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VOL. 4 NO. 38
www.ShopperNewsNow.com |
September 21, 2016
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BUZZ
Drs. Julia and Jim Malia stand behind their daughter, local attorney Sarah Malia. Photos submitted
Ed Cureton saluted Ed Cureton, a Fulton High School graduate who served as a member of the Knoxville Fire Department and as fire chief 2002-2004, was recognized for his volunteer work at last Friday’s game.
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Picture on page 3
Register to vote at Pellissippi State Pellissippi State Community College’s Magnolia Avenue Campus will host a free voter registration event for students and the community from 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 27, in room 100. Attendees can register to vote in the upcoming presidential election as well as practice in a voting booth. The event is sponsored by Knoxville’s Urban League, League of Women Voters, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Info: 865-329-3100.
Laotians pose for the camera.
Malia remembers another way to serve IVF reunion coming to UT
Dr. Jim Malia during the Vietnam War
Free concert The Knoxville Songwriters Association will present a free concert 5:30-7:30 Tuesday, Sept. 27, at the Fountain City Library, 5300 Stanton Road, in memory of Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Kim Williams, a mentor and lifetime member of the local group. KSA members and several of Mr. Williams’ co-writers will perform songs that include some of his 16 No. 1 hits and 28 top-10 songs in country, bluegrass and Christian music.
An unnamed villager in Laos mends a fishing net in this undated photo from the collection of Dr. Jim Malia, who was stationed in Laos with the International Voluntary Services during the Vietnam War. Sarah Malia and her father, Jim, stand in front of a house in Laos where Jim lived during his IVS service.
By J.J. Stambaugh
Tickled over pickles Pickle fans will want to head over to the third annual French Broad Pickle Fest noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, at Riverdale School, 7009 Thorn Grove Pike. The fest celebrates pickles and pickling as a way of preserving food. There’ll be a pickling contest sponsored by Green River Picklers with the categories of cucumber, noncucumber and wild. Winners will receive gift-card prizes to Three Rivers Market. Day-of registration is $10 per category. The free event will also feature pickling demonstrations, live music, craft vendors, kids’ activities, a poetry contest, food trucks and the Cattywampus Puppet Council. And yes, Betsy Pickle will cover this event for Shopper News. Info: frenchbroadpres.org
(865) 922-4136 NEWS (865) 661-8777 news@ShopperNewsNow.com Sandra Clark | Ruth White ADVERTISING SALES (865) 342-6084 ads@ShopperNewsNow.com Amy Lutheran | Patty Fecco Beverly Holland | Tess Woodhull CIRCULATION (865) 342-6200 shoppercirc@ShopperNewsNow.com
It’s been more than four decades since the United States started pulling its troops out of Vietnam. It was a controversial decision that ultimately ended a war that devastated the small Southeast Asian nation and neighboring countries like Laos. Dr. Jim Malia remembers those days well. As a volunteer for the International Voluntary Services
(IVS) program, he spent his formative young adult years trying to help the people of Laos on behalf of the U.S. government while the bloody conflict next door spilled across the border, ultimately killing thousands of Laotians as well as Vietnamese. “The IVS exposed me to another culture, to another part of the world,� he said. “It also led to my exposure to some of the less admirable aspects of the human condi-
tion. I met some wonderful people who were trying to make the best they could of a situation with very limited opportunities. It expanded my world, my understanding.� Jim Malia has lived in East Knoxville with his wife, Julia, for 25 years. Both recently retired as professors from UT’s Department of Child and Family Studies. Their daughter, Sarah Malia, is a local attorney.
His journey as a young man came about in 1966 when he graduated with a degree in philosophy from St. Paul Seminary in Minnesota. As a government-recognized conscientious objector, Malia was allowed to avoid the draft after college only if he volunteered for an alternate form of service: working for the U.S. government’s anti-communism efforts. To page 3
HomeSource meets need for high-quality, affordable housing By Wendy Smith Jackie Mayo, executive director of HomeSource East Tennessee, wants people to better understand affordable housing and the people who need it. Affordable housing is, of course, what you can afford. But that definition is more complex than it seems, said Mayo at a fundraising breakfast held last week. Experts recommend spending no more than 30 percent of income on housing, but those with low incomes might spend as much as 70 percent on rent. “That’s not sustainable. They wind up getting evicted.� Service workers, like daycare employees and nursing assistants, are at the greatest risk of losing housing or living in poor conditions, and they’re an important part of the community. “Affordable housing doesn’t get the positive attention it deserves,� she said. “Where you live matters.�
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utility bills. Older buildings typically have poor insulation and inefficient heat and air systems. But HomeSource East Tennessee sets a high priority on quality, LEEDcertified construction and redevelopment. The nonprofit Jackie Mayo also recognizes that seniors have special housing needs and that the senior population is growing. Ligdis is especially proud of the newly constructed Blueberry Ridge Senior Community in Powell, which has 30 LEED-certified units with zero-step entrances. Some units are ADA-compliant. Those who meet an income restriction pay $646 for a two-bedroom apartment. Board vice chair Jackie Clay shared her experience with the nonprofit during the breakfast.
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HomeSource East Tennessee is a new name for an organization that’s been providing affordable, high-quality housing for lowand moderate-income residents for 25 years. Knox Housing Partnership was renamed last year so it could better reach out to surrounding counties. The nonprofit serves the community by developing and redeveloping homes for purchase, educating and counseling potential homebuyers, and providing affordable rental homes for those with low to moderate incomes and seniors. Developing and redeveloping rental property has become a big focus, say Herc Ligdis, chair of the HomeSource East Tennessee board. The nonprofit currently owns and manages 200 rental units. There’s a “glaring need� for reasonable, high-quality housing in the rental market right now, he says. One of the biggest problems with low-income housing is high
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She was a casualty when the market tanked and went from having a good job to having no job. She eventually landed a job that didn’t pay enough for her to move after she started working for her church’s nonprofit. After seeing an advertisement for an East Knoxville home for sale through Knox Housing Partnership, she began parking in front of the house and imagining it was hers. She eventually arranged a lease purchase. Her relationship with the organization continued after it paid for training that helped her land a job as an executive director for a nonprofit. “I owe so much to HomeSource,� she said. For information about homebuyer education and financial fitness classes or pre-purchase and foreclosure prevention counseling at the HomeSource East Tennessee office, 109 Winona St., call 6371679 or visit homesourcetn.org.
2 • SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 • Shopper news
health & lifestyles
Law & Aorta
FSRMC surgeons mend ex-NYPD detective’s tell-tale heart Lt. Joe Kenda, TV’s Homicide Hunter, is showing in the living room of John and Barbara Mohl’s Sevierville condominium, but neither is watching. That’s because Mohl, a retired detective with the New York Police Department, has plenty of true crime stories of his own. Whether working the notorious “Son of Sam” case or shootouts with Black Panthers, his were the kind of high-profile cases that might evoke a signature, “My, my, my” from Kenda himself. But right now, John is talking about his latest case, a crime of the heart. He was 80 when clogged arteries choked off his heart in August 2015, sending him to the ER at LeConte Medical Center. From there, he was sent to Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center for a triple bypass and valve repair. That, however, wasn’t the worst of it. Tests prior to his bypass surgery revealed a deadly secret – he also had an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), a balloon-like dilation of the largest blood vessel that leads from the heart, down through the abdomen to the rest of the body. It was almost three times its normal “garden hose” size. The great majority can be treated with a stent; however, Mohl’s aneurysm involved the kidney arteries and plaque related blockages of his iliac and femoral arteries, requiring open repair. Should it rupture, the odds were 90 percent he wouldn’t make it. Even without a rupture, repairing it would not be easy on him or his surgeon. Mohl would have to wait more than six months to heal from his open-heart surgery before his body could withstand the rigors of an open AAA, one of medicine’s more challenging and complicated surgeries. Vascular surgeons Dr. Richard Young, assisted by partner Dr. Michael Kropilak, met that challenge on March 24, 2016, in an operation at FSRMC. “We always doublescrub on open AAA surgeries to increase the speed and quality of the repair,” said Dr. Young. “Every case is different, but an open Richard AAA is a major operation Young, M.D. for any patient.”
