South Knox Shopper-News 092315 by Shopper-News

SOUTH KNOX VOL. 32 NO. 38 1

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September July 23, 29, 2015 2013

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BUZZ

Old Sevier

Free Flu Shots Free Flu Shot Saturday is 8 a.m. to noon (while supplies last) Sept. 26 at six schools: Austin-East, Carter High, Farragut High, Halls High, South-Doyle Middle and West High. Donations will be accepted with proceeds to benefit the Empty Stocking Fund which provides food and toys to disadvantaged East Tennesseans during the holidays. Info: 865-342-6871.

Tree talk It was a meeting that was long overdue. The city’s urban forester, Kasey Krouse, visited the Chapman Highway Garden Club last week as part of his ongoing outreach effort. He has spoken to countless community groups in his nearly three years on the job, but he and the club members have one key goal in common – making the right things grow in the right places – so it was a surprise to hear that they’d never officially connected before.

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Read Betsy Pickle on page 3

Baseball and Rob Baseball has been very, very good to Rob Frost. Before he was on City Council, or a lawyer or a father, he was a fan. He played Little League for Rodgers Cadillac against teams like National Plastics and Copper Cellar in the Knoxville Youth Sports league. Vance Link was the commissioner; Jimmy Haslam was his coach. He has passed his Sequoyah All-Stars jersey down to his older son, Sonny.

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Read Betty Bean on page 5

A famous person Where can a person go for an evening out with quality entertainment by famous performers without leaving Halls? That’s easy. Just go to Christ UMC for the choir fundraiser planned for 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. “Well, you’ll get one famous person and me,” said former Hee-Haw guy Phil Campbell.

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Read Cindy Taylor on page 7

A breakout group from the Project for Public Spaces workshop looks over the area at the south end of Baker Street. From left are Alan Smith of the South Knoxville Alliance, Ben Epperson of the Knox County Health Department, Nancy Campbell of Island Home Park Neighborhood Association, John Thomas of Old Sevier Community Group, South Knoxville Elementary School principal Tana Nicely and Robert “Rebob” Nyert of Borderland Woodworks. Photo by Betsy Pickle

By Betsy Pickle With all that’s happening near the South Waterfront – the creation of Suttree Landing Park and new businesses and residences popping up along Sevier Avenue

Business and government leaders from across the state were wowed by the 3D printing and other manufacturing innovations available in the megalab at the Strawberry Plains campus of Pellissippi State Community College.

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Read Sandra Clark on page 10

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South Knoxville knows from experience that the nonprofit planning organization Project for Public Spaces is a helpful voice. In October 2013, representatives from the New York-based

PPS visited Vestal to help the community think of ways to make public areas more lively and alluring. Last Wednesday, Elena Madison To page 3

Opera ahead at 5th Avenue Baptist By Bill Dockery

Songs from classical operas and Broadway shows, mixed liberally with spirituals and gospel tunes, are coming to one of East Knoxville’s historic early-20th-century churches on Saturday. The Knoxville Opera will stage a concertstyle performance in the sanctuary of 5th Avenue Baptist Church, 2500 E. 5th Avenue, on Sept. 26 at 3:30 p.m. Admission is free. The program will feature artists and selections from the company’s upcoming 2015-16 season, as well as local singers and the Knoxville Opera Gospel Choir. “The concert features singers performing all kinds of music,” said Michael Torano, the opera’s director of marketing and public relations. “Our notion was to celebrate all the vocal talents.” Torano said the Knoxville Opera was inspired by the Cincinnati Opera, which invent-

Singletary

Bearden

Jack

ed the “Opera Goes to Church” performance several years ago. “We borrowed from their concept and then went even further,” Torano said. The Knoxvillians boast what they believe is the only Opera Gospel Choir in the nation. The performance at 5th Avenue Baptist will mark the seventh year the local group has “gone to church.” The program includes seven gospel num-

bers, including “Nothing is impossible,” “God’s on your side,” and “Jesus is real,” sung by Michael Rodgers, Evelyn Jack and Ernest Woods. Scott Bearden will perform the “Te Deum” from “Tosca,” and Donovan Singletary will sing “Give me Jesus.” Singletary, a bass/baritone, is affiliated with the Metropolitan Opera and will also perform music from the company’s upcoming performance of Boito’s “Mefistofele.” He will be joined by Julia Lima and Cody Austin for a trio from Gounod’s “Faust.” Jeanie Turner Melton and Brian Salesky are the music directors for the concert, which is sponsored by Home Federal Bank. Salesky is also the group’s executive director. Though the sanctuary seats an audience of 800, based on attendance in previous years Torano recommends that concertgoers arrive early.

Burritt hiring signals shift in direction for PBA By Betty Bean

Megalab wows

– it made sense to look at some of the underutilized – and unlovely – spaces in the area that could be improved. And when you’re trying to brainstorm uses for public spaces,

Last week, Public Building Authority board members decided to demonstrate an abundance of caution and wait a few weeks before appointing Jayne Burritt president and CEO. Instead, they voted to vote when they meet again in the regularly scheduled October meeting. Burritt’s name is the only one under consideration. Burritt, PBA’s director of property management, is well liked by board members and by both Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett and Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero. If appointed, she will fill the position Dale Smith is scheduled to vacate Jan. 1. The announcement that the PBA board will forgo a national search raised some eyebrows. Board member Lewis Cosby said it shouldn’t. “We only have two clients – the city and the county, and when we

started this process, both our clients said she was at the top of their list,” Cosby said. He gave little credence to the brief kerfuffle over Burritt’s authorization of surveillance cameras in the City County Building. “I don’t think there’s anything Jayne Burritt to that,” said Cosby, pointing out that PBA met the legal requirement of posting notification of the surveillance. Burritt, a native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, came to PBA from First Tennessee Bank in 2008 and has had 23 years of experience in property management. PBA sources say she came with a strong recommendation from Larry Martin, former chief operating officer of First Tennessee Financial Services and now commissioner of

Finance and Administration for Gov. Bill Haslam. Her selection for the top job has led some observers to conclude that PBA is getting out of the construction business in the wake of PBA property development director Jeff Galyon’s abrupt resignation after running afoul of conflict-of-interest laws. “There’s some truth to that,” Burritt said. “I think we have to regain our clients’ trust. The city has some concerns, and we want to rebuild that department (property development) if need be.” PBA still has some $30 million worth of building projects – mostly for the city – in the pipeline. When she is appointed, Burritt will become the fourth president of the PBA, which was created in 1971 for the purpose of building the City County Building and structuring an arrangement under which both city and county governments

would be co-equal tenants. The county uses more space, but the two bodies have equal status. Outgoing CEO Smith, who has held the job for nearly 16 years and draws a $196,000 annual salary, said he is delighted with the choice of Burritt as his successor. “It sends a huge, positive signal to our employees,” he said. “People don’t know where they stand when a new boss is hired.” Smith said his major charge when he came to Knoxville was to navigate feuding city and county factions. The two sides get along better now, but he said there are still “built-in conflicts with the two mayors. Sometimes our job is to tell them no.” Once Burritt takes over, PBA will be run by a triumvirate of women that will include finance director Robyn Smith and Susan Davis, acting director of property management.

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2 • SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 • Shopper news

health & lifestyles

Bypassing go Cleveland woman gets energized after bariatric surgery by gain: more energy, better sleep, fewer body aches, “great” blood pressure and best of all, a new life. “My worst days now are what I thought were my best days before,” she said. “I still love food. I think it tastes good. That’s why I eat it! But now I love yard sales – that’s my addiction now. I can wear my friends out shopping now. They’ll be ready to quit and I’m saying, ‘C’mon! I’m bigger than you! C’mon, let’s go!’” She doesn’t mind getting her picture taken anymore either. But when she looks at her “before” pictures, Ayala says, “I think, ‘Lord have mercy! How did I ever let myself get like that?’ It’s not because I was in a car accident and was bedridden and I couldn’t get around. It’s because I kept putting that food in my mouth and I didn’t stop. I really do recommend this surgery. It’s not an easy way out, but for some of us, it’s the only way out.”

Learn more about bariatric surgery Register for informational seminars conducted by surgeons from the Fort Sanders Regional Center for Bariatric Surgery by calling 865-673-FORT (3678). Seminars will be held on these Thursday evenings throughout the remainder of 2015: Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center 1901 Clinch Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37916 Classroom #1, Lobby Level

■ October 22, 7:00 p.m. ■ November 12, 6:00 p.m. ■ December 10, 7:00 p.m.

