SOUTH KNOX VOL. 32 NO. 1
IN THIS ISSUE
It was a good bowl game
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Keep Knoxville – especially SoKno –
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There are good bowl games and bad bowl games and some that are irrelevant. Now and then one becomes far more meaningful than an ordinary bowl should be. This wasn’t Tempe 16 years ago. This wasn’t part of the new national playoff. It was just the TaxSlayer (Gator) Bowl, but it was really big for the Volunteers. It was double or nothing.
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Read Marvin West on page 4
‘Inherent Vice’ Betsy Pickle reviews “Inherent Vice” and “Selma.” About the first she writes, “Joaquin Phoenix would seem the perfect actor to play a stoner private eye in a ’70s-set mystery, and in many ways he is the right man for the job in “Inherent Vice.” But the twist on film noir – “Chinatown” with hippies – never feels comfortable in its own skin.”
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Read Betsy Pickle on page 7
South-Doyle rugby team is tops On Monday night, the South-Doyle rugby team gathered at the Bistro at the Bijou for its annual awards night. The players and coaches had much to celebrate, including winning the 7 on 7 team state championship on Dec. 6 in Murfreesboro. They also celebrated the growing popularity of rugby – did you even know that SouthDoyle has a rugby team?
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Allison Teeters, executive director of Keep Knoxville Beautiful, and Ariel Allen, KKB program coordinator from AmeriCorps Photo by Betsy Pickle
By Betsy Pickle As South Knoxville gets busier, it’s also getting trashier. The amount of litter along major and secondary roadways is reaching alarming levels. The subject of trash and litter comes up at nearly every community meeting across South Knox. It was a focus at the December meeting of the Chapman Highway Garden Club, where Allison Teeters, executive director of Keep Knoxville Beautiful, spoke about litter eradication and how to clean up South Knoxville before April’s Dogwood Arts Festival, which will spotlight all of SoKno. Teeters thanked the garden club members for their role in beautifying the community. “You guys help greatly to make Knoxville more
beautiful,” she said. “But Keep Knoxville Beautiful is about more than planting flowers.” The organization began in 1978 as the Greater Knoxville Beautification Board, formed to help the city clean up for the 1982 World’s Fair. The name was changed in 1997 to strengthen the branding of all Keep America Beautiful affiliates. “Our general vision is a cleaner, greener, more beautiful community,” said Teeters, who lives in South Knoxville. Teeters, who has been All kinds of trash ends up in South Knox waterways, includthe director for seven years, ing Goose Creek along Maryville Pike. Some of it is deliberand Ariel Allen, program ately tossed there. coordinator through AmeriCorps who started last year, are the only staff members 3,500 volunteers per year,” pounds of litter off our roadat Keep Knoxville Beautiful. Teeters told the group gath- ways.” While that’s an impresThey depend heavily on vol- ered at Woodlawn Christian Church. “Last year sive figure, it’s also “kind of unteers. “We typically have about they picked up over 97,000 sad,” she said. “Litter gets
there either on purpose or by accident. We’ve all seen somebody throw something out of their car, which is really just sad because they’re littering God’s creation. We are treating it like a trash can.” Much of the problem is that “we are a disposable society” – throwing away everything from fast-food packaging to refrigerators, and not always in landfills or designated trash receptacles. In addition to educating and encouraging people not to litter, Keep Knoxville Beautiful focuses on waste reduction. “We’re talking about reuse; we’re talking about recycling,” said Teeters. KKB has a recycling trailer that can be borrowed by any organization, free of charge. The 6x10-foot trailer comes with metal holders that can be set up and outfitted with clear bags to collect recyclables at events of any size. On average, Americans accumulate 4.4 pounds of trash per day, she said. “You can imagine a family of four – that’s almost 20 pounds of trash a day.” As a twist on traditional beautification projects, KKB has started organizing “beautification mobs.” The first took place at the corner of Central and Summit Hill in the Old City and took all day. At another “mob” in the fall, about 20 volunteers To page 3
See story on page 8
‘Selma’ movie, panel kick off
2019 is a long way off, says Pavlis Who will succeed Madeline Rogero? Betty Bean writes: “If past is prologue, the field will be crowded. A candidate or two will likely emerge from the business community, and, as observed above, several members of City Council are believed to be eyeing a run – most notably Vice Mayor Nick Pavlis, who has not only met regularly with his South Knoxville constituents, but also has attended neighborhood meetings all over town.” Get Pavlis’ response.
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January July 29, 7, 2015 2013
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city’s civil rights celebration Rights march changed a nation – and a minister’s life By Bill Dockery Four Knoxville veterans of the civil rights movement will gather for a special public screening of the new movie “Selma” as the city of Knoxville opens its celebration of the 50th anniversary of passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The celebration is called “Let Us March on Ballot Boxes,” and the program will begin at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10, at Regal Cinemas Pinnacle Turkey Creek with the four civil rights leaders reflecting on the struggle for voting rights. “Selma” is winning praise for its portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr. and for its astute re-creation of the politics and personalities of the civil rights campaign.
In this AP wire photo from Feb. 15, 1965, Martin Luther King Jr. greeted two Unitarian Universalist ministers when they were released from jail in Selma, Ala. Gordon Gibson (right) and Ira Blalock (left) were observing civil rights actions for their denomination when they were arrested on the steps of the Dallas County (Ala.) courthouse. AP photo “We encourage everyone to buy tickets in advance,” said Joshalyn Hundley, city coordinator of the program. Tickets for the PG-13 film are $8 for adults and $7.50 for children and seniors. KAT buses will provide trans-
portation from the Civic Coliseum to the theater at 2 p.m. that Saturday. People using mobility devices should contact Hundley at 865-215-3867 by Jan. 9. The panelists include Gordon Gibson, a retired Unitarian Universalist
tions; and John Stewart, a member of Vice President Hubert Humphrey’s staff when the Civil Rights Act was passed. Fifty years ago, Gibson was sent by the Unitarian Universalist Association to observe civil rights actions in Selma being led by Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. With a fresh master’s in divinity from Tufts University and only 25 years old, Gibson headed to Selma without a clear Judy and Gordon Gibson had sense of what was at stake been married only about 18 personally or nationally. months in early 1965 when “Don’t go to Selma unthe Unitarian Universalist As- less it’s more important sociation sent him to Selma, that you go than that you Ala., as a civil rights observer. come back,” one denomiThe couple, now retired, live nation official warned him. in East Knoxville. Photo by Bill That shocked Gibson and Dockery his wife, Judy – also a minister – into having their minister who was in Selma wills written. “In retrospect, I was as an observer; Harold Middlebrook, retired min- thinking only a fraction of ister who was active in Sel- what I should have been ma; Avon Rollins, who led thinking,” Gibson said. “I Knoxville civil rights acTo page 3
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2 • JANUARY 7, 2015 • Shopper news
health & lifestyles
After thyroid cancer scare, Englewood man keeps his voice and life Mike Williams of Englewood, 63, uses his voice constantly in his job as director of employee communications and development at Heil Trailor International Co. “Not only for that, but I’m a minister (at Liberty Hill Church of Christ) as well,” said Williams. “Pretty much my life is built around my voice.” This fall, both Williams’ voice and health were on the line when he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. “I had a lump on the side of my neck that my dermatologist thought perhaps was just a fatty tumor. But I have a little history of melanoma, so to be on the safe side, he said he’d go ahead and get that out,” said Williams. But the dermatologist quickly realized the lump was something more and referred Williams to Dr. Michael Kropilak and Dr. Troy Kimsey, who specialize in endocrine procedures at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. The endocrine system includes glands like the thyroid and parathyroids, located in the neck. After undergoing a number of tests, including a biopsy and ultrasound,
In November at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, Mike Williams had surgery to treat his thyroid cancer. The 63-year-old is now back home after a successful procedure by Dr. Michael Kropilak and Dr. Troy Kimsey.
