NORTH / EAST VOL. 3 NO. 23
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Herbs at the Fort
BUZZ
North area Bible schools ■ Cedar Ford Baptist Church, 3201 Highway 61 E. in Luttrell, “Journey Off the Map,” 6:30-9 p.m. SundayFriday, June 14-19. All ages. Info: 992-0267 or cedarford@ bellsouth.net. ■ Christ UMC, 7535 Maynardville Highway, “Blast to the Past,” 6-8:30 p.m. MondayFriday, June 15-19. Light supper at 6. For age 4 through fifth grade. Info/register: 922-1412. ■ Church of God of the Union Assembly, 336 Tazewell Pike in Luttrell, “Bible Blast to the Past” 6:30-9 p.m. through Friday, June 12. For age 3 through teens. Supper served each night. Info: Linda Merritt, 992-0682. ■ City View Baptist Church, 2311 Fine Ave., “Journey Off the Map: Unknown to us. Known to Him,” 6-9 p.m. through Friday, June 12. For children, youth and adults. Info: www.cityview-knox. org/2015/05/24/vbs-4/ or 522-2364. ■ Little Flat Creek Baptist Church, 9132 E. Emory Road in Corryton, “Everest,” 6:30-9 p.m. through Friday, June 12. Commencement 11 a.m. Sunday, June 14. Classes for all ages. Info: 688-7950. ■ New Fellowship Baptist Church, 4624 Nora Road, “Hometown Nazareth,” 6-8 p.m. Sunday-Friday, June 1419. Skits, dinner crafts, games every night. Family carnival on Friday. Info: 688-1073. ■ Oaks Chapel American Christian Church, 934 Raccoon Valley Road, 6:30-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, June 1519. Classes for all ages. ■ Pleasant Gap Baptist Church, 4311 Pleasant Gap Drive, “Growing with God,” 7-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, June 22-26. ■ Salem Baptist Church, 8201 Hill Road, “Journey Off the Map,” 9 a.m.-noon through Friday, June 12. For age 4 through fifth grade. Info/ register: 922-3490 or www. salembaptisthalls.org. ■ St. Paul UMC, 4014 Garden Drive, “Jesus is my Superhero!” 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, July 11. For infants through fifth grade. Lunch provided, no charge. Info: 6872952. ■ Union Baptist Church, 940 Ailor Gap Road in Luttrell, 6:30-9 p.m. through Friday, June 12. All ages. Info: Angela Weaver, 924-7750. ■ Zion Hill Baptist Church, 289 Cardin Gap Road in Heiskell, 6:30-9 p.m. through Friday, June 12. Commencement on Friday. Classes for all ages.
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Local history buff and re-enactor Jim Buckenmyer (center) instructs a group of gardeners on techniques for growing herbs in a raised bed at James White’s Fort on a recent Saturday. Tomato Head restaurant, Witt Lumber and Construction, and Tennessee Stone sponsored the workshop. Buckenmyer plans to offer two more workshops at the fort in coming months, including one on 18th-century food-preservation techniques and another on preparing Thanksgiving dinner on an open hearth. Follow the James White’s Fort Facebook page for scheduling details. Photo by Bill Dockery
Insure TN doomed by low support By Bill Dockery A lack of grassroots support helped doom Insure Tennessee the first time the health-care measure came before the Legislature early this year, state Sen. Becky Duncan Massey told an East Knoxville gathering last week. Massey, who represents Knox County’s 6th senate district, was reviewing the Legislature’s accomplishments in the recently ended session for a group of East Knoxville advocates and organizations. She said that in the first “intense week” of consideration the only supporters of Insure Tennessee were hospitals, corporations and doctors’ groups. “Not anyone you could see or hear from was average, everyday
people who were for it,” she said. “The people who voted against it had good reasons.” Massey said she led a group of three other new senators in voting for it, but when a swing-vote senator went against it there was no hope of passage. Massey “The first committee meeting wasn’t hearing from the average person. For the second go-around, there were a lot of grassroots people there.” Massey said that the health committee she serves on was the only senate panel to discuss the failed legislation, which would have
expanded Medicaid coverage to more than a quarter million Tennesseans at no cost to the state. “I was one of the few people that voted for it twice.” Massey said a grassroots campaign using a tour bus is attempting to bring the Legislature back for a special session but said she doubted it would be successful. “There could be another special session, but I don’t think there will be. I believe it’s going to have to start in the (state) House” during next year’s legislative session. Massey also announced that she expects to be a candidate for her post in 2016. She was elected in a special election in 2011 and then won again in the regular election in 2012. In addition to
the Senate health committee, she serves on its transportation committee and is chair of the Senate’s calendar committee. Massey advised individuals to make their contacts with lawmakers as personal and respectful as possible. “I spend a whole lot more time with my friends here in Knoxville than I do with any lobbyist. Person-to-person conversations are better. Don’t ever send a mass email or long emails. “We are not always going to agree, but we can always be respectful. The more you have conversations with someone, the more you can have appreciation for where someone is coming from.”
Parents weigh in on teacher terminations By Betty Bean Copper Ridge Elementary School parents aren’t the only ones protesting the loss of a beloved teacher, and Copper Ridge’s Christina Graham isn’t the only non-tenured Knox County teacher whose spotless record couldn’t save her from an abrupt, unexplained termination because she didn’t “fit the vision” the principal had for her school.
Analysis
Members of the audience at the June school board meeting stand in support of Christina Graham, speaking. Photo by Betsy Pickle
Early last month, Mount Olive Elementary School teacher Gloria Ray-Scheberle achieved rock-star status when she helped coach the school’s Destination Imagination to the global finals. No Knox County team had made the global finals in the past five years, and the team had enthusiastic community support. The day before the finals, RayScheberle – a veteran teacher who is a few courses short of a doctorate, is certified in elementary education and special education and has 12 years’ teaching experience, but has worked in Knox County for only two years and is not yet tenured – found herself out of a job.
Mount Olive principal Paula Brown informed Ray-Scheberle on Tuesday afternoon that she did not “fit the school’s vision” and would not be allowed to finish out the week with her students, who were scheduled to begin the competition on Wednesday and had already lost their other sponsor due to illness. The reaction was swift. Kids cried. Parents made phone calls. School board members weighed in and Ray-Scheberle was allowed to stay with her students through the competition. She is reluctant to discuss her situation because she’s hoping to find another job
within Knox County Schools, and she has not initiated any contact with media. One thing she will say is that she loves Mount Olive. “When I started there I told my husband, ‘I hope this is my forever home.’ I figure I’ve got another 10 years to teach, and I wanted it to be at Mount Olive. I love the school, the faculty, the parents and the community,” she said. Mount Olive loves her right back. They showed up in force last week to tell the school board what they think about losing her, and three-time PTA president Holly Child gave them an earful. She
said she asked principal Brown to explain her “vision” for the school and she was unable to do so. “We are letting very capable teachers go because they don’t fit a nonexistent vision,” Child said. Then she asked for Brown to be removed from Mount Olive. For nearly two years, Superintendent James McIntyre’s administration has been fending off what has been dubbed a “teacher’s rebellion,” because teachers have been the most visible, vocal and recognizable critics of what they see as McIntyre’s over-reliance on high-stakes testing and draconian teacher evaluations. They made headway, but they were easy for to dismiss as disgruntled whiners. Inevitably, momentum waned and McIntyre claimed victory. But the June board meeting had a different feel. The flurry of dismissals, non-renewals and administrative transfers has enraged and energized parents. A past PTA president publicly denouncing her principal? Unheard of. Events at the June school board meeting left the strong impression that a bridge has been crossed. It’s not just a teachers’ rebellion anymore.