Ex NYC detective, John Mohl and his wife, Barbara, are back to their quiet life after John’s vascular surgery at Fort Sanders Regional.
Through a large incision on Mohl’s abdomen Dr. Young clamped the aorta above and below the aneurysm to stop the blood flow. Then, he replaced the diseased vessels with a polyester graft. After it was attached, they removed the clamps to restore blood flow and closed the incision. Two weeks later, on April 7, a happyto-be-alive Mohl was discharged from
FSRMC. “There are not enough accolades for these two doctors,” he said. “They did a marvelous job. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be sitting here. They may say things that you think are blunt but they’re just telling you how it is, and that’s how it should be. In the medical profession, you can’t go sugar coating things.” Straight talk. It’s a quality Mohl learned
Hidden killer: AAA often goes undetected, untreated Think you would know an abdominal aortic aneurysm if you had one? Think again. More than half – 62 percent – of AAAs are discovered incidentally, meaning they are found while doctors are searching for something else. For John Mohl, that “something else” came while doctors were looking at a CT scan for a possible pulmonary embolus. Dr. Richard Young, a vascular surgeon at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, says the location of AAAs is what makes them so difficult to detect. “They lie along the front of the backbone in the back of the abdomen,” said Dr. Young. He added that while most aneurysms affect the segment of the abdominal aorta below the kidneys, Mohl’s AAA extended up to the kidney renal arteries. What’s more, Dr. Young said, “Almost all are asymp-
tomatic (show no symptoms) until they rupture, leak or begin growing very quickly.” In fact, 75 percent of AAA patients show no symptoms at all. Of the 25 percent who do, the most common is pain in the abdomen, chest, lower back or groin area. The pain may be severe or dull. The occurrence of pain is often associated with the imminent rupture of the aneurysm. Acute, sudden onset of severe pain in the back and/ or abdomen may represent rupture and is a life-threatening medical emergency. Sometimes, a pulsing sensation, similar to a heartbeat, in the abdomen may be a symptom. More times than not, however, AAAs are diagnosed with CT scans, MRIs, ultrasounds or arteriograms while searching for a different problem.
to appreciate on the tough streets of the Bronx. He joined the NYPD on patrol in June 1956, 11 months before his marriage to Barbara. “He was 21, looked like he was 12 and they put him in Harlem!” she exclaimed. “They’d throw garbage cans at him from the roof.” In the ensuing years, Mohl worked undercover narcotics, burglary, major crimes and homicides out of the 14th Precinct in the Brooklyn neighborhoods where survival required street smarts. “I was always too smart to get hurt. Seriously,” said Mohl whose undercover colleagues included Eddie Egan who inspired The French Connection movie. “You have to be on the alert. It’s not a game out there. These people play for keeps. You just have to be a little smarter.” He found the Major Crimes Investigative Unit and worked to round up criminals claiming responsibility for bank robberies, bombings and the murder of six cops in a nine-month period in the early 1970s. One time when Mohl’s car was riddled by gunshots during a shootout, Barbara asked, “What happened to the car?! It’s full of bullet holes!” Mohl’s response? “I had a little incident last night.” These days, Mohl lives the quiet life of a “house husband” and fills his days with Barbara vacuuming, washing dishes, going shopping and watching Joe Kenda on TV. He occasionally helps out at the Rainforest Adventures Discovery Zoo, owned by his daughter and son-in-law. He would like to see his 90th birthday and thanks to Drs. Young and Kropilak and FSRMC, he might just do that. “When you come from a big city like New York, you have a sense of superiority, that everything is better there,” said Mohl, who still speaks in his native Brooklynese. “They may think Michael Kropilak, M.D. ‘All the best hospitals are in New York.’ No, they’re not! They should try Fort Sanders someday.” For more information about vascular surgery at Fort Sanders Regional, call 865-673-FORT or visit fsregional.com.
Are you at risk for an abdominal aortic aneurysm? What causes an abdominal aortic aneurysm to form? The exact cause isn’t fully known. Most people, like retired detective John Mohl, who quit smoking 10 to 12 years ago, attribute it to smoking. While it is true that smoking weakens the arterial wall, vascular surgeon Dr. Richard Young says smoking is only part of the problem. “Smoking in itself doesn’t cause AAA,” said Dr. Young. “Risk factors are anything that can weaken the arterial wall, such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking. A family history of aortic abdominal aneurysm also increases your risk. Fifteen to 25 percent of patients undergoing AAA repair have a first degree relative with an AAA.” That also includes age (older than 60), gender (males are four to five times at greater risk than females), genetic factors and obesity.
Regional Excellence. With more than 250 physicians on the active staff at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, we provide the community with the most comprehensive
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NORTH/EAST Shopper news • SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 • 3
Malia remembers
Machu Picchu is often at the top (pun intended) of every world traveler’s list. David Smith and Katy Wolfe just returned from touring the 15th-century ruins this month.
Katy Wolfe and David Smith, still newlyweds, have done more traveling in their short married life than many do in a lifetime. Here, they’re at the harbor in Sydney, Australia.
Katy Wolfe and David Smith: On the move Katy Wolfe and David Smith, married since March 2016, are getting ready to move from her loft in Knoxville’s Old City to his house in Market Square. “He renovated a 130-year-old building to make it a single home. We love living downtown!� says Wolfe. Moving around is fairly normal for the couple, though they’re usually globe-trotting, not just dragging the couch a few blocks. Smith’s job as COO of Genesee and Wyoming Railroad affords him the opportunity – indeed, often requires him – to travel extensively. He likes to take his wife with him. And she likes to go. “We were able to see Australia, Bali, Chile and Lima this summer, and it has confirmed my love of travel and my belief that visiting other cultures is the best way to
Carol Z. Shane
teach us all how similar we are and how diverse and beautiful our world is!� says Wolfe, who is familiar to many Knoxvillians through her work at the Clarence Brown Theatre. Since graduating from UT in 1998 with a master’s degree in vocal performance, she’s found a niche for her talent. Wolfe’s involvement with CBT also includes lead roles in “The Music Man,� “Man of La Mancha� and “Kiss Me Kate.� She has taught voice privately for 25 years, led the Sound Company Children’s Choir for 12 years and appeared with all of the regional East Tennessee sym-
phony orchestras. And she’s always up for new projects. “Last fall I had the honor of producing and performing the world premiere of a new work written about Knoxville. It was an ‘answer’ piece to Samuel Barber’s ‘Knoxville: Summer of 1915,’ composed by Ellen Reid, a former student of mine, and librettist Royce Vavreck – a joint production between the UT departments of theater and music. It was a highlight for me professionally. “I feel so very fortunate to have been able to carve out a career in mostly one place while still being allowed to be present as my kids grow up.� Jonah and Amelia, a senior and freshman at West High School, respectively, are both “very involved in music and dance and have had their turns in the theater both on stage with me and without me.�
Indeed, Jonah starred as Tommy, the deaf, dumb and blind pinball wizard in the CBT production of “The Who’s Tommy� – with his real-life mom playing his mother. But about that globetrotting. Wolfe and Smith (a big UT fan and amateur trumpet player who is “more of a musical geek than I am,� according to his wife) recently returned from the ultimate bucket-list destination: Machu Picchu, built by 15th-century Incans in the mountains of Peru. “It truly is a world wonder. And being able to walk through it and spend time in a space that seems to be an impossibility was absolutely a sacred experience for me,� says Wolfe. For now the WolfeSmiths are catching their breath. Further travels surely await. Meanwhile, there’s that couch.