Williams was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, which affects nearly 60,000 adults each year in the United States. “All the bad things we thought it could be, it was not,” said Williams. “It was not lymphoma, not melanoma, but it did turn
out to have some papillary cells,” which is an indication of thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer, although surgery on the neck can involve a long incision and requires an experienced surgeon.
Endocrine services at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center offers the latest and most comprehensive care available for a wide range of endocrine diseases affecting the thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands. From biopsies to more extensive surgeries, Drs. Michael Kro- Michael Kropilak, pilak and Troy Kimsey MD work as a team at Fort Sanders, consulting on cases and assisting each other with complicated surgeries to provide the highest level of care available. Dr. Michael Kropilak went to Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia and did a residence in general surgery at The Cleveland Clinic. He is board certified
in general and vascular surgery through the American Board of Surgery and is a fellow in the American College of Surgeons. He was named one of Knoxville Cityview Magazine’s “Top Docs” in 2014. Dr. Troy Kimsey is a graduate of the Medical College of Georgia, Troy Kimsey, MD completed residency in general surgery there, and a fellowship in surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He is board certified in general surgery and is a fellow in the American College of Surgeons. For more information about the services at Fort Sanders Regional, call 673FORT or visit www.fsregional.com.
Keep track with a MED MINDER card The Fort Sanders “Med Minder” card helps you keep a list of your current medications, dosages and drug allergies in one convenient place. Having this information with you can help medical professionals provide the best treatment for you in the event of an emergency. Call 865-673-FORT (3678) for a free Fort Sanders Med Minder card today!
“This kind of surgery is extensive,” said Kropilak. “It’s a difficult surgery, which is why it’s important to have surgeons working together, to provide care for these kinds of complicated cases.” On Nov. 5, Kropilak and Kimsey worked together to remove Williams’ thyroid gland and nearly four dozen lymph nodes. The surgery required a long incision, stretching from Williams’ left shoulder blade to the center of his neck. Williams said that despite this, he only stayed one night at Fort Sanders and was able to go home the next day. “The care was excellent, the staff is good and they were constantly very proactive, checking with me about what my needs were,” Williams said. “Everything went just fine. “My neck’s a little stiff, but I’m getting more and more movement with it,” Williams said. “In the beginning my voice was affected; it was weak, but it’s a whole lot better now and is pretty much back to normal,” he said. “I was very relieved that even though they did all that around my neck, it
didn’t seem to have a lasting effect on my voice.” Williams underwent one follow-up treatment with radioactive iodine to eliminate any remaining cancer cells in his body. The thyroid absorbs iodine, so any remaining thyroid cancer cells in his body will absorb the radiation and be destroyed, without affecting the rest of his body. “I was radioactive for Christmas,” said Williams, with a laugh. This treatment means he should not be around pregnant women and young children for 10 days. Williams has 21 grandchildren and one on the way. “So I quarantined myself. Which is really more of a concern for my wife,” he said with a laugh. “I appreciate everything everyone at Fort Sanders has done,” Williams said. “Everybody has been so professional, and both myself and my wife, we just felt like everyone was real supportive. “I wouldn’t want anyone to go through that, but if you’re going to, Fort Sanders has proven to be a great place to go through it.”
Thyroid cancer: What you should know Thyroid cancer begins in your thyroid gland, which is located in your neck. The thyroid gland is found under your Adam’s apple and above your collarbone. You usually are not able to see or feel your thyroid. It faces the front, but it’s underneath your skin. It’s shaped like a butterfly, with two lobes (a right and left lobe) connected by a bridge of tissue, called the isthmus. Statistics from the American Cancer Society regarding thyroid cancer: ■ Doctors will diagnose about 56,460 new cases of thyroid cancer. ■ Thyroid cancer occurs more often in women. Three in four cases occur in women. ■ About 43,210 cases of new thyroid cancers will be diagnosed in women. The other 13,250 will be found in men. ■ Thyroid cancer rates have risen sharply in recent years. It is the fastest-increasing cancer in both men and women. ■ Thyroid cancer has a 97 percent survival rate at the five-year mark. This means that out of every 100 people treated for thyroid cancer, 97 of them will be alive five years after treatment. Survival, however, is affected by many factors, including stage at diagnosis, the subtype of cancer and patient age. ■ About 1,000 women and 780 men will die of thyroid cancer every year.
Three common thyroid problems Your thyroid is a tiny, butterfly-shaped gland that controls your body’s energy level. A problem with your thyroid affects your metabolism. Here are three common thyroid issues: ■ Hypothyroidism: Your thyroid gland is underactive and doesn’t produce enough hormones. Common symptoms are fatigue; feeling cold; slowed thinking; weight gain; muscle pain; brittle hair, skin and nails; and feeling depressed.
■ Hyperthyroidism: Your thyroid gland is overactive and produces too many hormones. Common symptoms are nervousness, irritability, feeling hot, rapid heartbeat, eye problems, weight loss and hair loss. ■ Nodules: Nodules are growths of tissue in the thyroid gland. Many times nodules do not cause symptoms or affect the production of thyroid hormone. Around 95 percent of the time, nodules are not cancerous.
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community
SOUTH KNOX Shopper news • JANUARY 7, 2015 • 3
South High School choir alumni entertain at the South Knoxville Alliance holiday mixer at LaborExchange.
Mixing it up with SKA The South Knoxville Alliance’s sophomore business mixer was a huge success. Not only was there a great turnout by business folks for the event, which took place once again at LaborExchange, but there was also strong support from the community at large. Members of the South High School Alumni Choir, who’ve been gathering frequently since holding a reunion concert in 2012, entertained with Christmas tunes sung a cappella. They may have more gray hair than they did during their schooldays, but their voices were tunefully full of vigor. Old friends gathered,
Photos by Betsy Pickle
Tea & Treasures owner Jenny Wolf and artist-in-residence Bobbye Edwards color-coordinate for the event.
COMMUNITY NOTES ■ Colonial Village Neighborhood Association. Info: Terry Caruthers, 579-5702, t_caruthers@hotmail.com.
