moore Greene when Blenza Davis was principal. “She brought me on,� says Steele. But her ties are even stronger. Steele’s father, Edward Skaggs, was supervisor of custodians for the old city system. Steele says she’s never had a problem recruiting community members for her steering committee – which has nine parents and nine church or business leaders.

Community School kids get supper every day, as well as an after-school snack. “They can stay and eat or their parents can pick them up,� she says. Bus transportation is available after dinner for participants. The after-school day is divided into two blocks, one of which is tutoring or enrichment. An office worker and a school resource officer are on duty while kids are present. “We have over 100 partners,� said Steele. “We’re doing a lot.�

Young fundraisers at Lonsdale By Carol Z. Shane Kori Lautner, resource coordinator for the Community School Initiative, looks out over the lunchroom at Lonsdale Elementary School. Though school has let out for the day, kids are seated in small groups at the tables, busily painting pottery. Mentors from the Appalachian Arts and Crafts Center guide small hands and help with color choices. Adult volunteers carry trays of finished pieces, shuttle supplies back and forth

and offer assistance wherever it’s needed. With their hand-painted pottery, the kids – in this case, mostly sons and daughters of Guatemalan immigrants – are driving a fundraising effort to send some of their classmates to Washington, D.C., in the spring. “We had contacted quite a few partners because we needed money,� says Lautner of a similar effort To page 3

Beyond the ice By Sherri Gardner Howell

Spend a few minutes with Scott Hamilton, and you will never look at his ice shows the same way again. Scott Hamilton and Friends on Ice is in Knoxville Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum. The show has a star-studded line-up, including Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi as cohost with Hamilton and a concert by Grammy winner Michael W. Smith. The show starts at 5 p.m. and is followed by a 7:30 p.m. dinner. It will, no doubt, be a spectacular show with a dozen Olympic, World and U.S. champions skating to Smith’s live music. This is the third visit to Knoxville, and monies raised benefits the Provision CARES and the Scott Hamilton CARES foundations. Hamilton, however, has his eyes firmly set beyond the ice. His mis-

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sion is cancer research and patient care. His mother, who died after a two-plus year struggle with cancer when Hamilton was 18, sits on one shoulder. His own experiences as a cancer patient and survivor sit on the other. “The day we lost my mother, I became a fundraiser,� says Hamilton. “I was going to do whatever I could to fund research, to get more answers, to do what I could as a grieving, mourning 18-year-old boy to keep another person from going through what I was.�

Scott Hamilton on a mission as cancer activist And he skated. Over the next decade he would win four consecutive U.S. championships (1981–1984), four consecutive world championships ( 1 9 8 1 – 1984) and a gold medal in the 1984 Oly mpics. For 20 years, he worked to raise money for cancer research. At that time, says Hamilton, the money drove the science. “You would give people financial resources, and they would go out and try to find out something. Then they mapped the genome,

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Isabela Marisol Diego-Pascual, 9, and Sonia JosĂŠ-Diego, 10, are almost ready for their pieces to be fired in a kiln. “I like painting,â€? says Sonia, “and my favorite color is red.â€? Looking on is volunteer Lisa Barger.

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and then, wow, the science is now 20 light years away from the money. I knew I needed to bring more into the equation.� Almost 20 years to the day his mother died, Hamilton found out he had testicular cancer and later developed a brain tumor. “I survived, and then I became an activist,� says Hamilton. “It was different now. I understood the cancer community better. I understood what chemotherapy feels like; I know what a big massive surgery feels like. I know what radiation feels like, what it does.� The result is the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation. Through CARES (Cancer Alliance for Research, Education and Survivorship), Hamilton takes a multi-level approach that includes fundraising, advocacy, patient care and looking beyond the status quo for To page 3

2 • FEBRUARY 17, 2016 • Shopper news

health & lifestyles

It’s a new day Radio host praises sleep center for his renewed energy “Rise and shine” is more than just a catch phrase for Bob Bell. The morning radio show host has to be wide awake and on the air at 6 a.m. every weekday, well informed about the day’s events and fully prepared to discuss them with listeners. Bell has a fun and gregarious personality, and that personality shines on Joy620 AM as he interviews guests and fields phone calls from listeners. But there was a time not too long ago when Bell was struggling to keep up with the early hours. Listeners never saw what was happening to him off the air after the caffeine from the early morning coffee had worn off, and after the microphone had been silenced for the day. “I would come home in the afternoon and I would hit a wall,” Bell says. Even after a daily nap, he could only muster enough energy to do the bare minimum of work, and there was little energy left after that for anything else. Anyone who’s worked odd hours on less than eight hours of sleep knows that it’s common to catch a nap once in a while to try and make up for lost time. The nap helps re-energize the mind and body for the rest of the day’s demands. But Bell had reached a point where there was no power in the power nap. Even after resting, he was sluggish. “I’m usually a very cheery kind of person,” Bell says. “I wasn’t being very cheery, and I didn’t know why.” He may not have known why at the time, but he does now. “I wasn’t sleeping,” Bell says. It was Bell’s wife, Meg, who found the key to unlock the mystery. Frequently awake because

Bob Bell’s treatment at the Sleep Center at Fort Sanders Regional has changed his life by providing more energy, better health and wellbeing.

of Bell’s snoring, she noticed that sometimes he would stop breathing during the night. She encouraged him to see his doctor. Bell’s physician recommended Fort Sanders Sleep Disorder Center at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. There, Bell could be monitored during sleep to see if Meg’s observations were correct, and just how serious the problem might be. “My wife says I sounded like a three-year-old kid complaining,” Bell laughs. “I didn’t want to go.” So it was with some trepidation that he went to the Center in December, and monitoring devices were put in place. Bell was left in a room with one simple task to accomplish – sleep. It was easier than he expected it to be. “They are extremely professional in what they do,” Bell says. “They’re very careful to tell you exactly what’s going to happen,

and what’s going to go on with the monitor and your heart rate and your breathing.” Being set at ease from the time he arrived helped him settle in and get comfortable enough to doze off. “You get a little intimidated when you first put all that stuff on,” Bell says, “but you get settled down in bed, you get tired and you do go to sleep.” He says the surroundings helped. “It’s not like it’s some antiseptic hospital room,” Bell says. “You’re in a very comfortable bed, you have a TV, there was a shower there, full bathroom facilities – everything’s there to make you feel at home.” Sleep Center staff even made sure he was awake in time to shower and get ready to go to work the next morning. Bell was impressed by the facilities and staff, and then he was stunned by the results that came from his stay there.

“Are you ready for this?” Bell asks. “The doctor there sat down with me, and he told me I ceased to breathe an average of 89 times an hour.” Bell had been missing the restorative sleep phase known as REM (Rapid Eye Movement). It was affecting every part of his life, from his energy level to his mood to his weight. Suddenly everything made sense. The diagnosis was sleep apnea, and Bell was prescribed a CPAP to help him breathe at night. He wasn’t excited about that, quipping, “Nothin’ says sexy like a CPAP,” but his mother-in-law recommended it, having had her own sleep success with one. As word got out about Bell’s apnea, he started hearing from friends and family members who were successfully sleeping with a CPAP. He decided to give it a try. “The first night I said, ‘I’m not going to be able to sleep with this,’” Bell recalls. “As I was thinking that and closing my eyes, I drifted off and I got one of the most refreshing nights of sleep I’d had in years.” Bell says the CPAP has made a night-and-day difference in his life. “My son came home from college and he could tell I have more energy,” Bell says. “He said, ‘Usually when I come home around

Sacrificing sleep If you try to wind down at night by scrolling through Facebook or catching up on emails, you may be doing yourself more harm than good. The director of Fort Sanders Regional Sleep Disorder Center says the very tools you’re using to wind down, could be windThomas Higgins, MD ing you up, instead. “That blue light is more of an alerting stimulus,” says Thomas Higgins, MD, director Sleep Disorders Center at Fort Sanders Regional. “So it’s a good idea to turn off all your electronic devices 30 minutes to an hour before you go to bed.” Another common barrier to a good night’s sleep is a hard day’s

work. Participants in a recent study who reported sleeping six hours or less at night usually reported working an average of one to two hours more per day than their counterparts who slept longer. You may be getting more hours of work in when you sacrifice sleep for your job, but Higgins says the quality of your work is probably suffering in the process. “Every part of the body is affected by sleep, including the brain,” Higgins says. “Emotional stability, concentration and alertness are affected, and things we learn are processed while we sleep.” Higgins says recent studies have shown that the brain produces chemicals while we’re awake that need to be cleared out during sleep. “If you’re not getting enough sleep, it can actually physically damage the brain,” Higgins says. “People who have sleep apnea and insufficient sleep are more likely to develop Al-

zheimer’s disease at an earlier age, depression, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems.” Sleep deprived workers are more likely to overeat, too. Higgins says insufficient sleep over a period of time affects brain chemistry and the hormones that help regulate appetite, so you tend to eat more high carbohydrate, fatty foods. While there’s no magic number of hours every person needs to sleep, Higgins says most adults should try to get 7 to 9 hours of shut eye, and teens should sleep for 8 to 9 hours every night. If you’re getting the recommended amount of sleep most nights but still feel sleepy during the day, you could be suffering from a sleep disorder. Visit fsregional.com/ sleepcenter to learn more about sleep disorders, and how the center may be able to help you get the rest you need.

