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VOL. 4 NO. 50

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BUZZ

Tennessee State Parks is soliciting public input for its 2020 State Recreation Plan, 5:30 p.m. today, Dec. 14, at Farragut Town Hall. This is a regional meeting, facilitated by April Johnson, TDEC recreation services coordinator, and Jamison Sliger, PARTAS consultant.

Tennessee 2020 documents the most critical needs facing conservation and recreational infrastructure over the next 10 years.

Read the plan at tn.gov/ environment/article/restennessee-2020-plan

Chilhowee Park’s historic bandstand, which was built for the 1910 Appalachian Exposition, contains a lighted tree and last Friday played host to Santa and his elf. Note the lighted tunnel to the left. Photo by S. Clark

By Sandra Clark City employees and city contractor SMG have combined to make this year’s version of Christmas in Chilhowee the best yet. The park opened for special events last Friday and the lights will be on from 5:30-10 p.m. daily through Jan. 1.

On Friday, the Vine Middle Magnet school choir entertained

➤

By Betty Bean The dream was already in place, but the blueprint for the Change Center came together after Knoxville lost a string of young men to senseless shootings, the highest profile of which was Zaevion Dobson, a Fulton High School honor student and football star whose bravery in shielding two of his friends from a volley of bullets brought the chief of the Knoxville Police Department to tears.

That was last December. In the weeks that followed, Pastor Daryl Arnold of Overcoming Believers Church, Mayor Madeline Rogero, KPD Chief David Rausch and others joined

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 CIRCULATION (865) 342-6200 shoppercirc@ShopperNewsNow.com

E. Magnolia Ave. Admission is free.

Keep track of all Christmas in the City happenings – including hours of the Holidays on Ice skating rink in Market Square – by downloading the app, available for all smartphone and mobile devices. Christmas in the City events and updates are also listed on the city’s website: knoxvilletn.gov/christmas

together and started making plans.

“This had been in discussion for several months before Zaevion and Jajuan’s death,” said Deb Spencer, public information officer for the Change Center, which is scheduled to open next fall. Jajuan Latham, a 12-year-old cousin of Zaevion Dobson, was shot to death last April while he sat in his father’s parked car at Danny Mayfield Park in Mechanicsville.

“I’m a pretty spiritual person, so I think if there’s any good to come out of such a personal, devastating thing as a child getting killed, this is what we have been called to do,” Spencer said.

Last week, the Halls High School and Halls Middle School swim teams put together a swimathon and pledged half of the proceeds to the Change Center.

“Our concept is we decided this year we wanted to do a service project with our swimmers,” said coach Frank Nauss. “Instead of selling candy or coupon books, we decided to do a swimathon. That way the kids are actually working toward collecting donations – it’s kid helping kid, community helping community. Kids benefiting from the hard work and dedication of other kids.”

To page 3

School rezoning could unwind ’89 their children

By Sandra Clark Knox County is poised to undo to Gibbs. much of the rezoning for racial desegregation that has affected families and even home construction for almost 30 years.

Analysis

Read Marvin West on page 4

(865) 922-4136

activities circled the area in front of the park’s bandstand, where Santa and his elf awaited kids who wanted to whisper in his ear.

Temperatures dropped, but still kids and families scattered across the park for train rides and hay rides through the park, which contains 88 lighted trees.

Chilhowee Park is located at 3301

A safe place to go: Community pitches in for Change Center

In defense of Joshua Dobbs “Joshua Dobbs has been criticized for not being Peyton Manning. He has been blamed for not winning championships. Alas, his worst game somehow overshadowed a dozen good to excellent performances.”

Marvin West makes the case for Joshua Dobbs, UT’s senior quarterback.

with carols. The Muse Knoxville offered hands-on activities for kids, and All Occasion Catering provided hot cocoa. Krispy Kreme served doughnuts and the AustinEast Culinary Arts Department helped guests build gingerbread houses.

The Ice Bears mascot helped kids shoot hockey goals as games and

The school board must accommodate the fall 2018 opening of two new schools – Gibbs Middle (600 students) and Hardin Valley Middle (1,200). Those 1,800 kids are currently zoned for middle school somewhere else. With several middle schools currently under capacity, the challenge is to fill the new schools while keeping the others open.

Interim Superintendent Buzz Thomas was at Gibbs Elementary School last week to hear from citizens. He got an earful, mostly from parents who do not want

We Offer:

school “was a long chore … 25 years of grunt work.” He supports The Rev. John the new school.

Butler, presiResidents of Summer Rose dent of the local said they want their kids to attend chapter of the Shannondale, Gresham and CenNAACP, said he tral High schools. “Don’t mess with understands why Fountain City,” was their mantra.

Gibbs area parents wanted their ■ Looking back kids schooled near An effort to achieve racial balBuzz Thomas home. “It’s a long ance fueled the rezoning debates way out here.” of 1989-91, following the merger Butler authored the complaint of the city and county school sysunder review by the U.S. Office tems. Then-superintendent Earl of Civil Rights. The complaint Hoffmeister appointed a task criticizes new construction at the force to rezone the schools, closcounty’s edges. ing those not needed and achievHe said East Knoxville parents ing racial balance among those also want their kids to attend a remaining. No high school should modern, 21st Century school close be more than 30 percent black, he to home. said. The NAACP invited the OCR James Spears, a 1991 graduate to observe the goings-on. of Gibbs High School who is black, The plan was finalized, kicked now has five kids in Gibbs schools. around by the school board in at He said getting a new middle least three iterations and then

butchered by Knox County Commission’s refusal to fund it.

Consultants recommended closing 24 schools. Hoffmeister wanted to close Fulton and AustinEast, building a new high school in the inner city. The school board decided to close fewer schools – although it did support the new high school on a 7-2 vote – but the commission said no.

Of the five high schools recommended for closure, two remain: Austin-East and Fulton.

■ Holston High was closed, becoming the middle school for an expanded Gibbs High zone.

■ Rule High was closed, with kids sent to West High, where zone lines were extended into West Hills for a new, expanded zone. That gamble paid dividends as West is now an International Baccalaureate high school.

To page 3

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2020 planning for state parks

December 14, 2016

Lights power

Civil rights leader Avon Rollins dies Avon Rollins Sr., a former director of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center and longtime civil rights activist, died Dec. 7 at his home.

Rollins was a co-founder Avon Rollins of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, and had a career at the Tennessee Valley Authority.

“Dating back to 1963 and the iconic photo of Rollins lying in front of the Tennessee Theatre protesting segregation, the ‘face’ of civil rights in our area often has included this remarkable servant leader,” said Phyllis Y. Nichols, president and CEO of Knoxville Area Urban League.

“He will be missed, but his legacy will endure.”

The Beck Center staff and board wrote: “We are deeply saddened at the passing of our dearly beloved Mr. Rollins. We extend our love, prayers and sympathy to his entire family and friends.

“We are forever grateful for his servant leadership, his courage and his commitment to the struggle for justice and equality.”

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2 • DECEMBER 14, 2016 • Shopper news

health & lifestyles

Gatlinburg man thankful

for East Tennessee’s largest stroke network He heard a voice. Someone was asking questions. As Albert Hernandez began to regain consciousness, he realized the voice was coming from a robot.

It sounds like a scene from a science fiction movie, but it’s a modern day wonder used today at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. The tele-stroke robot is advanced technology that helped save a Gatlinburg man’s life.

Hernandez was on the job at Ober Gatlinburg one day last summer when he noticed that a trash bin needed to be emptied out. He began the very common and simple task of moving trash to a cart so it could be wheeled away when something uncommon happened.

“I started shaking and sweating,” Hernandez recalls, “and I just dumped it.”

Hernandez told his supervisor he “felt funny.” Assuming it was a result of the summer heat, she took him to the administrative offices to let him cool down, rehy-

drate, and have his blood pressure checked. After about 30 minutes, Hernandez felt much better, and decided to get back to work.

