NORTH / EAST VOL. 4 NO. 16
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North Hills plant sale
The public is invited to the annual plant sale of the North Hills Garden Club from 10-2 Saturday, April 23, at North Hills Park, 2419 Kennington Road. Residents of historic North Hills donate more than 100 varieties of hardy perennial plants and shrubs harvested from their own gardens. In partnership with a local nursery, the garden club also offers herbs, veggies and blooming annuals. Several of the club’s master gardeners will be onsite to answer questions and give gardening advice. Snacks such as burger sliders, hot dogs, cookies and cakes will be sold, and there will be a garden shed with gently used items, arts and crafts booths and activities for the kids. Info: North Hills Garden Club on Facebook
Theatre Fulton will present “Bang, Bang You’re Dead,� a play by William Mastrosimone, 7 p.m. Friday, April 22, and 2 p.m. Saturday, April 23, in the school’s Performing Arts Building. In lieu of admission cost, donations are being accepted for the Zaevion Dobson Scholarship Fund. Fulton High is located at 2509 N. Broadway. Info: 594-1240.
April 20, 2016
Holston Hills Dogwood kickoff
BUZZ
Theatre Fulton to host play
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Art appreciation at the Holston Hills Dogwood Arts cocktail party. Photos by Cindy Taylor
The Holston Hills Dogwood Arts kickoff cocktail party and art show at the Holston Hills Country Club was a celebration of the neighborhood Dogwood Trail’s 60th year and an opportunity for local artists to shine. More on page 3. Dogwood Arts program manager for trails and gardens Vicki Williams Baumgartner and Dogwood Arts executive director Tom Cervone
Peace in the valley
The school board had one job at last week’s called meeting – to approve next year’s budget. Members breezed through the blessing of a $453.5 million general purpose budget, but the fight over the $71.2 million capital improvement plan went the length of the bar and into the street, so to speak. Although the 5-4 outcome was hardly in doubt, as the board majority switched funds into Tracie Sanger’s project. And Jim McIntyre’s departure won’t heal this rift on the school board.
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Read Betty Bean on page 5
Beauty, beauty!
“Our board members Millie Ward and Ann Jarrett are our keepers of the pillars and park,� said Holston Hills Community Club president Clarita Buffaloe. “They work hard to make sure our entrance and park are beautiful.�
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Read more on page 3
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Tour of Homes is Sunday in Fourth + Gill The Historic Fourth + Gill Neighborhood welcomes all to its 26th anniversary Tour of Homes from 1-6 p.m. Sunday, April 24. Purchase advance tickets for $10 at fourthandgill.org; Three Rivers Market, 1100 N. Central Street; Bliss, 24 Market Square; or Bliss Home, 29 Market Square and 7240 Kingston Pike. Tickets may be purchased on the tour
day for $12 at the Central United Methodist Church, 201 Third Avenue, from 1-5 p.m. Youngsters 12 and younger are admitted free. The Tour of Homes invites guests to stroll through one of Knoxville’s premier historical districts and to step inside several neighborhood homes, a condominium inside the recently renovated Brownlow School Lofts and
the prominent Greystone mansion. The tour begins at Central United Methodist Church, an example of Gothic Revival architecture. Guests can ride a red trolley – with a resident tour guide host – from point to point. In addition, this year’s tour showcases six local artists whose work will be displayed on porches throughout the neighborhood.
The tour coincides with the Dogwood Arts Open Gardens and Walking Trails that feature four neighborhood gardens and several notable trees. Maps (which include addresses for the gardens) for the self-guided tour are located inside the special event mailbox on the west side of Luttrell Street, adjacent to the Brownlow School Lofts.
Thinking green(ways) in Knox and beyond By Betsy Pickle There’s a reason Ellen Zavisca and her colleagues are big on greenways. “People in this country have been hearing for years, decades, that we need to be more physically active,â€? Zavisca said last week to the Sierra Club’s Harvey Broome Chapter. “And yet if you look at the Ellen Zavisca trends of the percent of the population that’s getting no leisure-time physical activity, it’s pretty flat. The percent of the population that has regular exercise or does regular organized exercise ‌ is pretty flat, despite all our exhortations and programs. ‌ “It’s not just a matter of telling people, ‘Do this; don’t do this.’ We’ve got to create an environment that supports it.â€?
than 100 miles of paved greenway in the region – including roughly 50 miles in Knoxville, 16 in the Alcoa-Maryville corridor, nine in Townsend and nine in Oak Ridge. Aside from improving health, greenways have been shown to reward individuals and communities financially. Zavisca noted a study in Charlotte, N.C., that found an average increase in home value of $3,200 for homes within roughly a mile of the trails. Research in Greenville, S.C., showed that retail sales near a trail region went up. Planners want to link West Knoxville with Oak Ridge via greenways. Another project would connect Knox and Blount counties to Townsend and the Smokies. Both will take several phases over many years. County engineer Cindy Pionke has been prioritizing sidewalk investment around schools. Zavisca says the typical cost for
a mile of greenway is $500,000, but terrain can drive the costs to $3 million per mile. The city of Knoxville’s Greenway Commission is wrapping up a study of 13 different greenway corridors, including priorities and cost estimates. A public meeting will be held in late May to get input. Once the plan is finalized, “there is money in the mayor’s budget to start implementation,� Zavisca said. Not only is Cumberland Avenue undergoing a “road diet,� but also Central Street – home of the Open Streets event in May – has had some work in preparation for its own diet. It has been restriped to three lanes, and it will be landscaped and resurfaced within the next couple of years, said Zavisca. “Both of these corridors are seeing a lot of development and redevelopment, which I think is really related to the investment.�
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Zavisca, a senior planner for the Knoxville Regional Transportation Organization, is involved with pedestrian and greenway planning and Safe Routes to Schools. She brought a “bigger picture of greenway planning� to drive home the importance of greenways and encourage club members to become active supporters of them. Lifestyle choices and genetics also play a role in health, but when it comes to exercising, walkers, runners and bicyclists are stymied if they don’t have safe routes,� she said. The danger shows up in the data. Some 125 ped/cyclist injury crashes result in about eight deaths each year in Knox County. “About 10-12 percent of fatalities statewide involve pedestrians and cyclists.� The TPO covers Knox and the urbanized areas of Anderson, Blount, Loudon and Sevier counties. Zavisca said there are more
2 • APRIL 20, 2016 • Shopper news
health & lifestyles
PSA rising
red Knoxville attorney makes case for early detection
Retired Knoxville attorney makes case for early detection It was a freak accident – Fred Thomforde of Knoxville had just hooked the ball to the left and down a hill. Upset over the shot, he hopped into his golf cart and sped toward the ball. But when he pressed the brakes, the cart began sliding on the wet grass. “Like some kind of fool, I stuck my foot out to stop it, and boom! Hit a bump, went up in the air and came down with my groin on the handle,” Thomforde recounted. While it hurt and caused some bruising to the 70-year-old retired attorney, he didn’t think much about it until later that evening when blood in his urine prompted him to seek medical attention, a decision that not only would change his life but save it as well. For it was at that visit to his primary care doctor, Dr. Michael Passarello, in 2008, that he was referred to Dr. Edward Tieng, an urologist at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center – a decision that ultimately led to Tieng’s early detection of prostate cancer. Dr. Tieng determined Thomforde’s golf cart injury was not serious but because of the blood in the urine and because Thomforde had been a smoker, the doctor moved cautiously. He ordered
a test to determine the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in Thomforde’s blood. That test came back with a PSA score of .8 nanograms per milliliter – well within the normal range. “I think the ‘danger zone’ is something like 2 and above,” Thomforde said of the PSA score. “I never got into the danger zone, but early in 2010, Dr. Tieng said, ‘They are still normal, but these levels are rising.’ He wanted to check it again in three months.” Three months later, the PSA level was still within the normal range, but Thomforde was asked to return yet again. “I’m still in the normal range,” he said. “I started out at .8 but now I’m at 1.8. So we had a long talk.” It was during that “talk” that Dr. Tieng recommended Thomforde undergo a biopsy, a procedure in which 12 core samples were removed from the prostate gland by a needle. The biopsied tissue was then sent to a laboratory and “graded” by a pathologist who assigned it a Gleason score, a scoring system of 2 to 10 used to describe the cells’ appearance. A score of 2 to 4 indicates the cells appear normal, 5 to 7 indicates intermediate risk of prostate cancer and 8 to 10 indicates an aggressive
form of prostate cancer. Thomforde’s Gleason score was 7. “I guess everybody reacts differently when they hear ‘you have cancer,’ but for me, it came like a blow to the soul,” said Thomforde, who previously had undergone surgery and radiation treatment for a form of cancer called sarcoma a year and a half earlier. “I may have been more mentally prepared for this than a lot of people. I don’t think you ever get completely prepared for the news that Fred Thomforde is grateful for Dr. Edward Tieng and the staff at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. He said of the individualized treatment he received after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, “Early detection made all the difference.” you have cancer but I had at least been through it.” To determine whether Thomforde’s prostate cancer had spread, Dr. Tieng ordered CT and bone scans. When the imaging indicated that his cancer was contained to the prostate, Dr. Tieng presented Thomforde with his options. “By this time, I had a good relationship with Dr. Tieng and had complete confidence in him – he’s a very likable person but very professional,” said Thomforde.