noon you’re asleep, and now you don’t even think about sitting down till three or four o’clock in the afternoon.’” Bell says when he returned to the Sleep Center for a retest with the CPAP, he was happy to see the improvement on paper. Now that he understands how important a good night’s sleep is to overall health and wellbeing, he’s never going back to the sleepless nights he had before. “You know, if I’m eating right and exercising and trying to lose weight, I am hindering myself if I’m not getting enough sleep,” he says. Bell can’t help laughing about the first time he truly understood the difference a good night’s sleep has made in his life. On Christmas Eve, he remembers deciding to take a nap at the office before going to church. “My work was done, I sat down in my chair,” Bell says. “But I didn’t want to take a nap.” Afternoon naps had become so important to him that it was a little strange not to need one. He was alone at the radio station. It wasn’t quite time to go to the Christmas Eve service. He was at loose ends. “So I got up and cleaned the toilet!” Bell laughs. The Sleep Disorders Center at Fort Sanders Regional has given countless patients renewed energy to get up and live life instead of trying to sleep through it. If you think you or someone you love may be suffering from a sleep disorder, see a physician and ask for a referral. For more information, call 865-541-1375 or visit fsregional.com/sleepcenter.

Getting serious about sleep The Sleep Disorders Center at Fort Sanders Regional is serious about sleep. So serious that a big investment is being made in helping patients sleep soundly for better health. “We have all new equipment,” says manager Scott Vogt, MD. “It’s going to be higher quality testing, we’ll have better video, better audio, and better inputs from the patients we’re recording.” Experts at the Sleep Disorder Center monitor patients’ brain wave activity, eye movement, muscle activity from extremities and chin, heart rate, air flow in and out of the nose and mouth, chest and abdominal movement, and blood oxygen levels. The data is used to diagnose sleep disorders that may be keeping the patient from getting a good night’s rest. Vogt remembers a time when monitoring sleep meant using reams of paper and ink that would splatter on his lab coat if a patient moved or snored too suddenly. The new equipment will use the latest digital technology for the most accurate and environmentally sound results. The comfort level of the patients has come a long way, too. The Sleep Disorder Center now has Tempurpedic and Select Comfort Sleep Number beds in its testing rooms. “It’s exciting for us,” Vogt says. “And we’re usually treating two sleep disorders at once, because now the spouse gets a better night’s sleep, too.”

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community

NORTH/EAST Shopper news • FEBRUARY 17, 2016 • 3

Sylvia Cook grows a neighborhood Sylvia Cook has always had the heart of a civil servant. She followed her family to Knoxville a few years ago, bringing along her expertise in all things community related.

Cindy Taylor

When her East Knoxville neighborhood began looking at forming a Neighborhood Watch it made perfect sense for Cook to lead it. Cook called the first Eastport/ Lee Williams Neighborhood Watch meeting in November 2013 with seven residents present. “I was told it would never work and that a Neighborhood Watch was not wanted here,� said Cook. “We are going on our third year and have grown and flourished tremendously.� Within the first nine months after the group was established, Cook had representatives from KEMA speak on emergency procedures, gave out exercise manuals and DVDs and set up basic computer

Young fundraisers last year. “Then we thought, ‘why not let the kids do their own fundraising?’� Last year’s team made bracelets and sold them at what Lautner calls an “unofficial farmers market� in Lonsdale to fund a school trip to Tremont. The travelers in both instances are fifth-grade safety patrol members – students who have demonstrated exemplary behavior and good grades. “They model behavior for the younger kids,� says Lautner, “and they have different responsibilities throughout the day.� Under the umbrella of Knox County’s Great Schools Partnership, the Community School Initiative focuses on using public schools as social hubs. “This is a walking community,� says Lautner, emphasizing that these kids and their parents tend to get most of their needs met within the radius of the Lonsdale area in northwest Knoxville. At the elementary school, “we have a homework help lounge, a robotics club, a soccer club.� The kids, whose parents are at work, go to their respective interest groups “as soon as the bell rings, and a bus takes them home at 6:15,� says Lautner. Most are also Boys and Girls Club members. And they’re a diverse group, says adult volunteer Patricia Hooper. “There are Eastern Europeans and people from Central and South America. And we’re starting to see Syrian refugee families.� Youngsters who speak English patiently help their classmates who don’t. One little Central American girl speaks an indigenous dialect, neither English nor Spanish. The kids taking part in the pottery project had to qualify for it by writing an essay. Eleven-year-old Carmelina Francisco-Diego, in her winning essay, states, “I want to participate because I like art and this is a wonderful chance to learn how to make pottery ... and I want the safety patrol to see the beautiful city.� And Maria Elena Mendez-Aquino, 9, gets right to the point in a very entrepreneurial way. “I will decorate it. I’ll paint it. I’ll sell it.� “They have a lot of fun,� says Lautner. “It takes a lot of moving parts to make this happen.�

Eastport/Lee Williams Neighborhood Watch secretary Carrie Gayle and president Sylvia Cook Photo by Cindy Taylor classes. The Eastport/Lee Williams Neighborhood Watch has now almost tripled in number. “When I was younger I worked with neighborhood affairs in Chattanooga along with my parents so I have always been involved with community,� said Cook. “After moving here I realized that the tenants of my community in Knoxville needed something to occupy their time that would be enjoyable and constructive.� Cook says that people sometimes forget about the elderly after children grow

up and leave. She says after retirement sets in there is often no longer anything to do. She has graduated from the Knoxville Citizens Police Academy and says all those involved in a Neighborhood Watch should consider going through the academy. Carrie Gayle is acting secretary for the Neighborhood Watch. “Sylvia has put her all into the Neighborhood Watch from the very beginning,� said Gayle. “We have already seen a number of positive changes because of the Neighborhood Watch.� A few months ago Cook

From page 1

was encouraged by local officials to apply for a grant to help her neighborhood, The Residents at Eastport. She attended workshops to learn how to write the grant proposal. Her neighborhood was chosen by the city of Knoxville Office of Neighborhoods Small Grant Program to receive the $1,500 grant. East Tennessee Community Design Center serves as the group’s financial sponsor for the grant. The money is being used for a community newsletter Cook says will greatly benefit the residents and a computer lab scheduled to open soon at the Lee Williams Center. The computers are expected to arrive this week. Cook says her responsibilities are far from over. She believes we all need to continue working together in our neighborhoods. “Church and neighborhood are really important in life. Everyone should be involved in those. When people tell me something isn’t going to work I just tell them to stay away from it. I intend to double and even triple what our neighborhood has accomplished.�

COMMUNITY NOTES â– Alice Bell Spring Hill Neighborhood Association. Info: Ronnie Collins, 637-9630. â– Beaumont Community Organization. Info: Natasha Murphy, 936-0139. â– Belle Morris Community Action Group meets 7 p.m. each second Monday, City View Baptist Church, 2311 Fine Ave. Info: bellemorris. com or Rick Wilen, 524-5008. â– Chilhowee Park Neighborhood Association meets 6:30 p.m. each last Tuesday, Administration Building, Knoxville Zoo. Info: Paul Ruff, 696-6584.

Byron Canaca and Sebastian Miguel-Geromino, both 11, are accomplished painters. Sebastian says, “This is earth, with the stars.� Byron, a safety patrol member, says, “I like to help the little kids get out of the cars.� ■Edgewood Park Neigh-

borhood Association meets 7 p.m. each third Tuesday, Larry Cox Senior Center, 3109 Ocoee Trail. Info: edgewoodpark.us. â– Excelsior Lodge No. 342 meets 7:30 p.m. each Thursday, 10103 Thorn Grove Pike. Info: Bill Emmert, 933-6032 or w.emmert@att.net. â– First District Democrats meet each first Monday, Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Info: Harold Middlebrook, haroldmiddlebrook@gmail.com; Mary Wilson, marytheprez@ yahoo.com.

Patricia Hooper stands ready to help as Yareli Perez, 11, and Maria Elena Mendez-Aquino, 9, show off their hand-painted pottery.