Like so many others, Robin Ayala has seen a dramatic change after weight loss surgery. Thanks to Dr. Jonathan Ray of the Center for Bariatric Surgery at Fort Sanders Regional, she has lost 279 pounds.

la’s Body Mass Index, the most common weight-to-height metric for identifying obesity, measured 79.5 – more than double the morbid obesity marker of 35-plus. That meant she couldn’t qualify for surgery unless she first lost 50 to 55 pounds. It seemed an almost impossible task. Yet, she knew something had to be done. “I was 477 pounds and almost immobile,” Ayala said. “I had diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep apnea. I could hardly walk and I wasn’t getting any smaller. I kept getting heavier and heavier and heavier, and I felt I had to do something and it had to be something drastic.” “I didn’t really have a life,” she added. “I’d drive the kids to school and come back and sit on the couch and fall asleep. I’d just conk out. I had to sleep on the couch, too, because my back hurt and my knees killed me. I had to sit in a chair to load the dishwasher because my legs couldn’t support me. Taking a shower wore me out – I would be more wet from sweating than from the shower. My feet were as high as they were wide and ached so bad that I would literally wait until it was almost too late before I would go to the bathroom. It hurt that much to walk.” So, Ayala decided to follow Dr. Ray’s instructions, attending four required nu-

trition classes to help her shed the needed pounds to qualify for the surgery. “If you don’t go to the classes, you don’t have your surgery – period,” she said. By the day of her surgery, Ayala had lost 77 pounds. When she was discharged from the hospital two days later, she began life anew. “Your stomach is just like a baby, a newborn – it’s been ‘reborn,’” she said. “The first two weeks, it’s liquids only. And you don’t even want the liquids because you’re not even hungry. You’ve got to force yourself to do that but you’ve got to have it or you will starve to death.” The pounds began falling off quickly. Although she began to reach a plateau at nine months, Robin shed 155 pounds by the 10-month mark. Then, over the next few months, she lost another 65. Today, the 5-foot-6 Ayala weighs 204, and hopes to lose about 30 more pounds. “I’ve almost been at a standstill for about 15 months, but I can lose more if I just do better,” she said. “I would love to be 170. I wouldn’t mind being at 180. I never wanted to be tiny – I think it’s better to be 10 over than 10 under, but I’ll be a decent size anyway. I’m pretty happy where I am now if it was just firm.” But the loss has also been accompanied

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She never liked having pictures taken but after losing 279 pounds via gastric bypass, Robin Ayala of Cleveland, Tenn., might want to reconsider that one photo she loathes most: the one on her driver’s license. “I’ve had to show people my driver’s license and they won’t accept it!” Ayala said recently. “They don’t believe it’s me. I ask them, ‘Why would I show you that ugly picture if it’s not me?!’ I have changed a lot.” Indeed. Not only has her shoulder-length hair been traded for a short ‘n’ sassy cut, but the 45-year-old mother of four is noticeably thinner – in her face, stomach, arms, legs and even her feet. So much so that friends do a “double take” when they see her. What made the difference? The Rouxen Y gastric bypass surgery performed by Dr. Jonathan Ray, a surgeon at the Fort Sanders Center for Bariatric Surgery. Roux-en Y gastric bypass is the current gold standard for weight loss surgery. The stomach is reduced in size by stapling a smaller stomach pouch. The outlet from this new pouch empties directly into the lower portion of the small intestines, “bypassing” calorie absorption. The key to successful weight loss via the Roux-en Y gastric bypass is the early sense of fullness and satisfaction. Ayala, who had put on most of her weight during her four pregnancies and was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, was referred to Dr. Ray by her primary care provider in Cleveland, TN, who had told her that she “wouldn’t be around for her kids” if she didn’t do something soon. She searched the Internet and found a schedule for Dr. Ray’s evening bariatric surgery seminars held at various locations throughout Covenant Health. There, she found not only the answers she needed, but the doctor she wanted as well. “The seminars were very informative,” she said. “There was a slideshow, and he would point out things and tell you exactly what was what. Instead of just telling you, ‘You need to get it done’ and that’s it, he tells exactly what you need to hear. I like to be informed. Listening to him and talking to him one-on-one really helped, because I like a doctor who will talk to you and has a good bedside manner.” For Ayala, the January 2013 surgery marked a turning point in her life, helping her not only lose weight, but realize the seriousness of her health risks. “I knew I was big. I knew I was very big, but I couldn’t be weighed because there wasn’t anything to weigh me on,” said Ayala. So when the scales at Dr. Ray’s office rose to 477 pounds, even Ayala couldn’t believe it. “When they weighed me I just cried,” said Ayala. “I just couldn’t believe I was almost 500 pounds! I thought maybe I weighed 400 because 400 is big, but I didn’t know I was almost 500! I just didn’t see it. I told Dr. Ray, ‘There is something wrong with your scales!’ I didn’t believe it. My husband didn’t believe it either. I guess him seeing me every day he didn’t think I gained that much.” Even more devastating was that Aya-

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SOUTH KNOX Shopper news • SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 • 3

Urban forester Kasey Krouse (orange shirt) joins Chapman Highway Garden Club members Nancy Horton, Suzi Hall, Janice Sparkman, Cristin Lambert, Angela Jones, Norma Pierson, Jo Ann Sexton, Mildred Ketron, Dianne Forry and Susan Martin. Photo by Betsy Pickle

Krouse finds kindred spirits at garden club It was a meeting that was long overdue. The city’s urban forester, Kasey Krouse, visited the Chapman Highway Garden Club last week as part of his ongoing outreach effort. He has spoken to countless community groups in his nearly three years on the job, but he and the club members have one key goal in common – making the right things grow in the right places – so it was a surprise to hear that they’d never officially connected before. Krouse had a lot to talk about regarding the urban forestry division’s work in South Knoxville. “We’ve got a lot of projects going on right now,” he said. He cited the new apartment complex going up next to Island Home Park. “There will be trees lining the street, but also they’re going to be putting in the (riverwalk) there, so there’ll be trees over there as well.” His division is collaborat-

Betsy Pickle

ing on the entranceway to Fort Dickerson Park, which will be lined with trees. He said the goats being used to eradicate kudzu at Fort Dickerson are handled by the horticulture division, with which he works closely. “We’re trying to combat kudzu as much as possible,” he said. “You look at the amount of money we’ve spent in South Knoxville compared to the rest of the city, over half our invasivespecies budget tends to go toward South Knoxville just because of the abundance of the number of invasive species. “Kudzu tends to be in South Knoxville, so we want to try to put the money where the problem is.” Krause told the garden

club that Knoxville has moved its Arbor Day from spring to fall. “We’re now having it in November, and the reason is because that’s the time we want to be putting trees into the ground,” he said. “About a month from now, that’s the time to start planting trees. We want to bring that awareness to the public.” This year’s Arbor Day celebration will be Friday, Nov. 6, at Lonsdale Elementary School. When it comes to choosing trees to plant, Krouse’s philosophy is diversification. He explained that if property owners focus on planting just one species, a parasite or disease that attacks that species could kill all those trees. He didn’t name specific types of trees to plant, but he pointed the members to the urban forestry page on knoxvilletn.gov, where the FAQ contains a list of recommended species. (He also cited treesaregood.org as a helpful resource.)