Ed Cureton (second from left) is congratulated by Fulton coach Bob Black, head coach Rob Black and Fulton High School principal Rob Speas prior to kickoff of the Fulton/Catholic game. Cureton is a Fulton graduate who served the city for over 40 years as a member of the Knoxville Fire Department and served as fire chief 20022004. He has spent time and resources over the years on various projects at the school, including refurbishing the west end ticket booth at the stadium.
at Fulton/Catholic game Fulton team members block against Catholic, allowing Coryean Davis (#2) to gain yardage for the Falcons.
COMMUNITY NOTES Larry Cox Senior Center, 3109 Ocoee Trail. Info: edgewood park.us.
â– Belle Morris Community Action Group meets 7 p.m. each second Monday, City View Baptist Church, 2311 Fine Ave. Info: bellemorris. com or Rick Wilen, 524-5008. â– Chilhowee Park Neighborhood Association meets 6:30 p.m. each last Tuesday, Administration Building, Knoxville Zoo. Info: Paul Ruff, 696-6584. â– Edgewood Park Neighborhood Association meets 7 p.m. each third Tuesday,
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harvesting it and so on.� He continued: “The war became more intrusive. We were limited to where we could go, and in 1969, three of our people were killed. After that we made significant changes in where and how we worked.� The deteriorating situation led IVS to pull out of Laos completely in 1975. Although the organization continued to work in developing countries around the world, funding problems led to its closure in 2002. Malia left IVS in 1971 and traveled for a few months before starting graduate school at Iowa State University, which is where he met Julia. The couple eventually made their way to Knoxville, where they’ve raised their family and plan to spend the rest of their lives. The IVS left its mark on Jim and the hundreds of other volunteers who worked for the organization. Every few years, IVS veterans gather for a reunion, and this year their gathering will take place Oct. 3-6, at the UT Conference Center. The public is welcome to attend the program, which will include several presentations. Malia said a particularly interesting event will be at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the Union Avenue Bookstore, 517 Union Avenue, when there will be a signing and reading from the book “The Fortunate Few: IVS Volunteers from Asia to the Andes.�
Cureton honored
Photos by Alexis Thomas/FulCom
â– Alice Bell Spring Hill Neighborhood Association. Info: Ronnie Collins, 637-9630.
Instead of bombs or bullets, however, the U.S. wanted to use agriculture programs and construction projects in the small nation of Laos, which often served a sanctuary for North Vietnamese forces. “It was a rocky relationship with U.S. aid,� Malia recalls. “They funded us to show the U.S. public that they weren’t totally bad by waging war in Southeast Asia. We were very much a part of the American effort to win friends and influence people.� The IVS was a private international aid organization created by several “peace churches,� Christian denominations like Quakers and Mennonites that are committed to pacifism. It contracted with the U.S. government to build bridges, dig wells and teach the people of Laos different ways to grow rice and other crops, Malia explained. After arriving in Laos in 1966, Malia spent a couple of years working on a forestry project before he was promoted to an administrative position. “The people were very low key, very easygoing and friendly,� Malia said. “A very outgoing people .... They were primarily subsistence living; most lived in villages and didn’t have any of the modern amenities we would consider normal. The life cycle was very much dependent on the seasons, growing the rice and then
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4 • SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 • Shopper news
Potential end of turmoil and strife Florida presents Tennessee an opportunity to start to stop a lot of bad stuff. A victory over the Gators might be the beginning of the end of turmoil and strife. Indeed, a respite is needed. Nothing like these past few years has been previously inflicted on the university. Think about it. A president we never knew and seldom saw resigned because his wife talked too much. That president was replaced by another who somehow remains above the fray. Relative invisibility is a rare trait of commanders. Some schools conduct national searches for top leadership. Astute UT trustees searched the same zip code, 32611, downtown Gainesville. They found a
Speaking of searches, we spent $90,000 to find Dave, one phone call away? Eyebrows went up when Marvin UT added “vice chancellor” West to his title to justify more than doubling his Tuscaloosa salary. Along the way, Erik chancellor named Jimmy Ainge lost two fourth-quarand a president named Joe. ter interceptions in an SEC We don’t know if that means championship game. Philthey couldn’t find anybody lip Fulmer got mugged one capable in the entire state of year after an expensive conTennessee or if they didn’t tract extension. Four days after Phillip was told to go look. The chancellor named away, saddened Volunteers Jimmy hired a guy named lost to Wyoming. Lane Kiffin’s idea of Dave from Alabama (dyedin-the-wool Tide graduate coaching was hit and run. and employee) to be the new Bruce Pearl was fired for lyTennessee athletic director. ing – only a little bit in the beginning. The swim coach We sure needed one. Please note that I am not was replaced for something into conspiracy theories, but called gross misconduct. Derek Dooley proved most UT loyalists think of Florida and Alabama more to be a joke. It wasn’t his as foes than close friends. fault. Bad idea to hire a los-
ing coach at Louisiana Tech with the expectation of SEC success. Mike Hamilton did it, accepted a solid gold parachute and flew away. Dave Hart, aforementioned athletic director/vice chancellor, got lucky. His first choice to replace Dooley left him at the altar. Dave chose Butch on the rebound. Dave was not otherwise so fortunate. The Pat Summitt saga was a sad (heartbreaking) experience. In the name of better branding, Dave picked a poor fight with Lady Vols disciples. He managed the merger of athletic departments as directed. It was economically logical. Fallout made it a disaster. Women who felt slighted sued and collected. Debby Jennings won $320,000. A trio of former trainers got at least $1.05 million. Hart did
save $40,000 by forcing out longtime sports information specialist Bud Ford. The university endured additional unbudgeted expenditures. The recent Title IX lawsuit cost $2.48 million plus $555,356 in legal fees plus $240,000 for public relations polish and $250,000 for reviews. The meter is still running. Basketball? Now there is a story. Clean Cuonzo Martin felt disrespected and went west. Hart hired repentant Donnie Tyndall. Past transgressions were whitewashed away. Hart fired Donnie Tyndall after other sins popped up. Hire-fire was not Hart’s finest hour. Fate provided an immediate fi x. Texas fired Rick Barnes. Hart grabbed the hall of fame coach. His reward was the worst season in 20 years. Oh, almost forgot the goofy UT hall of fame (no
Bob Neyland, no Todd Helton, no Jimmy England), track closed for a year because of rehab miscalculations, baseball eclipse, 34th in the Directors’ Cup national measurement of how schools are doing in athletics – all incidental. Time for change? Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek submitted a reassignment plan based on easy money. Hart accepted money to resign. Retirement was not his preference. He sought a contract extension. The president who seldom speaks said no. Hart undoubtedly had many significant accomplishments. My favorites are academic improvement and financial stability. He got the right guy to run Thornton Center and deposited SEC checks in the correct account. I’m working on the Cheek list. Marvin West invites reader reaction. His address is westwest6@netzero.com
Sidewalks in neighborhoods would be a good start Those Who Pay Attention know that the KnoxvilleKnox County Metropolitan Planning Commission has been working on new subdivision requirements. The final draft was on this month’s MPC agenda, but staff requested a one-month postponement to allow for more public input. This was primarily because the first draft of the document included language that required sidewalks to be installed on one side of the street in new city and county subdivisions while two subsequent drafts did not. Those Who Pay Attention noticed the omission. Representatives from the Council of West Knox County Homeowners, Community Forum, the Community Health Council and
Wendy Smith
Bike Walk Knoxville made it clear to commissioners that sidewalks are important to the community and they don’t want language requiring them in new subdivisions to fall through the cracks. MPC Executive Director Gerald Green said the language was separated to address issues involving sidewalks, like where they should be and what to do when topography makes them infeasible. A vote on subdivision requirements was postponed until December to allow more time
for sidewalk discussion and public input. A subcommittee, created by MPC chair Rebecca Longmire and Green, has been tasked by the city, county and MPC staff to develop a comprehensive sidewalk policy. In addition to Longmire, committee members are Jeff Roth, Scott Smith and Janice Tocher. The public is welcome at committee meetings, which will be advertised at knoxmpc.org The fact that the sidewalk requirement was removed from subdivision requirements makes walkability advocates nervous. Bike Walk Knoxville president Caroline Cooley is already skeptical about local government’s commitment to sidewalks. One of her “pet peeves” is
the lack of a sidewalk next to the Paper Mill Drive shopping center anchored by REI and Whole Foods − two health-oriented businesses. The tenants asked the city to install sidewalks, but neither the city nor the developers were willing to foot the bill, in spite of the fact that there’s a KAT bus stop across Kingston Pike at the Bearden Branch Library. Cooley thinks there could be pushback on a sidewalk requirement in the county. But if developers are compelled to install sidewalks in new subdivisions, the cost will be absorbed by homeowners, which will allow funding for sidewalks in other parts of the community to stretch further, she says. Neighborhood groups in both the city and the county
are clamoring for sidewalks, yet fewer than half of subdivisions built in 2015 have sidewalks. According to information compiled by MPC staff, two out of four subdivisions permitted in the city have sidewalks, as do 15 of 36 Knox County subdivisions. None was installed due to the generosity of developers. All were required.