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sider what the risk was, it was pretty minor.”” said Thomforde. “My body had returned to normal within about three months or so.” “My hospital experience was excellent, my recovery was excellent: Nurses, technicians, lab people, the doctors, the whole experience to me was first rate,” said Thomforde. “My PSA never got into the ‘danger zone’ per se but Dr. Tieng made a judgment based on his personal history with me. Rather than just keep going with the PSA, he went with the biopsy and it caught the cancer while it was confined to the prostate. Early detection made all the difference.” For more information about Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, please visit fsregional.com.
Prostate cancer?
Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center Newland Professional Building 2001 Laurel Avenue, Suite 502 Knoxville, TN 37916 (865) 331-9000
Renee Quillin, MD
“He explained to me the various options – there’s radiation treatment, hormone treatments, and so forth – and I finally said to him, ‘I will defer to your judgment on this’ and he said, ‘If I were you in your particular condition and health, I would recommend surgery.’ I didn’t even think about it. I just said, ‘Let’s do it.’” In an almost 3-hour minimally invasive procedure, Dr. Tieng used Fort Sanders’ da Vinci robot to remove Thomforde’s cancerous prostate gland. The pathologist later confirmed that Thomforde was cancer-free. “I was a little uncomfortable the first couple of days or so, and there was a little leakage for a few months but even that wasn’t all that serious. When you con-
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United States, after skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of death from cancer in men. Most men with prostate cancer are older than 65 years, with the disease occurring more often in African-American men than in white men. Almost all prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas (cancers that begin in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids), usually growing very slowly and often with no early symptoms. Talk to your doctor about your risk of prostate cancer and whether you need screening tests. Tests to detect (find) prostate cancer: ■ Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) – This is an exam of the rectum. The doctor or nurse inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into the lower part of the rectum to feel the prostate for lumps or anything else that seems unusual. ■ Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) – This is a test that measures the level of PSA in the blood. PSA is a substance made mostly by the prostate that may be found in an increased amount in the blood of men who have prostate cancer. The level of PSA may also be high in men who have an infection or inflammation of the prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH; an enlarged, but noncancerous, prostate). It is important to remember that your doctor does not necessarily think you have cancer if he or she suggests a screening test. Screening tests are given when you have no cancer symptoms. Screening tests may be repeated on a regular basis. If a screening test result is abnormal, you may need to have more tests done to find out if you have cancer. – Source: National Cancer Institute
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community
NORTH/EAST Shopper news • APRIL 20, 2016 • 3
Attending the Holston Hills Country Club Dogwood Arts kickoff cocktail party are Clarita Buffaloe, Leslie Carnes, Timbs Jones, Nancy Campbell, Pat Wilson, Vicki Williams Baumgartner, Lloyd King, Alaine McBee, Karen Wooten and Ann Jarrett.
Keepers of the pillars and park “Our board members Millie Ward and Ann Jarrett are our keepers of the pillars and park,� said Holston Hills Community Club president Clarita Buffaloe. “They work hard to make sure our entrance and park are beautiful.�
Patrick Miller debuts his unique K.K. Miller Artisan Lighting.
Cindy Taylor
Holston Hills CounHistoric Holston Hills Community Club board members (front) Clarita Buffaloe, Lauren Adams; try Club food and bever(back) Millie Ward, Karen Bacon and Ann Jarrett. Photos by Cindy Taylor age director Jim Disney provided hors d’oeuvres including a whole salmon and fresh fruit. The K-Town 5 performed lively music. Holston Hills resident artists were on hand to show Historic Holston Hills Community Club president Clarita Bufand sell their work. More faloe (center) hobnobs with local artists Kelly Coffey (left) and than 150 residents, festival Scottie Lynn Baxter. elite and volunteers attended. Artist Kelly Coffey, gnome whisperer extraordinaire, created a special Holston Hills gnome for the event. Artist and Holston Hills Community Club board member Lauren Adams designed the garden The K-Town 5 keeps the music going. flags and the cover of the historical Holston Hills cookbook, both available for artist the late George Wil- ville gem and the featured lard. trail for 2016. purchase at the event. The Holston Hills Dog- Contact Cindy Taylor at ctaylorsn@gmail. An honorary booth was com featured for photography wood Trail is an East KnoxLocal artists Leann Cooper, Wanda Cazaubaun, Shelly Mangold, Andrea Hawkins, Betsy Hancock and Lauren Adams.
COMMUNITY NOTES â– Alice Bell Spring Hill Neighborhood Association. Info: Ronnie Collins, 637-9630. â– Beaumont Community Organization. Info: Natasha Murphy, 936-0139. â– Belle Morris Community Action Group meets 7 p.m. each second Monday, City View Baptist Church, 2311 Fine Ave. Info: bellemorris.com or Rick Wilen, 524-5008. â– Chilhowee Park Neighborhood Association meets 6:30 p.m. each last Tuesday, Admin-
Carter drumline places at CIPA championships Carter High School Indoor Drumline participated in the CIPA Championships at Western Carolina University on April 3. The group finished strong, taking second place at the competition. Carter has finished in the top three for the last four years. The performance was entitled “Totem� and was written by CHS alumni Ben McCurry. The totem pole used in the drill was designed and built by a band parent. CHS band director is Matt McCurry. Photo submitted
Berean hosts Halls in soccer
Lee Lawson (#8) of Berean Christian School uses fancy footwork to handle the ball against Halls last week. Halls came out on top in the match, 6-1. Photos Berean’s Jacob Johnson works to get the ball by Doug Johnson down field against Halls High.
istration Building, Knoxville Zoo. Info: Paul Ruff, 696-6584. â– Edgewood Park Neighborhood Association meets 7 p.m. each third Tuesday, Larry Cox Senior Center, 3109 Ocoee Trail. Info: edgewood park.us.