But it happened again. He was overwhelmed with a strange sensation of dizziness and shaking.

Hernandez didn’t understand what was happening, but he knew something wasn’t right. With permission from his supervisor, he left work so his wife could take him to a clinic.

By the time Hernandez got off the tram to meet his wife, he felt even worse. “I looked at her and I said, ‘I don’t think I’m going to make it,’” he says. Suddenly, what was intended to be a simple visit to a clinic turned into an urgent drive to Covenant Health’s LeConte Medical Center in Sevierville. On the way, Hernandez complained that he couldn’t feel his left arm.

He turned to his wife and said, “Honey, I love you.”

Hernandez lost consciousness.

Kelly Hernandez tried to keep her

WARNING Signs of Stroke

When it comes to stroke, time lost is brain lost, so it’s important to understand the warning signs and how to reduce your risk.

If you or a loved one experience any of these symptoms, call 911.

Sudden severe headache with no known cause Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination Sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes

Albert Hernandez lost his mother to a series of strokes. He’s thankful that advanced medicine and technology like the tele-stroke robot were available to give him a better chance of survival.

composure as she raced her husband to the hospital.

“I’ve never seen him unresponsive,” she says. “Just seeing him lie there, that was hard.”

When Hernandez woke in the emergency department he learned he had suffered a stroke, and a team was already in place to help him. LeConte Medical Center is part of Covenant Health’s stroke hospital network and recently has been certified by The Joint Commission as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center.

“They had a robot there next to my bed and there was some person in there asking me questions,” Hernandez says. Stroke medicine was administered, and Hernandez heard the voice in the robot

say, “Bring him to Fort Sanders Regional, immediately.”

Hernandez was experiencing the benefits of the tele-stroke robot network, which allowed a neurologist to virtually be in the same room as Hernandez at LeConte Medical Center in Sevierville via a video monitor, offering quick and early consultation that can make a critical difference in a patient’s chances of surviving a stroke with minimal effects.

“The next thing I knew I was being taken to Fort Sanders Regional,” Hernandez says.

Because of the tele-stroke robot network, medical staff at Fort Sanders Regional were completely up to speed on Hernandez’ case.

They were in place and ready to

care for him the very moment the ambulance arrived.

In the event of a stroke, minutes matter. Brain cells can die quickly, and that can easily lead to permanent brain damage.

“They were all there waiting for me, working there, asking me questions,” Hernandez says.

“There was always somebody there talking to me. They never left me alone.”

While his wife waited for reports on his progress throughout the process, she was comforted by comments she overheard in the lobby. People around her were saying Fort Sanders Regional is the best hospital for stroke patients.

Hernandez’ care team included a Fort Sanders Regional neurohospitalist specializing in stroke, as well as a representative from the Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center, who arranged for followup treatment to help him recover from the effects of the stroke.

“Fort Sanders Regional, Patricia Neal – I was surprised at how quickly they helped me come back,” Hernandez says. “Within a week or two I was already out of there and back at work.”

Once in a while, Hernandez still feels a few effects of his stroke.

But he has a clean bill of health from his doctor and his heart is strong. He may never understand what caused his stroke, but that’s okay. He’s just glad it’s part of his past, and that he still has a future to invest in the people he loves.

“I just want to be here for my wife and kids, and to live for as long as God lets me stay in the world,” Hernandez says. “I thank Fort Sanders Regional and Patricia Neal for helping me come back to my wife and my family, and for allowing me to be with them, hopefully many years to come.”

The Stroke Center at Fort Sanders Regional: Delivering immediate and excellent care When a stroke happens, timely treatment is critical. The Comprehensive Stroke Center at Fort Sanders Regional is well above the national average in delivering prompt treatment of life-saving medication.

Clot-busting drugs are given to stroke patients through a vein to improve blood flow and minimize potential disabilities.

The amount of time it takes for a patient to be brought into a hospital until the moment medications are intravenously administered is referred to as “door-toneedle time.”

While the average door to needle time is a little more than an

hour, the door-to-needle time at Fort Sanders Regional is 30 minutes. That’s half an hour faster than the national average.

It’s just one of the many advantages a patient has when treated at a comprehensive stroke center.

The stroke center exists to provide the highest level of stroke care for complicated stroke cases.

“Finding out why the stroke occurred to prevent it from happening again sometimes takes someone who’s done a lot more work in treating stroke,” says Dr. S. Arthur Moore, medical director of the Fort Sanders Regional stroke program. He says finding out the “why” takes some digging into a

patient’s background, and sometimes the reason is not as obvious as typical risk factors.

“Stroke centers tend to be better and faster at treating stroke just because we see it all the time,” Dr. Moore says. “We have doctors who can go up into the brain and pull a clot out, and that’s a really specialized niche. Most hospitals don’t have access to someone who can do that.”

The Comprehensive Stroke Center at Fort Sanders Regional sees patients from throughout East Tennessee and even from Kentucky. To learn more, visit fsregional.com/stroke, or call (865) 541-1111.

stroke: LIKE IT NEVER EVEN HAPPENED. Leading the region’s only stroke hospital network www.covenanthealth.com/strokenetwork

Certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission and accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities

0094-0093

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

community

NORTH/EAST Shopper news • DECEMBER 14, 2016 • 3

Last year’s Tour de Lights attracted more than 1,000 bicyclists.

School board chair Patti Bounds talks with East Knox resident Donna Butler, at left, after last week’s meeting on rezoning.

Photo by S. Clark

School rezoning

Celebrate the season on two wheels

with the Tour de Lights

Rivers Market and Mast General Store. And at 8:15 p.m., prizes are awarded for best costume in adult and child categories, best bicycle and/or trailer, best helmet, best group with theme and best all around. So it’s definitely time to let your holiday freak flag fly. “I am always amazed by the creativity and energy people put into the costumes and decorations� says Kelley Segars, who attended last year’s event with her daughter Lily. “And it has been great to see more than a thousand people turn out the past two years.�

The 10th annual Tour de Lights takes place beginning at 6 p.m. for bike check and costume/decoration contest judging, followed by Kelley Segars and her daughter Lily pose with friend Jim Rich- ride at 7 p.m., this Friday, ards in the Tour de Lights photo booth. Photos submitted Dec. 16, at Market Square in downtown Knoxville. Info: invited, but last year’s Tour all concerned, or if you don’t ibikeknx.com. de Lights included more have time to put in some than 1,000 riders, so the training with your child, it’s small fry need to have excel- probably best that you opt lent bike control and aware- for a tagalong/trail-a-bike ness of others. The ride does or trailer. take place after dark, and There are hot cocoa and there are hills. So if you’re at treats provided by Three

Change Center The Change Center will appeal to young people from 14-20, an older demographic than the children typically served by the Boys & Girls Club. It will be located adjacent to Overcoming Believers Church on Harriet Tubman Street, where Arnold and his congregation have donated space. It is on track to open next fall, and an announcement about a groundbreaking ceremony is coming soon, Spencer said.

The Change Center will employ full-time and parttime help, and a KPD officer will be present during the hours the center is open.

There’ll be a roller skating rink, a rock climbing wall and a sound area where DJ

â–

Moving forward

To “unwind ’89� does not mean reopening all of those schools. Many were in poor condition and the school-age population has shifted to the county. But it could easily mean more compact zones and less busing, especially of African-American kids. “Can we do away with zoning?� Cynthia Finch asked Thomas. “Probably not,� he answered, “but we do have parental choice in Knox County. If we have room in a school, we’ll let you transfer into it.�

Transferring has become easier after a U.S. Supreme Court decision not to use race as a criterion in transfers.

