NORTH / EAST VOL. 2 NO. 20
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IN THIS ISSUE
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Read Victor Ashe on page 4
Mattress Place is on the ‘grow’ In an iffy economy when many small businesses have closed, Steve Grossbard and Danny Phillips are not only going strong, but they continue to grow. Grossbard and Phillips have been partners since 1986. They met while working for a waterbed company. Business was booming for years. Then the waterbed industry “collapsed” overnight, according to Grossbard.
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Read Nancy Whittaker on page 7
Vestival: All a festival should be The 14th edition of Vestival was full of music and art – just the way it was supposed to be. While the May 10 festival got off to a soggy start (like last year), the sun came out and turned the day bright and beautiful. Music filled the air in every direction, thanks to performers of all ages and genres.
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‘A brand-new opportunity’ Haslam inks Tennessee Promise at Fulton High By Betty Bean Fulton High School rising junior Thalia Reyna wants to be a veterinarian. She was on the stage last Thursday and smiled broadly when Gov. Bill Haslam signed the legislation that will make Tennessee Promise a reality. Although she plans to go to a four-year college, she believes Tennessee Promise could benefit her. Thalia Reyna “I think it’s a great honor and opportunity for those who don’t have enough money to go to college,” she said. “My mom and dad, the highest they got in school was 10th grade. I want to become the first person in my family to go to college and graduate. I want to make them proud.” Haslam, who said he was awaiting news of the birth of a grandson, was enthusiastic about the message he was delivering: “If you graduate from high school and work with a mentor and do eight hours of community service, we’re going to promise you two years of college, absolutely free. We look forward to all of you taking advantage of a brandnew opportunity.” Starting in 2015, Tennessee Promise commits the state to provide two years of commu-
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Art on Main Libby Morgan is all over the upcoming Art on Main promotion in Union Coun ty. It will draw storytellers, singers, great cooks and a farmers market. See Libby’s update online in the Union County Shopper.
7049 Maynardville Pike 37918 (865) 922-4136 NEWS news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sandra Clark | Betsy Pickle ADVERTISING SALES ads@ShopperNewsNow.com Shannon Carey Jim Brannon | Tony Cranmore Brandi Davis | Patty Fecco
nity college or technical school, tuition-free, to high school graduates who agree to work with a mentor, complete eight hours of community service and maintain a 2.0 GPA. Once they graduate, students who choose to attend a four-year school can transfer and start as juniors, thus cutting the cost of a four-year degree in half. Fulton students Devin Cullom, Simmone Smith, Adam Diggs and Makaley Black (all rising seniors except for Devin, who is a sophomore and wants to become a bionuclear engineer), were also onstage for the ceremonial signing. Each said they are glad this bill became law. “I think it’s a great thing for helping students who are going to community colleges,” Devin said. “My sister just graduated from Pellissippi a few weeks ago and still has to pay off her student loans.” Simmone, who plans to be a photojournalist, couldn’t contain her excitement: “I’m just blessed that the governor chose this school to do the signing.” “Grateful,” said Makaley Black. “I know college isn’t cheap, but everybody deserves a chance to succeed and achieve their dreams.” She had planned to enroll in a four-year college, but is now reconsidering her options. Adam Diggs said Tennessee Promise will
give kids who aren’t quite ready for a four-year college a chance to get started. “It’ll give them an opportunity to get their feet under them.” Karns Middle School seventh-grader Christian Copelan came along with his mom, school public information officer Melissa Ogden. He thinks Tennessee Promise is going to be a good thing: “It’s going to help people who don’t have enough money for college,” he said. Fulton principal Rob Speas warmed the audience up, reminding the students of the many CTE opportunities available to them at the school and the salaries these trades pay. “Your future is right now,” he said. “The decisions you make today can change your life’s direction and your family’s life direction.” Tennessee Promise is part of Haslam’s “Drive to 55” initiative aimed at increasing the number of Tennesseans with a certificate or degree beyond high school to 55 percent from today’s 32 percent level by the year 2025. Its $34 million price tag will be funded by $300 million in lottery reserves and will reduce Hope lottery scholarships for freshmen and sophomores at four-year universities to $3,000 from the current level of $4,000. Junior and senior year scholarships will be increased to $5,000.
Lauren Kitts is heir to family tradition By Betty Bean
Read Betsy Pickle on page 3
SHOPPER ONLINE
May 19, 2014
Gov. Bill Haslam celebrates with Fulton High School students Simmone Smith (left) and Devin Cullom.
Johnson on glide path to re-election
If anyone is on a glide path to easy reelection it seems to be state Rep. Gloria Johnson, who squeaked out a 299-vote win 18 months ago to win a seat in the House of Representatives. It was a district Mitt Romney carried by 1,100 votes, but several Romney voters pushed the button for Johnson, who has become one of the most popular legislators among Democrats and least popular among Republicans (who control the House by a 71 to 28 margin.)