4 • APRIL 20, 2016 • Shopper news
No Heisman for Dobbs It is with considerable sadness that I report Joshua Dobbs probably won’t win the Heisman Trophy as the finest college football player in the United States of America. He is bigger than life as a student athlete at the University of Tennessee. He has already generated the most positive headlines since the long-ago days of Peyton Manning. Dobbs’ studies in aerospace engineering put him in the elite 2 per cent of athletic academics. Quick mind and quick feet make him an exceptional quarterback. He is a natural leader, mostly by example, with a touch of logic and a dash of dignity rather than flaming adjectives made famous by Al Wilson. Joshua, under duress, appears unflappable. He says
Marvin West
he appreciates recognition but does not allow fame to sweep him up, up and away. He credits his parents for the firm foundation in his life. He has many times demonstrated an awareness of priorities. There was an interesting example in high school, Alpharetta, Ga., a schedule conflict between band class and physics, one or the other. He had played the saxophone since fourth grade. Gosh how Josh hated to give it up but where he was going, he had to know more about
Einstein’s theory of general relativity, about thermodynamics of black holes and about loop quantum gravity. Dobbs aced the tests but, contrary to rumor, there were better players. ESPN said there were 20 better in Georgia his senior season. Butch Jones picked a goodenough one. Alas, no Heisman. The betting line favors Clemson quarterback DeShaun Watson. The bookmaker says there are several better Heisman prospects in the Southeastern Conference, including running backs Leonard Fournette of LSU, Nick Chubb of Georgia and Bo Scarbrough of Alabama. Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly is a better bet. TV likes his colorful past. Unlikely that Joshua gets the Heisman, even if the of-
fensive line is strong and he improves dramatically as a down-the-field passer. He has a problem on his own team. Jalen Hurd will split the vote. For 80 years we journalists have been trying to get Tennessee and Heisman into the same sentence. Close once or twice, but no cigar. The idea of a trophy for the most outstanding player came out of a 1935 card game and sipping session among gentlemen of distinction at the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City. As the story goes, two favored an award for Ivy League lacrosse. Football won. No Volunteer has won. Four could have. At least one should have. There wasn’t much of a race between Princeton tailback Dick Kazmaier and Tennessee tailback Hank Lauricella in 1951. The Eastern bloc was in awe, 1777 to 424, of great Kaz victo-
ries over NYU, Navy, Penn, Lafayette, Cornell, Brown, Harvard, Yale and Dartmouth. Wow, what a run. John Majors made it close against Paul Hornung of Notre Dame in 1956. The vote was 1066 to 994 for the best man on a 2-8 team over the multi-talented leader of a great team. Incidentally, some thought Syracuse had an even better player but Jim Brown was black. Tennessee quarterback Heath Shuler finished second in 1993 to Florida State quarterback Charlie Ward. The margin was worse than three to one. As a former Sunday school teacher and Cumberland Presbyterian deacon,
I cannot say what I really think about the 1997 election. I will say that Peyton finished second because ‌ No, I won’t even say that. Others said there was a backlash because he had a famous father and had long been on a pedestal with his very own silver bowl and spoon. He was just too polished, too good to be true. Others said Peyton took a hit because the Vols couldn’t beat Florida. Others said ESPN clearly had an agenda. The vote was 1,815-1,543. I have trouble remembering who won, Charles what’shis-name. If you want to tell Marvin West what you think, his e-mail address is westwest6@ netzero.com
Could creative solutions build more sidewalks? If you want to see a bunch of happy pedestrians, visit Cherokee Boulevard on a spring evening. You’ll see them in droves, tripping through the dogwoods, safe on a wide median. It’s one of my favorite exercise spots. Contrast that with present-day Cumberland Avenue. Last week, I strolled down to the Strip from the hospital for lunch. I’ve got my eyes on the prize (an attractive, pedestrian-friendly streetscape), but for now, it’s anything but. Torn up sidewalks and irritated drivers made for a stressful trek. It illustrated something I already knew. Walking is a pleasure − if it’s safe. Walking in my sidewalkfree neighborhood is safe because streets are wide and there’s little traffic. But much of Knoxville and the surrounding county is different because we like to
Wendy Smith
drive fast and take shortcuts. Our car-centric culture simply doesn’t respect other forms of transportation. Last week, a group of West Hills residents walked from Wesley Road to West Hills Elementary to illustrate the need for a sidewalk along Sheffield Drive. One kid carried a sign that read, “We need a sidewalk. We want to walk to school.� Long-time Sheffield Drive resident Sandy Robinson participated. Her kids used to walk to school before traffic became excessive, she said. Now, drivers use the road to avoid Kingston Pike. It was
obvious at 7:30 a.m. that drivers along Sheffield were not used to pedestrians. A few City Council members showed up to express support, but none could promise a sidewalk. The city has a prioritization process that determines who gets sidewalks when. It’s based on a point system. Schools are a big driver, says engineering chief Jim Hagerman. Projects within Parental Responsibility Zones − areas that are too close to schools to be serviced by school buses − earn points. Sometimes PRZs overlap, resulting in more points. Missing links get points. Short links get more. Isolated projects don’t get any points. Areas with a high potential for pedestrian use, like high-density development within a short walk to a gro-
cery store, earn points. Being on a KAT bus route earns points. Sheffield Drive is good example of a legitimate need that doesn’t make it into the top tier, he says. “It’s frustrating to us. We don’t have the budget or the staff to hand out a lot of sidewalks.� The prioritization process is necessary because sidewalks are so expensive − an average of $350 per foot. The cost of purchasing right-ofway and East Tennessee topography drive the price up. “Knoxville is a challenging place.� Our car-centric culture is at least as challenging as our landscape. But finding creative ways to finance sidewalks, greenways and bike lanes could mean that our kids don’t grow up assuming they need to drive everywhere.
Rocio Huet and Charlie Burchett check out “The Politician� by artist Preston Farabow during this year’s Artitude fundraiser. Photo by Sara Barrett Businesses could purchase segments of sidewalks that will make it easier for pedestrians to reach them. The city could offer matching funds to communities that work together to raise money for sidewalks. Per-
haps citizens could work alongside trained professionals on simple projects. Walking is fun − and healthy − if it’s safe. Even kids know that. It’s up to us to give them the opportunity.