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2 • JUNE 10, 2015 • Shopper news
health & lifestyles
If mama ain’t happy … As an OB/GYN with Fort Sanders Women’s Specialists and Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, Brooke Foulk, MD, treats women who are in every stage of life, from the rst pap smear, through childbearing years into menopause and geriatric care. “You can develop strong relationships with women and their families, and you are there for some of the most exciting, emotional and important times in their lives,” Foulk says. But among all her patients there is one very common denominator. Women have a habit of putting themselves last in line when it comes to health and wellness. “We are the only ones who will look out for our own health and wellbeing,” Foulk says. “Yet, as women, we tend to put everyone and everything above our own needs.” No matter what else a woman may be involved in, she is often a caregiver by default. “A lot of us take care of our husbands, our children or our aging parents,” Foulk says. “We work, we do the laundry, we cook, we clean and we get groceries.” Some women do all of that with little or no support. It’s no wonder most women don’t feel they have time to think about exercise, healthy eating habits, adequate sleep and mental well-being. The irony is that if a woman doesn’t take care of herself, she’s less likely to be able to adequately care for others. As the saying goes, “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” That could be expanded to say, “If mama ain’t healthy, ain’t nobody happy.” “By the time a lot of my patients get around to caring for themselves after their kids are grown and out of the house, it’s almost too late,” Foulk says. “A patient waits un-
Brooke Foulk, MD, moments after helping deliver Guillermo “Mo” Diaz-Ramos. Diaz-Ramos’ mother, Denisse, is one of Foulk’s many patients and a great family friend as well. “You can develop strong relationships with women and their families, and you are there for some of the most exciting, emotional and important times in their lives,” Foulk says.
til she nds a breast mass, which could’ve been picked up two years earlier on a mammogram; she waits until she has a heart attack instead of changing her diet and getting adequate exercise; she waits until she breaks her hip instead of screening her bone density and working to keep her bones healthy.” Yearly checkups are important because a woman’s medical problems can often be detected early and dealt with before they turn into more threatening issues. Most health insurance plans cover the cost of a “well-woman visit,” because it is a preventive service. A well-woman visit helps you get the preventive care you need, including screenings that can nd diseases early, when they are easier to treat. By nding a condition
early in a screening, you may also be able to take action to lower your risk of life threatening events later, such as strokes or heart attacks.
Recommended tests and screenings Tests and screenings are often recommended based on a woman’s age or stage in life. Blood pressure and cholesterol should be checked for women of every age, and every woman should be screened for cervical cancer and diabetes. When a woman is in her 40s, it’s time to talk to a doctor about breast cancer screenings. Yearly mammograms are recommended starting at age 40. Women age 50 and older are also encouraged to have bone mineral density screen-
ings, to check for osteoporosis, and colorectal cancer screenings. Women of every age should consider tests for sexually transmitted diseases.* The Centers for Disease Control reports incidences of syphilis among seniors are up by more than 50 percent, with chlamydia up more than 30 percent. There is no age limit on STDs, and older women are not immune.
Vaccinations The Centers for Disease Control recommends several vaccinations for adults. Women should receive a u vaccine every year and a booster shot for tetanus/diptheria/pertussis every 10 years. At age 60, a vaccination against shingles is recommended (even if you’ve already had shingles).
Doctors also recommend pnuemococcal and meningococcal vaccines for some patients. If you were born in 1957 or later and you haven’t had a shot for measles, mumps and ruebella, that may be recommended, too. Vaccinations for chicken pox, hepatitis A and hepatits B are also available. Gardasil is an immunization that has been shown to prevent cervical cancer in some women. This vaccination is recommended before a woman reaches the age of 30. If it sounds confusing and even overwhelming, it’s all the more reason to schedule an appointment with a doctor who can help you sort out what you need to be at your best. A yearly visit to the doctor’s of ce is also a good time to talk about personal issues that might be affecting your emotional health. A doctor’s of ce is a place where con dentiality is a priority. “Women trust OB/GYNs with the most personal information and interactions you can have with a doctor,” Foulk says. “I love getting to know women and families.” Foulk says women should make health and happiness a priority. “Stay up to date on health screenings, and focus on health and wellbeing,” she says. “Do what you love, and the others around you will be happier and healthier too.” For more information about the services offered by Fort Sanders Women’s Specialists, call 865-541-1122. * Screening guidelines recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a commission of non-federal experts in prevention. USPSTF recommendations are evidencebased. This means that science supports USPSTF screening guidelines. The USPSTF is made up of primary care providers.
Posting perfection You see them every time you click on social media. Moms are online bragging about their children’s accomplishments, from rst steps to potty training, to getting a driver’s license. Social media has become a very public bulletin board for pictures of newborns at the hospital, children on the rst day of school, ballgames, recitals, prom night and graduation. Proud mothers have found a place to continually show evidence of perfect parenting skills. But what if your parenting skills aren’t so perfect? Brooke Foulk, MD, believes social media puts a lot of moms under a tremendous amount of unnecessary pressure. “When women judge and compare themselves to others, which is becoming even more prevalent with social media these days, we continually feel inadequate and imperfect,” Foulk says. Many articles and reports have
been written about protecting the privacy of our children online. There hasn’t been as much about protecting a mom’s sense of selfworth. “I see so many mothers who are worried about being perfect and doing everything right,” Foulk says. She tells them that there is no such thing as perfect parenting or one way of parenting that is always going to be right for every child. “If you love your kids and do your best, then that is what’s right for you and for them,” Foulk says. She tells her patients that “people don’t put pictures on Facebook when they’re having an awful day, when they’re struggling with temper tantrums, when their kids won’t eat healthy food, when they haven’t had time for a shower or when their house is a disaster.” It is often said that “perception is reality,” and if you perceive other parents are having both good days and bad days, it’s a re-
ality you can live with. The pictures and posts on social media often fuel a perception that most kids and their parents are perfect. Not only is that harder to live up to, it’s not reality. “Most parents only post happy times with smiling families in a perfectly clean house with a beautifully prepared, healthy meal,” Foulk says, “which makes mothers who are depressed, grieving or struggling feel even lower.” What’s a mom to do? Foulk likes to quote her 92-yearold grandmother who says, “Do your best. It’s all a mule can do!” Foulk says mothers should be proud of who they are and what they’re doing, even if it doesn’t always turn out perfectly. “You are right if you breastfeed or formula feed; if you work outside the home or are a stay-
Social media often times becomes a public display for perfection in parenting, but Brooke Foulk, MD, tells her patients to focus on what’s best for their families and not worry about what they are seeing on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
at-home mom; if your kids only eat organic or if you have to scramble for fast food because of limited time and funds; if you had a vaginal delivery or a Csection; if your kids go to public school, private school or they are home schooled; if they are gifted or struggle in school,” Foulk says. “You are doing what is right for you, and for your kids and family.” Social media won’t go away anytime soon, and it’s certainly natural to want to post what you’re proud of. But if you feel overwhelmed or even bullied by the virtual perception of perfection online, put away the tablet and the smart phone, close the laptop, and go enjoy some real quality time with your very real family.