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Lauren Kitts did a good job of hanging onto her composure the first few minutes after she was declared the winner of the CTE goes Live, the talent show featuring vocalists from every high school in Knox County. Sure, she shed a couple of tears when her name was called – who could blame the Powell High School junior for being overwhelmed at having prevailed over tough competition in the biggest talent contest of the year? But she pulled herself together when MC Jack Ryan summoned her up on the Market Square stage and asked her to sing an encore. She belted out the first few lines of “I Will Always Love You” (the Whitney Houston version, not the Dolly Parton one) without a hitch. And then she saw her daddy. “I’d gotten my composure back until I looked down and saw him, and I started crying again. He was laughing and crying – he said he felt like he’d won it himself. And Mama? She was just filled with
joy. I just lost it.” The contest was on the night of her 17th birthday. Offstage, Lauren is a little bashful, but singing comes as naturally to her as breathing. In fact, it runs in the family. She is the daughter of gospel singers Michael and Delilah Kitts, AKA Michael and Delilah, the Sonny and Cher of gospel music (because of Michael’s diminutive stature). She’s been joining them onstage for several years, and hopes to jumpstart her career as soon as she graduates next year. Winning a trip to Nashville to record a song at Nash10 Studios won’t dampen her plans a bit. Music runs in the veins of the Kitts family, a super-sized clan out of Luttrell that is closely related to the equally musical Hunley and Brewer families. Con Hunley is a cousin. Mike Kitts, who began performing with area bands at the age of 12, is one of 12 children of longtime Union County school board member Samuel “Runt”
Lauren Kitts, CTE goes Live winner Kitts and Leita Rose Kitts, who sang at churches all over Union County. “Daddy was the youngest of 12, Mamaw Brewer was the oldest of 14 and Papaw Runt was the oldest of 11,” Lauren said. “I’m from a really big family with tons of cousins. My
mom’s from Kingsport and was an only child. Daddy says he had to go all the way to Kingsport to get out of marrying a cousin.” A member of the Powell High School Singers and the Concert To page 3
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2 • MAY 19, 2014 • Shopper news
health & lifestyles
Second opinion gives Tellico man right treatment About three years ago, Kim Frasch of Tellico, now 65, had pain in both of his calves. Over time, it moved upward and became more intense. “As it got worse, it went into my thighs and glutes. And finally I began to lean to the left as an involuntary effort to gain some relief,” Frasch said. “My wife was worried I couldn’t stand up straight. I had sharp, stabbing pains in my legs, and standing was intolerable. I could only walk for a short period of time.” Frasch had spinal stenosis, a fairly common condition in which the spinal canal narrows. The bones of the vertebrae compress the spine and surrounding nerves, typically in the lower back. This creates pain, numbness and weakness in the legs and feet. Spinal stenosis typically comes on slowly and gets worse over time, most often affecting people over the age of 50. “Apparently, I had it for years. This is a very slow process,” said Frasch. “They said I’d had it for years and years, but it just never manifested itself.” Frasch is a business consultant in the medical field, so he did plenty of Internet research about the condition to find an area physician who could help him. Frasch consulted one surgeon, but didn’t quite feel comfortable. He then went for a second opinion to Dr. Patrick Bolt of Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. He liked what he experienced. “The people are upbeat and work well together there,” Frasch said. “I have visited practices and other health care entities all over the country. I can walk into a business and tell if it is working well or needs better management. It’s one thing to entrust your care to the surgeon, but
niques, making four smaller incisions instead of one larger one. As soon as he woke up, Mr. Frasch said he immediately felt relief. “I came out of surgery after five hours, and they said, ‘Would you like to get up?’ And I said, ‘You bet.’ I got up and walked, and I was literally freely stepping, no leg pain whatsoever, tears of joy running down my face!” Frasch said he was home in two days and has walked every day since then for therapy. “Today I’m wearing my brace, and yes, I do have site pain, but it’s not such that I need to take any medication for it.” Frasch said he would recommend Dr. Bolt, Fort Sanders and their support staff to anyone facing back surgery. “You’ve got to do the work, but if you do it, your results can be stellar. I gave my caregivers five stars,” Frasch said of Fort Sanders. “When I pushed my button Kim Frasch of Tellico suffered spinal stenosis before finding relief from his pain thanks to a proand needed something, I got it, from the cedure by Dr. Patrick Bolt at Fort Sanders Regional Medica l Center. day I arrived right through discharge.” “This is what we’re striving for in his staff has to be happy and supportive. vertebrae, and then fused the two togeth- health care in this country, and I can’t say I’m very happy to say Dr. Bolt was the er using a bone graft and screws. Dr. Bolt enough good about Dr. Bolt’s team. I was did all that with minimally invasive tech- cared for properly. I got my life back.” right choice.” At first, Dr. Bolt recommended the first-line treatments of physical therapy and steroid injections on Mr. Frasch, but those gave little relief from the pain. At that point, Dr. Bolt recommended the only permanent solution – surgery to widen and stabilize the spinal canal. Frasch underwent corrective spine surgery at Fort Sanders Regional on ■ Stop smoking. Not only is the nicotine bad for your spine, but if you March 11. have back surgery, smoking also makes it more difficult to recover. During the procedure, Dr. Bolt removed arthritis and bone spurs from in■ Maintain a healthy weight. side Mr. Frasch’s fourth and fifth lumbar
Tips for better spine health
When is back surgery right for you? Spinal stenosis is one of the most common causes of severe back and leg pain, and also one of the most effectively treated conditions with surgery. Stenosis means “narrowing,” and it’s when the bones of the spinal column narrow from arthritis, bone spurs or other diseases. The bones then press on the spinal column or surrounding nerves, causing pain. “This is probably one of the most common surgeries that I do; it’s a very common problem. Stenosis manifests itself as back and leg pain that gets worse with walking. It’s relieved by sitting,” explained Dr. Patrick Bolt, an orthopedic surgeon at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. While medication and physical therapy can ease the symptoms of stenosis and instability, the only permanent fix is surgery to widen the spinal canal space and stabilize misaligned vertebrae together. While most people don’t relish the idea of spinal surgery, Dr. Bolt said modern, minimally invasive techniques offer the chance for an otherwise healthy patient to be up and walking again quickly. Minimally invasive surgery involves several small incisions instead of one larger one, with computer-assisted imaging and microscopes used during surgery. The incisions are so small that most otherwise healthy patients can go home in about three days, Bolt said. What’s more, the pain of recovering from surgery is typically less than the pain of spinal stenosis. “I think the public has a negative view
■ Stay active and exercise every day. The couch is the worst place for your back.
■ Walk 30 minutes a day. It reduces chronic low back pain over time.
Upcoming ‘Covenant Presents’ highlights hip fracture care
Dr. Patrick Bolt of spinal surgery, but much of that is from techniques that were used in the past,” said Bolt. “Today there are many conditions that surgery can be very beneficial for, such as spinal stenosis. Minimally invasive techniques can accomplish the goal with smaller incisions and a quicker recovery for the patient. You can have a great outcome.” For more information about spinal procedures at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, call 865-673-FORT (3678).
Once a month, a group of senior adults gathers at the Frank R. Strang Senior Center in West Knoxville to learn information about a variety of health and lifestyle topics called “Covenant Presents.” Covenant Health includes ten hospitals, employs thousands of medical professionals and is affiliated with more than 1,300 of the region’s elite physicians of many different specialties. The program connects medical professionals with local seniors to present health and lifestyle topics of inter est to the group. It costs $5 to attend, is open to the public, and lunch is provided. On Wednesday, May 28, Dr. Paul Yau, orthopedic surgeon at the Hip Fracture Center at Fort Sanders Regional, will talk about hip fractures. The Hip Fracture Center incorporates “best practice” guidelines and has a team of experts to get patients back on their feet. For more information about “Covenant Presents,” or about the Dr. Paul Yau pro grams and services of Covenant Health, call 865-541-4500.