He said that while most trees, including hardwoods, generally are best planted between November and March, some species should be planted in the spring, including crape myrtles, Southern magnolias, evergreens and pines. He recommended reusing the soil from the hole where the tree is to be planted rather than purchasing potting soil. Fall and winter are the best times of year for doing tree maintenance, he said. “You can prune yearround, but that’s the big thing in fall time. The leaves have pulled all that energy back into storage, and that’s the time to start taking limbs off. That way, when springtime comes, those wounds we pruned off will have healed over.” For those who need help with the maintenance of their trees, he had some practical advice. “Get an arborist, not the cheapest guy in the phonebook.”

community Fixer-upper ideas

From page 1

and Philip Winn returned to work with a different group of South Knoxvillians on ideas for the area around South Knoxville Elementary School, specifically four spots along Barber Street. The school’s Barber Street frontage will be undergoing major changes as Suttree Landing gets closer to opening. But spaces on each end of the school frontage and across Sevier where Barber dead-ends leave something to be desired. The dead-end especially needs TLC to combat weeds, litter and graffiti. The PPS workshop at South Knoxville Elementary was secured by a grant written by Ben Epperson, program manager for Knox County Health Department’s Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities, and Amy Brooks of the Metropolitan Planning Commission. After an overview by Madison and Winn, attendees broke into four groups to survey the four identified sites, then returned to the school to share their findings. Easily the most exciting spot was the Barber dead end, which is bordered on the south by a portion of the Gulf & Ohio railroad track recently announced by Legacy Parks Foundation as a rails-to-trails project connecting the former Kern’s Bakery site on Chapman Highway to Mead’s Quarry at Ijams Nature Center. The group members were able to envision activities and amenities that could appeal to both the rail-trail users and the surrounding neighbor-

hood. Epperson said that property owners in the industrial area, Henry & Wallace and Advance Metal Fabrication, were open to improvements on the dead end. The small group brainstormed about the possibilities. The ramp and deck at the back of one building seemed a no-brainer for skateboarding or performance space. The side of the metal fabricating building could lend itself to screening movies or sports broadcasts. The space could be used for craft fairs, art displays, a play area. Tailgating events could be staged, with shuttles arranged to University of Tennessee football games. Some of the same ideas came from the other groups – performances, music, play. Everyone seemed to like the idea of painting crosswalks creatively to make passersby aware that this is a neighborhood and to drive safely. The organizers encouraged participants to think in terms of “Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper” – ideas that could be accomplished quickly, with a small financial outlay and without necessarily being permanent. The workshop concluded Thursday with participants zeroing in on specific projects that could be easily implemented – the crosswalks and dead-end “plaza” leading the way – and identifying potential partners. Epperson, who said the health department would commit $3,000, will oversee the ongoing initiative.

Join the conversation at www.ShopperNewsNow.com

4 • SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 • Shopper news

Losing to Florida is getting old

This little problem with Florida is not exactly new. Going back to 1976, Tennessee has whipped the Gators six times and lost 25. Does that put the current 10-game losing streak into perspective? Does it now hurt more or less? Three consecutive setbacks in the mid-1990s may have cost Peyton Manning the Heisman Trophy. Phillip Fulmer endured 12 defeats and several nettlesome darts and arrows from Steve Spurrier. Urban Meyer started the current Florida monopoly. Lane Kiffin helped a lot. His first day on the job, he promised Tennessee fans

Marvin West

that he would “sing Rocky Top all night long” after the Volunteers knocked off Florida in Gainesville the following September. You know how that turned out. Maybe it was for the best. Kiffin never learned all the words to the song. Derek Dooley followed form. He went 0-3. Florida

gained 555 yards in 2012. This was the time of Sal Sunseri’s defense. What a blunder that was. Butch Jones is 0-2. He brought that on himself. The 2013 game was marred by his worst coaching decision, starting a poorly prepared Nathan Peterman in the swamp. The Human Rights Commission still thinks that was cruel and unusual punishment. What followed after the coin toss was a nightmare in the middle of the afternoon. There was a confused handoff on the second play. Next, Nathan fumbled when sacked. He lost two interceptions, one to a defensive

Has Knoxville outgrown The smoke has cleared and the trash has been picked up following the 28th, and final, Boomsday. For me, and many of my peers, it’s a loss. Our kids grew up watching the fireworks, and we did, too. It was a spectacular and unique show, and I was proud to tell out-of-town friends about Knoxville’s Labor Day ritual that included a flaming waterfall and pyrotechnic sharks in the Tennessee River. Rituals are important to us. We like the 1812 Overture on the Fourth of July and festive lights and iceskating on Market Square at Christmas. We especially like football and all of its social accoutrements, and Boomsday has served as a giant community welcome to fall − the most hallowed season in East Tennessee. So I expected a huge public outcry at the news that Boomsday would be no

Wendy Smith

more, and I thought local merchants would miss the event that drew an estimated 400,000 viewers. But I came up short when I called around to ask about lost revenues. Justin Daley of the Downtown Knoxville Hampton Inn & Suites reported an uptick in reservations for the evening of Boomsday, along with requests for rooms with a view of the fireworks. Beyond that, no one accepted my invitation to complain. Bart Fricks, chief operating officer for the Copper Cellar family of restaurants, which includes Calhoun’s On The River, described Boomsday as “a wash.” The Neyland Drive restaurant

lineman. If Tennessee gave that game away, Florida tried to give it back. The Gators committed three turnovers in the first half and lost their quarterback. Last year’s 10-9 defeat was more painful. It was opportunity squandered. Leaving out the adjectives, Florida wasn’t very good. The Vols might have won going away but for three turnovers, eight penalties, six sacks and four red-zone failed attempts to score touchdowns. Tennessee had 10 plays in the red zone. They weren’t very creative. The result was two field goals, 11 lost yards

and an interception. Defining moments? The Vols were leading 9-0 in the final minute of the third quarter. Justin Worley got blindsided by a corner blitz. He fumbled. Tennessee still had a 9-7 edge. A missed tackle led to a 32-yard Gator gain that set up the winning field goal. For the game, the Vols netted 28 yards rushing. There was no punch. No way can I prove it but I think that was the day Butch decided to change offensive coordinators. Tampa Bay’s opening for a quarterback coach made it easier. This rivalry once marked

by assorted excitement – post-game brawl, Tennessee plays faxed to Florida, Doug Dickey on both sides at the same time, a blink-of-theeye pass completion – has slipped toward predictability. The Gators have been clearly superior or the Vols have self-destructed. Either way, Florida wins. Well, that was then. This is the start of a new way of doing business. If Tennessee is going to grow up and become champs of the SEC East, Gainesville is a great place to begin. As cousin Clyde might say, go Vols! Marvin West invites reader reaction. His address is westwest6@netzero.com

Boomsday?

stayed busy during the event, but road closures throughout the weekend meant reduced revenue for Saturday and Sunday afternoon. He’s never noticed an increase at the company’s other restaurants, either. The biggest losers are local museums that netted huge proceeds from private viewing events. Boomsday Celebration: A Night at the McClung Museum netted $18,000 this year and $12,000 at last year’s inaugural event. Replacing the income from Boomsday, Bluegrass & Barbecue at the MabryHazen House will require some work, said executive director Calvin Chappelle. This was the event’s eighth year, and it brought in at least $10,000 each year, which is “huge in the nonprofit world.” But he understands why it couldn’t continue and said he would make the same

Photo by Lance T. Pettiford/ lancepettiford.com

choice if an event he organized was losing money. He points out that Knoxville was a different place in 1988, the year Boomsday debuted. Downtown cleared out after 5 p.m., and Riverfront Landing was still nearly a decade away. People needed a reason to come to downtown, and Boomsday provided it. Now, there’s always some-

thing to see and do, Chappelle says. People flock downtown for the farmers market, concerts and each First Friday, with or without fireworks. We’ll always be sentimental about Boomsday, like we’re sentimental about childhood birthday parties. But maybe we’ve grown up and don’t need so much flash. Maybe we’ll focus on

the city’s outdoor recreation opportunities, like the upcoming Open Streets event on Sunday, Oct. 25, on Central Street. Maybe we’ll support our cultural gems, like the Mabry-Hazen House and the McClung Museum. And maybe our next big festival will be on the South Waterfront. I’m hoping for pyrotechnic sharks.

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Shopper news • SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 • 5

Frost on baseball:

a family tradition Baseball has been very, very good to Rob Frost. Before he was on City Council, or a lawyer or a father, he was a fan.