Betsy Pickle
and new friends met. All enjoyed the delicious spread of food and beverages. There was a lot of excitement over the generous door prizes, which included an intriguing water fountain donated by Myrtle’s Mess. The South Knoxville Alliance meets at 6:30 p.m. the third Monday of every John Ryan, Alan Smith and Larry Austin hold a tall-guy meeting at the SKA mixer. month at LaborExchange.
Keep Knoxville beautiful planted 1,000 daffodil bulbs in an hour at the off-ramps from I-275 to Woodland and Oldham avenues. Cleaner, greener streets make people feel safer and thus more inclined to stop at nearby businesses, Tee-
ters said. “We want to make a good first impression,” she said. “We want people to come here. “We want people to stay here. We want people to spend money here because
From page 1
■ Knoxville Tri-County Lions Club meets 7 p.m. each second and fourth Monday, Connie’s Kitchen, 10231 Chapman Highway, Seymour. Info: https://www.facebook.com/ TriCountyLions/info. ■ Lake Forest Neighborhood Association. Info: Molly Gilbert, 209-1820 or mollygilbert@yahoo.com. ■ South of the River Democrats (9th District) meets 6:30 p.m. each third Monday, South Knoxville Community Center, 522 Maryville Pike. Info: Jim Sessions, jim.sessions@ comcast.net or 573-0655. ■ South Haven Neighborhood Association meets 10 a.m. each third Saturday, Hillcrest UMC, 1615 Price Ave. Info: Pat Harmon, 591-3958.
it helps our economy.” To volunteer with KKB or to inquire about the re- ■ South Woodlawn Neighborhood Association. Info: cycling trailer, call 865-521Shelley Conklin, 686-6789. 6957 or email info@keep■ Vestal Community Orgaknoxvillebeautiful.org. nization meets 6 p.m. each To report littering, call second Monday, 522 Old 1-877-8LITTER.
Maryville Pike. Info: Newman Seay, 577-4593.
There’s plenty of litter on Brown Road, just across from Charter Doyle Park on Martin Mill Pike. Photos by Betsy Pickle
‘Selma’ movie didn’t have a good grasp of all the issues around me. “I went to Selma with an observer mentality. It took me a while to overcome that mentality and figure out that the local people weren’t just observing – they were putting everything on the line. If they went down to the courthouse, they were risking being arrested, beaten, fired from their job, evicted from their house or even being run out of town.” Gibson didn’t have to wait long to find out the cost of involvement. While standing on the steps of the Dallas County courthouse watching a voter-drive demonstration, Gibson and fellow minister Ira Blalock were arrested and jailed for five days. When they were released on Feb. 15, Martin Luther King Jr. was there to meet them. Days later, after Gibson had returned to Massachusetts, the Bloody Sunday confrontation took place at the Pettus Bridge in Selma, and the voting rights march to Montgomery followed. That summer, the Voting Rights Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson. “What I did did not change the world,” Gibson said of those days. “Sadly, we were newsworthy – two
From page 1 white ministers jailed in Selma …” when the jailing of black civil rights advocates had hardly drawn media attention. “My presence may not have changed anything about the Selma campaign, but it certainly changed me,” he said. “I became less trusting of those in authority, and I insist on a higher standard of proof now than I would have then.” Gibson would go on to serve almost 20 years in UU churches around Jackson, Miss., working in federal poverty programs there. The couple retired from their Unitarian Universalist ministry in Elkhart, Ind., and moved to Knoxville in 2005. Gibson has become an expert on his denomination’s history in the South, especially as it involves civil rights. In mid-February, Skinner House will release his book “Southern Witness: Unitarians and Universalists in the Civil Rights Era.” The Gibsons also lead spring bus pilgrimages to civil rights landmarks like Selma, Montgomery and other Southern sites where history was made. “I do it only because it messes with people’s minds,” he said. “I’ve seen more change from the sevenday pilgrimage than from 40 years’ worth of sermons.”
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Bowl was double or nothing There are good bowl games and bad bowl games and some that are irrelevant. Now and then one becomes far more meaningful than an ordinary bowl should be. This wasn’t Tempe 16 years ago. This wasn’t part of the new national playoff. It was just the TaxSlayer (Gator) Bowl, but it was really big for the Volunteers. It was double or nothing. The Tennessee victory produced a winning season, the apparent end of disappointment and misery. This win sets an interesting stage for the next act. It will help recruiting, winter workouts, spring practice, the summer out-
Marvin West
look, ticket sales and August preparation. Are the Vols really back? We’ll see. We know they are better than they were. The 42-7 part was the best the team has played in five years. This was an extra-large brick in the Butch Jones construction project. Now we can identify some of the stuff the coach has been talking about. The culture has changed. The outlook
Congress Inc. U.S. Rep. John J. “Jimmy” Duncan Jr. hasn’t occupied center stage in Tennessee’s 2nd Congressional District for 26 years without connecting to his audience, as he demonstrates in his recent “Washington Report.” Unlike Comedy Central’s “Colbert Report,” the “t” in Duncan’s mailer is enunciated. However, it does compare to Colbert in sheer zaniness. Duncan wastes no time getting off a zinger. After noting the Republican majority in both chambers taking effect in January, he brings down the house with this one-liner: “I hope the next Congress will be more business-friendly and profree enterprise.” Be honest, now. Who among you hasn’t shed a tear for BP, IBM or Citigroup
Larry Van Guilder
as you think of those gallant corporations trying to surmount the obstacles thrown in their path by Congress? Only yesterday I saw a senior citizen in a self-checkout lane at Food City weeping over her Ramen noodles and Friskies cat food paté. When I asked what was troubling her, she choked out one word: “Exxon.” I knew she was referring to the struggles of ExxonMobil and its Big Oil compatriots (BP, Shell, Chevron and ConocoPhillips) to survive with only $2.4 billion in annual tax breaks to di-
has switched to positive. Talent is developing. Nineteen starters are projected to return. Better days are out there. Flip it around and think what a loss would have meant. It would have been deadly – a five-year losing streak. The Jones balloon would have lost a lot of air. Just guessing, but Tennessee probably wanted to be in Jacksonville more than Iowa did. The Gator Bowl was one notch up from what the Vols deserved. It was one down from what the Hawkeyes thought of themselves. Tennessee fought like crazy to earn a bowl bid. Iowa staggered in below ex-
pectations. Attitude is very significant when you have a month to improve or to fret about what might have been. Attitude may have been the winning edge. Speed helped. The 321 first-half yards were truly spectacular. Many football games are very much alike – 21-14, 3520, 10-7. One team or the other makes a big play or a major mistake. We file the result as a win or loss and move on. Now and then, there is something different, a surprise, a reason to remember. This time, Tennessee fans made the Vol Walk feel like a home game. The checkerboard end zone helped.