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NORTH/EAST Shopper news • JUNE 10, 2015 • 3
From backpack to briefcase First year events are always difficult to promote. In spite of that a number of interested community members attended the Pellissippi State Community College Backpack to Briefcase Career Conference. The spring event was designed to prepare participants with skills for job acquisition, resume writing, appropriate attire and interviewing.
The garden is in
Cindy Taylor
The conference was held at the Magnolia Campus location and counselor Drema Bowers says they plan to make it a yearly event. “We had to put this together fairly quickly so we could give our students some summer job opportunities,” said Bowers. “That meant we didn’t have a lot of time to get the word out.” Onsite for the career conference were International Brotherhood Electrical Workers, Boys and Girls
Pellissippi sophomore Derek King speaks with sophomore and student greeter Sasha Hines at the Backpack to Briefcase Summer Career Conference at Pellissippi State Community College Magnolia Avenue Campus. Photo by Cindy Taylor Club, Walmart, CDE Onsite Senior Services Corp, Henry and Wallace, Comfort Care, city of Knoxville, Evergreen Life Service, Goodwill Industries and Laborer’s Union Apprenticeship Program. Information about the
Pellissippi State Universal Pathways to Employment Project (UPEP) was available. UPEP expands the college’s capacity to deliver integrated education and career training to students with disabilities. The Magnolia Campus
Center for Student and Community Engagement is well established for students to use freely. Students can take advantage of a library, tutoring center, computer room and advisors. “We have tried to create a center where students can
The Holston Hills garden of Nick and Donna Della Volpe is growing squash, green beans and herbs (foreground); tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, various veggie greens and flowers. Nick Della Volpe recommends raking and saving leaves each fall to provide nutrients for the garden. “They tend to be acidic so add some lime to neutralize acid,” he said. Fall leaves provide mulch and aisle weed suppression as well.
get most of what they need in one place from many advisors,” said Bowers. “We can collaborate much better to help each student.” Students interested in career counseling who missed this event can still contact the college for help. Bow-
ers wants the community to know that she and other staff members are available in the summer months as well as during school semesters to assist with career counseling. Info: dbowers2@pstcc.edu or 329-3100.
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: http://edge woodpark.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 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 first Monday,
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, 3299943.
■ 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; https://
■ Halls High multiyear re-
union: Classes of 1976-1981 will be 6:30 p.m.-midnight Saturday, Sept. 26, Red Gate Farm, 2353 Maynardville Highway, Maynardville. ■ Korean War Veterans Reunion luncheon will be 11:30 a.m. Thursday, June 25, at Bearden Banquet Hall, 5806
Kingston Pike. For all East Tennessee military veterans who served during the Korean War (June 25, 1950 – July 27, 1953). Info/RSVP: Rex Davis, 689-3900. ■ Additional information at ShopperNewsNow.com.
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REUNION NOTES ■ Central High School Class of 1980 35th reunion, 6-10 p.m. Saturday, June 27, The Foundry, 747 World’s Fair Park Drive. Info/register: “Central High School Class of 1980” on Facebook or Melody Majors Johnson, 423-798-0880.
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News from Oakwood Senior Living
The Retreat at Oakwood offers memory care By Betty Bean Some quick facts about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia from the Alzheimer’s Association: ■ Almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease are women. ■ One in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. ■ Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in America. ■ In 2015, Alzheimer’s and other dementias will cost the nation $226 billion. ■ By 2050, these costs could rise as high as $1.1 trillion ■ An estimated 5.5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s in 2015. The number of families caring for a loved one with dementia is growing as the population ages, and every year, more families are faced with looking for longterm care. Oakwood Senior Living, housed in the beautifully restored and repurposed Oakwood School building, has taken an innovative approach to memory care with The Retreat, a spacious, 17-suite unit that is designed to meet the needs of people with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.
One of the 17 suites in The Retreat, a memory care unit at Oakwood Senior Living. The Retreat is a secure community within the larger community of Oakwood Senior Living. It has its own living and dining rooms, and the individual, 450-square-foot suites are spacious and sunny. The Retreat is staffed with specially trained caregivers who know what to expect and how to deal with the situations they are likely to face. “The people we hire are very knowledgeable,” said Amy Wise, Oakwood Senior Living executive director. “Our program is geared toward a ‘companion approach,’ modeling the ‘best friend’ approach developed by David Troxel and Virginia Bell. Our employees are trained to be a companion versus an authority figure. We do with rather than do for.” People with dementia often have difficulty eating,
so at mealtime, caregivers in The Retreat will sit down and eat with the residents. “They don’t hover, or stand behind you saying ‘Now take a bite of mashed potatoes, now take a bite of peas.’ So often, people with dementia wait for someone else to do something first.” Caregivers at The Retreat do not take anything personally. “People with dementia often lose their filters,” Wise said. “We are trained not to take it to heart. It’s not the person. It’s the disease.” Because people with Alzheimer’s frequently like to walk, there’s a gated walking path on the front side of the building that leads back to the front door. It’s a good tool to have in our pocket,” Wise said. “Taking a walk gives them time to de-stress and allows the caregiver time to walk with them and defuse the situation so they’re not as agitated as when they went out, and by the time they get to the front door, a lot of times, they will have forgotten why they were agitated.” Retreat suites range in cost from $3,000 per month for a companion suite to $3,895 for a private suite. Info: Amy Wise, 3635950 or awise@ssmgrp.com
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4 • JUNE 10, 2015 • Shopper news
The ‘why’ problem Steven Rodgers, SouthDoyle Middle School teacher, makes impassioned statement at last week’s school board meeting: “Knox County doesn’t have a public relations or image problem. It has a ‘why?’ problem. Why was I told it was career suicide to come and sit in the audience? Why is there no ombudsman process? … There are so many good teachers in Knox County.” Photo by Betsy Pickle
Parents question testing at forum By Sandra Clark
Cindy Buttry found her voice at a community forum last week on student testing. The former school board member who voluntarily term-limited was a parent representative at the meeting held June 2 at West High School. Speaking for one breakout group, Buttry said Knox County Schools needs transparency in testing. “Teachers, parents and students are entitled to the results of the tests as soon as they are given,” she said. Parents should know why a test is important; should know the cost, both in money and time; and should know whether the kids are being tested on what they are being taught. “Parents need a nonpunitive opt-out policy,” she said. “We need consistency from school to school, and teachers should not be evaluated on test data.” Buttry rarely spoke so strongly or succinctly while on the school board. Laurie Driver, supervisor of assessment, said the past couple of years have been hard on teachers and students.