Thomas summarized the Gibbs meeting: “What I’ve heard loud and clear is you want great community schools. ‌ You want middle and high school zones to line up.â€?

He’s set four more 6 p.m. meetings: Jan. 10 at SouthDoyle Middle; Jan. 17 at Hardin Valley Elementary; Jan. 24 at Holston Middle; and Jan. 31 at Vine Middle.

Thomas wants to present a rezoning plan to the school board in May. County Commissioner Evelyn Gill said the county’s “piecemeal approach� is not good. She wants a comprehensive plan for the 14 schools in her district. Gill is the only African-American and the sole Democrat on the commission.

Thomas responded: “I understand that we are talking about children and families. We will tread very carefully. They are all our kids, and we will treat them accordingly.�

From page A-1 and former Vol quarterback Sterling “Sterl the Pearl�

Henton will teach kids to do sound. The Ice Bears will teach kids hockey on the hard floor and Hard Knox Pizzeria will be involved. “This is truly a community effort,� Spencer said.

A Halls High swim parent made close to 100 ornament keepsakes that were given out to guest swimmers and team members during a fundraising event for The Change Center, a recreational facility being constructed in Knoxville. The Change Center will provide youth in and around the inner city a safe place to find hope and opportunity.

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KN-1394800

By Carol Z. Shane

From outstanding music to festive light tours to ice skating to parades, Knoxville really does light up in December.

The quirkiest, giddiest and possibly scruffiest (in a good way) celebration is the Tour de Lights, presented by the City of Knoxville, I BIKE KNX, Three Rivers Market and Mast General Store.

Participants are invited to glitz out their bicycles, their kids, their pets and themselves and take a ride through downtown, Fourth & Gill and Old North Knoxville neighborhoods. The route is about five miles long and takes about an hour.

So youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not exactly Tour de France material? Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is definitely a ride, not a race,â&#x20AC;? says the website. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The average speed is less than eight mph. If you start out and realize that you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make it the whole way, you can stop and wait for the group to come back by, or return downtown. The route is completely closed to traffic, with KPD officers at every intersection.â&#x20AC;?

Children of all ages are

â&#x2013; South-Young High was closed, becoming a middle school for an expanded South-Doyle High zone. Black parents continue to complain about their kids being bused across the river, while South Knoxvillians grumble about discipline issues.

Five middle schools were recommended for closure: Doyle, Beardsley, Spring Hill, Christenberry and Vine. Of those, only Vine remains open.

From page 1

4 • DECEMBER 14, 2016 • Shopper news credit to his parents. I predict he will be a university ambassador for years to come. He may someday donate a million or two.

Wouldn’t it be something if he came back as president?

He is smart and tough, an excellent athlete playing quarterback. He is the epitome of a team player, unselfish to a fault. He did not complain when receivers dropped footballs and blockers missed blocks.

He never changed expressions when deployed in the shotgun formation on short-yardage plays – when all of us “coaches” knew he should have been under center.

As captains go, he was unflappable, rock-solid in his example of poise under duress.

The first thing Joshua Dobbs did for Tennessee was accept a Tennessee scholarship. He was a four-star

prep prospect, 6-3 and thinlooking but strong enough, totally dependable, never missed a day of school.

He was pledged to Arizona State when Butch swooped in and changed his thinking. Knoxville was closer to Alpharetta, Ga. UT engineering professors are among the best in the world. Dobbs’ multiple abilities made him a probable fit for whatever it is Butch runs. By the way, the Vols play in the spotlighthot SEC. Twice there were redshirt plans. Dobbs responded when called prematurely. If he was ever intimidated, it didn’t show.

Dobbs has been criticized for not being Peyton Manning. He has been blamed for not winning championships. Alas, his worst game somehow overshadowed a dozen good to excellent performances.

I say he did what he could. Joshua Dobbs can play for me.

Our lives track a parallel path. No sprouting leaves, of course. Yet we go through comparable phases enrich the garden? Return of growth, maturation, production and eventually we them to mother nature.

Hours of routine raking too fail and return to the set my mind to wandering earth. Have we contributed ... among other things about something of worth to those around us? Raised a family? the cycle of life.

Are we like the trees? Built something of ongoing What are we doing with our value? Lent a helping hand to others? Planted a tree? lives?

For oak trees, springsprouting buds force off their carapaces, shed their wiggly catkins and yellow ■ Charles Susano III is an arpollen (ugh) and cover the cheologist, we hear, and now branches in working green he’s interested in running ... chlorophyll to convert for Circuit Court clerk. That’s great training for an office sunlight into plant food. where he’s liable to find dead Fall acorns feed the squirbones and relics – and that’s rels (and germinate new among the folks who actually trees), and cascading leaves show up for work! fall to the ground and com■ Larsen Jay, founder of plete the annual cycle.

Random Acts of Flowers, is What about us?

What have we done in the spring and summer of our lives?

There are more questions than answers. Gosh, that’s heavy lifting for a leaf-raking weekend.

I’d like to think we can leave the earth a better place than we found it. I suppose only those who follow behind us can truly say.

Oh well, back to raking. ...

In defense of Joshua Dobbs Coffee shop comments and football forum exchanges may not perfectly match what a million Tennessee fans are thinking, but this is the best I can do today: The Vanderbilt game won’t go away.

The defense is still catching most of the heat, but some is spilling onto Joshua Dobbs. His fumble at the end of the third quarter launched Commodore domination of the fourth.

Criticism of Dobbs seems so unfair.

He was not a turnover machine. He threw 319 passes and suffered 12 interceptions. He handled the ball hundreds of times and fumbled 10. Four were lost.

The tragedies happened, inconveniently, at Texas A&M, South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

I understand, quarterbacks generally get too much credit for victories and too much blame for

Marvin West

losses. Some fans never stopped nipping at Dobbs, even when he was player of the week.

Back in the summer, there was light chatter about Dobbs for Heisman.

Some snickered and said no way. Dobbs was not an accurate passer. He overthrew deep receivers and bounced the ball to backs in the flat. He was coached to stay in the pocket because, on the run, he couldn’t hit the proverbial broad side of a barn.

I preserved a postgame fan quote from 9-17-16: “This team is bad and the QB is terrible.

“He can’t throw. He can’t

read defenses. For a rocket scientist, he continues to make dumb decisions.”

Dobbs did start this season slowly. Health care concepts restricted runs. He looked like himself against Florida – 319 yards and four touchdown passes.

He threw the Georgia Hail Mary to the proper place.

His stats were OK against the Aggies.

When the Vols got to November and other deficient defenses, scouts started following Dobbs. He was suddenly having one of the best seasons in Tennessee history. His quarterback rating became 152.6. He completed 63.3 percent. He threw for 26 touchdowns, most in the SEC. Last Vol to lead that department was Heath Shuler.

Dobbs ran for 713 yards and nine scores. He caught a TD pass. He showed up every Saturday. Each time he was knocked down, he

got up.

He signed autographs.

He visited the sick and heartbroken. He helped old ladies across busy streets.

Joshua didn’t exactly lose the Vanderbilt game.

Incredibly, he completed 31 of 34 passes and didn’t miss a single tackle.

I never thought it would come to this, feeling a need to defend Robert Joshua Dobbs.

From my perspective, he is a model citizen, superior student and a

Reflections upon fallen leaves Nature’s cycles.

Fall means raking leaves, at least in my hilltop yard, which is surrounded by mature oak trees, as well as dogwoods and ornamentals. Those giants are not like my Chilhowee Drive neighbor’s modest-sized gingko tree. The gingko’s leaves turn a brilliant gold in the fall, then almost overnight, drop to ground, blanketing its base in gold.

Brilliant but fleeting. One session and you’re done. My oak trees demand more attention. They parcel out their brown bounty over several months, from November through year’s end.

A sea of leaves, that would mound knee deep if left un-

Many end up at the curb for the city to pick up.