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NORTH/EAST Shopper news • MAY 19, 2014 • 3
Good vibrations
at Vestival
The 14th edition of Vestival was full of music and art – just the way it was supposed to be. While the May 10 festival got off to a soggy start (like last year), the sun came out and turned the day bright and beautiful. Music filled the air in every direction, thanks to performers of all ages and genres. Youngsters were thrilled to watch the members of Dragonfly Aerial Arts defy gravity. Food booths and trucks sent delectable aromas across the grounds of Candoro Marble. Plants, crafts and knickknacks were offered for sale at numerous booths. It looked as though an equal number of booths were promoting various causes. The South Knoxville Alliance had business on its mind, while the South of the River Democrats, the Green Party, Jobs With Justice and others were advancing political points of view, all with a friendly attitude. Tents offered protection from the rain and sun, along with chairs for folks to sit and eat while watching performers on the main stage. It was a perfect, laidback spring day that showed off some of South Knox’s finest. ■
Betsy Pickle
Knox County Health Department – continuing his rounds of SoKno community groups – came to talk about his mapping project, which will highlight amenities of Knox neighborhoods. He also reported on a return visit of representatives of the Public Places Project, who came last fall to help Vestal residents assess priorities for neighborhood projects. Their advice in their follow-up visit was to go after things that could be done quickly and cheaply for maximum impact. Eric Johnson spoke about the new Beacon of Hope ministry starting at Vestal United Methodist Church. Part of the ministry involves encouraging participants to do community service, so there’s potential for the VCO to become a partner with Beacon of Hope.
Oona Morris models an impressive balloon headdress while listening to her father (RB Morris) perform at VestiEsme Shaver, 5, studies the work-in-progress by her brother, Archer, 6, at the art area set up at val. the Green Party tent. ■
Trunk show, senior style
The South Knox Senior Center’s “Trunk to Treasure” show is 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Friday, May 23, at the center, 6729 Martel Lane. The rain date is Friday, May 30. Anyone who has participated in the center’s music program – as a performer or a listener – is invited to the Musician Appreciation lunch at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 22. County Commissioner Mike Brown will be grilling hot dogs. Bring a covered dish to share.
RB Morris is joined onstage by Greg Horne, left, and Daniel Kimbro. Photos by Betsy Pickle
VCO gets busy
The atmosphere was equally friendly, but the vibe was much more businesslike at last week’s Vestal Community Organization meeting. President Newman Seay kept the group focused on a couple of key subjects. Gene Burr reported that the group is on track to achieve upgrades at Mary Vestal Park that will be reimbursed by a challenge grant. The VCO has pledged to make improvements to two bridges at the park to make them more user-friendly. Volunteers will be needed for a big painting party before the end of May. Andy Wallace, at center sharing scissors with Mayor Madeline Rogero, is surrounded by his family: sister Susan Wallace, her daughters SaraBeth and Lily Duncan, Ben Epperson from the his son Zac, father Paul Wallace, wife Lori Wallace, mother Patti Wallace and son Caleb.
Born and raised in Knox County A native son of South Knoxville, I love Knox County for its beautiful mountains, great fishing and hardworking people. Knox County is my home, and I will never stop fighting for it. Gov. Bill Haslam acknowledges an old friend, Fulton High cheer coach Kimberly Pratt, while celebrating Tennessee Promise with school board members Doug Harris (at left), Lynne Fugate (at right) and Pam Trainor (in yellow).
Lauren Kitts Choir (her cousin Caleb Brewer is also a member of the choir), Lauren is generally classified a “second soprano,” but considers herself an alto. In addition to Whitney Houston, she likes R&B, ’70s music, Aretha Franklin, Etta James and Phoebe Snow. She says sometimes people compare her voice to that of Adele. “I don’t see that one, though.” Her mom says she inherited her prodigious pipes from her father. “I’ve been singing since I was 2,” Lauren said. “My mom remembers me jumping up and down and singing, ‘Man, I feel like a woman.’ My mother’s a soprano and a great singer. It’s kind
From page 1 of hard to describe my daddy, honestly. He can sing anything he wants, and he can’t go anywhere without seeing somebody he knows.” ■
CTE goes Live
Contestants in CTE goes Live were winners of school events, and participated in photo shoots, radio interviews, choreography and dress rehearsals. The audience was able to vote by “liking” the contestants on the CTE goes Live Facebook page during the event. “Likes” counted for 10 percent. The celebrity judges accounted for the remaining 90 percent and included Anthony Bell of Bell Properties &
Razer Media; Ted Hall, news anchor with WVLT TV; John Wright, Coca-Cola; Carla Munger, vice president at Pinnacle Bank; and Andrew Carlton, Nash10 Studios. Jack Ryan with Merle FM 96.7 hosted the event and Tracey LaBelle-Speeks, with Stellar Vision & Sound, cohosted. Career Technical Education students got handson experience in design/ production of promotional posters and flyers, photography, stage construction, cosmetology (hair and make-up), video production services and production of public service announcements on school-based radio stations WKCS 91.1 FM and Retro Radio.
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government Gloria Johnson: Glide path to re-election Church) for cause.� When asked, Smith denied it and secured a statement from the senior pastor, Dr. Hollie Miller, that said, “Eddie Smith served at Sevier Heights Baptist Church for over 13 years and was ALWAYS one of the most faithful and effective staff members I’ve ever known. Eddie resigned his position simply because God placed a desire in his heart to make a positive difference in the government of Tennessee. The report that Eddie Smith was fired from Sevier Heights is a lie of the ugliest sort.� Score one for Smith in Victor his battle with Emert in Ashe the August GOP primary. He faces a much tougher contest with Johnson in November. Johnson could stumble, but don’t count on it. The district is located ■Republican Marmostly inside the city of tin Daniel, who is opposing Knoxville, stretching from Rep. Steve Hall in the AuAlice Bell to Sequoyah to gust GOP primary, is makSouth Knox County. Johnson has an uncanny ing the Rogero tax hike an issue on his campaign Facesense of public relations book page. “Just remember and has made herself the those automatic pay raises poster child for those who for city employees that the dislike Common Core, City Council left intact. ...� Knox Schools SuperintenIn fairness to Hall, he dent Jim McIntyre and the has opposed tax hikes, but current GOP leadership. it is telling that Daniel feels Team Rogero is strongly it helps him in a Republibehind Johnson with its can legislative primary to political operatives. go after Rogero and her In 2012, she made spending policies. Daniel headlines and gave TV is running in a west and interviews against the northwest Knox district. He closure of Belle Morris feels Hall will only say “me School as a voting pretoo� on opposing Rogero cinct. She received huge and taxes. publicity while her GOP Knox County Mayor Tim opponent remained silent. Burchett is holding the line This established her as a on any tax increase, as is public-relations pro. As for Belle Morris, it is still not a Gov. Bill Haslam. ■Attending the April voting place. 24 fund-raiser for Chief Johnson has been critiJustice Gary Wade’s camcized for not voting at all on some legislation, such as paign to win retention on the Supreme Court at the the constitutional amendPete and Cindi DeBusk ment to ban a state income tax that will be on the ballot home was a who’s who of Republican leaders with a this November. She hosted a fund-raising event May 10 few Democrats. ■Wade is a Democrat in Knoxville for Nashvillian with strong Republican Brandon Puttbrese, who is ties. opposing incumbent state Jim Haslam II, father Sen. Thelma Harper, one of only two African-American of Gov. Haslam, U.S. Rep. Jimmy and Lynn Duncan, Democratic women in the former UT coach Phil Fulstate Senate. Puttbrese is mer, former Gov. Don and white. Harper has served Martha Sundquist, former since 1990. ■The two Republi- Rep. Bill Jenkins, state cans who seek to replace Sen. Doug Overbey, along her have not laid a glove on with Democratic judges her to date while they are Harold Wimberly and Daryl fighting each other. They Fansler, were there. ■The state Supreme are Jason Emert and Eddie Court will choose the next Smith. state attorney general in Emert recently emailed this writer that, “It is unfor- September for an eight-year tunate that (Smith) was ter- term. Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey wants a Republican to be minated from his position chosen. at Sevier Heights (Baptist If anyone is on a glide path to easy reelection it seems to be state Rep. Gloria Johnson, who squeaked out a 299-vote win 18 months ago to win a seat in the House of Representatives. It was a district Mitt Romney carried by 1,100 votes, but several Romney voters pushed the button for Johnson, who has become one of the most popular legislators among Democrats and least popular among Republicans (who control the House by a 71 to 28 margin.)