vide. Worse yet, their 2013 profits were an embarrassing $93 billion. The latest budgets for the states of Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi combined are a shade over $86 billion. Budget problems, at least for these states, could be solved by selling out to the oil and gas industry. (Never mind: With fracking on the rise all over the South, the sellout is already underway.) If Congress’ largesse to the oil industry doesn’t support Duncan’s view that a more business-friendly Congress is in order, there must be other examples of how our elected representatives spurn business. Well … In 2014, federal candidates for office showed their disdain for the pharmaceutical business by accepting only $16 million in contributions from the industry’s PACs. According to OpenSecrets.org, between 1998 and
2012, pharmaceutical lobbyists sweetened the pot by lavishing $2.6 billion on lawmakers. If you’re wondering what the industry gets for its money, you haven’t filled a brand-name drug prescription lately. U.S. consumers pay more for prescription drugs than their foreign counterparts because Congress will not pass legislation limiting price increases while allowing exclusive rights to manufacture a drug for as long as 20 years. In 2006, Medicare expanded to include a prescription drug benefit, and pharmaceutical lobbyists went to work on their buddies in Congress. Medicare, one of the largest healthinsurance programs in the world, would not be allowed to negotiate lower prices with drug makers. As Wendell Potter, a former insurance executive, pointed out in a 2013 article for the Center for Public Integrity, “So not only
Seeing that reminded me of a fun day, Dec. 30, 1994, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. It was the 50th Gator Bowl, Tennessee against Virginia Tech, played in the swamp because of stadium renovations in Jacksonville. Tennessee fans were treated to the trademark checkerboard in the north end zone. The effect was surreal – orange and white checks on Florida’s ho me field. Think about it. Pat Haden, once a Southern Cal quarterback, now the athletic director, was part of the TV team. He said Steve Spurrier had troubling thoughts about Vol squares painted on his grass. “I was talking to the groundskeeper before the game,” Haden said. The groundskeeper said Spurrier told him there
were recruits coming soon and that he wanted all traces of that dreadful (he used a more colorful word) checkerboard long gone before then. As said at the beginning, some bowls are meaningless. Some are insightful. They foretell things to come. The 1994 Gator Bowl victory provided a glimpse of what was to be, a magnificent run of 45 Tennessee victories in 50 games. In that 1994 Gator Bowl, the Vols scored 35 in the first half. They did it again against Iowa. Wouldn’t it be exciting if this first-half romp turns into what Joshua Dobbs said, the start of something big? Do you suppose there is any connection to the checkerboard in the end zone?
did drug makers get a huge new revenue stream from taxpayers, but they pulled a fast one on us.” If Congress becomes any
more “business-friendly,” it will have to incorporate. Fortunately, it has 139 lawyer- and law-firm PACs from which to choose counsel.
Marvin West invites reader reaction. His address is westwest6@netzero.com.
Thanks for KCDC service Culver Schmid, retiring KCDC board chair, is given a commemorative plaque by David Hutchins, current board chair, to honor Schmid’s more than 20 years of service on the board. His tenure included overseeing the HOPE VI revitalization project in the Mechanicsville neighborhood and the Five Points Master Planning process in East Knoxville.
Photo submitted
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SOUTH KNOX Shopper news • JANUARY 7, 2015 • 5
Buswell helps seniors thrive
government
When Buzz Buswell was serving as Knox County’s Veterans Services officer, he didn’t think he could enjoy a job more. When his role was expanded to serving seniors, he realized he was wrong.
told him that the center helped her embrace life again after spending several months at home in her bathrobe. It’s a transformation Buswell witnesses frequently when those who are dealing with loss or illness decide to get involved with other seniors. “It’s an opportunity to become part of something Wendy bigger than yourself. As Smith soon as you become mindful of the needs of others, you realize your stuff’s not so bad.” Buswell had been a More county residents county employee for six Buzz Buswell, center, chats with Tom Yeagle and Frank R. Strang Senior Center director Lauren will have easy access to a seyears when he asked Mike Monahan during a line-dancing class. Yeagle is the DJ for the class, taught by his wife, Evelyn. nior center when the Karns Ragsdale to “leave a note” Photo by Wendy Smith for incoming Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett recomBut he didn’t hesitate helping veterans resolve to see why the center had mending him for the Veterans Services Officer post if when Burchett requested problems with the U.S. De- such a good reputation. Strang director Lauren it became available. When that he play a new role as partment of Veterans AfWhatever happened to it did, in 2012, Buswell interim director of veter- fairs, he thoroughly enjoys Monahan admits she was the rain tax? thought he’d “died and gone ans and senior services last having ongoing relation- initially nervous to have her ships with patrons of the boss a few feet away. But she to heaven.” It gave him the year. “I don’t recall the mayor county’s five – soon to be six couldn’t be more pleased opportunity to help those asking me if I wanted to do – senior centers. with his management style. who’d served, he says. Betty Burchett offered him Buswell calls it “manageHelping veterans meets a it. He said, ‘You will be inBean deep need for him. He was terim director,’ and I said, a corner office at the City ment by walking around.” an Army platoon leader ‘Yes, sir.’ It was actually a County Building, but Bus- He makes surprise visits to well didn’t think it made each of the centers, somewhen he was wounded in better job for me.” Four years ago, Madeline While there are 35,000 sense for him to be down- times on subsequent days, Cambodia in 1970. In spite Rogero’s most vocal oppoof spending 19 months in the veterans in Knox County, town while working with to ensure that seniors are nents warned that her first hospital recovering from in- there are far more seniors. senior centers. Instead, he coming – and thriving. priority would be to levy a He tells of a Strang pajuries that still plague him, One in three county resi- opted for an office in the “rain tax.” he regrets having to leave dents is over 50, Buswell Frank R. Strang Senior Cen- tron who came into his Now, she’s entering the says. And while he liked ter in Farragut. He wanted office and wept as she his platoon. fourth year of her administration and preparing to stand for re-election, and nobody’s talking (or hearing) about a rain tax anymore. Nobody even squawked much when she asked for, and got, a 34cent property-tax increase Congratulations to the ate may hold off approv- care expansion. last spring. She (unlike her Knoxville News Sentinel ing any Obama nominees ■ Team Rogero’s me- mostly Republican predefor bringing Frank Cagle awaiting the new Republi- dia shop recently sent out cessor mayors) took the first Victor back as a regular columnist can president taking office a news release proclaiming steps toward fi xing the city’s Ashe on Wednesdays. Readers Jan. 20, 2017, when Sens. the success of the renova- pension problems. who like politics will mark Alexander and Corker