Betty Bean He played Little League for Rodgers Cadillac against teams like National Plastics and Copper Cellar in the Knoxville Youth Sports league. Vance Link was the commissioner; Jimmy Haslam was his coach. He has passed his Sequoyah All-Stars jersey down to his older son, Sonny. “Another coach in the league was some guy named Mike Chase. He coached Copper Cellar,” Frost said. “Vance Link pitched to me and has pitched to Sonny and Charlie (Frost’s younger son) as well.” He believes that baseball

is good for kids. “Baseball teaches patience – there’s a game within the game. The different battles that go on between pitchers and batters, and how, defensively, the game is played and how the team’s got to work together. Offensively, it’s one batter against nine players. In football, it’s 11 on 11. In baseball it’s one versus nine, if you’re on offense. And in baseball, if you get a hit three out of 10 times you’re at the plate, you’re a majorleague all star.” Given all that, it wasn’t a surprise that baseball was Frost’s topic as September’s featured book reviewer for the Knox County Public Library’s “Books Sandwiched In” lecture at the East Tennessee History Center. Every audience member last week got a box of Cracker Jack. The official topic was John Feinstein’s “Where Nobody Knows Your Name: Life in the Minor Leagues

For Sonny, Charlie and Rob Frost, baseball is a family tradition. Photo submitted

of Baseball,” a poignant account of the players who chase their dreams and hope to get noticed while playing for teams like the Montgomery Biscuits or the Chattanooga Lookouts or the Omaha Storm Chasers. Only a tiny fraction ever get that call to join The Show, said Frost, who was clearly moved by the stories of players from impoverished countries like the Dominican Republic desperate to parlay their skills on the diamond into a way to deliver their families a better way of life. The foreign players weren’t the only ones who grabbed Frost’s sympathetic attention. He talked about young men from all over the USA who keep hoping for the big break that will carry them to the majors. He demonstrated that hallmark of a baseball fan – a love of statistics – via a handout listing some of the major characters fea-

Another city election, another low turnout tured in Feinstein’s book – Richard McLouth, Jean Carlos Boscan and Scott “The Podfather” Podsednik, who played for 21 teams in a career crowned by a walk-off home run for the Chicago White Sox. Two years later, he was out of baseball. Frost says he doesn’t have a favorite major-league team. Sonny, on the other hand, is a big-time Yankees fan and already shows signs that he’ll be the same kind of baseball guy as his dad. “Here’s a kid who, for his ninth birthday party had a Honus Wagner cookie cake – Honus Wagner, who last played baseball in 1917,” Frost said.

UT lobbyist will earn pay in upcoming session Dave Hart, University of Tennessee athletic director, is acting as though the Lady Vol name controversy has blown over and it is business as usual. Hart was quoted recently as saying the Athletic Department has moved on from this controversy. Little does he understand the Tennessee mindset when he says that. He can expect to see it considered in the next legislative session when respected members like Roger Kane and Becky Duncan Massey bring it up. This issue is only in remission at present and likely will come back stronger than ever in the session of the state Legislature starting Jan. 13. UT lobbyist Anthony Haynes, who is paid $180,000 a year, will have his hands full protecting Hart from himself. ■ State Rep. Bill Dunn, who chairs the allimportant House Calendar Committee, certainly struck a responsive chord with his comments a few weeks ago critical of the UT Office for Diversity and Inclusion for suggesting the use of pronouns xe and hir and zirs instead of he/she. He first thought this was a joke, and when he discovered it was true, he asked if taxpayers really pay someone to generate this stuff. UT has enough issues against it in Nashville al-

Victor Ashe

ready without adding this to the fire. It can only worsen relations with the conservative GOP majority in Nashville. UT says this is not policy and was only informational. U.S. Rep. Jimmy Duncan, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and others have blasted it. Knoxville business leader Raja Jubran is the new vice chair of the UT Board, having been tapped by Gov. Haslam to hold the post. He will have his hands full dealing with these issues not of his making. It turns out that Donna Braquet, who was quoted, is actually a part-time employee of the UT diversity office, earning $72,378 mostly for her work at the University Libraries. The annual budget of the diversity office is $436,702, with vice chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion Rickey Hall directing the office and paid $181,637 a year. Hall has other duties besides this office, according to UT’s Margie Nichols. ■ The only contest in the upcoming city election of real note on Sept. 29 is

the battle over Seat C for the at-large City Council position currently held by Finbarr Saunders. Challenging him are three persons: Kelly Absher, Paul Bonovich and David Williams. Based on activity, it has narrowed to a BonovichSaunders contest with the top two of the four candidates going on to the November runoff. Saunders, who was ousted from County Commission by Jeff Ownby in 2010, is working hard to prevent a second ouster. He has had numerous small receptions, had yard signs erected and raised over $30,000. He is clearly worried in part due to the expected low voter turnout, which could work against him in the November runoff. Bonovich is talking about Saunders’ vote for a 34-cent property tax hike, which passed seven to two with Nick Della Volpe and Marshall Stair voting no. It is unclear how damaging that vote will be to Saunders, but it is not a topic Saunders brings up. Bonovich says 34 cents on the property tax rate was too high, and Saunders is not looking for ways to cut costs. He wants to reduce the tax rate. A safe prediction seems that Bonovich, 52, and Saunders, 70, will advance to the runoff with an engaging campaign to November.

In case you missed it, the Knoxville city primary election is underway, and early voting is finishing up this week. On the first day of voting, 145 votes were cast. You read that correctly. In a city of about 183,000 people, only 145 folks bothered to show up on the first day of voting. You’ve got a problem when more people show up at the Shoney’s breakfast buffet than at the polling place. (In fact, voter turnout was so low that Jeb Bush thought it was a big crowd!) It’s easy to blame a slew of uncontested races for the low turnout. It’s even easier to blame voter apathy. Some politicos even go so far as to say that no one votes in city elections because folks are happy with the performance of city government. (Admittedly, there’s some truth to that. If the city were in crisis, there’d be more candidates and higher public interest.) But at some point you have to blame the system for the lower turnout. Offyear elections held in oddnumbered years have fewer voters. Low-turnout elections favor special-interest groups like government employees and neighborhood organizations that are more likely to turn out and vote. In the long run, these low-turnout elections will have a corrosive effect on city government. Politicians will inevitably favor the policy needs of city employees and neighborhood groups over the needs of the city at large. It’s not a good thing. City leaders should modify the election calendar to encourage higher turnout. ■ Next mayor of Knoxville? With Mayor Rogero unopposed for reelection and term limited, positioning for the 2019 mayoral race has already begun. City Council mem-

Saunders wants to pile up a large margin in the primary next week to propel him forward in November, when the mayor will not be on the ballot. Saunders repeatedly endorses the other three incumbent council members, but at least one incumbent, Stair, says he is running his own campaign and not endorsing or opposing anyone in the other council contests. Saunders talks about how well current council members get along, so their re-election is merited. Seems like a minor consideration to this writer. Position on issues is far more significant. ■ An interesting book on World War II and how FDR managed the war effort published recently is “American Warlords” by Jonathan Jordan, an attorney living in Atlanta. It is well researched and worth ■ State Sen. Mark Norris and reading if you have a strong his wife, Chris, from Collierville, outside of Memhis, were interest in WWII. in Strawberry Plains last week ■ John Lansing, who to tour the new megalab at lived in Knoxville a few Pellissippi State. Chris said years ago while working as Mark is interested in workpresident of Scripps Netforce development. works and was general cam■ Mike Edwards, CEO of the paign chair for United Way Knoxville Chamber and workone year, has been named force guy, was at the lab tour CEO and director of the as well. He said our picture of Broadcasting Board of Govcows by the TVA power lines ernors, which runs Voice at the proposed Midway Busiof America, among other ness Park reminded him of things. His appointment is the old slogan: “Where nature not subject to Senate confirand technology meet.” mation.

Scott Frith

ber George Wallace has been running television ads for his unopposed reelection campaign, telling folks, “We’re not done, yet.” Of course, turnout for city elections is so low, Wallace could have dinner with every prospective voter between now and the 2019 mayoral election. ■ Curtain call for Boomsday? This year’s Boomsday fireworks show was reportedly the last. Event organizers report that the Labor Day weekend event runs a deficit of about $100,000 a year. Here’s hoping the annual fireworks show continues next year. Of course, $100,000 is a lot of money. However, the Boomsday budget shortfall is less than the taxpayer-funded salary of a senior director in either city or county government. Fireworks shows aren’t supposed to be “profitable.” Fireworks are affordable entertainment for cashstrapped families who can’t afford to get their kids through the gates at UT football games. A cynic might say that Boomsday doesn’t get funded because it brings a less affluent crowd downtown. Folks who don’t vote as frequently. Folks who don’t spend a lot of money. It will be a shame if Boomsday goes away. Politicians spend enough money currying favor with the well connected. They should throw a fireworks show for regular folks, too. Let’s bring back Boomsday. Scott Frith is a local attorney. You can contact him at scott@pleadthefrith.com.

GOSSIP AND LIES

■ Donald Trump’s support comes from people who don’t want a politician to be president. That’s like saying you don’t want a brain surgeon to operate on your head. ■ State Rep. Eddie Smith has filed legislation to restore some $261 million to the TDOT budget that was “raided” during the Bredesen Administration. Tennessee has a backlog of road projects totaling $6.1 billion. ■ Off to a great start, Eddie. Now where’s the other $5,839,000,000 coming from?