But significant others are hauled back to the garden.

Nick This natural mulch will be Della Volpe turned under in spring to enrich the soil, sprinkled with lime to neutralize their acidity and left to decomattended. pose.

Not here.

Humus to break up dense Armed with blower, rake clay soil and feed summer and tarp, I roll up my sleeves tomatoes, peppers, beans, and get to work. Repetitive. herbs and other fresh proSatisfying in a certain way. duce. A biologist once told Gradually the lawn below me some 70 percent of a re-emerges. If I can get to tree’s nutrients are in the them before heavy rain and leaves. In a forest they dematting, I can blow leaves compose at the base of the into windrows, then rake tree and nurture it. Our them onto a tarp and drag lawns (such as they are) them to their final resting need sunlight … and rakplace. ing. But why not use them to

LOCAL FHA HECM INFO! “I worry so much about

Mom’s finances...

- The rising cost of living - Doctor bills & prescriptions - Maintaining her home, she needs a walk-in tub, safety rails and even a security system.

- Credit cards & bills to pay off

How will she make it!?!”

“I’m so happy I found out how to use my home equity through a reverse mortgage to relieve my financial worries.

I had two ways I could go: Option A Option B

Sell My Home $$$ - AND Find Another Place To Live ???

- Get a traditional forward mortgage and refinance my home. But that would mean making monthly payments OR - Get a REVERSE MORTGAGE* and STILL OWN MY HOME. Essentially, I’m getting an “advance on the equity of my home,” without selling it right now. Instead of getting a monthly bill I receive a statement acknowledging my payment is being added to my payoff every month.

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

GOSSIP AND LIES

contemplating a run for an atlarge seat on the Knox County Commission.

■ Bart Elkins of Powell asked Jay a random question when he heard his wife is from Chicago: Cubs or White Sox? Jay lifted his pants leg to show wacky Cubs socks. Bart said, “You are so my commissioner!”

– S. Clark

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Housing needs First United Methodist Church of Gatlinburg is working to meet critical housing needs. Fire refugees in need of housing can contact the Rev. Dan Moore, 865-436-4691. Checks can be sent to First United Methodist Church, 742 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Envelopes containing checks should be marked “Relief.”

‘Did you lose?’

December meeting of the Gatlinburg Garden Club that was being planned by local eventmeister George Hawkins, who lost thousands of dollars of lights and ornaments in the fire.

He is grateful for the survival of the Castle’s employees, who had been watching the fires on the other side of Gatlinburg that night, unaware of the danger behind them.

“If they’d stayed out on that porch watching those fires in town, they’d have never gotten out. Those fires across the street would have trapped them,” Hawkins said.

The fires on the other side of town wiped out several apartment complexes that

were home to the people who make Gatlinburg work, including many immigrant families who live paycheck to paycheck and are unlikely to have the comfort of insurance to fall back on.

The concrete hulk of the Park Vista Hotel protected 40-something guests who were trapped there while flames licked the windows and scorched the exterior.

The Widder’s Knob and Turkey Nest neighborhoods were devastated.

Downtown, the sharks and the rays at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies swim unaware of how close they came to destruction.

The Aquarium staff has been stalwarts in the fire’s aftermath, serving as a community center amid the disruption.

Pigeon Forge resident Leland Wykoff, who was a Gatlinburg retailer for more than 30 years, said the Ripley employees have been heroes.

“They’ve provided a calming and stabilizing influence as they worked tirelessly, 24 hours a day, free of charge, to provide hot meals

and necessities like clean socks, Chap Stick and eye drops for first responders, firefighters, police and utility crews who worked long hours and didn’t get time off.”

There will be hard questions in the coming days.

Residents are wondering why the decision to evacuate the town came so late in a day when fires were breaking out ever closer to town. They are wondering why they got no notification and what happened to the high-decibel flood evacuation siren installed years ago. Many believe the official death count will rise.

Others are angry when state troopers use the Spur checkpoint to cite people who have lost everything for missing headlights or lacking the correct “papers.”

But amid it all, Gatlinburg residents are pulling together.

A young woman I met downtown asked me, “Did you lose?” and gave me a warm hug before I could tell her I wasn’t affected. These hills are full of people like her.

ries being increased over the next year at UT Knoxville.

■ Scott Golden, chief of staff to retiring West Tennessee U.S. Rep. Steve Fincher, was elected to chair the state GOP to succeed former state Rep. Ryan Haynes of Farragut. He won on the second ballot 33-27 over Brent Leatherwood, the party’s executive director.

■ Efforts to promote Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd are well underway with H.M. “Hash” Hashemian holding a breakfast last month at Cherokee Country Club. While the invitation said 50 community leaders were expected, more than 120 attended, including UT President Joe DiPietro and UT Chancellor Jimmy Cheek along with state Sens. Richard Briggs and Becky Massey, state Rep. Eddie Smith, UT vice chair Raja Jubran, Jim Haslam, Teddy Phillips, Laurens Tullock, Bruce Bosse, UT economist Bill Fox, U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, council member Marshall Stair, attorneys Culver Schmid and Tom

McAdams, businessman Wes Stowers, former county mayor Mike Ragsdale, Ashley Capps, Hallerin Hill, Pete DeBusk, businesswoman and UT trustee Sharon Pryse and Knox Chamber CEO Mike Edwards.

While Boyd’s potential race for governor was not publicly discussed, it was certainly a strong undercurrent of private discussion among attendees. Some actually thought he might announce then.

Boyd spoke on jobs issues. He attended a barbecue for state Sen. Ken Yager in Harriman that night.

Boyd is expected to announce by March whether he will run. He would have to resign as a member of the governor’s Cabinet should he run, which means Gov. Bill Haslam would name a new commissioner of ECD to serve the remaining months left in Haslam’s term. Opposing Boyd likely will be U.S. Rep. Diane Black and state Sens. Mark Green and Mark Norris.

■ Knoxville lost a strong civil rights activist with the death of Avon Rollins last week. He was

always present and outspoken when rights were being abridged. He was especially involved in calling for creation of the police civilian review board, which this writer did by executive order as there was not majority support on City Council at the time to create it.

Council should honor him by resolution. Rollins will be missed.

■ Longtime Republican Mary Helen Byers, who lived in Sequoyah Hills over 20 years, died before Thanksgiving. Married to Buckley Byers, who was well known and active in national GOP financial circles, she moved to Knoxville after his death. She once hosted a tented luncheon at her Cherokee Boulevard home honoring Marilyn Quayle, wife of the then-vice president, when she visited Knoxville.

She was a patron of the arts and generous in her financial support.

■ Former U.S. Rep. and TVA director Bob Clement, 73, is out with a book on his life titled “Kings, Presidents and Convicts,” about growing up in the governor’s residence.

Gatlinburg Church of Christ burned to the ground.

Shared pain in Gatlinburg Byy spring, the land will willl heal. But a week after the fire, stretches of the Spur between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg looked – and smelled – like an apocalyptic vision.

Road crews had come through spraying a compound of grass seed that stained the dirt an unnatural green under the charred tree trunks and blackened vines. The jagged remains of Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort were visible on the ridgetop above the outgoing lanes. Military/police checkpoints completed the dystopian ambiance.

Anyone entering Gatlinburg from the Spur would have been tempted to believe that the stories of

pairing damage caused by gale force winds – nothing catastrophic.

Betty Two blocks from either Bean side of the Parkway, it was a different story.

The River House Motor death and destruction were Lodge on River Road, which overblown. Shops and res- overlooks a tributary of the taurants and clubs are un- Little Pigeon, has been retouched by flame. The Space duced to rubble. The mounNeedle soars over a main tain above it was completely drag that looks a lot like engulfed in the flames that took down The Castle and Christmas.

The first hint of some- other high-end homes in thing amiss was the swarm Greystone Heights.