4 • MAY 19, 2014 • Shopper news
Catching up with the ‘real’ governor Ever hear of Arthur Copeland? You will. He’s about to become the poster boy of Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey’s campaign to unseat three Tennessee Supreme Court justices who are up for a “retention� election (supreme court justices are not elected outright, but the voters are given the opportunity to say whether they should get another eight-year term). Chief Justice Gary Wade, plus justices Sharon Lee and Cornelia Clark all received high marks from the panels empowered to evaluate them, with Wade and Lee receiving perfect scores and Clark getting one “no� vote. If there’s a Democrat Republicans like, it’s Wade, a respected Sevier County lawyer who managed to get himself elected mayor of Sevierville six times despite that county’s bedrock GOP leanings. He’s a personal friend of (and former coowner of the Smokies baseball team with) Gov. Bill Haslam and was appointed to the state Court of Criminal Appeals by Gov. Ned McWherter in 1988 and elevated to the state Supreme
Betty Bean Court by Gov. Phil Bredesen in 2006. (He was also Dolly Parton’s first boyfriend, as per DP herself during an appearance on Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show� in the mid-’80s, during which she mentioned tomfoolery in the back of a pickup truck at the Midway Drive-In Theater, which doesn’t have a thing to do with jurisprudence but sure couldn’t hurt him any.) But back to Arthur Copeland: Think Willie Horton, the one-man crime wave who, while serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder, somehow got eligible for Massachusetts’ prison furlough program and committed rape, armed robbery and assault while enjoying his short-lived freedom, thus becoming the only issue anybody remembers from the 1988 presidential election campaign when Democrat Michael Dukakis
took on George H.W. Bush. Bush’s man Lee Atwater orchestrated a barrage of attack ads featured scarylooking-black-man mug shots. Copeland’s got scarylooking-black-man mug shots, too, from when he was convicted of a 1998 contract killing in Maryville and sentenced to death. Death penalty conviction appeals cases are mandatory (the high court must decide whether the crime was “proportionate� to the penalty), but meanwhile, Copeland’s alleged accomplice’s lawyer Herb Moncier unearthed proof that the state had withheld evidence that its only eyewitness had named a different shooter when first questioned. In 2007, the high court addressed the “proportionality� issue (ruling that the death penalty was warranted), but by the time it got back to Blount County the case was bollixed beyond repair by Moncier’s discovery of prosecutorial misconduct. A special prosecutor came in and cut a deal with Copeland for a seconddegree murder plea and a 14-year sentence. He was
released in 2011 and rearrested in 2013 for the alleged rape of his girlfriend. This charge was dismissed three months later in Knox County. Meanwhile, Ramsey, who likes it when people call him the “real� governor, is running around the state presenting his case against the sitting justices, which not only fits perfectly with the state GOP’s “Red to the Roots� campaign to rid Tennessee of Democratic officeholders but serves as bait to entice big-money 501 (c) (4) “social welfare� organizations like the Koch brothers’ “Americans for Prosperity� into Tennessee, where they have heretofore declined to spread the wealth on the “why buy the cow if the milk is free� principle. It also gives Ramsey an opportunity to screw with a friend of the guy who’s where Ramsey thinks he ought to be – conveniently dismissing the inconvenient fact he got only 22 percent of the primary vote and finished a distant third when he ran for governor. Free advice for Gary Wade: Call Dolly. Ramsey’ll die of envy.
A little budget dissection If you live in Knox County outside the corporate limits of Knoxville and are given to carping about taxes and the cost of county government you should count your blessings. You could be residing within the city’s boundaries where you’d probably find more to complain about.
justment before we make comparisons. Net of the education outlay, the county budget is $281.2 million. Knoxville’s net budget is $284.4 million. A $3 million difference in budgets that combined with schools top out at roughly $1 billion will set off few alarms. As always, there’s more to the story. “PCBE� is not the latest chemical scare associated Larry with hormone-enhanced beef production or your reVan Guilder cycled plastic water bottle. It’s my acronym for “Per Capita Budget Expenditure,� and because I’m writing this column I invented it. According to U.S. CenProposed budgets for sus Bureau estimates, Knox County and the city of 441,132 (mostly) good folks Knoxville were introduced called Knox County home a few weeks ago. Townies in 2012. The city’s estimathave long moaned about ed population for the same “double taxation,� taking a year was 182,200, leaving hit from city and county tax 258,932 county residents property tax assessments. more or less happily “sinLet’s see what some simple gle taxed.� arithmetic tells us about the respective budgets. The county budget for the upcoming fiscal year is a shade over $709 million. This figure is net of interfund transfers. By Sandra Clark The general purpose South Knox Commissionschools budget comprises a er Mike Brown doesn’t have little more than 60 percent a great relationship with the of the total, roughly $428 school board, but that’s getmillion. The city’s budget ting ready to change. Brown does not include schools, is ecstatic about the election so we need to make an ad- of Amber Rountree.