Having sidewalks in subdivisions won’t make our community walkable, but it’s a good start. Green pointed out during the September MPC meeting that, to be fair, sidewalks need to be in commercial, multifamily and mixed-use areas as well as subdivisions. It’s a big elephant, but it’s time to take the first bite.
GOSSIP AND LIES ■ Bill Dunn missed a community meeting last week because of the special legislative session. In an email exchange, I thanked him for voting to oust Rep. Jeremy Durham. “As they say at Chick-fil-A, my pleasure,” Dunn responded. ■ Blame for the special session, which cost some $75,000, should stop at TDOT commissioner John Schroer. Running
a state agency means noticing legislation that could cost your department $60 million. ■ Eddie Smith had a slim crowd at a re-election fundraiser headlined by Gov. Bill Haslam last week. And many of the attendees, such as legislative colleagues, got comp tickets. – S. Clark
12th Annual
UNION COUNTY HERITAGE FESTIVAL
2016:
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government
Shopper news • SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 • 5
Nystroms say thanks
Burchett loading MPC with developers
Angelia and Hugh Nystrom host a thank-you event for dozens of supporters and campaign workers at their Scotswood Circle home in West Knoxville. Guests were treated to Cruz Farm ice cream, served by Kandle Britney (center). Photo by Margie Hagen
Haslams swap residences Gov. Bill and Crissy Haslam are moving from their longtime home in old Westmoreland on Sherwood Drive back to the house where the governor lived as a young teenager on Lyons Bend Road adjacent to the Tennessee River. The Haslams will still be city residents as both homes are in the city. They will continue to be represented on City Council by Duane Grieve and on County Commission by Hugh Nystrom. Martin Daniel is their state representative. Grieve is a Democrat, while Nystrom and Daniel are Republicans. Bill Haslam is moving into the house that was occupied by his father for over 40 years before he and Natalie Haslam moved to Craigland Court this past year. Prior to the Haslams moving to Lyons Bend Road in the 1970s from Scenic Drive in Sequoyah Hills, the house was owned by the governor’s maternal grandmother, Hazel Lou Van Deventer, and her husband, James Van Deventer. Reportedly, the Haslams are adding a swimming pool and renovating the kitchen area of the Old English brick home. The Lyons Bend house is not visible from the road as the Sherwood Drive house is. ■ Sharon Lee: The UT College of Law will host a reception honoring former state Chief Justice Sharon Lee at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, at the Howard Baker Cen-
on his way to Vietnam, will be honored at 10 a.m. today (Sept. 21) with the naming Victor of the bridge over Dutch Ashe Valley Road on the Pellissippi Parkway. The ceremony will be held at the Shepherd of the Hills Church, 10231 Sherrill Blvd. in West Knox ter, 1640 Cumberland Ave. County. Sen. Becky Massey passed Lee, who has completed her service as chief justice, re- a resolution in the Legismains an active member of lature naming the bridge the five-member court. The in his memory. Mayor Tim Burchett will speak, and his public is invited. ■ The Arts and Cul- widow and daughter, who ture Alliance is sponsor- was born after his death, will ing Dinner on the Bridge be there along with his older (Gay Street) in honor of brother, City Council memKnoxville’s 225th birthday ber Finbarr Saunders. State 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, Rep. Martin Daniel and Sen. with entertainment by Car- Richard Briggs will particiol Zinavage Shane. Tickets pate, too. ■ UT President Joe are available by calling 865DiPietro has announced 523-7543. The city has outsourced the four members of a spemost of the 225th birth- cial commission to review day celebration planning, Title IX resources and but the Arts & Culture Alli- programs for UT. Three of ance will enjoy the proceeds the four live in Massachufor the bridge dinner. The setts, Connecticut and the 1991 Bicentennial celebra- Washington, D.C., area. tion was operated by the The one Tennessean is from city itself under the leader- Franklin and is a cyclist in ship of Sue Clancy, Rose- his spare time. None atanne Wolf and Carolyn Jen- tended UT, and there are sen. The arts alliance is ably no African-Americans in led by Liza Zenni as director the group despite many and veteran attorney Caesar UT athletes being AfricanAmerican. This is a glaring Stair as board president. There will be a luncheon omission. While the news release celebrating the birthday on Monday, Oct. 3, at the did not indicate compenFoundry at World’s Fair sation, an inquiry from this writer produced the Park. ■ Lt. Robert Saun- response that yes, there is ders, the late Knoxville compensation, but UT deresident who was killed in a clined to respond that day plane crash in Japan in 1970 as to the exact compensa-
tion, which appears to violate the open records law. UT also declined to say then if the first meeting, on Nov. 17, would be open to the public. Two days later, UT acknowledged each is being paid $45,000 plus expenses and the meetings are closed, which triggered criticism. One wonders if UT is channeling studies like this through its law firm to lock out the public under the guise of attorney-client privilege. Why UT cannot give a direct answer to a direct question when asked is perplexing. It sends the wrong signal for an institution dedicated to education. Media relations on this issue are being handled by the Nashville law firm of Neal and Harwell, which has already been paid over $400,000 and the meter is still running. The total cost of the lawsuit settlement continues to rise with no end in sight. ■ Gov. Haslam will host a fundraiser at the Governor’s Residence in Nashville on Monday, Sept. 26, for Marco Rubio’s U.S. Senate re-election campaign at $1,000 a person, while U.S. Sen. Bob Corker will host a fundraiser for New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte at his Chattanooga home on Friday, Sept. 23, also at $1,000 a person. ■ Mark Campen turns 41 on Sept. 27. He is the second youngest member of the Knoxville City Council.