will tions to the Third Creek The tax debate is unlikely Wednesday for the Shophave a pivotal voice in the Bike Trail at Tobler Road to come up again in 2015 beper and News Sentinel for selection. near West High School. cause another thing nobody at least four columns that ■ Guilford Glazer, The project was needed and (except perpetual candidate cover politics at some level. Knoxville-born multimil- worthwhile. What was not Ivan Harmon) is talking Cagle is a thorough and it clear to the White House lionaire, died in Los Angeles needed or worthwhile was about is running against keen observer of politics that they expect to be con- at age 93 on Dec. 23. He was the pointed omission of any Rogero – or any incumbent who has a low tolerance for sulted on future appoint- reportedly worth $900 mil- mention of council mem- City Council member, for baloney from public offi- ments or they will not be lion. He once owned and op- bers Duane Grieve and Dan that matter. cials. He has his share of ad- confirmed by the new GOP- erated Glazer Steel in East Brown, in whose districts “We’re not even hearmirers and opponents, but controlled Senate. Tennessee before moving the project is located and ing anything at the whisper you know what he thinks McBride has given up on to Southern California. He who both advocated its ad- level. Not one word,” said and why. He is no wimp being appointed to a second was a strong and generous vancement. a Rogero supporter who when it comes to voicing his term. The term of former supporter of Israel. He once Team Rogero is happy to spoke on the condition of views. He was deputy to this Oxford, Miss., Mayor Rich- applied to own the televi- proclaim success but neg- anonymity. “That’s not the mayor for several years dur- ard Howorth will expire sion franchise that became ligent in assigning credit, case looking four years out ing my 16 years as mayor. May 18, 2015, making two WBIR-TV. His application even to two council mem- – half of City Council might ■ Jean Teague, 81, for- vacancies and leaving seven did not prevail, but in his bers who backed their tax be candidates (for mayor).” mer veteran City Council members. But Howorth will day he was a player in this hike. They would do better Not diverting the mayor’s member, is back home in continue until the end of community. if they shared the accolades. focus from city business is West Hills after five days at this year if no new nomi■ This writer turned ■ Jeff Welch has re- a good thing, considering Park West Medical Center nee is confirmed. His re- 70 on New Year’s Day, and placed MPC Director Mark some of the thorny issues on over Christmas for tests. cord, like McBride’s, has widely known and respect- Donaldson as interim di- her plate, like figuring out She is feeling much better been modest. The bookstore ed Knoxville attorney Ar- rector. Welch will make how to get developers inand doing well. owner is seen as a nice but thur G. Seymour Jr. turns $110,000 until a permanent terested in the Cumberland ■ TVA still has one va- ineffective board member, 70 today. He is almost a director is picked by the Avenue project, advancing cancy on its nine-member which is exactly what the fi xture at City Council and search committee (Deputy the South Waterfront and board of directors, which is TVA top staff like. County Commission meet- City Mayor Bill Lyons chairs Magnolia Avenue Corridor actually the oldest current In 2016, three board ings, where he represents the group), which meets be- projects and deciding what vacancy. It was once held by members’ terms will ex- numerous clients. He is hind closed doors to make a to do with the Civic ColiOak Ridger Neil McBride, pire on May 18: Joe Ritch, considered a go-to person recommendation. No trans- seum. who was not reappointed by Peter Mahurin and Michael for local zoning issues. parency here from a mayor Add keeping an eye on President Obama in 2013. McWherter. They, too, will ■ The state Legisla- who pledged transparency. the Legislature, whose revIt has been vacant for over continue until the end of ture reconvenes on Tues- Dr. Lyons is noted for pro- enue-slashing inclinations 18 months now and is not the year, when we will day, Jan. 13, with larger- moting open processes threaten local governments’ likely to be filled for many have a new president-elect. than-ever GOP majorities. generally, but that does not revenue sources (like the more months. Sens. Alexan- Should that person be a Re- A special session will occur apply here, despite its im- Hall income tax), and Rogder and Corker have made publican then the GOP Sen- in a few weeks on health- portance. ero really doesn’t need the
center opens in the spring. The new facility will have space and programming similar to the other centers, with a couple of upgrades. The center’s computer lab will be stocked with tablets rather than desktop computers, and a covered outdoor kitchen will be a first for the county. As Buswell looks back on his military se rvice and subsequent career, he sees how his military experience prepared him to serve his community through work and volunteering. “Life prepares you for what’s next,” he says.
All quiet on the ’15 front
Wednesday becomes politics day
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 7 AAA Driver Improvement Course, 5:30-9:30 p.m., Knoxville AAA Office, 100 W. Fifth Ave. Cost: $30 members; $35 nonmembers. Must preregister. Info/to register: Kate, 862-9254, or Don, 862-9250. Dancing lessons: Line Dancing, noon-1 p.m.; Ballroom Dancing: Intermediate, 1-2 p.m.; Ballroom Dancing: Advanced, 2-3 p.m., Humana Guidance Center, 640 Plaza, 4438 Western Ave. Bring a gift, win a gift. Info: 329-8892, TTY: 711. Journaling 101, 3-4 p.m., Humana Guidance Center, 640 Plaza, 4438 Western Ave. Bring a gift, win a gift. Info: 329-8892, TTY: 711.
THURSDAY, JAN. 8 Bingo, 10-11 a.m., Humana Guidance Center, 640 Plaza, 4438 Western Ave. Bring a prize, win a prize. Info: 329-8892, TTY: 711. Defrost Your Life luncheon hosted by the Knoxville Christian Women’s Connection, 10:45 a.m., at Buddy’s Bearden Banquet Hall at 5806 Kingston Pike. Cost: $12 inclusive. Complimentary child care by reservation only. Info/reservations: 315-8182 or knoxvillechristianwomen@gmail.com. Knoxville Choral Society auditions for all voice parts, 6-8 p.m. To schedule an audition time: 312-2440 or membership@knoxvillechoralsociety.
org. Once a time is set, location and other details will be provided. Info/audition form: www. knoxvillechoralsociety.org. Knoxville Square Dance, 8 p.m., Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave. Features the Hellgrammites and local callers Ruth Simmons, Stan Sharp and Leo Collins. Everyone welcome. Tickets: $7, some discounts available. Info/tickets: www.jubileearts.org.
FRIDAY, JAN. 9 Alive After Five concert: Mac Arnold & Plateful O’Blues, 6-8:30 p.m., Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive. Tickets: $15; $10 for members/ students. Info: 934-2039. Birthday Bash dance, 7:30 p.m., Square Dance Incorporated Building, 828 Tulip Ave. Hosted by the Volunteer Travelers Square Dance club. A birthday cake and door prizes included. Info: Steve Bell, 539-9593. Brain Games, 10-11 a.m., Humana Guidance Center, 640 Plaza, 4438 Western Ave. Info: 329-8892, TTY: 711. Crochet and Knit for Charity, noon-1:30 p.m., Humana Guidance Center, 640 Plaza, 4438 Western Ave. Info: 329-8892, TTY: 711. Opening reception for “A Narrative of Light and Shadow” exhibit featuring the artistry of Taiwan’s female photographers, 5-9 p.m., main gallery of the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay St. The exhibit is on display through Jan. 31. Info: 523-7543 or www.knoxalliance.com.