â– Historic Fourth & Gill Neighborhood Organization meets 6:30 p.m. each second Monday, Central UMC, 201 Third Ave. Info: Liz Upchurch, 898-1809, lizupchurch1@ gmail.com. â– Inskip Community Association meets 6 p.m. each fourth Tuesday, Inskip Baptist Church, 4810 Rowan Road. Info: Betty Jo Mahan, 679-2748 or bettymahan@ knology.net. â– Oakwood Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association meets 6:30 p.m. each first Monday, Community Club

Beyond the ice treatment and patient education. His partnership with Provision Center for Proton Therapy, where he is also a board member, is part of that mission. “Chemotherapy extended my life,� Hamilton is quick to say. “But I am looking for the day that we teach our own bodies how to get rid of cancer. That’s the game changer. “In the meantime, we need to just keep lifting the bar. Proton therapy is a prime example of lifting the bar. It is phenomenal technology that treats the cancer and spares the patient collateral damage.� He doesn’t give medical advice, Hamilton says. “I just want people to be practical. Getting that diagnosis is scary, life-altering. But the more you know, the more you get out and get opinions and information, the better your decisions will be. Do your homework.� The many components of CARES helps cancer patients do that. Information

From page 1 on chemocare.com outline every drug and side effect so patients know what to expect. There is also a mentoring program, 4th Angel Mentoring, with more than 800 mentors in all 50 states. His own experiences, coupled with his fame and contacts, give him a good platform to be an activist, says Hamilton. “I heard Danny Thomas say something years ago that put a lump in my throat the size of a football,� says Hamilton. “He said: ‘Watching St. Jude Children’s Hospital grow lets me know why I was born.’ We all want to know what our identity is in this big world. “I have had some pretty great experiences and some pretty horrible experiences in my lifetime, but there is something about this that makes me believe that everything I have ever experienced was to allow this to be successful.� Info: scottcares.org or provisionproton.com

McNabb to honor Kershaws George and Cheryl Kershaw will be honored at the annual Spirit Award Dinner benefiting the Helen Ross McNabb Center. The event will start at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, at the Knoxville Convention Center. The Spirit Award Dinner began in 2004 to recognize individuals who have supported the efforts of the McNabb Center and have worked to improve their community as a whole. George and Cheryl Kershaw have made a long lasting impact on the East Tennessee community. George, in business and as a veteran, and Cheryl, an educator and community leader, have both improved lives by dedicating their talents and time to the community, said

House, 916 Shamrock Ave. Info: Bill Hutton, 773-5228 or s_wlhutton@yahoo.com. â– Old North Knoxville meets 6:30 p.m. each second Monday, St. James Episcopal Church Parish Hall, 1101 N. Broadway. â– Parkridge Community Organization meets 6:30 p.m. each first Monday except holidays, Cansler YMCA, 616 Jessamine St. Info: Jerry Caldwell, 329-9943. â– Second District Democrats meet 6 p.m. each second Thursday, New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 2504 Cecil Ave. Info: Rick Staples, 385-3589 or funnyman1@ comic.com. â– Thorn Grove Rebekah Lodge No. 13 meets 7:30 p.m. each second and fourth Monday, 10103 Thorn Grove Pike. Info: Mary Jo Poole, 599-7698 or mjp1101@aol.com

Cheryl and George Kershaw

McNabb CEO Jerry Vagnier. George Kershaw helped develop the center’s annual golf tournament, chairing it from 1995-99. Info/tickets: mcnabbcenter.org or Beth Farrow at 865-329-9030 or beth.farrow@mcnabb.org

CALL FOR ARTISTS ■The Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville is seeking nomination for Poet Laureate for the city of Knoxville. The deadline for nominations to be received is Friday, April 1. Info/nomination forms: knoxalliance.com/ poet.html, or send an SASE to Liza Zenni, Arts & Culture Alliance, PO Box 2506, Knoxville, TN 37901. ■“Peep Show!�: featuring art of the human figure in all forms, clothed, nnude and in between. Presented by Broadway Studios and Gallery, 1127 N. Broadway. Application is $5 per piece; limit three pieces per person. Drop off : 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Feb. 25-27. Exhibit on display March 4-26. Info: BroadwayStudiosAndGallery@gmail.com; BroadwayStudiosAndGallery.com.

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Juan Felipe-Francisco proudly wears his Spiderman outfit. “Tell us why you’re wearing that,� says Lautner. “It’s pajama day,� grins Juan. Photos by Carol Shane

4 • FEBRUARY 17, 2016 • Shopper news

Dear Luke, all is forgiven There are some wonderful life lessons hidden in the happiness and hurts of sports. Please read this one closely. Sometime in the spring, Luke Anthony Hochevar, 32, one of Tennessee’s alltime baseball greats, will receive his World Series ring. He was the winning pitcher in the deciding game for the Kansas City Royals over the New York Mets. Those two innings in the clutch are, so far, the highlight of Luke’s professional career. In the background are big dreams, millions of dollars and huge disappointments.

Marvin West

Luke was the No. 1 pick in the 2006 draft. The Royals paid $3.5 million in a signing bonus. The first contract called for $5.3 million guaranteed. So much was expected and so little delivered. There were many hurdles and about the same number of pitfalls. Hochevar struggled in the minors, got

promoted to Kansas City and struggled some more. A weaker man might have been discouraged. Some said Hochevar, for half a decade, was the world’s worst starting pitcher. There were supporting stats. In 2009 Luke had the highest earned run average (6.55) of all American League starters. His record was 7-13. In 2012, Hochevar’s record was 8-16 with an ERA of 5.73. He led the American League in runs allowed. In 2013, manager Ned Yost finally figured out that Luke wasn’t good enough to be in the regular pitching rotation. He was dispatched

to the bullpen. He exceeded expectations. For the first time in a long time there was a favorable outlook. It didn’t last. In a March 2014 spring training game, Luke suffered an elbow injury. That led to Tommy John surgery and a lost season. He watched as the Royals made it to the World Series – and lost. To compound that run of bad luck, his contract was expiring. It was the Royals’ opportunity to cut and run. In a strange turn of December events, they signed Hochevar, with his losing record, for two more years for $10 million. Amazing. Merry Christmas. Luke’s elbow healed. He regained lost strength. He rejoined the Royals in May.

He pitched well in relief. In the postseason, Yost called on him several times. The results were surprising – 10.2 innings without giving up a run. Maybe you saw the expressions when the last out was recorded. Luke Hochevar said of his manager’s faith: “One man’s belief is stronger than a million opinions.� At Tennessee, Luke was a 2005 consensus All-American (Baseball America, Louisville Slugger, Sports Weekly, etc.) and the winner of the Roger Clemens national pitcher of the year award. His 15 victories tied the school record. He set a single-season strikeout record with 154. He led the Vols to the College World Series. Twice the Dodgers draft-

ed him, out of high school and again in ’05. The second time they thought they had a deal. Between a phone agreement and when the Los Angeles scout showed up with a contract, Hochevar changed his mind. He sat out a year in hopes of better numbers. Along came the Royals. They chose Luke ahead of Evan Longoria, Clayton Kershaw, Tim Lincecum and a few hundred others. Together, they have somehow hung in there and weathered the storms. They are the champions. Marvin West invites reader reactions. His address is westwest6@netzero.com

Price to seek legislative seat

An attorney in Juvenile Court is a first-time candidate for elective office. Brandi Price announced her candidacy to oppose state Rep. Martin Daniel as a DemoBrandi Price crat from District 18. “Out of 99 members of the Tennessee House of Representatives, only 12 are women,� she said. More specifically, she supports Gov. Bill Haslam on InsureTN but opposes his efforts to Pellissippi State President Emeritus Allen Edwards, right, presprivatize/outsource state ents a shirt to Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow and Afghan native jobs. Angela Niazmand, who visited campus last week. Photo by Wendy Smith Info: 357-2013, 574612-3854 or votebrandi “If you can dream it, you portunity go to school, work price@gmail.com can do it.� or show our faces because of Afghan women are vic- our sex. But that continues tims of their gender, Ni- to be the reality for women azmand said. While gender around the world and we see provides an opportunity for high school graduates to equality has yet to be fully should never forget it. achieved in the U.S., it’s difOur country has its fair attend community college at ficult for American women share of darkness, and edu- no cost. It’s a rare privilege to imagine a world where cation is our light, too. We that should not be taken for we could be denied the op- are fortunate that Tennes- granted.