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government Pushing buttons for party faithful Shopper news • APRIL 20, 2016 • 5
House Speaker Beth Harwell got a big endorsement for a possible race for governor. It might have made the long drive to Maynardville worth it. Harwell spoke April 16 at the Lincoln/Reagan Dinner at Union County High School. State Sen. Frank Niceley, running for re-election without opposition, said he and Harwell came to the Legislature in 1988. In the Beth Harwell House, he said, 99 people think they should be Speaker. Harwell won election as Speaker in 2012, the first woman to hold the post. “When the Democrats were in control, they raised some tax every year. ... Since 2012, we’ve not raised taxes at all, ... and we’ve got a billion dollar surplus. ... “She’s not made up her mind (about running for governor), but I’ve made up my mind. If she runs, I’ll back her,� Niceley said. Harwell got three standing ovations from the GOP faithful, including some from Knox County: state Rep. Harry Brooks, Jack and Joyce Huddleston, and Ted and Carla Hatfield. David Allan Coe sang that a good country song needs the words “mama and trains and trucks and prison and getting drunk.�
Sandra Clark
Well, a good Republican speech requires “God and flag and life and veterans and Ronald Reagan.� Harwell pushed most of those buttons, adding quotes from Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. She also managed to casually mention her husband, her daughter and her church. What she didn’t do (sadly) was inspire us to get up every morning trying to elect her as governor. One woman in the room emailed: “Beth Harwell did a wonderful job last night, don’t you think? I was glad to see strong female presence at this year’s dinner.� But another said, “Well, you can’t exactly call (the dinner) rousing.� Here’s some unsolicited advice for House Speaker Harwell, a good woman whom I would like to support for governor: ■Risk losing. Bring votes on Insure Tennessee and expelling Jeremy Durham. Appointing yet another study committee and moving Jeremy across the street show tepid leadership; playing not to lose. ■Do homework. If you’re visiting Union County, know something about the state projects under-
way there. Sure, it’s hectic in Nashville as the session winds down. But just glance out the car window on Hwy. 33. Those yellow graders weren’t seen much in East Tennessee until Bill Haslam got elected governor. Talk about the economic impact – the growth of jobs and retail in Maynardville when Hwy. 33 is four-laned from the interstate. Look at Union County High School. Talk about the kids here, their achievement and opportunities. We are just mildly interested that Tennessee scored in the top half of test scores in fourth grade math (at No. 25). Challenge us. Republicans are not greedy aristocrats obsessed with tax cuts – at least, not the ones I know. Republicans are optimistic, excited about capitalism and eager to share. Whether it’s reading to a kid after school or donating money to build a park, Republicans stand ready to help make things better. To quote an old friend:
Chances good for West Hills sidewalk Luttrell Mayor Johnny Merritt with his daughter, Hannah, an architecture student at UT. “She’s living my dream,� said the mayor, a contractor. “She will be drawing plans while I’m reading them.� and I believe that if we work together, then one day we will say, ‘We fought the good fight. We finished the race. We kept the faith.’ “And to our children and our children’s children, we can say, ‘We did all that could be done in the brief time that was given us here on earth.’� – Ronald Reagan
GOSSIP AND LIES
“Whatever else history may say about me when I’m gone, I hope it will record ■Donald Trump spends two hours a day on his hair; Bernie that I appealed to your best Sanders’ barber is the wind, hopes, not your worst fears.� per Saturday Night Live. – Ronald Reagan “The United States remains the last best hope for a mankind plagued by tyranny and deprivation. America is no stronger than its people – and that means you and me. “Well, I believe in you,
■Diane Ravitch says we could stop excessive testing in schools by requiring legislators and policymakers to take the tests they mandate – and publishing their scores. “This would prove the value of the tests. Why shouldn’t they all be able to pass the 8th grade math test?�
Wrangling will survive McIntyre’s departure The school board had one job at last week’s called meeting – to approve next year’s budget. Members breezed through the blessing of a $453.5 million general purpose budget, but the fight over the $71.2 million capital improvement plan went the length of the bar and into the street, so to speak, although the outcome – a 5-4 vote to reroute $6.5 million that Superintendent James McIntyre and his staff had earmarked for other purposes to renovate Inskip Elementary School – was never truly in doubt. Five-four votes are nothing unusual on this deeply divided and utterly predictable body. Board chair Doug Harris generally lines up with Karen Carson, Lynne Fugate, Gloria Deatheridge and Tracie Sanger to smack down the minority – Patti Bounds, Terry Hill, Mike McMillan and Amber Rountree. Common wisdom was that support for McIntyre was the grand divide between the proMcIntyre majority and the anti-McIntyre minority,
Betty Bean but McIntyre’s announced resignation and July departure date have done little to bring the factions together. Last week’s meeting was rancorous because of the big dollars involved, and because the balance of power is going to shift in September when Harris, Carson and Sanger depart and new members, two of whom are former teachers, are seated. The battle began March 23 when McIntyre presented his 2017 FY budget recommendations, including $3 million for a new cafeteria for Powell High School, which has been struggling with feeding 1,400 students in a facility built for slightly more than 200. Sanger made an emotional plea to find money to renovate aging, overcrowded Inskip, where 85 percent of the students live below the poverty line. Carson asked McIntyre to come up with a way to
fund the Inskip renovation, although the board did not vote to ask him to do so. McIntyre complied, and presented two capital improvement options at the April 13 meeting – his original proposal and one that stripped $3 million from Powell and sucked up system-wide funds including $400,000 from a contingency fund for foundation stabilization, $500,000 from security upgrades, $100,000 from school accessibility funds and $2.5 million from physical plant upgrades, mainly roof and HVAC, for a total of $6.5 million redirected to Inskip renovation. Bounds, who represents Powell, branded the new option as the work of “the good ol’ girl system.� She asked maintenance and operations head Jim French his opinion of putting off roof repairs. He said it would be “devastating.� The other side took great umbrage at Bounds’ remarks, and Sanger made the motion to approve the Inskip option. She, Harris and Carson seized on the
fact that the principals’ offices at Powell were to be relocated to make room for the expanded cafeteria; they said they wanted the money to go to student services, not administration (ignoring the description of the Inskip renovations that includes a new administrative office suite). Harris suggested that fi xing up Inskip might help with the civil rights lawsuit that was filed as a result of last year’s vote to reject the superintendent’s budget proposal and build new middle schools on the outskirts of the county (failing to acknowledge that he was an architect of the plan). Eighth District representative Mike McMillan’s observation that, come September, the new board could undo the present board’s decisions were not well received, and Carson reminded him that his district has been the beneficiary of budget circumventions for Gibbs Middle and Carter Elementary schools. Clearly, saying good-bye to McIntyre is not going to bring peace to this valley.
West Hills residents should not and probably will not accept delay on getting their sidewalk built for Sheffield Drive from Wesley Road to Vanosdale. With Vice Mayor Duane Grieve as well as two potential mayoral candidates, George Wallace and Marshall Stair, supporting the effort, they can achieve results. If necessary they can amend the city budget. It is a significant safety issue. While Mayor Madeline Rogero did not attend the walk in West Hills, she is smart enough to know this issue could have traction and may agree to adding it to her budget on her own. Former Vice Mayor Nick Pavlis said he is “hopeful the mayor will find money to fund this needed project in this upcoming budget.� Stair said he was impressed by the number of people with children who showed up at 6:45 on a cold morning to walk the route. “The effort was well done and impacted families turned out,� Stair added. Initial costs mentioned are $1.2 million for less than one mile and is a Cadillac version of the true cost. This is the talk of a city employee wanting to kill the project instead of a serious estimate of the real cost. Sandy Robinson, a longtime Sheffield Drive resident, is helping spearhead the sidewalk effort. Stair is attending a training session thru MPC in Atlanta on walkability on April 26-28. It is sponsored by the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors and he is part of a 6-member delegation from the Knoxville area. ■Mayor Rogero’s 5th city budget message will be 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, April 27, at the Knoxville Zoo. The public is invited as it is an open meeting. A light lunch will be served. ■The announcement that the former Farragut Hotel will be back welcoming guests in a year as Hyatt Place, a part of the Hyatt collection, is good news for Knoxville. Hyatt Place is in the third tier of Hyatt hotels in terms of amenities, but still a Hyatt. Hyatt was last in Knoxville when the current downtown Marriott was a Hyatt. Knoxville and Knox County benefits with several well-established chains of hotels here such as Hilton, Marriott, Crowne Plaza and Hyatt.
