North/East Shopper-News 052015

NORTH / EAST VOL. 3 NO. 20

BUZZ Thompson promoted Julie Thompson, longtime principal of Carter Elementary School, has been named executive director of elementary education for Knox County Schools. She is currently an elementary supervisor.

Thompson joined Knox County Schools in 1993 as a teacher at Corryton Elementary School. She was an administrative intern at Christenberry Elementary and worked at Carter from 2003 to 2012.

Thompson holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education from the University of Tennessee as well as an education specialist degree in administration and supervision from Lincoln Memorial University.

Christy Dowell, former principal at Ritta Elementary and most recently principal at Cedar Bluff Elementary, will replace Thompson as an elementary supervisor.

IN THIS ISSUE

Victims speak

Lynn Porter doesn’t believe in sugarcoating reality, and she’s confident that her 16-year-old daughter, Amber, is prepared for what she’s going to hear when the man who gunned down her father six years ago stands before a judge May 28 and pleads guilty to voluntary manslaughter.

Sources say he will probably serve seven years.

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See Betty Bean’s story on page 4

www.ShopperNewsNow.com |

Garden to grow on KCDC plot

By Bill Dockery Off-the-cuff comments by a would-be gardener and an advocate of urban agriculture are turning an empty East Knoxville lot into a garden.

Art Cate, director of Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation, was speaking to a recent East Knoxville community meeting when Michelle Neal, a KCDC resident, ask about having a garden near her home.

Robert Hodge, director of the Center for Urban Agriculture at the Knoxville Botanical Garden, commented that he had people in need of gardening space.

“See me about that after the meeting,” Cate responded and by the end of the week plans were underway to turn an empty lot on Juanita Cannon Street into a garden spot for nearby KCDC residents.

Neal and her son, Sage, met with Hodge and two KCDC officials – Sean Gilbert and Jack Canada – the following Friday morning and quickly determined how to clear the lot so that Neal and others could have gardens at the site.

“We’re looking for successful community gardening on a small scale,” Hodge said. “I hope this is the first of many gardens within the city.”

Hodge has been involved with other garden startups in Knoxville, but putting this one on KCDC property is unique.

“Knoxvillians need to be able to

There is a therapy session going on every Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cokesbury United Methodist Church North Campus. It’s “fiber therapy,” and the willing participants are members of the Thursday Bee. They are quilters. Each Thursday 10 to 12 women fill the rented room with laughter, conversation, show-and-tell, advice, sharing and stitching.

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Litton’s Market, Restaurant and Bakery has some dedicated purists. Their passion is the burger. Add whatever sides you want, choose cheese or not, but don’t leave Litton’s without eating the burger.

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The public is invited to help roll out the welcome mat at Washington Oaks, the Helen Ross McNabb Center’s new supportive housing complex for homeless veterans, at 8 a.m. Thursday, May 28.

Washington Oaks, 3235 Washington Pike, features 16 apartments – 15 for veterans and one for a resident manager. There

See Mystery Diner on page 7

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feed themselves,” he said. “There is a particular challenge when you don’t own the land you live on.”

Neal, too, has tried urban gardening before, but found that transportation issues limited her ability to maintain a previous ef-

fort. The current lot is directly across the street from her residence.

Hodge and Neal set up a meeting with other nearby residents who might want to garden. He said that community buy-in was

crucial to the success of the effort.

Next steps including cutting out bushes and unwanted trees and treating the soil with composted “zoo poo.”

“We’re thankful for the opportunity to do this,” he said.

are several vacancies available to qualified applicants.

Veterans who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness with little to no income may be eligible.

Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation has committed to provide rental assistance through Project Based Vouchers (PBV), and local VA housing coordinators will serve as a

resource for identifying eligible residents.

As a developer and administrator of more than 150 housing units across East Tennessee, Helen Ross McNabb Center and its foundation have established links with other homeless housing providers.

Through those providers, using a tenant selection plan, McNabb will identify disabled homeless

veterans to become future residents. No persons will be excluded on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, familial status, sexual orientation or disability. Tenants will pay rent on a sliding scale that will not exceed 30 percent of their gross monthly income.

Info or to make a referral: 865524-1312, ext. 305.

Teachers’ raise in play with reduced schools budget

See Sherri’s story on page 3

All about that burger

Plans for a new garden brought out Michelle Neal and son Sage at 8 a.m. recently to talk with Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation’s Jack Canada (left) and Sean Gilbert, and Robert Hodge, director of the Knoxville Botanical Garden’s Center for Urban Agriculture. Neal lives in a KCDC residence on Juanita Cannon Street in East Knoxville.

McNabb to open veterans housing

By Betty Bean

Fiber therapy

May 20, 2015

www.facebook.com/ShopperNewsNow

By Betty Bean Back in February, Gov. Bill Haslam gave teachers a reason to hope when he included nearly $100 million in his budget to give them a 4 percent raise.

Superintendent James McIntyre made it clear it was past time to do it. Sales-tax revenue numbers were holding their own, and over on the county general government side, the notoriously penurious Mayor Tim Burchett was poised to recommend a 3 percent employee raise.

But now, the possibility looms that teachers could be the only Knox County employees who won’t get a pay raise, and there have been fears that the annual merit pay (APEX) bonuses could be in jeopardy as well.

While Knox County Schools personnel were awaiting McIntyre’s recommendation on how to deal with a budget shortfall, County Commission chair Brad Anders and school board chair

lan said he expects discussion of some kind of tax increase to come up at the joint meeting.

Anders was blunt: “We haven’t had a property tax increase since 1999. I know it’s not popular among ReJim McIntyre Mike McMillan Chris Caldwell publicans, but I’d like to talk about it. It’s going Mike McMillan were working out to get to the point that we have to,” the details to convene a joint com- he said.

“And it’s not just for schools mission/school board meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 21, at the East for me – I don’t think the schools Tennessee History Center, 601 are as efficient as they could be.

But there are great infrastructure South Gay St. Both said everything will be on needs across the county.

“We’re on a 100-year rotation the table for discussion – includon paving roads, for example. ing raising taxes.

“I’ve not had any discussions We’ve got 2,000 miles of roads in with Dr. McIntyre regarding cut- the county, and we’re paving less ting the teachers’ pay raise (from than 20 miles a year, most years. the 3 percent McIntyre has rec- The Rescue Squad, whom we deommended),” McMillan said. “The pend on, is in financial trouble. Do question becomes how much are we let them fall?

“In my district, we’ve got two you going to cut?”

Though noncommittal, McMil- parks – Harrell Road and Plumb

Creek – sitting, purchased and designed, but not done. We’ve got a subdivision in Karns, the road is coming apart from the curb. We should be doing more sidewalks around schools.”

But for now, the county’s finance director, Chris Caldwell, said the problem is simple arithmetic.

Burchett’s budget appropriates $14 million more than last year to Knox County Schools, based on growth in sales and property tax revenues. But the state funding formula covers only 44 percent of KCS teachers, leaving the county to make up the gap – a gap that’s exacerbated by last year’s decision by the school board to spend $4 million from its fund balance.

Caldwell also said automatic step raises are not built into county general employees’ pay scales (unlike teachers), making it difficult to draw an apples-to-apples comparison.

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2 • MAY 20, 2015 • Shopper news

health & lifestyles Education key for treating stroke It’s not just the studies he’s read throughout the years that convinced Dr. Arthur Moore – it was seeing the difference that the clot-busting drug tPA can make in the lives of ischemic stroke patients.

“The benefits with tPA amount to about a 30 percent increased chance of minimal to no deficit and being able to live on your own at three months,” says Dr. Moore, medical director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. “It’s not an overnight thing, but we’ve seen it turn patients around.”

Still, he says, the greatest obstacle to reducing death and disability due to stroke remains education of stroke’s warning signs and tPA – and not just educating the patients but health providers, too.

“It starts with recognition on the patient’s part,” he said. “Patients will wake up at night and not be able to move one side and go back to sleep. They’ll say, ‘Awww, it’ll be better in the morning.’

Well, by the time they wake up in the morning, I can’t do anything. That stroke is already there. So that’s No. 1 – increased recognition.

“Then, it’s increased recognition on the part of Emergency Medical Services and people in emergency departments where they say, ‘This is a stroke’ but willing to take it one step further: ‘This is a stroke and I can treat this.’ It’s recognizing that tPA does have benefits. It’s saying, ‘We CAN treat this patient and they CAN get better.’ And if they can’t do it there at one hospital, it’s recognizing that they need to send that patient to a higher level of care.”