Neighborhood activists reacted strongly to one of Mayor Tim Burchett’s new appointments to the 15-member Metropolitan Planning Commission. The city mayor gets seven appointments, the county mayor eight. Tim Burchett Word went out Thursday that Burchett has tapped Chris Ooten, an executive with Safe Harbor Development whose resume also includes working for Weigel’s and Schaad Properties in zoning, development and construction. East Knox County activist Lisa Starbuck was first to sound the alarm: “I have become aware that Mayor Burchett is planning to appoint yet another developer/builder to the MPC. The building/ development community is already well represented on the MPC with at least six members, and many people believe that a regular citizen should be appointed instead. This has nothing to do with the individual who is being considered for the appointment, who I am sure is a very nice person. “This will be discussed at the County Commission work session on Monday, and we would like to see the nominee’s name withdrawn from consideration before it becomes too public,” Starbuck said. Margot Kline, president of the Council of West Knox County Homeowners, joined in: “Chris Ooten appeared to be a fine human being when he worked as a real estate person for Schaad Builders and Weigel’s, but his appointment would stack the deck in favor of development. We need someone with ties to homeowner groups, families or schools – a regular person – not yet another developer.”
Betty Bean Then CWKCH secretary Judy Horn activated her massive email list: “We should tell the mayor that what is needed on the MPC is an ordinary citizen representing homeowner groups, families and schools. Act now.” Ratification of Burchett’s three appointments is on the agenda for County Commission in September. As of Saturday, Burchett was undeterred and defended his choice of Ooten by saying that development is important to the financial health of Knox County. “You either develop available property or you raise taxes. And developers have to follow the rules. That’s the bottom line. The city has chosen to raise taxes. I don’t choose to do that.” He pointed to his 2014 re-appointment of Laura Cole, a retired TVA executive and farm owner who has a keen interest in environmental issues. “We need balance. The developers came to me and asked me why I wanted to put her on there. I told them, ‘Y’all can go jump in the lake.’ Developers complain; homeowners complain. That’s just the way it is.” Ooten’s is not the only name Burchett is submitting this month. He has also reappointed sitting commissioners Herb Anders, whose resumé boasts more than 40 years of experience in the construction industry, and MPC’s senior member, Art Clancy III, whom many homeowners and neighborhood groups consider their bête noir. Clancy has served 12 years on the MPC – 2004-12 as a city appointee and since 2012 as a county appointee. A 2014 interlocal agreement between the city and county limits MPC commissioners to two consecutive terms.
Mentoring program helps kids fit in By Sandra Clark Somebody at Union County High School just got really smart or really lucky. Science teacher Danny Satterfield has organized a cadre of 60 juniors and seniors to work with younger kids to help them feel at home at the high school. “We want to create a culture
here that’s inclusive and fun,” he said. Last Friday was the first day for mentors (a voluntary position) to meet with their charges (compulsory twice monthly for every freshman and sophomore during home room). We discovered three amigos who get it. Their leader is Jeffrey Ray.
“I had no one to help me,” he says. “Everybody needs a little help along the way.” He recruited friends A.J. Nantz and Marcus Savage. A.J. says becoming a mentor was one of his best decisions. New to the school as a junior, the mentor training helped him make friends.
Cassie needs a home Cassie, a 3yo retriever mix would dearly love to have her own home and a family she can love and trust. She has been waiting several months for this to happen. Cassie was abandoned by her owners and prior to that was obviously not shown a lot of love or attention, life at the end of a chain. Once she gets to know you she wants to much to give love and kisses. We are looking for a local family who would be willing to come and meet Cassie and spend some quality time with her, in a location she is very familiar with, before she goes to her new permanent home. Cassie like all Heartland dogs, is up-to-date with all vaccinations, on heartworm preventative and microchipped. Information about adopting can be found here: https://heartlandgoldenrescue.org/adopt/
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And Marcus is just proud to be there. He says as a kid he was often lonely. “Jeffrey was my first friend.” And then he met Satterfield. “He encouraged us to help others. … He’s like a father figure to me. He’s serious, but he can be funny. (Being in the mentor program) means a lot to me.”
Mentors Marcus Savage, A.J. Nantz and Jeffrey Ray They are young, but Mar- ers is satisfying and fun. cus, Jeffrey and A.J. have And that’s their first lesson found a theme. Helping oth- learned in fall 2016.
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kids Talisha finds a home at L&N STEM By Kip Oswald My cousin Talisha is Keshawn’s twin sister. I told you last week that Keshawn is smart, but we are sure Talisha is the genius of the family. She has a l w a y s loved everything about Talisha school, but last year she was getting bored during her freshman year in high school. So when her friend, Kyla, who had been accepted into the L&N STEM Academy, told her about the different way the academy worked, Talisha decided to apply. Kyla told Talisha that STEM is unlike any school experience she had ever had and students at L&N are incredibly accepting, positive and willing to become friends with new people every day. Kyla also said the integrated curriculum is delivered through project-based instruction that helps develop students’ abilities to make connections and work in teams. The L&N STEM Academy is home to the L&N STEMPunks, a competition robotics team that was a real interest of Talisha. Each student also gets a MacBook Air for use on most of their assignments, and although the focus of the school is on science, regular high school classes are offered as well. The L&N STEM Academy accepts applications for freshmen and a few for sophomores each year, so it was very unlikely that Tali-
sha would get in since she was applying as a sophomore. However, as with Keshawn, luck was on her side, and Talisha was drawn in the lottery. Also, as with CMA, transportation is provided, and since the L&N STEM Academy shares buses with other high schools, school starts at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m. The name of this high school comes from the fact it is located in a historic rail passenger train station that was built in 1905 by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. The station was renovated for use in the 1982 World’s Fair. Also in 1982, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its architecture and role in Knoxville’s transportation history. The L&N STEM Academy was founded in 2011 as a magnet high school focused on the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math in the Knox County Schools system. The school began with freshman and sophomore classes, expanding each year to have the first graduating class in 2013-14. The school draws students from all areas of the county. There are many other schools in our district that also have historical names, so when I am not writing about our Oswald family’s school life, I will be introducing readers to some of that interesting history. However, next week you will meet Charlie, my fourth-grade brother, and learn more about the world of Boy Scouts of America!
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THROUGH FRIDAY, SEPT. 30 “The Freedom Engine: East Tennessee Remembers 9/11” display, East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay St. The Freedom Engine went into reserve status in 2013. Upon retirement, several artifacts associated with the truck, were returned to East Tennessee and donated to the East Tennessee Historical Society. Info/museum hours: 215-8830; eths@ eastTNhistory.org; easttnhistory.org.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 21 Computer Workshops: Internet and Email Basics, 2 p.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Requires “Introducing the Computer” or equivalent skills. Info/registration: 525-5431. International Folk Dance Class, 7:30-10 p.m., Claxton Community Center, 1150 Edgemoor Road, Clinton. Info: Paul Taylor, 898-5724; oakridgefolkdancers.org; on Facebook.