The Castle, a 32,000of ServePro (Faster to any Disaster) trucks, painted a square-foot, five-story manslightly more chartreuse- sion perched on the side of ish shade of green than the the mountain, is owned grass seed compound on by Kent Emmons, a Hollythe Spur. Pressure washing wood-based entrepreneur crews were blasting soot who rented the place out away and roofers were re- for special events, like the

A dearth of Democrats City Council member and former mayor Daniel Brown turns 71 on Christmas Day. Brown, the first black mayor of Knoxville, might run for state representative against Rick Staples in 2018 in the Democratic primary.

Staples was chosen as the Democratic nominee by 14 people without a primary and prevailed Nov. 8 over former state Rep. Pete Drew, who ran as an independent.

Staples needs to win a seriously competitive race to consolidate his political standing.

The ranks of Democratic county elected officials have been so reduced that today there are no elected white Democrats holding partisan office in the entire county, including judgeships.

This is a dramatic change from just 20 years ago when Democrats like Howard Bozeman, Billy Tindell, Mark Cawood, Harry Tindell, Bob Broome, Madeline Rogero, Gordon Sams, Daryl Fansler, Harold Wimberly, Randy Nichols, Wayne

Victor Ashe

Ritchie, Tommy Schumpert and Mark Harmon held office.

All elected Democrats are Knoxville city officials, like Rogero, Finbarr Saunders, Barbara Palmer and Duane Grieve, who run on a nonpartisan basis and seldom show their Democratic stripes. To stage a comeback, local Democrats must have black and white officeholders.

■ New UT Chancellor Beverly Davenport will attend the Dec. 16 legislative breakfast for her first appearance on campus after being confirmed by the board on Dec. 15. It will be at 8 a.m. in the eighth-floor conference room at Andy Holt Towers and closed to the public.

Lawmakers have acquiesced to it being closed, but state Rep. Martin Daniel says, “Transparency should prevail. When UT is discussing public issues with lawmakers, the public should be there. UT would benefit from more openness.”

Daniel, who turns 60 this Saturday, is a UT graduate and holds two degrees from the university.

UT does itself a disservice by insisting on secrecy when the entire discussion among 20 legislators and UT officials will quickly become public once the meeting concludes. Furthermore, one critical mission of the university is to promote the facts and truth. Closing the door to meetings with elected officials, because of fear of negative media coverage, is inconsistent with the university’s mission.

Unlike salaries for coaches, the UT chancellor is paid from state tax dollars. The $700,000-plus pay package for Davenport will lead to other administrative sala-

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6 • DECEMBER 14, 2016 • NORTH/EAST Shopper news

SENIOR NOTES ■ All Knox County Senior Centers will be closed Friday-Monday, Dec. 23-26.

■ 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 Fridays; Senior Meals, noon Wednesdays.

Register for: Guitar Jam “Holiday Hoedown” potluck, 1:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16; bring snack or dish to share. White Elephant Gift Exchange and Cookie Swap, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21; bring two dozen Christmas cookies to share and small wrapped gift to play Christmas game.

■ Corryton Senior Center 9331 Davis Drive 688-5882 knoxcounty.org/seniors Monday-Friday Hours vary Offerings include: exercise classes; cross-stitch, card games; dominoes, crochet, quilting, billiards; Senior Meals program, 11 a.m. each Friday.

Register for: Christmas Party/Ugliest Christmas Sweater, 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 15. Christmas Cookie Swap, 10 a.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 21; make a batch of Christmas treats to share.

■ Larry Cox Senior Center 3109 Ocoee Trail 546-1700 Monday-Friday Hours vary

Tucker Busbee, 3, and Ivy Grace King, 3, tell Santa Claus their Christmas wishes at the annual Sherrill Hills Retirement Community Christmas parade last Thursday. Photos by Nancy Anderson

Laughter reigns at Sherrill Hills Christmas parade

By Nancy Anderson Nearly 100 residents and staff members gathered at Sherrill Hills Retirement Community for their annual Christmas parade.

Christmas favorites from “The Grinch” to a dancing tree sauntered down “Main Street” yelling “Merry Luise Woodby is all smiles as Christmas!” and passing she channels her inner “Ruout candy to delighted on- dolph.” lookers.

Community managers “The response of the resEd and Sheri Ring said they idents is just outstanding. were thrilled to see every- They’re all in costumes; but one having such a good time best of all, they’re all wearat the parade. ing smiles.

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

Delane McCandless as Frosty and Geraldine Watson as Christmas Tree collect giggles as they dance down “Main Street.”

Peggy Cummings and Sandi Simpson as Christmas Nutcracker soldiers.

Penny Bandy as “The Grinch” reveals her heart “grew three sizes” by handing out candy to onlookers and mugging gleefully for the camera.

“I don’t think I can ask for more than that,” said Ed Ring.

“It’s not just the residents. We’re all loving it.

Main Street is just filled

with laughter, and that makes me happy,” added Sheri Ring.

Info: www.rlcommunities. com/locations/sherrill-hills

Helen “Bubbles the Clown” Cooke delights onlookers with her silly antics.

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faith

NORTH/EAST Shopper news • DECEMBER 14, 2016 • 7

cross currents Lynn Pitts, lpitts48@yahoo.com

A perplexing greeting In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent

by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

(Luke 1: 26-29 NRSV)

Church members of all ages join to decorate the Chrismon tree at Fifth Avenue Baptist Church. Shown are Neisha White, Robert Bright, Paris and Ella Banks, Herbie Elder, Leelee Frink and church organist Ellen Banks; (back) Ernie Roberts, the Rev. Dr. Don Olive and Ashley Davis. Photo by Carol Z. Shane

Fifth Avenue Baptist congregants enjoy the

‘Hanging of the Chrismons’

By Carol Z. Shane Recently at Fifth Avenue Baptist, church members young and old took a moment to regard one of their refurbished sanctuary’s holiday centerpieces – the recently decorated Chrismon tree. Tiny white lights cast glimmers on the handmade white and gold ornaments,

FAITH NOTES ■ First Comforter Church, 5516 Old Tazewell Pike, hosts MAPS (Mothers At Prayer Service) noon each Friday. Info: Edna Hensley, 771-7788.

each featuring a Christian symbol in use since biblical times.

“The word ‘Chrismon’ is the combination of the words ‘Christ’ and ‘monogram,’” said music director Ernie Roberts. He’s the one who came up with the idea of involving the church members in the process of decorating the tree by doing it during their regular Sunday morning worship service. “I based it on the traditional ‘Hanging of the Greens’ and called it the ‘Hanging of the Chrismons,’ he said.

The Rev. Dr. Don Olive said he had never heard of

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SUNDAYS THROUGH DEC. 18 Moose Lodge Sportsman Association’s Weekly Turkey Shoots, 1 p.m., Knoxville Gun Range, 6903 Mundal Road. Stock guns only. All proceeds go the Community Christmas Food Basket Program. Info: 382-7664.

THROUGH SUNDAY, DEC. 18 “Mary Poppins” presented by the Encore Theatrical Company, William H. Inman Humanities Complex located on the Morristown campus of Walters State Community College, 500 S. Davy Crockett Parkway.

Performances: 8 p.m. Dec. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16 and 17; 2 p.m.

Dec 4, 11, 17 and 18. Tickets: etcplays.org or 423-3188331.

THROUGH FEB. 28 “Buy One, Get One Free” admission tickets are being offered by Zoo Knoxville during Kroger BOGO Days. Tickets can be purchased at the zoo tickets window or zooknoxville.org. Discounted tickets must be used by Feb. 28. Info: zooknoxville.org.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 14 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.

Santa Visits the Library, 3-4 p.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. Info: 5255431.