“Once we start educating people and they’re recognizing and getting to the hospitals, that’s great,” Dr. Moore continued. “But if you have a bottleneck in the hospital – if you sit around for an hour and a half and see if it gets better before we think about giving the medicine – that’s the wrong way to approach stroke.

We need to approach it as the emergency that it really is.”

Yet, failure to recognize those signs and seek treatment quickly continues to take a toll on the 800,000 victims each year, causing stroke to be the third-leading cause of death and No. 1 cause of disability in the United States.

Certainly, tPA carries risks – a 6 percent chance of bleeding with a 3 percent chance of worsening the symptoms and 1 percent risk of death. Even so, most patients elect to take tPA rather than face a life of disability.

Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration requires tPA be given within 3 hours of the first signs of stroke, making stroke treatment a race against the clock. Dr. Moore says Fort Sanders Regional is expected to handle hundreds of stroke cases this year. Of those, he projects about a fifth will be eligible to receive tPA. “It’s highly variable but here lately we’ve been administering tPA about 10 times a month,” he says. “We’re quite a bit higher than the national spectrum as far as percentage of patients. We have a goal this year of greater than 20 percent of not only getting tPA to obviously eligible patients, but getting those patients here in enough time to where we can do it. We want to be aggressive because we are comfortable with the medicine. We know what we are doing and when we give it, it helps patients.”

Time for a miracle Clot-buster speeds Knoxville woman’s recovery from stroke

Charlotte Wolfenbarger (right), with her husband, David, is grateful for the quick action from the team of medical experts at the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Fort Sanders Regional.

It was snowing hard. Flakes as big as snowballs were falling onto Charlotte Wolfenbarger’s face as paramedics wheeled her stretcher down the ramp and into the waiting ambulance.

Less than 30 minutes earlier, she had opened her blinds and laid across her bed to watch it snow. But then, her left foot shook violently a couple of times and her entire left side went numb. Her left arm was fixed in a curl up to her chin and her foot was so dead she couldn’t feel the floor beneath her.

Was it a stroke? She suspected so, but because she could still talk, she didn’t know for certain. Neither did her husband, David, nor did the paramedics. But once she made it to Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Department five miles away, there was no doubt – she was diagnosed with an ischemic stroke, likely caused by atrial fibrillation – one of the leading risk factors in the 800,000 strokes in the United States each year.

“The scariest words I ever heard were when the doctor looked down at me and said, ‘Charlotte, you are having a stroke,’” she recalls.

Fortunately for Mrs. Wolfenbarger, she had sought treatment quickly enough that Dr. Arthur Moore, a neurohospitalist and medical director of Fort Sanders Regional Stroke Center, was able to administer the clot-busting drug called tPA or tissue plasminogen activator, an intravenous thrombolytic that can prevent death or serious disability caused by strokes.

“I don’t know how many minutes it took, but it was quick,” said Mr. Wolfenbarger. “I was sitting there beside her, and she said, ‘I can move my foot and feel it now.’ And I took her arm and moved it,” If we moved it, it would move.

Then she said, ‘Look here!’ and she moved her fingers!”

“They hadn’t even finished giving me the IV before I could move my foot,” said Mrs. Wolfenbarger. “It was a miracle! A total miracle!”

“I don’t claim to be a miracle worker – that one God can have,” said Dr. Moore. “We just do what we can to help people.”

Miracle or not, Mrs. Wolfenbarger was discharged the next day and her symptoms today are “so minimal that no one but a neurologist would find them,” says Dr. Moore. “They won’t interfere with her life whatsoever. That’s the important part. I can look at a CT scan and say,

‘Yes, you’ve had a stroke.’ But if I look at the patient and they are perfectly normal, I don’t care what the scan says.”

The FDA approved tPA almost two decades ago but even today it has been characterized as “vastly underutilized.” In fact, more than 80 percent of the population lives within a onehour drive of a hospital capable of administering tPA, but only 4 percent of those people actually receive it.

Why? The reasons vary, not the least of which is that tPA can be fatal when administered too late or incorrectly. “There’s been a lot of negative press about tPA from some in the emergency department community and others saying ‘We don’t like this drug – it increases our liability,’” said Dr. Moore. “But to be quite honest, they’re just wrong. There is so much favorable evidence right now that not giving it is what gets them into trouble.”

The greatest reason tPA isn’t being used frequently enough, however, is time. FDA rules require that tPA be given within 3 hours (or, in certain cases, as late as 4.5 hours) of a stroke’s first signs. For that reason, it’s important to note the time when symptoms (sudden confusion or speaking; sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg on one side; sudden trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance; sudden headache with no known cause or sudden vision impairment) first appear.

All too often, however, patients either fail to recognize those signs or discount their significance and delay treatment.

“The brain is a lot like real estate – everything is ‘location, location, location’ because each area of the brain controls something different,” said Dr. Moore. “Even experienced doctors can miss the signs. It does happen. If the stroke hits in some of these areas that are relatively not important in the brain, then you may not have any symptoms, or very mild symptoms, and the paramedics may not have noticed it. That does happen. Usually, though, the paramedics tend to be very aggressive with identifying potential stroke patients, and we appreciate that because it lets us get patients in – if they don’t have a stroke, then we haven’t lost anything.”

The best stroke care centers, like Fort Sanders, are certified by both the Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/Ameri-

can Stroke Association. That certification ensures patients receive the best and fastest care possible by creating Acute Stroke Teams that utilize best practices. These teams of emergency department physicians, neurologists, radiologists and nurses continually search for ways to reduce the “Door-To-Needle” time – a measurement of the time elapsed between entering the ER to receiving tPA. “The national benchmark is 60 minutes, and we are currently at 45 minutes,” said Dr. Moore. “And when I am on, it’s right around 30 minutes. I’m proud of that.”

As soon as a stroke is identified, paramedics put Fort Sanders’ Acute Stroke Team on standby. When the patient comes through the emergency department doors, the Stroke Team is immediately paged as the patient receives an identification wrist bracelet and has blood drawn before being sent directly to the CT department. There, they are met by Dr. Moore or his partner, Dr. James Hora. After a quick exam, the patient gets the CT scan while the hospital’s pharmacy is preparing the tPA. “By the end of that scan, I generally know if I am going to be able to offer them tPA,” said Dr. Moore, who then discusses the risks and benefits with the patient and their family as he accompanies the patient back to their room.

“If they refuse it, fine – we’ve lost a vial of medicine and that’s OK,” said Dr. Moore. “But if they say, ‘Yes, go ahead. I don’t want to live like this. Give me the best chance you can,’ it’s ready to go as soon as they get into the room once we’ve made sure that their blood pressure is OK. That’s about all that it takes. But it’s making sure you follow this very clearly defined process again and again and again that gets you in the mindset you can reduce the times and that’s what’s made the biggest differences.”

Charlotte Wolfenbarger is thankful she took that chance.

“People think, ‘I’m going to wait to see if this goes away. I couldn’t be having a stroke!’ or ‘I don’t want to look stupid by going to the hospital’ But they’re not going to think you’re stupid. Don’t sit and wait to see what’s going to happen next because what’s going to happen next is you are going to get worse. Call an ambulance and go straight to Fort Sanders Regional because they are equipped for it. Don’t go anywhere else.”

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No comprehensive stroke and rehabilitation center in our region does more to reverse stroke’s devastating effects than Fort Sanders Regional Medical Fort Sanders performs Center. That’s why hospitals clinical trials and procedures for stroke not available across East Tennessee refer their most complex stroke patients to anywhere else in our region. us. And only Fort Sanders Regional is home to the Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center, East Tennessee’s elite rehabilitation hospital for stroke, spinal cord and brain injury patients.

NORTH/EAST Shopper news • MAY 20, 2015 • 3

Quilters stitch with artistic flair

community

By Sherri Gardner Howell

COMMUNITY NOTES ■ Alice Bell Spring Hill Neighborhood Association. Info: Ronnie Collins, 637-9630.

■ Beaumont Community Organization. Info: Natasha Murphy, 936-0139.

■ Belle Morris Community Action Group meets 7 p.m. each second Monday, City View Baptist Church, 2311 Fine Ave. Info: www.bellemorris.com or Rick Wilen, 524-5008.

■ Chilhowee Park Neighborhood Association meets 6:30 p.m. each last Tuesday, Administration Building, Knoxville Zoo. Info: Paul Ruff, 696-6584.

■ Edgewood Park Neighborhood Association meets 7 p.m. each third Tuesday, Larry Cox Senior Center, 3109 Ocoee Trail. Info: edgewoodpark.us ■ 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.