Education is a way out of darkness Afghanistan native Angela Niazmand was a good student who dreamed of being a doctor. But her studies were interrupted when the Taliban gained control of her country in 1996. Under their regime, women couldn’t attend school or work. She was married at age 15, a mother at 16 and a widow at 17. She rebelled against the regime by teaching elementary school students, primarily girls, in her basement. Today, Niazmand is a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow. The Fulbright Humphrey Program brings young and mid-career professionals from designated countries to the U.S. for a year of nondegree graduate-level study, leadership development, and professional collaboration. She spoke to students and faculty while visiting Pellissippi State Community College last week. She doesn’t remember a time when there was peace

Wendy Smith

in Afghanistan. The Soviet War and resulting civil wars lasted from 1979 to 1992. But the five-year Taliban regime brought the darkest days for women in the country’s history, she said. In addition to restrictions on work and school, women were required to wear burkas that covered from head to toe. Niazmand was beaten by a stranger in front of her young daughter for wearing sheer socks with her burka. The decision to go back to school was hard, she says. She had to complete her upper grades before attending Kabul University. She graduated in 2006, learned English in 2007 and received a second bachelor’s degree

from American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) in 2013. She was acting registrar at AUAF for 10 years before being named a Humphrey Fellow last year. At the university, she worked to increase the number of female students by chairing the Female Enrollment Task Force. In the future, she hopes to complete a master’s degree and doctorate in higher education with the ultimate goal of becoming a higher education leader in Afghanistan. She thinks she can help her country by encouraging the education of women and children. “I have come to the conclusion that education is the only way out of the darkness,� she said. Her passion has influenced her daughter, who recently completed a bachelor’s degree and plans to go to graduate school. She shared a newspaper interview from a few years ago in which she spoke of her desire to study in the U.S.

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Shopper news • FEBRUARY 17, 2016 • 5

UT brass slow to own up to Hart trouble What’s it going to take for the University of Tennessee’s deciders to admit they’ve got a Dave Hart problem? Did they take a clue from the bombshell lawsuit filed by six unnamed w o m e n – one of whom the a l lege d victim of former UT Dave Hart football players A.J. Johnson and Michael Williams, who were dismissed from the team in 2014 after being charged with rape – which brought UT another dose of unwanted attention last week? The term “rape culture” is pretty much guaranteed to make news, and the story is an unfortunate follow-up to last summer’s news that the feds have included UT among the schools under investigation for violations of Title IX, the law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in educational institutions that receive federal funds. Were they irritated by the bill in the General Assembly aimed at forcing

Betty Bean UT to restore the Lady Vols name to women’s athletics teams? It made a lot of headlines before it was tabled a couple of weeks ago after the two sides worked out a “compromise” that appears to be tilted in favor of the Hart-led abolitionists, but the House sponsor can revive it at any time he chooses, and the session has a long way to go. Did they understand why they had to settle a pay discrimination lawsuit filed by three former employees of the now-defunct Women’s Athletics Department – Jenny Moshak, Heather Mason and Collin Schlosser – for just north of $1 million in January? Have they added that to the $320,000 settlement paid to Debby Jennings, former sports information director for women’s athletics who sued for unlawful discrimination and retaliation when she was forced from her job in 2012? The tab comes to nearly $1.5 million – not

“The Chancellor should issue a communication to all employees of the Athletics Department that threats against a University employee in an effort to impede the exercise of responsibilities related to student disciplinary actions and compliance matters would be a violation of the University’s Code of Conduct and grounds for disciplinary action, including termination of employment.” – Recommendation submitted in 2014 by the law firm hired to investigate the firing of the director of student judicial affairs.

much compared to the cost of buying out a failed football coach – but did it really need to happen? Do they remember Hart telling them he’d met with all the coaches and all the teams and gotten unanimous support for abolishing the Lady Vols name? Isn’t it embarrassing when an event like the softball team’s recent preseason meetand-greet turns into a Save Lady Vols pep rally after the crowd starts chanting “Lady Vols!” and players join fans posing for pictures displaying a “LVFL” (Lady Vol for Life) banner? Do they ever think back to Jenny Wright, the former director of student judicial affairs who was forced out of her job in 2013 amid a

swirl of rumor, allegations and innuendo (much of it administered by fan-boy sportswriters and homer bloggers)? She was cleared of wrongdoing a year later by the law firm UT hired to investigate the matter, but stories about her vindication were far outnumbered by the smears spread about her dismissal. Are they bothered by the allegation that Hart pressured Wright to ease up on athletes, and what do they make of the concluding recommendation in the 28-page Kramer-Rayson report? (See sidebar) If not, when are they going to start wondering how many times Dave Hart’s peed on their legs and told them it’s raining?

Carringer, Fugate show differences Michele Carringer really wants to be on Knox County Commission, but it’s hard for her to clearly say why. And last week, with a chance to appear with her opponents, John Fugate and Laura Kildare, at the Fountain City Business and Professional Association, she claimed a last-minute need to miss the meeting. Kildare, a teacher for Knox County Schools, sent a representative. She’s a candidate for the Democratic nomination, facing Cheri Siler, who has withdrawn from the race. Fugate relished the free exposure to Fountain City’s business community. He’s already racked up endorsements from the News Sentinel and the Knox County Education Association. He was a favorite at the BPA, too, serving as the club’s president and having been on its board for some 10 years.

Sandra Clark

Carringer grew up in Fountain City, the daughter of Jack and Irene McCrary. Her mom served a term as chair of the Knox County Republican Party. Michele and husband Michael Carringer have two children, Christie and Kent, and a granddaughter. Fugate, manager of Commercial Bank in Fountain City, is from a family of educators. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from ETSU. Both candidates appeared on “Inside Tennessee” Sunday morning.

And that’s where the differences showed. Asked about the city and county’s $12 million subsidy to move Regal Cinemas from Halls to South Knoxville, Fugate said he wished Regal would stay in Halls. Carringer called it a good deal for Knox County to have Regal relocate to the waterfront. Fugate firmly supported construction of new middle schools at Gibbs and Hardin Valley, while Carringer said she generally supports community schools but favors a balanced use of capital money to create facilities parity among all schools, whether new construction or renovations. Fugate stressed his business background, while Carringer emphasized her passion for people and service. She has a lengthy list of service on nonprofit boards.

Carringer

Fugate

Voters can hear and meet the candidates at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19, at Sterchi Elementary School. It speaks to the diversity of District 2 that school areas invited include: Belle Morris, Shannondale, Sterchi, Christenberry, Inskip and Fountain City elementary schools; Central and Fulton high schools; Gresham and Whittle Springs middle schools; and Kelley Volunteer Academy, Richard Yoakley Alternative School and the adult high school.

Grant Standefer talks funding Grant Standefer, District 2 candidate for school board, benefited from Michele Carringer’s absence at the Fountain City BPA meeting. John Fugate invited Standefer to take the empty chair. It was a Fugate-like gracious act, but it slighted Standefer’s opponent, Jennifer Owen, who was not invited to the meeting. Standefer had just shown up, but he made the most of the opportunity.

It was interesting to see two guys who obviously didn’t know each other very well discuss issues of funding, school priorities and taxes. Voters got a glimpse of how Fugate and Standefer, both first-time candidates, could work as partners to help residents of District 2. ■ Standefer said after Wednesday’s meeting that he did not solicit the campaign donations of almost

$30,000 as of Jan. 15, that we wrote about last week. “That money just came in,” he said. “I only asked for one donation … from a friend.” Hmmm. Must have been that Laurens Tullock email solicitation we wrote about a couple of weeks back. We raced home and found the email. Sure enough, every “maxed out” donor –$3,000 for a couple – to the campaigns of Buddy

Standefer

Owen

Pelot (Farragut) and Standefer (Fountain City) got Tullock’s email. Guess Buddy’s money “just came in” as well. – S. Clark

government University faces challenges The current legislative session is taking a lot of time for the higher ups at UT Knoxville. Legislators are genuinely unhappy with the university. Some students, faculty and administrators as well as trustees are unhappy with legislators. Some of this is personal. Some is based on policy. Some is based on UT management being tone deaf when it comes to appreciating the role legislators play, and especially the ones from Knoxville. UT won the battle for now over the Lady Vols name change when State Rep. Roger Kane and Sen. Becky Massey withdrew their bill to force a return to the long-standing name. The so-called compromise is just that, “so-called.” UT got its way. The compromise is not much more than a fig leaf. Lady Vol fans, who know the issue, are disappointed. Their feelings will persist for a long time. Prior to the announcement on Feb. 1, there was a three-hour meeting the day before (Sunday afternoon) the session beginning on Monday in Chancellor Jimmy Cheek’s office on campus. It was attended by Massey, Kane, state Rep. Harry Brooks, Anthony Haynes (UT lobbyist and vice chancellor paid $184,000 a year), UT board vice chair Raja Jubran and Cheek. This action followed Gov. Haslam’s chief lobbyist working the Legislature against the bill. Haslam is chair of the board but seldom attends meetings. Trustees were enlisted by UT to call their legislators to oppose it. Word is that David Hart threatened to resign if the repeal bill became law. Kane probably had the votes to pass the bill in the House but Massey may not have had the votes in the Senate Education Committee. Massey and Kane should not be criticized for dropping the legislation but praised for raising the issue in Nashville. They represented their constituents well and fought hard against the odds. Many Lady Vols backers feel Dave Hart is insensitive to women’s issues. He is not from Tennessee and has little understanding of East Tennessee. Many feel he will return to Alabama on retirement. There is evidence to back this up. Hart’s decisions on several female employees have cost the