Re-Elect

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6 • SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 • SOUTH KNOX Shopper news

SENIOR NOTES ■ Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett’s Senior Appreciation Picnic, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, John Tarleton Park, 3201 Division St. Info: 215-4007.

Fun at the

■ South Knox Sr. Center 6729 Martel Lane 573-5843 knoxcounty.org/seniors Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23: 8:30 a.m. guitar lessons, 9 a.m. painting; 10 a.m. quilting; 11 a.m. Water Peeps; noon bridge. Thursday, Sept. 24: 9 a.m. water aerobics, South Knox Opry; 10 a.m. water Pilates; 12:15 p.m. ballroom dance; 1 p.m. Rook, water aerobics; 1:30 p.m. line dance; 2 p.m. water Pilates.

Fair

By 11 a.m. the streets were already filling up with seniors. Photos by Cindy Taylor

By Cindy Taylor

Friday, Sept. 25: Closed. Monday, Sept. 28: 9 a.m. water aerobics; 10 a.m. water Pilates; 11 a.m. quilting, Water Peeps; 1 p.m. bridge, water aerobics, gospel sing. Tuesday, Sept. 29: 8:45 a.m. senior cardio fitness, dulcimer lessons; 9 a.m. water aerobics; 10 a.m. SAIL exercise, crafts/beading; 11 a.m. Tai Chi I; 12:30 p.m. Tai Chi II; 1 p.m. pinochle, water aerobics; 2 p.m. yoga, water Pilates. ■ South Knox Community Center 522 Old Maryville Pike 573-3575 Provides a variety of senior programs. Monday-Friday Hours vary

Judy Breuer, Valerie Cody and Miller Dowdell learn how to make gift boxes out of Christmas cards from demonstrator Christa Keyes.

■ John T. O’Connor Senior Center 611 Winona St. 523-1135 Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Nate Bednar runs through a routine with Breeze, a four-year-old Australian Cow dog mix. All canines in the Marvelous Mutts show are rescue dogs.

■ One Call Club 2247 Western Ave. 595-3006 knoxseniors.org/onecall Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:45 p.m.

More pictures next week

36th Annual

Celebrate with us as we rebuild!

Free for seniors day at the Tennessee Valley Fair brought more than 2,500 people 65 and older to enjoy rides, games, displays and free stuff. The day was geared to those with special needs as well. Many rides were run at a slower speed to accommodate those who wanted or needed a more leisurely experience. A trolley was available to transport fairgoers from the front gate to the Pepsi community tent where seniors could take advantage of free blood pressure checks, flu shots and check out entertainment on stage all in the shade. Senior Home Assistance of Tennessee set up booths under the tent from numerous local vendors to give seniors a one-stop opportunity to compare services and senior benefits. Inside the Jacob building UT Extension and FCE partnered to offer free drinks and snacks along with culinary learning opportunities. Terri Karlson and Brandy Beene from The

Tree and Vine held demonstrations and free tastings. They explained uses for olive oil and how to tell when it is past its best date. Seniors also learned how to make their own decorative wine bottles. At the Kerr building seniors could explore beautiful displays from local crafters and participate in making many of their own to take home. As usual handmade quilts made a huge showing. “I don’t quilt but my grandmother did so I understand the work that goes into these,” said fairgoer Judith Dowell. “I am very impressed with these quilts. They are part of our history.” The Country Store featured handmade items and holiday décor for sale. The dog show, only in its second year at the fair, was well worth the stop. Nate Bednar works with the rescued canines that perform amazing tricks. Many seniors stated that it was one of the best Tennessee Valley Fairs ever.

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faith

Shopper news • SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 • 7

God, the jeweler You have made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. You make darkness and it is night …. (Psalm 104: 19 NRSV)

Phil Campbell and Sarah Holloway hold the original painting of Mount Hermon church done by Archie Campbell.

Taylor

Photo by Cindy

A famous person plus one By Cindy Taylor Where can a person go for an evening out with quality entertainment by famous performers without leaving Halls? That’s easy. Just go to Christ UMC for the choir fundraiser planned for 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. “Well, you’ll get one famous person and me,” said Phil Campbell. Campbell has been a member of Christ UMC for more than six years and is always happy to talk about his church and the work members do in the community. He will take the stage with renowned Hee-Haw entertainer Lulu Roman for

the fundraiser. The two are long-time friends from the years when Campbell’s father, Archie, did television with Roman. They came up with the plan to perform together for the fundraiser while doing a show in Jefferson City. Roman has become a wellknown gospel artist and Campbell has perfected stand-up comedy. When these two get together anything can happen. “I’ve been thinking about this fundraiser for some time,” said Campbell. “With our new building close to completion we need some things for the choir.”

Campbell will also donate an original painting done by Archie Campbell to be raffled off during the fundraiser. The painting is of Mount Hermon UMC in Powell. The church has changed very little since the painting was completed years ago. Christ UMC has added more than 9,400 square feet of interior space along with additional paved parking in the past year. The church holds three services every Sunday morning to accommodate attendance. Two services are held in the sanctuary and a contemporary service is held in

the gym. The gym has new hardwood flooring made possible by member donations. “The people in this church are very generous,” said Campbell. “Give them a project and they go right after it.” Sarah Holloway has been the choir director at the church for 17 years. “We plan to use money from the fundraiser to buy shelving, storage cabinets and furniture in the new choir room and hopefully some new music,” she said. Campbell loves to play the harmonica. Maybe if asked nicely he will work in

My calendar tells me that today is the first day of Fall, but what does my calendar know? I knew it was Fall when I walked across the yard on a recent night and saw the moon and the stars shining like it was their job. Even the darkness that surrounded the stars was lovely and rich and deep blue – almost like lapis lazuli. If you have been a reader of this column for a while, you know that autumn is my season. The crispness of the air, the rustle of the leaves, and the sparkle of the heavens take my breath away and lift my heart with their freshness and beauty. I know there are people who dread autumn, who see it as the death of summer, who feel depressed by its onset. I can understand how someone might feel that way. That understanding – so diametrically opposed to my joy and delight in the new season – is the only thing

a few numbers during the fundraiser. “I love to do things for charity,” said Campbell. “It’s more fun than work.” Mark your calendar for the choir fundraiser Oct. 17,

Cross Currents

Lynn Pitts

that makes me be patient with them instead of trying to win them over to my point of view. Sometimes I wonder if God enjoys the turning of the seasons as much as we do. Is that why the Almighty designed the universe with change? God’s creativity – that wondrous ability to create light and oceans and mountains and lakes and people and kitty cats and Irish setters and chipmunks and lapis lazuli – surely causes God to look at this little whirling blob of matter and smile. Among all the stars, the worlds we can’t even see, God is at work creating, sustaining, upholding, blessing all God’s creation. Amen, and amen.

the UMC Women’s Bazaar Nov. 7 and the annual Fall Arts and Craft Fair Nov. 14. Christ UMC is at 7535 Maynardville Pike in Halls. Info: christumcknox.com or 922-2890

From Navajos to East Tennessee, pumpkin sales serve multiple missions By Sherri Gardner Howell Those grinning jacko-lanterns and horn-ofplenty table decorations that brighten many West Knoxville homes in October and November also bring smiles 1,500 miles away. Messiah Lutheran Church, 6900 Kingston Pike, and West Emory Presbyterian Church, 1035 Emory Church Road, are two local churches that sell pumpkins each year from land managed by the Navajo Pride nation. The churches get their pumpkins from Navajo Agricultural Products Industry in Farmington, New Mexico. NAPI is a thriving source of revenue for the Navajo people, and the endeavor includes growing and selling potatoes, beans, corn and wheat and other grains for their Navajo Pride food line. Messiah Lutheran and West Emory are two of more than 1,300 locations in 48 states that participate in a joint operation between NAPI and Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers, a North Carolina company run by Richard and Janice Hamby.