■ First District Democrats meet each first Monday, Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Info: Harold Middlebrook, haroldmiddlebrook@gmail.com; Mary Wilson, marytheprez@ yahoo.com.

■ Historic Fourth & Gill Neighborhood Organization meets 6:30 p.m. each second Monday, Central UMC, 201

Gloria Felter works on her quilt at the Thursday Bee. Patty Ashworth, who says she loves the color blue, shows her fellow quilters her progress on her latest project.

A little needlework, a little conversation is the formula for quilters at the Thursday Bee. From left are Patty Ashworth and Deb DiPietro.

Melissa Carter of the Thursday Bee quilters shows off one of her quilts that will be in the Smoky Mountain Quilters 2015 Quilt Show this Friday-Sunday, May 22-24, at Maryville College.

Quilters Shana Margrave, left, and Alison Darken are lost in the process of creating beautiful quilts. Photos by Sherri Gardner Howell

says Ashworth. “As of today, awards given out to quilters.

I have made 935 quilts.” She Admission is $5. The still sells at galleries, makes show is open from 9 a.m. to quilts for charity functions 5 p.m. on Friday and Satand participates in the events associated with the Smoky Mountain Quilters, a regional group that all the Thursday Bee quilters have in common.

The Thursday Bee quilters are getting ready for the Smoky Mountain Quilters 2015 Quilt Show, which will be Friday-Sunday, May 22-24, at Maryville College. The Smoky Mountain quilt guild has more than 100 members, so the show is always a large event with vendors, vintage quilts on display, quilts for sale and more than $6,000 in

urday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday at Maryville College’s Cooper Athletic Center.

Stay ahead of the game.

Schedule your physical today.

Third Ave. Info: Liz Upchurch, 898-1809, lizupchurch1@ gmail.com.

■ 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.

■ Oakwood Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association meets 6:30 p.m. each third Thursday, Community Club House, 916 Shamrock Ave. Info: Bill Hutton, 773-5228 or s_wlhutton@yahoo.com.

■ Old North Knoxville meets 6:30 p.m. each second Monday, St. James Episcopal Church Parish Hall, 1101 N. Broadway. Info: Andie Ray, 548-5221.

■ Parkridge Community Organization meets 6:30 p.m. each first Monday except holidays, Cansler YMCA, 616 Jessamine St. Info: Jerry Caldwell, 329-9943.

■ 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.

■ 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.

■ Town Hall East. Info: Eston Williams, 406-5412 or eston_ williams@yahoo.com; www. facebook.com/townhalleast/ info.

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There is a therapy session going on every Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cokesbury United Methodist Church North Campus.

It’s “fiber therapy,” and the willing participants are members of the Thursday Bee. They are quilters. Each Thursday 10 to 12 women fill the rented room with laughter, conversation, show-and-tell, advice, sharing and stitching. “We all have our own style and way of doing things,” says member Patty Ashworth. “When we are together, we feed off each other’s creativity.”

The Thursday Bee women are a fun group. “We don’t like rules,” says Ashworth. “We all have different styles – hand quilting, machine, embroidery, traditional, modern – you will find a little bit of everything in this group.”

Some are lifelong quilters, master quilters and teachers. Others are newer to the art. Some sell quilts at high-end shops in places like Asheville, N.C., while others make quilts for charities and family members.

With the love of art and creative expression found in this group, guests should not expect to see a lot of “Sunbonnet Sue” quilts being stitched – although Deb DiPietro admits it was that traditional design that got her into quilting. She found a Sunbonnet Sue quilt made by a family member and was intrigued. “I knew how to sew, so I just taught myself to quilt,” says DiPietro.

Tone Haugen-Cogburn, who is originally from Norway, learned to quilt after she came to the U.S. and holds a master quilter certification. “Quilting is really a big deal in Europe right now,” says Haugen-Cogburn.

Painting drew Sheila Rauen into quilting. “Kind of an odd route,” she says with a smile. “But I love to sew, and I do paintings on silk. This led me to look for something to do with the silk paintings. So I do a lot of appliques, mixed media and embroidery on the quilts I make.”

Ashworth says she is “semiretired,” meaning she isn’t taking on as many commissioned pieces as she has in the past. “I actually kept a record of all my quilts,”

4 • MAY 20, 2015 • Shopper news

Victims speak as Whiteside faces judgment Lynn Porter doesn’t believe in sugarcoating reality, and she’s confident that her 16-year-old daughter, Amber, is prepared for what she’s going to hear when the man who gunned down her father six years ago stands before a judge May 28 and pleads guilty to voluntary manslaughter.

On the west side

Whiteside’s legal issues appear to have had little effect on his social, professional or political life.

Within a couple of weeks of the shooting, he helped stage a gala fundraiser to celebrate the opening of the new Duncan School of Law. In spring 2011, he co-hosted a lavish Las Vegas bachelor party for Zane Duncan, younger son Betty of U.S. Rep. Jimmy Duncan and younger brother of then-trustee Bean John Duncan III. Invited guests included a gaggle of prominent Sources say he will probably Republican political aspirants. serve seven years.

In June, a grand jury bumped Porter and her daughter, like Whiteside’s charge up to firstthe rest of Stacy Sudderth’s friends degree murder. The following and family, had hoped for a mur- January, Whiteside set aside his der conviction for the politically partisan preferences and served connected Troy Donovan “Pete” as an on-the-scene reporter for a Whiteside. local TV staTo them, tion at the “I’ve turned it all over to this is just 2013 inauguthe latest in a ration of PresiGod. It will be made right string of disapdent Barack pointments.

Obama. in God’s time, and in the Ten days afHis most meantime, I’m not going ter the shootrecent TV aping, Sudderth’s to let anybody steal my joy. pearance was survivors gathas a proud There’s nothing I can do ered at the parent when City County his son, a stuabout it anyway.”

Building for dent at Webb W h i t e s i d e ’s School and scheduled point guard of Sessions Court arraignment. the varsity basketball team, inked They were shocked to learn that the papers for a basketball scholhe’d already been arraigned on a arship to Cornell University. charge of second-degree murder MPi Solutions, headed by Whiin an unpublicized hearing held teside’s wife, Jackie, aggressively at the Knox County Sheriff’s De- pitches its expertise on the comtention Facility the day before. pany website: His bond was reduced from “MPi Solutions offers a variety $750,000 to $50,000, and they of services aimed at businesses had received no notification of seeking government contracts. the hearing. … The New Wall Street is the Attorney Herb Moncier, who U.S. Government! Are you ready had represented Sudderth in to benefit from the change? Let an earlier murder-for-hire case us help you. Large or small, just and won an acquittal, had been starting out or celebrating your retained by Sudderth’s mother, 100th anniversary, we may have a Erma Jean Wilson, to file a wrong- solution for you.” ful death claim against Whiteside.

He challenged the arraignment On the east side but was rebuffed by Judge Mary Whiteside had other businessBeth Leibowitz and the Court of es, including a Burlington event Appeals, which ruled that defen- space called the Broker, which dants’ rights trump those of vic- was set ablaze in February 2004. tims. The civil suit has been in Three days later, a fire broke out in legal limbo, awaiting resolution of Sudderth’s new nightclub, Phatz the criminal case, although Whi- Sports Grill, a few blocks away. teside’s attorney, Greg Isaacs, at- A second blaze further damaged tempted to have it dismissed when Phatz a few months later. Each Mrs. Wilson died in 2010. Lynn man suspected the other of arson, Porter says Wilson grieved herself witnesses say. to death.

Sources say the judge will hear Sudderth’s friends and fam- proof that Whiteside and Sudily were further surprised when derth were rivals in yet another District Attorney General Randy business. It wasn’t a T-shirt shop Nichols and every Criminal Court they were patronizing the night judge in Knox County except Lei- of the shooting (as described in bowitz, who has since retired, media accounts), but an adjacent bowed out of the case due to con- gambling establishment. They flicts of interest. Whiteside has had been locked in a bitter disbeen liberal with campaign con- pute over a small, spring-mounted tributions. plastic device called “slap dice,” Porter and Sudderth, both Al- much sought after by craps playcoa natives, had broken up by the ers. Whiteside had been importing time Sudderth moved to Knox- them from Asia and making a tidy ville. She knew little of his busi- profit; Sudderth was horning into ness dealings here, and less about the franchise. At least one crimethe documented feud with White- scene witness reported seeing side, who grew up in Lonsdale but Sudderth make a sudden U-turn moved to West Knox County after on Martin Luther King Boulevard his business, a minority contract- when he saw Whiteside’s SUV in ing firm called MPi Business Solu- the parking lot that night. tions, took off.