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Victor Ashe

UT athletic program over $1.5 million in settlement fees for four separate lawsuits dealing with gender discrimination. While UT claims this is not taxpayers’ money, it is still money from gifts not intended to cover bad management decisions with female employees. Clearly Hart does not get the message when it comes to women’s concerns and issues but the board and administration seem unwilling to challenge him. ■ Another piece of bad news for UT is Margie Nichols’ retirement as vice chancellor for communications right after being placed in charge of Nichols the Internet postings from the Office of Diversity, led by the embattled Rickey Hall. This assignment poses all sorts of issues. She actually knows Knoxville and our culture. There is speculation that she has had enough in not being listened to by UT and wanted out. She would not say that nor would management acknowledge it, but the feeling is there. For the record, she says she wants to spend time with her husband, John Gill, who now works only a few days a week at the District Attorney General’s office. Nichols is 62 and Gill is 73. She is expected to stay at UT until May. Furthermore, who will replace her? Will it be someone from Tennessee or will we once again go out of state? This will be a critical decision for UT in terms of how UT is presented to the total community. ■ Justice Scalia: Joan and I recall vividly that Justice Scalia was our last house guest at our Residence in Poland in September 2009 prior to our return to Knoxville. He was there to accept an award from the Polish government. Literally we were packing out during the two nights he stayed with us, but he was a warm and engaging guest with the many Polish jurists he met and he represented the USA well.

6 • FEBRUARY 17, 2016 • NORTH/EAST Shopper news

SENIOR NOTES ■ Carter Senior Center 9040 Asheville Highway 932-2939 Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Offerings include: card games; exercise programs; arts and crafts; movie matinee each Friday; Senior Meals program noon each Wednesday. Veterans Services, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24. Register for: Free iPad/ Tablet class, 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23. Potluck: Comfort and Cozy Casseroles, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24.

Residents Peggy Huber and Meriam Fox greet other residents watching the parade throughout the hallway.

■ Corryton Senior Center

Fat Tuesday

9331 Davis Drive 688-5882 knoxcounty.org/seniors Monday-Friday Hours vary

at Sherrill Hills

Offerings include: exercise classes; card games; billiards; Senior Meals program, 11 a.m. each Friday.

Sherrill Hills maintenance person Dave Peretta pushes a patriotic float with resident R.J. Seale riding in a historical costume, greeting other residents by raising his cane high in the air.

Register for: Main Munch Potluck: Valentines Day Party (Pasta), 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb.18. New exercise class: Strong Core Balance Class, 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23. ■ Larry Cox Senior Center 3109 Ocoee Trail 546-1700 Monday-Friday Hours vary Offerings include: exercise programs; bingo; arts and crafts classes.

By Sara Barrett Sherrill Hills brought New Orleans to its residents Feb. 9 during its second annual Mardi Gras celebration. Residents, their family members and facility staff dressed in their festive best. A colorful parade of handmade floats traveled up and down the main hallway, its arrival announced by a trio of horn players at the front of the line. Float themes included The Little Mermaid, The Kentucky Derby, a pirate ship and a tiki bar. Parade

participants handed beads, masks, candy and other treats to spectators on both sides of the hall. After the parade, residents were treated to Happy Hour with drinks and hors d’oeuvres while a jazz band played on stage. A traditional Cajun dinner was served to top off the event. Plans are already underway for a St. Patrick’s Day party coming up in March. Sherrill Hills is located at 271 Moss Grove Boulevard. Info: sherrillhillsretirement. com

■ John T. O’Connor Senior Center 611 Winona St. 523-1135 knoxseniors.org/oconnor. html Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Offerings include: Card games, billiards, senior fitness, computer classes, bingo, blood pressure checks 10:30-11:30 a.m. MondayFriday. Free tax preparation available 9 a.m. Wednesdays through April 13.

Home Instead Senior Care owner Amy Hull and employees Sherry McDonie, Linda Vineyard, Di- Gentleman Widowers Club members Jim Bergin, Hank Albert xie Morton, Herbanna Dickinson and Delane McCandless hand beaded necklaces to residents and Don Olson dance along behind one of the floats in Sherrill from their parade float. Hills’ Mardi Gras parade. Photos by S. Barrett

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SATURDAYS THROUGH FEB. 27 Sign-ups for spring league baseball and softball for ages 4-14u, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., at Holston Ball Park, 5900 Asheville Highway. League fees: $60. Teams will play at several locations around Knoxville. Info: Julie Townsend, 659-6989; Randy Geames, 5255275.

MONDAYS THROUGH FEB. 29 QED Experimental Comedy Lab, 7:30-9:30 p.m., The Pilot Light, 106 E. Jackson Ave. Free weekly comedy show blending stand-up, improv, sketch and other performance styles. Donations accepted.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17 International Folk Dance Class, 7:30-10 p.m., Claxton Community Center, 1150 Edgemoor Road, Clinton. Info: Paul Taylor, 898-5724; oakridgefolkdancers.org; on Facebook.

WEDNESDAYS, FEB. 17-MARCH 16, 30 Documentary Series: “Years of Living Dangerously,” 7-9 p.m., Narrow Ridge Mac Smith Resource Center, 1936 Liberty Hill Road, Washburn. Viewing first five episodes followed by discussion. Info: Mitzi, 497-2753 or community@narrowridge.org.

THURSDAY, FEB. 18 Plainview 7th District Neighborhood Watch meeting, 7 p.m., Plainview Community Center. Info: 992-5212.

FRIDAY, FEB. 19

League, 5:30-8 p.m., Maynardville Elementary School. Sign-ups available during the event.

SATURDAY, FEB. 20 Family Fun Day, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive. Free and open to the public. Includes art stations, demos, face painting, entertainment and more. Info: knoxart.org. Kitten and cat adoption fair, noon-6 p.m., West Town PetSmart adoption center, 214 Morrell Road. Sponsored by Feral Feline Friends of East Tennessee. Info: www.feralfelinefriends.org. “Probiotic Hoopla” cooking class, 10 a.m.noon, Clinton Physical Therapy Center, 1921 N. Charles G. Seivers Blvd., Clinton. Instructor: Camille Watson, Holistic Health Coach. Cost: $35. Registration deadline: Feb. 17. To prepay: Camille@camillewatson.com. Info: Kelly Lenz, 457-1649. Saturday Stories and Songs: Emagene Reagen, 11 a.m., Fountain City Branch Library, 5300 Stanton Road. Info: 689-2681. Saturday Stories and Songs: Molly Moore, 11 a.m., Powell Branch Library, 330 W. Emory Road. Recommended for birth to not-yet-walking. Info: 947-6210. Sweetheart supper, 4:30-7:30 p.m., Union County High School. Cost: $20/couple; $12/single. Each couple will receive a picture and heart-shaped red velvet cake. Hosted by Women In Action of Mountain View Church of God. Proceeds go to family life center. Youth yard sale, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Central Baptist Church Fountain City, 5364 N. Broadway. Furniture, clothes, electronics and more. Proceeds go to CBCFC renovation efforts.

SUNDAY, FEB. 21

dridge Ave. A musical lecture/concert presented by Dr. Naima Johnston Bush. Info: beckcenter.net, knoxlib.org. Big Read book discussion: “A Lesson Before Dying,” noon, YWCA, 420 Clinch Ave. Hosted by YWCA and Union Ave Booksellers. Bring bag lunch. Facilitated by Avice Reid. Info: ywcaknox.com, knoxlib.org. The Bits ’N Pieces Quilt Guild meeting, 1 p.m., Community Center, Norris. Program: “Favorite Quilting Tips” presented by the members. Visitors and new members welcome. Info: Mary Jane Berry, 494-7841. Computer Workshops: Internet and Email Basics, 2 p.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Requires “Introducing the Computer” or equivalent skills. Info/registration: 525-5431. International Folk Dance Class, 7:30-10 p.m., Claxton Community Center, 1150 Edgemoor Road, Clinton. Info: Paul Taylor, 898-5724; oakridgefolkdancers. org; on Facebook. “Spring Fever Basket” class, 6-9 p.m., Appalachian Arts Craft Center, 2716 Andersonville Highway, Norris. Instructor: Sheri Burns. Registration deadline: Feb. 17. Info/registration: 494-9854; appalachianarts.net.

THURSDAY, FEB. 25 Big Read book discussion: “A Lesson Before Dying,” 5 p.m., Beaumont Elementary, 1211 Beaumont Ave. Dinner followed by discussion. Facilitated by Indya Kincannon. Info: knoxlib.org.