Victor Ashe
■It is nothing short of incredible that an indicted state representative has no Democratic or Republican opposition. That is Joe Armstrong who is scheduled to go to trial for Armstrong income tax evasion on Aug. 2, just two days before the Aug. 4 primaries. Normally such a situation would draw a line of candidates a football field long seeking the position. Armstrong does face independent opposition from former state Rep. Pete Drew in November. Drew most recently lost to Stair for City Council. Armstrong is still personally popular with his colleagues and in his district. He has not been treated as a social pariah like the GOP’s Jeremy Durham has for allegations of sexual harassment. Personally, I like Armstrong and hope he is innocent of the charges against him. However, if he is found guilty then the failure of either party to have a single candidate means Armstrong will be re-elected but the full House would refuse to seat him as a convicted felon. This would trigger the Knox County Commission appointing a successor for 100 days followed by a special primary and general election. Those elections will cost taxpayers over $140,000 for both. Of course, Armstrong could resign his party’s nomination and allow the Democratic Party to appoint a new nominee by convention to face Drew. The GOP would be left off the ballot as no candidate qualified. The district is roughly 40 percent AfricanAmerican. The GOP could still recruit a candidate thru the write-in process in the Aug. 4 primary. ■Former state Rep. Bob Booker, newspaper columnist and first African-American from Knox County to serve in the state House of Representatives, turned 81 on April 14. He is a well-known historian of Knoxville’s African-American history.
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6 • APRIL 20, 2016 • NORTH/EAST Shopper news
business notes Sandra Clark sclark426@aol.com
What’s wrong in Nashville? Let’s just blame it on Victor Ashe. Arguably, his election to the state House in 1968 at age 23 was the first won by door-knocking. Knock on the most doors and you’ll win. That later brought us Stacey Campfield. Prior to the landmark Baker v. Carr decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1962, states paid little attention to proportional representation. In fact, the litigant from Tennessee, Charles Baker, said the Legislature hadn’t redistricted since 1901. This led directly to Reynolds v. Sims in 1964 and to “one person, one vote.” It was a straight line to 1968 and Victor. Prior to the ’60s, legislators were selected by political bosses with an eye toward geographic balance and a nod toward playing well with others (i.e. political bosses). Rural areas were overrepresented to the detriment of cities. That was not optimal, and it brought us some less than memorable legislators. But look at today. Lawmakers approved a $35 billion budget last week with hardly any debate, at least open debate. Included was more than $1.7 billion for higher education. Yet we heard more debate on the $500,000 being spent on the Office of Diversity than on the other $1,699,500,000. And so it goes, department after department, dollar after dollar. Guess we’ve got too many legislators whose brains have been baked from knocking on doors in the sun.
Buds to host precision rifle event Buds Gun Shop & Range will host its first-ever Precision Rifle Event April 22-24 at 2270 Two Rivers Road just off Winfield Dunn Parkway in Sevierville. ProfessionJim Gilliland al shooters from the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) will do product demonstrations, conduct a free seminar and meet with shooting enthusiasts. The Precision Rifle Event will also feature represen-
tatives from Masterpiece Arms (MPA) and U.S. Optics Academy. Drawings and giveaways will take place throughout the three-day event and muzzle brakes, scope bases, T-shirts and free training passes will be raffled. Professional shooters who are scheduled to attend include Phil Cashin, Jim Gilliland and Trinity Brown. The free seminar will begin Saturday, April 23, at 2 p.m. The seminar covers selecting a precision rifle, rifle setup and a Q&A session with experts. Info: BudsGunShopTN.com
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MONDAYS THROUGH APRIL 25 QED Experimental Comedy Lab, 7:30-9:30 p.m., The Pilot Light, 106 E. Jackson Ave. Free comedy show blending stand-up, improv, sketch and other performance styles. Donations accepted.
THROUGH FRIDAY, SEPT. 16 Online registration open for the Marine Mud Run, to be held Saturday, Sept. 17. Individual waves, 8 a.m.; team waves, 11:30 a.m. Course: 3 miles of offroad running, which entails some obstacles, hills and mud pits. Registration deadline: Friday, Sept. 16, or until total registrants reaches 3150. Info/registration: knoxmud.org.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20 Computer Workshops: Excel, 2-4:15 p.m.,
Young Fabian Garcia, 6, buddies up to giant mushroom Becca Bratcher and garbage-bag-and-fabric tree Christine Doka, who says that Americorps helps to make and update the EarthFest costumes. Garcia is the son of Heather Patty and Jesse Garcia.
A great day for EarthFest By Carol Z. Shane This year’s crowd at EarthFest down at the World’s Fair Park on Saturday couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day to celebrate and raise awareness about our planet. The free, zero-waste (yes, it can be done) event featured music from bands How About Never, Deadbeat Scoundrels, 3 Mile Smile and Natty’s Common Root as well as a scavenger hunt, crafts for kids, a Goodwill pop-up clothing shop, a free tree and shrub giveaway sponsored by the town of Farragut Stormwater Matters program, a Medic A popular guest was “Spoon” blood drive, a fuel-efficient car showcase the pig, demonstrating here and a tiny home demonstration. This year’s theme was “Small is Beautithat he can obey a “sit” comful,” with emphasis on “keeping it in the mand. Photo by Cat Wilt
community,” according to Cat Wilt, an organizers of the event, now in its 17th year. Large costumed characters strode the grounds. A red crayfish partnered with a gigantic walking pile of plastic bags made a point: plastic garbage is dangerous to aquatic life. Also spotted were a giant tree and mushroom. Sponsors included WBIR TV, Knox Recycles, 90.3 The Rock, city of Knoxville, Rothchild Event Rentals, Americorps, East Tennessee Clean Fuels, Ijams Nature Park, KUB, WUOT radio, University of Tennessee, Eagle Distributing, Allen Sign and Whole Foods Market. It was a success. “We have had a lovely crowd all day long,” said Wilt.