There is no dispute that Sud-

‘My life feels empty without him’ This is the unedited letter 16-year-old Amber Sudderth has written to the court regarding the sentencing of Troy Whiteside for killing her father: “Ever since August 22, 2009, my life has changed drastically.

That’s the day you took my father’s life and took him away from me.

“Taking my father away from me has caused me so much heartache and pain. … He was my best friend and to lose him is like losing a part of me.

“His death caused many issues like heartache and financial problems. Even though my mama and daddy were not married they had a bond like no other. Seeing her struggle then losing him is still the worst feeling ever.

“We (me and my mom) struggle every day to get by without him and his help. My daddy was also there for me whenever I needed him. Some-

Amber Sudderth with her father, Stacy Sudderth

Teresa Lynn Porter

times my life feels empty without him.

“People make my daddy out to be all these things, but I don’t care. That is still my daddy, regardless. Mr. Whiteside

“I’ve turned it all over to God. It will be made right in God’s time, and in the meantime, I’m not going to let anybody steal my joy. There’s nothing I can do about it anyway.”

Amber has written a letter to the judge (see sidebar), which she hopes to be allowed to read in court. Part of the letter is addressed to Whiteside. She says she forgives him.

Porter said she has always leveled with Amber about the way the man who called her his “BoogerBear” lived and died, and she’s been honest about the cascade of troubles that have plagued her since she was the victim of a brutal 1998 rape and home invasion that drove her to leave the community where both she and Stacy grew up, and resulted in Stacy being tried and acquitted of murderfor-hire in the death of one of the accused rapists.

And maybe most difficult of all, Porter has been honest about the two bouts of breast cancer she has survived since 2003. Amber worries about losing her mother, and has been hurt by the searing headlines describing Whiteside (who has no prior criminal record) as a respected business leader and Sudderth as a dangerous felon. Along with the rest of the family, she suffered through repeated postponements and delays while Whiteside walked free.

A low point was when he showed up at Amber’s school to watch his son’s basketball team play.

Porter fought through her struggles and earned a bachelor’s degree from Tusculum College while working at Denso, and remained friends with Sudderth

Sources say he will probably serve seven years.

Troy Whiteside

Knox County mug shot

derth and Whiteside had a loud confrontation inside the “T-shirt shop,” or that Sudderth was ordered to leave, or that Whiteside went outside shortly thereafter and within seconds, shot Sudderth with a 9 mm Glock, left his body in the parking lot, got into his car and drove a block and a half to flag down a police officer and turn himself in. Investigators confiscated Whiteside’s handgun and picked up 14 spent shells from the pavement at the crime scene.

An autopsy would show that 13 shots connected, mostly to Sudderth’s side and back.

Lynn Porter ridicules Whiteside’s self-defense claim, saying that Sudderth made it his business to let everyone know he was unarmed because he was a convicted felon and subject to a fiveyear sentence if found to be carrying a gun.

She was shocked when Dan Armstrong, the newly elected Third Judicial District Attorney General who inherited the case from his predecessor, informed her of the plea agreement on April 27. But after prayerful consideration, she says she’s going to be at peace, whatever the outcome.

Moving on “I’m asking the judge to give him the whole 21 years (the top of the sentencing range), but I’m just going to ask God to give me his peace and comfort,” Porter said.

Photos sub-

mitted

you don’t seem to be any less scary than they say my dad was.

“Honestly, you are scary to me. I never knew how I would face you because of what you’ve done. Nobody deserves to have their life taken away like this, not even you.

“I’ll forgive you, yes I do.

But I’ll never forget what you did. It will always live with me. I’ll never forget hearing the words, ‘He didn’t make it.’

That will always replay in my head. You have kids. Can you imagine if someone took you away from them and they had to suffer through this?

“I wish my daddy was still here, but since he’s not justice should be served. There is no reason for u to shoot someone that many times. It’s not selfdefense. It’s murder. Straight murder. I have siblings and in know they feel the heartache.

I was the closest one to my father and our bond was beyond strong. And now I have to live with knowing someone took my best friend from me.”

–Amber Sudderth

after her relationship ended in 2003. She says he and his family were strongly supportive when she battled cancer, and that Sudderth always supported his daughter, emotionally and financially.

Isaacs has stayed busy, and last month shepherded former Knox County Trustee Mike Lowe to a sweet plea deal on charges of defrauding the county by hiring ghost employees to perform phantom jobs. A couple of Lowe’s “ghost” employees were outside auditors/tax collectors, a position Troy Whiteside held 2000-2004.

Lowe had a dozen outside auditors.

Ed Shouse, who is now the trustee, has five, a number he says is sufficient to the needs of the office.

Neither Isaacs nor Armstrong would comment for the record.

Moncier confirmed that he will take up the wrongful death suit against Whiteside when the criminal case is concluded.

He and Isaacs are old comrades who teamed up to defend accused serial killer Tom “Zoo Man” Huskey in the longest-running, most expensive murder trial in Tennessee history, and, despite overwhelming evidence of guilt, won something of a victory when they helped Huskey avoid the death penalty via mistrial on a quadruple murder charge in 1999, leaving him to serve a 66-year sentence on multiple rape charges.

As adversaries in Wilson v.

Whiteside, they threatened each other with gag orders, lobbed insults and wooed reporters as they battled their way up to the Court of Appeals.

Moncier offered a preview of his case when he described Sudderth as “a big, jovial fellow – very responsible, punctual and intelligent. A businessman. There’s an old saying about justice delayed,” he said.

“And I believe the last line of that saying is ‘justice denied.’ ”

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government

Shopper news • MAY 20, 2015 • 5

Duncans are selling Farragut home U.S. Rep. Jimmy Duncan and wife Lynn are selling their home on Butternut Circle in Sugarwood subdivision in Farragut. They plan to move into a smaller, one-level home in Knox County once their current home sells. They also own a lake house in Grainger County, which is part of the second congressional district.

■ Jason Zachary is definitely running for state representative to replace Ryan Haynes. He has purchased a home in the district. He won the Farragut portion of the district in his race for Congress in August 2014. Others are expected to run, too, but this time Zachary will be taken seri-

Karl Dean retires after two terms as mayor.

These candidates are Victor all well funded (all having Ashe raised over $500,000 each and several at $1 million).

For one, at least, funding is unlimited due to his wealth.

Two are women and one is ously by all. Others may in- African-American, Howard clude Lou Moran and Karen Gentry, who stands an exCarson. Former Farragut cellent chance of being in Mayor Eddy Ford has his the runoff should no one get house for sale and will not 50 percent of the vote plus run. His wife, Linda, is re- one. No Republican is runcovering from knee surgery. ning.

■ Nashville: While Candidates are Metro Knoxville may be a cake- Council member Megan walk for Mayor Rogero’s Barry, attorney Charles re-election (with no one else Robert Bone, David Fox, running), Nashville faces a multimillionaire Bill Freehot and heavy contest with man, Criminal Court Clerk seven credible candidates Howard Gentry (former vice (all Democrats) as Mayor mayor), Jeremy Kane and

Linda Eskind Rebrovick (daughter of Jane Eskind).

The upcoming city of Knoxville election is such a snoozer that less than 7 percent of the registered voters (or 6,500 voters) may actually vote. The challengers to the incumbents to date are not seen as significant.

■ Books: In modern times, only three persons have written books on the complete history of Knoxville. They were Betsey Creekmore Sr.; Bill MacArthur, along with Lucille Deaderick; and Bruce Wheeler, who with Mike McDonald wrote “Knoxville: Mountain City in the New South” in 2003, published by the University of Tennessee Press.

Wheeler, 75, is the only one still living. I had lunch with him May 4 at The Orangery. He now lives in Wears Valley in Sevier County and is open to writing an updated edition of his book, now 12 years old.

In fact, his 2003 book was an updated version of his earlier Knoxville history. Wheeler said it would take six months to update the prior book and then the printing. In all likelihood, if he started soon, a new book could be published in early 2016. The 2003 edition sold over 1,200 copies.

A decision has not been made to do it, but much has happened since 2003 that should be recorded.

Jack Neely and Bob

Booker are also very able local historians. Neely has written several outstanding books, but his books generally are targeted to a specific issue such as the Tennessee Theatre. Booker has a great grasp of our AfricanAmerican history. Both could write solid histories of the whole city should they decide to take on the challenge.