Knox County’s PCBE derived from the proposed net budget is $1,086. Doing the math for the city yields a PCBE of $1,561, or 44 percent per resident greater budgeted expenditure. With such a disparity to account for there should be service expenses borne by the city that don’t burden county residents, and there are, such as firefighting. The Knoxville Fire Department’s proposed budget comes in at $39,976,440. Subtracting that from the city’s net budget of $284.4 million lowers Knoxville’s PCBE to $1,342, still exceeding the county’s comparable expenditure by 24 percent. The divergent philosophies of Mayor Rogero and Mayor Burchett come into play of course, with more or less emphasis and costs for green initiatives, economic development, infrastructure, and cultural and rec-
reational projects. But let’s wrap up with a quick peek at the general funds. The general fund is where the action is. For Knox County, the general fund budget is $164.3 million. The city tops that at $200.5 million, notably including $56.3 million for police protection compared to $77.5 million for the county. But the sheriff’s budget includes 1,009 patrol and jailer slots versus 516 in the city. Cost per officer is roughly $32,000 more in the city. (No rank and file police officer is overpaid, however.) The general fund budgets cover salary and benefits for 1,719 full-time employees in Knox County and 1,377 in the city. Per employee that breaks out to about $164,000 in the county and $207,000 in the city. Are some folks overpaid? Underpaid? Read the budgets. After all, it’s your money.
Brown says Rountree ‘a fireball’ “Amber will be a fireball. She won’t take everything (Superintendent Jim) McIntyre says for gospel.� Brown said he’s unhappy that Michele Carringer was not elected to the 11th District at-large seat.
“Ed’s (Brantley) popularity won it for him. And now I’ll have two disk jockeys sitting next to me.� Bob Thomas, formerly a WIVK announcer who works there now in ad sales, won the District 10 seat.
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Shopper news • MAY 19, 2014 • 5
Kicks to remember, kicks to forget Tennessee is selling a Tennessee, trailing Alakicking camp, June 6, pro- bama by 11-10 in 1966, fessional instruction, $90. drove 67 yards in the closAll hopefuls invited. ing minutes. Instead of positioning the football in the middle of the field for what should have been an easy field goal, the Vols tried a touchdown, running Marvin for a third-down sweep to the West Alabama 3. Sixteen seconds remained. Gary Wright, from Heflin, Ala., trotted in to kick I have decided against from the right hash mark. participating, but the Tough angle, but Wright had thought did stir memories. made it a thousand times in Kickers and kicks are sig- his mind, always to beat his nificant in Volunteer lore. home-state school. There are Tennessee kicks Center Bob Johnson and to remember and, alas, holder Dewey Warren did kicks that went wide but their jobs flawlessly. Wright won’t go away. kicked on cue and grimaced
as the ball drifted. The referee signaled wide right. “It was just a chip shot,” said Wright years later. “I should have kicked it right through. As it was, I thought the ball went straight over the right upright. It became a judgment call.” Warren thought the kick was good and got in the referee’s face. Assistant coach Vince Gibson landed facedown on the ground, beating the grass with his fists. Wright went to the sidelines where the big rolled-up tarpaulins were parked. “I wished I could crawl inside one and stay until the next week. I cried a lot. That’s the worst thing I’ve ever been through. I wore
my roommate’s monogrammed sweater so people would think I was somebody else.” Two years later, Tennessee lost the Orange Bowl to Oklahoma, 26-24. Karl Kremser thought the Vols should have won. His 44yard field-goal attempt in the closing moments also drifted right. This was a snapshot of the fine line between victory and defeat, the awful difference in agony and ecstasy. Kremser felt he had let down those who had fought so hard to get so close. He was certain his heart was broken. At 4 in the morning, he was still in a remote corner of the hotel lobby, face in
his hands, stomach in knots, real tears in his red eyes. Do not miss kicks and sit in a corner, face in hands, stomach in knots. Go to kicking camp. Ah yes, a kick to remember … Jacksonville, 1957 Gator Bowl. Tennessee beat Texas A&M, 3-0, on Sammy Burklow’s fourth-quarter field goal. It was a pretty little thing of 17 yards, just enough to spoil Paul “Bear” Bryant’s final appearance with the Aggies. All that evening was happy hour for the Tennessee family. Eventually, those gathered in Gen. Robert R. Neyland’s hotel suite persuaded him to demonstrate the winning kick. The game ball just happened to be at the athletic director’s fingertips. Neyland gave the ball a swift kick and smashed the
dresser mirror. Oh my, that made quite a mess. More normal festivities resumed, and after two more glasses of iced tea with lemon, kicking technique came up for more discussion. Scrappy Moore, Chattanooga coach, stepped up to prove a point. His kick broke a window. Weeks later, the bill for damages landed on the general’s desk. He paged Gus Manning, then business manager, and asked in no uncertain terms who had torn up a room in Jacksonville. “General, that was the famous kicking exhibition,” said Manning, trying to keep a straight face. “Oh that,” said Neyland. “Well, don’t just stand there, pay the bill.” Marvin West invites reader reaction. His address is westwest6@netzero.com.
The Oreo matrix You can figure how the economy’s doing by counting customers in the cookie aisle. That’s the gospel according to Steven C. Smith, president/CEO of Food City, who said, “Unemployed or underutilized people don’t go down the snack aisle or the cookie aisle.” And although the economy is coming back, there are slightly fewer people working today than in 2007, Smith said. Food City hosted lunch for media types last week in Sevierville. Speaking without notes, Smith gave a sharp analysis of the economy and the ways government interferes. He sounded, for a minute, like a fellow who is running for office. “Median income has declined in 9 of the last 13 years,” he said, leaving grocers “chasing fewer dollars.”
Sandra Clark
Smith said Food City has captured 52 percent of the market against traditional food stores. But that drops to 26 percent when you factor in big box stores, drug chains and others. Food City started in 1955 with Steve’s dad, the late Jack Smith, and one Piggly Wiggly store. The chain now has 107 stores, 77 pharmacies, 81 fuel centers, 13,000 associates and annual sales of $2.2 billion. “Thirteen percent of our company is owned by 8,000 of our employees through an ESOP,” he said.