THURSDAY, DEC. 15 Holiday Concert and Spaghetti Dinner hosted by the Carter High School Band. Spaghetti dinner, 6 p.m.; cost: $6 at the door. Holiday concert, 7 p.m.; free.

Proceeds from cash and carry gift area, silent auction and live auction go toward the purchase of new band uniforms.

Santa Visits the Library, 11 a.m. Carter Branch Library, 9036 Asheville Highway. Info: 933-5438.

Chrismons until he came to Fifth Avenue Baptist in 2009. “I’ve been in the ministry 50 years, in 46 different churches, and this is the first time I’ve run across this tradition.”

Originated in 1957 by Mrs. Frances Kipps Spencer at Ascension Lutheran Church in Danville, Va., Chrismons have since become a popular Protestant tradition.

According to Ascension Lutheran’s website, all Chrismons are made “in a combination of white and gold to symbolize the purity and majesty of the Son of God and the Son of Man.”

Fifth Avenue member Neisha White said she believes tradition dictates that they must be handmade.

For the recent Sunday morning service, said Roberts, “we just laid out the Chrismons on the front pew.” Olive said that “young, old, visitors, members – whoever was in the congregation that day had the opportunity to participate.

“We’re excited about these young people,” Olive continued. “They’re lighting the Advent candles.

They have a little skit each Sunday and then they light the flame.” White smiled.

Santa Visits the Library, 4 p.m., Corryton Branch Library, 7733 Corryton Road. Info: 688-1501.

FRIDAY, DEC. 16 Fireside Concert Series: holiday concert featuring Bill White, Steve Coffey, Robby Spencer and Tim Carpenter, 7 p.m., the Arnold Auditorium, Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum (ALLM), 6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway, Harrogate. Free and open to the public. Info: 423-8696235.

Suzy Bogguss’ Swingin’ Little Christmas, 7:30 p.m., The Standard, 416 W. Jackson Ave. Tickets: $25, plus applicable service fees, in advance or $30 at the door. To purchase tickets: 544-1029. Info: info@wdvx. com.

Visit With Santa!, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Fountain City Branch Library, 5300 Stanton Road. Info: 689-2681.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, DEC. 16-18 Clayton Holiday Concert, “A World of Joy,” presented by Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Civic Auditorium, 500 Howard Baker Jr. Ave. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Friday; 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday.

Info/tickets: knoxvillesymphony.com.

MONDAY, DEC. 19 Monday Night Book Club: “Inside the O’Briens”

by Lisa Genova, 6-8 p.m., Fountain City Branch Library, 5300 Stanton Road. Info: 689-2681.

“Twas the Night Before Christmas @ the Halls Library,” 3 p.m., Halls Branch Library, 4518 E. Emory Road. Includes a visit from Santa at 3:30 p.m. Info: 9222552.

TUESDAY, DEC. 20 “Music for the Mountains,” a benefit concert to support the Gatlinburg disaster relief, 7 p.m., Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike. Performers: musicians of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. Free, but donations encouraged. Info: Jeffery Whaley, Jeffery.whaley@gmail.com or 931-529-4676.

Santa Visit, 6-7 p.m., Powell Branch Library, 330 W. Emory Road. Info: 947-6210.

SUNDAY, DEC. 21 Winter Solstice Celebration, 7-9 p.m., Narrow Ridge Earth Literacy Center, 1936 Liberty Hill Road, Washburn. Info: Mitzi, 497-3603 or community@ narrowridge.org.

THURSDAY, DEC. 22 Sugar High!, 8:30-10 p.m. Sugar Mama’s, 135 S. Gay

The story of the birth of Jesus unfolds in layers: jumping forward to the future, backtracking into prophetic history, generally creating confusion and consternation. Perhaps the most confused person in the Bible is Mary: a virgin betrothed to Joseph, who finds herself being visited by the angel Gabriel.

Now an angel showing up suddenly is disconcerting, to put it mildly! We think of angels as beautiful creatures sporting halos, but almost invariably, angels have to begin their conversations with humans by saying, “Fear not!”

Is it their size, their radiance, their voices, their faces? The suddenness of their appearance? The brush of wings?

Luke says Mary was “perplexed.” (Apparently, Luke was given to understatement!) Angels were disconcerting enough, but a woman in that culture who was found to be with child before marriage was subject to death by stoning. “Perplexed” doesn’t begin to describe Mary’s fear, horror and confusion!

Imagine having to tell your parents, let alone your betrothed, “Oh, by the way, even though I’m a virgin, I am going to have a baby, and I know this because an angel told me so.”

Fortunately, God provided a haven for Mary: her cousin Elizabeth and Elizabeth’s husband, Zechariah, who lived in a Judean town in the hill country.

Another miracle: Elizabeth, who had been barren all her life, was now pregnant!

She’s the one in charge of corralling the youngsters and leading them through the ceremony. But this day, her mind was on Chrismons, not kids. “These

are the same ones made in 1960-something by the Women’s Missionary Union of this church,” she said.

“They represent Jesus’ birth, life and resurrection.”

St. Free monthly stand-up comedy show featuring touring and local comedians. This month’s show features Jake Head, along with Atlanta comedians Paige Bowman and Andrew Michael.

THURSDAY, DEC. 29 Robotics @ the Library, 5 p.m., Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. For ages 12-15. Free, but registration requested. Info/registration: Rose Broyles, rbroyles@knoxlib.org; 525-5431.

SATURDAY, DEC. 31 New Year’s Eve Gala, 10 p.m., World For Christ Church, 4611 Central Avenue Pike. Includes Urban and Contemporary Gospel music, hors d’oeuvres and a sparkling cider toast at midnight. Info: 255-1837 or worldforchrist@bellsouth.net.

THURSDAY, JAN. 5 Auditions for all voice parts with the Knoxville Choral Society, 6-8 p.m. Location will be provided when appointment scheduled. Appointment: 312-2440 or membership@knoxvillechoralsociety.org. Info/audition form: knoxvillechoralsociety.org.

FRIDAY, JAN. 6 Opening for “Opportunity Knocks” art exhibit, 5-9 p.m., Broadway Studios and Gallery, 1127 N. Broadway. Info: BroadwayStudioAndGallery.com or BroadwayStudiosAndGallery@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, JAN. 7 Oz with Orchestra, 8 p.m., Civic Auditorium, 500 Howard Baker Jr. Ave. The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will play the live score accompaniment with the “Wizard of Oz” film on the big screen. Info/tickets: knoxvillesymphony.com.

SUNDAY-SUNDAY, JAN. 15-22 Roane State’s Wilderness First Responder course, Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont.

Meets Tennessee EMS standards and national standards for first responder training. Focuses on special situations that may develop in the wilderness. Must have completed professional-level CPR training. Info/registration: gsmit.org/wfr.html or 448-6709.

THURSDAY-FRIDAY, JAN. 26-27 AARP Driver Safety class, noon-4 p.m., O’Connor Senior Center, 611 Winona St. Info/registration: 3825822.

kids

8 • DECEMBER 14, 2016 • Shopper news

What’s hat’s in a na name:

Powell Pow

By Kip Oswald

Over the next few weeks, I am going to complete some of the “What’s in Name” series for our school names.

I have friends who go to Powell Middle Kip School, and the whole area of Powell has a very cool history.

The area that became Powell was settled in 1789, two years before Knoxville was established. Powell was settled by Stockley Donelson – Andrew Jackson’s brother-in-law – and Donelson’s house is still in Powell. The Powell community was named after Columbus Powell, who donated land for the Powell train station. His house still stands as well, near the current high school.

The train was important to the Powell area because it hauled bricks made from the mud in nearby Beaver Creek to other areas.

Several schools are in the Powell area, but the main ones I am writing about today are Powell High, Powell Middle, Powell Elementary and Copper

Ridge Elementary.