distractions of running a political campaign. (Note: The job of monitoring the General Assembly could be easier this year with the departure of Stacey Campfield, who was generally unfriendly to city concerns and elevated antieminent-domain measures to the level of a religious crusade.) Sources close to the mayor also discount the persistent rumor that she will be offered (and will take) a job in the administration of Hillary Clinton, should Clinton be elected president in 2016. Members at large George Wallace, Marshall Stair and Finbarr Saunders, along with District 5 council member Mark Campen, will stand for re-election this year, cementing the reality that limiting elected officials to two consecutive terms has created de facto eight-year terms. Those who follow city politics are filling the lack of drama around the 2015 elections with longer-term speculation – who will succeed Rogero? If past is prologue, the field will be crowded. A candidate or two will likely emerge from the business community, and, as observed above, several members of City Council are believed to be eyeing a run – most notably Vice Mayor Nick Pavlis, who has not only met regularly with his South Knoxville constituents, but also has attended neighborhood meetings all over town. “Nick Pavlis for mayor?” Pavlis asked, as though surprised to be asked. “No. 1, it’s very flattering. I’ve been around a long time, been elected four times and I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me yet. “It’s not something I’d rule out, but it’s so far down the line – four years is an eternity in politics. But I obviously have worked hard, and it would be a great culmination to my career.”
Opening reception for a new group exhibition, 5-9 p.m., balcony gallery, Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay St. Features works by Lynn Corsi Bland, Gatlinburg; Tony Henson, Kingsport; and Terina Gillette, Beth Meadows, Emily Shane, Tony Sobota and Jennifer Willard of Knoxville. The exhibit is on display through Jan. 31. Info: 523-7543 or www.knoxalliance.com.
SATURDAY, JAN. 10 Harvey Broome Group annual retreat, 10 a.m.4 p.m., Will Skelton’s home, 4064 Kingston Park Drive. Potluck lunch, noon-1 p.m. Open meeting for members and nonmembers. Info: Robin Hill, 966-9435 or robin. hill8@gmail.com. Run 4 Their Lives race, 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, Market Square. The race raises awareness and funds for sexually exploited women and children. Registration deadline: Thursday, Jan. 8. Info: www.freedom424.org/ r4tl/races/. Saturday Stories and Songs: Kindermusik, 11 a.m., Lawson McGhee Library, 500 W. Church Ave. For ages birth to 5 years old. Info: 215-8750. Sparky and Rhonda Rucker in concert, 8 p.m., the Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave. Tickets: $12, some discounts available. Info/tickets: www.jubileearts.org. Taoist Tai Chi Society open house, 11 a.m.-noon, Knoxville Tai Chi Center, 1205 N. Central Ave. Free lesson. Info: 546-9222 or www.taoist.org.
Public Sale of Contents
6 • JANUARY 7, 2015 • Shopper news
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Shopper news • JANUARY 7, 2015 • 7
‘Inherent Vice’ stays in a haze Joaquin Phoenix would seem the perfect actor to play a stoner private eye in a ’70s-set mystery, and in many ways he is the right man for the job in “Inherent Vice.” But the twist on film noir – “Chinatown” with hippies – never feels comfortable in its own skin.
Betsy Pickle Deputy D.A. Penny Kimball (Reese Witherspoon) lets boyfriend and private eye Larry “Doc” Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) explain his case in “Inherent Vice.” Director Paul Thomas Anderson adapted Thomas Pynchon’s novel about Larry “Doc” Sportello (Phoenix) and his misadventures as he makes his way through L.A.’s seedy sections and shiny corridors. It’s a long, strange trip with only occasional humor. It feels as though there ought to be more in the laugh-inducing department. The film is a study in absurdity, though the offbeat surface covers a disturbing underbelly. Doc lives the laidback
life at Gordita Beach, enjoying his herb (which he also sells) and working when he has to. When his former girlfriend, Shasta Fay Hepworth (Katherine Waterston), shows up asking for help, he can’t refuse. Shasta is now the mistress of a big-time developer who has disappeared, and she asks Doc to track him down. To do so, Doc winds his way through massage parlors and pricey dental
Soloists prep for When Aaron Apaza brings Mozart’s bassoon concerto to Knoxville audiences this coming Sunday, he’ll be thinking quite a bit differently about the piece than he usually does. “It’s music instead of a job interview,” he laughs. Apaza, who won the principal bassoon position in the Knoxville Symphony and Chamber orchestras in 2013, has often played the piece for auditions. Just as prospective candidates for employment have to demonstrate mastery of a certain skill set, professional musicians looking to be hired by an orchestra have a set of pieces – especially the more difficult, showy excerpts within them – that they’re required to know. French hornists must be able to perform certain tricky horn calls. Trumpeters spend many hours practicing well-known solo passages. And bassoonists need to know the Mozart bassoon concerto. Written when Mozart was 18, it is the composer’s first stab at a concerto for a wind instrument. And it’s the piece most often performed and studied in the entire bassoon repertory. “It’s been an interesting experience working on this piece for the purpose
Carol Shane
of actual performance,” says Apaza. “Until now I’ve only ever worked on it for auditions. It’s been difficult letting go of the idea that anything short of technical perfection would result in some sort of disqualification. I’ve had to get out of that box in order to free myself up to actually make music! “Once I clarified my musical mission, it actually became enjoyable rather than a chore to work on it.” Apaza grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota. He started playing alto saxophone at age 11, picking up the bassoon a few years later. He’s the most musical member of his family, though he says, “my dad dabbles in Irish fiddle.” The talented teen spent his last two years of high school at the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the Curtis Institute and his master’s at Yale University. Now he’s at home in
offices, through bungalows and private sanitariums. Along the way, he picks up some side missions, including tracking down a musician (Owen Wilson) who may or may not be dead and whose rehabbed wife (Jena Malone) is frantic. The film’s characters are a weird and colorful bunch, beginning with Doc. Aside from his handling of illicit drugs, he seems to be the purest and most ethical one
in the bunch. Josh Brolin is delightfully but dangerously wacky as Lt. Det. Christian F. “Bigfoot” Bjornsen, one of L.A.’s finest. He steamrolls over civil liberties with abandon – when he’s not working as an extra on cop shows. Phoenix’s “Walk the Line” co-star Reese Witherspoon appears as a buttoned-down beehived deputy D.A. who reveals her true self when she’s alone with Doc. Maybe. Martin Short is uber creepy as a dentist with a penchant for young talent. Eric Roberts puts a little haze on his usual oily persona, and Benicio Del Toro perks up his too-infrequent scenes. Wilson creates an intriguing aura and more than once may strike the viewer as the person who should have been in Doc’s shoes. Either he or Matthew McConaughey might have provided that spark that Phoenix is missing, the glimmer of humorous self-awareness that would give Doc an edge and turn “Inherent Vice” into something more than an interesting mess.
weekender
Ralph Abernathy (Colman Domingo), Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo), Andrew Young (Andre Holland) and John Lewis (Stephan James) press forward in their quest to obtain equal voting rights in “Selma.”