Two Rotary fundraisers this weekend
Rotary International’s motto of “Service Above Self” is more than just a motto – it’s a way of life for Rotarians. And the key word is “service.” The phrase was fi rst mentioned in 1911 at Rotary’s second convention in Portland, ORE. In 1989 Rotary’s Council on Legislation established “Service Above Self” as the principal motto of Rotary because it best conveys the philosophy of unselfish volunteer service. Rotary’s seven clubs are all involved in service projects – both locally and internationally. Projects require financial support and our and organizations. The locations are scat- clubs’ fundraisers throughtered around campus and out the year are a big part of nearby greenways, includ- how it all happens. Rotarians raise money ing the Bearden area and Cherokee Farm. The farther to support an array of projthe location is from the ral- ects – college scholarships; ly’s starting point, the more donating books to elementickets a participant can re- tary school libraries; Free Flu Shot Saturday; reading proceive. Prizes will include bicy- grams; clean water projects cles, helmets, pumps, bike computers and clothing. Partners this year include Echelon Bicycles in Farragut, REI and Kickstand, a local bike collective. By Sara Barrett “Free bikes and helmets Award-winning actor will be provided by UT’s Kiefer Sutherland has a Outdoor Program, Lega- country music album comcy Parks and Kickstand,” ing out in June. Cadotte said. “You don’t You read that right. even need a bike to join the The same man who gave rally.” us unforgettable characters Participants can register in The Lost Boys, Flatliners, online or at 1 p.m. the day of 24, Young Guns and many, the event. many more movies will re-
UT students to host bike rally Students in a servicelearning class at UT Knoxville, Haslam College of Business, will host the Tour de Knox bike rally from 2 to 4:15 p.m. Sunday, April 24, beginning at UT Parking Lot 9, located at the corner of Phillip Fulmer Way and Peyton Manning Pass. Proceeds from the rally benefit Knoxville’s Legacy Parks Foundation, which works to expand parks, create trails and increase access to rivers in East Tennessee. The cost to participate is $15 for adults and $10 for UT students. It is free for children 12 and under. Billed as a “scavenger hunt on wheels,” participants will receive a map of locations where they can receive tickets to win prizes supplied by local businesses
Holding their free trees courtesy of the town of Farragut Stormwater Matters program, Sammy Anderson, 13, and Tyren Brabson, almost 8, learn how garbage harms aquatic life from a crayfish played by Ben Duhamel and a pile of garbage bags, played by Carrie Lykines. Photos by Carol Z. Shane
Tom King
here and abroad; local parks; elementary school cleanups as part of World Rotary Day; tickets for underprivileged youth to see and participate in theater, opera and symphony performances and a host of many others. Two of our clubs have major fundraisers coming up to support their projects and you’re invited. The Rotary Club of Farragut will have its second annual International Food Gala on Saturday, April 23, at the UT Visitors Center on Neyland Drive. Tickets are $75. The Gala will begin at 5 p.m. Teams from the Pellissippi State Community College’s Culinary Arts Institute program will be serving
cuisine from four parts of the world: Asian, Spanish, Italian and French. And based on last year’s first Food Gala, the teams will be serving some memorable dishes. The teams’ offerings will be judged by a trio of local Celebrity Chefs: Author and Chef Barbara Tenney; Robert Allen, the executive chef of Citico’s Restaurant and Club at Windriver in Tellico Lake; and Andre Nowading from Whole Foods. Call Rotarian Keith Bryson for tickets at 865719-4582. ■ It’s Kentucky Derby Day on Saturday, May 7, when the thoroughbreds break from the gates in the 142nd Derby at Churchill Downs and that’s also the day for the second annual Rotary Club of Knoxville’s Jockeys & Juleps from 3-7 p.m. at the historic Southern Railway Station. Tickets are $100 and in-
clude all of the festivities. There will be “Red Carpet Arrivals,” live music between the races, a ladies’ Fancy Hat Contest, a gentleman’s Bowtie Contest, pictures with a thoroughbred, a cornhole tournament, a silent auction, Derby-inspired Hors d’oeurves and live music by Hillbilly Jedi. You’ll also be able to watching the Derby on a 15foot projection screen. For tickets, call 865-5238252. ■ An invitation: The Rotary Club of Knoxville is inviting all Rotarians on Tuesday, May 31, at the Marriott Hotel for its noon meeting to hear Gov. Bill Haslam speak. It will be helpful to let the club know if you plan to attend. Email Elaine McCullouch ar kxrotary@bellsouth.net or call 865-523-8252. Tom King is a retired newspaper editor, a Rotarian for 28 years and past president of the Rotary Club of Farragut. He can be reached at tking535@gmail.com
Kiefer Sutherland to sing in Knoxville lease a handful of tracks he wrote himself. The project began as a couple of songs Sutherland penned with the hopes of sending to BMI or Sony Music for other artists to perform. He never considered himself a singer but says he’s been writing songs off and on since he was about 15.
Burlington Branch, 4614 Asheville Highway. Requires “Word Basics” or equivalent skills. Info/registration: 525-5431. “Grieving: finding the new normal,” 2:303:30 p.m., Humana Guidance Center, 640 Plaza, 4438 Western Ave. Free and open to the public. Info: 3298892, TTY: 711. “Harry Potter and the Nineteenth-Century Dream-Child,” 5 p.m., UT Medical Center’s Health Information Center Conference Room, 1924 Alcoa Highway. Presented by guest speaker Dr. Amy Billone as part of the “Harry Potter’s World: Renaissance Science, Magic and Medicine” exhibit. Exhibit on display through May 21. Info: 305-9525. International Folk Dance Class, 7:30-10 p.m., Claxton Community Center, 1150 Edgemoor Road, Clinton. Info: Paul Taylor, 898-5724; oakridgefolkdancers.org; on Facebook. Wheels on the Bus Storytime, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Presented by Anne Victoria of the Knox Area Transit system. Info: 525-5431.
THURSDAY, APRIL 21 Computer Workshop: Introducing the Computer, 10:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Halls Branch Library, 4518 E. Emory Road. Preregistration required. Info/registration: 922-2552.
The album, “Down in a Hole,” will be released in June, but you can hear Sutherland’s music in person when he plays The International, 940 Blackstock Avenue, 8 p.m. Friday, April 29. Tickets are $17 and doors open at 7 p.m. Sutherland says his live show gives him a chance to
share anecdotes with fans regarding what inspired his lyrics, and some of those anecdotes relate to his acting career. “This album is the closest thing I’ve ever had to a journal. This is not a character. This is me.” Info: internationalknox. com
Plainview 7th District Neighborhood Watch meeting, 7 p.m., Plainview Community Center. Info: 992-5212. Writing a resume to get the interview – interviewing to get the job, 4 p.m., Murphy Branch Library, 2247 Western Ave., LT Ross Bldg. Info: 521-7812.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY, APRIL 22-23 Friends Mini Used Book Sale, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Halls Branch Library, 4518 E. Emory Road. Info: knoxfriends.org.
SATURDAY, APRIL 23 Cruise Against Cancer, 6 a.m.-midnight, Lowe’s Home Improvement, 120 Epley Road, Newport. Rain or shine. Featuring music, T-shirts, a bake sale, games, a benefit auction and more. Info: 548-6152 or on Facebook. Fourth Saturday jam session, 7 p.m., Old Rush Strong School in Sharps Chapel. Featuring bluegrass, country and gospel music. Pickers, dancers and spectators welcome. Kitten and cat adoption fair, noon-6 p.m., West Town PetSmart adoption center, 214 Morrell Road. Sponsored by Feral Feline Friends of East Tennessee. Info: www.feralfelinefriends.org.