Pumpkin Patch lease 2,000 acres of land from NAPI and employ Navajo workers to grow the pumpkins, then do a profit share from the sale of the pumpkins. Mary Williamson, Messiah Lutheran’s head “pumpkin lady” this year, says the project is “absolutely a dual winner” for the church. In addition to the money that goes to the Navajo people, profits made through the sale stay local. “We always choose one or two local charities to benefit from our sale,” says Williamson. The splashes of color along Kingston Pike and at the intersection of Emory Church Road and Westland Drive are familiar sights for many West Knoxvillians. The 18-wheelers arrive in early October – on Oct. 10 for West Emory and Oct. 14 for Messiah Lutheran. Sales open the next day. This is the tenth year for West Emory’s sale and year number 16 for Messiah Lutheran. At West Emory, unloading the pumpkins is a church and community

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kids

8 • SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 • SOUTH KNOX Shopper news

A visit from a tree South Knoxville Elementary School welcomed a visit last week from Alanna, the talking tree. AmeriCorps member Alanna McKissack dressed as a tree to talk to kids about recycling and the harm litter does to our planet.

Sara Barrett Students gathered around Alanna while she read the book “The Day the Trash Came Out to Play” by David M. Beadle. Students also asked questions about what can be recycled and how to make compost. “You’ll go to jail for littering,” offered a student. “Yeah, and don’t waste food, or you’ll be hungry later,” added another. AmeriCorp member Alanna McKissack sits patiently while South Knoxville Elementary School students including Kaben Tapp and De’Modre King check out her tree costume. South Knoxville Elementary School student Morgan Summerour decides which bin to place her “trash” in: Compost, Recycle or Garbage.

Photos by S. Barrett

Mooreland Heights Elementary School students Taj Wampler, Camden Huggins and Lexi Sparks try some Envy juice.

Annual food fair has tough judges This year’s annual School Nutrition Food Fair for Knox County Schools was held last week at the Expo Center, and I have never seen so many game faces on elementary school students. Kids from all over the county spent some time at the fair taste-testing potential additions to their school menus. Every type of food imaginable was represented, from rolls to ice cream, edamame to grilled-cheese sandwiches, fruit juice to cookies. Each student was given a clipboard with a list of items to taste, and a highlighter to mark either a happy face or

a sad face next to each item on the list. Acosta K-12 market specialist Paula Taylor has w o r k e d these shows for the past 25 years and says she never tires of seeing the kids being the bosses for a Taylor change. A big hit is always the pizza, Taylor says, but one year she remembers a fish nugget with confetti flour sprinkled on top that distributors thought would be

a hit because of the colorful topping. It tanked big time. Another surprising adjustment that had to be made in the Southern states, according to Taylor, were the biscuits served in schools for breakfast. Southern kids were used to white flour biscuits, and recently when the government mandated how the biscuits were made, the new whole-grain recipe made the biscuits turn brown and the students stopped eating them. A waiver was submitted so white flour biscuits could be served, and the kids were once again happy. One popular item at the

Acosta representative Jolene Styles hands a brownie to New Hopewell Elementary School student Adrianna Lambert.

food show was SideKicks frozen fruit juice. “I always hated to see all those apples and bananas being thrown in the trash when I worked food service in school,” said Taylor. SideKicks is a good alternative with 100 percent fruit juice in each serving, and it looks like sorbet. The cutie pie judges agreed. It was a hit.

Mooreland Heights Elementary School student Victricia Berry peruses a table of tortilla chips.

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weekender

Shopper news • SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 • 9

Merry Olde England inin Oak Ridge By Carol Shane Head to St. George Greek Orthodox Church this weekend for the 36th Annual Greekfest. It’s a delicious Knoxville tradition that features authentic Greek food, live music, traditional Greek dancing and costumes, and shopping. As most Knoxvillians know, the entire interior of the church was destroyed by fire in April of this year. Festival guests will be invited into a temporary sanctuary, located in the gym. There will be presentations on Greek Orthodox religion and history, and items salvaged from the fire will be on display, including several icons that were, miraculously, barely damaged. The marketplace will offer imported jewelry and gifts. But the big draw is the food: roast lamb, gyro, souvlaki, pastichio, spanakopita, saganaki, and Greek salad, pizza and pastries. The 36th Annual Greekfest runs 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, and Saturday, Sept. 26; and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 4070 Kingston Pike. Admission: $2 for adults; free for children 12 and under; $3 weekend passes also available. Info:

The concert features UT professor of cello Wesley Baldwin performing Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E Minor. Best known as the composer of several “Pomp and Circumstance” marches, the composer wrote the concerto late in life. It has been described as “autumnal, romantic, melancholy yet at times full of grandeur.” Maestro Dan Allcott, now in his sixth season with ORSO, says, “I am so excited to feature my good friend Wesley Baldwin as soloist on our opening concert. Wes and I have collaborated many times over the years.” Baldwin says he’s excited, too. “The orchestra is first rate, and Dan is a great musician and conductor, and a cellist to boot, so he is the perfect conductor to explore UT professor of cello Wesley Baldwin looks these notes with. forward to performing Edward Elgar’s Cello “Elgar said of this piece Concerto in E Minor with the Oak Ridge Symthat it in some ways was phony Orchestra this weekend. Photo submitted reflective of an older man looking over his life. Now several decades into my re522-5043 or visit www. the Knoxville Symphony lationship with this piece, greekfesttn.com. Orchestra’s “American I do feel this element in its ■ Classical music lov- Masters” season opener the genesis ever more clearly. ers are looking forward to week before, concertgoers Yes, there is lots of vigor, the Oak Ridge Symphony will hop across the pond virtuosity and excitement Orchestra’s opening con- – or at least up Pellissippi in this piece. There is also a cert of its 71st season, titled Parkway – to hear music in- kind of wisdom and mind“Merry Olde England,” this spired by that sceptered isle fulness that goes quite deep weekend. Having attended and its composers. into subtle and important

‘The Intern’ When retirement proves less than ideal to a 70-year-old widower, he applies and is hired for an internship at an online fashion site in “The Intern,” opening Friday. Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway (pictured) star.

emotional realms. I could not be more pleased at the advent of this upcoming performance. “And, as anyone who’s heard it knows, it is just flatout gorgeous.” The concert also features the Oak Ridge Chorus in a performance of G.F. Handel’s anthem, “Zadok the Priest.” The evening opens with Felix Mendelssohn’s “Hebrides Overture” and closes with Haydn’s last symphony, No. 104 in D major, often called the “London Symphony.”

Comics give bad movies new

By Betsy Pickle

No one is making people watch the staggeringly bad movies at Scruffy Science Cinepub 6000, but apparently they just can’t turn away. Offered at 8 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month at Scruffy City Hall, 32 Market Square, Scruffy Science Cinepub 6000 bears more than a passing resemblance to the late and still lamented “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” Knoxville’s distinction is that improvisational comedians are sitting in on the film, ragging on it live for the audience’s enjoyment. And there’s a “heckle mic” in the back. “We encourage audience members to bring on their best one-line zingers while the whole thing is going on as well,” says Michael Samstag, who produces the event with Victor Agreda Jr., with support from Matt Ward. “We have a gong for any really terrible groaners.” Samstag says that two troupes – Scruffy City Comedy and Full Disclosure Comedy – are already on board, and he expects Einstein Simplified to join in the fun, too. Cinepub 6000 “was born from an afternoon of drinking” with Scruffy City

proprietor Scott West and others in June, says Samstag. He found his lineup by Googling bad movies “and stuff that I could find on Amazon for cheap.” “There’s a bunch of lists of films that nobody owns, that are public-domain schlocky films that you can use for various screenings without having to worry about fees, and of course for us it’s fair-use public domain anyway because we’re improvising over it as it plays.” The series debuted in August with “Invasion of the Bee Girls.” The Sept. 23 film is “The Brain That Wouldn’t Die” (1962). “It’s so funny because we do all these serious screenings, and we have to beg and cajole to get people to come out, then we can take … ‘Invasion of the Bee Girls’ – I’d like to say it’s the worst movie ever made, but there’s so many of them like that – and people just can’t get enough of it.” Upcoming films include the original “Little Shop of Horrors” (notable as Jack Nicholson’s first film), “Destination Moon” and “The Crawling Eye.” “They’re sort of indiscriminately chosen,” says Samstag. “The Brain That Wouldn’t Die” was “a

Maestro Allcott promises “an enjoyable evening for all!” The Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra performs its opening concert of the 2015-2016 season at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center, 1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike. Ticket prices begin at $10 for young adults ages 18-30; $25 for adults. Children are admitted free. Info: www.orcma. org or call 483-5569. Send story suggestions to news@ shoppernewsnow.com.

life Scruff y Science Cinepub 6000 attendees watch “Invasion of the Bee Girls.” Photo

submitted

MST3K favorite. That’s actually a coincidence. I’m not trying to just do stuff that’s been on ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000’ because then comedians could go and just watch those episodes and have all the obvious lines.” Although the Scruffy Science Cinepub 6000 is all about laughs, Samstag says he “wouldn’t call it a familyfriendly event” because alcohol plays a big role. “Drinks start at 7, and the trashing begins at 8,”

he says. But judging by August’s turnout and the he RSVPs on the Facebook k page a week in advance, e, he’s expecting fans to o create their own family over the months. “I think it’s going to be a beloved event in no time.”