Laurie Driver
Cindy Buttry
“We’ve had our foot in two different worlds,” using the old TCAP tests while preparing students for the new assessments that are coming. “The new assessments, called TNReady, are much richer, more authentic. They are more than just a multiple-choice test. They are task-driven. “We’ve been ... giving both and that’s part of why it feels like a lot.” Driver said the state will roll out TNReady tests this year in reading and math, and she expects a revamped social studies test the next year. “Hopefully, then we’ll be in a stable place,” she said. Much information is available online at the Tennessee Department of Education’s website. We’ve linked on the
Zachary is candidate Jason Zachary, who ran less than a year ago for Congress, plans on running for the vacant Ryan Haynes seat in the August special election. Zachary carried the Farragut precincts in last year’s congressional primary. Zachary, 37, is moving this month with his wife, Holly, and son, Tyson, 10, to Gates Mill Drive in the Sweetbriar subdivision of Farragut. Tyler is homeschooled. Zachary is a 1995 graduate of Farragut High School and has attended Pellissippi State and the University of Tennessee. He is currently getting a degree in business administration at the Knoxville campus of Tusculum.
Victor Ashe
His family moved to Farragut in 1995 from another part of west Knox County. He owns a telecom brokerage firm called Americomm, located at 11726 Kingston Pike. He is the oldest of three children with a brother and sister. Zachary is a conservative. He favors a state approach over Gov. Haslam’s Insure Tennessee proposal. “I am a state’s rights guy.” He says he will stay on his
Test, test, test As a student, I loved tests and hated grades. Grades are subjective, based on a teacher’s whim. Kids who got the best grades often became teachers – the kinship of those who color within the lines. Tests, on the other hand, are objective declarations of what one knows and how she stacks up against local and national peers. My school had a spelling quiz every Friday and one year-end assessment. I expected to score 100 on every spelling test and beamed proudly when I saw my ranking on the year-end test. Grades didn’t matter. Today that kid would be a basket case, and her parents should darn well pay attention and advocate for her. Here’s why: ■ Taxpayers (especially the big ones) got fed up with school budgets that go only up while student outcomes go mostly down. Politicians reacted. ■ The public education machine had gotten rigid,
they said, with tenure laws that protected bad teachers and dumbed-down tests that lulled us into believing that we had reached the Lake Woebegon state of “every child above average.” ■ Bam! Legislatures blew up tenure and required national test standards. They imposed appointed superintendents and nonpartisan school boards. Foundations jumped in to fund a myriad of businessmodel staff evaluations and student assessments. Any spark of teacher creativity was squelched in favor of standardization, and when teachers protested, they were termed troublemakers who fail to share the vision. We saw 50-some teachers “non-tenured” last spring
and a similar number this year. Non-tenure is careerending, and nobody has to tell the victims why. Last week, Betty Bean wrote about Christina Graham at Copper Ridge. This week she writes about Gloria Ray-Scheberle at Mount Olive. Two very different teachers; both non-tenured. Superintendent Jim McIntyre says Knox County Schools would never retaliate against a teacher for speaking out at a public meeting. I believe that. But what about those teachers who might challenge their principal during the weekly indoctrination benignly called the PLC (professional learning community)? Principals are under tremendous stress to raise test scores. Their own evaluation depends on how successfully they whip the teachers into shape. I’d bet the veteran teacher at Mount Olive was canned for challenging a relatively new and eager-to-please principal; I’d bet the idealis-
tic young teacher at Copper Ridge was just too lively for her more staid principal. The principals had the authority to non-tenure them, but was it fair? Was it good for kids? These are the questions Jim McIntyre must ask. Parents should worry about their kid whose selfesteem depends on outperforming her peers. How does that kid survive in a system of pre-test tests, practice tests, tests and post-test tests? And what about the kid who values good grades and loves school? How does he approach the high-stakes test that could determine his teacher’s continued employment? Excessive testing makes the kids who care anxious while further shutting down the kids who cannot keep pace: special ed, Englishlanguage learners, itinerant, low IQ. Excessive testing is bad for kids; we should make it stop.
Shopper website to a handout Driver gave parents at the community forum. The “assessment landscape” is two pages of tightly typed lists of tests used this past year in Knox County Schools. The school system discontinued SAT-10 testing after teachers argued the tests were developmentally inappropriate. Dr. Jim McIntyre announced on Oct. 28 that he would discontinue the SAT10 test for kindergarten students but he wanted to continue it for first and second graders. On Nov. 3, the school board voted 6-2 to stop SAT10 testing completely. Board members Gloria Deathridge and Karen Carson stuck with McIntyre, while Lynne Fugate was absent.
On March 2, state Education Commissioner Candice McQueen appointed a 17-member task force to identify best practices in testing and whether Tennessee requires too many. Local members are state Rep. Harry Brooks and Virginia Babb, representing the Knox County Council PTA. McQueen expects a report in late summer. But back to last week’s meeting. Megan Morris spoke for the early elementary group. Their priorities: 1. Do not base teacher evaluations on tests. 2. Measure the talents of all children, not just those who are good at standardized testing. 3. Make time for playbased learning and handson activities because kids
are spending too much time drilling for assessments. Katie Smith reported for the elementary group: 1. We are losing a joy of learning from our children and a joy of teaching from our teachers by focusing so much on testing. 2. Too much emphasis on testing and the timed computerized tests are anxietyproducing with a little clock showing time remaining. 3. Infrastructure: We lack computers in some schools and have limited Internet access in others. The tests tie up the school libraries which are used as a testing lab. Mike Smith and David Williams, both graduates of West High School, spoke for the high school group. Smith said his son just finished his freshman year at
West High. Their concerns included: 1. With so many required tests, extracurricular activities and related arts suffer. 2. There’s a big mystery about mandated tests. Teachers can’t review the test; can’t find out what students missed, etc. 3. Test anxiety 4. Loss of instructional time Parents of kids with special needs are concerned that KCS gathers information on skill levels and abilities that do not show true abilities because of standardized tests. There appears to be a conflict-of-interest with teachers, whose bonuses are affected by test outcomes, deciding on a child’s IEP (individualized education program), they said.
own health insurance and not use the state plan if elected. He adds that “it is very debatable whether health insurance for le g i sl ator s should last Jason Zachary for life.” He favors allowing citizens to carry guns in parks. He says the people should have a voice in choosing the Knox County Schools superintendent and the state attorney general. “The attorney general should have to express his views before he is elected,” he says. Gov. Haslam “seems to have done a good job from an economic standpoint and improvements in education,” he responded to a question.