6 • SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 • NORTH/EAST Shopper news
Looking in on a community school
Christenberry is thriving By Betty Bean Working at Christenberry Elementary School is like coming home to Tiffany Davidson, site resource coordinator for the Great Schools Partnership’s Comm u n i t y Schools Initiative. She’s a proud graduate Davidson of Fulton High School, where she was a cheerleader. She has fond memories of her team winning a state football championship her senior year. “I’m a Falcon,” she said, flashing a broad, infectious smile. “I graduated from Fulton in ’04, so this is my community and I’m really blessed to be back, just down the hill from where I spent my high school years.” Christenberry is an ethnically diverse school in ethnically diverse Oakwood Lincoln Park and has 70 students for whom English is a second language as well as a large contingent of students who are eligible to receive free and reduced-price lunches. The faculty and staff are bullish about their school, proudly sporting “Straight out of the Berry”
T-shirts on special occasions. After-school activities kick off this week. “Four years ago, we had two teachers helping – we had a dance club and a book club, and that was it. We still have them, but now we have 25 clubs, and I think our teachers are really grasping the concept of community schools,” Davidson said. The after-school offerings at Christenberry are as diverse as the school population. There’s the Mad Scientist Club, the Book Club, the Jazz Appreciation Club, the Track Club, the Art Club – all supported by a 21st Century state grant. Davidson defines community schools as an access point where parents can find services and resources for their children – a community hub. Christenberry has a fulltime case manager from the Helen Ross McNabb Center to provide mental-health counseling. And thanks to a grant from the Elgin Foundation (secured by Knox County Schools Social Work supervisor Heather Willis), Christenberry students get dental screenings. Those who need treatment are bused to Edenfeld Dental Group in Fountain City. Her smile faded when she
THURSDAY, SEPT. 22 “Bulbs: Now is the time! They’re not just for Spring Blooms,” 3:15-4:15 p.m., Humana Guidance Center, 4438 Western Ave. Presented by master gardener Alice Greene. Info: 329-8892.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY, SEPT. 23-OCT. 9 “The Lion, Witch & the Wardrobe,” Knoxville Children’s Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Ave. Performances: 7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 1 and 5 p.m. Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays. Info: 208-3677, knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com, zack@ childrenstheatreknoxville.com.
Green Magnet, Inskip, Lonsdale, New Hopewell, Norwood, Pond Gap, Sarah Moore Greene Magnet, South Knoxville and West View. Two are middle schools: Northwest and Vine Magnet. Great Schools Partnership coordinates with more than 150 partner organizations, neighborhoods and key leaders to improve community health and quality of life. Willis applies for and manages the grants that support the initiative, which served 6,322 students last year. Christenberry’s community school will get cranked up this week, so Davidson doesn’t have the exact enrollment yet, but it has grown every year. Last year, 160 of Christenberry’s 621 students stayed after school from 2:45 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Kindergartners are not eligible since they don’t stay in school a full day. Davidson said she’d welcome visitors, including elected officials and interested neighbors, to come visit. “Come see what’s going on! I want people to come in and see what we are moving toward, in terms of the future of Knox County Schools.”
Sofas & More to sponsor Cash for Classrooms has thrived with repeat customers and a By Sandra Clark wide selection of brand-name furniture. Sofas & More in Halls has joined AngeSofas & More is located at 7114 Mayla Floyd School for Dance and Music and nardville Pike in the shopping center the UT Federal Credit Union as a sponsor with Food City. Info: 865-922-4828. of the Shopper News promotion Cash for The promotion will launch as soon as at Classrooms. least five sponsors are secured. Shopper News Owner/manager Jeff Bayless said he’s proud to support such a worthwhile cause. He and his wife, Raychel, sales staff are offering a special promotion that includes have two children. She is a first grade teacher at Sequoyah sponsorship. Info: 865-922-4136. Stay tuned to this space for additional information, Elementary School. Raychel’s mother, Jo Ann England, founded Sofas & More more than 20 years ago. The store week-to-week.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 24 AAA Driver Improvement Course, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., AAA office, 100 W. Fifth Ave. Eight-hour course helps reduce points for traffic offenders and teaches how to reduce risk while driving. Cost: $40 members/$50 nonmembers. Must preregister. Info/registration: Kate, 862-9254, or Stephanie, 862-9252. Adopt-A-Golden event, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Agri Feed Pet Supply, 5716 Middlebrook Pike. Info: 584-3959. Deadline to register for the Corryton 8-mile and 2-mile State Record Road Races, to be held 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1. The races will begin at the Corryton Community Center, 9331 Davis road. The races will benefit the Corryton Community Food Pantry. Registration: runsignup.com/race/tn/corryton8miler. Info: Joyce Harrell, 705-7684, or Frank Bushakra, fbushakr@eou. edu. Luttrell Music Festival, 10 a.m., Luttrell Park, 115 Park Road in Luttrell. Saturday Stories and Songs: Dancing Spider Yoga, 11 a.m., Fountain City Branch Library, 5300 Stanton Road. For kids ages 3-9 and their parents. Info: 689-2681. Senior ballroom dance, 7-9 p.m., Halls Senior Center, 4405 Crippen Road. Admission: $5. Live music provided by the Nigel Boulton Band. Info: 922-0416.
SATURDAY-SUNDAY, SEPT. 24-25 Auditions for Encore Theatrical Company’s production of “Mary Poppins,” 2 p.m., Inman Humanities Complex, Walters State Community College. Casting 25-30 people, including one boy and one girl ages 10-12. Info/audition requirements: etcplays.org.
WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY, SEPT. 21-22 SUNDAY, SEPT. 25 AARP Driver Safety class, noon-4 p.m., O’Connor Senior Center, 611 Winona St. Info/registration: Carolyn Rambo, 382-5822.
started talking about a little boy who’d smile and wave at her in the hallway, never hinting at the pain he was enduring. She said the partnership with Elgin has shed light on a health-care epidemic that affects schools daily. “I don’t think I realized how strong these children are. Sitting in class all day with abscessed teeth?” She teared up and reached for a Kleenex. “This little boy’s smile never changed, and we just didn’t know. He never said anything. He was one of those kids who desperately needed to go to the dentist, and when he did, they said, ‘How is this child even functioning?’ “Kids are dealing with it silently. The dental piece is another part of the community schools initiative, and without this partnership, we wouldn’t be able to recognize it and treat it,” she said. “I guess this is why I do my job.” Christenberry is one of 14 community schools in Knox County. Twelve are run by the Great Schools Partnership, two by the University of Tennessee (Inskip and Pond Gap). Twelve are elementary schools: Beaumont Magnet, Christenberry, Dogwood,
French Broad Preservation Association Pickle Fest, noon-5 p.m., Riverdale School, 7009 Thorn Grove Pike. Pickling competition sponsored by Green River Picklers. Info/competition registration: frenchbroadpres.org. Outdoor gospel singing, 6 p.m., Mount Harmony Baptist Church, 819 Raccoon Valley Road NE. Singers: Smoky Mountain Pilgrims and Chelsey Greene. Everyone welcome.
TUESDAY. SEPT. 27 Fountain City Community Chorus rehearsal, 11 a.m.-noon, Fountain City UMC, 212 Hotel Road. New choir open to singers of all ages. Rehearsals held each Tuesday. Info: Leslie Graves, 689-5175, or Bob Robinson, 688-2421.
TUESDAY-FRIDAY, SEPT. 27-30 “Walking in Sunlight: The Life and Legacy
of Uncle Dave Macon,” a musical stage play, 7 p.m., Middle Tennessee State University Tucker Theatre, Champion Way, Murfreesboro. Tickets: $4, students K-12 and seniors 60+; $8.50 general admission. Info/ tickets: showclix.com/event/Walkinginsunlight.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 28 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.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 29 Entries accepted for Heritage Festival Quilt Show, 1:30-6 p.m., Union County Museum and Genealogical Library, 3824 Maynardville Highway, Maynardville. Info: Ellen Perry, 992-4631 or Jperry4631@ comcast.net; unioncountyheritagefestival.com. Robotics @ the Library, 5 p.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. For ages 12-15. Info/ registration: Nicole Barajas, nbarajas@knoxlib.org; or 525-5431.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 30 “Fall Event at The Yarn Haven,” 6-8 p.m., 464 N. Cedar Bluff Road. Includes color theory workshop, sampling and discount on new fall yarns, wine and cheese refreshments, door prizes and free gift for everyone. Cost: $30. Info/registration: 694-9900.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY, SEPT. 30-OCT. 1 Yard sale, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Mount Harmony Baptist Church, 819 Raccoon Valley Road NE. All proceeds to benefit the church.