■ On a personal note, Joan and I were in Richmond May 10 for our daughter’s, Martha Ashe, 22, graduation from the University of Richmond with a summa cum laude degree in business. Our son, J Victor, 25 on May 22, lives in San Jose, Calif., where he works for Cisco Systems.

Never wanted anyone to feel sorry for me Billy Joe O’Kain, a pitcher on the most successful Tennessee baseball team, didn’t make it to the big leagues. I thought he might.

Marvin West

O’Kain was a star for the 1951 Vols, second in the College World Series. The team had a 20-3 season, best winning percentage in UT history.

Soon thereafter, baseball and life took bad hops.

On a surprisingly cold and wet July evening in Winner, S.D., O’Kain was

pitching for an independent team against an all-star delegation from Cuba. Something wasn’t right in his shoulder, but he kept trying.

The Cubans knocked him around. Billy tried some more. That was his nature.

The next day and for a week, doctors tried to determine the cause of his affliction. They failed.

At UT the following spring, O’Kain confirmed what he already knew, that he wasn’t as effective as he had been, that his fastball had slowed, that his shoulder might never be the same.

All was not lost. Bill married his sweetheart, Ruby McGinnis, and forfeited his UT scholarship. Robert R. Neyland, athletic director, did not fund married athletes. He demanded full-

time devotion.

O’Kain became an electrician apprentice in Oak Ridge, saved some money, returned to UT and hit another roadblock. He suddenly couldn’t see properly.

Doctors discovered retinal hemorrhaging but couldn’t find the cause.

He made the elite hospital rounds – Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins and Vanderbilt. No precise determination, no cure.

“I drove part of the way home from Baltimore and realized I couldn’t see very well. We didn’t use the word ‘blind.’ It was a bad word.

But by 1954, I was.”

A weak man would have crumbled. A fighter would have been discouraged.

O’Kain never considered giving up. He signed up for a five-month rehabilitation

bowler, Bill bowled. He has been a deacon at Robertsville Baptist. He talks with radio friends “all over the world.”

Bill says Ruby has been the winning edge in his life.

Before he hired a secretary and then two, she did the insurance paperwork at night after getting home from her day job. She was his tour guide all the years they had season tickets to Tennessee football and basketball.

Do what? Go to games you can’t see?

“I can feel them,” said O’Kain. “I can be part of the excitement. I can go to a Tennessee baseball game and know the team is playing on the field where I played.”

Because he once saw Mickey Mantle in action,

program at the Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind.

He met Dick Freeling, a World War II victim who had been shot in the face and had lost senses of taste and smell – and sight.

“Bill Freeling was a wonderful man with a positive outlook on life. He was a ham radio operator and an insurance agent.”

Bill O’Kain became a ham radio operator. He opened an insurance agency in the basement of his Oak Ridge home.

Nothing to it, folks. He walked to work. Well, sometimes he tumbled down the steps, but he got up and kept on keeping on in business for 40 years.

Bill is father of two. He is twice a grandfather. He has two great-grandchildren. Because Ruby was a

O’Kain has long been a fan of the Yankees – and the Braves and a few other teams. He buys a radio package to follow baseball closely.

“I can see the action through a play-by-play announcer.

Television announcers aren’t much help. They talk about too many things unrelated to what’s happening on the field.”

Bill O’Kain, 84, will address the lunch bunch next week at Lake Forest Presbyterian Church. He will tell the audience that God has blessed his life.

“I’ve tried to do the best I can with what I have. I never wanted anyone to feel sorry for me.”

Marvin West invites reader reaction. His address is westwest6@netzero.com.

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Shopper news • MAY 20, 2015 • 7 The Steele Sisters, who bill themselves as “Beauties with Blades,” will appear at the Tennessee Medieval Faire this weekend and next. In real life, their names are Nicole Skelly and Samantha MacDonald, and they get along just fine. Photo by Photo Persuasion

Joust

By Carol Shane

Ready for a fun family outing? One with plenty of violence?

At first glance those two things don’t go together.

That’s why it’s important to stress that it’s theatrical violence. And not with guns – no, not by a (groan) long shot. We’re talking swords and quarterstaffs.

This weekend and the next in Harriman, Tenn., lords and ladies will be gathering for the Tennessee Medieval Faire, and you’re invited. If you’ve ever longed to play dress-up, revel in food and drink from another era, cheer on a real, live jouster or just watch

weekender FRIDAY ■ Marble City Shooters in concert, Casual Pint Fountain City, 4842 Harvest Mill Way. ■ Midnight Voyage Live: Vaski and Marley Carroll, 9 p.m., The International, 940 Blackstock Ave. Info/tickets: www. intlknox.com.

■ SAFTA Stage presents “Cages,” 7 p.m., The Emporium’s Black Box, 100 S. Gay St. Plays include: “Tortillas” by Cathy Adams, “A Brief Play” by Alicia Cole, “Shelter” by Laryssa Wirstiuk and “Unactualized” by Saba Waheed. Tickets: $12 in advance or $15 at the door. Info/tickets: www. sundresspublications.com/safta/programs.htm.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY ■ Smoky Mountain Quilters 2015 Quilt Show, Maryville College Cooper Athletic Center. Times: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.

SATURDAY

for you

otherwise sane grownups playing a very high-level form of make-believe, now’s your chance.

The event is produced by Lars and Barrie Paulson, Florida transplants and Ringling Medieval Faire vets who saw opportunity in East Tennessee for some “adventure tourism.” Owners and operators of Dark Horse Entertainment, LLC, Lars has specialized in carpentry – he’s built sets and props for Pigeon Forge’s Titanic Museum, among others – and Barrie has her pedigree in fight training and performing. Though she proudly holds credentials in unarmed, single sword and

quarterstaff battle – “an extremely difficult gold star to get” – she mostly directs performers now.

“It’s been Lars’ lifelong dream to build a Medieval/ Renaissance festival ‘right’ from the ground up, instead of fi xing other people’s festivals and managing them,” Barrie says. The pair mounted a preview show last October and decided to go full-tilt (sorry) in May 2015 with a three-weekend grand opening.

“It takes a lot of time, money, hard work and community support,” Barrie says.

“Medieval/Renaissance festivals have a regional draw. The closest permanent sites for Renaissance festivals are 150-250 miles away, near Nashville, Atlanta, Charlotte and Louisville.” To the Paulsons, East Tennessee seemed ripe for its own permanent site, especially considering the prevalence of Scots-Irish lineage in the area. “If you go up the Appalachian family tree,” says Barrie, “you get kings and queens. So we want to honor the region’s Celtic heritage.”

And what will you find at the Tennessee Medieval Faire?

“There is something for everyone,” Barrie says. “We have live jousting, warriors’ chess, trick shows, Celtic music, belly dancing, turkey legs.” By the way, dads, there’s plenty of ale, and those frosty tankards are brought to you by “wenches.” Beer alternatives are also provided. Women may prefer the “quality crafts, interactive period dance, handsome knights and romantic actors.” Kids will enjoy puppet shows, storytellers, games, warhorse and pony rides, and toy vendors. There are interactive comedy shows and plenty of good food.

And you and your little ones may end up learning a bit about history in the process. “It’s a new tradition – joust for you,” says the website.

The Tennessee Medieval Faire will run the next two weekends, including Memorial Day weekend: May 2325 and 30-31. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Ticket prices are $14.95 for ages 13 and up, $7.95 for ages 5 to 12, free for ages 4 and under. Free parking is included. The festival is located at 550 Fiske Road in Harriman.

More info: www.TMFaire .com or visit Facebook.

Send story suggestions to news@ shoppernewsnow.com.

■ Angela Floyd School for the Dancer Spring Dance Concert, 5 p.m., Knoxville Civic Auditorium, 500 Howard Baker Jr. Ave. Info/tickets: Knoxville Civic Auditorium-Coliseum Box Office, 215-8999; KnoxvilleTickets.com outlets.

■ ATL Takeover in concert, 9 p.m., The Concourse, 940 Blackstock Ave. Info/tickets: www.intlknox.com.

■ Ijams Creature Feature, 10 a.m., Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave. For all ages. Free program, donations to support animal care welcome.

■ Knoxville Track Club Expo 10K and 5K, 8 a.m., 100 block of Gay Street. Race-day registration, 6:15 a.m. Info: www.ktc. org; Justin Emert, emertj@comcast.net, or Kristy Altman, knoxvilletrackclub@gmail.com.