THURSDAY-FRIDAY, FEB. 25-26 AARP Driver Safety class, noon-4 p.m., Halls Senior Center, 4410 Crippen Road. Info/registration: Carolyn Rambo, 382-5822.

FRIDAY, FEB. 26

Silent Meditation, 11 a.m.-noon, Narrow Ridge Mac Smith Resource Center, 1936 Liberty Hill Road, Washburn. Info: Mitzi, 497-2753 or community@ narrowridge.org. Yoga, 9:30-10:45 a.m., Narrow Ridge Mac Smith Resource Center, 1936 Liberty Hill Road, Washburn. Bring yoga/Pilates mat, towel and water. Info: Mitzi, 497-2753 or community@narrowridge.org.

Film Night: “Making of North America: Origins,” 7-9 p.m., Narrow Ridge Mac Smith Resource Center, 1936 Liberty Hill Road, Washburn. Popcorn and hot beverages provided. Info: Mitzi, 497-2753 or community@narrowridge.org.

TUESDAY, FEB. 23

SATURDAY, FEB. 27

Community Leaders Forum, 4 p.m., Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office, 1101 Liberty St. Info: knoxlib.org. Homeschoolers at the Library Part 1: “Fossils in your Backyard” with paleontologist, Stephanie Drumheller, 2 p.m., Halls Branch Library, 4518 E. Emory Road. Registration required. Info/registration: 922-2552.

Ballroom dance, 7-9 p.m., Halls Senior Center, 4405 Crippen Road. Live music by the David Correll Band. Admission: $5. Info: 922-0416. Kitten and cat adoption fair, noon-6 p.m., West Town PetSmart adoption center, 214 Morrell Road. Sponsored by Feral Feline Friends of East Tennessee. Info: www.feralfelinefriends.org. Saturday Stories and Songs: David Blivens, 11 a.m., Powell Branch Library, 330 W. Emory Road. Info: 947-6210. Saturday Stories and Songs: Sarah Rysewyk, 11 a.m., Fountain City Library, 5300 Stanton Road. Info: 689-2681.

Chili supper, 5-7 p.m., Corryton Community Center, 9331 Davis Drive. Tickets: $7; available at the door. Includes: chili, Petros, slaw, drinks, dessert. Take-out Big Read: Spiritual Songs – “The History of the available. Proceeds go to the Seth Cate Fund. Chili dinner fundraiser for Union County Little Negro Spiritual,” 6 p.m., Beck Cultural Center, 1927 Dan-

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24

NORTH/EAST Shopper news • FEBRUARY 17, 2016 • 7

Fairview Baptist: ‘Simply, supernaturally, incredible worship’ By Cindy Taylor The Rev. Jeff LaBorg was a minister long before God called him to Tennessee to pastor a local church. On Feb. 7, LaBorg celebrated one year as senior pastor at Fairview Baptist Church. “We were serving a wonderful and fast-growing congregation in North Carolina when Fairview Baptist contacted us,” he said. “I had never heard of Fairview Baptist but after meeting the pastor search team my heart was deeply moved and my spirit was stirred.” LaBorg said he knew God was up to something that would most likely involve the investment of the rest “When I visited the church for the first time God spoke clearly, putting a love for the people of the church and the community in our hearts. He revealed through His word and the Holy Spirit His vision for the future of His church.”

Kristi and the Rev. Jeff LaBorg Photo submitted

LaBorg says the Lord has given him the heart of a New Testament pastor and the cry of an Old Testament prophet. He says his passion is to be a faithful preacher of the Word of God and a loving pastor to his people. He brings the background and the credentials to be both and more.

LaBorg holds both an associate’s and bachelor’s degrees from Liberty University; a master’s from Liberty Theological Seminary and a doctorate from Immanuel Baptist Seminary. He is completing his second master’s, in advance prophetics, from Louisiana Baptist Theological Seminary and has begun working toward a second doctorate. He and wife Kristi married 24 years ago. They have a son and a daughter who are both following God’s call to specific ministry. Though not an East Tennessee native, LaBorg says he claims the state as his home. “I remind my sheep at Fairview that while I am not from here I got here as fast as I could.” The church is leading a teaching tour this fall to Israel. LaBorg says the tour’s focus is on biblical prophecy, the events surrounding

the rapture of the church and the second coming of Jesus Christ. LaBorg says he sees God moving in a powerful way in his church and the community. He says the growth of the church is creating some wonderful challenges in the areas of parking, seating, facilities and ministry. Members continue to pray and study multiple possibilities for the future and how best to minister to the people and community. “Fairview Baptist is a safe place for people of every walk of life to feel welcome and loved. The worship is simply and supernaturally incredible. God is at work in our midst and the Spirit of the Lord is doing a beautiful thing in the hearts of His people.” Fairview Baptist Church is at 7424 Fairview Road in Gibbs. Info: fairviewbaptist. com or 687-5648

Dean Carroll hears call to Israel By Carolyn Evans He felt God tell him to go to Israel. “The Holy Spirit just spoke to me and said, ‘You’re supposed to go to Israel,’” said Farragut resident Dean Carroll. “I was unsure and didn’t know why or when. That’s what God does. He goes before us and prompts us. We just need to be ready, and he’ll reveal that when he wants to.” Carroll, former owner and president of the family business Coachman Clothiers, said the call came when Dean Carroll poses for a picture after a game of basketball at an Israeli school. Photo submitted was reading his Bible and “The only person I knew the fourth most-recognized when they take a year off praying in the fall of 2014. A few weeks later he was was the director,” said Car- school in Israel. I’ve heard before starting college. He loved working with invited to take someone’s roll. “But when it’s a calling, that when a mom gets pregplace at a missions expo in you know you’re supposed nant, she’ll try to get her the students so much that he to go. unborn child on the waiting went back in September and Georgia. is going again next month. “It was good for me. It list.” At one of the meetings, He says the school has “So many people go over Carroll heard a presenta- made me step out of my comtion and saw a video about fort zone. I was going to a tremendous influence in the and see the sights, but what a ministry in Nazareth. “It country where I’d never been, region, with graduates own- they don’t realize is that Ising businesses, becoming rael is like any other counshowed the school and the with people I didn’t know.” The team worked at Naza- scientists and getting in- try in the Middle East that kids and the history of the school. As soon as I saw the reth Baptist School, started volved in government, even needs the gospel shared,” he said. “Even with all the video, that was it. I knew I by the International Mission running the school. Since students are re- chaos in the world, God is at was supposed to go. I knew Board in the early 1900s. why I was at the confer- Nazareth has the largest quired to learn English (as work.” The last night during population of Muslims in well as Hebrew and Araence.” The speaker announced Israel, said Carroll. Of the bic), he was able to speak in his September trip, he was there would be a trip in Feb- 1,000 students, 75 percent most classrooms, needing a caught in a riot in Nazareth. “Sometimes we see all ruary to work at the school. are Arab Christians and 25 translator only for the lower Carroll went, spending 10 percent are Arab Muslims. grades. He also led worship, this chaos and say ‘Where days with a team of eight Muslim parents sign a re- spoke at chapel, played bas- is God?’ God’s still on the people from all over the lease allowing their students ketball and talked with the throne and is at work. At the Southeast to work with a to go to chapel and take Bible students during lunch and end of the day, God uses the breaks. He talked to gradu- ordinary person for the suministry called “Friends of classes. “The students are quite ating seniors about what pernatural things he wants Nazareth” at a private K-12 smart,” Carroll says. “It’s they’ll do after graduation to do,” said Carroll. school in Israel.

FAITH NOTES ■ First Comforter Church, 5516 Old Tazewell Pike, hosts Mothers At Prayer, noon each Friday. Info: 865-771-7788.

■ West Haven Baptist Church, 5651 Matlock Drive, will host VBS FunShop, a VBS training and networking event, Saturday, March 5. Group Publishing VBS expert will provide hands-on training on

its “Cave Quest VBS.” Registration: group.com/vbsfunshop. Info: Elizabeth, 237-4090. ■ Women In Action of Mountain View Church of God will host its annual “Sweetheart Supper: 4:30-7:30 p.m. Satur-

Celebrating an event? Share your family’s milestones with us! Send announcements to news@ShopperNewsNow.com

day, Feb. 20, at Union County High School. Cost: $20/couple; $12/single. Carryout available. Each couple will receive a picture and heart-shaped Red Velvet cake. Proceeds go to family life center.

faith Stillness Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth. (Psalm 46:10 NRSV) Nothing is often a good thing to do, and always a clever thing to say. (Will Durant) We Christians are good at praying. We have quite a lot to say to God. However, we are not so good at listening. God says, “Be still!” In other words, be quiet, and listen! God wants to hear from us, like any parent. God is pleased when we pray. However, God wants to be in relationship with us, and that relationship is a two-way street. God should not have to do all the listening. We must listen, too. How do we hear the voice of God? Our best source, of course, is the Bible, God’s Word for us. We need to read, study, understand, and take it to heart. One can do that alone, certainly, but it is also profitable to study it with others; our fellow Christians can help us learn and understand. I have immense respect for the Quakers, who know

Cross Currents

Lynn Pitts

how to be silent and listen for the word in worship. As I write, we are waiting for snow. I look forward to the stillness, the hush, the quiet, the cessation of activity that snow brings. I think God smiles when the snow blankets the world and slows us down. I read years ago about the night Niagara Falls froze. The cessation of the roar of the falls created a hush, a silence so loud that it woke the people who lived in the area. So, if it snows, take it as a gift from God, an invitation, as it were, to be still and know that God is God, to spend some time with Him.