SATURDAY, OCT. 1 BBQ and Bluegrass festival, 4-8 p.m., Christ UMC, 7535 Maynardville Highway. Live music by Highway 33 and Caney Creek Co.; free barbecue sandwiches, hot dogs, snacks and beverages; cornhole; kids games; climbing wall; and more. Community invited. Info: 9221412 or office@christumcknox.com. Craft fair and rummage sale, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Washington Presbyterian Church, 7405 Washington Pike. Free admission and parking. Barbecue lunch available 11a.m. The community is invited. Table rental, $25: 216-4341. Info: wpc@visitwpc.org. Farragut Lions Club Charity Car Show, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Chilhowee Park. All proceeds to support Lions Club service projects. Info/registration: farragut.tnlions.org. Heritage Festival, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., various venues in Maynardville. Activities: live music, vendors, quilt show; arts and crafts and more Info/schedule: unioncountyheritagefestival.com.
faith
NORTH/EAST Shopper news • SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 • 7
Fourth United Presbyterian Church
to host series on racism By Carol Z. Shane A recent episode of CSPAN’s Washington Journal hosted a live caller. “I’m a white male, and I am prejudiced,” he said. In a matterof-fact, non-confrontational tone, the caller – a North Carolinian – stated that he has a fear of black people. He asked Heather McGhee, a black guest on the program, “What can I do to change? You know, to be a better American?” McGhee was visibly moved, and advised the man to get to know a black family, read black history and initiate conversations about race in his own community. She thanked him for his honesty and for opening up the conversation because “it is simply one of the most important ones we have to have in this country.” The Rev. Elizabeth Peterson of Knoxville’s Fourth United Presbyterian Church agrees. She’s leading a series on the topic of racism during the month of October. Peterson traces the idea for the series back to her
a great deal of planning,” she formulated a workshop, beginning with individual interviews. Participants were invited to explore their own experiences of race and their own ethnic backgrounds through various stages of their lives and in various public arenas such as school, work, neighborhood and entertainment. The Rev. Elizabeth Peterson of “A few white Fourth United Presbyterian Church folks respondinvites everyone to join her for the ed, ‘why talk church’s series on racism. race? We’re past that.’” Howe ver, doctoral dissertation at she says, “All of the black Louisville Presbyterian members knew it needed to Theological Seminary, from be talked about – but were which she graduated this wary of the reaction they past May while serving at might get from whites if Fourth United. “I could tell they told the truth of their there were underpinnings experience.” After the inof racism and bias hap- terviews, the participants pening in my congregation gathered as a group for condespite blacks and whites versations with each other. “Even though there were truly wanting to worship together. There were mis- difficult revelations,” says understandings and deep Peterson, “our group bondcultural differences at play.” ed.” During the last two Recognizing that racism is “a touchy subject not to weeks of October, Peterson be taken lightly or without and her workshop partici-
From Africa to Appalachia: Gospel Fest III The From Africa to Appalachia Foundation is presenting Gospel Fest III at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Morristown. Music will start at 5 p.m. The free concert will feature a variety of choirs and soloists from five area communities with the Rev. Bo Simpson of Thorn Hill as master of ceremonies. Returning for Gospel Fest III are: “Devoted” from Rogersville; “We Five for
Christ” from Jonesboro; “Witness” from Kingsport; and “God’s Anointed” from Middlesboro, Ky. New to the Gospel Fest this year is Tammi Vega. Other special guests are expected to perform. Craft vendors, free refreshments and door prizes will all be part of this special inspirational concert. Morristown’s Parks and Recreation Department is a supporting partner. Sponsors include Dockery Funer-
pants are offering a twopart series of lectures and question-and-answer sessions on racism. “The forum is open to the public and is meant to be an informationgathering experience with some discussion. “Included will be an overview of how the Bible has been used to promote racism throughout the centuries as well as some common pitfalls and mistakes that white people make, otherwise known as unconscious or internalized bias.” Everyone is encouraged to take part in this eyeopening and ultimately healing experience. “It’s important to talk directly about racism with church leaders and folks in the immediate community,” says Peterson, “not just gloss over it and pretend it isn’t there.” The event is 6-8 p.m. on successive Wednesdays, Oct. 19 and 26, at Fourth United Presbyterian Church, 1323 North Broadway in Knoxville. Info: 865-522-1437 or fourthunitedpresbyterian. org
FAITH NOTES
al Home, Golden Corral and ■ The Church of God of WMTN’s The Gospel Hour. Knoxville, 5912 Thorn Grove Door prizes will be given Pike, will hold its annual at the end of the event. Camp Meeting, 10 a.m. and “Devoted” was formed 6 p.m. through Friday, Sept. 23. Everyone welcome. Info: from a group of friends who 748-5403. enjoy singing for the Lord. Members are Marie Rob- ■ City View Baptist Church, 2311 Fine Ave., will celebrate inson, vocalist and song its 90th anniversary with writer; Yvonne Jarrett, Homecoming on Sunday, group president and bookSept. 25. Info: 522-2364 or ing agent; Pamela Hoard; cityview-knox.org. Harry Jarrett and Randy ■ First Comforter Church, Banks. 5516 Old Tazewell Pike, hosts Info: Patty Gracey at MAPS (Mothers At Prayer Ser423-327-2747.
SENIOR NOTES
vice) noon each Friday. Info:
Lynn Pitts lpitts48@yahoo.com
The last day of summer The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? For the hurt of my poor people I am hurt, I mourn, and dismay has taken hold of me. (Jeremiah 8:20-21 NRSV) Today is officially the last day of summer. I know there are people (especially schoolchildren) who dread seeing the end of summer; they are the folks who don’t mind the heat, who work on their tans, who hate the thought of cooler weather. There are even people who decamp to the warm Southwest until fall and winter are over! Then there are people like me. When I hear the first leaves rustle, I know it is almost my time! Autumn will be here soon: The skies are bluer, the stars are brighter, the air is cooler and clearer. However, the Jeremiah text quoted above is not a joyful observation. The first verse ends with these words: “and we are not saved.” Jeremiah was lamenting over the circumstances of his people. They were suffering from drought, and apparently the resin from the Styrax tree (widely used for medicinal purposes) was not produced in the needed amounts that year. That lack was the reason for Jeremiah’s famous cry: “Is there no balm in Gilead?” (And, of course, the source of the beloved spiritual that declares that indeed “There Is a Balm in Gilead.”) On this last day of summer, I cry with Jeremiah for all those who suffer, for children without food, for the elderly who are waiting for release, for the sick who have little hope, for the frightened, the despairing, the lonely, the dying. Offer a prayer, a smile, a call, a visit, a card. Be a balm.
Edna Hensley, 771-7788. ■ Park West Church, 7635 Middlebrook Pike, will host: “Permission to Laugh,” a three-day women’s celebration, Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 29-Oct. 1. Tickets: $45. Info/ tickets: annasgate.org. ■ Thorn Grove Baptist Church, 10200 Thorn Grove Pike, will host its “Harvest Celebration”
on Saturday, Oct. 22. Country fixins’ breakfast, 7 a.m.; live auction, 10 a.m.; lunch, 11 a.m. Other activities: Silent auction, baked and canned goods, gift shop, crafters and vendors, children’s games and activities, door prizes and live music. Info: 933-5771 or office@tgbchurch.com.
Mayor’s picnic celebrates senior adults
■ The Pointe at Lifespring Senior Living, 4371 Lifespring Lane, will host “Hard Hat Adventure!,” 3-6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29. Featuring Pop’s Kettle Corn, Sweet Smuckers Homemade Donuts and Pike House Coffee. ■ Carter Senior Center 9040 Asheville Highway 932-2939 Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett welcomes senior adults to the 10th annual appreciation picnic. Photos by Ruth White
Offerings include: card games; exercise programs; arts and crafts; movie matinee Fridays; Senior Meals, noon Wednesdays. Register for: Lunch Bunch: Cracker Barrel, noon Monday, Sept. 26. Veterans Services, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28; RSVP: 215-5645.