The first high school in Powell was established in 1874 and was called Perkins School. It was a two-room schoolhouse with one room to house grades 1-4 and a “big” room to house grades 5-10.

In 1916, it was renamed for the founder of Powell, Columbus Powell.

In 1949, the elementary and high schools were separated, and a high school was constructed on Emory Road where it is now. The current Powell Elementary School was built on what was the original site of Perkins School, constructed to house grades 1-8.

In 1969, Powell Elementary underwent a major expansion, allowing grades 1-6 to move into the new wing, while grades 7-8 remained in the old wing until the completion of Powell Middle School.

Copper Ridge Elementary was built in 1979 to meet the needs of the Green Hill and Heiskell communities.

The first Heiskell School and Green Hill School were both built in the 1800s with Green Hill near the present day Copper Ridge Elementary site.

More on the history of local school communities next week. Send comments to oswaldsworldtn@gmail.com.

KIDS NOTE OTES ■ The American Council o of Engineering Companies of Tennessee is accepting g aapplications from engineering and land surveying studen dents for scholarship programs. Deadline to apply is Jan. an. 2 20. Info/applications: acectn.com/engineeringexcellen ellence-awards/scholarships/.

Knox County Museum of Education Honor Roll inductees and their proxies include: (seated) Patricia Hunter, Norma Kelley (for Dr. Paul Kelley), Connie Ramsey; (standing) D.M. Miller (for Mary Halsey), Dr. Sam Bratton, Roy Mullins, Tom Underwood, David Huntsinger, Jody Davis, Beecher Clapp, Benna van Vuuren and Jack Williams. Photo by Betsy Pickle

Museum of Education turns 10

By Betsy Pickle The Knox County Museum of Education celebrated its 10th birthday with cake, punch and a stroll down Memory Lane.

Visitors – many of them current or retired teachers – dropped by the Sarah Simpson Professional Development Center, 801 Tipton Ave. in South Knoxville, throughout the afternoon of Dec. 1 to view exhibits and chat with friends. The museum moved to the Simpson Center in 2013, about seven years after it was created at the Historic Knoxville High School building.

The official program included guest speaker Robert Booker and the induction of the first Honor Roll – volunteers and board members whose efforts led to the formation and success of the museum.

Booker shared the history of public education in Knoxville and Knox County using information he had researched in the museum’s archives.

“It is a real museum with books, photographs, documents and memorabilia,” Booker said, describing the museum. “It is a repository of more than 200 years of educational progress.”

The march to public education early on was slow, but it sped up after the Civil War, Booker said, especially after the state enacted a law creating the position of county school superintendents. The first schools opened in 1867.

“By September 1869, the county had 126 schools that were mostly built by private enterprise and were crude structures,” he said. Booker said a report he found in the museum noted that schools were open about 70 days a year, and less than 30 percent of the school-age population attended.

That had improved by 1876, when 10,075 students within Knox County – 8,425 white, 1,650 black – were attending. School was in session 82 days a year. Teachers were paid an average of $36 a month, and the superintendent made $600 a year. The system’s budget was less than $34,000.

Meanwhile, the city launched its own school system in late 1870 and stayed in the education business until residents voted to merge with the county in 1986.

Booker drew laughs – rueful chuckles, mostly – when he noted that male teachers made more than female teachers in the mid-20th century.

“These stories and many more live and continue to illuminate the public in this County Museum of Education,” Booker said. “It will surely continue to expand and offer even greater enlightenment to our citizens, thanks to you.”

The Honor Roll included 15 people, including museum director and cofounder Benna Van Vuuren. Other members are: David Armstrong, Jim Boyer (deceased), Sue Boyer, Dr. Sam

Bratton, Beecher Clapp, Jody Davis, Mary Halsey, Patricia Hunter, David Huntsinger, Dr. Paul Kelley (deceased), Roy Mullins, Connie Ramsey, Tom Underwood and Jack Williams.

There are plans to add more to the honor roll over the next few years.

Semi-Scrooge Booker Among his many accomplishments, Robert “Bob” Booker is noted for releasing his first CD this year. But don’t look for a recording of Christmas songs from him.

“I hate Christmas music!” he says. “Unless you’re singing out of a hymn book – you know, ‘Adeste Fidelis’ or ‘It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.’

“But all this stuff people do drives me crazy. They bastardize Christmas music so it drives me insane. After Thanksgiving, every radio station’s got to play Christmas music, so I have to turn the radio off. I can’t stand it!”

He makes an exception for “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

“Well, everybody loves a shiny nose. That’s one of the few that I can appreciate because it’s a fun song. It has meaning, too.”

– Betsy Pickle

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business

NORTH/EAST Shopper news â&#x20AC;˘ DECEMBER 14, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ 9

News from Office of Register of Deeds

Real estate market stays strong in November

By Sherry Witt The onset of winter may be only a few days away, but so far local real estate and lending markets seem largely unaffected by the changing seasons. During November, there were 1,005 property transfers in Knox County, representing a mere Sherry Witt six percent decrease from Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activity, and far outperforming the 779 sales recorded in November of last year.

The aggregate value of proper-

ties sold was around $211.5 million.

While that was a robust amount for late fall, it was only $4 million ahead of last Novemberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s figure, which was bolstered by some large commercial transactions.

While mortgage lending activity did experience a drop of about $100 million from its October levels, the $346 million loaned in November represented an increase of more than $50 million over November of 2015. It should also be noted that November is not only the month when activity often slows with the approach of winter, but is also the shortest business month of the year

with the Veterans Day and Thanksgiving holidays.

There were two large real estate transfers of note in November. The first involved the $9.6 million sale of a residential development at 414 North Forest Park Boulevard off Sutherland Avenue. The other was the much anticipated sale of the estate on Lyons View Pike known as Villa Collina, which sold for $6,375,000.

I hope everyone enjoyed a blessed Thanksgiving with family and friends, and on behalf of all of us at the Register of Deeds office, I would like to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas.

Suit collection/giveaway helps veterans

BIZ NOTES â&#x2013; Image Matters has been awarded ENX Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Elite Dealer Award for the fifth consecutive year. Image Matters was recognized for the continued growth of ImageLink, its Kathryn Ellis Matthew Lyon branded Managed Print Service program, and for staying accessible to customers during its rapid growth. â&#x2013; Kathryn Ellis, Ph.D., J.D., and Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) board of directors member Matthew Lyon, J.D., have been selected to participate in the Tennessee Bar Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2017 Leadership Law program. Ellis serves as LAETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Knoxville Pro Bono Project Director. Lyon is associate dean for academic affairs and associate professor of law at Lincoln Memorial Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Duncan School of Law in addition to serving as an LAET director.

Veterans and military personnel, do you need a new business suit for work?

Anyone else have a business suit you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wear?

The Farmers Insurance agency in West Knoxville is holding its â&#x20AC;&#x153;Suits for Soldiersâ&#x20AC;? event 8-10 a.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 218 S. Peters Road, Suite 100.

Insurance agents and local businesses are donating new and used suits for service members who are transitioning into the civilian workforce or for any veteran in need of a new suit.

A tailor will be on site to measure and fit the perfect

Accepting nominations for the CALL FOR ARTISTS 2017 Orchid Awards â&#x2013; The city of Knoxvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Public Arts Keep Knoxville Beautiful is now accepting nominations from the public for its beautification awards, the Orchids.

Since 1979, Keep Knoxville Beautiful has presented Orchid Awards to Knoxville and Knox County buildings and outdoor spaces that beautify and elevate the local landscape. Deadline for nominations: Dec. 16. Info/nominations: keepknoxvillebeautiful.org or 521-6957.

Committee invites artists and artist teams to submit qualifications for a permanent work of art to be located in front of the main entrance to State Street Garage.