He says if elected he would anticipate running for the full two-year term in November 2016. He will likely face primary opposition from school board member Karen Carson. Others may jump in too. Health insurance: While much media attention is focused on health insurance benefits state lawmakers are receiving, little to no notice is made of local lawmakers or part-time board members. The Knox County Election Commission, for example, has five members who meet 7-8 times a year. They are paid a few hundred dollars a month and must be on hand when an election is held. It is not a time-consuming position. Several members receive county health insurance at
the reduced group rate for full-time county employees. The new GOP member, Hannah Parker, has chosen not to take it. However, Michael Grider, the county’s communications manager, said he is unable to find a legal basis for election commissioners to receive county health insurance even though it has gone on for decades. No one seems to know how it started or why it is justified for such a part-time position. If the Election Commissioner members qualify for this nice perk which county taxpayers subsidize, then why not make MPC members eligible as they meet more often and longer than the Election Commission and are unpaid. What about other bodies in county government like the 911 Board? Should
their civilian members be eligible? Where does this end? City council members are also eligible to buy city health insurance but it is not so popular there as five members (a majority) of the current council do not accept it. The four who do purchase it are Brenda Palmer, who buys it only for herself; Duane Grieve and Nick Della Volpe, who acquire it for themselves and their spouses; and Mark Campen, who has family coverage. The amount paid varies on type of plan acquired. Future city council members will not be eligible to join the city pension system as their two 4-year terms is less than the mandated 10 years to be vested in the city pension plan. Previously vesting was five years.
Sandra Clark
government
Shopper news • JUNE 10, 2015 • 5
No more hurt feelings for Briggs After serving six years on Knox County Commission and one year as a state senator, Richard Briggs isn’t bothered by those who disagree with him.
Homeowners last week. He compared his legislative experience with his time on County Commission. One difference is being able to talk freely with fellow legislators. Open meeting law prohibits discussion of county business outside of formal meetings, Wendy which slows the process Smith down. Plans for a new fire station at Choto Road took 16 months longer because he couldn’t speak directly Instead, he’s adopted the with fellow commissioner attitude of Knox County Ed Shouse, Briggs said. But the Legislature that Mayor Tim Burchett, who, after meeting with Briggs at required transparency from Wright’s Cafeteria, would oc- others exempted itself from casionally say, “You’re wrong, the open meetings law. Being able to speak with fellow but we’re still friends.” “My feelings don’t get hurt legislators Martin Daniel, anymore,” Briggs told the Ryan Haynes and Becky Council of West Knox County Massey enabled them to
work together to restore Scenic Highway designation to Middlebrook Pike after it was removed for a new Tennova hospital. “I’m proud that we could get that done,” he said. Something that surprised Briggs during his first senate term was the ease of orchestrating compromise. He could bring two disagreeing parties together in his office and almost always work out a win-win situation. The Tennessee Senate is traditionally collegial, and its 33 members would never intentionally embarrass each other on the floor. The House of Representatives, however, is a blood war, he said. He compared it to the blood war he witnessed during his early days on County
change the nature of a bill. While 1,800 bills were filed this session, fewer than 300 became law. It’s a good process, he said, because each legislative branch can correct the mistakes of the other. While laws regarding guns and abortion got the most ink this year, Briggs was more concerned about legislation that makes life better for his constituents. State Sen. Richard Briggs He supported a $5 fee for speaks to the Council of West convicted felons that will Knox County Homeowners. help defray the cost of orPhoto by Wendy Smith ders of protection. There is no charge for orders of protection, which account for Commission. He reviewed the process two-thirds of the work in of creating new laws in Ten- the 4th Circuit Court. Common Core standards nessee. He learned to wait until the last minute to put were “rebranded” as Tenneshis name on a bill because see standards. While some of amendments can completely the standards are the same,
Homegrown and proud of it Kyler Kerbyson and Brett Kendrick are poster people for Knoxville high school football. They project as two-fifths of Tennessee’s much improved offensive line – which means thousands will overlook their craftsmanship but celebrate the results. Todd Kelly Junior is after somebody’s job in the secondary. He, too, is homegrown and proud of it. Josh Smith is in the receiver rotation. He might be the best bet to catch a pass and take off for a touchdown. Kyler’s roots run back to Catholic High. Brett and Josh prepped at Christian Academy of Knoxville. Todd is a Webb School product. They could have gone to college almost anywhere. That they didn’t is good for me and this story.
Marvin West
It is very good for the University of Tennessee when local talent meets all the requirements and chooses to stay home. Think about the reductions in recruiting costs – a 10- or 15-minute drive and free parking instead of cross-country flights, four-star hotels and fancy dining. Consider the boost in ticket sales. All Knoxville players have relatives and friends. Some want to see the Volunteers at play. Our high school coaches get bonus credibility points, perhaps enough to create
the illusion that they are every bit as smart as coaches in Georgia, New York and Kansas. Here is a prediction: Because Kerbyson is very versatile, because Kendrick has worked tirelessly to improve, because Smith is faster than most and because Kelly is near enough to an Eric Berry natural, these men will help Tennessee win games. Here is another prediction, more guarded: One may eventually join the list of all-time Knox greats. Among homegrown former Volunteers, the most famous is Bob Suffridge of Central High, legendary two-way guard, College Hall of Fame honoree, the only three-time UT all-American. I recall how General Robert R. Neyland would
Has Fun In The Sun Damaged Your Skin? If you have Actinic Keratosis (AKs), We have a study that may interest you. Dermatology Associates of Knoxville, PC is conducting a medical research study for adults with actinic keratosis (AK’s). AK’s are characterized by patches of dry, pink to red, rough skin caused by years of unprotected sun exposure. These spots may be an early stage in the development of skin cancer. We are looking for people 18 and up who have AK’s on their arms, legs, and/or body to participate in a research study using an investigational topical gel. Qualified participants will receive compensation for their participation. CALL (865) 524-2547 EXT. 1136
Dermatology Associates of Knoxville, PC 939 E. Emerald Avenue, Suite 705 Knoxville, TN 37917
865-524-2547 ext. 1136 www.dermaknox.com
flinch when asked to name his best-ever players. He imposed several qualifiers but always got around to saying “Bob Suffridge was the greatest lineman I ever saw.” Suffridge played in 193840, a terrific time at Tennessee, 31-2 record, unscored on for 15 consecutive games. Bob really wasn’t big enough (5-11 and 185) to do what he did but he had amazing quickness and explosion and the fierce disposition of a junkyard dog. Bob, as a senior, won the Knute Rockne Award as most valuable lineman in America. The Vanderbilt Commodores named him to all 11 positions on their allopponents team. Tennessee claims to have had 72 all-Americans. Eight grew up in Knoxville. Linebacker Jackie Walker and
punter Ron Widby played at Fulton High, halfback Bob Foxx, end Bud Sherrod and end Buddy Cruze played at old Knoxville High. Cruze finished at East. Punters Jimmy and Dustin Colquitt were at Bearden. All-SEC Craig Colquitt kicked at South. Johnny Butler, Knoxville High, unraveled one of the unforgettable runs in Tennessee history. On Oct. 21, 1939, the then sophomore tailback behind the secondteam line swept from left to right to left on a dramatic 56-yard run that might have been 100 if measured along the snaky route. Alabama couldn’t hem him up. Great writer Grantland Rice was dazzled. Two academic allAmericans, Tim Irwin and Mack Gentry, came from Central, along with some other names you might recognize: Ray Graves, Todd Helton, the Lowe brothers, Buster Stephens and Char-
the name change made everyone happy, he said. He lauded new legislation that will crack down on pill mills. Prescription-drug abuse, which killed 1,300 Tennesseans last year, is one of the state’s biggest problems, he said. The other is the lack of funding for roads. Revenues from gas taxes fund road improvements, and fuelefficient cars have reduced the number of gallons sold. The state can’t afford to build new roads or maintain existing roads, so a new solution needs to be found. He stopped short of suggesting a tax increase. Briggs said he considered every day he spent in Nashville to be an “absolute privilege.”