“The Brain That Wouldn’t dn’t Die” is showing at 8 p.m. m. Sept. 23.

Susan G. Komen Knoxville

Race for the Cure

October 24, 2015 www.KomenKnoxville.org

business

10 • SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 • Shopper news

Megalab gets a ‘wow’ as Pellissippi State touts new technology By Sandra Clark

State Sen. Becky Massey jokes with Career Magnet Academy students Kyle LaJouness of Gibbs and Alex Smoot of the Fulton High area. CMA draws students from across Knox County. Pho-

tos by S. Clark

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Randy Boyd, Tennessee commissioner of economic and community development, said, “I was blown away by this space when I walked in. Students in Tennessee, through the Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect, can now go to college free of tuition, but students need modern equipment and modern, great facilities. “This facility is such a blessing for this area. It’ll be even more exciting when students go in there and begin to learn,” Boyd said in a prepared release from the college. Boyd should know. The lab is located in the Jenny

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three-dimensional writing. Pellissippi students can obtain certificates, degrees or other credentials in a variety of fields including welding, automated industrial systems, industrial maintenance, cyber security or even agri-economics. National associations and corporations such as the American Welding Society, FANUC Robotics and the National Institute for Metalworking Skills will offer credentials to students who learn in the lab.

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and Randy Boyd Building. Tim Wilson, who works in Pellissippi’s business and community services department, said companies can train existing staff “either onsite or at our place.” He said Pellissippi is currently working with Fresenius, a German-based company with offices in Knox County. Pellissippi’s president, L. Anthony Wise, called the megalab “a place of shared vision in how to create educational and economic opportunities in this area of East Tennessee.” State Sen. Mark Norris came over from Collierville to see the lab. His wife, Chris, talked with students such as Katie Stallings, who would have attended Carter High School had she not transferred to CMA. “You don’t have to program it,” CMA sophomore Kyle LaJouness told state Sen. Becky Massey about the 3D pencil he was using to create lattice-work and

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Marketing and sales guru Tim Petree spoke last week to the North Knox R o t a r y Club. The K nox v ille native has a background in television Tim Petree and now heads a company with clients nationwide. Be Media Savvy Inc. promises to deliver “big time marketing strategies that work for small budgets.” Petree says the Internet has made it possible for any sized business to find and retain customers. “Just turn those clicks into cash,” he said. Have a system to corral the people who click on your website or “like” you on Facebook. He suggested a lead magnet (sometimes called a hook). Offer something free – just one idea or suggestion – to get potential

clients communicating with you. Next offer a low-cost item for sale. He calls that a “trip wire.” Move next to your core offer, then look to upsell and finally, look toward profit maximizers. As important as people are to a sales organization, Petree says a system is even more important. Most folks in business have heard that “80 percent of our sales are produced by 20 percent of our people,” he said, quoting Michael Gerber in “The E-Myth.” “Unfortunately, few seem to know what the 20 percent are doing that the 80 percent are not.” That answer, he said, is their system. And if you don’t believe this report, just go to BeMediaSavvy.com and download that free offer. See what happens next. Note: Tim and his wife, Lisa, live in Powell and operate a business called BST Concierge.

Childhelp work ‘rewarding’ By Bonny C. Millard Childhelp deals with some of the most serious issues involving children – sexual and physical abuse as well as children in foster care – but Hugh Nystrom, director of community relations, says it is a rewarding experience. Childhelp is a national nonprofit that operates the Knox County Children’s Advocacy Center and the Childhelp Foster Family Agency of East Tennessee. Nystrom spoke to the Rotary Club of Farragut about how the organization helps abused and displaced children. “In spite of what we deal with every single day, it’s a very positive place to work,” he said. Nystrom worked for the Walt Disney Company for 14 years before returning home to Knoxville for family reasons. Even though it was a dream career, he said his journey with Childhelp has also been deeply satisfying. “It’s been just an incredible 10 years,” he said. The advocacy center opened 20 years ago and provides a safe and comfortable environment for children during the investi-

gative stage of abuse cases. Before the center was established, children had to tell their stories several times to different officers, doctors and others. SomeNystrom times the interviews were done in the house where the abuse took place with the abuser nearby. “Just through that process of an abuse investigation, you’ve further traumatized the child,” Nystrom said. Childhelp has a large playroom filled with toys and other activities to put children at ease. During an investigation, a forensic interviewer talks to a child in a room with a two-way mirror that allows law enforcement officials to observe unobtrusively. He said every expert in Knox County who works on child abuse cases meets weekly to review “every single case of child abuse in Knox County and make a determination on how we’re going to move forward on it. … of what is in the best interests of the child.”

Shopper news • SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 • 11

The Knoxville Opera Gospel Choir will be featured when “Knoxville Opera Goes to Church” this weekend. Photo submitted

Gospel and opera By Carol Shane

McLemore Florist employee Megan Christian stands next to a hay bale sunflower at the entrance to the business. Her mom, Karen Christian, created it. Photo by S. Barrett

Flowers and hay bales mous sunflower made from By Sara Barrett Take a turn down East a hay bale sitting in the yard Young High Pike from Chap- of McLemore Florist. Co-owner Karen Chrisman Highway, and you’ll immediately see an enor- tian comes up with the

BIZ NOTES

Chris Stokes

Chris Stokes is the business area sales manager for U.S. Cellular in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. The Hardin Valley resident has been with U.S. Cellular since 2003, most recently serving as the senior manager for multi-channel performance. In 2012, he was awarded the U.S. Cellular Enterprise Dynamic Excellence Award.

designs, and they’ve slowly made their way down Chapman Highway to various locations. A plumber made from a hay bale is currently bending over in front of traffic at Colonial Village. Christian’s hay bale creations have become so popular, a Facebook page has

been started to share them with the world. Search for McLemore Hay Bale Art, and a plethora of hay critters will flood your screen. Christian hand-paints each creation around the hay bale in her off time from her full-time job at the post office. Info: www.mclemorefloristtn.com or 577-2720.

UT NOTES ■ Jessica Hay, assistant professor of psychology and director of UT’s Infant Language and Perceptual Learning Lab, has received a $1.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study how infants acquire language. Hay is seeking families from East Tennessee with children ages 6 months to 2 years to be part of the study. Info: 974-0514 or infantlanguagelab@utk.edu.

This weekend, gospel and opera will join hands for one of the Knoxville Opera Company’s most popular concerts. It’s so popular that they’re presenting it twice. “Knoxville Opera Goes to Church … A Celebration of Talent” features the Knoxville Opera Gospel Choir as well as cast members from the upcoming production of Boito’s “Mefistofele.” One of 75 education and outreach programs offered by the opera company each year, the concert grew out of talks between KOC maestro Brian Salesky, his staff and leaders in the AfricanAmerican community. Salesky’s wish was to make opera audiences more inclusive and diverse, while also celebrating local Knoxville talent. “After considering various ways to accomplish this,” he says, “the committee chose to form the Knoxville Opera Gospel Choir under the direction of Ms. Jeannie Melton and present that group along with local soloists and guest opera artists in a predominantly African-American church.” Melton says she is proud to conduct such eclectic repertoire. “Our performances are an inspiration both to

our performers and our very enthusiastic audience.” And they are enthusiastic. Last year the house was packed to the rafters – hence this year’s second planned production. “We are privileged to contribute to our community with this unique event that unites patrons and fans who appreciate diverse musical cultures,” says Salesky, who will accompany the solo opera artists. “We are most grateful for the support of our generous sponsors who make this concert possible.” The two-concert series is presented by Home Federal Bank and is sponsored by The Fifth Commandment Fund. “Knoxville Opera Goes to Church … A Celebration of Talent” takes place at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, 2500 E. Fifth Ave., Knoxville. The second performance will be at 7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Community Church at Tellico Village, 130 Chota Center, Loudon. For more information, visit KnoxvilleOpera.com, or call 5240795, ext. 28. Send story suggestions to news@ shoppernewsnow.com.