■ Old Time Mountain Music Jam, 1-3 p.m., Candoro Arts and Heritage Center, 4450 Candora Ave. Info: Trudy, 384-1273, or www.candoromarble.org.

■ Sheryl Crow in concert, 8 p.m., Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay St. Info/tickets: www.tennesseetheatre.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, the Tennessee Theatre box office and 800-745-3000.

■ Social Paddle at The Cove!, 9-11 a.m., The Cove at Concord Park, 11808 Northshore Drive. All rental locations are open.

■ Storytellers and Craft Share, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Walter P. Hardy Park, 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. Featuring: “The Story of The Elements” and the “Dreamcatcher”; Kokopelli story sticks craft project; songs and dances. Free event. Bring picnic lunch.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY ■ Statehood Day celebration, Marble Springs State Historic Site, 1220 W. Gov. John Sevier Highway. Times: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Living history interpreters depict frontier life. Free and open to the public; donations appreciated. Info: 573-5508, www.marblesprings.net.

SUNDAY ■ SAFTA Stage presents “Cages,” 3 p.m., The Emporium’s Black Box, 100 S. Gay St. Plays include: “Tortillas” by Cathy Adams, “A Brief Play” by Alicia Cole, “Shelter” by Laryssa Wirstiuk and “Unactualized” by Saba Waheed. Tickets: $12 in advance or $15 at the door. Info/tickets: www. sundresspublications.com/safta/programs.htm.

Thunder Road Burger

By Mystery Diner Litton’s Market, Restaurant and Bakery has some dedicated purists.

Their passion is the burger. Add whatever sides you want, choose cheese or not, but don’t leave Litton’s without eating the burger.

They have a point. The juicy, hand-patted Litton Burger on a homemade bun with lettuce, tomato and onion is the cornerstone on which the restaurant part of the business was built. When Eldridge Litton founded Litton’s Market in 1946, it sold groceries, hardware, feed and gas, but not burgers. It was 1962 when Eldridge and his son, Edwin, added a deli counter and sold the first Litton Burger for 89 cents.

Barry and Kelly, the third generation of Littons, are at the helm now.

Today’s Litton Burger grew from a customer request in 1981. Barry cooked a hamburger on the market’s three-legged skillet – an eight-ounce burger with bacon on a hoagie bun for $1.99.

Being a rebel, Mystery Diner pushed the limit and ordered the Litton Thunder Road Burger.

Having had the homemade chicken salad – take a tub home! – the lure of homemade pimento cheese on top of the famous burgers was too much to resist. The sautéed onions and jala-

peno peppers as toppers complete the symphony of flavors.

Rebelling again, I chose a baked sweet potato instead of fries, then stole a few fries from my friend’s plate. Both were delicious.

The Thunder Road Burger was perfectly cooked. The pimento cheese was all melty and rich with flavor that perfectly complemented the burger and the onions.

The buns at Litton’s are fresh, beautifully toasted and delicious. Thunder Road is simply a terrific entrée.

But here’s the thing about Litton’s: At some point, you gotta get past the burger. The quality of the food starts with the burger, but it doesn’t stop there. The salads are fresh and huge, with a homemade blue cheese dressing that is good enough to dip your fries in. The chicken salad is first class.

The steaks are high-end restaurant quality. Don’t even get me started on the onion rings. Desserts are in a class by themselves, with the coconut cream pie and red velvet cake at the top of the list.

If you eat out regularly, Litton’s can offer you a variety of great food choices. Every time I go, I vow to order something different, and I am steadfast in my resolve – right up to the moment they deliver the burger.

Matthias Schoenaerts and Carey Mulligan get close in “Far From the Madding Crowd.”

George Clooney plays a disillusioned inventor in “Tomorrowland.”

‘Madding Crowd,’ ‘Tomorrowland,’ ‘Poltergeist’ offer variety

By Betsy Pickle Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan (“An Education”) stars in a new adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s literary classic “Far From the Madding Crowd,” opening Friday exclusively at Downtown West.

Mulligan plays Bathsheba Everdene, an unusually independent heiress who finds herself with three suitors: a sheep farmer (Matthias Schoenaerts), a dashing officer (Tom Sturridge) and a prosperous landowner (Michael Sheen). She must decide which – if any – is

right for her.

Thomas Vinterberg (“The Celebration”), co-founder (along with Lars von Trier) of the Dogme 95 movement, directed the film.

Oscar winner George Clooney is back on the screen in “Tomorrowland,” a film inspired by Walt Disney’s Tomorrowland section of Disneyland and Epcot Center at Disney World.

Clooney plays a former boy genius who went into seclusion when his belief that a better world could exist was destroyed. A scienceloving, enthusiastic teen

(Britt Robertson) forces him to go on an adventure to prove that a secret world – Tomorrowland – exists.

Hugh Laurie, Tim McGraw, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key and Judy Greer also star for two-time Oscar-winning director Brad Bird. The film opens in wide release on Friday.

Also opening wide is “Poltergeist,” a remake of director Tobe Hooper’s 1982 horror classic.

Gil Kenan (“Monster House”) directed the new version, which stars Sam

Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt as a couple who move with their three children into a house in a subdivision that has seen better days.

Strange things immediately begin happening in their home, and when their younger daughter disappears, they realize that she has been abducted by supernatural forces. They call on a paranormal expert (Jared Harris) and a university professor (Jane Adams) for help.

Sam Raimi served as a producer on the film.

8 • MAY 20, 2015 • Shopper news

NEWS FROM MISSION OF HOPE

What’s at the end of your rainbow?

Kellie Taylor Photo by A. Hart

By Anne Hart Legend has it that at the end of every rainbow there’s a pot of gold, but at Mission of Hope, the rainbow that graces its logo signiďŹ es something far more valuable than gold.

At the end of Mission of Hope’s rainbow stand dozens of young people with stars in their eyes and dreams in their hearts, each clutching a high school diploma and the promise of a college scholarship awarded by the organization that serves the families of poverty-stricken rural Appalachia in countless ways throughout the year.

One of those scholarship recipients is rising Middle Tennessee State University

(MTSU) junior Kellie Taylor.

Mission of Hope Executive Director Emmette Thompson describes her as “the zenith of what Mission of Hope has done so far in rural, distressed communities.�

Poised, articulate, utterly delightful and well on the way to realizing her dreams, Kellie was a sixth grader in one of those rural schools when she ďŹ rst encountered Mission of Hope. “I remember when they came at Christmas and Santa pulled back those big sheets and uncovered all those toys and bikes and all kinds of wonderful things. It was one of the best days ever.â€?

It’s apparent, though, that

Kellie Taylor had also learned all about generosity at home. “My mom wanted me to give some of my toys to other kids,� she remembers with a smile.

That magical day in the life of a sixth grader marked the beginning of a long-term relationship between Kellie and Mission of Hope.

When she graduated from high school, Kellie says she cried when once again a sheet covering a big table was pulled back and every single student who had been awarded a college scholarship from Mission of Hope also received a brand new laptop computer to help them in their college studies.

“It was very emotional for everyone,� she recalls.

Off to college with laptop in hand and a major in organizational communications and minors in Spanish and psychology ahead of her, she landed a position as a reporter for the MTSU school newspaper her very ďŹ rst semester.

And that was just the beginning.

Now she has won what she excitedly terms “my dream internship.�

In the fall she will head to Orlando to work at Disney World for a semester while continuing her work toward a degree at MTSU online. “I can’t wait,� she enthuses. “I feel mature, but I’m a kid at heart. Every work uniform there is a costume. When I was a kid I used to dream of things like being a movie star, but this is a bigger dream than I ever had before.�

Kellie says one of the best things about having a Mission of Hope scholarship is that “they don’t just hand you money and let you go.

They stay with you. I have a mentor who sends me cards and keeps up with me and encourages me, and I feel like Emmette is my best friend.

Emmette Thompson says the scholarship program, funded by donations, has seen great success. Thirteen scholarships are Thompson awarded annually. To date, 73 have been granted, 17 recipients have graduated and two students

are in graduate school. “So far, of all the kids we have helped, 87 percent are the ďŹ rst in their family to graduate from high school, 97 percent are the ďŹ rst to graduate from college. With overwhelming percentages, they will make sure their children graduate. We are breaking the cycle of poverty one kid at a time.â€?

Thompson says that while Mission of Hope is known for gifts to children at Christmas and school supplies at the start of the school year, the program is ongoing throughout the year. “We say that we bloom like a tree with roots and branches. The roots are the elementary schools and mountain ministry centers.