‘Selma’ tops week of big movies By Betsy Pickle
Early January is when studios start spreading out the films they opened in New York and Los Angeles for Oscar consideration in late December. That’s the case with a couple of movies this week, “Selma” and “Inherent Vice” (see review, this page). “Selma” (which the Shopper was unable to screen before deadline) arrives on a wave of positive buzz. Director Ava DuVernay’s film tells the story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s campaign to secure equal voting rights for African-Americans in 1965, despite an overwhelming amount of violent opposition. The historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., was the straw that broke the camel’s back, leading President Lyndon Baines Johnson to sign the Voting Bassoonist Aaron Apaza looks forward to performing on Sun- Rights Act of 1965. day, Jan. 11. Photos courtesy Knoxville Symphony Orchestra
Knoxville’s Bearden area, and he’s gearing up for Sunday, when the Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra will be at the Bijou Theatre. Also on the program is the Trumpet Concerto in D Major by Johann Stamitz, or possibly by Johann Georg Holzbogen. That’s right. Scholars still can’t agree on the composer of this piece! You didn’t know classical music was so controversial, did you? At any rate, it’ll be played to the rafters by the KSCO’s fabulous principal trumpeter, Phillip Chase Hawkins. Hawkins, who’s currently based in Kentucky, is active in many performing groups, including the University of Kentucky Faculty Brass Quintet, Saxton’s Cornet Band and the Lexington Brass Band. He’s also the adjunct Professor of Trumpet at Centre College in Danville, Ky., and is currently pursuing a doctorate
Rising star David Oyelowo (“Interstellar,” “A Most Violent Year”) plays King, with Tom Wilkinson as LBJ. The cast also includes Giovanni Ribisi, Tim Roth, Cuba Gooding Jr., Carmen Ejogo, Lorraine Toussaint, Common, Martin Sheen, Alessandro Nivola, Dylan Baker and Oprah Winfrey. The indestructible Liam Neeson returns for a (supposedly) final outing as ex-covert operative Bryan Mills in “Taken 3.” Accused of a vicious murder, Mills must fight to clear his name and protect the only thing that still matters to him. Starring with Neeson are Forest Whitaker, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Dougray Scott, Jon Gries and Leland Orser. Screenwriters Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen complete the trilogy they started with 2008’s “Taken.”
Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) has to clear his name when he’s accused of murder in “Taken 3.”
KSCO principal Chase Hawkins
trumpeter
of musical arts at the University of Kentucky. He’s played all over the world, in such locales as New York’s Carnegie Hall; the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, China; Tianjin Concert Hall in Tianjin, China; Stefaniensaal in Graz, Austria; and Brucknerhaus in Linz, Austria. And he excels at playing Baroque trumpet pieces, like the one he’ll be performing on Sunday.
If you want to hear a future star, you should come hear this young man. He’s destined for a big, big career. Also on the program is Richard Strauss’ lively, entertaining and virtuosic suite, “Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme,” based on a satire by the French playwright Moliere. The play, which was first performed in 1670 for the court of Louis XIV, pokes fun at social climbers and vain, snobbish aristocrats. Strauss’ vivid, bump-
tious adaptation, written during the early part of the 20th century, features various players in “bit parts” and will be well worth hearing. The Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra will present “Orchestra Soloists” at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 11, at the Bijou Theatre. Tickets can be purchased by calling 865-656-4444 or 877-9959961, or by visiting www. knoxvillesymphony.com. Send story suggestions to news@ shoppernewsnow.com.
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8 • JANUARY 7, 2015 • SOUTH KNOX Shopper news
Intensity marks Mount Olive spelling bee By Betsy Pickle
Dancing the Tangle Bransle Society for Creative Anachronism meets Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Academy for fun at the newspaper club, sponsored by Shopper-News. Above, Taylor Styles lifts her arm to allow Zac Carey to move underneath. This dance from the Middle Ages is called Tangle Bransle. Photo by Ruth White
Mount Olive Elementary School’s spelling bee was every bit as intense as the competition of most recent football bowl games. Held just before winter break, the bee was a lesson in stress management and good sportsmanship. Fourteen spellers from grades three through five took the stage in the school’s gymnasium to test their spelling prowess. While everyone made it through the first round with ease, one speller stumbled in the second, then three in the third. Missed words ranged from “verb” and “until” to “draw” and “gross.” Kids accepted their fates resolutely and joined their classmates
Reagan Bonner will represent Mount Olive Elementary at the Knox County Spelling Bee, with Ella Farmer as alternate. Photo by Betsy Pickle
to cheer on the other contestants. By the ninth round it was down to three. Third-grader
Diana Aguilar sent the tension into overdrive in the 10th round when she halted during “hubcap,” thinking
she had made a mistake mid-word. When she finally finished – correctly – the crowd of students, teachers and parents in the gymnasium exploded with applause. Diana’s high was shortlived as she sailed confidently through “activity” in the 11th round, only to omit an “i.” That left fourthgrader Reagan Bonner and fifth-grader Ella Farmer to duke it out. Ella, who’d had a gimme in round three when she got the word “farmer,” wasn’t so lucky with “suspenders.” Reagan spelled “doubt” and “valley” correctly to take first place in round 14. Reagan will represent Mount Olive at the county bee, with Ella as alternate.
Rugby thrives at South-Doyle High School By Betsy Pickle On Monday night, the South-Doyle rugby team gathered at the Bistro at the Bijou for its annual awards night. The players and coaches had much to celebrate, including winning the 7 on 7 team state championship on Dec. 6 in Murfreesboro. They also celebrated the growing popularity of rugby – did you even know that South-Doyle has a rugby team? Actually, it’s a club, says Matt Lance, a biology teacher who manages the rugby program. Lance coaches the 15 on 15 squad, which plays in the spring, and social studies teacher Chris Dillon coaches the 7s team, which plays in the fall. They and their assistants – including Bob Everett, Preston Murphy, Cody Wheeler and Chris Wheeler – are all volunteers who believe in the team and love rugby.
Surrounded by his teammates, Jason Surace displays his MVP plaque after the 7 on 7 Cherokees’ triumph at the state championship. Photo submitted “It’s probably one of the fastest-growing sports in the country right now,” says Lance, who adds that 7 on 7 rugby will be included in the next Olympic Games. South-Doyle has had a rugby team for about 10 years. This spring will be Lance’s eighth year as coach.
“We’ve been ranked in the nation in the 15s version, and we keep winning state championships in the 7s,” he says. South-Doyle had a combined 7s tournament season record of 13-1. Its combined points vs. competition in the state championship tournament was 111-17. This
was their third state title in five years. Senior Jason Surace was named tournament MVP. Lance gives a lot of the credit to alumni, who loyally return each season to coach and mentor the players. But he gives the lion’s share of praise to the players, especially the seniors.