DAVID

WILLIAMS CITY COUNCIL

Seat C at large “A voice for neighborhoods”

Neighborhood Problems Not Being Solved! These issues are not being addressed: • Cut through traffic • No Sidewalks/Inadequate Sidewalks • Noise/Light Pollution • Operated a math tutoring business for 40 years. • Expertise, experience and desire to help neighborhoods solve their problems. • President of Pond Gap Association for 15 years.

Primary Election September 29th I would appreciate your vote and support, call (865) 256-1828 or email dawill64@yahoo.com Paid for by David Williams for City Council, Harry Boss, Treasurer

Catch up with all your favorite columnists every Wednesday at www.ShopperNewsNow.com

12 • SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 • SOUTH KNOX Shopper news

Shopper Ve n t s enews

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SEEKING VENDORS The Union County Heritage Festival is seeking arts-and-crafts vendors, food vendors, demonstrators and nonprofit booths for the festival, to be held 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at Wilson Park in Maynardville. The festival draws more than 4,000 people each year. Info/booth pricing: Marilyn Toppins, mtoppins51@comcast.net. Vendors needed for Powell Lions Club/Halls Lions Club’s Fall Gift and Craft Fair, to be held 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, Powell Auto Auction, 6729 Pleasant Ridge Road. Info/registration form: E-clubhouse.org/sites/powelltn

THROUGH FRIDAY, OCT. 2 Submissions accepted for jurying process at Appalachian Arts Craft Center in Norris. Must include completed forms, three samples of work and $25 jury fee. Info/forms: www.appalachianarts.net; 494-9854; 2716 Andersonville Highway in Norris.

THROUGH SUNDAY, OCT. 4 “The Little Mermaid, Jr.,” a musical stage version of the 1989 Walt Disney Studios film, Knoxville Children’s Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Ave. Performances: 7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 1 and 5 p.m. Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $12. Info/reservations: knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com or 208-3677.

THROUGH THURSDAY, OCT. 22 Tickets on sale for “The Music and the Memories” show featuring Pat Boone and Knoxville swing orchestra The Streamliners, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, Oak Ridge Performing Arts Center, Oak Ridge High School, 1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike. Info/tickets: KnoxvilleTickets.com or 656-4444.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23 Auditions for “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Ra-

dio Play,” 7-8:30 p.m., Tellico Community Playhouse, 304 Lakeside Plaza, Loudon. Casting five actors in multiple roles. Info: Debbie Mayberry, sdmayberry@ charter.net. Brown Bag Lecture: “Loss of the Steamer Sultana: America’s Worst Maritime Disaster,” noon-1 p.m., East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay St. Speaker: Norman Shaw. Info: 215-8824. Knoxville Writers’ Group meeting, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Naples Italian Restaurant, 5500 Kingston Pike. Lunch: $12. Speaker: novelist Pamela Schoenewaldt; topic: “Under the Same Blue Sky: A Novel of War, Home and Healing.” Info/reservation: Mary McKinnon, 9833740. Registration deadline for “Vols for Kidneys” golf classic, to be held Monday, Sept. 28, Cherokee Country Club. Sponsored by UT Medical Center. Proceeds will benefit the East Tennessee Kidney Foundation. No onsite registration. Info/registration: 288-7351 or katie@ etkidney.org.

available. Info: mcnabbcenter.org/event/12th-annualrecovery-fair.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, SEPT. 25-27 Art Fair KMA, Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive. Friday: A Vernissage/Opening Preview and Sale, 6-9 p.m. Tickets: $95, knoxart.org/ events/art-fair-kma.html. Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday, noon-4 p.m.: artist booths featuring original art, art and craft activities for children, and photo booth. Free and open to the public. Info: knoxart.org; artfairkma@gmail.com. Greekfest, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 4070 Kingston Pike. Admission: $2 for adults, children 12 and under are free; weekend pass, $3. Features authentic Greek food and pastries, live music, traditional Greek dancing and costumes, shopping.

WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY, SEPT. 23-24 SATURDAY, SEPT. 26 AARP Driver Safety class, noon-4 p.m., O’Connor Senior Center, 611 Winona St. Info/registration: Carolyn Rambo, 382-5822.

THURSDAY-FRIDAY, SEPT. 24-25 AARP Driver Safety class, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Asbury Place, 2648 Sevierville Road, Maryville. Info/registration: Carolyn Rambo, 382-5822.

THURSDAY-SUNDAY, SEPT. 24-27 “Walking Across Egypt,” presented by the WordPlayers, Erin Presbyterian Church, 200 Lockett Road. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $10-$15, available at the door or wordplayers.org. Info: 539-2490.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 Farragut Food Festival, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Renaissance | Farragut. More than 25 restaurants expected to participate. Advance tickets: farragutbusiness.com. Info/advance tickets: farragutbusiness.com; 307-2486; info@farragutbusiness.com; Facebook. Movies on Market Square: “Night at the Museum” (PG, 2006); movie begins at dusk. Hosted by the Knox County Public Library. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on; well-behaved dogs are welcome. Info: knoxlib.org/movies or 215-8767. Recovery Awareness Fair, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Market Square. Hosted by Helen Ross McNabb Center. Fair emphasizes the importance of seeking physical and mental wellness each day throughout the recovery process. Prevention, treatment and recovery information will be

AAA Driver Improvement Course, 8 a.m.-4:40 p.m., AAA Maryville office, . Eight-hour course helps reduce points for traffic offenders. Cost: $40 members/$50 nonmembers. Must preregister. Info/registration: Kate, 862-9254, or Stephanie, 862-9252. Alzheimer’s Association Walk To End Alzheimer’s®, 8 a.m., UT campus. Includes: two-mile walk, vendor booths, door prizes and a special tribute to those who have experienced or are experiencing Alzheimer’s. To start/join a team: alz.org/walk. “Cover Crops: Great Winter Blankets for Your Garden” class, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Demonstration Garden at All Saints Catholic Church, 620 N. Cedar Bluff Road. Presenter: Master Gardener Marsha Lehman. Free and open to the public. Info: 215-2340; knoxcountymastergardener.org. Dale Jett & Hello Stranger in concert, 8 p.m., Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave. Tickets: $14, some discounts available. Info/tickets: www.jubileearts.org. Financial Workshop: Retirement income planning, 10:30 a.m., Farragut Branch Library, 417 N. Campbell Station Road. Presented by Darrell Keathley from COFFE (Community Outreach For Financial Education). Registration required. Info/registration: 777-1750. The Great Smoky Mountains Salamander Ball, 6:30-10 p.m., the Knoxville Zoo, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive. A masquerade ball and fundraiser for Discover Life in America. For adults and kids of all ages. Come dressed as a favorite Smoky Mountain critter. Info/registration: Todd Witcher, 430-4757 or todd@dlia. org; dlia.org. “Knoxville Opera Goes to Church: A Celebration of Talent!,” 3:30 p.m., Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, 2500 E. Fifth Ave. A mix of gospel and opera performed by local and guest artists. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by Home Federal Bank. Info: knoxvilleopera. com/schedule/kochurch.

Announcing the 39th Annual

Kerbela Shrine Circus It’s a 3-ring show your family won’t want to miss! We’d love for you to be part of this special event, and we’ll send complimentary passes for your family and friends with your paid sponsorship.

Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville, Tenn. Fri., Oct. 23, 2015 ...................7pm Sat., Oct. 24, 2015 .......1pm & 7pm Sun., Oct. 25, 2015......1pm & 7pm SHRINERS ON PARADE starts 30 minutes before showtime.

The Kerbela Shriners need and appreciate your support of the circus. Your help makes it possible for us to maintain our efforts locally and give away many thousands of free tickets to disadvantaged and deserving children and worthy organizations in 17 East Tennessee counties so that they can enjoy the circus free of charge. If you haven’t already been contacted and would like more info, please contact us at: Kerbela Shrine Circus PO Box 2691 Knoxville, TN 37901 Phone: (865) 573-0446 Email: knoxville@shrineservices.com

We thank you for your continued support! Fundraising for the circus is conducted by Shrine Services, a professional solicitor on behalf of the Kerbela Shriners. Proceeds benefit Kerbela Shriners. Contributions are not deductible as charitable donations.

If you are interested in a position helping reach out to the community, we are hiring, call (865) 246-1823.