We make the donations to them and they do the distribution because they know the families and where the needs are greatest.�

The branches are resources: back-to-school items, construction, health care, scholarship and evangelism.

A total of 27 elementary schools, which feed into 13 high schools, and 55 ministry centers are served.

Kellie Taylor doesn’t know what her career will be after graduation, but she says one of the ďŹ rst things she will do “is give back to a child. Emmette told me just today that someone has to pick up the baton.â€?

She wants to see more young people standing at the end of that rainbow.

For additional information or to make a donation to Mission of Hope: 584-7571 or www.missionofhope.org.

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NORTH/EAST Shopper news • MAY 20, 2015 • 9

Jarmarion Chambers, Sarah Moore Greene ambassador, hands out programs for the showcase event.

Maurice Davis checks out the newspaper club booth at the showcase.

Erion Lee and Arianna Bailey pose for pictures during Multimedia Madness at Sarah Moore Greene. Photos by newspaper club Photo by R. White

member Jarmarion Chambers

Multimedia Madness at SMG

Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Academy recently hosted the final showcase of the season, Multimedia Madness. The event gave parents and guests an opportunity to see the great work the students have completed this school year.

I attended the event to host a booth for the community school’s newspaper club, an after-school program Sandra Clark and I have worked with on Wednesday afternoons.

Sandra’s main goal for the club was to work with and

Ruth White

guide budding journalists in hopes of the students being able to independently report on school events during the year.

Upon entering the gym, I was approached by student ambassador and newspaper

club member Jarmarion Chambers. His first question was, “Can I take pictures?” I was reluctant to turn over my camera to him, and then he said, “I am part of the newspaper club.”

It hit me: This is the golden opportunity that Sandra and I have worked for all year long, so I gave him my camera and waited for his return.

Like a true journalist, Jarmarion made his way through the crowd snapping photos, and as a performance began on stage,

he zoomed in on the action and returned with some very good photographs. I am especially proud of the composition of his photo featuring friends Erion Lee and Arianna Bailey.

Joseph Lundy (the lion) and Taylor Styles perform a scene from “Welcome to the Jungle” during a recent showcase.

The play was performed by the drama, choral and improv clubs.

Jimmy Dance, school resource officer at East Knox Elementary School, was named officer of the year for Knox County Schools. Pictured are school board chair Mike McMillan; Gus Paidousis, chief of KCS security; Dance and Dr. Jim McIntyre, superintendent.

Dion Dykes, Jai’Queze Fain and Madison Thomas watch the performances during the showcase.

Jai’Queze is on duty for the night, videotaping the showcase for the school.

■

Dutton inks with Milligan College

Carter High senior Blake Dutton has signed to play baseball at Milligan College next year.

The four-year starter played second base for the Hornets and was named to the AllDistrict team his junior and senior years. While Blake Dutton at Carter, Blake learned how to be a better player and a better practice player from his coaches and teammates.

He selected Milligan College because it felt like a good fit to him. While in school he plans to study business and minor in education.

Blake also played for the Runnin’ Hornets – the school basketball team – where he was a two-year starter, was captain his senior year and was named to the All-Region Tournament team.

Attending the signing with Blake were his parents, David and Toni Noe, siblings Justin and Alyssa Dutton, grandfathers Larry Hughes and Dale Noe, a host of friends and teammates.

Officer Dance gets county honor East Knox County Elementary School security resource officer Jimmy Dance was recognized by chief Gus Paidousis as the officer of the year for Knox County Schools.

East Knox principal Kristi Woods said the school is blessed to have him there.

“Officer Dance not only keeps our school physically safe, he works to keep it emotionally safe as well,” she said.

“Students know he is another trusted adult they can go to when they need something. He is a team player.

He pitches in wherever he sees a need. He is proactive in making plans to improve

the safety of our campus.”

And assistant principal Theresa Winburn said Officer Dance stands out because of his willingness to do whatever it takes to keep students, teachers and the school safe.

“He is constantly thinking about ways to improve safety. For example, one of the first things he did was suggest we have fencing all around the school to ensure our students were safe the entire day. He also rerouted traffic around the school. This not only keeps our students safe but helps keeps the f low of traffic moving, which helps our parents get to

where they are going more efficiently.

“He walks our campus every day, checking doors to make sure they are secure.

He also checks on students who may need an extra friend. He is an excellent support to all our students, and they know they have another adult they can talk to if they need it.

“He makes our school a better place because we never have to worry about our safety. He is proactive and always on alert. He is a team player, and he pitches in wherever he sees a need.

We are grateful to have such an amazing security officer watching over us!”

THROUGH SATURDAY, JUNE 20

THURSDAY, MAY 21

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 22-24

Online registration open for Race to benefit the Corryton Community Food Pantry, to be held Saturday, June 20. Event is part of “The Run and See Tennessee Grand Prix Series.” To register: https://runnerreg.us/ corryton8mile. Info: corryton8miler@yahoo.com; ron. fuller@totalracesolutions.com; or Joyce Harrell, 7057684.

Burlington Game Night, 5:30-8 p.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Info: 525-5431.

Dollywood Penguin Players present “Old Bear and His Cub,” 4 p.m., Norwood Branch Library, 1110 Merchants Drive. Info: 688-2454.

Family Pajama Storytime, 6:30 p.m., Halls Branch Library, 4518 E. Emory Road. Info: 922-2552.

Growing “Killer Tomatoes” class, 3:15-4:30 p.m., Humana Guidance Center, 4438 Western Ave. Free to the public. Presented by Master Gardeners Joe Pardue and Marcia Griswold. Info: 329-8892.

Suicide Prevention Training, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Revival Vision Church, 154 Durham Drive, Maynardville.

No registration fee; lunch provided. RSVP required. Contact hour certificates available. Info/RSVP: Rita Fazekas, 266-3989 or rita.fazekas@cherokeehealth.com.

Smoky Mountain Quilters 2015 Quilt Show (35th annual), Maryville College Cooper Athletic Center. Times: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20 Dollywood Penguin Players present “Old Bear and His Cub,” 4 p.m., Carter Branch Library, 9036 Asheville Highway. Info: 933-5438.

Fish Fry, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Sharps Chapel Senior/ Community Center. All seniors welcome. Bring a covered dish.

International Folk Dance Class, 7:30-10 p.m., Claxton Community Center, 1150 Edgemoor Road, Clinton. Sponsored by the Oak Ridge Folk Dancers.

First visit free. No partner or dance experience required. Adults and children accompanied by an adult welcome. Info: Paul Taylor, 898-5724; www. oakridgefolkdancers.org; on Facebook.

WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY, MAY 20-21 AARP Safe Driving class, noon-4 p.m., O’Connor Senior Center, 611 Winona St. Info/to register: Carolyn Rambo, 382-5822.

FRIDAY, MAY 22 Dollywood Penguin Players present “Old Bear and His Cub,” 3:30 p.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Info: 525-5431.

Dollywood Penguin Players present “Old Bear and His Cub,” 10:30 a.m., Powell Branch Library, 330 W. Emory Road. Info: 947-6210.

Gala Day, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Union County Senior Center, 298 Main St., Maynardville. All seniors welcome.

Bring side item to go with barbecue. Music, food and fun; door prizes, volunteer recognition, crowning of the next king and queen. Info: 992-3292.

SATURDAY, MAY 23 Church yard sale, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Lighthouse Christian Church, 8015 Facade Lane.

Memorial Wildflower Garden Seed Sowing, 6-6:30 p.m., Mac Smith Resource Center, Narrow Ridge, 1936 Liberty Hill Road in Washburn. Info: Mitzi, 497-3603 or community@narrowridge.org.

Music Jam, 7-10 p.m., Mac Smith Resource Center, Narrow Ridge, 1936 Liberty Hill Road in Washburn.

Info: Mitzi, 497-3603 or community@narrowridge.org.

MONDAY, MAY 25 Memorial Day Ceremony, 11 a.m., Union County Court House, Main Street in Maynardville.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27 Computer Workshops: Internet and Email Basics,” 2 p.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Requires “Introducing the Computer” or equivalent skills. Info/to register: 525-5431.

business

10 • MAY 20, 2015 • NORTH/EAST Shopper news

Food City grows; supports JDRF

By Sandra Clark

Bob Elmore,

Food City has always got something going on.

Last week it was a charity golf tournament and media gathering in Sevierville. After a great buffet lunch and an update by president/CEO Steven Smith, Food City sent us away with a neat gift bag of computer peripherals and a box of fresh Scott’s strawberries.

What’s not to like?