“We’ve always been lucky to have exceptional leadership from our seniors,” he says. “This year was the first year we’ve had a senior class that was stacked full of kids on the honor roll, who have already been accepted into colleges.” The students play rugby spring, summer and fall, and athletes from other sports disciplines eagerly participate. Lance expects the 15s team to be ranked in the Top 25 nationally. The season will kick off Saturday, Jan. 10, at the South-Doyle Middle School stadium, with the team facing Phoenix Rugby from Atlanta. “In the spring we’ll get our football players to come out, and in the fall we’ll get our soccer players to come out,” Lance says. “It really represents the entire school. Every kid from every sport can play at some point throughout the year.
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“We’ve got kids from the band, ROTC members, football players, track runners, wrestlers and soccer players all represented in the same program that keeps winning championships out of South Knoxville.” In addition to Surace, standouts on this year’s 7 on 7 team included SouthDoyle’s first five-year player, Harley Wheeler, a Cherokees linebacker who was named IMAC Defensive Player of the Year. “This is the first time we’ve had kids with four and five years in the program. They’ve been on the rugby team since eighth grade. Next year, we’re going to have seven or eight players who have played five years in the program.” Winter break is about the only time off they have, and even then they’re constantly badgering the coaches about letting them get together for conditioning and practice.
SOUTH KNOX Shopper news • JANUARY 7, 2015 • 9
Great food & fun times at Cancun If you haven’t visited Cancun Mexican Restaurant lately, make a New Year’s resolution now to check out the new menu items. I recently met with two of the three partners who own this popular establishment. Roberto Ruiz and his cousin, Luis Ruiz, really understand the meaning of a family business. Their third partner, Jose Perez, is a longtime family friend. Roberto Ruiz has lived in Knoxville since 1993, and says he’s been in the restaurant business, “All my life!” As a young man he was a busboy at a steak house. He worked his way through every position, learning the restaurant business inside and out and eventually becoming the regional vice president based out of Atlanta. Busy Roberto and his two partners now own and operate the Halls and South
Nancy Whittaker
Knoxville Cancun locations as well as Señor Taco on North Broadway. They founded Cancun on Chapman Highway over 22 years ago with the idea of serving quality Mexican food in a fun, family environment. The Halls location was opened 3 1/2 years ago. Roberto says, “Cancun has become a fun place to enjoy a great menu that extends from tacos, burritos, grilled shrimp and carnitas … and of course our famous margaritas!” The new menu items sound delicious. Molcajete is a combination of grilled
Cousins Luis Ruiz and Roberto Ruiz own the South Knoxville and Halls locations of Cancun (not pictured: third partner, Jose Perez). Photo by Nancy Whittaker chicken, steak, shrimp, chorizo and carnitas, served in a hot stone with a special red sauce. A new seafood soup contains seven different types of seafood.
Sample the eight different types of tacos, which offer something for everyone. For fish lovers, ceviche, a tilapia dish cooked in lime juice mixed with
business onions, tomatoes, cilantro and spices, has been added to the menu. The tacos gringos consist of two flour tortillas, one filled with shredded chicken and one filled with shredded brisket, deep-fried and covered with cheese dip served with rice, beans and guacamole. Cancun offers a variety of lunch specials from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Both locations have a full bar and happy hour specials, which despite the name are available all day, every day. The Halls restaurant has a private banquet room that can accommodate up to 40 people. The South Knoxville location has a separate section that can also be booked for parties. Catering is available from both locations, with the Halls store now offering home delivery. Cancun in Halls offers
live music every Tuesday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. yearround. Live music is offered at the South Knoxville location out on the patio from March through November, weather permitting. Multiple big-screen TVs allow sports enthusiasts to watch their favorite games. What makes Cancun so special? Roberto says if you don’t see what you want on the menu, just ask. “There is no limit to what we will do to please a customer.” Cancun in Halls is at 4100 Crippen Road; 3773675. The South Knoxville location is at 4409 Chapman Highway, Suite E; 577-8881. Roberto and his staff say they are still as proud today as they were when they first opened to serve quality Mexican food and will work hard to remain open for years to come.
International Unicum Society co-chairs Jim Cundall and Townes Osborn lead the toast. Cundall’s wife, Nancy, is seated.
By Bonnie Millard The Unicum toast on New Year’s Eve by the Rotary Club of Knoxville is a testament of lasting international friendships that started 20 years ago. Downtown Rotary Club members and their guests met at Naples Italian Restaurant for the 12th annual gathering of the International Unicum Society to honor the Mátészalka (Hungary) Rotary Club and the Knysna (South Africa) Rotary Club. At 6 p.m., when Mátészalka was ushering in 2015 at midnight, society co-chair Townes Osborn offered a toast with Unicum, a Hungarian national liqueur. The Hungarian Rotarians offered a similar salute with Jack Daniel’s. A short time later, the local Rotarians made a second toast to Knysna with Amarula, a South African liqueur. Osborn explained to the group of about 40 people that being a member of the society is a simple matter: toasting with Unicum. Photos are emailed to Hungarian members. The society has no special obligations, but each member’s name is
placed on a website. However, the toast is more than a symbolic gesture. It celebrates the deep connection with Mátészalka and Knysna, which Osborn said are “Twin Clubs” with RCK, meaning the organizations work closely together on many projects. The association with Mátészalka started 20 years ago when Osborn, who has been to Hungary 20 times, traveled there with other Knoxville Rotarians. Jim Cundall, society cochair, said RCK raised funds for a children’s camp. In 1999, they organized a bike ride from Budapest to Mátészalka, a trip of about 170 miles, he said. At every stop, the riders toasted with Unicum. Osborn said in addition to the projects, the two clubs have had summer exchange programs for their children. Building friendships promotes peace in the world, she added. “I see the world without boundaries,” Osborn said. “There are more similarities in the world than there are differences …. Our relationships are deep and nurturing because we’ve accomplished things together.”
McCrary retires from U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Kevin E. McCrary retired from active military service Nov. 14, 2014, at Fort Belvoir, Va., h a v i n g served more Kevin McCrary than 29 years in the U.S. Army. He is the son of Blenda Juanita McCrary of East Knoxville. Family members also live in South Knoxville. During his career he held
a variety of leadership positions including a nominative position as operations sergeant major White House Communications Agency. During his tour at the White House he served as a special missions operations officer; first sergeant of Second Presidential Communications Command; and senior adviser for all vice presidential communications officers, operations sergeant major and the primary communications officer for Vice President Richard B. Cheney.
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Rotary toasts New Year’s Eve
Commercial Bank honorees Commercial Bank recognized its President’s Award Winners for 2014 at a recent dinner. Winners are nominated by customers, coworkers or management for outstanding job performance. Pictured are: Terry Lee, Commercial Bank CEO; Mitch Burke, New Tazewell branch manager/VP; Natalie Hall, West Knoxville loan processor; Shelia Price, VP/accounts payable, Harrogate; Corey Chesnut, loan officer/assistant VP, Barbourville (Ky.); Jason Ramsey, loan officer/assistant VP, Harrogate; and Adam Robertson, bank president. Photo submitted
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