Holston Conference UMC plans special weekend By Carol Z. Shane The United Methodist Women of the Holston Conference are gearing up for a very special weekend. On March 12 and 13, they’ll be attending a “Sisters in Service” contemporary worship retreat in Sevierville. The theme is “Service with a Smile: Experiencing Joy in the Midst of the ‘Everyday.’ ” “Happiness is an outside job. Joy is an inside job,” states the brochure for the event. “You probably learned that a long time ago. But there are questions: How do you and I live a life of joy and service when ‘life’ gets in the way? Am I expected to serve God daily when my life seems like a series of cartwheels, trapezes and the balance beam with no net below to catch me when I fall/fail?” Special guest for the weekend will be Beth Green of Kingsport, author of the blog “Life in the ‘Greenhouse.’” A United Methodist minister’s wife, she is known as an inspirational singer, songwriter and comedian. “She plays the guitar and is so flexible in terms of what we want,” says Peggy Dalton, the UMW conference membership nurture and outreach chair.

“We will have a good time. It’s going to be ‘wow!’ ” In addition to inspirational songs and stories, Beth Green there will be “hands-on” time for activities such as making prayer bracelets, shopping or just getting to know new friends. Dalton says that though the event features topics of interest to the young working woman, “it’s intergenerational. We take people from 13 to 103.” According to the brochure, anyone “young and young at heart” will experience “a marvelous time for women of every generation to find joy in the company of each other while hearing from Beth how to experience joy in everyday life.” And “you don’t have to be a Methodist to come,” adds Dalton. Interested women are invited to contact Dalton at hpdalton@musfiber. com or 423-581-4743 “Let’s come together and find out how God expects us to experience joy in everyday life,” says the brochure. “It can happen!”

kids

8 • FEBRUARY 17, 2016 • NORTH/EAST Shopper news

Holston show choir heads to Disney The Holston Middle School Kids in America show choir is heading to Florida. The group will travel to Disney Springs to perform in the outdoor amphitheater. The trip is a special one to director Natalee Elkins because she performed at (then) Downtown Disney in 1989. She holds fond memories of the trip and works hard to provide the same great experience for her students.

Ruth White

Taylor Branson assists choir member Jordan Reiling with a costume during rehearsals at Holston Middle School.

The group will entertain the crowd in Disney with musical numbers and jazzy choreography, performing several numbers especially for the trip and trying out some of the numbers from the upcoming production of “The Lion King Jr.,� which they will open at Holston on March 31. Students have logged many long hours already working on the show and the Disney performance, spending several days a week after school learning songs, lines and dance

Georgia Neubert, Katelyn Mundt and Jaklin Rutter rehearse a dance number for the upcoming show at Disney Springs. Photos by R. White moves. Members auditioned for “The Lion King� before school let out for Christmas break and have been memorizing lines and making each character their own. As the performance dates get closer, Elkins will have the group stay after school almost every day to ensure the best shows for everyone.

By Sara Barrett

A family day of art

Makenna Phillips has seen firsthand what a difference a positive affirmation can make in personal outlook. Photos submitted

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the school auditorium with laughter from a very talented cast of characters. As Elkins has said, “Who doesn’t love a good Disney play?� Mark your calendars now for March 21 through April 2 and expect nothing less than a spectacular performance from some very talented middle school students.

Making a PACT to stay positive

Family Fun Day at the Knoxville Museum of Art is fun for all ages. Photo submitted

The Knoxville Museum of Art’s Family Fun Day will be held 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, for all ages. Festivities will include art-making stations, artist demonstrations, face painting, continuous live entertainment, magic shows and gallery tours. Snacks will be available for purchase from the Soup Kitchen. All art activities will relate to the “Knoxville 7� exhibit currently on display. The ongoing exhibition focuses on a group of progressive artists who influenced East Tennessee’s arts scene from 1955-1965. Admission to Family Fun Day is free, and family members of all ages are encouraged to come along. Info: knoxart.org

Thanks to the help of Taylor Branson, choreographer Daniel Lineberger and many parents, Elkins and her talented youngsters have made a name for themselves for providing an entertaining show year after year. In the past, the group has put on “Aladdin Jr.� and “Shrek Jr.,� both which filled

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Makenna Phillips has learned to stay positive through adversity. Her mom is a two-time cancer survivor, and her grandmother is a survivor currently undergoing treatment for her second diagnosis. Both of her paternal grandparents died of cancer. “I realized that my family was a little different in the way they cope with a cancer diagnosis the second time my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer,â€? said Phillips. “I was worried about my mom, but she stayed so upbeat about her life. She taught me that we define ourselves as human beings,â€? she continued. “Cancer is a disease no different than any other disease; it doesn’t define who we are. She expected to keep on living life and making plans and having dreams whether the cure came or not.â€? This past summer, the Hardin Valley Academy junior started Positive Affirmations for Cancer Treatment (PACT). The program helps patients find the personal affirmations that work best for them. “When people feel less than human due to stigma and are not voicing their needs, resources are not given to them,â€? she said. “Life must be more than a ‘fight until the cure comes’ for it to feel worth living, and those diagnosed with cancer deserve the emotional wellbeing to live with some normalcy as we wait for a cure. It is time that people are allowed to normalize their cancer experience so they can enjoy a better quality of life.â€? After starting a successful custom party supply business, Phillips was familiar with the stress of building from the ground up. She also knew good publicity could help spread the word. Phillips had some pageant experience and knew the Miss Volunteer’s Outstanding Teen pageant required a platform to promote, so she entered the competition and was crowned the local title holder in November. She competes for the state title March 5 in Jackson and then on to the national level if she wins. “I felt being a titleholder would open doors for my project ‌ my dream definitely goes beyond Tennessee,â€? said Phillips.

“I’m only one person but I’ve been an ambassador for a couple of organizations and I know how the ambassador system works. It’s my dream to someday train ambassadors to go out and do what I’m doing – teaching community workshops about the healing power of affirmations,â€? she said. After hosting a workshop on the subject, the overwhelmingly positive feedback reinforced her decision to launch PACT. “I prefer that my workshops are free especially for the cancer community because they have enough expenses to worry about,â€? she said. As for Phillips’ favorite affirmation for herself, she says it changes daily. “Life constantly changes ‌ my affirmation this morning is, ‘What serves me stays, what discourages me goes.’ There is a fine line between negative feedback and critical feedback. Negative I let go. Critical I take to heart and strive to improve.â€? Phillips will host a “Power Tâ€? tea party fundraiser for PACT from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, at Barrington Clubhouse in Powell. Refreshments will be served and a raffle will be held. “It will be the perfect girls’ afternoon or a mom and daughter date,â€? said Phillips. She will also do a short presentation about the technique of using positive affirmations. Tickets to the tea are $15 (children 12 and under are free). Proceeds will help cover expenses including mini mint “PACTS,â€? small packs of candy Phillips distributes with positive affirmations printed on them. A portion will also be donated to Children’s Miracle Network. “It’s not magic, it’s science,â€? she said of finding the perfect affirmation. “Our subconscious mind stores what our past experiences and other people put there. Using positive affirmations is a way to put healthy messages in our minds ourselves. When we do that, we are better able to manage emotions in a healthy way. “I can’t give someone the affirmation that is right for them, but I can show them how to identify gaps in their life balance and create an affirmation to fill that gap.â€? Info: healingpact.com or mphillips545@gmail.com