God, misquoted I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, “I have dreamed, I have dreamed!” How long? Will the hearts of the prophets ever turn back – those who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart? They plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, just as their ancestors forgot my name for Baal. Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let the one who has my word speak my word faithfully. See, therefore, I am against the prophets, says the Lord, who use their own tongues and say, “Says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 23: 25-28a, 31 NRSV) It is a fearsome thing to wander into Jeremiah. This fierce prophet did not pull punches; he did not hesitate to call ’em like he saw ’em. And he saw the failings of his own colleagues. One wonders if he included himself in “the prophets” who had not spoken God’s own word. Called “the weeping prophet,” Jeremiah was just a boy (by his own description) when God called him to prophesy. His objections to God were overruled. God insisted Jeremiah was to be God’s own voice. Jeremiah obeyed but carried the burden of God’s word with fear and trembling and great sadness. God had harsh things to say through Jeremiah. God berated the other prophets, who had freelanced, saying what they thought about the shape of the world in general, and the Children of Israel in particular, rather than accurately conveying God’s own message. God had opinions that needed to be voiced, and God was insistent that those opinions were more than that: They were God’s will. God was impatient with prophets who “lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or appoint them … .” God accused them of “using their own tongues …” and then declaring, “Thus says the Lord.” Ouch! It is enough to make anyone who dares to say “Thus says the Lord”
Cross Currents
Lynn Pitts
think twice about it. It also calls us – all of us who call on the name of the Lord – to take care with how we speak of God, and how we speak for God. It is a holy thing to say, “Thus says the Lord,” and one must do so with prayer and humility, not to mention accuracy! God, through Jeremiah, accused the false prophets of leading God’s people astray by their lies and carelessness, when God had not sent them. Jeremiah pointed out that such false prophets are, therefore, of no use to God’s people. In fact, they are a liability! We, as Christians, are called to pray and study and listen and think! We are called to live according to God’s will to the best of our understanding and ability. We are called to be the people of God. It takes integrity. It requires honesty, with ourselves, with others and with God. It requires obedience to the will of God. It requires humility, to recognize when we fail. It requires perseverance, for the long haul. Most of all, it requires that we do it for the right reason: because we want to live a life that will please and glorify the Lord.
Food City serves 2.5 million customers in 980,000 households, he said. “We’re No. 1 or No. 2 in every market.” Political challenges include the requirement that the company offer health insurance to associates working 30 hours or more per week. That’s a challenge for businesses that must staff for peak shopping times. Cutbacks in SNAP (supplemental nutritional assistance program, formerly known as food stamps) have hurt grocery sales. “One in five kids lives in poverty,” he said. “The poverty rate was 14.2 percent when we declared war (on it) in 1964. It’s 15 percent today.” Until this year, the Tennessee Legislature has forbidden wine sales in grocery stores, and the stores still must get petitions signed and a positive referendum before such sales can become effective in July 2016
Steven C. Smith, president/ CEO of Food City (and then only in counties which now have package liquor or beer sales), he said. Food City will join other grocers to support this reform. Finally, families lose income when the breadwinner drops from a $20 per hour manufacturing job that goes offshore, for instance, to take a $14 per hour job in the service sector. The “underutilized” workers can still “pay the mortgage and feed their family,” but you don’t see them shopping in the cookie aisle. We’re calling that economic indicator The Oreo Kayla Neikirk plays the harp as media members file in for lunch with Food City. Matrix. be vendors, including a scissors-sharpener. By far the centerpiece of the three-day event is the appearance of Merikay Waldvogel, member of the Quilters Hall of Fame and internationally known researcher, collector, writer and curator of quilt-related history. At 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday, she’ll present a “vintage bed-turning.” Waldvogel will lay a stack of quilts on a bed frame. Carol Then, one by one, she’ll Zinavage examine them, tell their histories and point out idiosyncrasies. “Merikay can look underneath a tear in in this time-honored art. In the fabric and tell you someaddition to more than 200 thing about what happened, quilts on display, there will and whether there might be
A quilt-lovers’ weekend “There’s something about wrapping yourself up in a quilt,” says master quilter Doyleen Taylor, “that makes you feel safe and comforted.” Even – maybe especially – if you’re a war veteran. On a recent visit with three members of the Smoky Mountain Quilters Guild, I learned a lot about the art and craft of quilting, as well as the tremendous compassion and camaraderie the guild’s members share. Doyleen Taylor, Leslie Hinson and Chris Calhoun hail from Utah, Connecticut and Florida respectively, but all have been Knoxville residents for decades. Doyleen is the “grande dame” quilter of the three, having practiced her art since her childhood involvement with 4-H. Leslie joined the guild in 2009 and considers herself an intermediate, and Chris, who’s been quilting for two years, is the newbie of the bunch. “These two sucked me in,” she says with a grin. They’re passionate advocates for their craft and point with pride to its crossgenerational appeal. “In our Tuesday quilting bee, the ages run from 28 to the late 80s,” says Leslie. “And we’ve even got some younger folks in the guild. There’s a 10-year-old girl who comes with her mother. “And there are some men!” All the women chuckle and suggest that the male quilters should be featured in a future Shopper story. Right now they’re gearing up for their annual quilt show and competition, to be held on Memorial Day weekend. It will be a wonderful event for anyone interested
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an older piece underneath,” says Leslie. The Smoky Mountain Quilters of Tennessee’s 34th Annual Quilt Show and Competition will be held 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, May 23; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 24; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 25, at Maryville College’s Cooper Athletic Center. Admission is $5; multiday admission is $8. Donate a can of food and get a dollar off the admission price. Parking is free, and the event is handicap accessible. Info: smokymtnquilters.com. “I promise you will not be disappointed,” said Hinson. “Quilts are works of art in fabric.”
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6 • MAY 19, 2014 • NORTH/EAST Shopper news
New mobile app for farms
A “Pick Tennessee” mobile app is now available which can find and then map the way to locally grown farm products, farms and farmers markets. The free app, downloadable from both iTunes for Apple products and from Google Play for Android devices, is the latest advancement of Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Pick Tennessee Products promotion. Search for Pick Tennessee. Tennessee Department of Agriculture Commissioner Julius Johnson called it “a new face for an old friend.” The Pick Tennessee mobile app allows users to search by item, like “apples,” by region of the state, or season. The mobile app then provides directions to the chosen location through
direct GPS mapping. “Every Tennessee farmer or farm product producer who sells directly to the public can visit the Pick Tennessee Products website and apply to become part of this extraordinary free service,” Johnson said. “If a farm is listed on Pick Tennessee Products, that farm is automatically available on the new Pick Tennessee mobile app for GPS mapping.” The Pick Tennessee mobile app can keep track of favorites and provides links to seasonal recipes, handy tips and fun facts, as well as the full Pick Tennessee Products website. Farm direct and local items on the app include options as varied as local fruits and vegetables, wineries, greenhouses and
plant nurseries, Christmas tree farms and local honey. The items can be searched by the farm where they’re produced, or the markets where they’re sold. The website www.picktnproducts.org also posts directories of the state’s county fairs, equine trails and services, local meats and dairies, and agritourism farms and activities of all kinds. Going live in 1995, the Pick Tennessee Products site was the state of Tennessee’s first consumer Web presence. A completely free service, the site currently features close to 2,000 participating farms, processors and other ag and farm businesses, listing about 10,000 individual items. It attracted more than 300,000 visits last year.