lie Severance. Richard Pickens and Jim McDonald were Young High’s top representatives. Bill Bates and Neil Clabo put Farragut on the list. John Bruhin and Daryl Smith were best from Powell. The McKenzie twins and Joey Clinkscales came from Austin-East. Mike Cofer and Frank Foxx represented Rule. Bill Young and Steve Chancey were South High products. Tim Townes was plenty big enough at Bearden. Billy Arbo, Chip Howard and Hank Walter came from Webb, Robbie Franklin and Ronnie Drummonds from Holston, J.J. McCleskey and Harold Stancell from Karns. As Tennessee regains respectability, a Volunteer or two will receive national recognition. Cross your fingers. One might be from Knoxville. Marvin West invites reader reaction. His address is westwest6@netzero.com
Stanley’s Greenhouse Garden Center & Plant Farm
Anniversary
85th
Sale
Friday, June 12 thru Sunday, June 14
Historic nursery tours on Saturday, June 13: 10am, 11am & 2pm
Off
10%-50% Everything in the store!
Huge variety of Roses, Impatiens, Begonias, hanging plants, lawn art, vegetable plants, trees & shrubs, statuaries & lots more! Come visit
STANLEY’S SECRET GARoDrthEshNore 305 S. N
Come see us, you won’t be disappointed! nted! M-F 8-5:30 • Sat 9-5 Open Sun 1-5 through June
NO SALES TAX ON PLANTS!
DIRECTIONS:
www.StanleysGreenhouse.com From downtown, cross Henley
573-9591 3029 Davenport Road • 5 minutes from downtown
St. Bridge to L on Lippencott and R on Davenport.
interns
6 • JUNE 10, 2015 • NORTH/EAST Shopper news
Dale
Gaines
Hamilton
Murphy
Nicholson
Ogle
Meet the Shopper interns!
Interns Maddie Murphy, Emma Dale and Lauren Gaines participate in a reflex game with Einstein Simplified members Paul Simmons and Aaron Littleton. Photo by R. White
Free your mind with Einstein Simplified By Shannon Carey Shopper-News interns were treated to some unique icebreaking activities with Einstein Simplified, an improvisational comedy troupe based in Knoxville. Paul Simmons, who has been with the troupe since its start in 1994, and Aaron Littleton, who has been with the troupe for five years, led the interns (and chaperones) in games and exercises that had everyone laughing out loud. Einstein Simplified started as an eight-week class. Then, the group performed at open mic night at Manhattan’s, where Boyd’s Jig and Reel is today. Now, they perform regularly at Scruffy City Hall with a 90-minute show and no script. That’s right, no script at all. “It’s rather freeing to have no script at times,”
said Simmons. “One of the things I like to do is to make people laugh. It releases stress, worry and concern. Laughter and comedy are very important.” Simmons and Littleton said the cardinal rule of improv is “Yes, and,” meaning that if someone introduces an element to the scene, the other performers have to accept and build on it. It’s also important to open yourself to the experience, not just your mind, but your body language as well. “If your arms are crossed, you’re closing yourself off, protecting yourself,” said Littleton. “There’s nothing to be scared of when you’re doing improv. There are no wrong choices.” The interns enjoyed classic improv exercises “Five Things,” “First Line/ Last Line,” and “Fill in the Blank.”
business
Simmons suggested that the interns check out the many books on improvisational comedy if they are interested in the subject. Info: einsteinsimplified. com or search Einstein Simplified on Facebook. ■ Next week the interns will visit Clinton for a tour of the Green McAdoo Museum, lunch at Ray Varner Ford and a special visit with a granddaughter of the founder of Hammer’s.
American-made art at the mall Dominique Lacey, owner and operator of Wayward Art in the Knoxville Center mall, spoke last week at the breakfast gathering of East Towne Business Alliance. Wayward Art is a unique gallery that houses Stress the Seams as well as other local artists’ work for sale. Stress the Seams creates one-of-a-kind reclaimed and repurposed artwork such as birdhouses, jewelry, keychains and custom designs including metal work. Lacey spoke about the
beginnings of her business, as well as her work with the Steps House, a residential rehab program that provides veterans with housing, rehab programs and work placement. Most of the employees for Stress the Seams come from the Steps House. Lacey was a public school teacher looking for summer work when she founded the business seven years ago. Info: stresstheseams.com or 404-408-2715. – Beverly Holland
AREA FARMERS MARKETS ■ Dixie Lee Farmers Market, Renaissance|Farragut, 12740 Kingston Pike. Hours: 9 a.m.-noon Saturdays through Oct. 31. Info: dixieleefarmers market.com; on Facebook. ■ Ebenezer Road Farmers Market, Ebenezer UMC, 1001 Ebenezer Road. Hours: 3-6 p.m. Tuesdays through late November. Info: on Facebook.
■ Knoxville Farmers Market, Laurel Church of Christ, 3457 Kingston Pike. Hours: 3-6 p.m. Fridays through late November. ■ Lakeshore Park Farmers Market, 6410 S. Northshore Drive. Hours: 3-6 p.m. every Friday through Nov. 20. Info: on Facebook.