faith
NORTH/EAST Shopper news • APRIL 20, 2016 • 7
‘Fearfully and wonderfully made’ By Carol Z. Shane When Ken and Wendy Heintz’s 7-month-old son Oliver began having constant seizures, he was given a grim prognosis. He was put on medication to bring the seizures under control, but the Heintzes were told that Oliver could never expect to live normally and that he would basically be, says Wendy, “a vegetable.” Now 7 and in the second grade at Ritta Elementary, Oliver has certainly beaten the odds. His seizures have been under control for four years, and he is medicationfree. “He walks and talks, though we sometimes have trouble understanding him,” says Wendy. Though he is in a special education class, he takes one regular class “and does all the art, music and gym classes.” Ken, who is a systems engineer, and Wendy call Oliver their “little miracle baby.” As parents of a specialneeds child, they face daily challenges. An instructor for Ritta’s computer lab class, Wendy is able to stay close to Oliver and also his little brother, Owen, 6, born
ville,” says Wendy, who is a member of Union Baptist Church on Washington Pike. With all of her demands as a parent, the long drive to Powell was a problem. “God just said, ‘you need to start this here at your church.’” So she did. On its website, Union Baptist Church has a new link to the group, which will have its first meeting in May. “I’ll just kind of be directing it,” says Wendy, who is trying to get the word out. “We’re sending cards home with CDC (Comprehensive Development Classrooms) families and handing them out at Oliver’s occupational therapist’s office. “If you don’t have any friends who have special-needs kids, it’s hard to find support,” Wendy Ken and Wendy Heintz with their sons, Owen and Oliver says. “This is just a place Photo submitted for moms to meet, to have someone else walk through healthy. But a roller-coaster bers, Carla Jones and Darla it with them.” of emotions, including grief Armstrong, themselves spe“Fearfully and Wonderand anxiety, are always with cial-needs parents, began fully Made – a new growth her. “Fearfully and Wonderfully group for moms of specialShe thought maybe some Made,” a support group for needs or critically ill chilother moms might be in moms of special-needs chil- dren,” will meet at 6:30 the same boat. “I have been dren, named for a passage p.m. on Tuesday, May 10, at part of a group that meets in the biblical Psalms. The Union Baptist Church, 6701 Washington Pike. Info: disat First Baptist Powell,” group was very helpful. “But I live in East Knox- coverunion.org or 687-4500 she says. Two FBP mem-
A heart for Haiti By Cindy Taylor Jon Knowles says he felt drawn to Haiti after the devastating earthquake there in 2011. His compassion for those affected led him to found Medic Samaritan. As executive director of the nonprofit ministry, Knowles oversees the operations and staff both domestically and internationally. This includes traveling to the country four to six times a year. Knowles has 15 years’ experience in emergency services. He is currently a criti-
cal care flight paramedic with UT LifeStar. His background gives him valuable insight into the necessity for easy access to health care in foreign countries. “The lack of health access for individuals in the most rural communities and their full-time dependence on foreign entities for assistance was the founding principle behind our current mission concept,” said Knowles. “We wanted to create a ministry that focused on empowering and
sustaining these communities as it pertained to physical health care while growing and fostering spiritual health through discipline.” Knowles has been married to wife Amy for 11 years. They have an adopted daughter from Haiti, Sheelove. Amy is a nursing professor at King University and serves as a nursing outreach coordinator for the ministry. A three-part, Christcentered grassroots effort, Medic Samaritan focuses on access to shelter, education and clean water. Medic Samaritan has
completed seven Samaritan Homes projects with several more in the works. Construction will begin soon on a community church in a mountainous village which is inaccessible by vehicle; all building supplies and materials will be carried by teams of laborers for approximately five miles along steep terrain. Construction on a community-based mission home is also planned. The home will feature free accommodations for Haitian missionaries and medical teams, a multi-purpose venue for clinics, continuing medi-
This little blue orb And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1: 9-10 NRSV) We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. (Native American proverb) Earth Day is two days away. It is a day for us to pause, look around, and give thanks for this one and only home we have – so far, at least. And I, personally, am not ready to set off on a journey to Mars to check out the neighborhood. So, I want us to take care of this little blue orb. God put us in charge of it, appointed us as gardeners and left it up to us. As one wise man put it to me, “We should not foul the nest.” That means we should use our resources carefully, not be wasteful, and not be careless with what we throw away. I get really irritated when I see cans thrown out on the highway. I am saddened when I see trees cut down for no apparent reason. I have been known to take recyclables out of other peoples’ trash.
cal education seminars and discipleship training for the staff. The center will also serve as the Medic Samaritan headquarters for Haiti. Scouting for feasible lo-
FAITH NOTES ■ First Comforter Church, 5516 Old Tazewell Pike, hosts MAPS (Mothers At Prayer Service) noon each Friday. Info: Edna Hensley, 771-7788.
Cross Currents
Lynn Pitts
All it takes is caring enough to leave a better world to our children. God made the world in six days flat, On the seventh, He said, “I’ll rest.” So he let the thing into orbit swing, To give it a dry run test. A billion years went by, then He Took a look at the whirling blob; His spirits fell, as He shrugged, “Ah well, It was only a six-day job.” – E.Y. Harburg
cations for a second community water well project is underway. Knowles says they hope to have this completed in the fall. Info: medicsamaritan.org ■ Trentville and Pleasant Hill UMC will host a Spring Tea 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 24, at Trentville UMC, 9215 Strawberry Plains Pike. Donations welcome. Proceeds go to Children’s Ministries.
SENIOR NOTES ■ Carter Senior Center 9040 Asheville Highway 932-2939 Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Offerings include: card games; exercise programs; arts and crafts; movie matinee each Friday; Senior Meals, noon each Wednesday. Register for: Lunch Bunch: Aubrey’s, noon Monday, April 25. IPad/ Tablet class, 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 26. Veterans Services, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 27; registration: 215-5645. Italian potluck, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 27.
U.S. Navy Band members MU2 Jason Lucker on trumpet and MU2 Gregory Lopes on trombone serenade the residents of Ben Atchley State Veterans Home in Karns. Photos by Nancy Anderson
J.W. West (USAF) meets U.S. Navy Band trombonist MU3 Michael Bookman. “It’s an honor to meet you, sir. Thank you for your service,” said Bookman.
■ Corryton Senior Center 9331 Davis Drive 688-5882 knoxcounty.org/seniors Monday-Friday Hours vary
Navy Band visists Veterans
Offerings include: exercise classes; cross-stitch, card games; dominoes, crochet, quilting, billiards; Senior Meals, 11 a.m. each Friday.
MU2 Gregory Lopes swaps stories with resident Jack Kramer (U.S. Navy). “It’s always such an honor to play for veterans. Whether they retired two years ago or 40 years ago, they always have such good stories to tell,” said Lopes.
Register for: Main Munch Potluck, 11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 21; includes “The Beat” class presented by Jamie Price of Macs Pharmacy. ■ Larry Cox Senior Center 3109 Ocoee Trail 546-1700 Monday-Friday Hours vary Offerings include: exercise programs; bingo; arts and crafts classes. ■ John T. O’Connor Senior Center 611 Winona St. 523-1135 knoxseniors.org/oconnor. html Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Offerings include: Card games, billiards, senior fitness, computer classes, bingo, blood pressure checks 10:30-11:30 a.m. Monday-Friday. Singing Seniors Spring Concert, 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 26.
Nick Patty (U.S. Navy) said he particularly enjoyed the tune “I’m Popeye the Sailor Man.”