Shopper news • FEBRUARY 17, 2016 • 9

Jennifer Higdon: Hometown By Carol Z. Shane In 1982, as a young pianist fresh out of grad school living in Maryville, I got a call from a Heritage High School s e n i o r wanting to know if I’d accompany her flute recital. S h e ’ d Higdon taught herself the instrument, starting in her freshman year. “And she’s already playing Bach sonatas?” I thought, looking over the program. It was clear that this was no ordinary music student. She’d also programmed an original composition – a solo flute piece called “Night Creatures.” I liked it so much that I asked for a copy of the sheet music. I also hung on to the program, fortunately. The young musician, who has since gone way beyond playing flute recitals, was Jennifer Hig-

don – now one of the world’s most acclaimed living composers. Her violin concerto won the Pulitzer Prize in 2010 –the same year her percussion concerto won a Grammy. She’s received awards from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Koussevitzky Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and ASCAP, among others. In August of 2015, her opera, “Cold Mountain,” based on the book by Charles Frazier, was premiered to all-sold-out performances in Santa Fe, N.M. This month marks its East Coast premiere in Philadelphia, where Higdon has lived and worked for the last 30 years. I was thrilled to be at the Feb. 5 opening night at the Philadelphia Academy of Music. Higdon is the type of person who maintains warm relationships with her old friends, and you’d never know there was a genius in the room unless someone pointed her out. “This is go-

ing to be soooo cool!” she texted earlier in the week. It was a heady night and a real triumph for Higdon in many ways. As a 20-something student working on her Artist Diploma in Composition at that city’s Curtis Institute, she marched to her own drummer. Not everyone “got” her music, and not everyone encouraged her. Now she holds the Milton L. Rock Chair in Composition Studies there. “Cold Mountain” has created a buzz in the opera world and earned the blessing of Charles Frazier himself, who was also at the Philadelphia premiere. She has her own publishing company, run by her wife, Cheryl Lawson, who’s been by her side since high school. Higdon makes her living from commissions. Everyone, it seems, wants to perform her music. And this week, when the KSO performs her 1999 composition “Blue Cathe-

genius

dral” under the baton of conductor candidate Eckart Preu, she’ll be here. Also on the program are Richard Strauss’ virtuosic tone poem “Don Juan,” the “Piano Concerto No. 20” by Mozart performed by guest artist Alan Goldstein, and selections from the ballet “Romeo and Juliet” by Sergei Prokofiev. But the star of the evening for me will be our hometown gal, Jennifer Higdon. And she’ll undoubtedly be sporting her famous smile and having a great time with everyone. Because that’s just the way she is. The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra presents “Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20,” part of the Moxley Carmichael Masterworks Series, at 7:30 p.m. this Thursday and Friday, Feb. 18 and 19, at the Tennessee Theatre on Gay Street in downtown Knoxville. Tickets/info: knoxvillesymphony.com or 523-1178

‘Son of Saul’ searches for hope By Betsy Pickle Redemption is no simple matter in “Son of Saul.” In a world defined by evil, the protagonist has been an accomplice to some of the vilest acts imaginable – not by choice, exactly, but as the price for survival. When he sees the chance to atone, he takes it, seemingly not by choice, either, but out of obsession. Oscar-nominated for Best Foreign-Language Film, this intense Hungarian drama is set in 1944 at the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp, where Jews and other targets of Nazi contempt are being brought for extermination. Shepherding them to the gas chambers are the Sonderkommandos, Jewish prisoners kept alive to load the bodies into the ovens of the crematoria, gather and sort personal effects and clean the blood out of the “showers” so the next group won’t panic prematurely. Numbly moving through the madness is Saul Auslander (Geza Rohrig), a Hungarian Sonderkommando surrounded by men of other nationalities. Speaking only Hungarian and a smattering of German, Saul is – as his name Auslander translates – a foreigner, an outsider. As the men remove the corpses after one gassing, they find a boy who has survived, though not for long. He was with a group from Hungary, and seeing him breaks Saul out of his usual fog. When the body is ordered to the autopsy room so a doctor can assess why

bers. He also based some of the plot on the same source material as was used for director Tim Blake Nelson’s 2001 film “The Grey Zone,” which focused more on the doctor and the insurrection. As with “The Grey Zone,” “Son of Saul” looks for a glimmer of decency amid the horrors of the Holocaust, a small act of humanity in the face of overwhelming evil. Though the approaches are radically different, they Saul (Geza Rohrig) puts aside his safety and that of other mem- are both gripping films that bers of the Sonderkommando in Auschwitz-Birkenau as he make powerful bookends. “Son of Saul” lets viewers single-mindedly pursues a sort of redemption in “Son of Saul,” resolve the issue of whether opening Friday at Downtown West. the boy is in fact the son of Saul or just a symbol of the boy didn’t die from the stand, making viewers feel hope. It really doesn’t matgas, Saul begs the doctor as helpless and paranoid as ter. The connection Saul makes and the journey it (Sandor Zsoter) not to cut he does. him open. First-time director Lasz- starts is the human factor Claiming the boy as his lo Nemes, who co-wrote that Nemes counts on to son, Saul wants to bury him the script with Ciara Royer, cross cultural and language according to Jewish custom. was inspired by the book barriers. Rated R for disturbing His frantic search to find a “The Scrolls of Auschwitz,” rabbi to say Kaddish coin- a collection of testimonies violent content, and some cides with the Germans’ by Sonderkommando mem- graphic nudity. acceleration of extermination efforts and plans for a rebellion by members of the Sonderkommando. Shot with shallow depth of field by cinematographer Matyas Erdely, the film stays with Saul almost exclusively, seeing what he sees – the endless piles of bodies, the cruelty and casualness of the German officers, the warped pecking order of the Sonderkommando. It also hears what he hears – the Babel of voices, the bark of gunshots, the screams of prisoners. The U.S. track star Jesse Owens (Stephan James) thwarts Hitler’s film has subtitles for Hun- propaganda machine at the 1936 Olympics in “Race,” opengarian but not for any dia- ing Friday. With Jason Sudeikis, Jeremy Irons and William Hurt. logue Saul doesn’t under- Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and language.

Telling Jesse Owens’ story

Rescued and waiting for a home!

weekender KSO gets Getty grant The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra is one of 22 American orchestras selected by the League of American Orchestras to receive a Getty Education and Community Investment Grant. The $20,000 gift will continue development of the orchestra’s Music & Wellness program. “The Getty Grant has allowed the KSO to hire a certified music therapist, has increased technology to better accommodate patients, has allowed KSO musicians to become certified music practitioners through specialized training and this year will expand the program to serve patients with mental health and orthopedic needs,” said Rachel Ford, KSO executive director. The KSO Music & Wellness program provides live musical performances that enhance the healing process and benefit patients, visitors and staff in healthcare settings. The KSO partners with the UT Medical Center and Covenant Health, providing 100 performances in health care settings each season, reaching approximately 3,600 people.

‘Titus Andronicus’ is masterful By Sandra Clark UT’s Clarence Brown Theatre has delivered a production of “Titus Andronicus” that makes us proud. Shows continue through Feb. 28 for this must-see experience. Director John Stipes says the play’s central idea is that when justice and rule of law are subverted by a pursuit of revenge, individuals are capable of unspeakable violence. “Even the most principled and civilized man (like Titus) can become barbaric.” Kurt Rhoads, visiting professional actor, carries the title role with a blend of pathos and bravado. He’s violent and even cruel in carrying out what he believes are the duties of a good Roman, while the Rome he has known and fought for has eroded in his absence. Adding to the general depravity of his homeland, Titus Andronicus brings home five captives including Tamora, queen of the Goths, her three sons and Aaron, her Moorish lover. These barbarians play by different rules – no rules – and Aaron is the most evil of all. As he brags at the play’s end, his hand was present in every evil deed. And there were plenty: you have murder, rape and beheading; you have chesthigh burial until starvation and bodies thrown to the angry beasts; you have tongues ripped out and hands chopped off; and there’s even a bit of cannibalism. With only two real roles for women, Broadway actor Carol Halstead (Tamora) and UT grad student Lindsay Nance (Lavinia) provide unforgettable performances. My favorite character is Charles Pasternak, the Emperor Saturninus, who plays Ted Cruz to a “T.”

Kurt Rhoads

Pasternak has the bird-like beak and all the zany emotions and self righteousness you could want.

For those who can overcome his recent role as the demented elf in “Santaland,” the crowd favorite was professor David Brian Alley, who plays Titus’ only survivor – and that’s saying a lot for a guy with 25 or so kids – and the final emperor of Rome. It’s a new day ... or is it? And that’s what’s neat about Shakespeare. Sure, the clothes are different. The haircuts are odd. The language is often stilted. But the sharp characters he draws are with us today even as they existed 400 years ago. The play is a downer, but the players prevailed to earn a standing ovation on Saturday. Here’s a final shout out to the behind-the-scenes creative team of Bill Black (costume design), Kenton Yeager (lighting), Joe Payne (sound), Tannis Kappel (projection/media) and Christopher Pickart (scenic design). The stark set was perfect. Shows continue through Feb. 28 with a “talk-back” with actors on Sunday, Feb. 21, following the 2 p.m. matinee. The open-captioned performance is Sunday, Feb. 28, again at 2. The production is for mature audiences (although a neat kid, Jonathan Tilson, played young Lucius). You’ve got to bring along the kids, after all, for how else can you teach them family values? And this play is surely full of those.

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10 • FEBRUARY 17, 2016 • Shopper news

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