Moriarty and travel to every country. If Emma could have lunch with anyone in the world, she would pick Emperor Augustus or Oscar Wilde. Lauren Gaines will be an eighth grade student at Halls Middle in the fall. She loves photography, writing (mainly fantasy and sci-fi) and swimming. She would love to be a photojournalist or an author in the future. If she could eat lunch with anyone in the world, Lauren would select her favorite actor, Dylan O’Brien. Maddie Murphy will be in the ninth grade at Hardin Valley Academy in the fall. She likes to read, play the violin and watch television. When she gets out of high school, Maddie would like to be a PA in the cardiac unit of a hospital. Her dad is a PA and she “wants to be just as smart as him.” If she could have lunch with anyone, she would pick her grandfather who passed away a few years ago. She
said that she has a lot she would like to tell him. Abi Nicholson attends Whittle Springs Middle School where she will be in the seventh grade in the fall. She enjoys singing, acting and coloring. Her future plans include attending college and getting a degree. If she could have lunch with actor Sofia Vegara, Abi would be thrilled because she thinks Vegara is an amazing woman. Maddie Ogle will be a rising seventh grader at Gresham Middle School. She likes to read, write, draw, swim, run, bike, hike and sing. “I guess I’m wellrounded,” she said. In the future she would like to take photographs and write for a newspaper. If she could eat lunch with anyone in the world, she would pick Jesus because “that would be just plain awesome” and she wouldn’t have to wait until she gets to Heaven to talk with him.
Fencing excitement with the interns By Charlie Hamilton
Well, I have had an exciting first day as an intern for the Shopper-News! Have you ever thought about fencing as a hobby? Well, it is one of the safest sports out there. Knoxville Academy of the Blade has “A passion for excellence in sport and historic fencing.” The sport of fencing has been
around for many years, and has been an Olympic sport since the first modern Olympic games in 1896. The academy also teaches many different historic fighting styles and weapons such as the medieval German longsword, dueling saber, foil, the Italian Renaissance rapier and many more. Fencing is a great exercise, pro-
motes self-discipline and leadership, and just about anybody at any age can learn and have fun with this sport. Thank you Tom and John Farmer for the excellent demonstration. Anyone that is interested in this sport can contact Knoxville Academy of the Blade at 865-321-1214, or at www.KnoxvilleAcademyOfTheBlade. com.
Welding sparks the passion of Magnolia metalworker By Bill Dockery
Dominique Lacey at Wayward Art
Summer kicks off another fun time with the Shopper-News interns. Each Tuesday, the group will head out for a day of learning and adventure as they learn photography and writing skills. Returning for a second summer is Charlie Hamilton, a rising sophomore at Union County High School. Charlie enjoys cars, brushing up on historical facts and writing. When he graduates from high school, he would like to be an engineer or a journalist. If Charlie could have lunch with one person, it would be Andrew Jackson. Emma Dale is a rising junior at Catholic High School. She enjoys reading, writing, watching Netflix and coming up with different names for her sister’s dog. In the future, Emma would like to write something so beautiful that hipsters get it tattooed on their collarbones. She would also like to own a cat named
The sign is iconic – a heavily bearded face looking out from under a watch cap. It marks the home of one of Magnolia Avenue’s newest businesses – Petty’s Welding Co. – which relocated from Rutledge Pike about 18 months ago. The business is the namesake of Andrew Petty, a Sevier County native whose passion for metalwork has turned into a career. The company occupies the garage portion of the old Roberts Chapel funeral home building at 2112 E. Magnolia. Petty purchased the building with Grace and Peace Church, which occupies the chapel portion of the structure. Petty, an honor student at Sevier County High School, found himself drawn to the high school’s vocational classes, the “trucks and tractors and equipment.” The fascination continued when he went to the University of Tennessee, graduating with a degree in agricultural economics. “I knew from the first time I struck an arc that this was for me,” Petty said. “The day I graduated from UT, I got a job offer from Caterpillar and went to work for them as a welder. “I like metal from one end to the other.” That fascination with working metal has both enriched and complicated his welding business. ■ Market Square Farmers Market, 60 Market Square. Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays through Nov. 21. Info: market squarefarmersmarket.org. ■ Maryville Farmers Market: Church Avenue. Hours: 9 a.m.-sellout, Saturdays through Nov. 17.
“A part of my struggle is that I’m not super-niched,” he said. He takes jobs ranging from complex onsite industrial fabrications to handrails and gates for individual customers. He assembles trailers for a local business. “I don’t say no to anything.” The job with Caterpillar put him in some exotic work settings, including zinc and coal mines around East Tennessee. The zinc mines of Jefferson County posed special problems. The only way into those mines was generally down a vertical shaft, and the company’s earthmoving equipment was too large to fit. “We had to get a $750,000 piece of equipment into the mine, so we took it apart. I cut the bed of the equipment in two and we lowered the parts individually down the shaft,” he said. When all the pieces were underground, Petty welded the machine back together and the crew reassembled it. “It cost the company $250,000 to get that equipment into the mine.” Though he doesn’t consider himself a blacksmith, he has taken a weeklong course in smithing at the John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina and is aware of the importance of fundamental forging skills in the history of the country. He is quick to talk about the central role blacksmiths played in
Drew Petty sparks fire from a grinding wheel in his welding shop on Magnolia Avenue. Petty opened his company is the back part of the old funeral home building that formerly housed Tribe One. Photo by Bill Dockery the community when all iron tools – and even nails – were produced at local forges. “The course just furthered my love of the craft. I make everything I can possibly make. I’m jazzed about that kind of stuff.” When he went out on his own about five years ago, Petty began his welding service out of his home
on Rutledge Pike. Some 18 months ago, he bought the old funeral home building that had been the home of Tribe One, sharing the building with Grace and Peace Church. Petty and his wife, Nikki, have moved to nearby Park Ridge neighborhood with their three young children and are active in the Grace and Peace Church.
Business Matchmaking and Tradeshow in July East Tennessee Purchasing Association’s 10th annual Business Matching & Tradeshow event will be held 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Thursday, July 16, at Rothchild Conference and Catering Center, 8807 Kingston
Pike. The theme of the event is “Round-Up Contract Opportunities.” It will feature opportunities for small/ mid-sized businesses to meet with procurement representatives from various local, state and federal gov-
ernmental agencies; group informational sessions; free seminars; vendor booths; and more. Registration deadline is July 9. To register: www.etpanews.org. Info: Penny Owens, powens@knoxvilletn.gov.