Bringing the farm to school David McDaniel treats Naomi Corum, 3, to a miniature donkey ride as Paulette Elementary School hosted the annual Farm Day, organized by the UT Extension office.
A local mustard field
Photo by Mary Barker
A healthy respect for mustard A friend mentioned that I might want to write about mustard. I had not really thought about its importance, but when she mentioned it I realized that the plant has much more history than many things I have written about. The parable of the mustard seed occurs in three of the four Gospels as Jesus discusses the kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 13:31-32 – “The kingdom of heaven is like to a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds, but when it is grown it is the greatest among herbs and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” Mark 4:30-32 – “Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God: or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up and becometh greater than all herbs and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it. Luke 13:18-19 – “Unto
Bonnie Peters
what is the kingdom of God like: and whereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and cast into his garden; and it grew and waxed a great tree and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. (King James version) Mustard seed jewelry is popular among Christians world-wide. Last summer a painter at my house moved his ladder over a yellow jacket nest and was stung. When I scurried to get to “Sting Kill,” which I keep, he said he would prefer a spoonful of mustard. I almost always keep mustard as a condiment for hot dogs and sandwiches so I quickly grabbed the mustard from the refrigerator. In minutes after applying the mustard, the pain had stopped and the painter went back to work. Although I never experienced a mustard poultice, I recall hearing of a mustard poultice being used for
croup and other respiratory infections. Mustard is believed to stop the toothache. Most all of the mustard plant is usable, the leaves and the seeds. From my earliest years we ate mustard as a vegetable. I learned from my mother to prepare it Southern style. Boil the leaves or other greens in water until tender, take out of that water and fry in an iron skillet with a small amount of bacon grease and salt. With cornbread and boiled eggs, it’s a meal! Curly mustard leaves make a beautiful garnish for many dishes. I read that there are three types of mustard – white, brown and black. In the United States the plant has been hybridized into many varieties. The American mustard consumption is the highest in the world. The first Saturday in August is National Mustard Day and is celebrated in many cities across the country. Just as we have cornbread festivals, so too do we have mustard festivals. There is a mustard museum in Wisconsin that houses a collection of 5,000 jars of mustard from 60 countries around the world. Hats off to mustard!
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NORTH/EAST Shopper news • MAY 19, 2014 • 7
Mattress business continues to grow In an iffy economy when many small businesses have closed, Steve Grossbard and Danny Phillips are not only going strong, but they continue to grow.
Nancy Whittaker
Grossbard and Phillips have been partners since 1986. They met while working for a waterbed company. Business was booming for years. Then the waterbed industry “collapsed” overnight, according to Grossbard. The partners used their
business
ner in Knoxville – so my question was, “What makes you different?” Grossbard immediately said, “If we weren’t doing what we do, we would just be another mattress store.” Then he gave me a quick synopsis. The mattress industry puts different names on the same mattress, he said. Each year, the major companies have overstock, mismatched and one-of-a-kind mattresses. The Mattress Place purchases from all national companies. It may be as simple as last year’s model being a different color. The Mattress Place purSteve Grossbard, co-owner of The Mattress Place, has “smiley face” delivery trucks. Photo by Nancy chases in huge quantities Whittaker and passes the savings on expertise to transition into at 5925 Clinton Highway They grew again with lo- to its customers. Grossbard traditional mattresses. They and The Mattress Place at cations in LaFollette and says, “Our policy is low overhead, low prices – twice the opened Discount Mattress 4939 Chapman Highway. Kingsport. Grossbard is the first to selection for half the price.” The Mattress Place is admit that there are mattress stores on every cor- the exclusive dealer for
Sleep Sensible Mattresses by Dutch Craft Bedding, an Amish company based in Celina, Tenn. They are the largest dealer for MLILY Cool Gel Memory Foam. Now they are growing again. The Mattress Place’s newest location will open before the end of May in West Knoxville at 7219 Kingston Pike in the former Unpainted Furniture Store location. There are plans for opening four more venues, so they must be doing everything right. Check out the website, www.mymattressplace.com or contact Chapman Highway at 659-2337, Clinton Highway at 247-0156 or Kingston Pike at 951-0531. As I walked out the door, Grossbard said, “Be sure and tell everyone – no credit needed – we will finance.”
News from The Knoxville Area Urban League
Knox transplant connected to local career By Phyllis Nichols Chris Qualls had bachelor’s and ma ster ’s degrees in sports management when he moved from New Orleans to Knoxville in Nichols 2012, but he didn’t have a job. “It was hard to be in a new town without connections and find a job that would allow me to provide for myself,” Qualls said. “I made a friend who had attended the same college as me in Louisiana, and she recommended the Knoxville Area Urban League.” At the Urban League, Qualls worked with Jackie Robinson, one of the non-
profit organization’s workforce counselors. Together, Qualls and Robinson found the perfect opportunity for Qualls. Today, he is employed as a merchandiser and account developer with Coca-Cola. Qualls took advantage of training courses at the Urban League that helped him secure the job. The courses provide specific skills needed in the workforce. “The first activity I did at the Urban League was the customer-service training and interview-skills practice,” Qualls said. “Without that training and Jackie Robinson’s help, I wouldn’t have gotten the job. “It was a gift from God that I was able to work with the Urban League. They treated me like family and were always honest with me
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THURSDAYS THROUGH MAY 22 Diabetes Management Series, 6:30 p.m., Knox County Health Department auditorium, 140 Dameron Ave. Free five-part series; open to the public. To register: 215-5170.
THROUGH SUNDAY, JUNE 8 Registration open for AMSE Science Explorer Camp for rising 5th, 6th and 7th graders. Two sessions: June 9-13, June 16-20. Info/to register: http://amse. org/visitors/summer-camps/.
MONDAY, MAY 19 Schoolyard Garden Monday, 5 p.m., Paulette Elementary School. Topic: gardening fun for kids. Everyone welcome. Accepting appointments for the John 5 Food Pantry, Glenwood Baptist Church of Powell, 7212 Central Ave. Pike. Info/appointment: 938-2611 and leave a message. Imagination Library presents the Penguin Players, 4 p.m., Norwood Branch Library, 1110 Merchants Drive. Presentation: “One Cool Friend” by Toni Buzzeo. Info: 688-2454. Family Movie Night: “Free Birds,” 5:30 p.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Rated PG. Info: 525-5431.