We saw John Jones, former Halls guy who moved to Abingdon, Va., when he was promoted. Emerson Breeden was there. He’s on his 61st year with the company. John Edd Wampler of sausage fame gave the invocation. Drew Hembree, grandson of the founder, was introduced as interim director of marketing – a fresh, young face for Food City.

Jones presented a check for $235,000 to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The funds were collected from customers

one busy man It was eye-opening to meet with Bob Elmore last week. I met Bob over a year ago through the East Towne Business Alliance. A loyal member, he is currently Bob Elmore secretary for the group. I just didn’t realize how busy his life is.

Bob’s background includes the grocery business, but when he was approached by a friend about getting into financial services he decided to take a leap of faith. After he got his life insurance license, a new road led him to become a district agent for Modern Woodmen of America.

My first misconception of a company with the word “modern” in the name is they are new. Modern Woodmen of America was founded in 1886. When asked the secret to the company’s longevity, Bob says, “They take care of their people, and their products are affordable.”

It is obvious how proud Bob is to be part of this company. Modern Woodmen is a “fraternal benefit society – it is owned and operated by members to make sure the company is solid,” says Bob. He knows his clients are all individuals who need specialized treatment. “I try not to cookie cut a plan for everyone.”

Modern Woodmen offers life insurance and annuity products, retirement plans, investment products and even banking services.

There is a huge list of fraternal benefits for members.

There is never a charge for Bob to evaluate an individual’s or family’s current plans.

“We just go in and try to educate and encourage our potential clients to learn more about what they have with their current plan – not only individually but also the employee benefits they currently have,” says Bob. He is a hands-on agent

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who wants his clients to get to know him and be comfortable asking questions.

He also enjoys the community service opportunities through Modern Woodmen.

The “Matching Funds Program” has helped families, schools and other organizations in our area.

Halls High School, Adrian Burnett and West Haven elementary schools have received matching funds as well as the Agape Outreach Homes on Jacksboro Pike. Bob explained how an organization in need of new equipment or supplies can raise money through a fundraising effort. Modern Woodmen will then match these funds up to $2,000.

Bob truly feels “at home” with Modern Woodmen.

“I’ve become part of their family and they’ve become part of mine,” he says. He understands most people don’t want to think about death and their need for life insurance, but “providing the services I can offer is important for family, friends and community.”

When not working, Bob and his wife stay busy with their four kids ranging in age from 2 to 9. He coaches baseball in the spring and fall and basketball in the winter. Bob says they definitely couldn’t do all they do without their families who are “a great support system.” This busy two-career family is also active at Central Baptist Church. Bob’s favorite hobby is “playing around on the farm in the dirt.”

Bob’s office is located at 5915 Rutledge Pike. Info: modern-woodmen.org or phone 546-0804 or 3003479.

By Sandra Clark Greenwood Cemetery is getting a facelift from its new owners, Dennis and Kim Bridges from Bridges Funeral Home.

OPEN MEMORIAL DAY • 9AM - 5PM

Stanley’s Greenhouse

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Thousands of blooming baskets to choose from.

SAT Ma SAT., May 2233 10:00am

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with Lisa Stanley

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M-F 8-6 • Sat 9-5 Open Sun 1-5 through June

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food banks.

Smith talked about the growth of Sevier County.

“We have five stores here now and a sixth will start this year.” He said his dad, Jack Smith, began the grocery chain in 1955 with one Piggly Wiggly.

Food City has grown to annual sales of $2.3 billion, “and we’re No. 1 or No. 2 in every market where we serve,” Smith said.

Food City has introduced a new website and an enhanced ValuCard that can upload targeted coupons to customers. Next up is curbside grocery pickup at selected stores. A new store is being built in Blaine (Grainger County), part of a $60 million capital investment this year. And next year’s media lunch will bring more innovations.

I’m ready.

New owners for Friday, weekend Greenwood Cemetery tours set

Patrick Shipwash has joined the staff of Pellissippi State Community College as the new executive director of equity and compliance.

In his role, Shipwash will serve as affirmative action officer, equity and compliance officer, Title IX and Title VI coordinator, and ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) officer.

Previously, Shipwash worked for TVA’s law enforcement branch, the Tennessee Department of Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, and Southern CaliforShipwash nia Edison’s equal opportunity and ethics and compliance offices. He retired from Southern California Edison in 2013.

Container gardening for urban landscape workshop

who purchased a “sneaker” at checkout March 28 to May 3.

Smith said over the past five years Food City and its customers have contributed more than $900,000 to the organization.

And Juvenile Diabetes is just one of the company’s partners. There are School Bucks, which supports local schools, and Race for Hunger, which supports area

Dennis and Kim Bridges are the new owners of Greenwood Cemetery. Photo by S. Clark

Shipwash named equity and compliance director

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Mary Moreland, executive director of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; Kassie Perkins, Miss Food City 2015; and John Jones, Food City’s executive vice president/director of store operations.

NO SALES TAX ON PLANTS!

DIRECTIONS: From downtown, cross Henley St. Bridge to L on Lippencott and R on Davenport.

The cemetery was opened 115 years ago by Dr. Reuben and Frances Kesterson to memorialize their son, Robert Neil, who died at age 3.

Fountain City historian Dr. Jim Tumblin relates the story on his website. Robert was initially buried near Dr. Kesterson’s parents in Old Gray Cemetery. Frances and Reuben toured the country, inspecting cemeteries to build a fitting memorial to their son. They found it at Green-Wood, a 478-acre rural cemetery in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Kestersons bought 175 acres on Tazewell Pike and erected a 45-foot marble obelisk to memorialize their son. Tumblin said it was situated to be visible from the upstairs dormer windows of the Kesterson home.

Dr. Kesterson was the first licensed dentist to practice in Knoxville. He and Frances enjoyed the town’s first Cadillac, a bright red coupe.

Kim Powers Bridges is a fan. She bought a bright red and white electric car to

give tours of the cemetery.

She’s visited with Dr. Tumblin and spent time at the Lawson-McGhee Library to learn the history of the Kestersons and their cemetery.

Most important, she and husband Dennis view themselves as caretakers of the Kestersons’ vision.

On Friday, May 22, they will celebrate the history of Greenwood Cemetery, 3500 Tazewell Pike. Guided golf cart tours will be provided all weekend.

While much remains to be done, the Bridges family has made major improvements since buying the cemetery last October.

Workers have cleared the area around the Kesterson family plot. Several monuments have been steamwashed. An old chain-link fence at the front of the property is gone and will be replaced by black rail fencing. Seasonal flowers have been added to the front gate, and the office is being renovated.

Kim Bridges is especially eager to obtain pictures, family histories and memo-

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rabilia from the cemetery’s past.

With almost 25,000 people interred here, there has to be much history, she said.

Sadly, previous owners disposed of much of that history. “We have all records here since 1900,” she said.

“We have a burial card for every person.

“We waited (from October until May) to announce the ownership change because we wanted to ‘show’ rather than ‘tell’ what we will do,” she said.

Kim, an Oklahoma native, and Dennis, who grew up in Karns, met while working for a large funeral home corporation. Kim said her orange suit caught his eye. Between them they have six kids, ranging in age from 12 to 36.

Dennis, a funeral home director, fulfilled a lifelong dream when the couple opened Bridges Funeral Home in 2004. They also own cemeteries in three states, but Knoxville is home. “When I’m in town, I’m here,” Kim said of Greenwood.

MEMORIAL DAY AUCTION FUN Monday, May 25 • 10:00AM CHEROKEE REALTY & AUCTION CO 10015 Rutledge Pike, STE 101 Corryton, TN 37721

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For pictures of these & other items go to: WWW.AUCTIONZIP.COM & enter Auctioneer ID # 22892.

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Shopper news • MAY 20, 2015 • 11

“And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free.

And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.”

– Lee Greenwood

God Bless the USA Have a happy and safe Memorial Day! Monday, May 25, 2015

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The Rotary Club of Bearden presents

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May 29 & 30 • World’s Fair Park Friday, May 29 • 5-10 Saturday, May 30 • 10-6

2 Days of MUSIC, FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT

With headliner Logan Brill performing 8:30 to 10:00 on Friday

for the entire family!

Other groups performing during the two days are Fairview Union, Second Opinion, Public Apology, The Early Morning String Dusters, Roger Alan Wade and others to be announced.

For information and ticket availability

www.rockytopbbq.com Space donated by:

Knoxville native, Brill, and her band have toured with Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam, The Band Perry, Blues Traveler and Steve Earle.

12 • MAY 20, 2015 • Shopper news

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