weekender
Shopper news • JUNE 10, 2015 • 7
Take the (Oak Ridge) highway By Carol Shane This coming weekend brings Oak Ridge’s Secret City Festival, so-named for the town’s role in the topsecret development of the atomic bomb during the latter days of World War II. Now in its 13th year, the festival includes a variety of activities, historical presentations and internationally known headliners. “Join us,” says the website, “as we honor the men and women who built this community and helped end the greatest war mankind has ever known.” If you were anywhere near high-school age in the 1970s, especially in the South, chances are you were a Marshall Tucker Band fan. They’ll be appearing Friday night on the main stage. Be ready to hear hits like “Take the Highway,” “Can’t You See” and “Heard It in a Love Song.” The following evening brings Three Dog Night. This band had so many hits, it’s dizzying to list them all. “One,” “Eli’s Coming,” “Joy to the World” – we all know that Jeremiah was a bullfrog, right? There’ll be plenty of games and entertainment for kids, toddler age and up. “TN Creates,” a juried art and craft fair featuring 40 of the area’s finest artisans, will be held in the Shep Lauder Gym at the Oak Ridge Civic Center. In addition to demonstrations including Raku pottery firing, there will be a hold/pick-up service for purchasers’ convenience. Of special interest this year is the re-enactment in Bissell Park of the 1944 Normandy Invasion, in which WWII Allied forces landed on the beaches of France and pressed inland, eventually defeating the German army. “We anticipate participants, vehicle owners and collectors from more than
FRIDAY ■ Knoxville Area Transit Scavenger Hunt, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 309 Conference Center Building. After party on the Market Square stage, 5-8 p.m. Food and live music for participants. Info: Danielle Everett, 974-1816 or deveret4@vols.utk.edu. ■ Kukuly and the Gypsy Fuego in concert, 7 p.m., Fountain City Casual Pint, 4842 Harvest Mill Way. Info: 240-4589 or www.fountain-city.thecasualpint.com. ■ Midnight Voyage LIVE: Aero Chord, 9 p.m., The International, 940 Blackstock Ave. Info/tickets: www.intlknox.com.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY ■ “Les Misérables,” Carousel Theater, 1714 Andy Holt Ave. Presented by the Tennessee Valley Players. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday. Info/tickets: 201-5913, www.tennesseevalleyplayers.org. ■ “Steel Magnolias,” Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 319 N. Gay St. Performances: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday. Info/tickets: 544-1999, info@theatreknoxville.com, www.theatreknoxville.com. ■ “The Hobbit” presented by the Knoxville Children’s Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Ave. Performances: 7 p.m. Friday; 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday. Info/tickets: 208-3677, knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com, info@childrenstheatreknoxville.com. ■ Tennessee Tennis Association Adult 18 & Over Championships, Knoxville Racquet Club, 5535 Lonas Road. Info: city of Knoxville Parks & Recreation, 215-4311.
SATURDAY Shown here in a photo from a 2014 re-enactment on the shores of Lake Erie in Conneaut, Ohio, this fully live firing German “Flak 88” anti-aircraft, anti-artillery gun will be used in a WWII reenactment this weekend at the Secret City Festival. Photo submitted eight states,” says the primary re-enactment organizer Brian Keith Rutherford, who created the event with Joe Valentino of the Convention Visitors’ Bureau in 2002. According to Rutherford, participants in the re-enactment are members of at least six independent groups based throughout the South. His own group, the Five Oh First, has approximately 35 members in five Southern states. The reenactment is their largest unit event of the year. Rutherford and his fellow enthusiasts are dedicated to preserving and displaying the highest level of unit authenticity and historical accuracy. This year, that includes the use of the only existing live-firing
“Flak 88” – a German antiaircraft, anti-tank artillery gun – in the U.S. “Combine this with the American anti-tank pieces and armored halftracks in attendance, and you have one of the best groupings of period vehicles anywhere, all in action,” says Rutherford. You may be wondering how a beach landing is going to be re-enacted in a city park, but Rutherford is quick to point out that “the beach landings were only on day one. The Normandy campaign lasted almost 30 days, as German resistance was significant. Our battle scenario is actually D-Day plus two. By this time the beaches were secure and the press inland had begun. The Germans had pulled their lines back and begun to re-
■ Big Kahuna Wing Festival, noon-8 p.m., World’s Fair Park, 1060 World’s Fair Park Drive. Featuring: more than 8,000 pounds of wings, wing-eating competition, wing-cooking competition, live music, kids corner and entertainment, silent auction, and more.
inforce with troops moving up from all over France. ■ Hard Knox Roller Girls Brawlers vs. Soul City Sirens, 5 Allied forces had begun p.m., Knoxville Civic Coliseum, 500 Howard Baker Ave. Intraleague bout: Black Bettys vs. Lolitas Locas, 7 p.m. Tickets: probing the new German Coliseum box office, team members and team website. Info: positions and adjusting the www.hardknoxrollergirls.com; on Facebook. invasion plan accordingly. Things were very fluid for ■ Jazzspirations LIVE: Knoxville’s Smooth Jazz Concert Series, 7-9 p.m., Holiday Inn World’s Fair Park, 525 Henley St. several weeks.” Special guest: Kirk Whalum. Info/tickets: www.jazzspirationWhy do the re-enactslive.com. ment? Rutherford says it’s all about the vets. “These ■ Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Gala Reception, 6:30 p.m., Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay men and women saved the St. Info/tickets: 633-9000 or www.tennesseetheatre.com. world and then came home and built America into the greatest power for freedom on earth. Their stories and characteristic humility de■ Hot Brunch and Cool Jazz, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Downtown fined an entire generation.” Grill & Brewery, 424 S. Gay St. Info: 633-8111. The Secret City Festival takes place beginning at 11 a.m. Friday, June 12, and 10 a.m. Saturday, June 13, in Oak Ridge. Admission for the festival is free. Headlin- and can be purchased at or by calling 382-2857. Info: er concerts begin at 7 p.m. the Oak Ridge Civic Center w w w. s e c r e tc it y fe s t iv a l. daily; tickets are $20 each (1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike) com/.
SUNDAY
History hopes to repeat with ‘Jurassic World’ By Betsy Pickle There are two schools of thought at work in “Jurassic World,” debuting in theaters Thursday night. The first has to do with financial reality. When you have a film (“Jurassic Park”) whose $900 million worldwide take unseats “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” as alltime box-office champ, and its two sequels, though critically derided, earn $618 million and $368 million, respectively, another sequel is pretty much a given, even if it has to spend a decade in development hell. The second has to do with the plot – as well as, perhaps, financial reality: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana In “Jurassic World,” the dinosaur theme park envisioned by the late John Ham-
mond is finally up and running. Everything’s great until a new hybrid dino is introduced to raise attendance figures. The hybrid goes on a rampage, and it’s up to a Guardian of the Galaxy – that is, a dinosaur trainer played by Chris Pratt – and the park’s operations manager (Bryce Dallas Howard) to stop the madness. The cast includes Vincent D’Onofrio, Irrfan Khan, BD Wong, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson and Omar Sy. Colin Trevorrow (“Safety Not Guaranteed”) directed. No other films are opening in wide release this weekend. Who’s afraid of the big, g bad dino? Owen (Chris Pratt), with Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) in the background, goes after a violent hybrid dinosaur in “Jurassic World.”
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