TUESDAY, MAY 20 UT Hospice Adult Grief Support Group meeting, 5-6:30 p.m., UT Hospice office, 2270 Sutherland Ave. A light supper is served. Info/reservation: Brenda Fletcher, 544-6277. Imagination Library presents the Penguin Players, 11 a.m., Halls Branch Library, 4518 E. Emory Road. Presentation: “One Cool Friend” by Toni Buzzeo. Info: 922-2552.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21
about what I could accomplish.” The Knoxville Area Urban League believes willing adults in Knoxville should have a job that allows them to earn a decent wage and provide a reasonable standard of living for themselves and their family. Qualls encourages anyone seeking new skills or a new career to contact the Urban League for assistance. The organization pro- Buck Vaughn, Linda Vaughn, Kathy Payne and Warren Payne vides workforce development and training with computer programs, employment readiness, counThe Boys & Girls Clubs Linda Vaughn presented the seling and job placement, customer service, intern- of the Tennessee Valley Gift of Hope Award to the ships and apprenticeships. honored Warren and Kathy Paynes for their 28 years To see how the Urban Payne at the annual Gift of dedicated service to the League can help you, call of Hope Fundraising Lun- clubs. The award was crecheon at the Knoxville Con- ated five years ago to honor 524-5511. Phyllis Nichols is president and CEO of vention Center. the Vaughns for their many Knoxville Area Urban League Emmet P. “Buck” and years of service.
Gift of Hope honors Kathy, Warren Payne
Tours of the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic’s free mobile medical unit, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Northside Community Center, located behind Washburn School in Grainger County. The Mobile Medical Clinic provides primary care services to people who are not currently receiving health care. Fish Fry, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Sharps Chapel Community Center. All seniors, candidates welcome. Info: 992-3292. Imagination Library presents the Penguin Players, 11 a.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Presentation: “One Cool Friend” by Toni Buzzeo. Info: 525-5431. Imagination Library presents the Penguin Players, 3 p.m., North Knoxville Branch Library, 2901 Ocoee Trail. Presentation: “One Cool Friend” by Toni Buzzeo. Info: 525-7036.
WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY, MAY 21-22 AARP Driver Safety class, noon-4 p.m., O’Connor Senior Center, 611 Winona St. Into/to register: Carolyn Rambo, 584-9964.
THURSDAY, MAY 22 Living Well with Diabetes, 2-4 p.m., Halls Branch Library, 4518 E. Emory Road. Deadline to register: Tuesday, May 20. Info: 922-2552. Imagination Library presents the Penguin Players, 4 p.m., Corryton Branch Library, 7733 Corryton Road. Presentation: “One Cool Friend” by Toni Buzzeo. Info: 688-1501.
FRIDAY, MAY 23 Farm Fresh Fridays: Union County Farmers Market, 4-7 p.m., downtown Maynardville. Info: 992-8038. School’s Out Movie Night in Wilson Park, 8 p.m. Admission gate opens at 7 p.m.: $3 per person, $5 per couple, $10 for family of four. Movie: “Monsters University” rated G. Concessions. Games/activities provided until movie starts. Fundraiser sponsored by Union County High School HOSA club. Imagination Library presents the Penguin Players, 10:30 a.m., Powell Branch Library, 330 West Emory Road. Presentation: “One Cool Friend” by Toni Buzzeo. Info: 947-6210. Imagination Library presents the Penguin Players, 2 p.m., Fountain City Branch Library, 5300 Stanton Road. Presentation: “One Cool Friend” by Toni Buzzeo. Info: 689-2681.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 23-25 Smoky Mountain Quilters of Tennessee Quilt Show and Competition, Cooper Athletic Center, Maryville College campus. Times: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday. Admission: $5; multiday pass: $8. Info: www.smokymtnquilters.com.
Hallerin Hilton Hill was master of ceremonies, and entertainment was provided by staff member Iesha Hill and the Moses Teen Center step team. Info: bgctnv.org or call 865.232.1200.
SATURDAY, MAY 24 Open jam session bluegrass, country, gospel music; 7 p.m.; old Rush Strong School, Leadmine Bend Road in Sharps Chapel. Free admission. Refreshments. Donations appreciated. All invited. Thunder Road Gospel Jubilee, 6 p.m., WMRD 94.5 FM, 1388 Main St., Maynardville. All pickers and singers welcome. Cades Cove tour with Bill Landry, 9 a.m., departing from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. Tickets: $50 per person; includes light snacks and a cold beverage. Reservations required: 448-8838. Spaghetti dinner and silent auction, 5-9 p.m., Union County High School. To benefit the Northeast Union Volunteer Fire Department. Cake walk, carnival games for the kids, live music, bake sale and raffle. Admission: $5 per person/ $8 per couple; kids 5 and under eat free. Concert featuring Knoxville old-time string trio Red Shoes and Rosin, 7 p.m., Union County Arts. Hosted by Sarah Morgan. Reception begins at 6 p.m. Cost: $15. Limited seating. Advance reservations required: 278-3975.
SATURDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 24-25 The Great Smoky Mountain Llama Show, 8:30 a.m., Walters State Community College’s Great Smoky Mountains Expo Center. Covered warm-up ring. Free admission. Info: Jerry Ayers, 423-257-2875.
SUNDAY, MAY 25 Learn to Sew, Part 1, 2-4:30 p.m., Appalachian Arts Craft Center, 2716 Andersonville Highway 61 in Norris. Instructor: Janet Donaldson. Registration deadline: May 18. Info: 494-9854 or www.appalachianarts.net.
MONDAY, MAY 26 Memorial Day Service, 2:30 p.m., Clapp’s Chapel UMC Cemetery, 7420 Clapp’s Chapel Road, Corryton. Honoring all fallen servicemen/women from all wars, Revolution to War-on-Terrorism. Everyone welcome; veterans are encouraged to wear their uniforms if possible. Info: Richard Wright, 687-3050. Learn to Sew, Part 1, 6-8:30 p.m., Appalachian Arts Craft Center, 2716 Andersonville Highway 61 in Norris. Instructor: Janet Donaldson. Registration deadline: May 18. Info: 494-9854 or www.appalachianarts.net.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28 Computer Workshop: Word 2007 Basics, 2 p.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Requires “Introducing the Computer” or equivalent skills. Info/to register: 525-5431.
8 • MAY 19, 2014 • Shopper news
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