Rose Klix, Hya Smith and Lori Beard enjoy some photo booth fun at the Mayor’s Senior Appreciation picnic at John Tarleton Park.
■ Corryton Senior Center 9331 Davis Drive 688-5882 knoxcounty.org/seniors Monday-Friday Offerings include: exercise classes; cross-stitch, card games; dominoes, crochet, quilting, billiards; Senior Meals program, 11 a.m. each Friday. Register for: Andrew Johnson Homestead tour, 12:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30; bus will leave center 9 a.m.
cross currents
Tim Irwin takes a break from playing with The Chilbillies for a photo with Linda Workman and his mom, Judy Rechenbach.
Vamerie Cody dances in her seat to musical entertainment provided by The Chillbillies.
■ Larry Cox Senior Center 3109 Ocoee Trail 546-1700 Monday-Friday 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. Register for: Fall Festival of Health Care: health fair, flu shots, fall prevention kickoff, 8:30-11:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 23. Matter of Balance, 12:30 p.m. Fridays, Sept. 23-Nov. 18; free; registration required.
It’s football time at Windsor Gardens!
Clyde and Suzanne Howell are decked out in orange as they get ready to pose for pictures inside the photo booth sponsored by Independent Insurance Consultants.
Windsor Gardens threw its first pep rally of the season for the UT football Volunteers on Sept. 1 – the first of many! Residents cheered at the top of their lungs hoping for a Tennessee victory. Of course, everything from the food to the décor shouted orange and white: Cheetos, white cheddar popcorn, orange punch and orange and white cupcakes with mini footballs. The Windsor residents are beyond excited for another football season. They even made their own T-shirts with the words “Feels Like’98”! I said it’s great to be a Tennessee Vol!” Pictured are Delphia Jeffers, Betty Wildman, Georgie Cody, Mac Crutchfield, Bill Campbell, Saundra Long and Imogene Tyree.
business
8 • SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 • Shopper news
Life House coffee shop sets the pace By Sandra Clark
the Rotary guy Tom King tking535@gmail.com
Mark Webb’s ‘Rotary Moment’ happened at Beaumont Magnet Mark Webb works with people and numbers as a financial adviser, but his role with the Rotary Club of Knoxville is all about kids, books and reading. “I do have a passion for literacy and you can’t do this unless you do,” this Rotarian of six years says. Mark coordinates some 50 members of the club who volunteer to read to students each Wednesday after school at Beaumont Magnet Academy, a Title I elementary school (grades K-5). The school has a high number Mark Webb of disadvantaged children and 75 percent of them are economically disadvantaged. Many of these students read below grade level. “If the kids can read it means they have a chance, a chance, to be successful in life. One of the greatest things you can do is read to them and focus on literacy,” Mark says. He began working with Beaumont when he was on the club’s Literacy Committee. Now he chairs the club’s first-ever Local Community Service Committee and Beaumont is its first project. The club provided $10,000 this year to purchase approximately 700 new books for the library and establish literacy programs within the school for its 550 students. The children in the after-school book club are grouped by grades: K-1, 2-3 and 4-5. A background check is done on each member. “We read books for an hour to grades K-3 but in grades 4-5 we read the books and also discuss them,” Mark says. “It’s discussion and interaction.” Allen Pannell, RCK president, says: “Mark has played the primary role in creating, implementing and managing our new relationship with Beaumont Academy. His work has been tireless and I fear his recognition has been lacking. Mark is indeed an unsung hero.” Mark thinks back to his “Rotary Moment,” when something happens that explains why a Rotarian is a Rotarian. “One kid was always sitting in the back and not listening or reading and we were reading ‘Marley and Me.’ But he came back for the last session to a pizza party. He decided to read the book and says it was the first book he had ever read.” That’s when his Rotary Moment happened. “This young boy looked at me and asked if I knew of some other books I could recommend to him. That made a big impact on me. We changed him. He’s a reader now.”
Every downtown needs one. Every historic railroad town had one. That’s a coffee shop, a place where neighbors can sit and talk. Last Saturday, Life House officially opened on the corner of Brickyard and Emory roads in the heart of Historic Powell Station. It’s a three-in-one venue, says Michael Cox. First, there’s Life House Coffee Shop, managed by Jennifer Bopp, a chef most recently at Bistro by the Tracks. She also owns BitterSweet bakery and will provide fresh-baked pastries to the shop. Cox says the coffee beans are imported and purchased from missionaries who sell indigenous products to help fund their ministry. “We’ve got more than a coffee pot,” he says. Open from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., the shop offers eat-in or carryout with salads, soups and sandwiches. Second, there’s a music studio and venue for private lessons. The Redemption School of Worship is led by Jihan Cox (pronounced with a soft Z like Zsa Zsa Gabor). “She’s an incredible worship leader,” says husband Michael. “She’s good at getting everyone involved. … We’ve released two solo project albums.” Jihan says the school trains in music while “giving identity in Christ.” She sees the coffee shop and music school as ways “to love on people.” Third, the facility houses Redemption Life, an independent church that has been meeting for three-plus years in the Coxes’ home. With training as a pastor, Michael Cox worked for 13 years as a youth minis-
Chef Jennifer Bopp with Michael Cox and Jihan Cox at Life House coffee shop in Historic Downtown Powell. Photo by S. Clark ter before he felt the call to plant a new church in Powell. “Our desire is to break down every barrier that stands between a person and their knowing the love of God,” he says. “We believe God loves them enough to meet them wherever they are.” So, on Sundays, the coffee shop is closed and the musical equipment is used for worship. But don’t look for pews. Members and guests will sit at tables in a relaxed atmosphere. The building is rated to seat 100. “We will have nights of worship led by different churches. We’ll be available for community meetings and for youth groups,” Michael said. High School Happy Hour offers a hot pretzel or bag of chips plus a fountain drink for $2 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. weekdays. With restored brick walls and contemporary décor, the place rivals anything in Bearden or the
Old City. Michael Cox explains: “We sought out a building that was in rough shape because we want to picture to the community how God can restore or redeem. … We totally transformed the inside (a former bar) to create a bright spot in Powell. “Anthony Bowers (Powell resident who owns the Little Caesar’s Pizza there) purchased the building and has
been a wonderful partner. He shares our vision.” Both Michael and Jihan grew up in Powell and studied at Lee University. They now have seven kids, ranging in age from 11 to three months. Jihan homeschools them and will teach music lessons three afternoons each week. The store is at 7545 Brickyard Road. Info: Facebook or 865-859-9218
BIZ NOTES ■ Crye-Leike real estate agents are collecting items to be auctioned to benefit United Way. The auction will begin at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at Crye-Leike’s West Knoxville office, 9539 Kingston Pike. It is open to the public. Affiliate broker Jack Lowery is organizing the local auction and serving as team captain for his branch office’s United Way campaign. Tickets for $20 will make buyers eligible to win a Canon EOS Rebel T5 DSLR digital camera with multiple lenses. Proceeds benefit United Way. Info: Jack Lowery at 865-684-0751. ■ Kimberly Hickman has been appointed resident commissioner of Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation. She has lived in Knoxville since 2002 when she moved from Illinois with her family. After participating in required classes, she purchased a home using the Section 8 voucher to pay a portion of her mortgage. She is a certified nursing assistant and the mother of two children, ages 15 and 16.
October 22, 2016 Register Today! www.KomenKnoxville.org