Events galore fill seniors’ calendars By Ruth White The Heiskell senior group met in April at the new Community Center in Powell, and there was a lot going on for those in attendance. Nadean Meredith with Commercial Bank shared plans for the bank’s travel club, the Golden Presidential Club. Want to know more about the club? It is hosting a picnic at Robertson Haymaker Farms in Speedwell on Saturday, May 21. Sign up to attend by May 1 by contacting Meredith at 606-248-4584 (Middlesboro branch). Upcoming
activities include dinner on the Titanic’s third deck secret dining room on June 21; celebration at Halls Commercial Bank on Thursday, June 30, in celebration of Independence Day; Niagara Falls trip in September and a nostalgic escape to Cumberland County Playhouse to see “A Christmas Story” in December just to name a few. Upcoming events for the Heiskell seniors include a bingo marathon, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday, April 21; senior luncheon featuring a Derby Days theme, Thursday, May 12; Veterans Services
representative at the center, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 17; Community Open House 1-3 p.m. Saturday, May 21, and an ice cream social at the center, 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, May 26. The group meets each month on the second Thursday. The program begins at 11 a.m. with lunch to follow. The lunch for this month’s meeting was provided by Mynatt Funeral Home, which also gave out gift bags, and music/entertainment was provided by the Grace Tones Sarah Stooksbury plays the hammer dulcimer with the Grace from Grace Baptist Church. Tones.
kids
8 • APRIL 20, 2016 • NORTH/EAST Shopper news
Exploring engineering at Whittle
Proffitt signs with Cleveland State By Ruth White Carter High softball player Alexis Proffitt signed to play ball at Cleveland State next season. T h e Hor net ’s catcher has Proffitt played for two years and feels that she learned a great deal from Ryan Burkhart and the team. Alexis has stepped up to become a leader on the young team her senior year. Burkhart said that Alexis is “a great competitor who knows the game
Whittle Springs Middle School hosted a family engagement night that featured some great hands-on science activities for students to explore alongside their parents. University of Tennessee students, working with the CURENT program, helped in booths where participants built paper towers, moved cars with solar power, used prosthetic hands made from spoons and more. The National Parks hosted a booth that featured animal pelts that students could touch. The school will host a social studies night, Tuesday, May 17, where students research historical figures and create colorful and imaginative displays to share their findings.
and plays hard.” He believes that her good leadership skills will help her be successful in college. Alexis plans to study health science while at Cleveland State and hopes to continue to grow in softball so she can play ball at a four-year school in the future. She likes CSCC’s great coaching staff and atmosphere. Celebrating at the signing with Alexis were her parents, Thad and Misty Proffitt, sister Bayley, aunt Laura McCloud, grandparents Teddy and Kathy McCloud, friends and teammates.
S.O.R. Losers
Or Radosh, who ran the wrong way, realized he was doing it, stood still as he tried to figure out the right way, and then got tangled in his own feet and then fell down. Anyway, you know how it is in history — battles and things — wars can truly be lost at the first shot. I understand that personally. I was at such a battle. Playing in front of me was Saltz, my special buddy. We not only grew up together, we lived near each other. Defended each other. Loved each other. So when he saw that advancing line of Buckingham blues attacking, attacking me, he actually did something.
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Raven Chambers uses tape and newspaper to create a threefoot paper tower. The objective of the project is for the tower to stand for five seconds in front of a fan. Photos by R. White
Written by Avi and Illustrated by Timothy Bush
Story So Far: South Orange River’s middle school soccer team of boys, who know nothing about the sport, play their first game. The Buckingham team was coming down the field toward our goal. To my eyes, they looked like a herd of stampeding blue buffaloes. As for our guys — the ones in the red and yellow — they were doing one of four things: Standing around. Running the wrong way. Backing up, furiously. Falling down. Or, actually, five things, because some people did a combination of two of the above, like Fenwick, who backed up and fell down.
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Kayla Banks and Josiah Libby race cars using light to power the vehicles. UT student Jermaine Chears (center) serves as guide for the event.
Whittle Springs student Delores Francisco creates a prosthetic hand using plastic utensils and rubber bands, attempting to pick up small objects with her creation.
CHAPTER THREE:
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Ruth White
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First, he turned red in the face. A great red blotch. Then he started to charge the blue line. Now, unlike me, Saltz is a big guy. With his T-shirt flapping all over the place, his arms flapping other places, his longish hair flapping in the remaining places, he really charged. What a sight! For just a moment, the blue line hesitated. I mean Saltz is a big guy. And the red face, the flapping, and so on ... Meanwhile, the ball was squirting forward. Saltz, I saw, was aiming right for it. My stomach, which had been traveling somewhere in the region of my throat, began to go right. I could see that Saltz was about to send that ball a billion miles in the other direction. Except . . . he missed. Which is to say, he charged like a madman, cocked his leg, or whatever you do with your leg, kicked, missed and kept right on going. He went, in fact, past all the Buckingham players before he realized what had happened. And what had happened was that there was nothing between me and the charging herd of blue Buckinghams. The white ball was coming right at me. I should know: I saw it trickle past me into the net. It was only fifteen seconds into the game. But, to tell the truth, that first few seconds was typical. Final score: BUCKINGHAM: 32 SOUTH ORANGE RIVER: 0 Or, in case you hadn’t noticed, we lost our first game, badly. We were on our way. Down with further to go. We got back on the bus feeling stupid. It wasn’t just that we lost, but we lost by being so amazingly bad. Beyond belief. It had stopped being fun about two seconds into the game. Maybe one second. It wasn’t even a question of how good they were. We stank. We were the first team to get back to the bus. “Well,” said the bus driver with lots of good cheer, “how’d you guys do?” “Lost,” said someone. “But close, I bet,” said the driver. “Distant,” came the reply. “Well, next time.” The driver just couldn’t drop his insistent cheerfulness. Then it was Mr. Lester’s turn. “Gentlemen,” he said, taking a quick look over his shoulder to make sure we were still alone, “I want to tell you how proud I am of you. You didn’t give in.” “I bet he loves hang gliding over the Grand Canyon with one wing,” whispered Saltz into my ear. “You kept up your spirits,” continued Mr. Lester. “Nothing else to keep up,” said Radosh. “You showed courage and character.” “What about talent?” called out Eliscue. “Or skill?” Root offered. Mr. Lester pressed on. “Each week, from experience and practice, you’ll get better. I know you will. You have nothing to be ashamed about. Their coach told me he was impressed.”
“With what?” asked Fenwick. Mr. Lester said nothing. “Mr. Lester,” Hays called out. “How come, by the end of the game, they only had four men on the field? Is that legal?” “Sportsmanship,” Mr. Lester murmured, and quickly sat down. “If they really wanted to give us a chance,” Saltz said to me, “they should have gotten all their players off the field. Those four guys scored five goals.” “What makes you think, if they had none, we would have scored any?” asked Radosh. No one answered. Our other teams came on the bus. One team had won. They were crazy happy. The other team had tied. They were just dumb happy. Naturally, they wanted to know what happened to us. It was Hays who told them. They refused to believe it. “No, really? What was the score? Tell it straight.” Things like that. After a while, they had to believe. And they were amazed. Stunned. In awe. For a bit, anyway. Then quickly it became joke time. Like, “Maybe if you hadn’t shown up, they would have scored less.” There was some logic to that. It got so bad the coaches made them shut up and our team kept its distance. By the time we got back to school, we, at least, were into our usual kind of stuff: discussing school gossip, homework, a special trip that was being planned. The big thing was that tomorrow we were each going to find out who our partners were for our history projects. We kept talking about who we wanted to work with and who we didn’t. The deal was, we were going to draw names out of a hat. I mean, we had lost. Who cared? There were better things to think about. Fortunately, when we got back to school, we had to rush for our buses, so there wasn’t much teasing. That night, at dinner, my ma asked, as she usually did, how my day was. “Great,” I said. “Anything interesting?” Dad wanted to know. “In history,” I said, “we’re starting on American Indians. We’re going to do projects and we get to work with someone.” “Who are you with?” “Don’t know yet,” I said, but to be honest, I couldn’t wait to get to school the next day to find out. (To be continued.)
Text copyright © 2012 Avi. Illustrations copyright © 2012 Timothy Bush. Reprinted by permission of Breakfast Serials, Inc., www.breakfastserials.com. No part of this publication may be reproduced, displayed, used or distributed without the express written permission of the copyright holder.