The deadline to submit qualifications is 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15. Info: Liza Zenni, 523-7543 or lz@knoxalliance.com; knoxvillepublicart.com. â&#x2013; Dogwood Arts 2017 events and exhibits entry deadlines: Art In Public Places, Jan. 20; East Tennessee Art Educator

suit.

Those wanting a free suit, please have one of the following with you: Military ID, your DD214, or anything that shows you served in the military.

Veterans from surrounding counties and the Tri-Cities are also welcome.

Donated suits are being accepted at the same location until Monday, Dec. 19.

Gently used or even new suits can be dropped off Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

The drive is sponsored by East Tennessee Military Affairs Council.

Exhibition, Jan. 20; Student Art Exhibition, Jan. 20; Dogwood Art DeTour, Feb. 10; Chalk Walk, Feb. 20; Regional Art Exhibition, March 3. Info/applications: dogwoodarts.com or 637-4561. â&#x2013; Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission Gallery of Arts Tribute, to be on exhibit Jan. 6-27 in the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay St. Works should be delivered 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3. Info/entry form: knoxalliance. com/mlk-tribute/.

the Rotary guy Tom King, tking535@gmail.com

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Free storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for fire victims Rotarians from the five clubs in Sevier County â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Sevierville Sunrise and Seymour Breakfast â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are the volunteers staffing and operating the Rotary Distribution Center and â&#x20AC;&#x153;free storeâ&#x20AC;? at Boydâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bear in Pigeon Forge. They are being helped by Rotarians from Knoxville and from clubs throughout District 6780 across East Tennessee. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fathom whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on here unless you see it,â&#x20AC;? District Gov. Fred Heitman said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is utterly fantastic and an incredible testimony about what Rotary is all about and how we can respond and get things done. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing.â&#x20AC;?

To date the center has served more than 15,000 victims, and when asked how many Rotarians have volunteered, he said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hundreds, literally hundreds, and they are unloading trucks, sorting items, getting them into the warehouses and helping the victims get what they need â&#x20AC;Ś they need all kinds of non-perishable food items, shovels, work gloves, clothes, especially warm coats for kids, shoes, trash bags. You name it and they need it. We need financial donations to help pay for the victims who lost their medications in the fire.â&#x20AC;?

He said they do not need canned beans â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Bush Brothers has covered that item.

Here are a few other things happening here â&#x20AC;Ś the Turkey Creek Sunset Club is donating $500 to a family â&#x20AC;Ś the Knoxville Breakfast Club is making financial contributions, volunteering at the Boydâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bear center, and its president, Joe Jarret, is part of a group of attorneys (through the Sevier County Bar Association) providing free legal clinic to victims â&#x20AC;Ś the Webb School Interact Club raised $2,771 from the Pre-K through 12th grades â&#x20AC;Ś Farragut is auctioning items left over from a recent fundraiser and matching the funds raised with $500 more, and many members are making financial donations, as are many other Rotarians.

The district has set up the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oak Ridge Community Rotary Fundâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a 501(c)(3) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and you can send your tax-deductible contribution via mail to the Oak Ridge Community Fund, ATTN: Firestorm, PO Box 4183, Oak Ridge, TN 37830 or you can visit this website to make your contribution: https://portal.icheckgateway. com/RotaryCommunityFund/ Rotaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s motto is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Service Above Selfâ&#x20AC;? and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a ton of Rotary service going on right now in Sevier County!

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10 • DECEMBER 14, 2016 • Shopper news

News from Mission of Hope

Mission of Hope lights up children’s lives at Christmas

By Carol Z. Shane This time of year, Mission of Hope’s (MOH) offices and warehouses off Middlebrook Pike are a hive of activity, with volunteers busily preparing shipments of toys, food and hygiene products for economically distressed Appalachian communities in Northeast Tennessee, Southeast Kentucky and Southwest Virginia.

There’s a food station, with conveyor belts and shelves stacked full of canned goods. There are

racks and racks of clothing, as far as the eye can see. There’s a whole warehouse devoted to toys.

And MOH’s familiar blue collection barrels line a wall, some still unloaded.

This year MOH is serving children and families from 28 elementary

schools. So abilities of all kinds are needed.

For the guys working in the MOH “bike shop” on a recent weekday morning, the particular ability needed comes under the heading of “brawn.”

“Get on up at the top of the ladder,” says Brad Butcher to his son Colby, as he hands a two-wheeler up. The other men – Ray Fisher, owner of Fisher Tire Company, Jim Montgomery, and MOH executive director Em-

The “bike crew” has just finished stacking more than 100 bikes into multi-level storage. Shown are Brad and Colby Butcher, Emmette Thompson, Ray Fisher and Jim Montgomery.

mette Thompson – observe. There are so many brightly-colored bicycles that they require multilevel storage.

“We don’t advertise for bikes,” says Thompson, referring to the lists of suggested donations found in MOH’s brochure and on the organization’s website. Instead, the Fountain City Lions Club Laura Peck and Amanda Perryman are happily elbow-deep in pledged to buy toys. Peck, MOH’s assistant director of operations, began two four bicycles years ago as a volunteer toy coordinator. She says that MOH per elementary traditionally runs short on items for 10- to 12-year-old girls. school per year “People like to buy for the little ones,” she says. “But we’re in honor of Mialways short on things for that older age group.” Perryman, chael Dell Wila firefighter/paramedic, has volunteered at MOH for “at least liams, the son of fi ve years. My husband grew up poor in Appalachia, with no WBIR’s beloved plumbing or electricity, and that’s what drew me to MOH.” anchor Bill Williams – himself a supporter of MOH since its 1996 inception – and Bill’s wife, Wanda. Michael lost his battle with cancer in 2004. “That’s four bicycles times 28 schools,” says Thompson of the current count.

Elsewhere in the warehouse, Joe Adams sorts canned food at a counter. His brow furrows as he tries to decide where to put a singular item.

Nearby, Ron Mouser, Kay

Bradley, Tom Almonrode, Mona Wallace and Mary Miller load boxes full of the cans from rows and rows of packed shelves.

Miller is thrilled with a new addition to their area.

“This conveyor belt makes it so much better than last year!” she says.

Thompson likes to bestow lighthearted honorary titles on his volunteers. “This here is the Toy

PE O H E H T M O R F THANK YOU...

Christmas, 2016

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Queen,” he says of Laura Peck, MOH’s new operations assistant. “Hey, Emmette, where’s my tiara?” asks Peck, laughing. She and Amanda Perryman are up to their elbows in stuffed animals, brightly colored plastic purses and singing dolls from the movie “Frozen.”

Thompson says the two women are the “Heroes of the Hope.” It turns out that Perryman actually is a real-life hero. She’s a firefighter/paramedic in Gatlinburg.

MOH extends a helping hand not only at Christmas but throughout the year, providing clothing, furniture, household and office items; back-toschool backpacks filled with school supplies; health supplies; and home repair and construction projects such as handicap ramps. They have established scholarship endowments at Lincoln Memorial University and 13 rural high schools in Tennessee, and at Alice Lloyd College in Kentucky.

But now it’s time for the big holiday push. “There are 18,000 children and family members that we touch this Christmas,” says Thompson. Joe Adams, still sorting cans nearby, says, “It’s just a very special ministry at a needy time of year.”

Thompson’s philosophy is “We truly believe as a ministry there will never be anything we deliver in a truck that is more important than telling all those we serve that there is hope and God loves them.”

Mike and Mary Emma Bunch work with MOH coordinator Mildred Queen (not shown) to find what items are missing among donations.

Their church group, the Legacy Builders at First Baptist Church of Concord, has adopted Burchfield Elementary School in Oneida, Tenn.

“People are asked to buy one pair of shoes and six pairs of socks,” says Mary, “but many people buy more. So if we have several items of clothing that go together, we will fill in to make sure they get the whole outfit.”

Thompson calls Mary Emma “the Clothing Queen.”